BarleyTalk

Skull Coast Gallows Point at The CBG

2010-11-04T00:52:00.004-04:00

I had the opportunity to attend the release of Gallows Point at the fairly new Cherry Bomb Grill in Raleigh. At the former site of a Raleigh establishment, I thought it would be a good chance to check out the new place as well as try a new brew. Pleasantly, both were a success. First, the CBG has retained a lot of the old feel of the restaurant before (down to the landmark, neon "Restaurant" sign outside), with some noticeable updates, including a new bar and flat screen TV's. The service was attentive, and the menu was a step up from your normal "pub grub". The craft beer selection was impressive as well, and will likely become a regular stop when downtown, up there with the Raleigh Times and Busy Bee Cafe.

As for the beer, it was a solid offering from the folks at Skull Coast. I had never had the opportunity to try one of their beers before, but if this is any indication, then it certainly will not be the last. Gallows Point is an imperial stout that smells of cocoa and malt. You can really taste the macadamia nuts used in the brewing process, and is also fairly malty. Even for an imperial porter, it was very drinkable, as me and my drinking buddy were not able to stop at one, and had to go for one more. This gave us the opportunity to try CBG's Hawaiian Tuna Wraps, which were tuna salad with toppings inside a lettuce wrap. Very tasty and light, and the spice held up well with the beer.

Cheers to the CBG and to Skull Point for a job well done, and here's to many more craft beer events in the future!

New Beer for Panthers Games

2010-07-14T08:39:00.002-04:00

Panther fans will have a few new beer selections this fall! I've had the Olde Mecklenburg offerings, I'd be happy to choose their Copper to watch the 49ers beat the Panthers. I have not had any of the brews from Skull Coast, but having a true IPA as a choice at a sporting event is always a good thing!

Women - Better Beer Tasters?

2010-06-29T10:43:00.002-04:00

While this Wall Street Journal article focuses on very large, corporate taste testers, it certainly can apply across the whole beer industry. I will admit that I don't necessarily think that the statement "Women are better beer tasters than men" is valid. It is more about the individual's ability to detect nuances and very specific flavors. Maybe more women have the ability to do this though. I wonder what percentage of the GABF judges were women? Or if there is an effort in homebrew competitions to have a mix of judges? Certainly it is an interesting topic that I had not really given any thought to previously.

Rare Keg Thursday at Raleigh Saucer

2010-06-23T14:01:00.002-04:00

This week is a very special treat from the guys at Foothills Brewing. They are bringing a keg of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrel aged People's Porter. Finally I will have a chance to try some of the much hyped and talked about barrel aged beers from Foothills!

New Homebrew in Primary

2010-06-21T11:33:00.002-04:00

It's been a busy spring, with not enough time to write around here, though there has been plenty of beer drinking. I'll get around to reviewing some places we stopped at during travels soon. Until then you'll just have to settle for a recap of my brewday yesterday.

I wanted to do a Belgian style ale, lower gravity, some light hops. Sounds perfect for a Belgian Pale Ale right? Close, I found a DeKoninck clone recipe on BYO.com. The beer is basically a Belgian Amber, with the amber coming from 1/8th of a pound of chocolate malt and dry amber extract. My recipe was:

2.5 lbs of Belgian 2 row (pilsener) malt
1.0 lb of Vienna malt
0.125 lb of Chocolate malt
3 lbs of Amber dry extract
2 oz of 5.8% AA Saaz hops for 60 mins
Wyeast 1214 Belgian Ale
1 tsp Irish Moss for 15 mins

The partial mash was done for 90 mins at 152 degrees with 5.5 qts of water. Sparged at 165 with appx 2 gallons. Then the dry extract had to be added ahead of the 60 min boil with all of the hops.

Minus a little snafu and 'doh moment involving the grain bag and kettle the brew went smoothly. The yeast had not taken off this morning yet, but from research it seems like some of the Belgian strains can take a while to get going. I did hit the target O.G. of 1.046, and the beer came out a nice clear brownish amber. It should ferment out for about a week. I'll probably let it sit a bit in secondary before bottling this one. The recipe recommended 3-4 weeks, but I probably will not go that long.

'Cuegrass '10

2010-04-20T16:36:00.003-04:00

April 17, 2010 brought us the opportunity to enjoy the second annual North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival. Put on by The Pit and local bluegrass bands and brewers, the event is a great way to enjoy some nice spring weather. They set up a stage outside of the restaurant for the bands, and 2 tents, one for beer and one for barbeque. Sandwiches and beer were both $5, with some amount of the proceeds going to the Future Farmers of America. Beer and food could both also be ordered inside.

The beer tent selection was a downgrade from last year, with only four taps, Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit, Lone Rider Peacemaker Pale Ale, Big Boss Blanco Diablo, and Carolina Pale Ale. We tried the Peacemaker and Blanco before ordering other beers from the bar inside. The Big Boss and Lone Rider offerings both were great for the atmosphere, easy drinking, but not bland. If anything they went down a bit too quickly, which at $5 a pop can add up quickly.

Inside we tried out a Smuttynose Robust Porter and then finished up with a couple of Highland's Seven Sisters Dubbel. The Porter was light enough to drink out in the sun, but still had a nice roast flavor and not too much sweetness. The Dubbel was maybe a bit heavy for the afternoon sun, or maybe that was just because I was getting full of beer and barbeque! Regardless it was very tasty, with some nice spicy yeast flavors that complemented the malt base well.

Keep an eye out for this event next year, it's sure to only get bigger and better!

Big Oak Release Party

2010-04-12T16:18:00.003-04:00

At Brixx Brier Creek yesterday, I found out about a new beer that is being brewed by Red Oak. It sounds like basically an Imperial Red Oak. The beer is described as a Vienna style lager brewed to the strength of a bock. I am curious to see what this tastes like, as I can't say I've ever tried a style like this. Although it will probably share some characteristics of regular bock beers, which is a pretty wide ranging style.

The release party is all day Tuesday, April 13 at Brixx Brier Creek. The party is also going on at The Flying Saucer Raleigh. Stop by either place to taste the newest beer from Red Oak!

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

2010-04-06T11:55:00.002-04:00

Thursday April 1st brought us the opportunity to enjoy a 2 year vertical of the highly acclaimed Founders KBS. The tasting was hosted at The Flying Saucer in Raleigh, and featured both 2009 and 2010 versions of Founders bourbon barrel imperial stout. According to the brewers this beer is has "massive amounts of coffee and chocolate". It is then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels to add even more taste and complexity.

Both beers looked almost identical in the glass, a dark black, with a thin, light mocha colored head. The smell is intense chocolate and a touch of coffee, I was surprised at the lack of roast or coffee notes in the nose.

Tasting them though, the beers differ a good bit. The 2009 is much smoother, with much better balance between all the flavors. You definitely get a little bit of bourbony oak, but the chocolate is what stands out. The sweetness masks most of the coffee in my opinion. The mouthfeel of the 2009 is a bit creamier and thicker than the 2010, which adds to the experience.

The 2010 version is way too fresh, with just an explosion of flavors and tastes that does not meld well together. You can tell it's the same beer, but very harsh around the edges. This is really a beer that you must force yourself to age. I think the 2009 version was even a bit hot with alcohol, and would be really curious to try a larger vertical that left out the current year's version.

Imperial Pilsner Cask

2010-04-01T16:09:00.002-04:00

Natty Greene's Raleigh is having a special cask of Imperial Pilsner on Friday April 2nd. The cask will be tapped at 5pm. Be on time, I'm sure this one will go quick. They will be charging $5 for this instead of their regular $4.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary--Fritz and Ken's Ale

2010-03-31T08:59:00.003-04:00

So last night I went with BeerMechanic and Hopslam to Tyler's in Durham for a taste of the new release from Sierra Nevada. This Imperial Stout weighed in at 9.20% ABV, and was very tasty! The brew had a very aggessive coffee flavor, so this would not be for those who do not enjoy a strong mocha flavor. A very dark beer, and was completely drinkable and very enjoyable. Try it if you get a chance!

Mikkeller Single Hop Series

2010-03-19T19:54:00.006-04:00

Carrboro Beverage Company hosted a unique tasting a few weeks ago. It featured 5 of the 10 Mikkeller Single Hop beers. The beers are all IPAs, and have the exact same recipe except for the hops. Each beer uses only one type of hop, so it is a great chance to see how different hops can influence a beer's flavor. I will go through the beers one by one:

Nelson Sauvin: This was a hop that I had not heard of, and produced a very unique flavor. The IPA was almost wine like, with the hop imparting a tart sweetness not unlike a white wine.

Centennial: This hop is used in some very popular beers, including Founders Centennial IPA and Bell's Two Hearted. Citrusy but not in a way that dominates the palate, the hop gives some slight floral aroma as well.

East Kent Goldings: I went into this beer thinking I would like it, since I do like English Pale Ales and ESB's that this hop is frequently used in. I came out of it realizing why I like those beers, and it's not the hops! The Mikkeller IPA was not very tasty, a little harsh bitterness, with a lot of dirty, earthy flavors. This hop obviously works very well in the background, but not as the main flavoring hop.

Cascade: Well known from Sierra Nevada's flagship Pale Ale, this one tasted pretty much as expected, tons of citrus and floral notes dominate this hop profile.

Chinook: This hop variety is typically used just for bittering purposes, so it was interesting to get more of the aroma. It imparted a very strong, piney, spicy flavor. Very interesting combination.

For those that do not know, Carrboro Beverage is located next to Tyler's original Carrboro location. They do weekly tastings on Thursday nights and keep a fantastic inventory of beers. You can follow them and their events on Facebook.

Duck Rabbit Brunch

2010-03-16T09:43:00.002-04:00

The Borough hosted their second beer brunch on Sunday, March 14th. It featured four of Duck-Rabbit's beers, paired with four brunch courses. The beer highlight was the Barleywine, fresh from Farmville. I was worried with it being so fresh that it would be a bit rough, hot with alcohol, and not very good. Lucky for us I was wrong. The beer was actually very balanced (for a Barleywine) and a good hybrid between English and American styles. Paul, the head brewer, called it a "Farmville" style barleywine. It was nice and malty, with plenty of caramel and sweetness to back up the hops. The hops were noticeable, but far from overpowering, a great combination of flavors. Now that was only the second beer, which left me wondering how the transition to the next beer would go. They chose the Brown ale, which is a hoppy American style. It actually worked, and did not taste weak or bland even after the Barleywine which was my concern.

Overall it was a good experience, although four full twelve ounce beers was a bit too much compared with the size of the food courses. The food was excellent, with the most enjoyable course being the black cherry tart, which was paired with the Milk Stout. The courses and beers are listed below:
Smoked Tomato Soup with Porter
Herb and Cheese Potato Gratin with Barleywine
Roast Chicken with Herbs and root vegetables with Brown Ale
Black Cherry Tart with Milk Stout

The next brunch we attend, we will make sure to have a more formidable breakfast, so that one of us does not get a little too tipsy from brunch...

Natty Greene's Raleigh Now Open

2010-03-10T08:38:00.003-05:00

We stopped into the new Natty Greene's location for a few afternoon beers yesterday. They have renovated the former Southend Brewery and Prime Only Steakhouse location into their second brewpub. The place has a great feel, and is very close to the original Natty's in Greensboro. Plenty of space, while still having plenty of seating, it should be a great place to go even if the bar is crowded.

On to the really important stuff though...the beer! They had their standard year round beers and a multitude of seasonal offerings. Two were brewed here in Raleigh, the others were trucked in from Greensboro. Slowly they will transition all the beers to being brewed in Raleigh. I tried the Smoky Mountain Porter, Gunsmith's Dark Munich Lager, and Lighthorse Belgian Pale Ale. The porter and lager were both very good, and I'm always glad to see more Dark Lagers out there. I really enjoy that style, but there are not too many available, especially on draft. The Belgian Pale could have used a little more hop presence in my opinion to mask some of the fruitiness from the yeast. Based on my experiences with Natty's I don't think you can go wrong with any of the beers they offer, assuming you like whatever style you order. The best part was that their regular pint price is $4.00, for everything, including seasonals. This place could fast become a new favorite.

Triangle Brewing Beer Release: Imperial Amber

2010-03-08T10:19:00.002-05:00

Last Tuesday was the release party for the new Imperial Amber at Triangle Brewing in Durham. For a windy, rainy, and cold night, there was still a devoted crowd that came out to support Rick and Andy and sample the new brew.

The beer itself is another solid offering from the guys at Triangle. Being that it is an "imperial", the increase in alcohol was evident, but not overpowering. Also, they resisted the urge to overhop the beer, resulting in a well balanced beer that was very drinkable. Based on the number of growlers being filled with the beer to take home, I would say that others felt the same, too.

With the weather improving and getting warmer, get out to the brewery on a Saturday and sample one for yourself!

French Broad Altbier Cask at Busy Bee

2010-02-25T21:04:00.003-05:00

After enjoying French Broad's quaint tasting room last week, I was excited to hear that they would be bringing a cask of their Altbier to the Busy Bee here in Raleigh. Altbier is one of the rarer German styles, and unlike many other is actually an ale. The name actually means old beer. Now this doesn't mean old as in bad. It has a couple of implications, the first being that altbier is traditionally fermented longer than normal. The other is that the beer is brewed in the "old style" which means using ale yeast, as lagers had not been developed yet.

French Broad's version was poured with a nice creamy inch of head, no doubt that this one came out of a cask. The color was a nice deep amber and slightly cloudy. Drinking this beer was an absolute pleasure, it was very drinkable, with nice bready and caramel flavors accentuated by some light floral hops. I've had this beer in bottles before, and the cask version really stands out in my opinion.

As a final note, it appears that Busy Bee has installed a beer engine, which should mean that they will begin having many more cask events such as this one. Looking forward to their next surprise for sure!

New Tribeca Tavern in Cary

2010-02-23T09:18:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was opening day for Tribeca Tavern, the new creation of Rocky Top Hospitality. It is billed as a place to go for microbrew beer and food. I did not try the food, but did have a chance to sit at the bar with a client and sample the offerings they had on tap. All of their draft selections are NC beers, with the line up being:

-Big Boss Angry Angel
-Carolina Pale Ale
-Aviator Old Dog ESB
-Highland Gaelic
-Duck Rabbit Milk Stout and Brown Ale
-French Broad Ryehopper
-Foothills People's Porter
-Lonerider Shotgun Betty

They also have their line of Mash House beers. Prices are on the high side of reasonable, at $5/pint for their draft selections and also $5 for the Mash House beers, but they come in a 23 oz. serving.

I sampled one of the seasonals, the Aviator India Brown, which was very good, and the Mash House stout, which was definitely drinkable, but not outstanding. Noticeably missing from the tap list was anything from Durham's Triangle Brewing Company. Perhaps in the future they will be available on tap there as well.

Also, a bit disappointing was the lack of any great beers in bottles. The most adventurous they get in bottles is Fat Tire and the 60 minute IPA from Dogfish Head. For a place that bills itself as a microbrew establishment, they could stand to carry a wider selection in bottles, from more than your standard Harris Teeter and Food Lion fare.

The menu looked creative and reasonably priced, from their made to order guacamole, to a more gourmet version of "Cheesy Poofs".

For the first day, all drafts were $3, and the bartender said they would be offering a different style of beer each day as a special, so all IPA's on Wednesday might by $3, Pale Ales Thursday, etc.

All in all, it is nice to have a place for NC beers on draft on this side of Cary. With plenty of TV's and a good menu, this is a solid start, but will have to do more from a beer selection standpoint to keep those who don't consider Sierra Nevada a microbrew satisfied.

French Broad Brewing Tasting Room

2010-02-16T15:28:00.003-05:00

I'm currently enjoying my afternoon with fresh French Broad brew at their tasting room in Asheville. The brewers are working away in the background, and the smell of fresh wort is permeating the atmosphere.

I have had their Belgian Stout and Wee-Heavy-est, a Scotch ale brewed with Belgian yeast. I believe I will take home a growler of the stout, as the rest of their lineup is available in the Raleigh area.

The tasting room is small and really just a portion of their brewhouse. They do however host a lot of live music events. Very laid back and a great place to just relax with some great brew and music.

Pisgah Brewing, Black Mountain, NC

2010-02-15T08:50:00.004-05:00

I'm in Asheville for a few days tagging along with my better half for work duties. On the way in last night we stopped by a place that we should have gone to a long time ago. Pisgah Brewing is located outside of Asheville, in Black Mountain. While I've had a couple of their beers that were picked up at Bruisin' Ales (and have a few more aging gracefully), their tap room offers their whole lineup along with seasonals and also a few guest taps.

It is currently their "Stout month" which meant that the guest taps included Bells Expedition, Oskar Blues Ten-Fidy, Brooklyn Black Chocolate, Highland Black Mocha, and French Broad's Belgian Stout. The Pisgah taps included their Nitro Stout, Pale, Porter, IPA, Endless Summer, Brown, Roast Chocolate Stout, Vortex I, Vortex II (2009 AND 2008), Solstice, Baptista Noel, and Hellbender.

We went through almost all the beers with $1 to $2 samples. The fresh Vortex II was the winner of the night, even outdoing the Expedition Stout side by side!

The taproom itself is very unassuming, located in an industrial park of sorts, with only a very small sign letting you know you're in the right place. This lets the focus be directly on the beer, as it should be. All Pisgah beers are certified Organic as well. Our tasting went a little backwards, as we worked from strong, high alcohol beers down to their "standard" lineup. This did make it a little hard to really experience the taste of say their Porter, but for the most part they held up on their own even after the big beers.

All in all, the taproom was a great experience where we got to try some amazing beers. It is definitely worth seeking out the next time you are in the Asheville area!

More info on the brewery can be found at their website.

Raleigh Times Belgian Tasting Night

2010-02-12T17:21:00.003-05:00

On January 27, 2010, the Raleigh Times Bar teamed up with Brian Ewing of 12 Percent Imports for a night of Belgian beer tasting and the North Carolina release of the Grand Cafe Emelisse Imperial Stout.

It was a three course meal, served family style, with each course paired with two unique Belgian beers. Belgian beer has become very popular in the US, and yet 12 Percent Imports has managed to distinguish themselves from the more standard Belgian offerings by focusing on very small breweries. Many of the beers they import are brewed by people who have other day jobs and make beer on the weekends and holidays. The breweries were discovered by Brian Ewing on his many excursions to Belgium. Many of these beers are the essence of "micro" brew in Belgium.

During Brian's presentations, you could tell just how much passion he has for these beers. They were easily some of the most detailed and informative beer introductions and descriptions I've been exposed to. You can see the menu at the top of this post. The Times did a phenomenal job on the food, some of the best offerings I've had at their bar easily. The pate or the seafood boil were the highlights of the night. As far as beer goes, all six of these were new experiences for me. If I had to choose a favorite of the night, it was probably the Brouwerij't Gaverhopke Extra. While the menu classifies it as a quadruple, it is not exactly true to that style. It is really just the breweries "house" strong ale. Wild yeast is even used to brew it. The beer was one of the most unique I've ever tasted, with massive malt, some dark fruit flavors including raisin, and to top it off a little tartness from the yeast. I also really enjoyed the De Dochter Van De Korenaar Emrasee, a 9% dark strong ale. The menu references it as fully malted, which simply means that all of the fermentables come from malt - as opposed to additions of things like candi sugar that are common in a lot of Belgian beers. This beer was served at room temperature, and was a plethora of malt flavors.

The grand finale of the night was the NC release of the Grand Cafe Emelisse Imperial Stout. With releases previously only in New York and Philadelphia, we were certainly among the first in the nation to try this beer. It was very dark, with notes of dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, and wonderful thickness and mouthfeel.

Overall it was a great night, and a good price for all that we got as well. It sounded like The Times was going to start offering more nights like this, as this was deemed "Part 1 of a series". I will certainly be on the lookout for the next one!

Porters City Tavern going all "NC Brews"

2010-02-11T11:36:00.006-05:00

In another example of the craft beer scene taking off in Raleigh, Porters on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh will be changing all of their taps over to NC draft beers. Already an outstanding place to eat, and boasting an above average beer list, this will push Porters over into the "must go" category. Beers that should be available as of the end of this weekend are (courtesy of the New Raleigh blog):

Mother Earth ‘Endless River’ - Kinston
Triangle ‘XPA’- Durham
Lone Rider ‘Peacemaker Pale Ale’ - Raleigh
Foothills ‘Hoppyum IPA’ -Winston Salem
Red Oak ‘Amber Lager’- Whitsett
Aviator ‘Hot Rod Red’-Fuquay Varina
Big Boss ‘Hell’s Belle’- Raleigh
Carolina ‘Nut Brown Ale’- Holly Springs
Highland ‘Oatmeal Porter’- Asheville
Huske Hardware ‘Sledgehammer Stout’- Fayetteville

NC In Beer Advocate

2010-02-09T09:15:00.004-05:00

Browsing through the latest issue of Beer Advocate, I was pleased to find quite a few mentions of our home state. Foothills Sexual Chocolate was featured on a few of the "Top Beer" lists. The beer review section was where the most action was - with the following reviews:

Olde Hickory Brewing - Hickory Stick Stout and Table Rock Pale Ale
Mother Earth Brewing - Dark Cloud Dunkel and Endless River Kolsch
Olde Mecklenburg Brewing - OMB Copper

None of the beers received a score less than a B!

Then to top it all of, the beer destination was Asheville, NC. With places like Boston, Philadelphia and California getting a lot of beer press, it is both refreshing and encouraging to see our local scene get some coverage.

Mother Earth Beer Dinner tomorrow night at Dos Perros in Durham

2010-02-08T10:27:00.003-05:00

From the ncbeer.org web site (www.ncbeer.org)

"Mother Earth Brewing
Tuesday, February 9^th, 2010
7pm
$35

We’re happy to help welcome one of North Carolina’s newest breweries into the market. Mother Earth Brewing of Kinston has taken a very devoted approach to the environment through both the construction and operation of their brewery. Of course, they’ll be here on the 9^th to give you the details, but if you’re curious, check out their website www.motherearthbrewing.com. As for the beers themselves, I was really impressed. The Wit had a beautiful citrus quality, the kolsch made me pine for baseball season (hence the hot dog, which btw, is a classic Mexican street food), the IPA actually reminded me of a Southern Rhone red wine, and the dish I wanted for the Dunkel popped into my head right away. I’m really looking forward to this one.

Ceviche con pomelo, nopales, y salsa de tuna verde (Citrus-cured grouper with grapefruit, cactus, and prickly pear coulis)
-Weeping Willow Wit

Perro caliente de tocino-envolvió (Mexican-style bacon-wrapped, house-made hot dog)
-Endless River Kolsch

Frijoles “Flor de Mayo” con pato y chorizo (Mexican “Cassoulet”)
-Sisters of the Moon IPA

Lomo de puerco en salsa de ciruela (Pork loin in prune sauce)
-Dark Cloud Munich-style Dunkel"

Sounds tasty...if i could make it, I would be out there. There still are spots available, so get a seat while they last.

Exciting News from TBC

2010-02-03T08:27:00.002-05:00

From an email today:

"This Thursday, Feb. 4 Triangle Brewing Co. will be participating in the unveiling of Durham's first operational Beer Engine. We are positive that it is functional, cause Andy and I spent the better part of the day today installing it. Yes, it was a pain in the arse, but nothing is too much for our beer. The plan is to tap weekly casks of TBC everything Thursday and run it thru the weekend (or until it goes dry). The first cask that will be tapped is our IPA. So come enjoy beer at its finest. The event is also a fundraiser for a young man with autism, who will be receiving a special bike. The cask tapping will occur at 5:30pm, so swing by for a pint to two. We will also, be pouring at cask of our Best of Both Worlds Stout. Cheers and see you Thursday."

Very nice that we finally have a beer engine in the area that will allow us to enjoy cask beer more regularly. Props to Triangle and Alivia's for making this happen!

Events coming up this week at Big Boss

2010-01-26T11:02:00.002-05:00

--THURSDAY--*BIG OPERATOR CASK @ REVOLUTION PIZZA-Charlotte* When- Thursday @ 7pm Where- Revolution Pizza / 3228 North Davidson St/ Charlotte / 704-333-4440 More - http://www.revolutionpizza.com/JJ is headed down to Revolution Pizza in Charlotte for a Big Operator Cask. He’ll tap that thing at 7pm. Don’t be late!

--SATURDAY--*SLACKERS & DOCO @ TPHMH - Raleigh* When- Saturday @ 10 pm Where- Pour House Music Hall - Raleigh More- http://www.the-pour-house.com/ Music- http://www.theslackers.com/The Slackers bring their “Jamaican rock n roll” sound to Raleighwood with local support from DOCO. The Slackers are the real authentic deal and have shared the stage with Rancid, Joe Strummer, Floggin Molly, Jimmy Cliff, Pennywise, Toots & the Maytals and The Pogues Show support for the Rude boys!--

FEBRUARY @ Tolliver’s Crossing – Asheville--At Tolliver's, Big Boss is the brewery of the month for February!! Celebrate Groundhogs Day, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and all days in between with Bad Penny/ Hell's Belle Draft specials- $3.25 plus Angry Angel Bottles- $3.00 all month long.http://www.tolliversirishpub.com/

Advance notice:February: Broadstreet Beer Dinner/ Bark and WineMarch: St Patricks DayApril: Cuegrass Festival / Hickory Hops / World Beer Festival

http://www.bigbossbrewing.com/event.php

On draft in the Big Boss taproom: -ANGRY ANGEL Kolsch Style Ale -BAD PENNY Brown Ale -HELL'S BELLE Belgian Blond Ale -HARVEST TIME Pumpkin Ale -BIG OPERATOR Belgian Black Raspberry -SACK TIME Amber Rye- LTTLE LARRY Belgian Pale ale

Holiday Spice Homebrew

2010-01-24T16:05:00.003-05:00

I was lucky enough to get the ingredients for a 5 gal batch of homebrew for Christmas. The beer is American Brewmaster's Holiday Spice Ale. I was hoping to brew it a bit sooner than the 3rd week in January, so that it would be ready while we still had some colder weather. The full body and spice additions make this style of beer perfectly suited for cold winter days.

Out of the box, the kit was designed for an all-extract recipe with slightly under a pound of specialty grains to steep. Since the last brewday was our first attempt at a partial mash, I decided to add some 2 row barley to the grains and make my own mini-mash. In some leftovers from previous recipes, I had 10 oz of melanoidin 2-row malt. Melanoidin is typically used in German style lagers, to add malt character and flavor. The kit included a spice bag that was added to the boil for the last 10 minutes. It contained a stick of cinnamon, a small chunk of ginger, and a few cloves. One pound of light clover honey was added after the boil was complete as well.

Everything went smoothly, and it was maybe my cleanest brewday yet. Original gravity was measured at 1.073, slightly higher than the 1.071 target, because of the change I made to add a partial mash to the recipe. The Holiday Spice Ale should stay in the fermentation bucket for a little over a week. Hopefully it will still be cold enough to enjoy this beer after it carbonates.

Lexington Avenue Brewery opens in Asheville

2010-01-22T09:40:00.003-05:00

I was in Asheville over New Years, and heard a lot of buzz about the new brewery about to open, Lexington Ave. According to ncbeer.org, it appears they opened on Jan. 7. Looks like they are going with the "gastropub" concept and are going to be brewing naturally carbonated brews. This just adds to the already robust craft brew scene in Asheville. They are located at 39 N Lesington Ave., and should be added to the list when visiting western NC in search of good beer.

Cask for New Years Eve!

2009-12-29T09:53:00.002-05:00

I just found out that the Raleigh Times Bar will be tapping a cask of Foothills Brewing Total Eclipse Stout at 6:30 PM on December 31. Total Eclipse is really enjoyable on draft, I bet the cask version is tremendous.

Michelob Ultra?

2009-12-16T08:56:00.002-05:00

You're probably wondering why the words Michelob Ultra are appearing on this blog... It has nothing to do with the beer. This morning a delivery driver was smart enough to try and fit his Michelob Ultra trailer under the bridge at Peace St. and N. West St. That did not work out so well for the driver. WRAL covered the incident briefly.

Triangle Bourbon Aged Abbey and Winter Stout

2009-12-15T15:30:00.004-05:00

Triangle Brewery will be opening up at an unusual time to release these two seasonal beers. They will be pouring $4 pints on Wednesday, December 16th at their brewery. Growler fills of each beer will also be available! Their gates will open at 5pm.

Olde Rabbit's Foot Release Party

2009-11-25T08:58:00.004-05:00

After hearing about this collaboration brew earlier this year, I was patiently awaiting the release. Lucky for me that time has finally come. The beer is Bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout. The brewers also decided to add honey and cocoa nibs to this one of a kind beer. Olde Hickory Brewery, Duck Rabbit, and Foothills used their combined expertise to craft Olde Rabbit's Foot.

The party will start at 11am on December 12th at Foothills Brewing in Winston Salem. They are located on 4th St. Olde Rabbit's Foot will be released in 22oz bottles, pricing is to be determined.

Jujube and Dos Perros Beer Dinners

2009-11-12T08:32:00.003-05:00

Three delicious sounding beer dinners coming up at these 2 Durham restaurants. One features Dogfish Head beers, and the other two feature a different brewery with each course. The menus are as follows:

The Dogfish Head Beer, 7 pm November 23, at Dos Perros ($45):

Reception, 60 Minute IPA
Tamal con queso y rajas (Green chile and cheese tamale), Pangea Ale
Camarones con yerba santa y guajillo (Herb-wrapped shrimp with garlic and guajillo sauce), 90 Minute IPA
Mole Coloradito (Roasted chicken with red mole), Raison D’Etre
Borrego rostizado (Roasted goat with oregano), India Brown Ale
Costillas con tamarindo (Tamarind-glazed beef ribs with roasted carrots), Palo Santo Marron

Beer Geek Winter Cage Match Dinner menus ($42 each):

7 p.m. Dec. 8 at Jujube

Shrimp toast and sesame-fried plantains with sweet chili sauce, Victory Moonglow Weizenbock
Seared scallop with cashews and black vinegar caramel, Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale
Kung Pao deconstructed, Rogue Mogul Madness
Black soy and shaoxing braised beef with turnip cake, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Five-spice ice cream with chocolate sauce, Bell’s Special Cream Stout

7 p.m. Dec. 9 at Dos Perros

Chicharones y “chicharones” con nopales (Braise pork cracklings and cactus with crispy wheat chips), Victory Moonglow Weizenbock
Almendrado de camarones (Shrimp in almond sauce), Highland Cold Mountain Winter Ale
Pierna de puerco en adobado (Roasted pork leg with adobo sauce), Rogue Mogul Madness
Pato en mole negro (Roasted duck with black mole), Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Camotes con tamarindo (Candied sweet potatoes with tamarind syrup and pumpkin seed brittle, Bell’s Special Cream Stout

More info about the restaurants can be found here (Dos Perros) and here (Jujube).

Dogfish and Sierra Nevada Collaboration

2009-11-11T14:48:00.003-05:00

Thursday, November 19 at the Flying Saucer in Raleigh will be the Raleigh debut of both Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada collaboration brews. They are called Life and Limb, and Limb and Life. I'll let the official Dogfish site describe the beers:

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics-brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman "farm" at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries' house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew.

Limb & Life is a companion to the big beer-an acorn off the larger tree. It is a 5% ABV small beer-a low-gravity beer made using the residual sugar as "second runnings" from the first larger brew, fortified with American hops.

At the Saucer you will have the chance to try both of these side by side. I'm sure they will not dissapoint!

El Toro Beer, Durham Bulls, Fullsteam?

2009-11-05T11:24:00.003-05:00

I ran into an interesting survey this morning, involving baseball and beer. It seems that the Durham Bulls are interested in reinventing an old brew that was called "El Toro". They are looking for opinions from beer and baseball fans. The survey can be found on Fullsteam's site here.

Ballast Point Sculpin Firkin!

2009-11-04T11:05:00.004-05:00

This is pretty last minute, but on Thursday, November 5th at 7pm, the Flying Saucer Raleigh will have a firkin of Ballast Point Sculpin. Sculpin is an IPA that is 7% ABV. I have not had the chance to taste this beer, and its overall A rating on Beeradvocate.com has my mouth watering right now.

Ballast Point is out of San Diego, CA, so for a firkin to get all the way to Raleigh is quite amazing. More info on the brewery can be found here.

Mini Beer Haul from Minnesota

2009-09-30T11:07:00.003-04:00

On a quest to find some Hamm's beer (my last name for any of you who don't know) we wandered into a Surdyk's Liquor store in Minneapolis last weekend. We found Hamm's, but only in a 30pk, which we neither wanted or needed. I was curious to try it, but not that curious. Lucky for us though, Surdyk's proved to be quite the store.

Since we had not been planning on a beer haul, we really didn't have much room to bring stuff back, so we only chose 3 bottles. I settled on a Boulevard Brewing Smokestack Series - The Sixth Glass (quadruple), Avery's Mephistopheles Stout (15.92%!!), and a Two Brothers Bare Tree 2008 (wheatwine). Needless to say I was very pleased with finding these beers, the Mephistopheles has eluded me for a few years now, and I think I got the last bottle in the store. We also picked up a four pack of Pere Jacques (Dubbel) from Goose Island to enjoy over the weekend. I couldn't bring myself to pay $20 for the Bourbon County Stout that is raved about.

Fullsteam Interview

2009-09-22T09:14:00.003-04:00

Sean Wilson, who led the Pop the Cap movement (thanks again!) has founded Fullsteam Brewery with a distinctly different approach. They certainly will not be brewing your typical craft beer styles. Experiments have included a sweet potato beer, a rhubarb beer, and a beer called Hogwash. The Hogwash is discussed at length in the interview, so I won't spoil it for you, but it sounds delicious to me. These beers will be in their "Plow to Pint" series, aimed at using fresh local ingredients. "Workers Compensation" beers will be offered as well, and should include more traditional, session style brews.

The interview can be found at BBQJEW . The Fullsteam website with much more information is at www.fullsteam.ag.

Wilson and brewer Chris Davis do finally have a location at 726 Rigsbee Ave. in Durham, where they are attempting to open by the end of the year.

Triangle's Abbey Dubbel is Back

2009-09-15T11:37:00.002-04:00

Available on draft at Alivia's in Durham and at the brewery for growler fills! Might have to work in a trip to the brewery for a growler fill this weekend. The bourbon barrel version is due out later this fall.

Prices of Casks Around the US

2009-09-14T10:35:00.004-04:00

I'm attempting to find some data on average or typical cask prices around the US. The most pertinent data that I'm looking for is on special event casks, where bars bring them in for one night, not bars that keep casks around regularly. Note that this does not necessarily mean special or limited release beers in the cask. I'm going to start with a thread on BeerAdvocate, which can be found here:

http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/2273789

Flying Saucer New Drafts

2009-09-01T23:04:00.008-04:00

Flying Saucer Raleigh will be introducing 20 new drafts, all on Thursday, September 3. They will include many fall themed beers, including a few pumpkin beers and oktoberfests as well. There are also a few anniversary beers (Stone and Great Divide) and even an authentic Belgian (Triple Karmeliet). The full list is below (with prices!):

Aviator Steamhead 4.50
Brooklyn Ofest 4.50
Ballast Point Dorado Double IPA 7.5
Bell's Octoberfest 4.75
Post Road Pumpkin 4.5
Sierra Nevada Debockel 4.5
Old Speckeled Hen 5
Heavy Seas DIPA 7.5
Lonerider Bootleg Brown 4.5
Bosteels Triple Karmeliet 7.5
Smuttynose Farmhouse 5
Great Divide 15th Double IPA 6.5
Cottonwood Pumpkin 4.5
Stone 13th Ann. 6
Stone Cali-Belgique 6.5
Harpoon Leviathan 7.5
Shipyard Peak Organic IPA 4.5
Shipyard Peak Organic Brown 4
Cottonwood Almond Stout 4.5
New Belgium Hoptober 5

Too many to try, not sure what will be first!

New Holland Cask @ Raleigh Times

2009-09-01T08:45:00.002-04:00

Thursday, September 10 will feature two special beers from New Holland Brewery at the Raleigh Times. New Holland is out of Holland, Michigan, and brew some great beers, including their Dragon's Milk Oak Aged Strong Ale, and Night Tripper Imperial Stout There will be a "surprise" cask and also a keg of Oak Aged Mad Hatter IPA. The event starts at 6:30 and I'm sure the cask will be kicked pretty quickly. We should have plenty of time to stop by and then to a sports bar or home for the kickoff of the NFL season (as if we needed more excuses to drink beer) at 8:30.

Slam Dunkel in Secondary

2009-08-27T10:28:00.003-04:00

I transferred the Slam Dunkel-weizen into a secondary fermenter on Sunday. Primary fermentation finished up with a gravity of 1.010. The beer was not as dark as anticipated. All the feedback I found from other dunkels said that 1lb of chocolate malt was too much, so I went with 1/2 lb. To attempt and remedy this, I added cocoa powder (mixed and heated with water) to the secondary fermenter. The beer should get some additional color and flavor from aging it with the cocoa, so hopefully it will actually look like a dunkel.

NC Cask Ale Fest - 3 Boys and Beers

2009-08-25T11:22:00.003-04:00

Being as big a proponent of cask ale as I am, I had to post this event. The breweries to be featured include Highland, Triangle, Duck Rabbit, Foothills, Aviator, Top of the Hill, French Broad, and Lone Rider. There is also one cask from outside of NC, from Rogue Brewery. Hit the link below for more details. The event is this coming Saturday, August 29th, at 6:30 at Rigsbee Hall in Durham.

http://www.durhamcentralpark.org/events/meals-from-the-market/2009-meals-calendar/

Brier Creek Brixx Oktoberfest Tasting

2009-08-25T08:36:00.003-04:00

Thursday October 15th, Brixx Brier Creek will be hosting an Oktoberfest themed tasting, with 8 different Oktoberfest style beers. Four will be on draft, and four additional bottles will be available as well. The price will be $5 for four tasters. Additionally they will have "Oktoberfest themed food" available to pair with the beers.

This will be a great chance to do some side by side tasting with a traditional German style lager. You can compare the German brewed ones with American interpretations. Which one will you like better?

We'll let them have a pass on the fact that Oktoberfest is actually in the weeks leading up to Oktober, not actually in the middle of Oktober.

Events "On Tap" for this week

2009-08-24T12:17:00.004-04:00

Currently this is all we have for this upcoming week, but stay tuned, as i will be updating this as more becomes available:

Tuesday, 8/25:
This month's tasting at the Saucer will be a battle of East Coast IPAs vs. West Coast IPAs. All 9 beers count towards a saucer. There will be meats and cheeses for your pairing pleasure and the cost is $20. Tasting starts at 6:30. Here's the lineup:Reception Beer: Sunner KolschStone IPA vs. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA; Avery Maharaja vs. Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA; Great Divide Hercules IPA vs. Foothills Seeing Double IPA; Moylan's Hopsickle vs. Founder's Devil Dancer**Before everyone starts weighing in on Michigan not being on the east coast, it's close enough. I just wanted to add this to the lineup, because it's the only IPA they have that I haven't had a chance to try. I'm also aware that Colorado is not technically on the west coast, but work with me.For all the details go to http://www.meetup.com/TriBeer/calendar/11158701/

Big Boss Casks

2009-08-17T13:27:00.003-04:00

Two special treats from the Big Boss guys this week:

Tuesday August 18th hit the Raleigh Times at 6 pm for "Kentucky Colonel" Woodford Reserve barrel aged Bad Penny brown ale

Thursday August 19th check out the Flying Saucer for a dry hopped cask of Angry Angel at 7pm

More cask ale please?!

Brewdog NC Release

2009-08-17T13:18:00.006-04:00

Brewdog, a highly acclaimed Scottish brewery, will begin distributing their creations in NC. A release party is being held at the Flying Saucer in Raleigh and Charlotte. Riptide and Hardcore will be available in bottles, Dogma and Punk IPA will be available on draft. I've been reading great things about these guys, and I'm really excited to have the opportunity to try their brews. More info can be found at:

http://www.brewdog.com/beer.php

Bottles should be available soon at Sam's in Durham, and Carrboro Beverage Co.

The release parties are tonight, August 18th at 7 pm.

Next Batch in the fermenter: Wolfpack Basketball Slam-Dunkelweizen

2009-08-17T00:59:00.003-04:00

The next in our line of Wolfpack themed brews, this one will be in place for the beginning of basketball season. After reusing our yeast from the Wolfpack Weizen, and adding a bit of chocolate malt, we are in the beginning stages of this tasty liquid. Interestingly, our beginning gravity was a bit lower than expected, and the color was a bit paler than we thought it would be. We may end up wishing we had used a bit more chocolate malt, but no doubt this one will be tasty. We will know more when we bottle later this week.

Also, thanks for the shout-out to the Raleigh Philosophical Society . Raleigh and the Triangle in general is really coming along in terms of "good beer" and its nice to see folks taking notice.

Wolfpack Weizen is Bottled

2009-08-05T09:51:00.002-04:00

After a week of primary and a week of secondary fermentation on cherries, our Wolfpack Weizen is now in bottles slowly carbonating. The uncarbonated beer was tasty, we can't wait to try the finished version in a month.

Name That Beer!

2009-08-04T13:12:00.004-04:00

No, this is not a quiz, or even beer trivia, instead it's a contest, from the Grove Park Inn. It is being run on Twitter, and all you have to do is submit names for their new beer, a Belgian Abbey style. The prize is a 2 night beer dinner for 4 package, including accommodations at the Grove Park! See the link for more information.

http://www.groveparkinn.com/twitterbrew/

Brew Night

2009-07-21T11:19:00.005-04:00

Tonight marks our first of many (hopefully) beers to be brewed for Wolfpack tailgating. We've dubbed it Wolfpack Weizen and it will be a light, refreshing German wheat beer aged with cherries. It might be on the hoppy side for a wheat beer, but we wanted to make sure we had some hop character, and we're doing a small boil so we upped the hops a bit. The recipe is a mix of various weizen and fruit wheat beers I found around the internet.

Wolfpack Weizen
6.6 lbs wheat malt extract (liquid)
.5 lbs Cara-pils
.5 lbs Crystal malt 10L
(grain steeped at appx. 155 for 30 mins and rinsed)
2 oz Hallertau @ 60 mins
1 oz Tettnang @ 5 mins
Wyeast 3068 - Weihenstephan Weizen
1 week primary fermenation
1 week secondary on one can of Oregon Dark Sweet cherry puree

Then we should get 3-4 weeks in the bottles before opening night on September 3rd against South Carolina!!

Three Sheets is Back!

2009-07-20T13:51:00.004-04:00

Thanks to the Fine Living Network, we can all continue wishing we had Zane Lamprey's job. FLN will start showing the all-new Season 4 tonight, July 20th at 10pm! It is amazing it took this long for someone else to pick up this show. It had been off the air since Mojo was cancelled on December 1, 2008. While the show is not purely about beer, it is a blend of travel and drinking that is entertaining and fun to watch. Click the link for more information.

Three Sheets

Another Special Duck-Rabbit Release!

2009-06-05T09:31:00.001-04:00

From Beerinator.com:

The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, North Carolina's award winning microbrewery, is set to release its first lager, Duck-Rabbitor Doppelbock. Duck-Rabbitor is made with over 50% Munich malt and is hopped exclusively with Hallertaur hops. After fermentation the beer was lagered for 14 weeks prior to filtration. This beer is a malt lovers dream, with its full body and creamy mouthfeel. Duck-Rabbitor is a very limited release and will be draft only. The beer will start showing up in select markets where Duck-rabbit is sold in the upcoming weeks. We hope you enjoy Duck-Rabbit's first lager.

Sounds tasty, I'll be looking forward to this one for sure!

Sweetwater Dank Tank Barleywine

2009-06-04T13:21:00.004-04:00

From a BeerAdvocate post, some information on Sweetwater's experimental "Dank Tank":

Atlanta, Georgia - June 4th, 2009 - SweetWater's Dank Tank experimental beer series now available in 22oz bottles. Emerging from the dark side of our brewers souls SweetWater's Dank Tank is ready to unleash round 4 from this series of one-hitters off the dedicated Dank 50 barrel Tank. On June 22nd DP Barley Wine will also have the honor to fill the first ever 22oz bottles to roll off the line in SweetWater's 12 years of heady brewing.

The Dank Tank is a series of Rarely Released Randomness and each offering will most likely never be seen again. Nick Nock, head brewer at SweetWater "There are so many styles that we are itching to brew. To have a tank at the brewery that is a toy for the brewers of SweetWater has been a blast." So when the itch gets so bad and we just need to scratch it, the next in the series will flow.

The DP Barley Wine is the biggest farm animal to come out of the SweetWater barn. We bucked up and threw everything, including the kitchen sink, into this jackass concoction. This donkey will take you for a ride at 10.2% alc. vol. and hee haws over 142.0 IBU's. Pucker Up!

142 IBU! Wow, I cannot find what Moylan's Hopsickle or Stone Ruination IPA clock in at on the IBU scale, but I am having a hard time imagining 142. One of the hoppier barleywines I've had was Stone Old Guardian, which is apparently "only" 110 IBU. Unfortunately to get a taste of this I'll have to drive to Asheville, or set up a trade with someone from the ATL.

Unibroue La Terrible

2009-05-14T13:04:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, but wjat a way to get back in the swing of things! Had a change to enjoy a pour of this tasty brew at Tyler's in Durham after a work meeting got out a little early this week. At 10.5% ABV, I expected a taste typical of a high alcohol content brew. However, I was pleasantly surprised by that fact that the taste of the alcohol was very well masked, and the dark, sweet, fruity flavors were the first to emerge. It finsished with a brown sugar and pepper taste, and was very drinkable. As a high gravity choice, it is one i will need to be careful of. This can also be found on tap at the Flying Saucer as well, so I encourage you to partake at your leisure!

Clipper City Firkin @ Flying Saucer

2009-05-14T10:22:00.003-04:00

Tuesday, May 19th, the Flying Saucer is going to be tapping a firkin of Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon IPA! Pours begin at 6, hopefully I'll be able to make it all the way across the street after work...If you don't know I do work literally across the street from the Saucer, I know, it's rough.

Friday Lunch - Tobacco Road Sports Cafe

2009-05-08T12:48:00.003-04:00

I was debating places for my Friday lunch and was considering Tobacco Road Sports Cafe. I'd only been twice, and once was just for an after work beer. After Hallertau forwarded me a Greg Cox review of Tobacco Road (http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1516503.html), I figured it was meant to be.

After perusing the menu I went with one of Greg's recommendations - the Tarheel Ram Wrap. Since this is a beer blog, I won't get too detailed, but it was excellent and came with a heaping portion of my side choice - sweet potato fries. I paired it with a French Broad Wee-Heavy-er, which turned out quite well.

Their beer selection is adequate - certainly not Tyler's, but you will get no complaints from me. They had many local taps - Big Boss, French Broad, Highland, CBC, Lone Rider, among others. Their many, large HD tv's are certainly a great way to watch a game. A nice touch is their outside seating, which features TV's facing Glenwood Ave. so you can enjoy the weather and the game at the same time!

I walked out with a free 850 The Buzz Canes t-shirt too!

If you're looking for good food, beer and sports, this place is very hard to beat.

Thoughts on Cask Ale in Raleigh

2009-05-01T09:41:00.002-04:00

After thoroughly enjoying the Raleigh Times "Super Duper Cask Party" last night, I think it is time that a local bar step up and offer Cask beer as a regular part of their lineup. It is quite obvious that Cask ale has quite a following locally, as every special event is packed. While the fact that the events are bringing out a big crowd is great, the Casks often get drained very quickly (1 hr) and it causes a couple of problems in my opinion. It promotes drinking faster than normal if you want to have more than 1 glass of the special offering. It does not promote a full appreciation of the beer and all of its flavors.

Now, yes, of course I could get my one pint, and sit and enjoy it as slowly as I would like, there is certainly nothing preventing me from doing that. The event and the beer would be much more enjoyable if it was possible to have a few pints over a few hours.

The bigger issue is simply that I really enjoy Cask Ale and it is frustrating having to attend special events to drink some. Then the Cask gets kicked so quickly and the wait for the next event begins.

There are plenty of bars in other locations that have a Cask in their regular lineup. We have some great breweries in the area that are obviously committed to producing Casks. I believe this has the potential to be very popular, and would definitely separate a bar from the rest of the crowd if they were to offer Casks regularly.

Raleigh Times Cask Ale Event

2009-04-27T11:08:00.005-04:00

The Raleigh Times is hosting a special pre-beer fest cask fest this Thursday, April 30. Casks will be tapped at 6 pm and should include beers from Big Boss, Highland, Foothills, French Broad and Duck Rabbit.

Sounds like a great time to me!

Couple of updates:

Word on the street is that BIG BOSS will be bringing Woodford Reserve Barrel aged stout....

Foothills will be offering a cask of Hoppyum liberally dry hopped with cascade and whole leaf simcoe for this event...

Aviator Brewing - Fuquay Varina

2009-04-27T10:59:00.003-04:00

A friend's wedding this weekend gave me the perfect excuse to stop by Aviator Brewing in Fuquay Varina. Lucky for me they even had a special release of the Devil's Tramping Ground Tripel that was aged in bourbon barrels! The brewery is located at the Triple W Air Park, off of Highway 401. It is actually in a "renovated" airplane hangar! They have a small little bar area, with their regular beers on tap for $4. The Bourbon Barrel Tripel was on a hand pump system separate from the bar. The guys were also grilling brats outside. I'd heard how small the place was, and was expecting to be fighting for space all afternoon. The actual bar area is very small, but the hangar gives plenty of space for people to hang out, it just gets crowded when everyone needs a refill of beer! Live music provided good ambience too. It is a little out of the way to make regular trips to Aviator, but special releases and new beers will warrant the drive - especially the Barleywine that they say is coming soon!

Victory Cask at The Flying Saucer

2009-03-23T10:58:00.004-04:00

Thursday, March 26th, The Flying Saucer is having a cask conditioned version of Victory Hop Devil. The cask will be tapped at 7pm according to their website. Mmmm....cask conditioned IPA. Is it Thursday yet?

New Bar - Foundation

2009-03-20T22:20:00.003-04:00

I've been aware that a new bar called Foundation was opening on Fayetteville St. for a couple months now. It opened 2 weeks ago, and I finally made it out after work this afternoon. Their space is a nice, cozy and relaxing renovation that is actually under Fayetteville St. They do not serve any food - so they do charge $1 for their membership. Inside you find a welcoming atmosphere, with a wooden bar, and multiple tables throughout the rest of the space. There are 8 total taps - including 2 that will be rotating. Foundation focuses on locally produced beverages, featuring only North Carolina beer, mostly North Carolina wine, and all of their liquors are from the United States - Rums are from the Virgin Islands. I enjoyed Duck Rabbit Barleywine and French Broad Rye Hopper. They just recieved the first keg of Fuquay's Aviator Brewing Tripel. I was lucky enough to recieve a taste. It had a nice yeasty, malty, sweet aroma. I do not want to comment on tastes, as my palate was already deep into the Barleywine. I look forward to trying the Tripel on its own - it is one of my favorite styles, and this is the first locally brewed example that I have been aware of.

If you are looking for a nice after work or late night spot for a drink or two, I highly suggest giving Foundation a shot - the atmosphere is great - no TV's, excellent music, and a very unique environment. Pair this with a very well selected list of beers, wines and liquors and you have a winner in my mind!

Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner

2009-03-19T11:06:00.005-04:00

Brixx at Meadowmont in Chapel Hill is hosting a Sierra Nevada beer dinner on Tax Day, April 15. It looks very appetizing, and the Sierra Nevada beers rarely dissappoint, although it would be nice to see some Bigfoot in there. I've pasted in the menu below:

Reception
Taco de Chorizo y Papas Con Queso Fresco Natural
Spicy Sausage and Potato in a Crispy Tortilla with Fresh Cheese
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

1st
Pozole Verde
Green Pork and Hominy Stew
Sierra Nevada ESB

2nd
Chile Relleno con Carne y Queso Fresco
Stuffed Poblano Chile with Beef and Fresh Cheese
Served with Almond-Cilantro Pesto and Red Pepper Chipotle Coulis
Sierra Nevada Summerfest

3rd
Taco de Pescado con Aguacate y Salsa de Frutas Tropical
Wood Roasted Mahi Mahi Taco with Avocado and Tropical Fruit Salsa
Sierra Nevada Torpedo

Dessert
Mexican Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cherries, Porter and White Chocolate
Sierra Nevada Porter

Tickets are $40/person, and can be reserved by calling (919) 929-1942.

New Big Boss Seasonal

2009-03-19T10:54:00.002-04:00

We will be releasing our newest seasonal creation tomorrow, 3/19/09, at our taproom. It is our new "LIQUIDATOR" Dopplebock! It's weighing in at 7.8% and is delicously sweet and malty! It'll be on draft from 5 p.m. on, so come get ya some. Cheers!

Big Boss continues their ever expanding seasonal releases with a style that is fairly rare, yet always delicious. Should be great as usual! I do wish their seasonals would make it out to other bars and not just at Horniblows.

Boylan Bridge Brewpub Now Open

2009-03-04T13:19:00.002-05:00

Well the impossible has finally happened, the Boylan Bridge Brewpub is finally open. They opened their doors to the public for the first time on Friday February 27 at 3:00 pm. I stopped in today for lunch to a very small crowd. There were two other tables of 2-3 people. I sat at the bar and had their bratwurst with onion rings. I paired it with the Southbound Stout. It was a quite tasty lunch, and reasonably priced too. The bartender said they had been quite crowded for dinner and at night, and they were expecting large crowds for the outdoor area with the good weather forecast for this weekend. They do sell growlers to go as well.

Duck Rabbit Cask!

2009-02-12T09:53:00.002-05:00

Duck Rabbit will be bringing a cask of Bourbon Barrel Aged Milk Stout to The Recovery Room in Chapel Hill on Sunday February 15th. It will be tapped at 6:30. I've had a small taste of this beer from the brewery, and I'm really looking forward to a cask-conditioned version.

Triangle Brewing Company "Friday da Firkenteenth

2009-02-09T12:35:00.002-05:00

Friday the Thirteenth has provided Triangle Brewing Company an opportunity to showcase a couple of unique casks at Tyler's Durham. From the ever present Rufus:

Triangle Brewing Company will be tapping 2 Firkins on Friday the 13 at Tyler's Taproom in Durham. The event kicks off at 5:00 pm with a cask of our 100th batch IPA! This IPA measures in at 6.7 abv. and has been dry hopped four different times with four different hops. This will be the only cask of the IPA, the rest will be released in 22 oz. bottles. The second cask will be our "Best of Both Worlds" Stout, that has been conditioned with coffee, chocolate, and raspberries. This will be a great event to end a long week. Hope to see you there. Cheers.

Looks like a perfect excuse to leave work at 4:30 on Friday! But who am I kidding, I'm never at work at 4:30 on Friday anyway...

Update from Boylan Bridge Brewpub

2009-02-01T20:52:00.005-05:00

This note was posted on the forever-soon-to-be-coming Boylan Bridge Brewpub in downtown Raleigh. It remains to be seen when they will open...

"The Boylan Bridge Brewpub would like to thank everyone who has sent emails, called, or stopped by for a chat. We are just as anxious as you to open our doors and get pouring. After a few loose ends are tied and city permits finalized, we will welcome the neighborhood with happy hearts. We are not open today, however, and probably not tomorrow, but soon. Please keep watching.
– MC Palermo manager, Boylan Bridge Brewpub"

Big Boss Aces and Ates

2009-02-01T20:36:00.005-05:00

This coffee stout is a limited release from Big Boss in Raleigh, this particular bomber being #2111/5000. The beer pours a thick head, but quickly evaporates. The smell off the bat is of dark, roasted coffee, and the taste does not disappoint. As you would expect, the beer tastes of roasted coffee and dark chocolate. The beer is actually brewed with Larry's Beans from Raleigh, and you can taste the freshness. The stout finishes with a bitter aftertaste, and is a complex and satisfying beer. At 8% ABV, this is smooth stout is one to be enjoyed. Pick one up at your local beer shop if it can be found, this one was found at Earth Fare in Brier Creek.

Moylan's Hopsickle - "Triple" IPA

2009-02-01T18:18:00.003-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday calls for some serious beer - so we decided to break out this Imperial IPA from Moylan's. This beer has a reputation for being supremely hoppy - and it sure does not disappoint. Poured a cloudy golden orange with less head than expected for an IIPA. The aroma is like smelling a big bag of hops getting ready to go into a homebrew boil. Citrusy, flowery, piney, just about every possible hop character comes out here. Taste is much of the same, a gigantic explosion of hop bitterness, fruitiness, and it sticks on your tastebuds. The fresh hop feel lingers in your mouth long after the beer is gone.

Hopsickle is definitely a beer to experience. It makes no effort to be balanced or easy to drink, but for a $10 bomber this is appreciated. Splitting it with my wonderful wife, I hope it can last me through the whole first quarter of the big game.

Review: Victory Donnybrook Stout

2009-01-31T12:51:00.000-05:00

This was enjoyed on tap at Tyler's in Durham as part of their Wednesday Pint Nights. This nitro pour had a creamy, thick head that stuck around a while. The first sip produced a surprisngly thin mouthfeel with a roasty caramel taste. The Donnybrook stout has a smooth drinkability, and with a reasonable alcohol content, you can drink a few without it being terribly filling or inebriating. I give this one a B+.

Big Boss Merlot Cask Belgian Brown

2009-01-26T20:44:00.000-05:00

After seeing a note on beerinator.com about Big Boss' newest special release, I decided to stop by on the way home from work today. This is nothing like any beers I've had from Big Boss, and quite a great beer. Definite oak presence, and some nice fruitiness (from the Merlot I presume). I definitely recommend trying to get down to Horniblow's to try this special release!

Natty Greene's Coming to Raleigh!

2009-01-23T15:31:00.000-05:00

http://www.gogoraleigh.com/2009/01/22/natty-greenes-coming-to-powerhouse-square/

Moving into the old Southend Brewery space. I've had great times at their Greensboro location, hopefully they keep the same quality offerings once they open up here in Raleigh.

Lone Rider Brewery - Raleigh

2009-01-23T15:28:00.000-05:00

The first tour of this new Raleigh Brewery is tonight, Friday, Jan. 23 from 6 pm till 8pm. We are looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. Seems that their hefeweizen, dubbed Shotgun Betty is going to be their first regular release. I've heard that they also have a seasonal Robust Porter. Hopefully they will be a great addition to the ever-growing Raleigh beer scene.

Update: Well the tour was packed, definitely a good sign. There was even an appearance by NC State House representative Ty Harrell. We were able to try both beers, as described above. The porter was excellent, good creamy mouthfeel, and nice dark chocolate and coffee flavors. Shotgun Betty was a bit sweet for my tastes, but it will surely be a popular selection at local watering holes. Keg prices were very reasonable, at $124 for a 1/2 bbl and I believe $52 for a 1/6 bbl. They are brewing on a 15 bbl system and said they were going to try and start bottling within 6-8 months.

Coming soon...

2009-01-10T17:38:00.000-05:00