Mike Loves Beer

If you aren’t like me you are probably well into your Christmas shopping by this point.  Call me a slacker but I really need time to muster up the strength to go deal with these large crowds of typically unfestive and straight up asshole like people.  And as much as I work online I’ve still never become a full blown online shopper.  I’ll pick up things here and there but typically it’s things that are free shipping or get digitally delivered to me.  But enough about me and on to choosing some gifts for the special beer geek in your life.

Craft beer is growing everyday.  More and more breweries and brewpubs keep popping up all over the country as well.  And if you aspire to do the same you better get started with brewing.  If you are in the South Florida locale like me I would recommend that you head to your local home brew shop and pick up a starter kit.  Or maybe a gift certificate if they are already brewing and just might need some things.  South Florida has AJ’s Beer City in Jupiter, BX Beer Depot in Lake Worth, Funky Buddha Home Brew in Boca Raton and BrewBox in Miami.  You can go in and support a local business to support your brewer.  If you aren’t in South Florida Northern Brewer and Midwest Supplies both have deals going on.

Okay so let’s say your special beer geek is already a home brewer.  But are they are a part of the largest home brew organization in the country?  They aren’t?  Well they can be.  The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) offers 1 year memberships that you can give as a gift.  As a member you will receive a card that gives you the right to discounts at over 500 different breweries, brewpubs and bars all over the United States.  You get a one year subscription to Zymurgy magazine.  And finally you get early access to purchase tickets to the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado and can purchase tickets for the AHA Members Only Session. Head over to their site and you can buy one today.

Okay so your beer geek doesn’t brew and doesn’t want to brew, they just want to drink good beer.  Gotcha.  Well the holidays offers a ton of great items to choose from in great specialty packs.  St. Bernardus, Ommegang and Innis & Gunn each have specialty packs out that include numerous beers and glass.  As a former recipient and owner of the St. Bernardus and and Innis & Gunn packs I can say that they are both awesome and the glasses are really cool.  The Ommegang pack out there has three big 750 ml bottles and a glass.  Great deal in my opinion.  Just check where you like to shop for beer and ask what types of gift boxes they have.

And lastly don’t forget that most breweries have online stores as well.  So if your beer geek just loves a particular brewery be sure to check out their online store and maybe you can find a shirt, hat, tacker or glass that will be perfect for under the tree, in a stocking, next to a Menorah or besides a pole.

Just have fun with it and I can assure you that your beer geek will be happy with your choice.

Name – Grotten Brown
Country – Belgium
Type – Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance – Poured a reddish brown color that was quite bubbly.  Small tan head that was gone very quick.

Smell – Dark fruits like raisins and dates can be pick up with a slightly boozy nose to it as well.

Taste – Dark fruits are there again with a caramel and Belgian sugar sweetness to it.  There is a bit a of a wood like taste to it as well.  Slight alcohol bite at the end but it does not linger.

I was in the mood for a Belgian beer and came across this one.  I have to say I’m a sucker for printed on bottles so this one stuck out at me.  I picked it up not knowing it was a retired brew from St. Bernardus.  It doesn’t say what year it was made on the bottle but I am guessing it is probably already aged one year in the bottle.  Anyone wishing to provide more details on it please do so.  But back to my feelings on it, I really enjoyed it.  A lot of good qualities to it in a nice complex taste.  I know there are a few more bottles at the store so maybe I will pick another up.

Overall Grade – A

Name – St. Bernardus Tripel
Country – Belgium
Type – Tripel

Appearance – Pours a cloudy golden, almost orange color.  Very bubbly with a bubbly white head.

Smell – Yeast smell that I am coming to know as Belgian yeast, some spices and sweet apple.

Taste – Yeast taste is definitely there with hints of apple, honey and other spices.

This was the final one to review in my St. Bernardus 4 pack, I have already previously review Abt 12.  This one was definitely different from all the rest as it had a lighter color than all of the others and a lighter and more crisp taste to it.  I’ve had other beers along this line that were called Belgian Pale Ales before.  But I really did enjoy this and thought it was probably the second best out of the bunch, Abt 12 being the first.

Overall Grade – A-