Mike Loves Beer -

Top 5 Beers at the Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival

February 1, 2011

So I am a few days past due on writing this but better late than never right? So after the festivities of Saturday at Roger Dean Stadium I bring to you my top 5 beers from the Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival.

5. Barrel Aged Double IPA – Big Bear Brewing Co. – To many in South Florida Big Bear is known for their great food with above average brews. But Matt Cox, head brew master at Big Bear, can make some amazing brews as well. Proof to me originally was the Imperial Stout that I had on nitro when I visited there. One that I didn’t get to have was the Barrel Aged Double IPA but sure enough there was a keg of it at the festival. Nice oak characters with a really well balanced IPA made this a delicious choice.

4. Maple Bacon Coffee Porter – Funky Buddha Brewery – I know what you are thinking, “Wait Mike you hate coffee.” Yes I do but this one is so much more than just a coffee beer. The nice sweetness of maple, some coffee bitterness, a hint of smoke and a nice creamy mouth feel. This beer kicked in 15 minutes when it was tapped and people were chanting “Bacon! Bacon!”

3. Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout – Cigar City Brewing – To many this might be number one. This years Hunahpu’s was more chocolaty. It had much more presence of the chili peppers. It is was heavy. It was amazing. A new bottle of this year’s was much more impressive than last year’s when it was new. And that is tough to top. I can’t wait for Hunahpu’s day.

2. Vuja De – Cigar City Brewing/Saint Somewhere Brewing collaboration – Hey look, it’s CCB again. But this time is with a collaboration brew with another Florida brewery, Saint Somewhere. This was an amazing sour red ale. A lot of complexity for such a young sour already. I had a couple glasses of this one.

1. Chocolate Porter – Funky Buddha Brewery – Yes they are back on the list again. While many clamored for the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter I instead couldn’t wait for the debut of their new Chocolate Porter. I assure you I was not let down. I can not wait until this one goes on tap at the brewpub.

Honorable Mentions: Arsenal IPA (Tequesta Brewing Co), So Thank You Music (Funky Buddha Brewery), Yakima Glory on cask (Victory Brewing Co), Asian Saison (Cigar City Brewing) , Anne (Saint Somewhere Brewing), 60 Minute IPA through a Randall (Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales)

I know all those top 5 are all Florida breweries so you can call me a bit of a homer. But to be honest the bigger breweries from outside the state didn’t really bring much rare or special stuff. It was the local smokies that dressed to impress. And impress they did. Congrats to all you Florida breweries that came out and put on a great showing.

Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale

January 27, 2011

/ Beer Review /

1 Comment

Name – Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale
Country – United States
Type – American Pale Ale

I pride myself on holding close ties to the place from which I came. The culture, the sports, the people, they all keep my heart running and dug in to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Much of my family still resides there and I take every opportunity I can to catch a plane to Philly International Airport. Flying in going by the skyline and the powerful Delaware River I know I’m home.

And besides the great time I spend with loved ones and the soft pretzels and the cheesesteaks there is always one thing that I look forward to on these hallowed grounds, the beer. Oh the beer in Philly is something to love. There are more breweries in the Philly area than Tiger Woods mistresses (and I hear there were a lot of those). Beer is part of the culture that is Philadelphia.

Breweries like Victory, Stoudts, Yuengling and Flying Fish call Philadelphia their home market but they are all not in the actual city. While there are not nearly as many breweries in the city as there used to be the ones that are there are making it a point to be known. And that is where today’s beer comes from.

Yards might just be the biggest and most popular of the city breweries that includes Nodding Head, Dock Street, Manayunk and Philadelphia Brewing. Their line of beers can be found all through out the city and the surrounding areas and they hold ties to the city to which they brew for.

I’m drinking Philadelphia Pale Ale for this one. If that name does just say it all about this brewing city then I don’t know what does. I admit I’ve had this beer before and fell in love with it. And I was brought home a couple bottles by my friend Amie on a recent trip up to the City of Brotherly Love. And I knew it was finally time to document this baby right here.

The cap is popped and it pours an extremely clear golden color into my pint glass. There is a pretty good sized white head that sits atop the beer and does dissipate rather quickly. But is does leave a good amount of lacing around the glass as it goes.

The nose is big and bold in pine and citrus hops. I get a bit of a bready quality in there as well some malts to sort of balance things out.

The first sip is just full of a lot of hop flavor. It follows up with some grainy tastes and malt for backbone. Then a nice bitter finish.

While yes I am a sucker for beers brewed int he Philly area I have to say that this is one of my favorite pale ales I have ever had. I said that the first time I had this and I still say it again almost 2 years later.

While it is quite hoppy it has a nice balance to it. And at 4.3% ABV it is very easy to drink and could be your session beer of choice if you wish to go down that path.

It takes a lot courage to name your beer after an entire city, especially one the size of Philadelphia. But I think Yards knew what they had here and took the chance. To me it paid off. This is beer for everyone. It is what I would love to imagine every hard working person in Philly can come home to and have after work. Now I just need to figure out how I can make that happen for me down here in Florida.

Grade – A-

Cigar City and the Bruery Collaboration Label Approved

January 26, 2011

/ Beer News /

2 Comments

The long anticipated collaboration between two of my favorite breweries, Cigar City and the Bruery, is almost ready for it’s release. Two weeks ago the name was announced as Marron Acidifie. Now the label has been approved and revealed along with a description of the beer.

A collaboration between The Bruery and Cigar City Brewing, this Imperial Oud Bruin is layered with aromas of cranberries, tropical fruits, leather and aged balsamic, balanced by wood tannins and roasted malt.

I don’t know about you but I have been just salivating at the mouth reading this. And for over a year this beer has been talked about and is almost ready to be in our hands.

When in Colorado for Great American Beer Festival I had a chance to talk to the Bruery’s Director of Sales and Distribution, Jonas Nemura, and he informed me that California and Florida are the markets that will get priority of the beer as being the locations of the two collaborative breweries. That is great news.

So who else is really excited about this one?