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I would certainly not complain. I don't really have much knowledge of what is and isn't available near you to make real suggestions, but there are some good beers there.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
You might want to get some more styles though just so you have equivalents to major brands when people ask for them. You want to keep a pils, a brown ale, and a weisbier on hand for the uninitiated. Just from a commercial standpoint.
Schneider weisse and aventinus. Make it so.
followed. Why not.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
My favorite.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hubbitron
Hub and I both currently have fridges stocked with Lagunitas Little Sumpin' ale. Shit is great.
I liked the Ten-Fidy stout (from Oskar Blues) but it is a fucking serious stout, and not my fave. Looking through the greenco shit...
I really like the Sam Adams Brick Red, but I don't think you can get it outside of Mass...?
The Booklyn Brown is pretty ok.
I work at a sake/shochuu bar. If anyone has any questions on either topics, I would be happy to answer.
Curieux is the jam. Festina Peche is fucking awesome this time around too. What's Spire?
My favorite craft beer bar had their 3rd anniversary party yesterday. They had an outdoor beer garden with tons of limited edition brews. You get 10 5oz pours with admission. I attached the menu with my selections circled. The best was the Bruery's vanilla sugar sour, which was made special for the party. One keg only and it tapped out in 10 minutes. The other special surprise was Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout, which is not available out here at all. Everyone lined up for that too. It was good but not any better than the barrel aged stouts typically available. (I drank so many barrel aged things by that time my taste buds were having trouble telling them apart). Sours are definitely the new hotness and whenever i felt i couldn't handle another beer I grabbed a sour and it hit the spot.
That sounds fantastic. I've had kbs before and I'm not sure I think it's a cut above most bourbon aged definitely a more complex flavor profile and not trying to hide any failure.
A brand of cider I hadn't tried before. I got the apple and pear varieties.Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh
Justi and I opened the aged Woodchuck. I made some notes on it. If any of y'all have had it I'd love to know what you thought.
Woodchuck
Private Reserve Barrel Select - 6.9% abv
Nose: Apples, Moss, Caramel, Wood, Earth, Baking Spice
Taste - large cinnamon, dry, crisp, clean, mellow finish, whiskey undertones, smokey, not overly tannic, somewhat acidic. Very little alcohol taste. Much better than regular Woodchuck.
Overall Grade: B+ - Would Stock.
Did Snoopy get an A?Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
You're the devil.
Edit: Thursday I'm going to the RJ Rocker brewery for a tasting.
I also found out that Thomas Creek (here in Greenville) does commission brews. We could whip something up specific to us. I emailed them for a meeting and tour.
In my opinion rj rocker has 2 good beers. Son of a peach and winter ale.
I know Son of a Peach is popular stuff, and it's local, so I had already penciled that one in as a flavored beer. A friend digs on their Brown, but I think there are better options. I haven't tasted any of their other stuff.
It's kind of amusing to me that the food menu is the last thing I'm concerned with. I've never been drunk in my life and I'm sweating what stuff to stock.
bobdylan/youtube.
If you want cider you need JK Scrumpy. Best cider ever.
I've actually had that one. I found it tasted... off. Too sweet and tannic.
Could have been a bad bottle though.
Tried some Hitachino Nest Extra High (XH) this weekend, it was great. Tasted like olives a bit.
Kerisac
Cuvee Speciale - 2.5%
Nose/taste - It doesn't matter. This is fucking amazing. The best cider I've ever tasted. I can't think of a way this could be improved.
Grade: A+
Cask conditioning, and hand pumping.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
I visited a small cider maker just north of Traverse Michigan called Tandem Cider this summer. We were with family, so we didn't get a great chance to sample everything, but this was the only time that I have been able to try a variety of ciders in a single setting. They also provided samples of the raw apples they used, so it was great to see how those flavors translated into the ciders, and how they could use a single variety of apple to produce a range of flavors by mixing, controlling the sugar level, and storage method.
It's a very interesting world. Until now I haven't been a fan of anything more than Original Sin and Crispin. Icarus had mentioned B. Nektar earlier which is mead and I hadn't really explored anything like that until I tried the aforementioned meadery. Indeed as Anthony/Destin said he would answer questions about sake/shochu and all of these are things I know nothing about. It's nice to know there is a world of alcoholic beverages yet to be discovered and explored. I intend to do this at the expense of my liver.
Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime Cider would get a big recommendation from me. :)
Kopparberg gets distributed through Atlanta. A friend recommended them to me and that's the closest I've found.
Hub, how do you like the Crispin? I saw their site the other day and they have a Honeycrisp varietal that I'm dying to try. Again, it's not distributed around here that I'm aware of.
In other news:
Southern Tier
Creme Brulee Stout -
Nose: Vanilla, malt, brown sugar, wheat, smoke.
Taste: burnt sugar, vanilla, cream, caramel, barely any tannins, higher level sweetness, thick, touch of alcohol on the finish.
Overall: B-
This is a dessert beer, plain and simple. A bit overwhelming for a whole serving, but very nice if drunk as a port.
I'm jealous you've been able to find it. I can't seem to find it anywhere around here this year. Love the Creme Brulee stout.
They had cases of it stacked up at the beer/wine store today.
I remembered hearing y'all talk about it and I bought 3.
That stuff is sickeningly sweet. I didn't like it.
Only compared to other beers. I'd imagine the brix level isn't even approaching soda. So yeah, it has a sweet flavor, but it's hardly sickening.
I'm in a unique position to taste all these things since I've never been a beer drinker and I'm only doing this for academic comparison.
And vanilla enhances sweetness, so it's going to taste more sweet than it actually is.
Personally I'm very fond of sweet, specially over sour, or bitter, so I love it. I'm gonna have to hit up a bunch of the local places again tomorrow. Last month when I looked no one had it, and the place I ordered it from last year isn't doing online ordering any more it seems.
I can pick you up a few if you don't mind paying to ship em.
If I can't find any I just may take you up on that offer. I'll let you know, and I really appreciate that.
Had a dogfish head Midas Touch.
It has the most complex back-end I've ever experienced. Definitely a ponderous thing. Very vinous.
In other news: Anyone know any indie distilleries? There's a place opening here in about a month I've been talking to who're doing legal shine. A couple vodka guys on the coast.
I have ordered 10 750ml bottles of Crispin Honeycrisp cider.
I'm kind of obsessed with apples < Honeycrisp are my favorite variety < I like cider < Shipping is expensive < Buy lots!
You know what's cool about opening a restaurant?
I'm trying to get in touch with some small places without distribution here and they're just straight mailing me free product to try. 12 bottles of Jack's Hard Cider incoming.
Note: Jack's hard cider. Not Cider Jack's - that stuff sucks.
Is that even legal, icarus? It was my understanding that no retailer/restaurant could buy beer/alcohol directly from the manufacturer, they HAD to go through a distributor. Or is the three party system not applicable in your state?
Down here at Stone Brewery, the restaurant is located along side the brewery itself. When one beer on tap runs out, they can't just go nextdoor and grab another keg. They first have to ship the keg from the brewery to their own distributor down the street, purchase the damn thing through themselves, and then ship that fucking keg back through the restaurant's back door.
I'm fairly certain it's not legal! But since they're just sending samples to me as a person and not for the restaurant to sell, I believe this is ok.
The fella said if we like it that he'll figure out a way to get it to us. Said he's gonna research the laws and look for loopholes in our state, or sell it to a friendly liquor store and we pick it up. Something.
I'm sure it's fine for samples and whatever, since they aren't meant to be resold. Reselling alcohol from a retailer is also illegal, I believe. It's a shitty system. Thanks Budweiser/Coors/Anheuser Busch!
Love those perks!
Went to this place to introduce myself and discuss partnering up in some fashion in the future. They're like 3 blocks down the street.
They were really nice, and excited to have another indie business down the street. They're helping with distributor contacts. I sampled the stuff they had on their growler station. I bought some Left Hand milk stout, Mikkeller Ris A La M'Ale, Allagash Odyssey, Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood, and Stillwater Stateside Saison.
Stillwater is LEGIT. That guy is doing really unique and interesting stuff.
And you missed brunch with him.
He's dating my old singer. We are supposed to drink beer and listen to records some Sunday.
Ah, Bromance.
:tu:
Local place finally came through and got the Creme Brulee in on Thursday, finally had a chance to swing by today and picked up 2 bottles. Very excited about it.
I just got to Frisco's in Columbia wgere the brewer from mikkeller is coming to present every single one of his single hops on draught.
Let me know about them. I've got access to his stuff. Tried the Ris a La M'Ale and liked it.
Seems the dude is talented and I want to know what to stock of his since only one store (the one we're partnering with) carries his line. No restaurants/bars have his stuff here.
Srsly? Do u have access? He's actually done collabs with the aforementioned stillwater. Deff need some beer geek breakfast.
I can get all stuff on this distro's page: http://www.alephwines.com/beers.html
It's by country under Denmark.
They've got the Beer Geek Breakfast.
Wicked. The big worst tastes like grappa beer
Now we're talking. So many good things there.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
I highly recommend the Struise Pannepot Reserva listed under Special Orders - Belgium.
The Cantillon lambics are also very good as are Drie Fontenein's. 'Spensive though.
Schneider Aventinus all day every day.
You are a smart man.
Dupont makes five different Saisons? FFFFFFFFFFFF
So does stillwater.
We were talking about grappa. Shit is magical.
I was up in Montreal for the weekend and went to a bar that had Cantillon Saint Lamvinus. So sour, so tart, and so so good.
I also tried the Cantillon Iris which was just ok, It was pretty hoppy and bitter and tasted a bit like spoiled grapefruit. Not my favorite.
Also tried the St. Ambroise pumpkin beer. A good balance, not overly sweet like Southern Tier, but the pumpkin was certainly present.
Montreal also has some really great food I found out.
Abita Harvest Pecan - This is legit. Maybe one of the first beers I've ever liked. I'll totally stock the fuck out of this for fall/winter.
Cantillion Cuvee Brut. Delicious. Sweet, but still refreshingly tart like your mother. Recommended.
Their harvest beers don't stick around long. The strawberry one abita does is top notch and other than scaldis peche mel its the only fruit beer i can tolerate.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
Drinking a Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse.
The chick in the store told me it was "really sour".
This shit is barely sour. Still, pretty nice! But not what I was really looking for.
Do you imagine they'll be around beginning of October? Surely, right? I'll just stock up a few cases when the liquor license goes through.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hubbitron
Also: Allagash White. This'll be in the restaurant. It's a nice light flavored... umm... I'm gonna call it a "salad beer." Something you can drink with the salads, or as a lighter flavored offering.
Also bought another case of assorted stuffs.
They should be around. That's exactly what we did with the strawberry and even sat on a few cases to offer them once it had been gone from the market for a while. Get as many cases as you can, imo.
Rogue John John - Hazelnut aged in rum barrels.
A bit tart on the start, creamy mouthfeel, finish is very long - all coffee and nuts. I like it. It's limited, but it'd work nice for fall if we can get it. 5%
Abita - Andygator
A bit on the sweet side - not quite a dessert beer - nice aromatics in the nose. Like the Rogue a nice nutty finish. For $5 22oz this is a great value on a high grav offering. 8%
Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch is next. I had the Breakfast last weekend and thought it was very nice. I guess this one is brewed with Civet coffee - Weird.
Nice try Zarflax. This isn't food.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
Flight and tix for the Great American Beer Fest in Denver confirmed. This will be awesome.
This is fucking exceptional.
So we're only planning on stocking one type of each liquor. We want to stock things that we think are a good bang for the buck and not the normal offering. IE no Bacardi or Smirnoff. Not being much of a drinker, this is the best I could come up with.
Gin - Cardinal Gin*
Tequila - Espolon, blanco and reposado varieties.
Vodka - Firefly Straight*
Spiced Rum - Kraken
Bourbon - Buffalo Trace
Moonshine - Dark Corner Distillery*
Various outlier liquors - Canton, Midori, Chambord, Gran Marnier, etc.
We need a Tennessee Whiskey, a Scotch, a Light Rum, and... what?
Things with an asterisk are not changeable. They're SC products. Open to recommendations on others.
I also invented a cocktail:
1 part Canton
1.5 part limonata soda
On the rocks.
I'd go Lagavulin for scotch. Premium, well known, but not mass market. You will get respect from scotch drinkers if that's the only one you carry. You aren't mixing it, right? That would be a waste.
I'll check on distribution here. THanks
I just had a Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout which might be my favorite stout so far. And it's in a can!
Ten fidy is out again soon that's my favorite imperial stout in a can. Have you considered sailor jerry for rum?
Ten Fidy seconded. One of my favorites.
I saw Sailor Jerry get about the same reviews as Kraken and I went with Kraken since I have a big Cthulhu tattoo. They're about the same price here.
Oskar Blues is distro'd here, so I'll grab some of that Ten Fidy as soon as I see it.
Good call that way you can "release" it.
I reccommend with the ideas you're going for that you purchase 2 pins (5.2) gallon gravity kegs. You don't have draft but you could run these on weekends and having 2 allows one to be at a brewery being filled and one being poured for guests at the owl. The other benefit is breweries love having their beer served naturally so they will do special things upon request when filling a firkin or pin such as dry hopping, spice, vanilla bean, use your imagination. If you're interested I can get you set up with where to buy them, getting a sled, etc.
So California has this great store called "BevMo!"; they're doing a buy-one-get-one-five-cents sale on wine right now.
Suggestions?
box wine. drink it in the alley with your balls out.
I'm serious.
Reminds me of college.
Reminds me of Tuesday.
People forget how important good ventilation is!
I'm entirely ignorant of what you're talking about. Are they just small kegs? Do you mail them out to get filled, or is it a local thing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hubbitron
Give me all the details.
It is a wooden barrel held at an angle (by the sled) so the beer can come out of the nozzle using the magic of gravity.
It is, I think, the best way to enjoy a beer.
I can't answer your other questions.
The idea is cask-conditioned beer. Beer from the fermentation tank to a barrel of some size to your glass that is naturally carbonated and served at a "cool" temperature 45-50F to bring out all the natural flavors. The most popular varieties are seen as a firkin (angled on the bar as josh mentioned) or a beer engine (pumped by hand from a cask in a cooler). A firkin simply refers to the volume (10.8 US Gal) but they are mostly used to serve cask conditioned beers. As it is with fresh foods, these beers only keep about 2 days so it's important to be able to sell all of it once tapped (great for weekend business). The firkin holds approx 86 US pints so it can be sometimes difficult to kick it quickly unless you are downtown metro area. The pin is roughly half the size and holds about 50 US pints making it a more reasonable business venture for a smaller venue. You can purchase them (and venting, tapping equipment, cooling jackets, etc.) here at UK Brewing. They call the sled a "wooden stillage" but you can build one yourself and make it unique. The stainless steel ones will last forever plus easier and more effectively cleaned so I'd go that route. Plus you get to spraypaint them artistically so the brewers get to know you well. Most often you will send them through your distributor to the brewery where they will be cleaned and filled and you'll be billed by the distro for the beer. I'm not sure what the laws are there but I think it'd be interesting to fudge an invoice and drive one of those suckers to a tiny kickass brewery unavailable in the area, fill it, and bring it back for an event. Of course you shouldn't break the law.Quote:
Originally Posted by icarusfall
You must be as sexy as this man to tap one:
Attachment 63118
I almost forgot you get to play with bungholes.
That's the most important part!
So I would need this: http://www.amazon.com/English-Style-.../dp/B002PD0QJA
And this: http://www.amazon.com/Empty-Hoff-Ste.../ref=pd_sbs_k1
?
Not necessarily from Amazon, but I didn't see the beer engine on the UK Brew site.
Unless we had it just sitting on the bar in the sled thing with a gravity tap? How does it stay cool? It seems there are a few more parts involved - breather spigots, mallets, etc. Do I just hammer the gravity tap into the keg? I assume there's a hole on the keg for that purpose since they're metal.
Sorry, I just have no idea what's going on here past: There's a Keg on the Counter with a Tap Hammered Into It. Or: There's a keg in the cooler that I pump with the beer engine. Do you still need the sled in the cooler?
Gravity needs a sled, a venting peg, a spiguot (sp?) And a cooling jacket. Keep it in the fridge or packed with ice when it isn't being served. Beer engine requires building a beer engine kegerator and no sled you pump it up out of the cask.
That's the right style of keg though? Seems super cheap compared to the UK site.
You can use a regular keg with a beer engine because you're pumping in the C02 to replace what volume of beer you've taken out.
Edit: only if there's a release valve on the tap to avoid vaccuum.
You can use the one you listed without a release valve because you can vent it.
I ordered 2 of those kegs to stare at and assess.
According to some research we'll be the only place in SC that serves like this. There's 2 in Asheville - maybe I'll take a trip and see the setup.
Dude that was actually a sweet find! They already come with bungs! You know for the bung holes!
I've been enjoying Triangle Brewing Company's Belgian Golden Ale recently. I want to try their others as well, but I might have to go to the brewery, as the grocery store only has the two Belgians.
"Belgian style"
Indeed. I didn't realize the White was seasonal. I need to get on that before it's gone.
Pumking is back in season. I missed it last year, it sold out real quick at my place. I jumped on it this time, and I'm glad I did. It's a really well-balanced beer, doesn't show it's ABV at all and the combination of pumpkin and caramel sweetness lends a pumpkin pie flavor that makes me think this is going to be the perfect beer for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm keeping an extra bottle around for the occasion.
I don't know. It's definitely my favorite pumpkin beer but I feel this year's is lacking somehow....
I didn't get to try it last year, so I don't have that frame of reference. I still like it.
Had a Dogfish Punkin tonight. It's.... greasy? I'm not sure. I'm not mad at it, but I don't want another one this year I think.
Closet punkin bitch imo.
Fall beers this year for me: Southern Tier Harvest, Flying Dog Secret Stash (fresh hopped with hops grown 5 miles from my house) and The Bruery's Autumn Maple. Also I opened a year old Goose Island Night Stalker 2 days ago that turned out to be quite complex. One of the best imperial stouts I've ever had.
We've got Southern Tier's Pumking on tap here at my store - much better than the 22 oz. bottle.
Also, I'd try to hunt down Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin (4PK) and Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin (22) which isn't their regular pumpkin ale.
Also, try this if you can find it (very difficult): http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12959/40828
Edit: Also, gotta agree with Hub - The Bruery's stuff is just fucking awesome. All of it.
I bought a case. Maybe a little too spiced this year? I dunno, definitely didn't get a greasy vibe from it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh
Thats it. Too spiced. Last years was the first good year they had now its crap again.
Pumpkin beer may be the worst beverage ever created. Second worst. Vomit is pretty foul, too.