Faves

On The Road (Again, Again)

-Ron gets Revolutionary in Chicago

-We Find a Mexican Beer With Hops - In South Carolina, No Less

-WOB is coming to Destiny - OMG!

Here at BOTB we have an agenda. That agenda is to promote craft beer. We are located in Central New York near Syracuse (Go Orange!!) so we like to shine a spotlight on local breweries as much as we can. Having said that, we love to check out craft brews from across the country. Distribution of craft beers is a fickle thing. Unlike the mega-breweries (Bud, Miller, Coors) which are universally distributed throughout the US and beyond, most craft breweries do not have the clout (i.e. money) to get their beers distributed beyond a particular region. You can walk into any bar in the country and be pretty much assured that they will have a plethora of InBev products, as well as Miller/Coors. But try to find Ithaca Brewing's Flower Power in Florida, or Cigar City's Jai Alai in Idaho. I don't think so. A relative few (Sierra Nevada, Samuel Adams) are able to distribute nationwide and make their way into the big chain restaurants, but that leaves a vast array of great beers out there that never make it to our part of the country. Worse still, never make it to our taste buds. Ergo, when we travel, we enjoy seeking out these regional treasures and giving them a little shout-out here.

Recently, Ron and Vicky took a trip that wended its way through Chicago and ended up in Myrtle Beach, SC, where they met up with Les and me. While there, Ron picked up Sweetwater IPA and I grabbed some Aviator HogWild IPA, both of which will be reviewed later.

While in Chicago, Ron filed the following review of Revolution Brewpub.

You Say You Want a Revolution

While in Chicago, Vicky and I had the good fortune of stopping at Revolution Brewpub in Logan Square. They have a production brewery a couple blocks away that provides them with their flagship beers and a smaller brewery within the brewpub that concocts the seasonal and specialty beers. A tour of the brewpub facility left me with a feeling that the brewers really enjoy their jobs and have a good sense of their ingredients. Each style of beer well represents that style without being "over the top." I started out with a pint of Red Skull, an Imperial Red Ale with whole Cascade hops, then dry hopped with Citra and Cascade hops. It had a nice big hops aroma, but the taste was balanced with caramel sweetness. Vicky got a Workingwoman Brown, a hopped brown ale. I gave it a thumbs up as well. Since we we were going to the Art Institute after our visit to the brewpub, I knew I couldn't have a pint of each beer they have on tap. I did have samples of: Anti-Hero IPA, Coup D'Etat (a Belgian farmhouse style saison), Double Fist (a double pale ale), Georgia Gene (a German-style Rauchbier), Loganberry, Oktoberfest Revolution, Chicago Smoke and Penguin Hops.

The Penguin Hops was interesting in that it was brewed with an unknown hops variety grown at the nearby Shedd's Aquarium. The proceeds of the sale of this beer are turned back to the aquarium.
I would have loved to spend the day with pints of all but the Loganberry and Oktoberfest - not that they weren't good, but not my styles. In addition to their fine lineup of taps, there are 65 bottled beers and 9 ciders and fruit beers in the coolers.

Bacon Fat Popcorn

As for the food... We started with an appetizer, a large bowl of "Bacon Fat Popcorn." Popcorn was popped in bacon fat, topped with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese. It was so delicious, but then the meal. I got the market fish and Vicky had the smoked trout salad - both outstanding. If all that wasn't enough, the desserts were yet to come. I had a pecan blonde brownie with bourbon ice cream and butterscotch drizzled over the top. Vicky had the orange cheesecake on a bacon/gingersnap crust topped with orange marmalade. Both desserts were decadent.

Let me tell you, it is a must stop when you go to Chicago. The beers, the food, and the staff will leave you with fond memories for a very long time.

A Mexican Beer With Hops

 (And We Don't Mean With Jumping Beans)

So, when The Most Interesting Man In The World tells us he doesn't normally drink beer, but when he does, he drinks Dos Equis, why should that make a real beer aficionado want to run out and buy Dos Equis? He just told us he doesn't really drink beer. I mean, really, if someone said, "I never drink wine, but I think you should buy that reddish colored one over there," would any self-respecting oenophile take that person's advice? So why should I listen to a guy who admits he rarely drinks beer? Sheesh! That commercial has bugged me from the first time it aired. There is more than a hint of snobbery as the guy looks down his aristocratic nose at the riffraff known as "beer drinkers." And I, as a proud, card-carrying member of said riffraff, resent that. Truth be told, with the explosion of craft beers, there is now such a wide and rich variety of styles and tastes in beer, why would you settle for anything as pedestrian as Dos Equis? It may be better than, say, Corona, but is that saying much? We cerevisaphiles turn our collective noses up to such nonsense. Especially now that I have discovered that there is indeed good beer to be found South of the border!

While in South Carolina of all places, Ron and I discovered a terrific beer out of Mexico. We were in a seafood restaurant called Carlos' And Charlie's and checking their beer list. There wasn't a lot to choose from but then we saw something called Day of the Dead IPA. We gave it a shot and we were pleasantly surprised. Most beers out of Mexico follow the typical light lager profile found in the mega-brews in the US. As I later found out, Day of the Dead Brewery is:

-The first fully developed, fully accessible craft beer to come out of Mexico

-Mexican owned, Mexican brewed

-Located 100 yards from the US border in Tacate, Mexico

-Capacity of 75,000 barrels with plenty of room to expand.

Their IPA is 6.8% ABV and an impressive 83 IBUs. It's brewed with 2 Row, Munich, Carapils, and Caramel malts plus Centennial, Cascade, Fuggle, Saaz, Goldings, and Willamette hops.

It's a terrific beer. Nicely balanced despite the high IBUs. They also produce an Amber Ale, a Pale Ale, a Hefeweizen, a Blonde Ale and a Porter.

WOB at Destiny!

Strolled past World of Beers site at Destiny USA in Syracuse the other day. It's pretty much ready to roll. There was a group of future employees, apparently, inside getting schooled in the finer points of beer. Opening day is set for December 16th. Just took a look at their line-up of beers and it's pretty impressive. Check it out here:  www.wobusa.com/locations/Syracuse/menus

The bottled beer selection is unparalleled - broken down by country, and then in the US, by state. 37 beers (and cider) on tap. 

May have to do a little extra Christmas shopping at the mall starting the 16th.

BYFB 

(Bring Your Favorite Beer) 

Most everyone has a favorite beer. Whether it's Bud or Miller Lite or a beer that actually has hops and malt in it, most beer drinkers have that default beer they grab when they just want a good beer. So we decided this month to have  a "favorite beer" competition at the BOTB November meeting. This created a bit of a dilemma: there are now so many good beers out there it is tough to choose the favorite. Add to this the fact that we really didn't want to bring a bunch of beers we've already rated. As a result, we ended up bringing beer we really liked but hadn't rated. Otherwise we might have ended up having, say, four or five Flower

Powers, one of my personal favorites. Some of us had been traveling and brought back a tasty brew we discovered, while others of us actually followed the original premise. As a result, we had seven darn good beers without a loser in the bunch.

Now, we all had a pony in the race, so to speak, since we brought something we had personally endorsed as a top notch brew, so we figured we'd better go back to our old blind tasting model and see where the chips fell in the end.
The order of finish will be disclosed at the end, and the tasting order was random.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed this blog that all are IPAs!

JUST IPA

Just Beer Project - Alchemy and Science,  Burlington, VT

An independently operating subsidiary of Boston Beer Company

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 4.8%; IBUs: 45; MALTS: 2-Row Malted Barley, Bohemian Floor Malted Barley, Honey Malt; HOPS: Chinook, Ahtanum, Citra, Cascade. OF INTEREST: Just Beer's goal is to brew good craft beer that is under 5% ABV.

What the Brewer Says: "It's not 2,000 IBUs. The hops weren't harvested from the grounds of a temple in the heart of a jungle that you've never heard of. This beer won't change your attitude.We're not trying to scare you or numb your tongue. You just drink it. It tastes great. Just IPA."

Color: Golden honey

Pour: Decent off-white head

Aroma: hoppy

Body: Medium

Taste: There are notes of licorice, a little barley, and a hint of grapefruit. 

Overall Impression: Midway between "I could drink this: and "Can't get enough."

Comments: "I'd drink this during a football game; I detect a bit of a licorice/horehound taste: There is a nice aftertaste; It's balanced; There's not a big malt taste; It has a clean finish; It seems like a session beer; The taste on the end makes you want to have another - sort of a "re-taste" session beer; It would be a good lunch beer, when you would still be good for the afternoon; A lot can be said about this beer..."

Hog Wild IPA

Aviator Brewing Company, Faquay-Varina, NC

The Beer Facts: STYLE: IPA; ABV: 6.7%; IBUs: 50; SRM: 5; MALTS: Pale Ale and Vienna; HOPS: Chinook, Columbus, Cascade - Dry hopped with Magnum, Williamette, and Amarillo.

What the Brewer Says: "...A very hoppy and refreshing ale."

Color: Golden Honey

Pour: A very nice head, with decent retention.

Aroma: Pretty malty with a little spice

Body: Better than medium

Taste: Well toward bitter. It has notes of malt, bread, citrusy hops and a little nut taste.

Overall Impression: Nearly all the way to "Can't get enough."

Comments: "It seems to have a higher alcohol content than the previous sample; It has a good malt backbone; It hits all the notes; This is really good - I like it; I'd like to be able to drink, and drink, and drink this; It has a nice bitter finish."

60 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, Delaware

The Beer Facts: STYLE: IPA; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 60; MALTS: NA; HOPS: Blend of Northwest hops

What the Brewer Says: "60 Minute is brewed with a slew of great Northwest hops. A powerful but balanced East Coast IPA with a lot of citrusy hop character. It's the session beer for hardcore enthusiasts!"

Color: Golden honey.

Pour: Much better than "Decent" head, but not quite Guinness class

Aroma: Light hops aroma.

Body: A bit less than medium.

Taste: On the bitter side of balanced. There are notes of bread and nuts.

Overall Impression: "I could drink this"

Comments: "It's a little carbonated; I get a little bit of a pilsner vibe; You get a little flavor at the front - then sail right through to the end; It reminds me of Saranac Pale Ale; There are no strong notes of anything; It's not a big beer; It doesn't knock my socks off, but it is a decent beer."

Centennial IPA

Founder Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI

The Beer Facts: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.2%; IBUs: 65; MALTS: NA; HOPS: Centennial (I assume); OF NOTE: This beer will soon be available in 12-pack cans.

What the Brewer Says: "Get ready to bask in the glory of the frothy head's floral bouquet. Relish the citrus accents from the abundance of dry hopping. This one's sweet, yet balanced. Malty undertones shake hands with the hop character for a finish that never turns too bitter."

Color: Amber/red

Pour: A high, off-white colored head that quickly dissipates.

Aroma: Spicy/hoppy

Body: A bit beyond medium.

Taste: Leans to the bitter, with strong notes of malt to balance it out. Tastes of bread and toffee were also detected.

Overall Impression: "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "That is a nice, full-flavored beer; It stays with you; There is a nice, strong malt backbone; It explodes in your mouth; And it stays right with you; Man, I like this; It is certainly not a lawn mower beer; I'd call it balanced - with strong alcohol taste." 

Sweetwater IPA

Sweetwater Brewing Company, Atlanta, Georgia

The Beer Facts: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.3%; IBUs: 65; MALT: 2-Row, Munich, Wheat, 70/80; HOPS: Chinook, Cascade, Columbus - finishes with Simcoe, US Golding; AWARDS: Best IPA in the Country - Judges Choice AJC, March '09.

What the Brewer Says: "This mammoth India Pale Ale is loaded with intense hop character and subjected to an extensive dry-hopping process. Our IPA is unfiltered, leavimg all the natural flavors intact. The Beer You've Been Training For."

Color: Unfiltered amber

Pour: Very large off-white head that dissipates quickly.

Aroma: A little yeast aroma, but you really have to breathe in deep to get it

Body: Medium to full

Taste: Citrusy hops with notes of bread and grapefruit.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough

Comments: "This is good; WWGD (What Would Gerry Do?) Answer - Open another one; You could have several of these; It's a little floral - almost as much as Flower Power; This is a good year 'round beer; If it is one that is sold around here, I will definitely buy it; It has the taste of a West Coast IPA."

Southern Tier IPA

Southern Tier Brewing Co., Lakewood, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 7.3%; IBUs: "Medium-high"; MALTS: 4 varieties; HOPS: 4 varieties; YEAST: Ale yeast

What the Brewer Says: "The India Pale Ale we brew is our version of a brewing legacy ... (an) intrepid ale, triple-hopped on its journey to your gleass for a truly aromatic experience."

Color: Golden light honey/copper

Pour: Generous off-white head

Aroma: Nice hoppy aroma

Taste: Well towardthe bitter/hoppy end of the sectrum with notes of citrus/grapefruit, toffee and pine.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "OMG; Oh that's good; It has a spiciness to it; It hangs int the mouth; It has a complex taste - it runs the gamut of flavors as you let it sit on your tongue; There is a taste that stays with you; This is one delicious beer - you could easily drink this one, and another just like it; This is a really good, good beer."

Middle Ages X Double Indian Pale Ale

Middle Ages Brewery, Syracuse, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 10.00%; IBUs: Not listed but described as "an intense hop bitterness."; HOPS: Ten addition of American hops.

What the Brewer Says: "Brewed in the style of an American Double IPA in celebration of our 10th anniversary. This beer is golden in color, has medium to full body, intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Ten additions of American hops are made throughout the brewing process."

Color: Golden to amber

Pour: Little to Decent off-white head

Aroma: Banana and clove

Body: Well toward full

Taste: Banana initially with a nice hop bitterness

Overall Impression: Between "I could drink this" and "Can't get enough."

Comments: "This is a big one; You shouldn't operate machinery while drinking this beer; It has lots of alcohol, for sure, but it is balanced so it hides the alcohol; It just sits on my tongue; It tastes like a Middle Ages beer; It is English Ale-ish; I really like it; The bittering lasts through the swallowing; I like it a lot, but I couldn't drink a lot of it; It is very strong; It tastes like a "hunting club" beer."

And the Winner Is...

As mentioned previously, there were no losers in this bunch. Any one of them would be a welcome sight on any tap. But we set out with the idea that we would see which was our collective favorite. Once we had tried all seven but before we knew what they were, each of us ranked the beers 1 - 7 with #1 as our favorite etc. In this manner, as with golf,  low score wins. Some of us tried to keep notes throughout, others preferred to wing it. The results are as follows:

1. A 3-way tie for first - Middle Ages x, Sweetwater IPA, and Founders Centennial IPA all ended up with the same low score - decidedly under par.

2. (or 4th) - Southern Tier IPA - Interesting when you re-read the comments on this one, which were raves. I believe the others all garnered some "1's" while nearly everyone picked this one as their second favorite. Still well below par.

3. (or 5th) - Aviator Hogwild IPA - A nice, balanced brew. Slightly under par

4. (or 6th) - Just IPA from the Just Beer Project - Very good session IPA. Low ABV, nice hoppy flavor. Par.

5. (or 7th) - Dogfish Head  60 Minute IPA - This surprised me as I thought this beer would score higher. Once again, as unmitigated hopheads, we tend to lean toward those brews that are hop forward and 60 Minute is bit more balanced. A bit over par.

Until next time...

Sláinte,
The BOTB Guys

A Little Monster Mash



A Little Traveling Music, If You Please

In a sort of everything-old-is-new-again twist, the growth of craft brewing has resulted in the return of the small, regional brewery - those breweries whose beers barely make it outside the borders of a few counties, much less across state lines. As we travel about the country, we make it a point to find brew pubs and micro-breweries along the way. Some of these bottle, some don't. The quality and style vary greatly, but it's always fun to try different beers.

I always try to jot down notes on the beers I try along the way. These notes get stashed in pockets, backpacks, and suitcases. I recently combed through all the nooks and crannies of our various travel gear and have culled some of these jottings. What follows, in no particular order, are my quick and dirty impressions of some of the beers I tried in a recent trip to the Midwest.

Points to remember:

1. I'm a hophead so I tend to be attracted to hoppier beers

2. However, I do like good, full-flavored Stouts and Porters

3. But I'm not really a fan of Belgians, wheats or fruit beers (or anything with the word "light" or "lite" in the title).

With that in mind, here are some beers you might, or might not, wish to try if you happen to find them.

Key:   **** = Keep 'em coming - great beer

           ***   = Very drinkable brew - I like it

           **     = Okay. If it were this or Bud/Miller/Coors etc. I'd get this.

           *       = Really?

MIDWEST

Wisconson

 

THE PLACE: Lakefront Brewery - Milkaukee, Wisconsin

THE BEER: Fixed Gear American Red Ale

THE BASICS: STYLE: Red Ale; ABV: 6.8%; IBUs: 54; MALTS: 2-Row Pale, Caramel; HOPS: Chinook, Cascade;
HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Surprisingly hoppy red ale. Nice malty backbone with hints of caramel and coffee.

MY RATING: ***

THE PLACE: Rock Bottom Brewery - Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

THE BEER: Naughty Scot Scotch Ale

THE BASICS: STYLE: Scotch Ale; ABV: 7.2%; IBUs: 20;
HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Malty with banana/clove taste and aroma. A hint of licorice.

MY RATING: **

 

THE PLACE: Rock Bottom Brewery - Milaukee, Wisconsin

THE BEER: Rock Bottom India Pale Ale

THE BASICS: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 60; MALT: 2-Row Pale; HOPS: Yakima; HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Cloudy, honey colored. Fuller bodied than most IPAs. Floral hops aroma, nice bitter finish. Not killer hoppy - but good. Very smooth

MY RATING: ***

THE PLACE: Rock Bottom Brewery - again!

THE BEER: Rocktoberfest

THE BASICS: STYLE: Oktoberfest; ABV: 5.7%; IBUs: 24
HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Subtle hop, hint of banana. Classic Oktoberfest

MY RATING: **

By the way, we had dinner there and had the baby brats and the Rocktoberfest Mac & Cheese - very good.

Minnesota

THE PLACE: Herkimer Pub and Brewery - Minneapolis, Minnesota

THE BEER: Rye PA

THE BASICS: STYLE: Rye Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 43; HOPS: Junga; MALTS: Rye
HOW SERVED: On tap
        

MY TAKE: Unfiltered copper color. Medium body with a dry finish. Mild hop presence. Easy drinking.

MY RATING: **

-I have in my notes: "They are out of the Lutz IPA!!!!"-

THE PLACE: Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN
THE BEER: Masala Mama IPA
THE BASICS:  STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 8.2%; IBUs: 86; MALTS: American malts; HOPS:Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Crystal, Mt. Hood, Warrior
HOW SERVED: On tap
MY TAKE: Delicious! Nice hop nose with lots of grapefruit/pine hop aroma and taste. Balanced with a strong malt backing makes it less bitter than one would expect at 86 IBUs.
MY RATING: ****

THE PLACE: Twin City Grill, Minneapolis, MN
THE BEER: Surly Furious
THE BASICS:  STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.2%; IBUs: 99; MALT: Pale malt, Golden Promise; Aromatic; Medium Crystal; Roasted Barely; HOPS: Warrior, Ahtanum, Simcoe, Amarillo;
HOW SERVED: On tap - later in pint cans
MY TAKE: Great beer. Nice hop finish. Caramel/toffee taste balances the hops. Nice, complex beer. Terrific. So good I bought a couple of four-packs to bring home.
MY RATING: ****

Daniel and I anticipate some good beers (okay, I do. Daniel's
hoping for some good chocolate milk)

THE PLACE: Obed And Isaac's Microbrewery and Eatery, Springfield Illinois

-Got to try 5 beers here-

Here's my Fast Five From Obed And Isaac's

Beer 1

THE BEER: Upside Brown Ale

THE BASICS: STYLE: Brown Ale; ABV: 5.5% (no other info available); HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Molasses, toffee, hint of coffee, bread, yeast. Nice beer. Easy drinking.

MY RATING: ***

Beer 2

THE BEER: Silly Pants Stout

THE BASICS: STYLE: Stout; ABV: 4.7%
HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Hint of chocolate, sour, a bit watery, fairly light bodied for a stout

MY RATING: **

Beer 3

THE BEER: Oarslayer

THE BASICS: STYLE: Roggenbier -German style Rye ; ABV: 4.7%; HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Strong banana aroma and taste, very Bavarian vibe.

MY RATING: **

Beer 4

THE BEER: Mother Road APA

THE BASICS: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.6%
HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Nice APA! Very hoppy. Aroma of pine. Good bitter/hop finish. Terrific.

MY RATING: ****

Beer 5

THE BEER: Long 9 Black IPA 

THE BASICS: STYLE: Black India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.8%
HOW SERVED: On tap

MY TAKE: Wonderful! Best-of-both-worlds beer. Pitch black in color, it would please both a Hophead and a Stout Heart. Dark chocolate, coffee taste with a solid hop bite. Fantastic beer. I wish I could get it around here. Next time in the area, I will bring multiple growlers!

MY RATING: ****+  

Next month, Ron and I give our takes on some Southeastern brews.





We Had Some Monster Mash

Yes, we had some Monster Mash, and darned if it wasn't a graveyard smash that indeed caught on in a flash - but first we sampled and rated some Monster beers. After having spent the first couple of falls trying Oktoberfests and Pumpkin Ales, we thought we'd like to do something else at this time of year. Well, Halloween is in October so how about "Monster" beers? We kept the definition of what constituted a monster beer pretty loose: a name evocative of Halloween and monsters, monstrously high alcohol or just monstrously good. You get the idea. As per our custom, we did the tastings in an order dependent upon the alcohol content of the beer - least to most.

BEAST BITTER 

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse, NY

The Beer Facts: Style: ESB (Extra Special Bitter); ABV: 5.3; IBUs: NA; Delivery System: Keg

What the Brewer Says: "This special bitter displays the subtle coppery hue of "old gold." It's depth of lingering hop flavor awakens the palate."

Color: Unfiltered honey gold

Pour: Decent off-white head

Aroma: Malty/grassy

Body: Medium

Taste: Initially well balanced sliding toward a bitter-ish finish. There are notes of bread, toffee/caramel, and a hint of banana.

Overall Impression: Well toward "Can't get enough"

Comments: "Not bad; I could drink this; Nice finish; Just enough hops; I could drink it all day - and still be standing; Another great beer from Middle Ages; Solid flavor; I usually go for the 'bigger' offerings of Middle Ages, but this is a mighty fine beer; It is nice and clean."

HOPDEVIL

Victory Brewing Company, Downington, PA

The Beer Facts: Style: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.7%; IBU: NA; MALT: Imported 2-row German malts; HOPS: Whole flower American hops; Delivery System: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

What the Brewer Says: "The mythical HopDevil resides in the lore of farmers. Our HopDevil is the real deal. Bold, spicy and menacingly delicious. He's the product of distinctive American hops and meticulous craftsmanship. Arising from the heady wilds of our hopback and gently tamed with time, this Devil makes a great companion."

Color: Dark honey/amber

Pour: A bit less than a decent head

Aroma: Pine/hoppy

Body: Medium

Taste: Nice solid grapefruit hop punch balanced with notes of toffee and caramel. It also had a hops finish.

Overall Impression: Midway between "I could drink this" and " Can't get enough."

Comments: "Fills the mouth; It has a clean finish; Victory makes good beer; It hits the whole palate spectrum; It's well balanced malt to hops; Man, I like that beer; Victory is ours - and we are glad; It has a good malt backbone."

CASCAZILLA

Ithaca Brewing Company, Ithaca, NY

Beer note: We reviewed this beer previously, but it fit the bill and we like it so what the hell. The comments are new.

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Red IPA; ABV: 7.0%; IBUs: NA; MALTS: 2-row Pale, Crystal, Chocolate; HOPS: Cascade, Chinook, Amarillo - dry hopped with Cascade and Amarillo; DELIVERY SYSTEM: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

What the Brewer Says: "The name Cascazilla is a play on both the name of a gorge in Ithaca called Cascadilla and the monster amounts of Cascade Hops we use to make the beer. The predominant flavor
and aroma of this beer comes from fresh American hops. Cascazilla gets its distinctive red color from a healthy portion of caramel malt, which also lends to the beer a heary body and sweetness. It is a hoppy red ale!"

Color: Unfiltered copper (almost amber)

Pour: Decent head

Aroma: Flowery hops aroma

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Bitter hop finish balanced with caramel malt sweetness

Overall Impression: Can't get enough!

Comments: "It's a beautiful color; It's not overly hoppy, but still a great-tasting beer; This is real drinkable; Not an over-the-top hop; There's more hops in the nose than the palate; Still much hoppier than your average red ale; Makes for a real nice beer."

LOOSE CANNON HOP3 IPA

Heavy Seas Brewing, Halethorpe, MD

Beer Note: Ditto above beer note! (Fit the bill because it's "monstrously good")

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.5%; IBUs: 45; MALTS: 2-Row, Caramalt, Munich; HOPS: Warrior, Simcoe, Palisade, Centennial, Cascade, Citra; DELIVERY SYSTEM: 12 oz can poured into a pint glass.

What the Brewer Says: "Our flagship beer, Loose Cannon wins people over at first smell. The carefully cultivated interplay of (hops) creates a most fragrant IPA - its nose bursts with notes of grapefruit, herbs, and pine. Bitterness is somewhat subdued by the floral quality that pervades the taste...It won a second place CAMRA award ath the 2010 Great British Beer Festival."

Color: Wheat

Pour: Decent head with nice lacing

Aroma: Hoppy - grapefruit/pine and other hop notes

Body: Medium

Taste: Leans to the hoppy, with notes of caramel and slight grapefruit - though not as much as the aroma would lead you to believe

Overall Impression: Can't get enough!

Comments: "It's hoppy with a bitter finish; It really hits you between the eyes; It just keeps getting better and better; Since it was 'hopped three times' Tony Orlando must drink this before Dawn; It's another one with that nice hop to caramel malt balance that makes it easy to like."

LAKE ERIE MONSTER

Great Lakes Brewing, Cleveland, OH

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Imperial IPA; ABV: 9.1; IBUs: 80; MALT: Harrington 2-row Base Malt, Caramel 30; HOPS: Simcoe, Willamette

What the Brewer Says: "Lake Erie Monster stories are like fish stories. Drink a few of these handcrafted Imperial IPAs and you're bound to start boasting and weaving wild tales of mythic proportions. Drink more and you might even have visions of South Bay Bessie, the freshwater cryptid for which our Lake Erie Monster is named, lifting her scaly head avove the surface of Lake Erie. Or
 the Cuyahoga River. Or a kiddie pool. Actually, if you see Bessie in a kiddie pool, take it easy. You've probably had too many."

Color: Unfiltered copper

Pour: Better than decent off-white head

Aroma: Malty/grassy

Body: Medium to Full

Taste: Initially sweet then works toward hoppy/alcohol finish. It has notes of toffee.

Overall Impression: Between "I could drink this" and "Can't get enough"

Comments: "It's a light barley wine; After-taste sticks with you; It has a horehound taste to it; There's a heavy alcohol taste on the back end of the swallow; A couple of these and you'll need to be sitting down; I'd drink it while watching a football game in my living room; I didn't really care for it - it's a little too alcohol-y; I feel there are many more Great Lake beers that are better." 

WAKE UP DEAD

Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Imperial Russian Stout; ABV: 10.2%; IBUs: 45; MALTS: 2-Row, Munich, Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Black Barley, Flaked Oats; HOPS: Magnum, US Goldings; DELIVERY SYSTEM: 22 oz bomber

What the Brewer Says: "Good morning. You've woken up dead. You're in ruins. But don't be discouraged. Here's a black ale to brighten your day.  Wake Up Dead lurks in our cellars for over 4

months before being unleashed. Hints of raisins, black licorice, coffee and dark chocolate are followed by earthy, herbal hop notes. Any apprehensions about the rest of your day are quickly forgotten, for whatever the mind expects, it finds. Sometimes you're not in the mood for what everyone else is having."

Color: Black

Pour: Slightly less than decent tan head

Aroma: Sorghum or Aunt Jemimah syrup

Body: Full

Taste: Sweet with notes of sweet coffee, chocolate, licorice, caramel, molasses.

Overall Impression: I could drink this

Comments: "I could put this on my pancakes; Kudos to the name; WOW!; Should be served in a goblet; A definite dessert beer; Maybe an after dinner sipper; It's kind of like iced coffee with booze; It's definitely full-bodied; Would be great on pancakes or maybe vanilla ice cream; It has a very boozy quality; I think it well represents the style; It's truly a sipper."

DOUBLE DOG DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE

Flying Dog Brewing, Frederick, MD

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 11.5%; IBUs: 85; MALTS: Light Crystal; HOPS: Columbus, Warrior, Cascade; DELIVERY SYSTEM: 12 oz bottle

What the Brewer Says: "This is a big beer that calls for equally big foods. Flavor notes: Citrus hops with sweet malt and subtle alcohol burn (like a kiss on th cheek)."

Color: Copper

Pour: Decent off-white head

Aroma: Sweet with alcohol

Body: Full

Taste: Initially sweet then straight to alcohol. There are notes of caramel.

Overall Impression: I could drink this.

Comments: "WOW - this is really warming; This is a winter-break-the-goblet-in-the-fireplace beer; Billy Fuccillo might even say this is HUGE; They don't disguise the alcohol at all; It's a good pirate beer; It's a rummy beer; I think it's a crude beer - bang! It's there; You could drop an ice cube in it and make it a cordial; It's a bit over the top for me; It tastes like a barley wine to me."

How'd this battle shake out? Most of the big beer we would enjoy in small amounts. The others fared very well with us. In the end the order of finish is this:

The first four were very close and universally enjoyed by The Guys

1. Loose Cannon Hop3 IPA by Heavy Seas - Not the hoppiest IPA out there but a real tasty, balanced beer.

2. Cascazilla by Ithaca Brewing - A terrific Red Ale

3. Beast Bitter by Middle Ages Brewing - A solid hop bite for an English style ESB makes this a very enjoyable beer - one likely to please both hopheads those who lean toward the maltier side.

4. HopDevil by Victory Brewing - A regular guest in my fridge - though it rarely stays there long.

The next bunch had us somewhat split, with some feeling they would "leave it on the shelf." 

5. Lake Erie Monster - Great Lakes Brewing - The strong alcohol presence was a turn-off for some. Others felt they would enjoy it as a sipper.

6. Wake Up Dead - Left Hand Brewing - No overtly negative comments on this one. The consensus was that it was good in small amounts. Sweeter than most of the GUYS go for.

7. Double Dog Double IPA - Flying Dog Brewing - Another sipping beer but, again, some felt the alcohol presence was overly dominant.

HOPS INFUSERS 

Mike brought a new twist to this month's meeting - a hops infuser. This is a device (pictured above) which can be filled with hops and placed in your beer glass to add a nice hop kick to the beer. We tried it out on one of Mike's own brews. It gives the beer an interesting green color (great for St. Patrick's Day - use it instead of the green food coloring). It definitely ups the hoppiness of the beer. Of course, Mike's brews are generally pretty hoppy to begin with. It would be interesting to see if it improved one of the mega beers. It'd be a great little thing to have if you're stuck in a restaurant that serves only the megas. Might actually make them palatable. What would it do to a light/lite? 

CRAFT SPOTTING

Another nod to craft beers in one of the hot TV shows. This time "The Walking Dead." While scouting for supplies in an abandoned supermarket, the survivors are set upon by a wave of zombies. As the survivors battle for their lives, the fight spills over into the store's beer section whereupon we see cases of Sweetwater IPA, Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, Terrapin Hopsecutioner, and Sweetwater Pale Ale. Very appropriate since the story takes place around Atlanta, GA and these are Atlanta beers. Check out the screen shots below. 

And, again, let us know about any craft beers you spot in films and TV.

Next month -
East Coast Beers.

Sláinte,
The BOTB Guys

American Pale Ales

New to the blog? I suggest you click on "June" of 2013 in the table of contents to the right. There you will find a section called "Beer Talk" (with a nice little "Pearls Before Swine" lead-in) which rather succinctly tells you what we're all about here.

SARANAC BONUS

Throughout the summer Saranac Brewery has been celebrating Saranac's 125th anniversary. Originally the West End Brewery (then Matt Brewing), the Utica, New York company was one of the relatively few independent breweries to survive Prohibition. They did this in part with marketplace savvy and the ability to carve out and hold on to a regional niche for themselves. During Prohibition the company switched to root beer. Afterwards, their Utica Club lager was a low cost alternative to the mega brew lagers. They experimented with Matts Premium and Maximus Super when beer drinkers began looking for something a little different. And when the craft beer revolution got rolling, they became a regional player with their Saranac brand in 1985. Now, as part of their anniversary celebration, Saranac has been including in selected 12-packs a bonus 13th beer: a pint can of Legacy IPA. The recipe is "inspired" by a recipe handed down by the founder. It's brewed with 2-row and Munich malts as well as "a blend of historic, traditional and innovative hops." It's a 6.5% ABV beer clocking in at 60 IBUs.

I picked up a few of these 12-packs over the summer: White IPA and their summer mix, both of which had the bonus pint. Legacy is a very tasty, balanced IPA. It's not overly hoppy, but enough to make it an enjoyable brew for this hophead. If this is an example of a beer produced before Prohibition, it makes you wonder what other tasty brews were lost to posterity thanks to that bizarre, unfortunate period of American history.

...AND SPEAKING OF HISTORY
A LITTLE APA HISTORY, IF YOU PLEASE

Perhaps more than any other style of beer, American Pale Ale has been the driving force behind the rebirth of American brewing and the impetus that created the craft beer revolution we now enjoy. But what distinguishes an American Pale Ale from, say, a British Pale Ale? Well, first of all, it's brewed in the US. But more importantly, American Pale Ales are generally brewed using American two-row malt and American hops such as Cascade. The yeast used can also play a role. Many European yeasts will impart a distinctive taste reminiscent of banana or cloves. American yeast tends to produce a cleaner finish, allowing the malt and hops to take center stage. And it is the choice of hops that really distinguishes a pale ale as British (or European) vs. American. To some extent hops are to beer what grapes are to wine. As is true with grapes, the aroma and flavor of a hop flower is dependent on where it is grown. British pales are generally brewed with variations of Noble Hops - Fuggles, Goldings - which tend to be low in bitterness and high in aroma. American pales use any of a number of North American hops - Cascade, Amarillo, Columbus, to name a few - which have higher alpha-acid levels than their European counterparts and are therefore more bitter, often imparting a grapefruit/citrus or pine aroma and taste.



Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, brewed in 1980, was the first modern American Pale Ale, and is often credited as being the beer that started the craft beer movement. Although the first modern American ale, Liberty Ale, was brewed by Anchor Brewing in 1975 as a bicentennial tribute to Paul Revere's ride. It was a local favorite but didn't become a regular brew for the company until 1983.  Until these ground-breakers came along, American brewers had gone almost exclusively to brewing lagers. Lagers are cheaper and faster to brew. Anything resembling a pale ale had long since faded from the American brewing landscape as beers became lighter and increasingly more tasteless. And with that abomination known as "light" or "lite" beer, American beers had fallen into an abyss of watery torpor. The reintroduction of the pale ale by S-N began to reverse this trend.

So what should you expect from an American Pale Ale (APA)? First of all, pale ales and IPAs are kissing cousins, and the line between the two styles gets blurred. We have had IPAs that are closer to pale ales and pales ales that could pass for an IPA. We've also had a few pseudo-IPAs that wouldn't pass as a pale ale (I'm talking to you, Alexander Keith IPA!).  But as a general rule, APAs should have a solid malt base with varying degrees of hop bitterness. If it's an APA, the hops will usually give it that grapefruit/hop taste. But the hops will take a backseat to the malt, which can impart a bready or biscuit-like taste often with hints of caramel. The aroma can range from pine to floral to grassy to earthy, depending on the hops. 

Whereas we hadn't specifically reviewed pale ales our first three and a half years, we took on APAs for the second time this year. There seems an endless supply of really good pale ales, and our pursuit was to check out another group of them. With a full contingent of tasters this month, we took a look at six American Pale Ales and, at the end, a powerhouse Imperial Pale Ale.

Our APAs this month included:

Dirty Blonde Pale Ale from Adirondack Pub and Brewery, Lake George, NY
Stranger Pale Ale from Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Headwater Pale Ale from Victory Brewing Co., Downington, PA
Live Pale Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Co., Lakewood, NY
Doggie Style Pale Ale Flying Dog Brewing Co., Fredrick, MD
Burning River Pale Ale from Great Lakes Brewery, Cleveland, OH
Imperial Pale Ale from Middle Ages Brewing Co., Syracuse, NY

Once again, we sampled the beers in order based on their respective ABVs. We have found that we can more honestly rate the beer on its own merits this way, rather than comparing it to a "bigger" beer we might have had just before it.

DIRTY BLONDE PALE ALE

Adirondack Pub and Brewery, Lake George, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 4.60%; IBU: 25

What The Brewer Says: "An unfiltered American wheat ale."

Color: Cloudy straw

Pour: A very ample, near guinness class head. It was very carbonated, and after a short time left a "fish net lace."

Aroma: Grassy and piney

Body: Light/thin

Taste: Grassy early on, then finishes with more flavor - resinous and of pine. It has notes of pine, citrus/grapefruit.

Overall Impression: "I could drink this"

Comments: "I've had lots worse pale ales; This is a great session beer; It has a pilsner/champagne-y taste; It's better after a couple of drinks; It's an ale; A solid summer drink; Nice for a wheat - they put some hops in it."

STRANGER PALE ALE

Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO

 ~ Left Hand Brewing has fairly recently come onto the national scene, at least in these parts (the Northeast). At least three of their brews have shown up on the local shelves: 400 Pound Monkey, Nitro Milk Stout, and  Stranger Pale Ale.  We had a couple of Nitros for sampling but not rating. It is a unique, fun stout. Unique in that you are instructed to tip the bottle straight down and pour it into the glass, allowing the beer to splash fully on the bottom of the glass, as opposed to pouring it down the side. I had one again the other day and thoroughly  enjoyed it. It tastes like you think Guinness should taste - rich with strong hints of dark chocolate, coffee and and bread. I enjoyed it even more when I had time to linger over a full glass. ~

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.0%; IBUs: 36; MALT: 2-Row, Rye Malt, Munich, Crystal; HOPS: Centennial, Willamette, Cascade

What the Brewer Says: "Friend or foe? Sane or senseless? Harmless or harmful? Sometimes it takes awhile to get to know a stranger. Initial impressions are not always reality, so you must delve deeper. Beyond the initial floral hop aromas, malt sweetness is revealed, yet with a spicy undertone that exposes a very rye sense of humor. Take your time to get to know the Stranger. It's strangely
satisfying."

Color: Light Amber

Pour: Decent to slightly less than decent pour

Aroma: A bit spicy

Body: Light to Medium

Taste: Initially tastes blanced, then has a nice finish with an aftertaste bite to it. Notes of bread and nuts. 

Overall Impression: "I could drink this"

Comments: "This is a good beer; A little hoppier than the Blonde; A nice easy-drinking beer; It needs to be cold; There is not a strong hops presence; It tastes like a pale ale, not an IPA; The packaging asks 'Friend or Foe?' - I'd embrace the 'Left Handed' Stranger."

HEADWATER PALE ALE

Victory Brewing Co., Downington, PA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.1%; MALTS: Imported 2-Row malts; HOPS: Whole flower American hops

What the Brewer Says: "This firmly crisp and aromatically arousing pale ale integrates a softly supportive malt base which underlies streams of herbal hop complexity. Shifting impressions of lemon aroma and flavor interemingle with leafy, tea-like earthiness as the flowing appeal of American hops unfolds in Headwaters."

Color: Deep amber/orange

Pour: A thin head with tight bubbles. Nice lacing.

Aroma: Pine, grapefruit, and spice

Body: Fairly thin

Taste: Initially tastes balanced, then finishes with a hoppy pine. There were notes of pine, malt and nut.

Overall Impression: Between "I could drink this" and "Can't get enough"

Comments: "There was some malt added to the blend; There is more malt presence than with the others; This is an IPA disguised as a Pale Ale; This is really smooth; It's well-made; It tastes like a bigger beer than it is; This brewery rarely disappoints; This is a nice full-flavored pale ale; In Canada, this would be a big hoppy IPA."

LIVE BOTTLE CONDITIONED PALE ALE

Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Bottle Conditioned Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: NA; MALTS: Four varieties; HOPS: Four varieties; 

What the Brewer Says: "Beer is made by creating a liquid rich with fermentable material. this 'wort' is moved to a fermentation vessel where yeast, a living organism, is added. (While the yeast is active) the beer is literally alive. Just prior to packaging we add a little yeast to the clear beer for a secondary fermentation. This helps to add carbonation, remove oxygen and prolong shelf life."

Color: Cloudy honey 

Pour: More than a decent head, a little more carbonated than the average beer.

Aroma: Hoppy floral

Body: Medium

Taste: Nice hoppy taste and finish. There were notes of grass/hay with spicy under-tastes.

Overall Impression: Nearly up to "Can't get enough"

Comments: "This has a beautiful hop taste; Southern Tier comes through again; This and Victory (Headwater) had big noses today; It's tasty - I like that; I don't know where Southern Tier is, but I'd move there; Delightful taste - it tastes like another; It's complex: it has more and better flavors; This hits the whole mouth; It's the whole package; A lot of beers don't go to the trouble."

DOGGIE STYLE PALE ALE

Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD

~ An interesting note on this particular tasting. When we do our tastings and ratings, we customarily pour two or three partial glasses from the same bottle and open only two or three from the six-pack. We started off just fine with color and pour. When we got to aroma, taste notes, and overall impression, we couldn't have been farther apart. While a few of us complained of a 'skunky' aroma to the beer, others looked at them as if they were crazy. As it turned out, one of the beers had 'skunked' on us. Once the complainants opened a different bottle they noticed a world of difference. We rated the beer on the 'good' bottles. We've all had the unfortunate experience of a 'skunky' beer, so nothing more needs to be said about that except that it was a good thing we had opened more than one bottle! ~

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 35; MALTS: 120 L Crystal; HOPS: Northern Brewer, Cascade, Simcoe, Citra

What the Brewer Says: "The alpha of the pack, Doggie Style complements a wide range of foods. Flavor notes: grassy, citrus and slight perfume hop aromas with subtle sweet malt body."

Color: Orange-amber

Pour: Decent creamy or almond head

Aroma: Floral hops

Body: Medium

Taste: Toward the bitter side of balanced, with a nice bitter finish, with malty, bready yeast notes.

Overall Impression: Very close to "Can't get enough"

Comments: "Easy drinking; No lingering after-taste; Very tasty - similar to Live; Delicious; Perhaps they should can their beers to avoid the skunk; I'm so glad I had the second beer; Quite balanced; A nice, very drinkable pale ale."

BURNING RIVER PALE ALE

Great Lakes Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 45; MALT: 2-Row malt; HOPS: Cascade

What the Brewer Says: "An assertively hopped American pale ale with citrusy and piney Cascade hops."

Color: Copper

Pour: Decent, off-white head

Aroma: Grassy

Body: Medium

Taste: Complex, somewhat unbalanced, toward hoppy. It had notes of malt and floral, piney hops, as well as caramel/toffee to the finish, with hints of yeast.

Overall Impression: Very close to "Can't get enough"

Comments: "This is a classic American Pale Ale; It has a great color; Well balanced; Widely distributed; Nicely hopped; A nice beer - I like this a lot; It's a pleasant pale ale; It is a complex beer; It hits a lot of notes."

IMPERIAL PALE ALE

Middle Ages Brewery, Syracuse, NY

~Okay, so this is a bit of cheat, in a way. Middle Ages prides itself on "Producing British inspired ales in Syracuse, New York since 1995." So this is an American Pale Ale only in that it was brewed in America. But we couldn't pass it up! It was a single time brew. And it's a big beer. And Middle Ages is kind of our home team. We wanted to end the tastings with a bang, so to speak, and this fit the bill. ~

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Imperial Pale Ale; ABV: 9.0%; IBUs: NA (as well as the malts and hops used)

What the Brewer Says: "Single time brew. Producing British inspired ales in Syracuse, New York since 1995."

Color: Unfiltered honey

Pour: Better than decent head

Aroma:  spicy hops

Body: Well toward Full

Taste: Notes of bread, nuts and yeast with sharp bitter finish.

Overall Impression: "Can't get enough"

Comments: "It's a glory in the mouth; WOW! That is nice!; It's like comparing men to boys; Happy Anniversary, Middle Ages; This isn't exactly a lawn mower beer, is it?; You can definitely taste the alcohol presence - in a good way; It has a great, warm after-taste."

SO, WHO WON?

As is normally the case, we did. There really wasn't a loser in the bunch if you discount the skunked bottle. But that's kind of a cop-out so I'll give your the general consensus below.

1. Middle Ages Imperial Pale Ale - The only one that came up a unanimous "Can't get enough" - even though, at 9.0%, you probably could. We loved this brew from Middle Ages and hope they'll bring it back.

~The next three were neck and neck and neck (a bit of a bottleneck, if you will) but roughly fell out like this:

2. Burning River Pale Ale from Great Lakes - a terrific, full-flavored pale.

3. Live Bottle Conditioned Pale Ale from Southern Tier - A neat concept that pays off in a tasty brew.

4. Doggie Style Pale Ale  from Flying Dog - One bad bottle don't spoil the whole pack - to paraphrase The Jackson Five

5. Headwater Pale Ale  from Victory - A nicely hopped pale - Victory is always a winner

6. Stranger American Pale Ale from Left Hand - Not as hoppy as the others, but good. Really liked their Nitro Milk Stout - tastes like you think a Guinness should.

7. Dirty Blonde Pale Ale - Adirondack Brewing - A nice session beer - more taste than one would expect from a wheat.

FOLLOWERS MEETING: FUN, FOOD, MUSIC AND, YES, BEER

Back in June we had our annual "followers" meeting. This is basically an excuse for a good time where we send out an open invitation to all who may read this blog and are close enough to come. We had a nice turnout this year. Played a round of "Captain and Mate" golf on a pleasant Saturday followed by some great food at Herb and Pat's place in Port Ontario. Lots of good music from the BC3 and, as you might guess, some terrific beer. 

Besides a firkin of Middle Ages Old Marcus Ale (which was pretty firkin good), we had numerous craft beers from a wide range of breweries. A good time was had by all. 

Join us next year.

CRAFT BEER SPOTTING

Product placement has been around for years, and Budweiser has been one of the most prominent purveyors of this type of sneaky advertising. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, product placement is when a company pays a movie or TV show producer to prominently feature their product in the production. Consider over the years how many times you've seen a character sipping a Bud in a movie or TV show. It's a nice bit of extra revenue for the producers in exchange for exposure for the product without the cost of producing an ad. Budweiser has so dominated the beer product placement over the years that I like to see it when some other beer (particularly a craft beer) gains exposure in this manner. Here's my latest. Check out the clip below from True Blood.

Previously in the episode, Terry, an ex-marine recently back from Iraq and suffering from PTSD, is asked by his cousin, Andy Bellefleur, what beer he could bring him. Terry responds, "Raging Bitch IPA. It's the only American beer European soldiers could stand to drink over there." 

According to Flying Dog Brewery this was not a paid product placement. The writers (many of whom are craft beer fans) worked the beer in organically to the script. 

As a fan of True Blood I've noticed that the bar, Merlotte's has a number of craft beers on tap, especially Abita, which makes sense since it takes place in New Orleans.

Let us know of any Craft Beer Spottings in movies and TV. We'll throw them on the blog and try to get clips as well.

Up next: Monster Beers - beers with beastly, ghostly or otherwise eerie names. It's our Halloween special.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys