NEW BEERS I TRIED AT EPCOT LAST WEEKEND

FLORIDA BEER PASSPORT 20 BELGIAN-STYLE TRIPEL ALE
CAPE CANAVERAL FL

FUNKY BUDDHA VANILLA EXPRESSO PORTER
OAKLAND PARK FL

SHIPYARD BOURBON BARREL AGED IMPERIAL STOUT
MAINE/FLORIDA

RADEBERGER ZWICKEL PILSNER (UNFILTERED)
GERMANY

SWEETWATER TAKE TWO PILS
GEORGIA

SAM ADAMS REBEL IPA
USA

BREW DOG PUNK ALE IPA
SCOTLAND

ENGINE 15 NUT SACK DOUBLE BROWN ALE
JACKSONVILLE FL

NORBERTUS SPECIAL HEFEWEIZEN
GERMANY

SCHOFFERHOFER ZITRONE WEIZEN-MIX (RADLER/SHANDY)
GERMANY

SWAMP HEAD WILD NIGHT HONEY CREAM ALE
GAINESVILLE FL

FOUNDERS SPECTRA TRIFECTA (CHAMOMILE KOLSCH)
MICHIGAN

CENOSILLICAPHOBIA

                             “The fear of an empty glass, 
                            especially as pertaining to beer.”

While it’s a great and impressive sounding word, you can’t find it in “real” dictionaries, but what the hey, it’s a great word for us beer drinkers to use anyway, and no worse sounding than onomatopoeia!

YUENGLING: NUMBER 1?

 Though the family-owned Yuengling is America’s oldest brewery, many beer lovers still weren’t happy that a mainstream brewery was named the nation’s top craft brewery. As one user wrote on Facebook:

“Yuengling, craft beer for people who cannot get enough Budweiser.”

(Though personally, I have had many people switch from Bud Light by introducing them to Yuengling - a definite step or two up.)

AND TODAY IS...

Today is National Beer Day!!!!

Thanks King Gambrinus, 

you're the best!

MORE FOR THE REST OF US

‘One Chicago retailer has opted not to sell SweetWater Brewing’s imperial stout known as “Happy Ending” over what its store manager called “sexist, borderline racist” label art, according to the Chicago Tribune. The label in question depicts a clear silhouette of a geisha and a box of tissues, an apparent allusion to the seedy practice of receiving sexual favors at massage parlors. According to the article, the Binny’s Beverage Depot in Lincoln Park sent back three cases of the beer, which is packaged in 22 oz. bottles. Lakeshore Beverage, SweetWater’s wholesaler in the area, told the Tribune that no other store declined to stock the beer.’

BEER #1251

 Two Henrys Blueberry Vanilla Wheat; brewed just down the road in Plant city as an adjunct to a winery known for their blueberry wine. So when the owner’s son decided to join the micro-brew trend, what could be more obvious than a blueberry beer?

 And I’ve had a few blueberry beers (Sea Dog comes to mind, and Wild Blue (which is apparently an A-B product). But the other night at O’Toole’s Irish Pub in Brandon FL, I

found this beer as a write-in on it’s (not shabby) draft beer list. It was so good, I ended up drinking three! Let me tell you, it went really well with the Steak & Mushroom Pie.

 It has a nice blueberry favor, but not overwhelming as to cover up the beer taste, and an undercurrent of the vanilla, which made it real interesting. Here’s hoping Two Henrys bottles this one, and sends it over to Lakeland Beer Revolution, my favorite beer store (and it’s 6 taps of ever changing microbrews).

BEER JOKE

After the North American Beer Festival, all the brewery presidents decided to go out for a beer. The guy from Corona sits down and says, 'Hey Senor, I would like the world's best beer, a Corona .' The bartender dusts off a bottle from the shelf and gives it to him.

The guy from Budweiser says, 'I'd like the best beer in the world, give me 'The King Of Beers', a Budweiser.' The bartender gives him one..

The guy from Coors says, 'I'd like the only beer made with Rocky Mountain spring water, give me a Coors.' He gets it. bee

The guy from Molson Canadian sits down and says, 'Give me a Coke.' The bartender is a little taken aback, but gives him what he ordered.
The other brewery presidents look over at him and ask, 'Why aren't you drinking a Molson's?'

The Molson Canadian president replies, 'Well, I figured if you guys aren't drinking beer, neither would I.'

PIERRE CELIS

Pierre Celis, who revived witbier with his Hoegaarden (later sold to what is now AB-Inbev); in 1992 at the age of 67, founded a new microbrewery in Austin TX. (At a Brickskeller tasting, Celis, who spoke English haltingly, remarked that he chose Texas because its inhabitants speak with a slow drawl, making them easier to understand.)

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL & SUNDRY!

BEER #1218

And what a mouthful it is: 5 Rabbit 5 Lizard Latin-style Witbier with coriander, lime peel, and passion fruit. Whew! And a supremely drinkable beer. This beer is brewed in Illinois, and apparently is owned by South Americans, hence the Latin-style part of the beer. And I’ll tell you, there’s no mistaking the passion fruit in this beer. We have a passion fruit vine in the back yard, grows all over the place like crazy. And every once in a while it actually bears some fruit, which is fairly difficult to process, but when mixed with ice cream gives it a nice sharp tangy flavor. And apparently it does the same to beer. Even with the coriander and the lime peel flavors, the pre-eminent mouthfeel is the passion fruit.

 Actually sorry I only bought one bottle from Lakeland Beer Revolution store, but will definitely pick up a sixer next time I’m there. And hopefully Mike will have some of their other ‘Latin-style’ beers to try.  Lakeland Beer Revolution

So ask for it and give it a shot, if they don’t carry it, pester your local beer store, it’s worth it.

BEER #1200

 With the catchy name of Ommegang Gnomegang, this blonde ale is a smooth drinker, even at 9.5%ABV.

I do like the blonde ale style of beer, and this one is really yummy. The original version was a creation by two breweries, Ommegang in Cooperstown New York, and Brasserie d’Achouffe in Belgium, bottled in a large bottle with a cork. This version is bottled standard, but is still a fine ale.

 And as a matter of interest, Chouffe is Belgian for ‘gnome’, hence the gnomes on the label.

 If you can find it, try it…I got mine at Beer Revolution in Lakeland, FL. If you’re ever in town, stop in and check out their beers. Guaranteed no A-B-Inbev-Miller-Coors…well, you get my drift…

REALLY, GEORGE?

'STRIKES BOCK' BEER NAME SPARKS TRADEMARK DISPUTE

Star Wars creator George Lucas and Lucasfilm have filed notice to force Empire Brewing in Syracuse, N.Y., to quit using the name Strikes Bock for a beer it has been brewing for seven years. Empire recently applied for a trademark for the beer, which it previously sold only at its brewpub and now plans to distribute from a larger brewery it is building in Cazenovia. "The thing is the beer is called 'Strikes Bock,' not 'Empire Strikes Bock,'" owner Dave Katleski told a local newspaper, "It's 'Strikes Bock,' by Empire." In its legal argument, Lucasfilm, now owned by the Walt Disney Co., contends that the Empire Brewing beer label could infringe its trademark rights and cause confusion among consumers. One of the company’s arguments is that it operates a vineyard in California, which makes wines that use Star Wars-themed names and logos.

(Because it's so easy to confuse movies and wine with beer...)

BEER #1180

Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry, Chocolate Ale from Rogue Brewing in Oregon. This is the third beer I’ve had in the Voodoo Doughnut series(named after an actual donut shop in Portland and based on actual donuts). The label on this one shows a representation of the actual donut. 

I really liked this one, first sip was very pretzely which then turned chocolatey with an undercurrent of the raspberry. Drank very smooth, with the chocolate as the main taste, very satisfying. At 5.4% abv, I guess you could have more than one (it’s 1 pint,9.4 fl oz) but not if you’re driving. Or there’s enough for two to share.

So I guess out of the three Voodoos I’ve tried, this one is probably the best drinking, so if you’re going to try just one, this might be the one for you.

BEER #1165

From JDub’s Brewing Co in Sarasota Florida. Haven’t been there yet, but had a couple of drafts of Dulce Brown (limited release) at Lakeland’s Beer Revolution micro/import store, which has about 6 taps to try out different beers while you shop(how cool is that?). The beer is an English-style Brown Ale, but what it really tastes like is English Xmas pudding(at least in my memory ).

I think I need to go back and get a growler if it’s still available.

It also needs to be released for Thanksgiving/Xmas in bottles for holiday meals.

GELATO? BEER?

Beer gelato! Apparently the latest in a line of odd fair foods, coming this season. And made with “local craft beer” according to the article I read, which would be terrific. I can already taste a chocolate gelato with Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale (beer#649).

Florida State Fair can’t get here fast enough now…

DO YOU WANT THAT TO GO...OR WILL YOU DRINK IT HERE?

In an effort to help re-launch its sessionable year-round offering Peacemaker Extra Pale as “Peacemaker Anytime Ale,” the Texas-based craft brewery today rolled out an enormous, Texas-sized 99-pack of the 5 percent ABV golden ale. Packaged in cardboard, the multi-pack is seven feet long, weighs 82 lbs., and sells for $99 at Austin package stores.

THE EVIL EMPIRE STRIKES

Anheuser-Busch InBev just acquired a small brewery, but not as a means of sneaking into the craft beer party. No, the beer giant’s acquisition of the Czech brewery, Samson, is instead an apparent legal strategy to “strengthen its claim to the trademark name of Budweiser” worldwide, according to CBS News.

Currently, the article adds, A-B InBev is in a global legal battle over the name with Budvar, a brewery based in the same town as Samson, Ceske Budejovice—otherwise known as Budweis.

“[A-B] InBev already owned the parent company of Samson, giving it the right to the name in the Czech Republic alongside Budvar,” according to CBS. “With the deal announced Wednesday, it will also take over Samson’s production, possibly bolstering its legal position when claiming the right to the name in other countries.”
(From Brewbound.com)

Of course, there's no comparison between A-B's Budweiser & Budweiser Budvar..oh wait, there is...Budvar is so much better (I know because I've had it!)

HOW COOL IS THIS?

I do wonder what beer it was...

he sure seems to be enjoying himself...

BEER# 1141

KBC Blueberry Wheat Ale, brewed in Kennebunkport Maine: Well, got this in a sampler pack from World Market and was looking forward to drinking it. I’ve had a few blueberry wheat beers, including a few from Maine (and even here in Florida where blueberry farms are beginning to be the next big thing).

Unfortunately, though I would have liked to recommend this as a beer to search out…no such luck. Of the blueberry beers I’ve had, this was definitely the worst – mostly because there was no discernable blueberry taste to it, and it really wasn’t a very good wheat beer either.

 So, it’s a free country (still) and go ahead and try it if you’d like, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!

BEER #1108

Hop On Or Die DOA IPA, that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?  And an almost overwhelming mouthful of hops, too. One of the strongest IPAs I’ve can remember having, and to top it off, from Mexico! Found it at World Market, attracted to the cool label, and then saw it was from Mexico, so had to try it.

 Hopefully, the brewery (not sure of the name, since what it says on my bottle wasn’t the same name I found on the internet will expand their range of beers available in the U.S.  But, regardless, it was a nice change of pace from the usual Mexican ambers & pilsners that one usually finds in stores & restaurants.

So, if you see one, check it out and let me know what you thought.