Terrapin Side Project #5: Monk's Revenge Review

Ok, been a bit since my last post. Last week was a bit odd. We had an industry audit going on at work and the twins tried to escape a few weeks early from my wife so I spent a few days shuttling back and forth between work and the hospital.

Anyway, on to the beer. I was lucky enough to pre-order some of the new Terrapin Side Project that came out last week. Up to this point I had been pretty underwhelmed by this series of beers. #3 Gamma Ray Wheatwine was nice but #4 and #2 (Dos Cocas Chocolate Porter and The Rauchbier) both left a bit to be desired. Not so the #5, appropriately called Monk's Revenge. Anyway, it is billed as a Belgian Style Double IPA. Terrapin says it is a mix of the malt profile from a Belgian Triple with the Hop profile of an American Double IPA. I really don't care because it is soooo damn good. Reminds me very much of an Allagash Triple but with a tad more hops. Packs a pretty good punch too coming in a 9.6% abv and 99IBUs. Thing is though, the hops are nicely hidden and this does not seem like a beer with close to a 100 ibu rating. Very nice and malty up front, has a bit of the Belgian funk going on in the middle which I really enjoy. A very smooth finish with the hop aroma lingering for a bit in you mouth.

If you can get your hands on a bottle of this give it a shot. I was lucky enough to snag a 1/6 barrel keg! Plan on letting it rest for a bit and tapping it some time late spring. I'll give this Terrapin Side Project 4.5 out of 5 pints. Well done, they finally took a crazy idea and knocked it out of the park.

Big Beer News! Bells coming to Georgia!

Well it is going to be a banner weekend for the beer snob and friends. I have friday off and plan to celebrate the opening round of March Madness by tapping my keg of HopNog homebrew. Really looking forward to it. Have to keep track of how long it lasts but I doubt it will make it to Sunday.

Beer is getting interesting here in Georgia. Taco Mac has a special Sweetwater brew on draft for the next week or so, Ron Burgundy. It is a 30th anniversary beer brewed just for Taco Mac. Terrapin and Atlanta Brewing will also be making special beers.

Biggest news in my mind is that New Belgian and Bells are on their way to GA! Bells!!! Sweet. Should be here this summer. I can see my beer being permanently stocked with Two Hearted Ale for the foreseeable future, I am giddy with the news. Now if someone will get off their butt and get Bear Republic here in GA I can drink in piece.

Anyway, I'll take a few pics and let everyone know how the HopNog turned out. I also may have some guest posts up about the beer scene in the Far East (Yes Reed I may have you tell me a bit about beer in Japan). 'Till then..

Happy Drinking!!

Big drinking ahead...

Well there is now a deadline set to when the twins are going to show up at the latest. April 30th. I guess I have to get some good drinking in before then. Plan on having the Hopnog kegged up middle of next week and ready for consumption for the opening rounds of the NCAA tourney. I also have to help plan our neighborhood H.O.R.S.E poker tourney (I'm a co-founder of the tournament). This will be the 2nd year we have had this be one of the 4 majors in the Lockridge Forrest Sport Fishing and Gaming Association poker tour. The 4 majors include the aforementioned HORSE tourney, the Stud Poker Championship, the Gran Poupon Tourney (dealer calls) and the Tournament of Champions. You have to have won one of the other majors to be able to enter the tourney of champions. Luckily I am now eligible to play in the TOC due to my win in the Gran Poupon tourney this past January.

I am also kicking around the idea of buying either a really good bottle of port or of Champagne for when the kids are born. Figure I will try to keep it until they are 21 and then share it with them.

Not much real beer news right now. I should have the rearranged kegerator set-up this weekend. I'll review the Hopnog as soon as I give it a try.

Happy Drinking!

Mantuary of the Month, January 2009!

Don't know if any of my readers make it over to The Mantuary. It is a pretty good site about all things manly. Anyway, my basement bar was voted Mantuary of the Month for January 2009! Check out the article.