From Texas to Yonkers (Brewing)

This month we start out in the Lone Star State then come on back to our Home State as we check out some Texas beers and then review some brews from Yonkers Brewing Company. Join us, there's some tasty beer ahead.

TEXAS BREWS

This month, BOTB member, Gerry, had the opportunity to spend some time in Abilene,Texas for a lovely meet-n-greet with his first grandchild. While there he dutifully checked out the Texas craft beer scene (and just as dutifully returned with a treasure-trove of Texas beers for us to review this month). He also filed the following report on his take on the state of craft beer in Texas along with a shout out to one of the first craft breweries in Abilene. Below is Gerry's musings on Texas craft beer and Pappy Slokum.

Once known as a craft beer dust bowl, the appreciation and production of fine craft beer has skyrocketed in the past 5-6 years in Texas. Mainly due to the original and huge German influence in beer making in the state, German lagers ruled the state. The market, and consequently the local tastes, were all geared toward Shiner Bock or Lone Star (a lager now owned and brewed by Pabst). When I first visited 4 years ago that’s about all you could find on tap anywhere in the greater Abilene area. I am pleased to report that Texas has swiftly jumped into the craft beer scene. With the relatively recent (ten years or less) birth of such craft beer makers as Jester King, Community Beer Company, Karbach Brewing, Deep Ellum, Real Ale, Revolver Brewing, and Rahr & Sons Brewing I had a delightful stay in Abilene with great beers available to me on tap and in grocery stores.

Always the curious type on the lookout for new and different beers and breweries, I snooped around and found,tucked away in the older north industrial side of Abilene, a small brewery that I fell in love with. Pappy Slokum Brewing Company is the exact tiny brewery you would want in your town. Started by 3 dedicated and experienced homebrewers with nothing on their minds but making really
good beer. With a previous poor taste in my mouth (pun intended) for Texas beer in general, I visited Pappy Slokum early on in my visit – fully prepared not to like anything. I bought a flight in a tasting room packed full of weekly loyal patrons, many with their own mugs, and began taking brief notes in my trusty leather beer journal. I try to never judge a beer by a 4 ounce sample. My purpose in ordering flights is to sort out the offerings I will take note of and enjoy in greater quantity. When, what to my wondering palette should appear? Why, nothing short of great tasting beer; and on top of that it was all so near.

My ordering and note-taking apparently was taken note of because the next thing I knew one of the 3 owners/brewers, Jeff Bell, appeared and we chatted up a storm. Long story short and lots of beer later I know I’ve discovered an absolute gem of a small brewery. After traveling and tasting up and down Vermont, much of New Hampshire, across New York, and tasting craft beer in the BOTB club for the past several years I must say that Pappy Slokum Brewing Company is up there with the best of them. Any of our readership knows that we are really big on India Pale Ales, so believe me when I say a Mac Pappy’s 80 Shilling Scottish Ale was simply fantastic and floated right to the top of my notebook. No wonder it is available on tap at The Taylor County Tap House (a very popular watering hole downtown).  However, (and this will surprise anyone the least bit familiar with my beer drinking tastes) the one that won me, the one I’d actually get back on a plane and fly down for was their Stripper Dust Vanilla Porter. That’s right a porter, me, loving a porter – who knew? Sure I was intrigued by the name

(crafters really enjoy naming their beers) but the full vanilla aroma and the smooth creamy texture with a gently roasted vanilla taste just screamed for me to have another.
“non-IPA” beer has to be pretty darn good to turn my head. Pappy Slokum did it, not once, but twice! Their

But wait folks, that’s not all. Jeff kept bringing me beer “from the back room”. A Douchbag (yep), and Imperial Red, and an altbier. That’s correct, this tiny brewery in Abilene, Texas brews that German-style brown ale (having originated in Düsseldorf) that is quite complex to do, and they nailed it. Needless to say I returned to Pappy Slokum’s and enjoyed more of their beer as well as “talking them up” to a couple of taverns in town and with guys on the golf courses I played. When you find a gem you need to polish it and wear it. Pappy Slokum Brewing Company is one of those gems. So here’s to Jeff, Brian, and Richard – long may you brew. You’ve made a northern New York craft beer lover very happy.

Pappy slokum himself - Bootlegger
extraordinaire

Want to learn more about Pappy Slokum Brewing Company? Visit here:

http://www.pappyslokum.com/#home  Also learn the story of the real life Pappy Slokum.

For more beer-related facts, alternate facts and opinions from Gerry check out Gerry's Beer Book

A FEW BREWS FROM TEXAS

A quick note in case you're new to the BOTB blog:We are 7 guys with a penchant for hoppy beers (ergo you will note there are a disproportionate number of IPAs) but we also appreciate and enjoy other styles as well. Our reviews are completely non-scientific and totally subjective. We do begin each with "The Beer Facts" followed by a fairly objective appaisal of the beer's color, pour, aroma, body and taste. We then offer up our "Overall Impression" of the beer based on the collective opinions of the seven of us. We place the beer on a sliding scale from "Leave It On The Shelf" to "I Could Drink That!" to "Can't Get Enough!." The final section is "Comments." These range from on-the-nose to off-the-wall stream of consciousness remarks as we sniff, swish and swallow. 

  

THE LAWN RANGER CREAM ALE

CEDAR CREEK BREWING

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Cedar Creek Brewing, Seven Points, TX; STYLE: Cream Ale; ABV: 5.0%; IBUs: 17; SRM: 3.4;  MALTS: US 2-Row, Rye, Malt, Flaked Oats; HOPS: Apollo, Bravo

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Cream Ale is a style that is under-appreciated by most of the craft beer world, and we want to change that. Lawn Ranger is a session ale with a solid malt character from the US 2-Row, Rye, and flaked Oats. Rye and Oats are not typical ingredients for cream ale but they allow us to keep the alcohol low and still provide a body to the beer. We use a minimal blend of Apollo and Bravo hops to balance the malts and German Alt yeast. This is the one to drink during the Texas summers or when you want to have more than a couple."

COLOR: Unfiltered wheat

POUR: Medium, white head that dissipates quickly

AROMA: grassy

BODY: light

TASTE: Toward the sweet end with light malt and bread notes as well as hints of clove

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Between "leave it on the shelf" and "I Could Drink This"

COMMENTS: "Reminds me a bit of Magic Hat #9; I could drink it in the summer on my patio - after doing some lawn work; Drinkable, but I'm not sure I'd buy it; I get a little ripe banana taste along with some mild spiciness; Pretty light-bodied with a bready taste and not much from the hops."


[In case you were wondering: A cream ale is basically a pale ale, often brewed with adjuncts such as corn and rice to lighten the body, which may undergo a period of lagering after the initial top fermentation. Or it may be combined with a lager. Generally lightly hopped with a pretty subdued hop and malt presence. Like most styles since the inception of the Craft Beer Revolution, however, various brewers may tweak the style with a stronger hop influence. Broadly speaking it is a light bodied, well carbonated beer with a dry finish.]

SHINER WICKED RAM IPA

SPOETZL BREWERY

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX; STYLE: IPA; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 55; HOPS: Crystal, Bravo, Centennial

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "The first India Pale Ale in our 106-year history, Wicked Ram IPA combines perfectly balanced floral and citrus flavors with a bold aroma and a crisp, refreshing finish...You'll want to grab this beer by the horns."

COLOR: Cloudy, unfiltered golden wheat

POUR: Little less that Decent head

AROMA: Not a big aroma, a bit of grass or hay

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Citrus, grapefruit and piney. Little bit of caramel on the backend

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: I Could Drink This!

COMMENTS: "Pretty good - I could definitely drink this; Definitely not a Shiner Bock; Tastes like an IPA; Very acceptable; Nice little malt backbone to it; A light IPA; Interesting to see Shiner go with an IPA since they tend to stick to more mainstream beers; Kind of a session IPA really."

RED HEADED STRANGER RED IPA

RANGER CREEK BREWING AND DISTILLERY

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Ranger Creek Brewing and Distillery, San Antonio, TX; STYLE: Red IPA; ABV: 6.3%; IBUs: 65; HOPS: Nugget, Zeus, Chinook, Cascade.

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "This homage to one of the Lone Star State's most beloved songwriters is a Red IPA great for Texas weather. It has a strong malt backbone with an assertive bitterness of sticky sweet American hops. Red Headed Stranger pairs with tamales, Texas barbecue, rich blue cheese and poached pears...Hops are a cousin to one of this musicians's favorite plants, so we think he would approve of this delicious beer."

COLOR: Unfiltered red

POUR: Near Guinness Class head

AROMA: Bready, yeasty

BODY: Bit beyond Medium

TASTE: Bread up front then bitter on the end. Nice mesh of malt and hop flavors. While the malt dominates, nice hints of floral and piney hop come through.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Between "I Could Drink This!" and "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "This is great stuff; Nice red IPA; Nice and hoppy; Being a Red I'd expect it to be even more malt forward - yet it is surprisingly hoppy; A bit of sorghum up front, kind of molasses-like taste, very pleasant; There's a kind of warm bread dough aroma that is very appealing; I like this beer a lot."

IRONHEAD IPA

REVOLVER BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Revolver Brewing Co., Granbury, TX; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 50; HOPS: Apollo, Citra, Centennial, Saphir

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Persistently drinkable, this citrus-forward IPA is brewed with Apollo, Citra, Centennial, and Saphir hops. The beer is pale with enough malt body to support the hop and malt sweetness to bring a pleasant herbal finish."

COLOR: Unfiltered honey

POUR: Decent Head with small, tight bubbles and nice lacing.

AROMA: Strong pine scent

BODY: A bit more than medium

TASTE: Nice hop bitterness with solid citrus and pine notes dominant.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Pretty close to full-blown "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "Big citrus-y taste; Not in-your-face IPA, but a definite IPA; Hop forward, not a big malt taste; Body still seems a bit more than medium despite the lack of strong malt; I get a little bit of malt sweetness here, maybe caramel, but not real big; It's a very nice beer; The pine comes out in the aroma, the taste hits some nice tropical fruit notes, grapefruit, maybe a little earthiness there as well; Be nice to be able to get this in the Northeast."

LOST GOLD IPA

REAL ALE BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX; STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.60%; IBUs: 62; MALT: English Crystal; HOPS: blend of American hops.

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Texas has more buried treasure than any other state. (Seriously, Google it.) That fact was the inspiration for Lost Gold. English Crystal malts give this IPA a rich golden-orange hue and a subtle, yet firm, malt background. Bright and citrusy with grapefruit notes, Lost Gold features an abundance of American hops that always mark the spot. Don't worry, however, you won't have to hunt for this treasured favorite. It's available year round all over Texas."

COLOR: Unfiltered honey-orange

POUR: Somewhat beyond Decent Head

AROMA: Somewhat of a butterscotch aroma

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Sweet up front with a butterscotch/toffee sweetness vibe. Somewhat unique flavor, bright, citrusy. Has a kind of session IPA feel to it

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Just below the "I Could Drink This" rating, though definitely drinkable.

COMMENTS: "A little too sweet for me; I don't really care for it, maybe a bit too fruity or something; I don't mind it, I'd drink it; Has a kind of a light vibe, I'd like a little more malt I guess to balance the hops; It's an okay beer but wouldn't be my first choice."

HOPADILLO IPA

KARBACH BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX; STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6,6%; IBUs: 70; MALTS: 2 Row Pale, Medium Crystal, Dark Crystal, Munich, Biscuit; HOPS: German Magnum, Cascade, Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe, East Kent Goldings

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "He lurks in the shadows, waiting in bold anticipation. He's surprisingly bitter. Bitter about something. Legend has it that he feasts on those with fresh hops coursing through their veins. This dry-hopped, Texas IPA has a flavor as defiant as the Hopadillo himself. It's packed with the bracing bitterness of hops from around the world that this creature craves. He's comin' to get ya. You've been warned..."

COLOR: Unfiltered amber

POUR: Big, bold near Guinness-class head

AROMA: Dank

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Grapefruit, pine, with a biscuit-y malt for balance - maybe a bit of caramel, but fruit-forward hops dominate at first then kind of balances out. Moderate bitterness.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Very near "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "Hop forward - balanced by the malt; Complex; My favorite so far; Tastes like another one; Interesting mix of hops flavors here - piney, citrus but maybe some floral; The aroma is faint, not the most pleasant, and doesn't really do the taste justice - by that I mean it tastes a lot better than it smells."

DEEP ELLUM IPA

DEEP ELLUM BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Dallas, TX; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 7%; IBUs: 70; HOPS: American hops

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "For an IPA to bear our hometown name, it better be potent. So we loaded it with our favorite American hops for a bitter punch. And with some over-the-top tropical fruit, citrus, pine and floral aromas and flavors, you;ve got one big Texas IPA, deserving of the Deep Ellum name."

COLOR: Unfiltered amber

POUR: Near Guinness-class head, well carbonated with tight bubbles. Long lasting head.

AROMA: Not a strong aroma, a bit of pine and citrus

BODY:Close to full bodied

TASTE: Nice hop bitterness early on, tropical fruit, pine, bit of orange peel, grapefruit with a butterscotch sweetness for balance.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "Butterscotch sweetness; Hits you hard on the front - mellows on the tail-end; Gets your attention right away; You get the bitterness of the hops early, then there's that sort of caramel malt sweetness that comes through; Nice IPA, kind of unique, not really West Coast nor East Coast; Interesting mix of flavors here, they work nicely."

MOSIAC IPA

COMMUNITY BEER CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Community Beer Company, Dallas, TX; STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 8.6%; IBUs: 85; HOPS: Mosaic

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "This is not your average IPA. From the incredible nose, to the amazing finish, this IPA is one that both session drinkers and beer nerds alike will love...The beer gets its name from a new hop variety named 'Mosaic,' which is predominantly where the immense, raw hop aroma and flavor is derived...The word 'Mosaic' is also representative of the diverse range of individuals that make up our community."

COLOR: Copper

POUR: Approaching Guinness-Class head

AROMA: Dank - biggest nose of the day. The aroma bursts out with the pour.

BODY: Relatively full-bodied

TASTE: Big grapefruit/cirtus/tropical fruit flavors to start, then a pleasant caramel malt foundation comes through

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "A pretty darn good beer - I love it; Enough malt to give it some heft (depth of character); True to the style; Really nice hop/malt balance - neither overwhelms the other, they work in harmony to give the beer a nice complexity; Great beer."

DRAHTHAAR DOUBLE IPA

RAHR AND SONS BREWING

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Rahr and Sons Brewing, Fort Worth, TX; STYLE: Double IPA (Limited Release); ABV: 9.2%; IBUs: 85 

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Named after Fritz' German Wire-hair Pointer, Schnapps, Drahthaar is a big, bold, assertive Double IPA. It is everything you would expect and unexpect. Hops dominate, but a sweet maltiness is there just enough to compliment and balance...A hop lover's dream. This puppy is double dry hopped to give an aroma that will linger with your taste buds until you open the next bottle. A dose of sugar is added to the alcohol, while letting the hops show their true potential."

COLOR: Unfiltered tangerine peel

POUR: Decent pour with good lacing

AROMA: Butterscotch mostly, kind of sweet aroma

BODY: Full bodied

TASTE: Sweet taste of butterscotch and tang (sort of artificial orange taste)

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Between "Leave it" and "I Could Drink This" - One of those we'd order in a bar if it was between this or a mega brew.

COMMENTS: "Hoppiness almost disguises the alcohol; Off the wall with the alcohol; I'd leave it over most of the ones we've tasted today; Leaves a kind of off-taste on the tongue; Too sweet for me; I know Rahr and Sons brew mostly German style beers so this is a bit out of their wheelhouse perhaps; Not really a fan." 

RODEO CLOWN DOUBLE IPA

KARBACH BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 9.5%; IBUs: 85; MALTS: 2 Row Pale, Medium and Dark Crystal, Munich, Biscuit; HOPS: German Magnum, Amarillo, Citra, Cascade, East Kent Goldings, Hallertau-Mittelfreuh, Sapphir.

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "It's a job! And a hazardous one at that. Benefits, you ask? I hardly think so. But the show must go on. So, it's with bravado that the Rodeo Clown takes his place in the arena lights. Whether or not he's insane is not important right now. It's with grit and intensity that the Clown steps in the path of almost certain destruction."

COLOR: Deep amber

POUR: Near Guinness Class Head with tight bubble

AROMA: Strong alcohol aroma dominates

BODY: Full

TASTE: Sweet candy flavor, horehound, and alcohol

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Like the last one, a bit beyond "Leave it" - we'd take it over anything Bud makes, but that sets the bar pretty low.

COMMENTS: "It's a strong one; Overpowering taste is alcohol; Sweet, overly so, big beer; Similar to the last one in that it has an almost cloying sweetness despite the abundance of hops used and the 85 IBUs; It's that kind of candy-like sweetness that I just don't care for."

That's it for the Texas beers. Some really terrific beers in this bunch. Below is a rough ranking of our favorites to our least favorite. 

1. Mosaic IPA - Community Beer Co., Dallas, TX - Great nose, great taste. Nice balance of hops and malt, the complexity of taste helped it win the day.

2. Deep Ellum IPA - Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Dallas, TX - Nice bitter bite with big hop up front followed by a pleasant butterscotch/toffee maltness.

3. Hopadillo IPA - Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX - Right up there with the first two, nicely balanced, very tasty IPA.

4. Ironhead IPA - Revolver Brewing Co., Granbury, TX - Another terrific IPA, this one not quite as balanced as the the others, more hop-dominant, but a very good beer.

5. Red Headed Stranger Red IPA - Ranger Creek Brewing and Distillery, San Antonio, TX - We really liked this a lot. Being a red it was a bit more malt forward, but it still brought a nice hop finish. A nice bready maltiness.

6. Shiner Wicked Ram IPA - Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX - A very nice effort from a brewery known more for middle of the road lagers. A very acceptable IPA, though nothing that will blow your socks off.

7. Lost Gold IPA - Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX - We found this to be a bit too much on the fruity/sweet side. Just kind of okay.

8. The Lawn Ranger Cream Ale - Cedar Creek Brewery, Seven Points, TX - Gerry snagged this one primarily for the name. Since cream ales are not quite our thing, our evaluation might not be the most fair. Drinkable, but not our choice of styles.

9. Drahthaar Double IPA - Rahr and Sons, Fort Worth, TX - We found this to be too sweet and a bit overwhelmed by the alcohol.

10. Rodeo Clown Double IPA - Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX - See above.

BONUS BEERS

This month we ended up with an embarrassment of riches. Not only did Gerry generously provide us with a bunch of Texas brews, Yonkers Brewery sent us a few beers to check out. Alas, how could we refuse? So without further ado, our thoughts on some Yonkers brew:

YONKERS KOLSCH

YONKERS BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Yonkers Brewing Co., Yonkers, NY; STYLE: Kolsch; ABV; 4.7%; IBUs: 23;

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "A clean, crisp, delicately-balanced beer usually with a very subtle fruit and hop character. Subdued maltiness throughout leads into a pleasantly well-attenuated and refreshing finish."

COLOR: Pale gold

POUR: Decent white head

AROMA: Faint aromas of grass and hay, maybe a bit sweet-smelling

BODY: Fairly light bodied

TASTE: Subtle fruit and malt characters. A bit bready with understated hops

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: In all honesty, this is not a style we would, as a group who prefer hoppier beers or big stouts and porters, seek out.

COMMENTS: "Not a fan of the style - having said that, this would make for a refreshing beer; If you are a fan of the Kolsch style, I suspect you would really like this; The flavors are subtle, but it's a pleasant beer."

SUNBEAM IPA

YONKERS BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Yonkers Brewing Co., Yonkers, NY; STYLE: Northeast IPA; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 55; MALT: Oats; HOPS: Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin, Belma, Eureka, Amarillo, Mosaic

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Fruity and refreshing."

COLOR: Unfiltered wheat

POUR: Somewhat decent head with some lacing

AROMA: Floral with hints of citrus

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Bright citrus, tropical fruit flavors dominate with a dry finish

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Pretty close to "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "You can really taste the Mosaic hops; Delicious; Nice citrus/grapefruit/pine taste; Not much of a malt presence, but a real nice, refreshing beer; Crisp; I'm a fan, wish we could get this around here; One of those IPAs that are just plain pleasant, you could settle into a few of them; Good beer."

YONKERS IPA

YONKERS BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Yonkers Brewing Co., Yonkers, NY; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 60

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale, showcasing modern American or New World hop varieties. The balance is hop-forward, with a clean fermentation profile, dryish finish, and clean, supporting malt allowing a creative range of hop character to shine through."

COLOR: Hazy gold

POUR: Decent white head

AROMA: Citrus, grapefruit

BODY: Bit shy of Medium

TASTE: Big hop bitterness, juicy citrus and tropical fruits with mild malt backbone.

OVERALL IMPRESSION; Pretty close to "Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS; "Kind of a lighter version of Sunbeam; I get a mix of citrus, grapefruit, maybe some pineapple in there with a bit of pine; Nice, solid IPA; Not a lot of malt, the hops definitely dominate; Another good one from Yonkers; Body's a bit light, makes it a pretty easy-drinker; I like it."

DOUBLE IPA

YONKERS BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Yonkers Brewing Co., Yonkers, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.5%; IBUs: 75; HOPS: NW Pacific hops

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Intensely hoppy pale and drinkable strong pale ale, brewed with 25 pounds of Pacific NW hops."

COLOR: Sort of a gold/copper almost orange

POUR: Decent Head

AROMA: Grassy with a bit of grapefruit

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruit, with a kind of added spiciness, bit of pepper

OVERALL IMPRESSION; Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS; "More balanced than the previous two with a bit more malt; Not real sweet, though, like some of the Doubles out there; Hops still dominate, but there's some maltiness there as well; There's also a kind of peppery, spicy taste - subtle - but I like it, it works well with the intense hoppiness; Really tasty double."


Yonkers Brewing fared well with us. Three out of the four we sampled fit nicely into our particular taste wheelhouse. While we appreciated the Kolsch, that's just not a style we would seek out. But the three IPAs were fantastic. The Double IPA we liked much more than any of the Texas doubles we tried. It had a nice balance that made it very drinkable and the alcohol was not overpowering, but added some complexity to the overall taste. The two IPAs were also very good - much more hop-forward with lots of grapefruit/hoppy bite to them.

Wonder what we had to say about a particular beer? Check out our BOTB Tested Beers page for an extensive list of all the beers we've reviewed and a quick 4 star rating.

Next month - New York State Beers.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

Some More Favoirtes

Most craft beer enthusiasts have a favorite place to find a good selection of craft beers. As I believe I've mentioned before, C's Farms in Oswego, NY is one of our go-to places for good beer. It is typical of many such stores - a somewhat unassuming edifice tucked away so that if you didn't know where it was, you'd have a tough time finding it. Many of these places were craft beer early adopters - seeing the potential where others saw mere fad. For a while these were the only places to really find a variety of craft beers, not just those produced by the larger craft breweries (think Sam Adams, 

C's Farm Market in Oswego, NY

 Sierra Nevada, etc.) which had the clout to get their products into some of the major chain grocery stores.
                                                                                      Wegman's, a Northeast icon, was one of the few early chain grocery stores to jump on the craft beer train. By instituting the "pick 6" concept whereby consumers could create their own mixed six packs, Wegman's gave the curious and those new to the growing variety of styles available in the craft beer world an opportunity to try assorted brands and styles without investing in a six-pack of something they may not care for. While other chains have begun to institute their own "pick 6"  and have expanded their craft beer choices, few have invested as heavily in craft beer as Wegman's. We were in Springfield, VA recently and there is a nearby Wegman's with an enormous craft beer section. It actually dwarfs the mega-brew section.

One of the joys of craft beer is fun some of these brewers have with naming their beers. In a previous post I made a list of some of my favorite names. Wandering around Wegman's I shot a few that stood out and looped them together in the GIF below.

Just a quick look at a few of the fun craft beer
names I found at a Virginia Wegman's.

In a World Bereft of Gluten...

I had a scare recently. I was experiencing some unpleasant stomach issues that looked suspiciously like some sort of food allergy. I decided to eliminate gluten since I have a sister who suffers from Celiac's Disease - an intolerance to gluten. The symptoms cleared up so I feared the worst - no more gluten, meaning no more beer! I could live with gluten free bread and pizza dough and many of the gluten-free snack are really quite good. But my beloved craft beer? Nooooooo! 

Luckily the results of a blood test showed no food allergies. Meanwhile, we had run out and Glutenberg IPA, and Omission IPA. Much to my surprise both of these beers turned out to be terrific beers in their own right. Had I not known they were gluten-free I never would have guessed it. I did try Glutenberg Red Ale as well and wasn't really a fan. After all, a red ale depends heavily on malt for its flavor and Glutenberg brews entirely without any gluten-containing ingredients (as opposed to Omission which brews its beers with barley then removes the gluten, and comes with a warning that they can't guarantee there is zero gluten). The Red Ale just had some off, vegetable-ish flavors. Having said that, it was at least drinkable.

purchased a bunch of gluten-free items. Among these were a couple of gluten-free beers:

Both IPAs were as good or better than many full-gluten IPAs. Both are strongly hop-forward - as a good IPA should be - with a solid West Coast vibe, yet each have enough of a malt presence to give them a nice medium-bodied mouthfeel. Truth is, when I feared I was doomed to a life without gluten I was thrilled to find these two beers. Sort of made life worth living again. They are both beers I would enjoy regardless of my gluten tolerance level.

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

This month we went with another grab bag bunch of beers where we all just brought something that sounded interesting and we had yet to review. 

FAT TIRE AMBER ALE

NEW BELGIUM BREWING

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: Amber Ale; BREWER: New Belgium, Colorado, Ashville, SC; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs: 22; MALTS: Pale, C80, Munich, Victory; HOPS: Willamete, Goldings, Nugget

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Named in honor of our co-founder's bike trip through Europe, Fat Tire Amber Ale marks a turning point in the young electrical engineer's home brewing. Belgian beers use a far broader palette of ingredients (fruits, spices, esoteric yeast strains) than German or English styles."

COLOR: Copper/Amber

POUR: Decent head

AROMA: Clove/bread Belgium vibe

BODY: Thin

TASTE: Tends toward sweet with hints of clove, bread, perhaps melon

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Leave it on the shelf

COMMENTS: "Tastes like 22 IBUs - not much of a hop presence; Good starter beer perhaps; Good if you don't want much in the way of hops; New Belgium makes some great beers - love Ranger, Rampant and Citradelic - but I just have never cared for this one; Yeah, and for a long time this was the only New Belgium beer that you could get almost anywhere; I know it's their flagship beer, but I much prefer some of their others; Sort of reminds me of Magic Hat #9 - you find it everywhere, but it's only a so-so beer."

12TH OF NEVER ALE

LAGUNITAS

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: American Pale Ale; BREWER: Lagunitas, Petaluma, CA; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 45

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Tropically hoppy. Light, yet full-bodied. Bright and citrusy. Word."

COLOR: Pale yellow

POUR: Bit better than Decent Head

AROMA: Big citrusy hop aroma right off the bat

BODY: Light

TASTE: Citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruit, bright zesty fruit bitterness with pine

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; I Could Drink This!

COMMENTS: "Taste follows the nose with big citrus-hop punch; Wow the aroma is powerful and awesome - big citrus and pine punch when you open it; Light tasting, not a big malt presence - so there's not a real balanced flavor here, the hops dominate; Aromatic; Good lawnmower beer; Real refreshing beer."

SAN FRANCISCO IPA

ALMANAC BEER COMPANY

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: West Coast India Pale Ale; BREWER: Almanac Beer Co., San Francisco, CA; ABV: 6.5%; MALT: Pale Malt, Maris Otter and Flaked Oats; HOPS: Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Hallertau Blanc and El  Dorado.

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "This West Coast IPA features an explosive aroma of citrus, toropical fruit and dankness from a blend of ...hops. Intensely hoppy without overt bitterness, a light malt backbone balances this IPA, giving it a clean finish and making it a beer to be enjoyed again and again. Inspired by San Francisco but brewed to be enjoyed everywhere."

COLOR: Unfiltered wheat/straw

POUR: Near Decent head

AROMA: Dank

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Up toward the bitter end of the spectrum with notes of citrus, lemon, grapefruit, pine, tropical fruit.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; I Could Drink This

COMMENTS: "A little more depth and fuller bodied than 12th of Never; The taste is so much better than the aroma, which is a bit pungent; I don't really taste the malt that you might expect from a 6.5% ABV; A nice blend; I like it when there is a blend of hop varieties as opposed to the single hop approach that's become popular lately; It's another bright citrusy IPA for a hot summer day, I just do like a little more malt backbone to balance the hops."

ANTI-HERO IPA

REVOLUTION BREWING

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: India Pale Ale; BREWER: Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 70; HOPS: Blend of 4 hop varieties

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "An American hop assault for all the ambivalent warriors who get the girl in the end. 'Look, I ain't in this for your revolution, and I'm not in it for you, Princess.' this iconic ale features a blend of four hop varieties which creates a crisp bitterness and imparts massive floral and citrus aromas."

COLOR: New-penny copper

POUR: Somewhat better than Decent Head

AROMA: Big hoppy pine aroma - oh, so good!

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Nicely sharply bitter, spicy, pine, grapefruit, citrus leads the way with a strong malt counter-melody giving it a pleasing complexity.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "A little bit of a spicy taste up front; Complex flavor; Delicious; I always look forward to drinking this, and sharing it with friends; Thank you Carissa; Hop-forward bitterness right in the wheelhouse of what an IPA should be; Love this beer; Little bit of sweetness in there to kind of fill things out."

100 POUNDER  WET HOP IPA

STONE CITY ALES

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: Wet hopped India Pale Ale; BREWER: Stone City Ales, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; ABV: 6.4%; IBUs: 65

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Made exclusively using Ontario grown / processed ingredients."

COLOR: Unfiltered Amber

POUR: Better than Decent Head

AROMA: Grass, fresh pine and malt

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Nice bitter hoppiness with solid nutty, malty underpinning and hints of caramel and toffee

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "Really nice beer; Creamy and smooth; We've become a little gun shy with Canadian beers (think Alexander Keith IPA) - this renews my faith; Could drink this until you can't move; Delicious; Definite malt presence with a real nice nutty taste; Even better on tap; Wonderful blend of hops and malt."

CITRENNIAL

FOLEY BROTHERS

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: American IPA; BREWER: Foley Brothers Brewing, Brendan, VT; ABV: 6.9%; HOPS: Citra, Centennial

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "India Pale Ale brewed with Citra and Centennial Hops."

COLOR: Semi-filtered wheat

POUR: Near Guinness-class head

AROMA: Did not detect a strong aroma, but hints of citrus

BODY: Near full bodied

TASTE: Nicely bitter with citrus, grapefruit, pine, tropical fruits and biscuit

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "Nicely bitter; Foley brothers - the next best thing to a religious experience; If I were to chew on a piece of cedar, that's the back taste I get; Nice full-bodied beer; You get a bit of an alcohol burn with this."

IT'S COMPLICATED BEING A WIZARD DOUBLE IPA

BURLINGTON BEER CO.

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: Double IPA; BREWER: Burlington Beer Co., Williston, VT; ABV: 8%

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS:"Our Double IPA has a radiant straw orange glow with which we immerse massive quantities of hops per gallon for a bold, yet complex hop flavor."

COLOR: Beautiful straw orange

POUR: Near Guinness class head

AROMA: Subtle malty aroma, but not a big nose

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Pretty big alcohol presence with a nice balance of malt and hop - bit of pineapple and pine with caramel malt

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Just shy of  Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "Nicely blended hop and malt; Malt presence on the tail end; No spiciness here; Big malt kick on the end; Bitter; Doesn't taste as strong as it is; No, but you can definitely taste the alcohol; Good beer."

ANNIE

GOOD NATURE BREWERY

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: Imperial India Pale Ale; BREWER: Good Nature Farm Brewery; ABV: 8.5%; IBUs: 70

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Our Imperial IPA was originally brewed to celebrate our 2nd Anniversary in 2014. We were so taken with her, we decided to keep her on as one of our first bottled beers. A complex IPA that delivers on many levels. The simplicity of the grain bill allows the hops to really shine. Tropical fruits and lemon on the nose with a spicy finish that tickles your taste buds."

COLOR: Honey / wheat

POUR: Near Guinness class head

AROMA: Piney

BODY: Between Medium and Full

TASTE: Big citrus hop taste with pine resin, touch of lemon and tropical fruits backed up with a kind of butterscotch malt underlying it all.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Pretty close to Can't Get Enough

COMMENTS: "Delicious; More on the nose than on the tongue; Sneaky alcohol - will probably knock you on your ass; Annie is not an orphan - she's a sweetheart - the best Good Nature beer in my opinion; Malty backbone with a nice hop blend; At the brewery it seemed more piney - better after being in the growler for a week."

THE BIG BROADCAST DOUBLE IPA

WAR HORSE BREWING COMPANY

THE BEER FACTS: STYLE: Double IPA; BREWER: War Horse Brewing Company, Geneva, NY (Seneca Lake - part of Three Brother Wineries & Estates); ABV: 9%; IBUs; 100; HOPS; Cascade, Chinook, Centennial.

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Resiny and Smooth. Maybe a little too smooth."

COLOR: Between golden and amber

POUR: Near Guinness Class

AROMA: Hay, grass

BODY: Full

TASTE: Pine, grapefruit, citrus, solid alcohol burn with a cold-brewed coffee taste underneath

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS; Pretty close to Can't Get Enough

COMMENTS: "Great early mouth-feel; Big; Tasty; Helmet beer; Could sit there and drink this 'til you pass out; Really nice flavor; Impressed - from a winery?; A really big thank-you to Judy and Tom (my sister and brother-in-law who returned from a Seneca Lake winery tour with this growler for me)."

THE VERDICT

Another terrific bunch of beers overall. In the end we had three clustered at the solid "Can't Get Enough!" rating followed by three more that came in just below that top rank. Then we had two at the "I Could Drink This!" mark, making them decent if not knock-your-socks-off beers. Here's what we thought in a nutshell:

1. Anti-Hero IPA - Revolution Brewing - A terrific IPA that was a unanimous "Can't Get Enough!" Exactly what you look for in an IPA.

2. 100 Pounder Wet Hop IPA - Stone City Ales - It's great to see our Northern neighbors get into the craft beer act. More and more we've been seeing some really good Canadian IPAs and this one may be the best we've had yet. 

3. Citrennial - Foley Brothers Brewing - Great blend of Citra and Centennial hops make this an excellent American IPA. 

4. 5. and 6. - Pretty much a dead heat between The Big Broadcast  from War Horse, Annie from Good Nature, and It's Complicated Being a Wizard from Burlington Beer Company. All three are double (Imperial) IPAs and range from 8% to 9% ABV. All were delicious.

7. San Francisco IPA - Almanac Brewing - A nice, brightly citrus IPA lacking a bit in complexity but a good boat beer.

8. 12th of Never Ale - Lagunitas - Ditto with this one. The aroma is terrific, redolent of grapefruit and pine, and the taste is light and tropical without much of a malt presence. Bright, easy-drinker, at 5.5% it comes in a bit high to qualify as a session IPA - but it's close.

9. Fat Tire Amber Ale - New Belgium - This didn't fare well with us, but we seem to be in the minority judging by it's popularity and ready availability. We're big fans of many of New Belgium's beers, but this isn't one of them.

Next up we check out some authentic Texas beers.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

American Pale Ales

SO MANY BEERS...

"They are pale lager beers vaguely of the pilsener style but lighter in body, notably lacking in hop character, and generally bland in palate. They do not all taste exactly the same but the differences between them are often of minor consequence."  -British beer writer Michael Jackson on American beers pre-Craft Beer Revolution.


That was the state of beer no so long ago in the US. And a sad state it was. Most small, independent breweries had been steamrolled by the mega-breweries. The few indie breweries that remained, in order to stay afloat, had to follow the mega-brew lead with bland lagers soon to be followed by that bane of real-beer lovers' existence: Light (Lite) Beer!

Full Boar Brewery-
North Syracuse, NY

I think about that whenever I see one of those "best beer in every state" articles that pop up on-line and in beer magazines. Such an article would have been unthinkable in the bad old days before the Craft Beer Revolution. Yet now, pretty much every state has so many terrific craft breweries that picking the best beer (or for that matter, the best IPA, or Stout or Belgian, or Wheat) is nearly impossible because there are so many good beers out there. Just take a look at the beer menu below. This is from a relatively small brewery in Northern New York. Check out the array of beers they brew. Yet, unless you visit Tupper Lake, it's unlikely you'll have an opportunity to try any since they don't bottle. And there are hundreds of small breweries such as this around the country. One of the things I always check when my wife and I travel is local breweries. The quality of beer can vary greatly as well as the styles and the vibe of the place. Some tend to specialize in, say, British style beer, or Belgian or Sours, or big hoppy beers. Some try to run the gamut of styles from light lagers to big Imperial Stouts and IPAs. Many serve "guest beers" - craft beers brewed by other breweries which may serve to fill in the gap in the styles that they themselves don't provide. Some serve food, some don't. But the atmosphere is generally convivial and they are populated with like-minded craft beer fans who often are quick to share their opinions on their favorite brews. Consider the fact that not so long ago there were no such places. Sad.

Raquette River Brewing, Tupper Lake, NY

While in Old Forge recently, I picked up a mixed-12 by Adirondack Brewing called Hop Project. It contained: Double IPA, Iroquois Pale Ale, Dirty Blonde, and New York Common. As I've mentioned before, I'm often leery about mixed 12's. Very often you end up with a couple of "meh" beers. But I liked the name so I took the plunge. I was not disappointed. Their Double IPA is a hop-head's dream. Big, hoppy, delicious. Their Iroquois Pale Ale is right there as well with plenty of Chinook, Cascade, Centennial Columbus and Falconer's Flight hops in there to give it a great hoppy/citrus punch.  Dirty turned out to be a terrific pale ale that would have fared well this month had it been in competition. The fourth beer, New York Common, I was concerned about since it is a lager. It derives it's name from the fact that it is brewed with all New York State grown hops and malt. I found it to be surprisingly hoppy for a lager with a much fuller body and complex taste than your typical lager. So, in the end, no losers here. This is a mixed-12 I hope makes it out of the mountains!

'Nuff Said

Still love the back of the Arrogant Bastard Ale bombers. It so perfectly encapsulates the essence of the Craft Beer Revolution. I love it that Stone has started selling it in 6-pack 16 ounce cans now. And at a really reasonable price. I keep coming back to it.

OUR OLD PAL, PALE

Pale Ales are really the style of beer that jump-started the Craft Beer Revolution. Think Sierra-Nevada Pale Ale or Samuel Adams Boston Ale or Saranac Pale Ale. While the roots of craft beer extend back into the '70's with New Albion Brewing Company and Anchor Brewing, it wasn't until the mid '80's that craft brewing really took off. Much of that has to do with the fact that the most popular craft beers early on were Pale Ales. Pale Ales made for a nice transition into the world of beer beyond the mega-brews Americans were stuck with for so long. They broadly retained the general taste profile of the lagers but with enhanced hop presence as well as fuller bodies and richer malt backbones. Okay, so they were far superior to our mega-brews, but not so far out as to alienate the uninitiated. This month we return to that style that was a tasty gateway into the world of craft beer. 

EXTRA PALE ALE

SWITCHBACK BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Switchback Brewing, Burlington, VT; STYLE: Pale Ale; ABV: 4.8%; IBUs: 47; HOPS: Centennial, Chinook, Cascade

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Our Extra Pale Ale (XPA) is a hop-forward pale ale that employs an abundant use of whole cone hops. We have balanced the amazing bouquet and flavors that whole cone hops possess with a subdued malt character, creating a crisp refreshing beer."

COLOR: Unfiltered raw honey

POUR: Near Decent Head

AROMA: We didn't note a big nose, some grassy, hay aromas

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Leans toward bitter, a bit beyond Balanced, with a nutty base and hints of citrus hops 

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Between "I Could Drink This" and "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "Sparkly (not quite effervescent) mouthfeel; Great tasting pale; Very tasty for a 4.8%; They have no trouble making a good beer; Nice, crisp beer; Summer beer - too bad it's not in cans - but I do like the stubbies; You could drink a bucket-load of these; Nice aftertaste - it lingers; You do get more of a hoppy presence than you might expect from a Pale; Some tastes of grapefruit, bit of pine - subtle."

GRUNION

BALLAST POINT BREWING

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Ballast Point Brewing, San Diego, CA; STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 50; MALT: Caramel; HOPS: New hop varieties

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Our Grunion Pale Ale wasn't born on a beach, but in a backyard. Originating from an employee-only home brew contest, this award-winning hoppy pale ale is named after the tiny local fish known for late night frolics on shore. A pair of new hop varieties lend strong yet balanced summer melon aromas and herbal flavors, while a soft caramel malt sweetness holds it all together."

COLOR: Unfiltered light golden

POUR: Bit beyond Decent white head with nice lacing

AROMA: A sort of musty/dank aroma

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Well toward the bitter end of the spectrum, with big tropical fruit flavors dominant

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "Unique, distinctive taste; Tanin flavor; El Dorado hops?; I really like this - I'll pick up some of this; I like the taste much better than the aroma; Not sure why tropical fruit aroma doesn't come through, but it's there in the flavor in spades; Really nice; Delicious - unanimously."

DOGGIE STYLE PALE ALE

FLYING DOG BREWING

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD; 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: Golden

POUR: Better than decent head with solid staying power

AROMA: Grassy, hay, floral

BODY: Medium

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

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Very near "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "Easy drinking; No lingering after-taste; Very tasty; Delicious; Quite balanced; A nice, very drinkable pale ale.Well balanced, what you'd expect of an American Pale Ale; Nice bit of hoppiness with a good malt backing."

HIPSTER IPA

EVIL TWIN  BREWING CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Evil Twin Brewing, Stratford, CT; STYLE: ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 60

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Perhaps you heard of a worldwide beer-movement that tributes favorite hipster neighbourhoods across the globe. If you feel excluded because you're hip but your city is not, this cutting-edge, 'hip without border' pale ale is an homage to you - the global hipster. Cheers!"

COLOR: Unfiltered buckwheat honey

POUR: Between Decent and Guinness Class head - pretty impressive thick, off-white head

AROMA: Sweet grass, but not a real powerful aroma

BODY: A bit beyond Medium

TASTE: Leans toward the bitter end, beyond balanced

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Pretty close to "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "Nice opening taste; Nice beer; I could drink this all day long; Again - aroma belies the taste - not much aroma, but a big taste; Tastes almost like an IPA; I  could drink a lot of these; Nice bitter after-taste; Sweet in the middle - but resolves into a bitter finish."

ZOG'S PALE ALE

IDLETYME BREWING COMPANY

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Idletyme Brewing, Stowe, VT; STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "This classic style is dry-hopped with pungent US varieties, wonderful aromas in the nose, medium bitterness."

COLOR: Unfiltered golden

POUR: Bit better than a Decent Head

AROMA: Floral hoppy

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Moderately bitter with hints of clove, banana, toffee; malt forward followed by nice citrus hop bite

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Can't Get Enough!

COMMENTS: "A very hoppy APA - almost and IPA; Bites your tongue a bit; Fills the mouth - excites the mouth; British vibe to it with the clove / banana opening; Malty; This is absolutely delicious; Actually it's a pretty balanced Pale Ale if you ask me."

FINALLY LEGAL (21ST ANNIVERSARY)

MIDDLE AGES

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Middle Ages Brewing Company, Syracuse, NY; STYLE: Pale Ale; ABV: 5.80%; MALT: wheat malt, flaked oats; HOPS:  Calypso, El Dorado, Centennial.

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "This pale ale is brewed with loads of wheat malt and flaked oats to give it a full body that showcases the Calypso, El Dorado and Centennial Hops. Added citrus further brightens the beer and a nice dry finnish makes it extremely drinkable."

COLOR: Unfiltered clover honey

POUR: Bit beyond Decent head with plenty of white lacing

AROMA: Spicy scent

BODY: Bit shy of Medium

TASTE: Between balanced and bitter

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Just shy of "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "They've had 21 years to get it right, and they did; Really nice beer; Very drinkable; Smooth; Pleasant, from a brewery that never disappoints, once again they have brewed a beer that fills the mouth and is oh, so delicious; Really nice easy-drinker with a terrific citrus bite; That spicy aroma is really nice, and the taste is very bright and citrusy."

G-STRING PALE ALE

FUNKY BOW BREWING and BEER CO.

THE BEER FACTS: BREWER: Funky Bow Brewing & Beer Co., Lyman, ME; STYLE: American Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; HOPS: Cascade

WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Smooth and drinkable! Nice flavorful light malts allow the summer and Cascade hops to shine through. With hints of sweet orange and coriander, this pale is unique as it is smooth."

COLOR: Golden

POUR: Decent white head with nice lacing

AROMA: Grassy, earthy

BODY: Medium

TASTE: Touch of cloves, bit of pine with a little grass and bready malt underneath it all

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Just shy of "Can't Get Enough!"

COMMENTS: "A really nice beer; Almost an IPA; Delicious Pale Ale; Fills the tongue; The last in a series of delicious beers - very impressed with this Pale Ale offering; It hits all the notes you want in an APA; Not over-the-top, but a pleasing hop presence."

THE RESULTS

So who wins in this epic battle of American Pale Ales? Besides us, your ever humble reviewers, that is. Well, once again, we really didn't have a loser in the bunch. It's kind of like going to one of those "make your own 6-pack" sections that stores like Wegman's have made popular. When the Great Craft Beer Revolution began getting real traction because people began realizing how much better real ale was than mega-brewed lager, I, like many others, would go to those racks and pick up a 6-pack of wildly differing styles, just to try them. But now, older and wiser in the ways of beer that we are, we know what we like and we cherry-pick the styles that we know we will enjoy. So it is with our reviews. You'll not find Blue Moon or Shock Top because they are neither real craft beers, nor beers we care to spend our precious beer money on. We are also unlikely to delve into the world of Kolsh styles or Gose Beers or Sours because we have now tried them and know these are just not our style of choice (not going to do hard soft drinks either - sorry, but that's not beer).  So truly, the styles we choose are those that we enjoy - IPAs (and anything with IPA in its name), DIPAs, Pale Ales, Porters, Stouts, British Ales. Hell, anything Stone brews (I had their Wussie Pilsner, and it wasn't bad). But we're not going to do Mega-brews and rarely will we entertain a lager. We are ale guys. My point being that there's a reason you won't find too many truly negative reviews here - although they do occur - we know what we like and there are so many new and wonderful variations of those styles that we can't see drinking "meh" beer (and especially not meh-ga brews). It also wouldn't be fair to aficionados of, say, sours for us to express our opinions on that style since it just isn't something we care for.

Anyhow... here's how the Battle fell out once the smoke cleared.

1. Grunion Pale Ale - Despite the fact that Ballast Point got bought out by A-B, they still seem to be producing some really fine beers. Sculpin has been a favorite for some time, but their whole Pale Ale series - Grunion, Big Eye, Sculpin are terrific beers and hopefully the money grubbers at A-B don't stick their noses into the brewing process.

2. Zog's Pale Ale - Real nice, wonderfully hopped pale ale from a relatively small Vermont brewery. Nicely complex flavor.

3. Hipster APA - We really liked this tasty pale ale from Evil Twin Brewing. One of several we had that could have passed for an IPA.

4. Finally Legal - Will this 21 Anniversary brew ever make it outside the brewery? Hard to tell. Their terrific Late Knight Imperial IPA started out like this but became so popular they began bottling it.  A very nice, drinkable beer.

5. G-String Pale Ale - Maine is becoming a realy player in the craft beer world. Once noted mostly for British inspired breweries like Full Sail, more and more Maine breweries are making a mark out there. G-String is another of those near IPA level Pale Ales. A really nice beer.

6. Doggie Style Pale Ale - Flying Dog's flagsship beer, this remains a benchmark for what you expect from a good American IPA.

7. Switchback Extra Pale Ale - Though it fell a little short compared to the other beers, it really is a very good beer. Tasty, balanced, drinkable and at 4.8% a great beer for a long day of festivities.

Next Month: Another Wild Card Month - Bring a beer we haven't reviewed

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys