Craft CIDER Review: Arsenal Cider, Fighting Elleck

I always loved the the idea of the Cider House named Dickens!  For today's craft beer CIDER review I'm sipping on a local cider, made with local apples, that was hand delivered by the brewer in 1/6 barrels right to my door!

That's right! Bill Larkin of Arsenal Cider House in Lawrenceville, PA personally drove up 2 sixtels of fresh hard cider, straight to my door following a visit I made to their house just 2 weeks prior! My Brew-nette lover, Emily Kate, is a die hard for good cider and while we were on a date night to see one of our favorite musicians perform a solo acoustic show, I made sure to treat her to a buffet of glassware filled with excellent local cider.  


Im enjoying an 8oz pour on tap of a 8% ABV hard cider known as Fighting Elleck. And it will be waiting for you at The Stone House

It poured a very pale, straw color with bubbles dancing up and down the center of the liquid.  It had a very spritzy, soda like head that puffs and falls rapidly.

The nose provides that of tart Braeburn apples with hints of golden raisin and honeysuckle. There are also touches of fresh cut grass, like that of a New Zealand Sauv Blanc and yeasty essences.

The flavor was very similar and resembled that of a champagne, but with fresh local, hand pressed apples.  Bright, refreshing, grassy, and biscuit are the prominent features. It is hard to decide if this falls into the semi-sweet or the off-dry category, but Im going with semi-sweet. The combination was fresh and quenching. 

The mouthfeel was light bodied.  Fresh, crisp, tart.  The carbonation was mild and right for the style.  The finish on the cider can be lengthy and left the mouth watering and puckered.


I'll be sure to share some findings more often and as always, Drink Good America! And for additional fun with beer, food and service, be sure to check out the other blog with Hunt Chef and I

Click, BOOM!
- AGtheDir

Craft Beer Review: Helltown Brewing, Spiteful Saison

Craft Beer Review: Helltown Brewing, Spiteful Saison, Mt. Pleasant
If you enjoy today's review, please feel free to go straight to Hell(town)!

Brewed around the corner in Mt. Pleasant, PA by Helltown Brewing Company, Spiteful is a glorious version of a saison, and a personal favorite for me! I first met the guys of Helltown at a small local beerfest that was taking place in the summer 2012 at a neighboring resort. Nothing but a bunch of cool, laid back dudes that spend what little time they have outside of their "normal" day jobs, brewing awesome, hop forward and eccentric styles of beer.

This particular brew is bottled in a 750ml with cork and cage closure at 6.25% ABV. Now available in this format at The Stone House

It poured a super clear straw, with a white head that steadied into a nice 1.5 finger depth, was rocky and held tight.  The lacing, was pretty but short lived.  

I found a nice dose of citrus, white pepper, hay and mild barnyard funk in the aroma. Also to be found was a wheaty malt note and an hint of sweet esters.

Not found in the nose, but available to the taste was a slight nutiness that derives from this "style". You still enjoy the lemon pith, white pepper spiciness, and the farmhouse funk. The sour notes were very palpable and low.  

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Spicy and actively carbonated.  The carbonation provided a a little extra push of tang through the yeast.   The finish on the beer was medium longevity.

Drink Local....or if you don't live around here, drink someone else's LOCAL! Support your local brewer! Supoort PA beer. Support Pittsburgh Beer. Support a nano-brewer. For god's sake, just support good beer!

I'll be sure to share some findings more often and as always, Drink Good America! And for additional fun with beer, food and service, be sure to check out the other blog with Hunt Chef and I

To Hell and Back!
 - AGtheDir

Craft Beer Review: Somerville Brewing, Slumbrew, Snow Angel Imperial IPA

I start every blog promising to do this more often!  For today's craft beer review I type in pure, unadulterated joy!
Brewed in Ipswich, MA by Somerville Brewing Company, (AKA 'Slumbrew') Snow Angel is understood as the first in a series of hop concentrated ales to be experimented with and produced by Slumbrew and I can only call it luck that I received a bottle! I must be sure to give a big thanks to Mike Duhgus Johnson of FestPics, for taking the time to send me both the bottle and the gorgeous glass (as well as a small slew of other Slumbrew branded items. 

Not often enough, but sometimes, I am lucky to know some great people willing to make the effort to trade beers so that we may all expand our knowledge of the craft world. This was just that case. And while I generally wait for the right time to taste a freshly traded/shipped beer, I could not in this case

This hoppy love sits in a 22oz bomber at 9% ABV and a strong 80 IBU's.

It poured a super clear copper with specks of yeast cells that have fallen out of suspension..  The white  head puffed right up to a nice 1.5 finger depth, was very creamy but faded quickly.  The lacing, while gentle and fine, held to the glass for the majority of the first glass.  

I found a great deal of citrus and stone fruit forwardness in the aroma of the hops, followed by smooth grainy malt aromas and an apparent sweetness emanating from what I assume is the alcohol content.

Bitter, chewy, wilted floral, and citrus hoppy was just the beginning. I thought that it had so many different elements, that I found it hard to concentrate, but fun to search through. It was a roller coaster of hops, bitters, fruits, malts, fruits, bitters, hops. 

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Chewy. Sweet. Bitter.  The carbonation started strong, but I was surprised by the fade.   The finish on the beer was lengthy especially in the hoppy bitterness. oh, and it is imperial, so I hope I spell the rest of this review correctly.

I hope you can also find a way to taste this beer! Cheers to my dear friends Jeff and Caitlin! Keep Brewing! Can't wait to try 'Naked Hopularity'

I'll be sure to share some findings more often and as always, Drink Good America! And for additional fun with beer, food and service, be sure to check out the other blog with Hunt Chef and I 

Slum It Up!
 - AGtheDir

Craft Beer Review: Lavery Brewing Company, La Bealtaine,

Well, getting back at it here!  For today's craft beer review I'm going back in time to a few weeks ago when I experienced my first taste of a very interesting craft ale known as La Bealtaine.

Brewed in Erie, PA by Lavery Brewing Company this is introduced on its label as a "Hoppy American Wheat Ale" or "White Fire Wheat Ale"

While I'm sadly not drinking it right this second, because hot damn, it was good, I have all of my notes in front of me to be able to finally type this thing up.If it matters to you, I am currently sipping on some GLBC Conway Irish Red while I type.


If you would like to pause for a second and read their side label giving a brief but excellent understanding of the story behind this creation just look to your left

This baby sits in a 22oz bomber at 5% ABV and a perfect 35 IBU's. And I hope that I soon have it sitting, waiting for you at The Stone House

It poured a gorgeous hazy orange hue with glimmering specs of gold.  The eggshell colored head puffed right up to a solid 2.5 finger depth, was very frothy and dissipated slowly.  The lacing, while gentle and fine, held to the glass for the majority of the first glass.  There was also just a touch of yeast that fell out of suspension and to the bottom of the glass.
This was not a new'ish nose for me.  Note only do we have big fresh citrus floral hops, but we have a clean grain and cut grass aroma. I also get something of a peppery note, like white pepper. We also had a strong resin-y middle-punch. This beer had an awesome nose.  

The flavor was very similar with even more cheeky attributes.  Bright, refreshing, grassy, and hoppy was the intial hit followed by a very piney resin note and light snacking cracker breadiness. The combination was very fresh and quenching.  I enjoyed this great combination.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Fresh, crisp, sharp.  The carbonation was just right for the style and added an extra level of quaff-ability   The finish on the beer was lengthy and left the mouth watering and happy.  It was very solid for a beer that by American standards almost hits "session."

I know this is my first review in a while in general, and my very first from this brewery, so you wouldnt necessarily know how much I am falling in love with their offerings.  This one was particularly fun. 

I'll be sure to share some findings more often and as always, Drink Good America! And for additional fun with beer, food and service, be sure to check out the other blog with Hunt Chef and I

Slainte!
 - AGtheDir

Craft Ale Review: Maine Beer Co. Peeper Ale

This is the first review to hit the new AGtheDir blogspot. I have been meaning to do this for, well, years, and just never afforded myself the time to actually write.

So, here goes:

Maine Beer Company Peeper Ale

Poured from a 1 pint, .9 fluid oz bottle. Printed as 5.5% ABV and a bottling date of 020712

This is a bottled conditioned beer and does contain live yeasts. Sediment was very limited

The beer poured a very clean and clear straw color with slight orange at the base of the glass. Very precise and consistent bubble approached the head of the beer in perfectly straight lines. The head was full, frothy and hyper white, as you can see in the picture. It was so full a head, and such extensive retention, that I poured the beer in 3 parts, emptying the glass before pouring another round. The lacing was strung out in massive soap bubble like rings.

Before the sipping took place, I was able to get some good sniffs. The first sniff was what could be smelled from the apex of the head. This initial sniff pulled out hints of solely of citrus notes. After a little dissipating of the head I took another big sniff inside the glass. This time, it showed of the same light citrus notes, mostly of grapefruit and lemon, but also gave off some sweet, honey like malt aroma. I also picked up just a hair of the hearts of aromatic American hop varieties.

The flavor was were it shined brightest. There was far more going on at this stage. The citrus elements had taken more of a candied essence, especially in that of lemon peel. The honey picked up in the nose now more balanced by the bready and yeasty flavors like biscuit. The hops were more pronounced than in the nose, but are still showing the spicy and oily hearts.

Mouth feel was perfect. Medium bodied and rounded on the tongue. Had mild bittering in the finish. The carbonation may have been slightly under at this point to as it seemed it could have had more uumph there. This was really great to drink, slightly refreshing but with more of a body to slow savor.

I am a big fan of Maine Beer Company, and now a fan of Peeper Ale. This was my first time with this ale, and I will be sure to enjoy it again in the near future. Be sure to keep the earth conscious efforts going, 1% of all MBC sales go to environmental non-profits, spent grain and yeasts go to local farmers and they use 100% wind energy for their electricity. Recycle your bottle!

Cheers!

AG

The Alchemist Heady Topper

If you know anything about me, you know I get the most enjoyment out of IPA and Double IPA's. There is just something about the highlighting and celebrating of the essence of hops that excite me and bring joy to my tongue.

This past year I got my hands on plenty of them. One of the highlights was a 16oz can of a DIPA known as Heady Topper. Heady is the flagship brew of The Alchemist Brewery, owned and operated by John and Jennifer Kimmich. The brewery is something of a second edition, a true expansion of the eight year old Pub they own in Waterbury, VT.

The sole focus, currently, is on the perfection of this canned 16oz Imperial Double IPA. My first encounter with this beer, bears high resemblance to my first encounter with my other personally top rated DIPA. I was preparing to leave work when I received a text from a distributor friend. He told me that a restaurant in Mashpee, MA was selling Heady, but supplies were limited. This was during a time, when HT was not significantly distributed to Massachusetts and therefore, this text was the key to the alleged pearly gates of craft beer Heaven

I recall distinctly that the text came through at 8:24pm. I made a quick phone call to my best girl and drinking buddy and informed her that we would be racing to Mashpee to get our hands on some HT. I informed her that, as she was well aware, it would take 20 minutes for me to get home and another 20 minutes to get there. That would put us in the restaurant by 9:04p which was great because we would have 56 minutes of drinking and eating (and playing footsies) time.

As I made my way to the dungeon, err, office to grab my coat and car keys I received the call. The call you always receive when you have something IMPORTANT to do. I had a guest that wanted to discuss their severe and strict dietary requirements. They were to be part also of the Valentine's Day gala I would be hosting two days later as well. This, took precedence over my immediate departure. Long story short, the necessary time spent to ensure their enjoyable experience took about 35 minutes....

Cue the terror. It is 9:05pm. I'm no dummy, I'm well aware that if I don't act on an opportunity like this, I will miss my chance. Again, as we learned in a prior and similar story, I cranked down all 4 cylinders on my economy vehicle. Pulled in the drive way of my house at 9:21p. HONK, HONK! She comes running out. She is a champion!

Taking to the open road, we fumbled through the VZ Navigation on the android phone to find the place. We arrived at what was supposedly the destination at 9:47pm. I remember the mix of excitement and worry rushing through the blood stream as I entered this outdoor mall. But, Ive driven around the damn thing 3 times and we cant find the restaurant. Again, champion that she is, Em realizes that we need to get back on the main road.

We pull in to Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza and it is 9:53p. The bartender, was awesome and said "hey, we still serve for another 7 minutes". I replied kindly with a "OH Thank you!, Do you have Heady Topper?" MOMENT OF TRUTH: "Yeah we sure do, like 3 cans only though."

SCORE! Here is the Untappd check-in:

 

Adam Greiner is drinking a Heady Topper by The Alchemist Pub & Brewery at Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza

Holy crap! This is unreal. 5star! Just awesome!

Rating:

5

 

That was February 10, 2012. My second experience with HT came yesterday. I was visiting the best beer store on Cape Cod, Grain and Vine and was gifted 4 beautiful cans of this monster from Kyle B, who had just arrived back to Cape the day prior after a visit to the brewery in VT.

The beer is incredible. These particular cans were actually canned just days ago. You can't help but notice every little intricacy something this fresh provides. The nose smells like hops in a boil. It hasn't faded yet. The palate sings of biting straight into a grapefruit, without removing the flesh. The can keeps it all locked up inside there and the beer almost felt green it was so young and fresh. I drank it straight from the can as guided and it had a very full and rich mouth feel that felt like a coating of hop oil. The oil was balanced and washed by the dosing of citrus notes and up and down and up and down it went.

The debate is now on my fellow hop heads. Tell me on Twitter what your preference is: The Alchemist Heady Topper or Sixpoint Resin as your go to Imperial Double IPA!

Cheers!

Cask 'N' Eggs!



Photo by: MAGirlsPintOut



BREAKFAST BEER


I never knew a moment too early in any day that beer would not be an appropriate beverage. Unless of course that time of day was prior to reporting to your duties of work. This particular day, was one of those days that learning about beer for breakfast was in fact A-OK!

On Saturday, Notch Session and Drink Craft Beer released their collaboration beer, a Coffee Milk Stout. The stout was the 4th release Notch brewer Chris Lohring's cask series. Jeff Wharton and Devon Regan of DrinkCraftBeer.com were clearly excited for this opportunity, and were more so flattered by the attendance.

I completely misjudged the time it would take me to travel to Kenmore Square in Boston. I figured driving from Cape, construction on Sagamore bridge, construction on the T's red-line and a transfer to the green line, would require extensive lead time. I have enjoyed Notch Session extensively since I moved to Massachusetts, and I have also spent time with Jeff and Devon at other brewing sessions, so I was pretty stoked to get there early so as to take home a commemorative 20oz Notch/DCB glass beer mug.

Luckily, Kenmore Square was beautiful, had a Barnes and Noble and a Starbucks, because my early departure landed me in front of The lower Depths, site of the release brunch, at 9:30am. Brunch was scheduled to start at 11:30am. Sitting in the grassy knoll, I began to notice people starting to line up in front of The Lower Depths around 11am.  Slowly I made my way into the crowd of excited, cold and hungry beer drinkers.



Photo by: DrinkCraftBeer.com



As the doors opened at 11:30am, the crowd poured in, and I was fortunate enough to snag a bar stool smack dab in the middle of the bar just feet away from the gorgeous cask handle. Sitting to my left were new found friends Adam Meuse of BrewEngland and wife. Without hesitation staff of the taproom jumped into cranking the cask and filling mug after mug with this sessionable 3.8% ABV British influenced stout.

The beer itself had an incredibly beautiful dark French-roast coffee color with a head that looked like what a glass of chocolate milk might look like if you put it under a steam wand. The settling of the head as it bounced off the bottom of the glass and slowly raised to the top is always fun to watch.



At first sniff, it was obvious that a heaping portion of coffee was used in this brew. Come to learn that approximately 3 pints of this stout was equivalent to that of a cup of coffee. Once I took a sip, I was surprised that the potency of the coffee in the nose, was subdued on the palate and fell into a very harmonious balance with the lactose sugars and breakfast bread like flavors. It also had a extremely light bodied mouth feel that made for easy drinking.



Photo by: BrewEngland

FYI...40 or so people kicked the cask in just under an hour and a half!

After just over 2 pints, I finished my huevos rancheros, said good bye to the Meuses and made sure to thank Chris, Jeff, and Devon not only for the invite, but also for their continued enthusiasm in the craft beer world and more so for their delicious collaboration.