Looking back at my first post, here, I've come a long way in terms of knowledge of what's out there.
My favorite beer websites that I find myself adding page counts to often are as follows:
1) Good Beer Hunting
Simply the best blog out there in terms of journalism. The imagery is wonderful and I know that these guys have done their research worldwide to represent on their blog the best in beer. Among the myriad of increasing numbers of craft breweries in the United States, if I read about a brewery on Good Beer Hunting, I know it is a brewery worth checking out. There are 'Stories' (highlighting a brewery or story about a brewery/brewer/beer), 'Sightlines' (articles about the legal going-ons in the brewery world, aka takeovers, craft vs macro, etc...), 'B-roll" (snippets inspired by trips all over the country), and 'Podcasts' (interviews with brewers and the like) to keep you drooling for more. I especially like the 'Read.Look.Drink' stories where different writers highlight an interesting article, something visual they find enticing and a solid beer they are currently enjoying. Head there now!
2) Beer Street Journal
I'm not sure any website keeps up with beer releases as well as Beer Street Journal. Want to hear about all those amazing beers that will release all over the country that you cannot get access to? Limited editions, plans to can, full retail releases--it's all here! The site is sort of broken down into three sections on the main page: 'News' (releases of notice), 'Don't Miss This' (the highlights of the pack), and 'Headlines' (brewery related news). There is also a way to sort by 'Coming Soon', 'New Beers' (future releases), and 'Seasonal Returns'. You can also enjoy all the bottle and can artwork as you peruse.
3) Paste Drink
Gotta give Paste huge credit for creating an amazing buzz over their Blind Taste Tests of various styles, released almost monthly for about the past year and a half or so now. They started with 116 IPAs in April of 2015 and crowned The Brew Kettle's White Rajah IPA, then a year later they saw a field of 247 IPAs beat out by none other than Auburn, NY's, Prison City Pub & Brewery Mass Riot IPA. There have been plenty of other styles blind tested along the way as well as tasting notes galore about seasonal releases, 'Features' and my personal favorite 'Lists'.
4) YCH Hops
I just like going to the 'Hop Varieties' section of the combined Yakima Chief and Hopunion LLC website to see the variety of hops and what tasting notes they provide for different varieties to see if my nose can pick up any new smells accurately and my taste buds are properly trained. I seldom succeed, but it's still fun to pretend!
5) My Beer Cellar
Fun website to visit. This is the Craigslist of cellared beer and old rare bottle collectors. Go and see how much a bottle of 2014 Three Floyds Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Lord with Vanilla Beans sold for ($465!). There's people on this site that will sell of entire collections of cellared beer for thousands of dollars!
6) Beer Flavor Wheel
My go-to Beer Flavor/Aroma identifier. It's fun to just look through the descriptions and see if they spark an idea while tasting.
7) Beer Geeks
On Ora TV, all episodes online for free streaming. Produced by the same producer as did Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Each episode highlights a brewery, makes a beer, tastes beer, cooks with beer and pairs food with beer. Definitely worth watching.
8) Untappd
If you're not one for the app or your mobile device's battery is dead, head to their regular website where you can input brews you've had, search by style a conclusive list of every beer every made EVER. EVER. And it connects to your device so you can see all the beer check-ins you've ever had as well. Wish list, badges, real time check-ins. Some prefer to not get all Geeky, but I'm at the other end of that spectrum for sure.
9) Two Brews
This was fun while it lasted, some guys in VT and then OH and VT when one of them moved away had a tasting podcast. Just ordinary guys trying to better understand the beers they were consuming. Since I love Vermont beer, this hit the spot for me.
10) Belgian Smaak
A blog site I recently discovered about Belgian beer and chocolate and haven't made a regular go at reading yet, but the immense variety of Belgian beers and breweries intrigues me to learn about some brews from the other side of the pond.
Enjoy some awesome beer reading!
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
#questforbeer1000
Recently two best friends of mine from high school and I got together for what became the #questforbeer1000. It all started on a Friday night of frolic in downtown Rochester at Lost Borough Brewing Co. and Three Heads Brewing Co., a rendezvous to sketchy Park Bench Pub on Monroe Ave. for darts and pool and a ginormous plate at Mark's Hots. The next day it continued as we toured the countryside and Keuka Lake, hitting up Abandon Brewing Co. near Pen Yan and Nedloh Brewing Co. in Bloomfield on the way back. Finally, two more days and two more nights of a dash to the finish line all in the #questforbeer1000.
What is #questforbeer1000 all about? He's not really giving the readers much to go on yet, you might descry...
It's like this. I love the app Untappd. None of my friends use it, but they marvel at how I religiously tracked each and every beer I've even tasted for the past two years. Ok, maybe marvel, maybe roll their eyes. But still, imo it's quite a feat! Anyway, at Nedloh, I was putting in my tasting notes and rating my flights thanks to a brewery that cares about providing a WIFI connection (you suck Abandon), and my friends Matt and Tim [and his Mary] asked how many unique beers I had logged. A quick count revealed that after our adventures at Nedloh I would have 959. Only 41 to go.
Sounds like a challenge? Challenge accepted!
So, a determinedly quick 15 minute trip to AJ's Beer Warehouse in Henrietta (Seriously I've never been in and out of that store so quick with that many people at one time let alone myself buying that much beer!) gave us the remaining 41 beers that I'd never tried before. Everyone checked their selections with me, we basically grabbed anything good (isn't it all good?) off the shelves in our efforts to be fast and left with one goal in mind. Before Matt left to return to Hawaii Monday night, where he now resides, they would enable me to reach my goal of 1000 beers. #questforbeer1000
I won't trouble you with every beer we tried together the entire weekend, but I will point out some highlights and even some serious highlights. The coincidental part being that beer 1000 was THE BEST of the bunch (all agreed!) and will be remembered forever.
Friday highlights:
Three Heads Brewing Sip Hop Hooray - juicy, citrus, cat pea, biscuity malt base, love me some IPL. 7.4% ABV. I gave this a 3.25/5
Saturday highlights:
Nedloh Brewing Co. Collings - I don't think I gave any of Nedloh's beers less than 3/5 rating, but this stood out as a take on I assume a tom collins, sweet but balanced, citrus peel, seltzer notes. Did I mention it's gin barrel aged? 5.3% ABV, super drinkable. I gave it a 3.5/5.
Nedloh Brewing Co. Ryder's Rye Porter - I love rye porters, so naturally a brown sugar, molasses, anise, spicy rye deep brown draught is for me. 6.5% ABV. I gave this 3.25/5.
AleSmith Lil' Devil - lovely bright citrus zest nose, bubble gum, grapefruit peel, peppercorn, herbal, spicy, floral, dry with spicy malt, not bad for my first AleSmith. 5.75% ABV. I gave this 3/5. More info here.
Bell's Brewery Oatsmobile Ale - seen this for a while, never pulled the trigger, glad I've had it now, citrus, reminds me of citra, herbal, floral, orange gold color, cereal malt, bubbly mouthfeel, just an all around modern hop pale ale that is packed with flavor. 4.3% ABV. I gave it 3.25/5. More here.
Embark Craft Ciderworks Peach Apricot Saison - see a bottle of this get it! tart, slight funk, spicy, tonic water, semi-dry, full mouthfeel, this is a nice cider and I'm more and more impressed with Embark the more I have them. I gave this 3.25/5.
Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout - love me some oatmeal stout, rich, coffee, roasty, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, slight barnyard that adds nice complexity. 5.8% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More info here.
Jack's Abby Sunny Ridge Pilsner - Jack's Abby blew on to my radar with Calyptra, now I'm ready to try everything they have. citrus, honey, fluffy white foam, bready malt. An april-july release pleaser. 5.1% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More info here.
Jack's Abby Copper Legend - an oktoberfest of exception, spices, citrus, honey/orange blossom, vanilla, peach, tangerine, gold color, and caramel malt. 5.9% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here.
Stone Brewing Co. Mocha IPA - we've all seen the trend towards coffee and chocolate in IPAs, but have you had this? Worth it. roasty hoppy nose, marshmellow, dark cocoa, pine, amber color, tastes like a black IPA, drippy legs. 9% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
Sunday highlights:
Embark Craft Ciderworks Crab Series Vol. 1 - a cider with crab apples, like old apples fallen on the ground, applesauce, straw, dry, great legs. 7.2% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here. Get it while it lasts!
Bell's Brewery Java Stout - holy cow this is a great beer! coffee, marshmellow, vanilla, seriously roasty, really dark chocolate. 7.5% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
Founders Breakfast Stout - most people would consider this the holy grail of coffee beers without going seriously heavy or expensive, coffee, chewy mouthfeel, marshmellow, vanilla, smores, roasty, more like iced coffee than anything really. 8.3% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here.
Left Hand Milk Stout - one of Matt's favorites, had this and the nitro and loved this way more, smoky, campfire, whipped cream, balanced roasty finish, deep brown color.6% ABV. I gave this 3.75/5. More here.
Victory Brewing Co. Storm King - on a stout kick, but we had so many good ones to choose from, mineral, molasses, espresso, dark chocolate, nutty, mocha, very slow drippy legs. 9.1% ABV. I gave this 3.75/5. More here.
Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Hobo Life - a citra hopped session IPA, I'd heard good things about Boom Sauce (to come) and am glad I tried this too, pineapple, mango, citrus zest, green, grassy, melon, hazy yellow color. 4.5% ABV. I gave this 3.75/5.
Lagunitas Brewing Co. Aunt Sally - a sour with IPA sensibilities, lemon tart, drop hopped, citrus. 5.7% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here.
Monday super highlights:
Great Divide Brewing Co. Espresso Oak Aged Yeti - wow. rich, oak, cocoa, espresso, figs, dark fruit, dark chocolate, molasses, powdery mouthfeel, dark brown color, drippy legs, vanilla, tan head. 9.5% ABV. I gave this 4.75/5. More here.
Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Boom Sauce - a whopper of a double IPA, mango, pineapple, resin, cat pee, juicy but nice bitter dry finish, tropical, melon, grapefruit, very nicely balanced, sugar. 7.8% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
B. Nektar Meadery The Mutant Killer Zombie Manhattan Project Thingy - a mead, cherry, deliciously sweet but finishes semi-dry and tart, rose colored, wine, honey, tad warming, champagne. 10% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
#questforbeer1000
The 1000th Beer
Omnipollo Symzonia - an imperial stout of 13% ABV. cinnamon, vanilla, roasty, coffee, you can only experience this, not describe it. As Matt put it, "it tastes of tan". an extra sensory mind blowing beer. 5/5. More here.
Go Get Symzonia!
What is #questforbeer1000 all about? He's not really giving the readers much to go on yet, you might descry...
It's like this. I love the app Untappd. None of my friends use it, but they marvel at how I religiously tracked each and every beer I've even tasted for the past two years. Ok, maybe marvel, maybe roll their eyes. But still, imo it's quite a feat! Anyway, at Nedloh, I was putting in my tasting notes and rating my flights thanks to a brewery that cares about providing a WIFI connection (you suck Abandon), and my friends Matt and Tim [and his Mary] asked how many unique beers I had logged. A quick count revealed that after our adventures at Nedloh I would have 959. Only 41 to go.
Sounds like a challenge? Challenge accepted!
So, a determinedly quick 15 minute trip to AJ's Beer Warehouse in Henrietta (Seriously I've never been in and out of that store so quick with that many people at one time let alone myself buying that much beer!) gave us the remaining 41 beers that I'd never tried before. Everyone checked their selections with me, we basically grabbed anything good (isn't it all good?) off the shelves in our efforts to be fast and left with one goal in mind. Before Matt left to return to Hawaii Monday night, where he now resides, they would enable me to reach my goal of 1000 beers. #questforbeer1000
I won't trouble you with every beer we tried together the entire weekend, but I will point out some highlights and even some serious highlights. The coincidental part being that beer 1000 was THE BEST of the bunch (all agreed!) and will be remembered forever.
Friday highlights:
Three Heads Brewing Sip Hop Hooray - juicy, citrus, cat pea, biscuity malt base, love me some IPL. 7.4% ABV. I gave this a 3.25/5
Saturday highlights:
Nedloh Brewing Co. Collings - I don't think I gave any of Nedloh's beers less than 3/5 rating, but this stood out as a take on I assume a tom collins, sweet but balanced, citrus peel, seltzer notes. Did I mention it's gin barrel aged? 5.3% ABV, super drinkable. I gave it a 3.5/5.
Nedloh Brewing Co. Ryder's Rye Porter - I love rye porters, so naturally a brown sugar, molasses, anise, spicy rye deep brown draught is for me. 6.5% ABV. I gave this 3.25/5.
AleSmith Lil' Devil - lovely bright citrus zest nose, bubble gum, grapefruit peel, peppercorn, herbal, spicy, floral, dry with spicy malt, not bad for my first AleSmith. 5.75% ABV. I gave this 3/5. More info here.
Bell's Brewery Oatsmobile Ale - seen this for a while, never pulled the trigger, glad I've had it now, citrus, reminds me of citra, herbal, floral, orange gold color, cereal malt, bubbly mouthfeel, just an all around modern hop pale ale that is packed with flavor. 4.3% ABV. I gave it 3.25/5. More here.
Embark Craft Ciderworks Peach Apricot Saison - see a bottle of this get it! tart, slight funk, spicy, tonic water, semi-dry, full mouthfeel, this is a nice cider and I'm more and more impressed with Embark the more I have them. I gave this 3.25/5.
Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout - love me some oatmeal stout, rich, coffee, roasty, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, slight barnyard that adds nice complexity. 5.8% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More info here.
Jack's Abby Sunny Ridge Pilsner - Jack's Abby blew on to my radar with Calyptra, now I'm ready to try everything they have. citrus, honey, fluffy white foam, bready malt. An april-july release pleaser. 5.1% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More info here.
Jack's Abby Copper Legend - an oktoberfest of exception, spices, citrus, honey/orange blossom, vanilla, peach, tangerine, gold color, and caramel malt. 5.9% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here.
Stone Brewing Co. Mocha IPA - we've all seen the trend towards coffee and chocolate in IPAs, but have you had this? Worth it. roasty hoppy nose, marshmellow, dark cocoa, pine, amber color, tastes like a black IPA, drippy legs. 9% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
Sunday highlights:
Embark Craft Ciderworks Crab Series Vol. 1 - a cider with crab apples, like old apples fallen on the ground, applesauce, straw, dry, great legs. 7.2% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here. Get it while it lasts!
Bell's Brewery Java Stout - holy cow this is a great beer! coffee, marshmellow, vanilla, seriously roasty, really dark chocolate. 7.5% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
Founders Breakfast Stout - most people would consider this the holy grail of coffee beers without going seriously heavy or expensive, coffee, chewy mouthfeel, marshmellow, vanilla, smores, roasty, more like iced coffee than anything really. 8.3% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here.
Left Hand Milk Stout - one of Matt's favorites, had this and the nitro and loved this way more, smoky, campfire, whipped cream, balanced roasty finish, deep brown color.6% ABV. I gave this 3.75/5. More here.
Victory Brewing Co. Storm King - on a stout kick, but we had so many good ones to choose from, mineral, molasses, espresso, dark chocolate, nutty, mocha, very slow drippy legs. 9.1% ABV. I gave this 3.75/5. More here.
Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Hobo Life - a citra hopped session IPA, I'd heard good things about Boom Sauce (to come) and am glad I tried this too, pineapple, mango, citrus zest, green, grassy, melon, hazy yellow color. 4.5% ABV. I gave this 3.75/5.
Lagunitas Brewing Co. Aunt Sally - a sour with IPA sensibilities, lemon tart, drop hopped, citrus. 5.7% ABV. I gave this 3.5/5. More here.
Monday super highlights:
Great Divide Brewing Co. Espresso Oak Aged Yeti - wow. rich, oak, cocoa, espresso, figs, dark fruit, dark chocolate, molasses, powdery mouthfeel, dark brown color, drippy legs, vanilla, tan head. 9.5% ABV. I gave this 4.75/5. More here.
Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Boom Sauce - a whopper of a double IPA, mango, pineapple, resin, cat pee, juicy but nice bitter dry finish, tropical, melon, grapefruit, very nicely balanced, sugar. 7.8% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
B. Nektar Meadery The Mutant Killer Zombie Manhattan Project Thingy - a mead, cherry, deliciously sweet but finishes semi-dry and tart, rose colored, wine, honey, tad warming, champagne. 10% ABV. I gave this 4/5. More here.
#questforbeer1000
The 1000th Beer
Omnipollo Symzonia - an imperial stout of 13% ABV. cinnamon, vanilla, roasty, coffee, you can only experience this, not describe it. As Matt put it, "it tastes of tan". an extra sensory mind blowing beer. 5/5. More here.
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