Turbo Shandy: Not To Be Confused With Spoiler Shandy

 During the summer, a shandy is always a great fruit beer choice. For awhile now I have been a fan of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, but now I might have a new favorite of that type: Hoppin' Frog's Turbo Shandy.

I was rather surprised to find out that this beer has an ABV of 7.0%. Shandys (shandies?) tend to be light on the alcohol content, mostly between 0.9% and 4.2%. What's even more surprising is that you really cannot taste the higher alcohol content in Turbo Shandy.

Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale
Brewery: Hoppin' Frog
Country: USA (Ohio)
Style: Shandy
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 7.3
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: n/a

Appearance: Pale golden yellow color. Light fizzy head that dissipated rapidly , very little carbonation.

Aroma: Smelled a lot like a citrus fruit cocktail. No noticeable smell of the alcohol.

Taste: Initially a sweetened lemonade taste, with a light malty aftertaste. Just a slight tartness to it, but not enough to make it sour. Very refreshing. Although Turbo Shandy is 7.0%, the alcohol is not very detectable on the tongue. Extremely drinkable, no doubts about that - which can be something to watch out for, given it's high ABV!

Overall, I would not say this is a spectacular beer. However, as far as a shandy goes, Hoppin' Frog Turbo Shandy is high up on the list.

You Got a Purdy Beer There, Boy

I recently stumbled upon this video one evening, and I must say I really want to try some of the beers this company makes.


Atlanta Brewing Company from 22squared on Vimeo.

According to their website, in the spring of 2010 Atlanta Brewing Co. was rebranded as Red Brick Brewing Co. to match the name on their main beers and to avoid confusion in the market. A rather small market, to be precise - their beer is only distributed in the southern states of Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. This is rather unfortunate, as there seems to be growing interest across the US.

So anyone who is planning a trip down south, let me know - I have a few things for you to pick up while you are down there!

Cali-Belwhat

Since they started distribution in the Chicagoland area a few months ago, Stone Brewing has really grown on me. Finnegan's Irish Pub used to have 30 different beers by Stone on tap, so I got to try a rather large selection of their line-up, including rare beers that have been cellared for the past few years. Plenty of them stood out, like their Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean, El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale, and the Cali-Belgique Belgian-Style IPA.

One great quality of IPA's are their ability to balance out rich, creamy, fatty, and greasy foods with their crisp refreshing bitterness. That is what helps to make them a great choice for a summer drink. Back when it was on tap at Finnegan's, I had a glass of Cali-Belgique with a plate of onion rings. By themselves, the two has really opposing tastes - Cali-Belgique with its floral and citrus bitterness, and the onion rings with their greasy and saltiness. However after a few rings, the beer seemed different - not as bitter, but instead creamy and drinkable, while still retaining a light citrus flavor. A very good pairing I think.

Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA (California)
Style: Belgian-Style IPA
ABV: 6.90
IBUs: 77
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: (unknown at the moment, bottle was a gift. Will edit as soon as I know)

Apperance: Hazy golden orange. Creamy and lasting head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Very fragrant and floral with a nice citrus hoppiness.

Taste: Strong notes of orange citrus and pine bitterness, as well as spices. Decent carbonation, and a nice hint of sweetness in the aftertaste that was not expected with an IPA but helps to balance out the hoppy bitterness. Leaves a smooth coated feeling in your mouth.

This is another fine brew by Stone that I would recommend to anyone that likes bitter beers. Cali-Belgique also currently stands as one of my favorite IPAs to have with a meal. It balances very well with anything that has a nice creamy or rich taste to it.

You can still find Cali-Belgique at Binny's I believe - it has been awhile since I looked for it though.

An Ice-Cold Bitch

It's summer, and not much is better than sitting on your deck after a long day of work and enjoying a nice India Pale Ale. Flying Dog's Raging Bitch, a Belgian-Style IPA, is perfect for this activity. Not only is this a strong, crisp, and refreshing IPA, but it is also Flying Dog's 20th Anniversary brew. According to Flying Dog's website:

"Bitches come in a variety of forms, but there's never been something as sassy as Flying Dog's Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. An American IPA augmented with Belgian yeast, our 20th anniversary beer jumps out of the glass and nips at your taste buds with its delicate hop bitterness. At 8.3% ABV, this bitch is dangerously drinkable."

Raging Bitch
Brewery: Flying Dog
Country: USA (Maryland) 
Style: Belgian-Style IPA
ABV: 8.3%
IBUs: 60
Cost: $10 / 6pk (12oz bottles)

Appearance: Raging Bitch has a nice light golden copper color, and holds a thick head when poured well. Left a nice lacing that lasted even after I finished the beer, and persisted to stick for awhile as a constant reminder that I should clean out my glassware in a more timely fashion.

Aroma: Hoppy and slightly fruity. The high amount of hops give it a strong and fragrant aroma.

Taste: Crisp and refreshing. A nice mix of hoppy bitterness with noticeable fruits. I couldn't quite pick them all out, but I did notice hints of pear, grapefruit, and orange.

Drinkability: Even at a strong 8.3%, their website tells it like it is - this is a dangerously drinkable bitch. I was honestly surprised by the ABV, as it is hard to taste the alcohol in this beer. I expected it to be somewhere between 4 and 5 percent. Raging Bitch goes down smooth, and is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

I highly recommend trying Flying Dog's Raging Bitch. Right now it stands as one of my top IPAs, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm curious to see what foods this would pair well with.

Hey an Anniversary or Something

One year ago today, I stepped into a local pub and ordered my first real craft beer.

 It was Kwak, which admittedly I ordered simply because of the glass it is served in. I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor at the time - as it was much more intense than the coors lite, guiness, and blue moon I was used to having. However, over time my taste for more flavorful beers grew and I began trying more and more unique brews.

What have I done since then? Tried many different beers from many different American and European craft breweries, discovered great beer and food pairings, learned proper pouring methods, found out which glassware enhances which types of beer, attended a few beer tastings, became interested in home brewing, and much much more. It really is an interesting culture that is growing and becoming more and more popular with my generation. Now, I know not everyone knows that there is more to beer than light lager, and can actually stand up against wine when it comes to flavors, aromas, and types. If you want to break past that light lager stereotype, and educate yourself on the world of beer, there are a few links you should take a look at on BeerAdvocate.

Beer Styles
Of course, you should read this one. Learn more about what you are drinking. Each link leads to a list of all reviewed beers that fall under that style.

Proper Glassware
Guess what - beer shouldn't always get poured into a pint glass or mug. Different styles become enhanced with different glassware. (I should probably post a picture of my glass collection sometime in the future to show how varied each type can be)

Perfect Pouring
Yes, there is a correct method to pouring beer into a glass from a bottle or can.

Freshness
Beer may last for a long time, and can even be cellared for a few years - under correct conditions, that is. Make sure the beer you are buying is kept at its freshest.

Skunking
Going along with freshness is knowing when your beer has become "skunked". Learn more at that link.

History of American Beer
A timeline showing the evolution of the beer market in America. Not the most in depth, but it gives a good overview of the history of brewing in the states.

I am still learning a lot myself, even a year in to this culture. Now that you newbies out there have some reading material, why not pop open a beer and learn a bit?

Bourbon County Coffee Stout

 This picture is about as blurry as I felt after drinking it

Let me start by saying I'm not a huge fan of Bourbon County Stout.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking such outrageous things like "heresy!" or "blasphemy!" or even "I kinda agree I guess". Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable, but lets just say its not the first thing on my shopping list. If I am going to drink some, I can't have more than a few ounces before I lose my taste for it. It just doesn't have much drinkability.

Bourbon County Coffee Stout, on the contrary, was phenominal.

To be honest, it wasn't much like a Bourbon County, it was more like a coffee stout with a touch of Bourbon County Stout thrown in it. There were hints of the BCS taste, but overall it was a different beer. First off, it smelled a lot like coffee beans. The aroma was really pleasing. No noticeable bitterness to it, so I can only assume it was really low in IBUs. It had a very creamy, malty, coffee taste.

I really can't think of anything else to really say about it. Try it, if you can. It is a specialty from Goose Island, and is pretty hard to find. You can buy a 22oz bottle from the Goose Island Brewpub for the low low price of $30. Or, you can just go to Binny's and buy it for $12.99(reportedly, at least). Assuming you can find it, that is. The Plainfield Binny's sold out on Dark Lord Day. I guess you could call this Goose Island's Dark Lord. It sure seemed to be just about as popular.

Dark Lord Day 2010

Yesterday was Dark Lord Day over at the Three Floyds brewery in Munster, Indiana. For those who don't know - and if you like craft beer, I'd be surprised if you didn't - Dark Lord Day is the only day of the year that you can purchase Dark Lord, Three Floyds' take on a Russian Imperial Stout. The only way to purchase Dark Lord is if you have a golden ticket. Each ticket was $10 (proceeds going to charity), and grants you access to purchasing a limited quantity of bottles per ticket. 2 ticket limit per person, 4 per household. Unfortunately I was only able to snag a ticket for myself and a friend before they sold out (which was in under an hour) as the server was being bombarded by thousands of people trying to purchase tickets.

The golden ticket. Notice the 3floyds logo made of orthodox crosses in the top left. METAL

We ended up getting there at 12:30 PM - much later than planned, but my friend decided to sleep in. Although we had plenty of time to get the Dark Lord, by the time we got in to the brewery they had lowered their bottle limit from 4 to 3 per ticket due to them 'running low'. I really want to know how they ran low when they don't set the limit until they know how many bottles the batch is going to yield (by then knowing how many tickets they sold), but that's just me being pissed off and knowing how to do basic math I guess. They did have some bottles of 2009 Dark Lord for sale as well, so that made things a little better. I ended up with 2 bottles of 2010 and 1 bottle of 2009, all of which are now being cellared. Probably going to open a 2010 and the 2009 in a year, and the other 2010 in two years. That is, if I don't get too thirsty before then.

Apparently this year's Dark Lord is 15% ABV. Previous vintages are 13% ABV. Hoping that cellaring it will take away a bit of the taste of the alcohol and bring out more flavors. Some people who reviewed 2009's DL claimed that it tasted too sugary with a lot of soy, but after having some of my friend's 2009 this year I can say that the soy flavor is not as bold over time.

"It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black." 

(And now I sit here wondering if using my camera flash skunked all the bottles.)

This picture doesn't even begin to show the vast horde of people who were there.

This man put his arm around me in a loving manner and whispered a slurred message about giving away free beer to people and waiting for someone to return the favor. He smelled like an old cheeseburger.

So... close... so thirsty...

While standing in line I did get to try a sample of this year's Dark Lord. I can see why people come from all across the country for this stout, but at the same time the hype and rarity play a rather large role in that. It is very sweet - something I didn't expect for a stout (I tend to expect bitter when I have a stout beer). Definite notes of chocolate, molasses, prune, and some coffee. With each sip I noticed something new. It covers the mouth with a slick and sweet coating, and had the nasty surprise of staining my lips and a bit of my beard. This beer is also VERY thick, and swirling it around will turn your glass brown. It seriously looks like engine oil. Tasty, tasty oil. It is going to be hard to hold off drinking a bottle right away.

I can see where some of the critique about the event not being the best planned comes from. There were lines that started at random points that stretched long distances - but ultimately led nowhere. While standing in one of these lines - in which everyone said led to the spot where you could purchase Dark Lord - my friend went to look ahead and found that it led to a group of people just mingling around in the parking lot. There were at least 3 lines like this full of people.

I did not get to stay very long, as I had to leave for downtown Chicago to drop off some of my artwork that I am hanging in a gallery that premieres May 8th. Reception runs from 5-9pm at the Flat Iron Building (corner of Milwaukee and North) AND has an open bar. Shameless plug etc etc etc.

If you are looking to get a bottle, you can find some on ebay now for about $40 each. Blah.

And one last thing - at the time of writing this post, Dark Lord had 666 reviews on BeerAdvocate. How fitting!

Most. Metal. Beer. Ever.

Chicago Just Got Stoned

Finally, we are worthy.

Stone Brewing Co. - from San Diego, CA - began distribution to the Chicagoland area on April 1st. Stone Week, as the series of 34 planned events in Chicago and its suburbs has been called, will last until April 9th. Don't worry about the limited event dates - Stone beer will still be around for a long time!

Dale (left) and Pam Lewis (right) , owners of Finnegan's, with Greg Koch (center) from Stone Brewing Co.

Finnegan's Irish Pub, out here in wonderful Plainfield, IL, hosted an event on April 3rd boasting not only 30 different Stone beers on tap, but also a personal visit from the owner of Stone Brewing Co, Greg Koch. He is a pretty cool guy, and he signed an Arrogant Bastard pint glass for me - which can never be touched or even looked at, as that apparently will cause his signature to flake off. On top of the bookshelf you go, little glass!

 Russian Imperial Stout Flight. From Left to Right: '09, '08 Bourbon, '07, '06, '05

Having the largest selection of Stone beer on tap out of all 34 events is quite a feat. Here is the complete list of what was available - most of which still is, but only for a limited time:

• 07.07.07, 08.08.08, and 09.09.09 Vertical Epic
• 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Bourbon, and 2009 Imperial Russian Stout
• 2010, Oak Aged, and Dry Hopped Arrogant Bastard
• 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 Double Bastard Ale
• 13th Anniversary Ale
• 2009 Old Guardian Barley Wine
• Smoked Porter
• Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean
• Sublimely Self-Righteous
• El Camino (Un) Real Black Ale *(Of which only two kegs were shipped to Chicago.)
• Stone/BrewDog Bashah
• Double Dry Hopped IPA
• Cali-Begique IPA
• Pale Ale
• Levitation Ale
• IPA
• Ruination IPA

 Main level taps

 2nd section of the main level taps

 Upstairs tap selection

My two big favorites were the Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean, and the Cali-Begique IPA. The porter is a great dessert / finisher beer. Words can barely describe how wonderful it tastes. So far, it is the only one that Finnegan's is out of, and I can see why. Goes great in a float. The Cali-Begique is a very tasty Belgian style IPA, and pairs well with food. I was blown away by it. Both are definitely repeats.

And to finish things off, here was the menu from that night:

Flight and Food Pairing Menu

Cheers.

You Sunk Mein Battleship!

Why not kick off the blog with one of the most interesting beers out there?

About a week ago I had the opportunity to try BrewDog’s Sink The Bismarck!. For those playing the home game, it currently holds the record for the highest ABV beer in the world. Sink The Bismarck! was created to counter German brewer Schorschbräu’s 40% ABV Schorschbock, brewed in response to BrewDog’s earlier record holder for the world’s strongest beer—Tactical Nuclear Penguin, a stout weighing in at 32% ABV.

Promo Video from the BrewDog website:

There is such a high demand for this beer that the next batch, which will be ready on April 15th, will be filling orders that were placed early March.

Although I’d hate to review a beer from a week ago, as my memory of it is not as fresh, I doubt I will have a chance to try this again anytime soon.


Sink The Bismarck!
Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland
Style: Quadruple IPA
ABV: 41%
IBUs: Unknown
Cost: £40.00 per 330ml bottle ($60 per 11.15 oz bottle)

Appearance: Filtered, clear copper color. I do not recall seeing any head after it was poured. No carbonation.

Taste: Initial taste is rather sweet. Then, the flavor became intensively hoppy, but not as bitter as you would think. You can taste the alcohol (after all, it is 41%), but it isn’t anything close to as strong as expected. I thought it would be like drinking whisky, but it was much smoother and had more of a noticeable taste than hard liquors.

Mouthfeel: Slightly oily.

Drinkability: Very drinkable, in very small quantities of course. Not recommended on an empty stomach, as you will feel it sitting in your belly, burning away at you.

BeerAdvocate Rating: A+
My Rating: A. Not something I would buy regularly, even if it was affordable, but it was very good and would be an occasional repeat.

Oh Hello There

Hello there, Internet! Welcome to It's Never Miller Time, a blog about beer for people who love beer by a man who loves beer.

Here you will find information about different beers from domestic and foreign craft breweries, personal reviews of craft beers, beer news, and any other beer-related topics. I am open to suggestions, so if you want to see something posted on here, or have some critique, please send it my way.

Cheers.