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    Corner Cafe and Brewery 2nd Anniversary Tonight

    November 4, 2010
    / Beer Events /
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    Today a great South Florida beer and food spot turns 2 years old and they intend on celebrating tonight.  Corner Cafe and Brewery in Tequesta, FL is a hidden gem.  Not many people but locals and beer folks know about this place.  But trust me, everyone absolutely should.  The food is amazing and it is coupled with some really good beers made by brewmaster Matt Webster.

    Tonight they will have all of their normal brews on tap along with a few surprises they promise.  The party starts at 6 pm and goes til probably close.  If you are in the area or want to make a trip that is well worth it then you have you head over there.

    Corner Cafe & Brewery
    289 North US Highway One
    Tequesta, Florida  33469
    Phone:  561.743.7619
    http://www.cornercafeandbrewery.com/

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    Midnight Project #3 Oxymoron

    November 3, 2010
    / Beer Review /
    3 Comments

    Name – Midnight Project #3 Oxymoron
    Country – United States
    Type – American Pale Lager

    People in the craft beer community rant and rave about collaborations between breweries.  I review one recently that was a gigantic hype machine around the collaboration.  Now this particular collaboration is slightly different in that it happens more often than just once.

    Every year Left Hand and Terrapin get together for what they call the Midnight Project series.  Last year their espresso milk stout called Depth Charge was a smash hit with many.  This year they decided to do something a little different.

    They brewed and IPA but used a lager yeast instead of an ale yeast.  So we have hear a bottom fermented IPL I guess you could say.  So how was it you might ask.  Let us see.

    It pours into my pint glass a very clear orangish/amber color.  There is a decent slightly off white head that does leave some lacing on the glass as it dissipates.

    Woah the nose is very floral.  Kind of like being in nursery surrounded by tons and tons of pollen.  I was thinking my allergies were going to start acting up.  I get some hints of caramel sweetness in there as well.

    So the first sip.  Is it good?  In a word.  No.  The floral taste in this was so strong I might as well blend up dandelions and throw them in water with some hops and call it a day.  The bitterness in this is so intense I think I had a layer of plaque and enamel removed from my teeth.  And it wasn’t necessarily hop bitterness but that floral and an earthy taste just irked me.

    I’ll admit I had this on draft at Left Hand’s tasting room last month and thought it was good.  But to be fair I was sampling a lot of beers in that sitting.  Also since this was a bottle compared to a fresh keg there may have been something there.

    A few people mentioned on Twitter last night how they did not like this beer at all.  And they eagerly awaited my weighing in on the subject.  Well folks, I hope you have more room on your boat for me.

    Sorry Left Hand and Terrapin.  I love you guys and you make some good stuff but this one was just not my cup of tea.  Interesting idea but I look forward to what you do next year.

    Grade – D

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    Odd Notion Fall ’10

    November 2, 2010
    / Beer Review /
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    Name – Odd Notion Fall ’10
    Country – United States
    Type – Witbier

    My brother can be quite the sucker for beers that are a novelty or have some sort of gimmicky name or label.  Sometimes he finds some hits like Skull Splitter but a lot of times is a miss.  I try not to buy into the novelties but sometimes I stumble.

    I found myself buying into a novelty when I bought the Magic Hat Night of the Living Dead variety pack.  I was just strolling down the beer aisle in Publix while getting some dinner when I saw it.  With George Romero’s original zombie classic stamped on the case I was hooked.

    People tend to be downers on Magic Hat saying they make less than stellar beers.  I like to think that they make great gateway beers.  They may not be as big and bold for a regular craft drinker but they are different enough from your everyday swill to maybe catch a few macro converts.

    Today’s review is on the Odd Notion from this pack.  The Odd Notion beer is only available in the variety packs and it’s recipe changes each season.  This one is being called a Green Apple Wit.

    It pours into my pint glass an amazingly clear golden yellow color.  A nice looking white head tops off the brew but is gone pretty quickly.

    In the nose I am definitely getting granny smith apples in there.  There is also a very sweet bubble gum scent I am getting.  A definite yeast quality can also be smelt in here as well.

    On the first sip I am hit with the yeast taste immediately.  It also seems to stay with you throughout the taste.  It then has an apple taste to it as well and then there is really nothing.  The flavors come and go pretty quickly.

    The body of this is quite light and it is crisp and refreshing.  I’m guessing their idea here was to go with something apple like without making a cider for the fall.

    All in all I think it was an interesting concept for a beer but the hit and run of the flavor just leaves with a whole lot to be desired.  I guess it is an acceptable session beer at 4.5% and the ladies might like it as well.  It just wasn’t really my cup of apple cider.

    Grade – C

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