Beer is my motivation

Sometimes it's about the beer. Sometimes it's about the experience. Sometimes, if you're lucky, it's both.

Inspired by the Two Roads Shore 2 the Pour 5K a couple of weeks ago, I decided it was time to motivate my fat ass and get into shape. Not that round isn't a shape. ;)

After seeing all those awesome people traverse sand, stone, and grassy fields to the finish line I was truly inspired and motivated.

I decided I was going to run the Shore 2 the Pour next year.

The very next day I started exercising and dieting.  Flash forward two weeks. Eight pounds lighter and feeling pretty spunky I signed up for my first 5K.

Together with my husband, son, and good friends I took my place at the starting line. 

Aaaaaannnnnd we were off.

I started off at a goodly pace. But I wasn't yet in any sort of shape to actually run a full 5K. I walked and I jogged. You know, it was bad enough when a pair of octagenarians power walked past me but the woman with her toddler that out pacing me was almost too much to take. :D

Sadly, my kid is in way worse shape than I am. And that's seriously saying something.  He was at the back of the pack. So I ran back to him and walked with him. And then when I got ahead of him, I would run back to him again. I did that the whole 5K. I ended up doing closer to 6K. 

But we finished.  All of us. And I can say that I wasn't dead last.  That was my kid. And I can also say that this was my best time.  I have a fantastic handicap!

It was a church sponsored 5K so no beer at the finish. But I came prepared a cooler of Two Roads and Heavy Seas. Cold frosty beer sure does hit the spot after all that sweatiness.

So this time was about the experience.  And the beer too.

Plan B(irthday)

It's that time of year again, I am another beer older and another Bud wiser, so I decided to celebrate my birthday at Plan B in Milford. Beer and burgers, how could I go wrong?

Our friendly server was Sam who, it just so happens, we had on a previous visit to Plan B.  She's fun and and we enjoyed having her deliver our beer and burgers once again.

The first order of business, literally, was getting beer of course. But I started the food fest off with hot wings, followed by a an "Italian Job" burger which was topped with pesto, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and sundried tomatoes, and ending up with honey nut pie. Yum!

They had several new-to-me brews on tap. I made some good calls.  There were no disappointments in the bunch!








Toxic Sludge (7% ABV) by Blue Point  is a Black IPA / Cascadian Dark Ale. The best beer I chose! Mostly because the keg kicked and I got it for free. What's better than free beer? Nothing.  Seriously, I love this style. It has the nice bitter bite of hops with wonderful dark roasty malts and caramelized sugars. A nice balance of flavors and very drinkable.


Goat Boy (7.5% ABV) by Southern Tier is a Weizenbock. Sweet malt and breadiness along with some spice and funk complement this hearty wheat beer. It's tasty and surprisingly drinkable.











Road Warrior (9% ABV) by Green Flash is an imperial IPA. Very hoppy all around. There are sweet malty undertones to provide some balance but this brew is a hop head's beer. I love it!

La Ferme Urbaine (7.8% ABV) by Foolproof is a Farmhouse Ale. Sweetly malty and grainy and, true to the style, it's a little funky. There's a gentle dose of spicy hops to add character and balance. If you enjoy a good saison, you'll like this one.

CBG Revolution Brewfest - Bottom Side Up Brewing

I don't know how it happened, but somehow I walked right by this happy crew and didn't realize that I hadn't tried Bottom Up Brewing 'til I'd tried almost everyone else's beer at the CBG Revolution Brewfest!  That's a lot of beer!  Whatever, I'm glad discovered the error of my ways and repented by trying their yummy craft beers.

Their beers have great names with funny logos.  They're almost as good as the beer in the glass.  ALMOST.

Killer Buzz (5% ABV) is a nice summer Kolsch.  Honey makes a fine addition to this crisp, refreshing style of beer by adding a hint of sweetness.  Really good!

Assault and Battery (6.3% ABV) is a black IPA.  A good example of the style with the rich roasty malts contrasting nicely with mouthwatering hoppy bitterness. A good balance brew.  Yum!

Mug Shots (6.6% ABV) is a stout brewed with cherry flavor coffee. The aroma is just like smelling a fresh cup of coffee.  The taste is just as good.  The cherry is subtle but definitely there adding a nice dose of fruity complexity.  Well done!

An impressive collection of hand crafted beers.  I look forward to tasting more from Bottom Side Up!

CBG Revolution Brewfest - Stubborn Beauty Brewing

The first I had Stubborn Beauty Brewing was at CBG's Revolution Brewfest.  

I had a chance to speak with Shane and Andrew, co-owners of the brewery, and the rest of the gang.  They are a fun group of people with a passion for craft beer.  

Stubborn Beauty had four different and tasty brews up for sampling.  Of course, I tried them all.  And, all around, they were really good and tasty beers!  I love the clever names, too.  It's all in good fun!

Speaking In Tongues (7.7% ABV) is a black IPA.  A hint of coffee and roasty malts combined with bitter hops makes for a delicious contrast of flavors between a stout and an IPA.  Really good!

Get Turnt On (8.1% ABV) is an American IPA.  Wow!  True to the style, this beer has big hoppy aroma and flavor.  I love a good IPA.  This one sure did "turnt" me on!  Nom!

How Rye I Am (8.6% ABV) is a Saison / Farmhouse Ale.  This brew has a hefty alcohol content that is impressively well concealed.  This is a good hearty beer with loads of flavor and a twist of rye.  Very good.







Tainted Justice (8.4% ABV) is an Imperial Porter.  Now that's a good porter!  This brew could almost be a Russian imperial stout.  Heh, maybe it is, the lines between stouts and porters are so blurred.  It is rich and bold and porterlicious!

I was duly impressed with all of Stubborn Beauty's brews.  They can stand up against the best craft brewers in Connecticut and beyond.  Really good stuff!

CBG Revolution Brewfest - Shebeen Brewing

Shebeen Brewing is a brewery I've been meaning to visit since they opened their doors.  So, I was very happy to see them at CBG's Revolution Brewfest and even happier to finally get to taste the beer I've been hearing such good things about.

Rich Visco - Headbrewer/Artiste/Mastermind/Man-behind-the-madness - took some time from pouring to chat with me a bit about the brewery, his beers, and other Shebeern goings-on.  Can't wait to visit the brewery!

My disappointment was palpable when I discovered there was no Cannoli Beer to be had at the brewfest, but I managed to suffer through their other offerings.  ;-)

Concord Grape Saison (5.6% ABV) The grape juice adds contrast to a traditional farmhouse ale.  It's almost a wine/beer crossover.  Interesting and tasty.

Black Hop IPA (6.8% ABV) This is one of my favorite styles of beer.  It's the best of both worlds, the coffee/cocoa richness of a stout and the bitter goodness of an IPA.  This we a great example of the style.  Yum!

West Coast Pale Ale (5.5% ABV) had the classic hopped aroma and flavor of it's namesake.  The flavor of this beer truly transports the tastebuds. Good stuff!

The beer from Shebeen is true craft beer ingenuity.  I  love the different takes on classic styles.  It makes for a wonderful taste adventure.

Willibrew House Taps

Willimantic Brewing Company is one of my favorite breweries in Connecticut.  Unfortunately, all the way across the state and there's no real easy way of getting there.

So when I get the opportunity to go there I take full advantage of the visit.  That is, I have a designated driver and I drink as many different beers as possible.

Willibrew isn't all about the beer either.  The  brewpub is located in an old post office and the atmosphere is amazing. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable.   And the food?  Oh my goodness!  My favorite is their build-your-own burger.  I get balsamic beer glazed onions, grilled portobello mushrooms and blue cheese crumbles on mine with a side of garlic fries.  Their garlic fries kick ass!  They are literally french fries with minced garlic dumped all over them.  Potent and delicious!

They're beer is some of the best craft beer I've had.  This past trip I tried all the Willibrews on their beer menu - nine in all.  Don't freak out.  I didn't drink nine full pints of beer.  I'm a lush but not that big of a lush.

Hubby and I shared a flight of five different Willimantic brews and then shared a couple pints each. 

Anniversary Amber (5.9% ABV) brewed in honor of the brewery's 22nd anniversary was one of my favorite brews of the day.  It is a clear amber ale with a light floral and fruity aroma.  It is lightly sweet with a fresh fruity (raspberry) quality.  It is nicely balanced by a slightly bitter finish.  Overall: excellent!

Mail Carrier Maybock (5.9% ABV) is a clear amber colored ale with a light malty aroma.  The taste is malty and fruity.  Sweet without being cloying.  A nice balanced brew.  The finish is clean with a hint of malt.  Delish! Overall: very good!

Hopsolutely EPA (6% ABV) is a cloudy honey color with a head that diminishes to a filmy ring that hugs perimeter of the glass. There is a big malt presence up front then the hops emerge to end in a nice bitter finish.  Overall: very good!

Hop Abyss (6.9% ABV) is another of my favorite brews.  It is a deep sable brown with a dense head.  The flavor, hmm, imagine a hopped Russian imperial stout.  Espresso coffee and dark chocolate merges with a lovely hoppy bitterness.  The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth.  This beer is black IPA perfection!  Overall: Excellent!

Mysterious Barrel Aged Sour (9.5% ABV) is described as "a blend of various barrel aged sour beers".  I fully admit I am not a big fan of sours.  Let me tell you here and now that I loved this beer!  It is a hazy copper color with a swirl of foam on top. The aroma is boozy and fruity - kind of brandy-like.  The taste is sweet and tart.  There is a definite champagne quality to this brew, both in flavor and mouth feel.  It finishes dry and slightly bitter.  This is truly the most amazing sour I've ever tasted.  Overall: Excellent!

Sterling Nugget IPA (6.2% ABV)  is a cloudy honey color.  The aroma is kind of sweet for an IPA; fruity.  The initial taste is of malt and fruit but hoppy bitterness quickly emerges to create a nice balance of flavors.  The finish is pleasantly bitter.  I liked this one!  Overall: very good!

Address Unknown IPA (6% ABV) is a bright amber color.  This is what an IPA smells like!  Mouthwateringly hoppy! This brew is for the true hophead.  The taste is bitter, bitter and bitter.  NOM!  Overall:  Very good!

Certified Gold Ale (4.7%) is a brew for everyone.  Sessionable, easy drinking and flavorful.  The aroma and flavor are pleasantly malty.  This beer is just right, not too bitter and not too sweet.  Just right!  Overall: very good!

Casked Mail Carrier Maybock with rosebuds (5.9% ABV) is a clear amber colored ale.  The aroma is lightly malty with a hint of roses.  The taste is malty and fruity but the rosebuds add a remarkable pepper-like aspect.  A distinct rose flavor emerges towards the end and makes for a unique and delicious beer.  I've never tasted anything quite like it and find myself craving it.  Awesomeness! Overall: excellent!

The beer at Willimantic Brewing Company are consistently good, fresh and delicious with varying degrees of excellence.  Very rarely do I happen upon a brewery that I can say I like every one of their beers. WBC is that kind of brewery!  Outstanding!

Cheers!

CraftBrewGuy Presents: Cask Night @ Relic Brewing

When I received the invitation from Craft Brew Guy to attend an exclusive tasting at Relic Brewing the decision to go wasn't a difficult one to make.

The event was limited to 25 people and included two brews casked specifically for the event, lots and lots of samples - more than I could drink and THAT is saying something! - and very nice glass with the Relic logo on it.

I would like to first thank Aron, Craft Brew Guy, for putting together the tasting event.  It was great fun and I enjoyed meeting with so many other beer enthusiasts.  It was also nice to meet head brewer, Mark Sigman, and the other Relic staff.  

With permission, I poked around the brewery.  I am always surprised when I see a micro brewery.  It's amazing how much beer and in such a wide variety is brewed in such a small space and with such limited equipment.  It's really impressive.

I tried all the beer they had to offer that evening.  They were all good but one really stood out for me.







Belgian Farmhouse Rye, a casked version of their Belgian Funky Rye (6.5% ABV), that had added honey and orange.  The color is a deep, cloudy amber with a head that diminished to a bit of foam that clung to the edge of the glass.   The aroma was awash with a orange, honey and the hops imparted a kind of nutty and floral quality.  The flavor expectation that the aroma teased at was fulfilled.  It had deep complexity of flavor; it was rich and delicious.  I had more than one glass of this . . . mmmm, so good.

Blind Justice IPA (6.6% ABV) was the other casked beer.  The beer was a bright, deep gold with a nice lingering head.  The aroma was a nice mix of hops and malt.  The flavor had a juicy tropical fruit lurking behind the bite of the hops.  The bitterness was balanced nicely by a touch of malty sweetness. The finish was crisp and pleasantly bitter. 

Calypso Wheat (5.5% ABV) was a pale golden color.  The aroma was wheaty with hint of hoppy sharpness and spice.  The was a nice wheat ale with the surprising tropical tang of calypso hops.  Wheat beers aren't my favorite but the hops made this brew something special.  







Insomnia Black IPA (5.6% ABV) poured very dark with a big off-white head.  The aroma is hoppy with a strong whiff of roast malts.  The flavor was hoppy citrus and dark malts however I thought the overall taste was a little lacking on this one - I guess I expected more.

Fortnight IPA (7.4% ABV) poured a hazy amber with a decent sized head that grabbed the glass.  The aroma mostly citrus fruit, especially tart grapefruit.  The flavor had a nice, tart grapefruit bite balanced be malty sweetness.  It had a creamy mouthfeel that made it go down easy. 

Clockwork Pale Ale (5.5% ABV) poured a muted hazy yellow with a thin head.  The aroma was citrussy and a little earthy.  The flavor is very hoppy and crisp.  It goes down dry with very little (if any) malt to balance out the bitter bite.  That doesn't bother me, though.  I love a bitter brew!

Prologue Rye Lager (5.6%) poured a rich amber with a wispy head.  The aroma is bready with pine and floral hops.   After drinking so many hoppy beers this one seemed sweet in comparison with malt taking the forefront.  There was still a nice tang of citrusy hops and a nice yeasty bread quality.  It finished with a nice lingering bitterness.  

Beer, burger and bourbon

Last night we went to Plan B for beer, burgers and bourbon.  In that order. 

Besides having very creative burger combinations and an outstanding selection of bourbon, Plan B has a varied and constantly changing rotating beer list.  So, it’s always fun to see what goodliness they have on tap.  

Unintentionally, we seemed to focus on dark beers.  All of which were really quite good.  

We had ordered a Hooker Chocolate Truffle Stout but wouldn't you know it tapped out just then?  The waiter brought us a tasted of Rogue Double Chocolate Stout and Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero. While yummy on both counts we went with the following.

Double Stout Black Ale (8.8% ABV) by Green Flash Brewing.  Served in a chalice, the beer was black as black with a thin but lingering head that left behind a nice amount of lacing.  I didn’t detect a lot from the aroma but it had a big chocolate flavor with a touch of smoke that ended with a bitter coffee / chocolate finish.  The mouth feel is creamy and smooth.  Very drinkable for such a robust brew.  Overall, very good.

Chocolate Coffee Brown Ale (5.5% ABV) by Half Full Brewery. Being a Connecticut brewery, Half Full is a local-to-me brewery.  Served in a shaker pint, this beer was black with ruby highlights. It smelled to me like a caramel macchiato.  It tasted much like an iced coffee and was exceptionally drinkable.  The mouth feel was thin and bubbly.  It finished very clean.  This is a beer I could drink way too much of.  Overall, very good.

Pitch Black IPA (6.5% ABV) by Widmer Brothers Brewing Company.  Served in a shaker pint it was, indeed, pitch black with a head that left behind extreme lacing.   The aroma was hoppy, as I would expect from an IPA, but also malty.  It tasted like bitter coffee and hops.  The mouth feel was creamy and smooth.  Actually, it felt and tasted very much like it could have been a hopped stout.  I really, really liked this brew.  Overall, very good.

Stone Smoked Porter (5.9% ABV) by Stone Brewing.  Served in a chalice, this beer was very dark with mahogany highlights.  It came to the table with a thick head that left behind layers of lacing on the glass.  The dominant flavor, as the name suggests, was smoke accompanied by a touch of coffee.  It had a medium, bubbly mouth feel.  I'm not a big fan of smoked beers, but this one was pretty good - not killer smokey.  Overall, very good.

Along with the beer, I had their burger of the week special which was a 9-ounce burger topped with a fondue style cheese made with smoked gouda and ale, frizzled onions, bacon and grilled pineapple.  The cheese was fantastic but honestly I could have done without the pineapple.  The pineapple and cheese sauce went well together.  The cheese sauce and burger went well together.  But the cheese sauce, burger AND pineapple - not so much.  

Where most people would finish their meal with a chocolaty dessert, I finished mine with a nip of chocolate infused bourbon.  The base bourbon was Pure Kentucky XO.  It was smoooooooth and delicious.  The chocolate infusion was subtle and quite nice.  The perfect digestif. 

A pleasant, relaxing date night with my hunny; I enjoyed the meal as much as the company!  

Cheers!

Three Six Points

I recently wrote a piece about my theory on why beer that is brewed in Brooklyn leaves an odd aftertaste - read here.

Six Point beer,  which is brewed in Brooklyn, is no exception. Except that this odd left over taste is less obvious in their darker beers.  Generally speaking, their beers are pretty good and they very often get rave reviews so I keep going back to try new ones.  But I still get that off taste.

Not to belabor the point or bludgeon a dead horse,  in the following reviews for three different Six Point beers I will not mention it.  However, you may just assume that the off taste is there, because it is.

The Crisp (5.4% ABV) is my favorite Six Point thus far.  Formerly known as Sehr (German for "very) Crisp, it is a pilsner style beer.  It pours a bright honey yellow.  It bubbles up a big airy head that leaves behind layers of lovely lacing.  The Crisp has a nice hoppiness, as is expected, that is meadowlike - grassy, earthy.  What I didn't expect was how malty it was. The maltiness is not particularly sweet but kind of bready.  It's not overpowering, by any means, but it's clearly there and supports the hops quite nicely.  The hops linger at the back of the tongue.  Overall - good.









Brownstone (6% ABV) pours a cloudy caramel color with a rootbeer like head that dissipates quickly.  The aroma is like a malted chocolate cookie.  The taste is reminiscent of a Russian Imperial Stout - malt, coffee and chocolate.  Malty sweetness is strong throughout but finishes with a nice hoppy bite on the tail end.  It's got a medium mouth feel with a lot of effervescence.  A nice balance of sweet and bitter.  Overall - good.







Diesel (6.3% ABV) pours a very dark reddish brown with a thick tan head that leaves behind some impressive lacing.  The aroma is piney hops with cocoa and coffee notes.  The taste is very similar to a black IPA but with a stoutlike coffee and chocolate quality.  The malty sweetness comes through first and then transitions into a nice bitter hoppiness.  The combination of coffee and dark chocolate combined with the earthiness of the hops makes for an interesting balance of flavors.  The mouthfeel is thinner than I'd expect from a stout but exactly what I expect from a black IPA.  Good drinkability.  Overall - very good.

For more information about their different beers check out Six Point's website or visit them on Facebook.

The Winchester . . . a beer lovers paradise

This post is as much about the location as it is about the beer.  Probably even more so.

Recently, hubby and I went to New England Brewing Company’s Final Friday which is basically an event where they open up the brewery to the public allowing them to check out the facilities and sample their beer.

After we had sampled our three beers and enjoyed the party we decided we hadn’t had our fill . . . a sampling of those yummy beers only served to wet our appetite.

Almost directly across the street from the brewery is the Winchester Restaurant and Bar.  It’s a nice little restaurant with a big beautiful bar and an amazing beer list.  I'm pretty sure they serve food . . . just kidding, they do.  We didn't eat much but the wings were good.  The bartender was pretty rockin', too!

If you're ever in the neighborhood be sure to stop in for a pint or so . . . you won't be disappointed.

There were so many beers to try it was difficult to know where to start.  But we worked it out.  We were sharing so don't freak that there are so many beers on this list.  

Mother's Milk by Keegan Ales.  This was by far one of the finest stouts I've ever had the pleasure to consume . . . that's saying something as I am not a huge fan of stouts. It was smooth and creamy and remarkably delicious.  It could almost be a cookie . . . chocolate and oats . . . a liquid beery cookie.  Remarkable!  Apparently hubby thought so too, I think he drank most of it! (5% ABV)

Friars Quad by  New England Brewing.  As the name implies it is a very strong beer (10.2% ABV).  It is a rich, deep red Belgian style ale.  It is very malty with hints of fruit, strong without being boozy and it has a pleasant yeastiness.  Really quite good and tasty.  It disappeared pretty quickly from my glass . . . again I believe hubby to be the culprit.

1687 Brown Ale by Charter Oak Brewing.  Another local-to-me brewing company but this is the first taste I've had of their beer.  This is an American style brown ale.  It was slightly sweet with caramel and chocolate undertones.  Toasty malts prevail with a surprising hoppiness that adds a fine complexity and creates a wonderful flavor. A worthy flagship beer.  (5.5% ABV)

Black IPA by Otter Creek Brewing.  As the name indicates it is a dark beer . . . almost stouty with roasted malt and caramel flavors but most definitely IPAish with a lot of hoppy bitterness.  If you're a fan of stouts and IPAs and are having a hard time deciding which to drink . . . you can have the best of both worlds with this beer.  Awesomeness in a glass!! (6% ABV)

Duvel by Duvel Moortgat.  This an imported Belgian strong pale ale.   It is a bubbly fruity ale . . . not sweet as it is balanced out by the hops.   Don't get me wrong it is not overly bitter but the hoppy floral notes compliment and accentuate the orange, apple(?) and honey flavors.  An interesting beer, very tasty. (8.5% ABV) 

Taddy Porter by Samuel Smith.  A true English beer.  It is dark and frothy, smooth and delicious.  A really good porter with lots of caramel and toffy undertones along with my favorite . . . dark chocolate.  It's smooth and creamy with just the right amount of carbonation.  Again a really good dark beer . . . am I being turned to the dark side?  Maybe.  This was really, really good! (5% ABV)

Naughty Nurse by City Steam Brewery.  City Steam is pretty local to me but this is the first time I've had their beer.  Okay . . . who doesn't like a naughty nurse? Apparently, a lot of people do like Naughty Nurse because it's their best selling beer.  It is an amber ale that is easily drinkable.  It's crisp and refreshing . . . a little hoppy with hints of fruit.  It is a nice light beer that you can kick back and enjoy on a fine summer day.  (5% ABV)

Blonde on Blonde by City Steam Brewery.  It sounds like a porno but it's not.  It's actually a nice, tasty hoppy brew that is much more to my liking (more so than a pile of blonde chicks getting it on).  It's got the strong citrussness (is that a word?) that I love so much in hopped up brews.  It's light and smooth . . . it kind of goes right down (again and again and again).  I've had hoppier but I'm not complaining. This was a damn fine beer!  Delish! (6% ABV)

Scrumtrulescent by New England Brewing.  What's in a name?  Do I read scrumptious in there?  Sort of?  Maybe.  This was yummy!  This is a saison or farmhouse style ale.   It is a nice summer beer . . . a little spicy, slightly fruity . . . overall a light, flavorful and too drinkable brew.   (5.6% ABV) 

If you're at the Winchester be sure to stop by New England Brewing and grab a growler or two!