Holding to the schedule of having all of the Tweetups going forward on the first Wednesday of each month, we are very close to the next one at the Celebration Town Tavern for the month of July.  One week from today, on Wednesday July 7^th starting at (about) 6:00 will be the next event.

The fans and misters will be going strong assuming that the weather will be much like what it has been in recent days.  Then again, maybe there will be a nice afternoon shower to take care of some of that humidity for us.  On top of the temperature comfort provided, it is always my intent here to give some additional incentive to be there.  For those of you who have not yet joined us keep on reading, but for those of you that have been with us in the past, you can just skip down to the list you are looking for!

These are your friends

For the folks attending the Tweetup at 6:00 that evening there will, as always, be some good beer to sample.  The entire Beer Club (with its relatively recent additions) and draft list will be available as usual, but there is yet another special opportunity to sample a few beers not typically on either list at CTT.  With the awesome folks of The Brew Crew continuing to be on board for the occasions, each person coming to this Tweetup will be given a flight of four beers to sample.  After tasting all four, everyone will vote on the beer that they enjoyed the most and more specifically for the beer that they would order on their own if they were to visit again.  The winner of this vote will be added to the draft selection at Celebration Town Tavern for the month.

If any of you did not hear what beer won the vote last month and is currently occupying the “Micro of the Month” tap handle, you can check it out here so you know what we will be replacing.

Come out and enjoy the scenery

Announcing the beers that will be offered at the Tweetups that will compete for the “Micro of the Month” is always the favorite part of this announcement for me.  In June we had the first ever seasonal battle and for this month we are appropriately going with a bit of a red, white, and blue theme.

Without further delay, the four beers and styles this month will be:

• Summit Horizon Red Ale (St. Paul, MN) – American Amber Ale
• Avery White Rascal (Boulder, CO) – Witbier
• Southampton Double White Ale (Southampton, NY) – Witbier
• Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale (Longmont, CO) – American Pale Ale

Some of you might think your eyes are failing you, but the White Rascal is indeed returning for another shot at the title.  Where the first three on the list might have a more obvious relationship to the theme, the Dale’s Pale Ale works in a different way.  Any of you that know what the can that it comes in looks like will understand that it belongs as well.

Your flight will be waiting for you

Unfortunately, once again I will not be able to make the event this month so I will be anxious to hear from some of you about your impressions of the beers.  Be sure to let me know what your thoughts were.

Mark your calendars for July 7^th!

The method for choosing the beers that I drink during each visit to the Celebration Town Tavern is going to have to change.  Again I asked for numbers from The Wife, but after arriving and looking at the list I quickly realized that each of the numbers I had were for beers already sampled from the list.  Then I called her for more numbers only to have 5 of the 8 new numbers among those I have already crossed off.  So as I approach the halfway point the tactic of using random numbers may need to evolve into another method.  That will be something for me to think about before making my next visit.

Good beer plus World Cup equals good times.

Even among the few numbers given to me that were not already used, there was conflict.  After seeing that the number 31 that The Wife gave me was not crossed off, but was for a Heineken that I have already reviewed, I had to adjust a bit.  With the newer beers inserted into the list and the numbers being shifted that type of thing happens.  So I simply dropped to number 30 to start our afternoon with a Harpoon UFO.

The UFO Hefeweizen poured an orange, honey-like color with a creamy white head that had good retention and a nice laced trail.  The aroma was lightly sweet and grainy (wheat) which was almost exactly reflected in the flavor.  There was some dryness at the finish, but it was easy drinking without much in the way of overall character.

Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen

It is not often that Bill and I differ greatly on our opinion of the beers we are sampling for the day and this was no different as we each settled on a grade of 3.  There was nothing bad about the beer, though there was not anything special about it either.  It is a nice beer that would go down well in the hot summer weather (we were at the inside bar on this day).  As is my opinion with most wheat beers, I think it would go nicely with lightly dressed salads or milder flavored chicken dishes.

As we were finishing up our UFOs Bill Bona slid into the seat next to us and ordered a round of Lindemans Framboise for the three of us.  Not having tried this one in some time and being able to cross off number 17 (now Coors Light after number shift) in its place meant that there was no way I was going to argue with the owner’s decision on this one.

Lindemans Framboise

As you might expect from the name, this one pours a deep reddish color with a big, bold raspberry aroma having strong sugary sweet notes.  The flavor starts quite sweet up front with some slightly tart raspberry sweetness, then follows with some straw/barnyardy notes that lead into a crisp finish with good lingering berry flavors.  The mouthfeel is quite champagne like with the carbonation that it has.

Berry goodness

The initially strong sweetness softens quite nicely after the first few sips, leaving a very enjoyable beer that I gave a grade of 4 and Bill a grade of 3.5.  If I was able to pair this one with a really nice piece of chocolate cake or some other chocolate based dessert my grade would likely be even higher.  I also think a dessert incorporating fresh berries would be a really nice pairing.

To round out an odd group of three beers for the day we took the number 4 (Amstel Light) from The Wife and morphed it into a number 6 and an Oaked Arrogant Bastard.  Neither option was a great one to follow the Framboise, but I did not want to back down the flavor ladder to close the afternoon. 

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

The Oaked Arrogant Bastard poured a dark brown color and a thick, frothy head that held well and leaves a heavy trail.  The aroma had some even floral and slightly citrusy hop notes with some low sugary malt undertones, but I did not pick up too much in the way of woodiness.  The flavor brought some smooth bitterness up front with some underlying earthy, slightly woody maltiness that gets better as the glass empties.  The finish is somewhat dry with hint of lingering bitterness.

This was a difficult transition to make for my palate and perhaps I will have to revisit this one again when I am not leading into it with such an intensely fruity beer.  Even with that I settled on a grade in the area of a 4 (as did Bill), which is likely in the ballpark since I am such a fan of the unoaked/regular version.  This beer would hold up pretty well against some nicely grilled red meat and the bitterness would also play well with some bigger flavored cheeses.

A closer look.

Now the time has come for a few closing remarks.  Again a big thank you goes to The Wife for picking the numbers that led us in the direction of our beers even though we ultimately moved from a few the given numbers.  Also there is a thank you to Rich for being on top of what beer he was pouring for us.  He gently rolled the bottle of Harpoon UFO before opening to ensure that the goodness at the bottom of the bottle of Hefeweizen was properly roused before pouring.  That was very much appreciated.

For those keeping track, that is now 44 down and 55 to go! 

Stay tuned . . .

There were thoughts of going in without any numbers for my latest visit to Celebration Town Tavern, just to see what would happen in that scenario.  At the last moment I figured that a bit of back up would be a good idea and thanks to some numbers given to me by The Wife, my plan of attack for the afternoon took shape pretty quickly.  It was a good thing because seeing Rich behind the indoor bar was enough of a curve ball for the day.

So the first number chosen by The Wife was number 77.  When looking at that I noticed wheat (based) ales on either side.  So using the inspiration of number 77 I decided to do a side by side of Sam Adams Coastal Wheat (number 76) and Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (number 78).  In my mind directly comparing two beers of similar style, by the same brewery, and at the same price point ($4 dollars) made perfect sense.

Brothers in wheat

The Coastal Wheat poured a golden, honey-like color, had a good frothy head, and left a laced trail.  The aroma was a bit sweet (again honey-like) with some light graininess/breadiness and some citrus.  The mouthfeel was nicely smooth with a light lemony flavor that builds on your palate the more you drink (not in a good way for me).  The lemon flavor makes the finish a bit harsh and lingering especially after it warms some.

The Cherry Wheat was a golden to amber color, having a thick, off-white head that left a good trail.  There was a prominent cherry sweetness in the aroma.  The flavor had light sweetness up front following with some pretty strong notes of cherry then closing with a bit of dryness/astringency at the finish.

Colors and aromas given them away.

I did not exactly care for the either of the two and my reasons were similar.  The lemon flavor in the Coastal Wheat builds on my palate in a way where it starts to morph into an almost Lysol-like flavor (or what I would imagine it to taste like).  When it is quite cold that stays in check, but the second half of the glass is never ice cold.  The Cherry Wheat simply has too much cherry flavor for my liking.  Of course I realize that it is a fruit beer, but as much cherry as it has it starts to remind me of cough syrup taken as a child.  In the end neither are bad beers, but I would not order either again so I gave them matching grades of 2.5 with Coastal Wheat having a very slight edge.  Bill’s opinion was only slightly different, giving the Coastal Wheat a 2.5 and the Cherry Wheat a 2.  Either beer would be fine accompanying a salad (without a really pungent dressing).  Aside from that I think the Coastal Wheat could work when paired with a light chicken dish and the Cherry Wheat might be nice with desserts incorporating berries or chocolate.

Using the given number 91 we made a big jump in style to the only porter currently on the list.  I had actually already crossed off 91, but the newly added beers jumbled the numbers and it was again something I had yet to drink.  It did not take long for me to take the Smuttynose Robust Porter now at that number and cross off number 16 (Budweiser) in its place.  Sorry to those of you waiting for the Bud review!

In my porter excitment I overpoured!

The Smuttynose poured an extremely dark brown (essentially black) and had a thick, light brown head that held well with a nice laced trail.  The aroma was nose filling with deep roasted malt and lightly smoky notes.  The body was medium (to full) and the mouthfeel was very smooth with deep roasted flavors up front, following with some roasted bitterness and a bit of coffee character with a slightly dry finish.

A closer look at my mess.

This is a really full flavored beer and I think a good value at the $5 price.  We both really enjoyed it with Bill giving a grade of 4 and me hovering somewhere between 4 and (more likely) a 4.5.  Either way this is a very solid beer.  Though I don’t always immediately think of a food pairing while I drink beer, I almost instantly wrote down “BBQ” in big letters.  At the very least this one would be great with red meat, though preferably something that had a bit of smoke put to it.

To close the day we went off the list of provided numbers and revisited number 1.  It was (I believe) the very first beer that I crossed of the list, but it had a new occupant with the addition of the new beers.  Having caught my eye, I went ahead and chose number 1 and a 400 Pound Monkey while crossing off number 19 and a Corona Light.  Again it was a very good switch for me.

Beware of large animals!

It poured a medium coppery amber color with a slight white head.  The aroma was lightly sweet and had a bit of an earthy nose, blowing its cover as an English IPA.  The flavor had a good, light caramelly malt background with some low hoppy bitterness and a peaty/earthy character.  The flavor and mouthfeel had a bit of a bready quality, being smooth with a slightly chewy wheat-like character.  The finish was very slightly dry with a bit of lingering.

Behind the glare is some nice artwork.

This was the biggest gap in our grading for the day as Bill gave it a solid 4 and I landed on a 3.  Not a bad beer at all and I could be convinced of a higher grade, but I think my palate tends to lean towards the flavors of American IPAs rather than their European cousins.  Regardless, I think this one would pair nicely with most any sandwich with the malt profile playing nicely against the bread and the carbonation and bitterness working well with the meat.  Roasted meats would not be a bad way to go either.

As has become my habit, I will end with a few closing remarks.  First, a big thank you goes to The Wife for picking the numbers that led us in the direction of some good beers and a few new to me.  Second (and I suppose lastly), thanks to Rich for again hanging out with us and indulging our usual discussions of beer and sports.

For those keeping track, that is now 41 down and 58 to go! 

Stay tuned . . .

The weather here has been getting warmer and more humid each and every day, so I was very much looking forward to some refreshing beer on Wednesday evening at Celebration Town Tavern.  Even with the fans and misters going on the outdoor patio area, it was still pretty darn hot and sticky.  Then again, I probably should have sat myself directly under one of the misters.  However, chatting about beer with @willspot, @atmybar, @bbhart, @icejunkies, and @towntavern made time quite enjoyable despite the heat. 

The misters are your friends

One of the contenders had to be pulled from the competition at the last minute, so Dogfish’s Festina Peche was replaced with Blue Moon’s Honey Moon Summer Ale.  Quickly moving past my opinion that it does not qualify as a craft beer to be included in this month’s vote, the final roll call for the event was:

• Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager (Chico, CA) – Czech Pilsener
• Sam Adams Summer Ale (Boston, MA) – American Pale Wheat Ale
• Brooklyn Summer Ale (Brooklyn, NY) – English Pale Ale
• Honey Moon Summer Ale (Golden, CO) – American Pale Wheat Ale

A view of the contenders

 After taking in the aromas and flavors of each, my short notes went something like this: 

• Sierra Nevada Summerfest – Not much overall aroma (clean) and a pretty bitter/hoppy pilsner flavor.  Quite refreshing though.
• Sam Adams Summer Ale – Lightly sweet and citrusy aroma.  Wheat is obvious in the body with some spice and fairly strong notes of lemon.
• Brooklyn Summer Ale – Some resiny/floral hop notes and breadiness in the aroma.  Flavors are smooth with some nice earthy hop flavors and good malt undertones.
• Honey Moon Summer Ale – Lightly sweet aroma with smooth sweetness and crisp carbonation on the palate.  The honey does come through in the flavor.

So after that are there any predictions as to what my vote and final order of the four was?  No need to build suspense, so without further delay my vote was: 

1. Brooklyn Summer Ale – most well balanced flavors of the four.
2. Sierra Nevada Summerfest – bitterness became thirst quenching
3. Sam Adams Summer Ale – lemon flavor was too much for me
4. Honey Moon Summer Ale – just not much of anything there for flavor

The interesting thing for me with this vote was that had I put them in order after my first taste of each, it would have been the exact opposite of what it turned out to be.  As the beers warmed some, the hop characters of the Brooklyn opened up and smoothed out nicely whereas the lack of substance in the Honey Moon became more obvious when not ice cold. 

Remember which was which?

As always though, I am only one vote among the many that attend the monthly Tweetups at CTT.  After all of the votes were tallied it was a very close race between two of them.  Drum roll, please.  The winner and new resident of the “Micro of the Month” tap handle is Brooklyn Summer Ale!  It narrowly beat out Honey Moon Summer Ale to win the battle of the summer seasonals. 

Be sure to stay tuned to find out what the lineup of beers will be for the Tweetup  next month looking to take Brooklyn Summer Ale’s spot!

After having a good group of beers last week, I was glad to have some numbers left over from those same Twitter people to go with again this time.  They seemed to have some good number picking mojo going and with a few other numbers written down as backup I figured we would have another nice group of brews this week. 

Before moving along I must remind you all that the next Tweetup at Celebration Town Tavern is one week from today.  Check out the beers that will be up for “Micro of the Month” election this time and I will see you there! 

Though it was a bit hot that day, Bill and I settled in at the outside bar with Rich and the misting fans.  Being in the shade with the misters and having a bit of a breeze made for a comfortable beer drinking environment.  

Wanting to start the afternoon with something different, we split a Schaefer (number 85 via @GRPasswater).  It was certainly a new beer for me as I don’t remember even being in the same room as a can of it before.  However, I was a bit hesitant to drink it after Rich wouldn’t look directly at the can as he placed it in front of us as if it was his kryptonite.  It poured a pale yellow color with a bit of sharpness and light graininess in the aroma.  Though there was a slight sharpness at the finish, there was not much in the way of flavor overall.  The good thing is that there were no harsh or off putting flavors either. 

Something new for me.

This beer (as is the case with all of this style) is best very cold, though it does not go downhill much as it warms.  Since I would drink this one (at $3) over say a Heineken or a Bud, I settled on a 2.5 for a final grade, as did Bill (though I may have talked him into that).  I said at the time that it would make for good beer pong fodder and I think that is a pretty accurate description.  Since it is very light and crisp I would say this can pair with your typical fried or spicy bar food like onion rings or chicken wings.  With that said, if I were to pair a beer with food I would go for something that brought some more flavor of its own to the table. 

Claim to fame?

Since we had a few pale ales among the numbers to choose from we decided to do a side by side comparison for our next beers.  The competitors would be a Lagunitas Pale Ale (via number 44 from my new favorite running back) and a Sam Adams Pale Ale (via number 83 from @word_czar).  Since the numbers shifted a bit with the newly added beers I actually crossed off number 51 (Michelob Ultra) for the Lagunitas, which seemed like a good trade for me.  The Lagunitas Pale Ale is a $5 beer and the Sam Adams a $4, so that was something to consider as we evaluated them. 

The two beers poured an almost identical golden color with maybe a hint of orange.  That is pretty much where the similarities ended.  In taking in the (hop) aromas of each it became apparent that we had an American Pale Ale in one hand (Lagunitas) and an English Pale Ale in the other (Sam Adams).

The contenders at the weigh in.

The Lagunitas had a very bold, bright citrusy, slightly floral hop aroma with a light sweetness in back.  The flavor led with a big hoppy (somewhat resinous) bite up front that fades to a pretty dry finish with a good amount of bitterness still present.  It did seem very IPA-like, though it did not bring much in the way of malt character to balance out the equation. 

The aroma of the Sam Adams was a bit flat and earthy with a faint malty sweetness underneath.  The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy and it has an even malty flavor that leads into some bitterness toward the finish.  Though it does not bring a ton of flavor to the table (especially when compared to the Lagunitas), is does have a nice balance of components. 

The grades for the two were very close, but for completely different reasons.  You really have to be in the mood for some big, hoppy bite if you go with the Lagunitas (though the edge come off a bit as it warms) and the Sam Adams is the more drinkable option of the two.  With that Bill gave the Lagunitas a 3 and the Sam Adams a 3.5.  Though there are better options on the list, I would drink them both again and gave them both a 3.  If necessary I would give the Sam Adams the edge (toward a 3.5) since I could have a few without ravaging my palate.  In pairing food with the two, I would go with the spicier foods for the Lagunitas and probably couple the Sam Adams with some nicely grilled meat (steak or pork). 

Also had dueling head retention.

Last up was a Hercules Double IPA (number 33) via @willspot.  This was a beer that was saved specifically to close an afternoon/evening visit with.  With the big flavors and 10% ABV, this one would have been hard to follow with anything else.  It poured a deep coppery amber color and I could actually smell some of the aroma at arm’s length as I poured it into the glass.  The aroma was (surprisingly) malty overall without much in the way of hoppy characters.  It was a bit sweet and caramelly with what seemed to be a slightly smoky note in back.  The hop bitterness is even from start to finish, but it is well supported by a nice (somewhat toasty) malty background.  There are good flavors throughout with notes of sweetness and nuttiness and a slightly roasted characteristic.

A fine way to wrap up the day.

This is another one of those beers that is great if you have time to sit down with just one.  The edges of the bitterness calm some as it warms and you get a different range of flavors as you sit with it.  The high ABV is also well balanced in without it becoming too apparent.  After all of that it should not be too much of a surprise that Bill and I both gave it a 4.5.  I originally wrote down a 4, but I did like it better than the Sam Adams Double Bock, so I bumped it up.  Either way it is a good one.  I would tend to drink it without food, but the caramelly notes would be nice with red meat and overall I think it would be interesting with some good, pungent cheeses. 

I have a thought to go with my closing remarks for this post.  First, a big thank you goes to Rich for hanging out and talking beer with us at the outside bar.  Also, I must again thank the Twitter folks for helping me choose the good brews.  Now for my thought.  What is it going to take for me to give a beer a 5?  I wish I knew.  That is (obviously) a perfect score in this system and is there such a thing as a perfect beer?  I would hate to give a 5 to one and then have another that I enjoy more.  Maybe I will have to go back after all is done and choose my favorite of the bunch as the lone 5.  We shall see. 

For those keeping track, that is now 37 down and 62 to go!  

Stay tuned . . .

It is amazing how fast the weeks fly by and after a glance at the calendar I realize that the next Tweetup at Celebration Town Tavern is very quickly approaching.  If you remember from the announcement for the last one, they are to be on the first Wednesday of each month and June is already less than two weeks away.

A short side note is necessary before moving on so I may share some exciting news for Celebration Town Tavern.  Very soon it reservations at CTT will be available by using OpenTable!  Having used the site many times before I am excited that they will be added to the system.  Keep your eyes open for that. 

The weather will be perfect for the outdoor bar area.

Now we can move back to the upcoming Tweetup. 

About a week and a half from now, on Wednesday, June 2^nd starting at (roughly) 6:00 will be the next Tweetup at Celebration Town Tavern!  I was not able to attend the last one, so I am very excited to see some of the familiar faces again at this event.  Much of the fun will again be familiar for those who joined us for any of the previous ones, but for those of you who have yet to make it out I will give you some additional incentive to make it there this time. 

There are ways to stay cool just in case.

For the folks attending the Tweetup at 6:00 that evening there will again be some good beer to sample.  The entire Beer Club (with its recent additions) and draft list will be available as usual, but there is another special opportunity to sample a few beers not typically on either list at CTT.  With the awesome folks with The Brew Crew continuing to be on board for the occasions, each person coming to this Tweetup will be given a flight of four beers to sample.  After tasting all four, everyone will vote on the beer that they enjoyed the most and more specifically for the beer that they would order on their own if they were to visit again.  The winner of this vote will be added to the draft selection at Celebration Town Tavern for at least the near future. 

As a result of the last vote, Palm is currently occupying the “Micro of the Month” tap handle and is waiting for us to select another beer for that position in June.  

A new month bring a new flight of beers.

The exciting part of announcing these Tweetups for me is always to share the four beers that will compete for the “Micro of the Month”.  For June we have the first ever seasonal battle as all four represent that offering from their respective breweries. 

The four beers and styles this month will be: 

• Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager (Chico, CA) – Czech Pilsener
• Sam Adams Summer Ale (Boston, MA) – American Pale Wheat Ale
• Brooklyn Summer Ale (Brooklyn, NY) – English Pale Ale
• Dogfish Head Festina Pêche (Milton, DE) – Berliner Weissbier

Again we have a good range of styles to enjoy this time and I am a bit curious to see which beer comes out on top since I cannot pinpoint a favorite going in.  Having tried them all before I will say that the offering from Dogfish will be an interesting style for those who have not tried it before.  Certainly much different than any of the other three. 

Mark your calendars for June 2^nd and I will see you there!

After hearing about the last Celebration Town Tavern Tweetup from Bill, I was very glad to hear that it again went well and again there is another “Micro of the Month” winner.  Palm will soon take its place in the draft lineup and since I missed out on attending and being part of the vote, I am looking forward to giving it a try when it does.

With all of the numbers I received from Twitter before heading out via @GRPasswater, @vshade, @willspot, and @word_czar I figured I had a pretty good chance at landing on one of the new beers that were recently added to the list.  It did not matter in the end since we ended up with a good run of beers even without having any of the recent arrivals.  Of course we did not get to all of the numbers I was given, but I will keep them for the next visits so everyone will get to see what beer their numbers corresponded with.

As I sat down near the end of the inside bar Danielle let me know that on top of the new additions to the beer list, there was also Thomas Hooker’s (More Than A Mouthful) Watermelon Ale and Anderson Valley’s Summer Solstice to choose from.  It is always good to know what your options are before making a decision and this information would immediately come in handy.

Watch out for thses bears when in CA!

Since both @GRPasswater and @word_czar gave me the number fifteen that seemed the way to start the day.  I was in no mood to start with the Bud Light Lime as it directed me to, so I took the opportunity to replace that with a Summer Solstice.  Of course I could have gone with the Watermelon Ale, but since lime was not appealing I did not view watermelon as much of an improvement.  The Summer Solstice poured a really deep amber color, which was a bit surprising from a cream ale.  There was some white head to it though that was gone pretty quickly with the iced glass.  The overall aroma was faint with some light sweetness and something slightly odd (not in a bad way) that I could not identify.  It was lightly malty in flavor with faint bitterness and without any hoppy flavors.  It tasted somewhat like a cream soda with caramel and vanilla notes to it.

With all of that said, the overall flavor actually was not very strong.  I started to enjoy it slightly less as the glass emptied, but that may have something to do with not being a big fan of cream soda to start with.  All in all though it was a pretty good ($5) beer that I was glad to have finally tried and a grade of 3 seemed to be spot on.  With the sweetness and the caramel flavors that it had, I think maybe some red meat or something a bit spicy would be a good pairing suggestion.

I could have given extra points just for being in a can.

Next up was a Sam Adams Imperial Double Bock via the number 79 from @word_czar.  Bill and I split the bottle and the 9.5% alcohol punch that came with it.  It pours a nice dark amber color and has a very malty aroma with some molasses-like notes and a bit of noticeable alcohol.  The mouthfeel is very smooth and somewhat creamy with a medium (to full) body.  The flavors are heavily malty with dark caramelly and port-like with some good warmth at the finish that lingers a bit.

This one is certainly a very solid beer and you definitely get some alcoholic bang for your $6.  It is a beer that did seem a bit strange to be sitting at a bar with, though if I was at a table maybe all would seem right.  I say that since it is not a beer that you belly up to the bar and plan on drinking over and over for the afternoon, but is a beer that you can sit back and relax with (which I have done at home).  All of that taken into consideration, I gave it a 4 and Bill settled in on a 3.5.  I would not necessarily suggest a food pairing, but it certainly would work well with a chocolatey dessert or after dinner in the role of a nice glass of port.

Sam Adams Imperial Double Bock

 Next up was number 73 and a ($4) Sam Adams Black Lager (another from @GRPasswater).  Again we split the bottle that poured black (of course) with a frothy light tan head that had good retention.  There is some sharpness in the aroma with light roasted malt notes in back.  To me it drinks like a nice porter with good roasted malt flavors, though crisp and clean with the body of a lighter lager.  Not a bad combination at all. 

Bill is not typically a dark beer drinker, but somewhat surprisingly really enjoyed this one enough to give it a solid 4.  Though I could not remember at the time what grade was assigned when I reviewed this one at home quite a long time ago, I agreed with giving it a 4.  I enjoy this style of beer as one with good flavor, but also easy drinking and somewhat refreshing.  With the lighter body and roasted flavors I think this one would pair really well with and sort of grilled or smoked meat, including BBQ. 

A good style to try if you haven't yet.

Last up for the day was yet another one from @word_czar, being a Full Sail IPA (number 26).  It poured an amber color with a bit of honey, almost orange tint to it.  It was definitely crystal clear though the head was quickly gone with the iced glass.  The aroma was fairly mild overall, but with a bit of light maltiness and some spicy hop notes.  The flavor had some good toasted malt character to it with some nice bitterness, though not much in the way of hop character beyond that.  The finish had some dryness/tartness to it. 

Though there are definitely other IPAs on the list that I would prefer to drink this one was still pretty good and worthy of a 3 (maybe toward a 3.5).  Bill’s feeling was much the same and he felt comfortable giving it a 3 as well.  I think with the nice bitterness and crispness it has it should hold up well with dishes that bring some fat to the equation, like fried items or dishes that incorporate some fairly strong flavored cheese. 

Full Sail IPA

My closing remarks are much the same as they have been in the past.  A big thank you again goes to Danielle for being good company and for chatting about beer with us (and definitely for giving me an option beyond Bud Light Lime).  It was also nice as usual to see Bill Bona and I look forward to him joining us for a beer tasting sometime in the near future. Lastly a big thank you goes to the Twitter folks for again helping me choose the brews.  All in all another very successful and enjoyable visit to Celebration Town Tavern 

For those keeping track, that is now 33 down and 66 to go! 

Stay tuned . . .

Getting the important announcement right out of the way up front, I must remind you that the next Tweetup at Celebration Town Tavern is one week from today TONIGHT! and there will be another beer flight to sample.  Check out what you have to look forward to upon your arrival.

On my most recent visit, I settled in at the end of the inside bar next to Bill with a handful of numbers (mostly from The Wife) to choose our beers from.  Before getting started I was reminded that the additions to the Beer Club list would be arriving soon.  In fact, as this post goes up the new brews will already be available.  Be sure to stop in to try a Lagunitas Pils, Left Hand 400lb. Monkey, Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat, Stone Ruination, Stone Pale Ale, Ommegang Three Philosophers, Ommegang Hennepin, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Ipswitch Ale, and some Smuttynose Porter.  I think that is the list of incoming beers, though be sure to tell me if I forgot something!  Of course adding beers means that some also had to come off the list, so a moment of silence please for those long lost brews.

Maybe there was a reason I sat near this.

After last week’s tasting experiment I was hoping for something really nice to start the day off, but the numbers dictated a Heineken (number 33 via The Wife) to kick things off.  I poured a light golden color and has a light grainy/corn aroma.  It has some grainy flavor up front but the crispness is pretty harsh and finishes with a bit of a minerally note.  The high carbonation adds some additional bite to that whole equation.  Since this is another beer that needs to be really cold, it does not get better as it warms and the glass empties.

Heineken

Now this one certainly has more flavor than it’s Light counterpart, but I don’t think that helps at all.  It actually hurts it a bit since the flavor that it does have is not very good.  With that I gave it the same grade as the Heineken Light (2).  This one just arrives at that grade in a different way.  Bill was slightly up the scale, giving it a 2.5.  Without much flavor I don’t think it would serve as much more than water when paired with an intensely flavored dish, but the carbonation and crispness would offset some fried or spicy food fairly well.  Some rich shellfish would also pair very well.

Next up was a Dos Equis (number 25 via The Wife) and another pretty mild beer drinking experience.  Since we were not that excited to repeat our Heineken experience, Bill and I split a bottle.  It poured a pale golden color with a tall white head and had a somewhat unpleasant corn-like aroma to it.  The flavor was very, very mild overall with some faint sweetness to it.  Without any real flavor(s) it was not unpleasant and was very clean drinking.

Dos Equis

Now I would choose this beer over Heineken if given the choice, but only because it does not have the harshness not because it is much better.  This is another one of those beers that needs to be out in the sun, on a beach somewhere as an alternative to drinking water.  It is certainly not something I would sit at a bar with.  We both have it a grade of 2 since it was not terrible, but is not nearly something that we would order again if given the choice.  This would pair similarly to the Heineken and go pretty well with fried or spicy foods, though I would not suggest the shellfish

The third beer was an Old Speckled Hen (number 62 via The Wife) and was another that we decided to split a bottle of.  It poured an amber color with a slight white head, though it slushed up a bit with the iced glass.  It had an oddly sweet aroma that seemed to have aromas of plant material and an almost medicine-like nose.  It has an earthy malt flavor (though pretty mild flavor overall) and finishes a bit dry.  Though the initial sip was pretty bad (as I made a face), but it did get slightly better as I drank it.

Old Speckled Hen

Though it did get better as the glass emptied I was glad to only have half a bottle to get through.  The body of the beer makes it go down easy, but there was something about the flavor that really did not work for me.  I believe that Bill did not actually give it a grade, but rather said that it was “below my lowest grade to date” and “I would rather drink nothing if given the choice.”  In my dilemma of beer with no flavor or beer with flavor that I don’t like, I initially gave it a 2.  A few moments later I settled on a 1.5 after taking the price into consideration ($5 versus $4 for each of the first two).  Not enjoying it that much makes it hard to pair with food, but it probably would work well with some baked or broiled or maybe grilled fish.

Since I had a leftover number from @KegWorks that just happened to correspond with a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, we decided to close the day with a favor to our taste buds.  It poured a medium amber color and had a frothy white head.  The aroma is lightly hoppy with nice floral and citrus notes and some nice maltiness in back.  The flavor has an even floral and citrus hoppiness throughout with a nice toasted malty background.  The finish is nice and clean with some lingering hop flavors.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

This beer was certainly a good way to finish the day after the first three brews and is definitely a good go to beer to sit at the bar with.  Bill gave it a solid 4 and I was comfortable with a grade of 4 as well and would probably even lean a bit higher (good value at $4).  I think that this beer would pair well with a range of things like chicken dishes and those with some moderately flavored cheeses (burgers and such).

So on to the closing remarks for today.  A big thank you goes to Danielle for being good company and for chatting about beer with us.  It was also nice as usual to see Bill Bona and it was great for him to send us in the direction of Rubens and the guys from Schenck and Corona. It was also good to hear that Rich enjoyed the berry pie delivery.  All in all it was a nice afternoon with some really nice people.

For those keeping track, that is now 29 down and 70 to go!

Stay tuned . . .

On most occasions I would be sure to have some good craft beer, if not local beer on hand and/or available when visitors are in from out of town.  Unfortunately for Bill’s friend Brian, who was visiting from California, this was not most occasions.

Unlike previous visits there was no help from Twitter or using the NFL Draft to help pick the numbers of the beers for the day.  Bill and I had decided the previous week to cross three beers off in (almost) one gulp by doing a blind flight of Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite.  Because of their popularity and familiarity, there was not much need to do individual reviews for each of these.  Brian’s visit gave us another needed body for the experiment.

The exam begins.

As mentioned in the announcement for the next Tweetup, Rich was nice enough to help us out with putting the tasting together and Dawn was smart enough not to participate.  Rich poured the beers out of our sight and presented the samples on paddles for us to try and guess which was which.  Offhand I cannot remember the last time I had any of those beers, but it has certainly been a few years.  Since none of the three brews were commonly found in Bill’s or Brian’s fridge either, we really only had (somewhat) fond memories to guide us to the correct answers.

After the three of us wrote down our answers on separate pieces of paper, Rich gave the final verdicts.  Bill was incorrect as he had the Coors Light correct, but the other two switched.  Having the Miller Lite correct and the other two switched left Brian incorrect as well.  Digging deep into the back of my brain to pull out the memories of the lingering flavors of Miller Lite and not enjoying Coors Light at all, I was the only one of us to pick all three correctly.  I did not even have to bribe Rich as this was the day before I smuggled some pie to him in case there were any more blind tastings in our future.  Whether I should be proud of blindly identifying them or not, you tell me.

Do we look like we are deep in thought?

Before I could even ask Bill what his grades were for the three beers on the paddle I believe his statement was something like “They are all ones.”  He also might have been saying that as he reached for a bite of food to rescue his palate.  As I reveal my grades for each, I will explain my thought process a bit.  The Miller Lite was my favorite of the three, though favorite is certainly relative here.  I would put it on par with the Heineken Light as a beer with no significant flavor that I can stomach, so it gets a 2.  There are other 2’s already evaluated where the beer had lots of flavor that I did not enjoy, which I still think I would prefer to no flavor at all.  The Bud Light was next in line, so by default I will give that a 1.5 so it can stay slightly ahead of the Coors Light that lands at a solid 1.  I know many, many people who enjoy these beers, but they are just not for me (if I get to choose).

Moving on from our experiment, Bill and I honored Brian’s visit more appropriately by going with a West Coast beer, Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale (number 21).  Brian got his local beer by going with an Orange Blossom Pilsner (which he quite enjoyed).  The Dead Guy poured a coppery amber color and has a lightly sweet aroma.  There is good toasted flavor up front followed by some nice bitterness from the middle through the finish.  It also finished with some astringency/dryness.  I do like this beer, but it seems that I enjoy it a little less each time I have it.  However I also remember enjoying it more when on draft.

A Dead Guy anyone?

Almost any beer that we followed the initial flight with would have been received well by our taste buds.  Bill quickly gave it a solid 3 and I settled on a 3ish with the “ish” pushing it in the direction of a 3.5.  Either way I think I could easily pair it with some shellfish since the dryness would be a bit of a palate cleanser and would let the flavor of the food shine through.

Not knowing where the beer choice would go from there we deferred the pick to Rich and he chose number 70, which was a Railbender Ale (Erie Brewing Co.).  It poured a deep amber color and had a light aroma overall, though with a slight smoky/roasted character.  The carbonation was a bit low, but that actually gave it a nice mouthfeel and made it easy drinking when in combination with the dark caramelly flavor.

Railbenders for all!

Since I enjoyed this beer a bit more than the Dead Guy and since it was actually cheaper ($4 compared to $5 for Dead Guy), I gave it a solid 3.5.  Bill felt much the same, giving it somewhere in the 3.5 to 4 range.  This was another beer that I likely would not have tried on my own and I was pleasantly surprised.  It certainly is a malty beer and fairly sweet, so I would lean toward pairing it with red meat as I think it would dominate lighter seafood dishes.

So what to do for a closing remark for today?  I should definitely say thank you to Brian for being a good sport about the tasting experiment and for the nice beer and sports discussion as we sat together for that time.  After that, certainly a big thank you goes to Rich for helping us out and being good company.  I should also say that if beer is not your thing be sure to ask Rich about his exceptional creations via his mixology skills.  As much as I focus on the beer, there is something at CTT for everyone.

For those keeping track, that is now 25 down and 74 to go!

Stay tuned . . .

This is the time of year that the outdoor bar area at Celebration Town Tavern is made for.  Yesterday I was able to enjoy the perfect weather with Bill, Dawn, and Bill’s friend Brian who was visiting from California. That of course meant crossing off a few more beers from the Beer Club list, but the conversation for the afternoon started with what was going to happen at the next Tweetup.

Before moving on to that, I should mention that the beer choices for the week were a little different as three of us did a blind tasting of three of the big light beers on the market.  Rich was nice enough to help us out with that and Dawn was smart enough not to participate.  Be sure to come back for the recap of how that went.

Now we move back to the upcoming Tweetup.

It is that time again!

About a week and a half from now, on Wednesday, May 5^th starting at 6:00 will be the next Tweetup at CTT!  The first two have gone so well that there is certainly no reason to stop having them.  In fact, the intent is to have the monthly Tweetups on the first Wednesday of each month going forward.  I will still announce the details, but you will now have a consistent date to keep on your calendar.

Some of the fun will again be familiar for those who joined us for either of the previous two, but for those of you who missed it, I will give you some incentive to make it there this time.

For the people passing up the Coronas with lime on May 5^th and coming to the Tweetup at 6:00 there will again be some good beer.  The entire Beer Club and draft list will be available as usual, but there is another special opportunity to sample a few beers not typically on either list at CTT.  With the awesome folks with The Brew Crew continuing to be on board for the occasions, each person coming to this Tweetup will be given a flight of four beers to sample.  After tasting all four, everyone will vote on the beer that they enjoyed the most and more specifically for the beer that they would order on their own if they were to visit again.  The winner of this vote will be added to the draft selection at CTT for at least the near future.

Good weather and the outdoor bar awaits.

I should also mention that Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the winner for last month’s vote and is currently holding down the newly named “Micro of the Month” tap handle and is waiting for another brew to take that title.  I wanted to announce the winner a bit earlier, but the vote last month became a little more complicated as availability of the beers became an issue.  Regardless, a good beer was put on draft by vote of the people and we are continuing to have the opportunity to influence the draft list going forward.

Now comes the exciting part (for me) of announcing the four beers that will compete for the “Micro of the Month” title for May.  I think there is a good range of styles again for everyone as well as one that I have yet to ever try.

The four beers and styles this month will be:

• Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils (Lyons, CO) – Czech Pilsener
• Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (Kalamazoo, MI) – American IPA
• Brooklyner Weisse (Brooklyn, NY) – Hefeweizen
• Palm (Belgium) – Belgian Pale Ale

The sad part of this announcement for me is posting it knowing that we (The Wife and I) will not be able to make it to the event!  That unfortunately means that I will not get to meet up with the founding members again or meet any of the new faces attending, and will not get to try the Palm that I have never had.  So if any of you that go would like to pass along their reviews/reactions to the fours beers, I would love to hear it.

Come grab a paddle of your own (your will be full)!

Mark your calendars for May 5^th!

Instead of reaching out to the world of Twitter again this week to get the numbers for my beers, I turned to my inner sports geek.  In looking ahead to the NFL Draft next week I took my favorite team, The Wife’s favorite team, and Syracuse Rob’s favorite team.  To be clear (at least to him), I know that he doesn’t actually live in Syracuse, but no one would know what I was talking about if I used the specifically correct location.  He should just feel good that I have finally found a use for his team.

With all of that, I will not reveal the actual teams and will only tell the numbers that were used.  Consider it a scavenger hunt of sorts if you are really interested in knowing where our NFL allegiances lie.  It was interesting that the quality of the beers turned out to be directly related to the quality of the more recent play of the respective teams.

In case you need more convincing to go for that first beer.

The first number that I went with was 66 (via my favorite team), which turned out to be a Pacifico Clara (Mexico).  It pours super clear and a golden to yellow color. It has an aroma this is slightly sweet and malty, though pretty much smells like corn.  There is not too much flavor overall save for a bit of light malt character and light minerally quality (and some carbonation bite) toward the finish.  This is another beer that really needs to be enjoyed ice-cold and on a beach or at least in the sun.  I cannot stress the ice-cold part enough as it also does not drink well as it warms.

Pacifico Clara

Bill referred to this beer as “A Corona with more flavor” and that is pretty accurate as we both gave it a grade of 2.5.  I should remind you that my grades for these beers are in the vacuum of the Beer Club list and are influenced only by the value compared to others on the list.  It is not a terrible beer, but I would not order it again so it falls below the middle of the road grade of 3.  It is, however, better than a few that I have already had and a few that I am yet to cross off.  That said I would not necessarily pair this beer with a big entrée but it would be fine with some spicier appetizers and probably lighter fish and shellfish dishes.

Next up via the Syracuse Rob influence was number 41 and a Kona Longboard Lager (Hawaii).  It pours a clear golden to amber color with a slight white head (even with the chilled/frozen glass).  The aroma is very light and has some faint malt and spice notes.  The beer has a light flavor overall with a low toasted malty character with a smooth and slightly creamy feeling on the palate.

Kona Longboard Lager

This is not my favorite of the Kona beers, but is OK and almost the definition of the average grade of 3 that I gave it.  In continuing with our day of agreement, Bill also gave it a 3.  It was certainly a better value at $4 than the Pacifico was at the same price.  I do think that the beer has the right mix of light maltiness and crispness that would go well with some sort of BBQ or at least something with a good sweet BBQ sauce (chicken, pork, or otherwise).

Knowing the three beers that were in line for the day I was sure to put them in order so that the final would be The Wife’s number 44 and a Lagunitas IPA (CA).  I may leave choosing the numbers up to some level of randomness, but the final order is something I keep control of.  It would not be fair (to me or the beers) to chase this IPA with a Pacifico.  The Lagunitas poured a full amber color and was clear with a slight off-white head.  It had a nice floral/resiny hop aroma with a good amount of underlying sweetness.  The flavor was in line with the aroma leading with some full hoppiness up front and then fading towards a slightly dry finish with some underlying malty/toasty sweetness.  It was also quite smooth and clean drinking overall.

Lagunitas IPA

This beer was certainly the best of the three for me, but I did have a difficult time deciding on a final grade.  My initial grade was a 4, but then I thought about it as only a $4 beer and I was comfortable giving it a final mark of 4.5.  It has really good value at the price.  Bill’s grade of 4.5 completed our day of agreement as we both appreciate a good IPA.  Similar to those of the same style previously reviewed, this beer can stand up to bigger flavors and can offset some fat in a dish so I would recommend a pairing with maybe some fried shellfish or a burger with bleu cheese.

It had become a habit for me to include some sort of closing remark to each post and today is no different.  I would like to thank Robert for being extremely nice and for stopping by to chat about beer for a bit.  I certainly do not know everything and as I continue to learn, I love having the opportunity to talk beer whenever I can.  I am glad that he took interest in our choices that day and I promise to be better prepared next time to talk about which beer is my favorite.  That is the toughest beer question of all.

For those keeping track, that is now 20 down and 79 to go!

Stay tuned . . .

Before getting to the beers that were crossed off the Beer Club list this week, I must make mention of a great event here in Orlando that is quickly approaching again.  Taste of the Nation Orlando is a really awesome event that The Wife and I have attended a few times since moving to Orlando.  Even more than that, the evening benefits Share Our Strength and its efforts to fight child hunger in the United States.

If that was not enough reason to go, from now until next Friday, April 16^th you can get 15% off your ticket by using the code “TAXORL” when you by your tickets for Taste of the Nation Orlando.  So to recap, it is a great event, it benefits a great cause, and you can get your tickets at a discount.  Need I say more?!

Now we can move back to the beers for the week . . .

Screens are in and ready for the rain!

I again reached out to the world of Twitter this week to get the numbers for my beers.  I will thank all three folks in turn, but there is one that gets a much bigger thank you than the other two.

The first number that I went with was 34 (via @willspot), which turned out to be a Heineken Light.  Now I like @willspot and have met him a few times, but for making that the first beer of the afternoon I must thank him the least of the three!  It pours a very clear pale straw color and has a very light grainy (corn-like) aroma that almost has a buttery quality. It should be no surprise that it drinks a lot like a glass of water, with very little overall flavor.  It does have a bit of harsh crispness and a minerally quality to it that actually gets worse as you drink it (the first sip was the best).  That is likely because this beer needs to be ice cold to be at all enjoyable.  It does not drink well as it warms.

Heineken Light

If I had to rank the three beers that I drank that day this one would be at the bottom without a doubt, though I gave it a generous grade of 2 (Bill gave a slightly higher 2.5).  My benevolence was in part due to the fact that I know that there are a few beers on the list that I will enjoy less.  I would much rather have a Bass Ale or a Brooklyn Lager (to name a few) at the same price (of $4) if given the choice.  The high carbonation and crispness would cut into a spicy dish a bit or would offset your fried foods such as onions rings or calamari pretty well.

Only a slightly bigger thank you will go to @KENLarch for picking number 6 and an Avery White Rascal.  For those of you not at the last Tweetup at CTT, this one was my last place finisher in the beer flight vote.  I love Avery overall, but not this one.  It pours a hazy honey-like color and has some light spice and citrus notes in the aroma.  The beer has a light body and is pretty smooth though there is something in the herbal, citrus, yeasty flavor that leaves a slightly unpleasant finish.  Maybe this is simply a style that I am struggling to come around to?

Avery White Rascal

Even though Bill and I agreed that we would only drink this one to cross it off the list, it is a better value than the Heineken Light (both priced at $4).  With that I gave it a 2.5 (if only because it had actual flavor when compared to the first) and Bill gave it a middle of the road 3.  I do think that the beer would go fairly well with most salads and any fish or chicken dish that has not been fried.

Rocky Mountain IPA

Certainly the biggest thank you of the day goes out to @KatyAtTBF for choosing number 72 and a Rocky Mountian IPA from Fort Collins Brewery.  It was nice to close the afternoon with the best beer and my favorite style of the three.  It pours a brownish copper color and has a slight bit of haze to it (though mostly clear).  The aroma was good overall, with a really sweet, hoppy profile that had notes of floral and citrus.  The hop bitterness in the flavor is nice, but very prominent.  It does have a nice amount of sweetness to balance out the hop flavors that do become a bit resiny as it warms some.  There is some dryness at the finish that does linger a bit.  The beer really grew on me the more I drank, which is the case sometimes with IPAs.This beer was certainly the best of the three for me and at the same price of $4, it was the best value in my mind.  I have certainly had better IPAS, but this was a good one as Bill and I settled on matching grades of 3.5.  This beer can stand up to bigger flavors and can offset some fat in a dish so I would recommend a pairing with maybe some fried shellfish or a burger with bleu cheese.

As my closing note to this post, I really would like to thank the three folks for choosing my numbers for me.  All of the beers have to be crossed off eventually and getting a few less enjoyable ones out of the way means there is only a higher concentration of good ones left to choose from.

For those keeping track, that is now 17 down and 82 to go!

Stay tuned . . .

Each time I visit Celebration Town Tavern I try to get some numbers from other people that will determine my choices for the beer list that day.  It gives me a pool of numbers to choose from so I can make a decision not to chase an IPA with a fruit beer since that wouldn’t be good for evaluating either (or for my enjoyment).  In the past I have asked my Twitter followers to choose for me, but this last time my computer was not cooperating so I asked The Wife for some numbers.

It was quite nice that the three numbers given to me corresponded to three beers that worked pretty well with each other.  I only had to decide the final order to drink them in.

The first number that I went with was 98, which turned out to be a Warsteiner Premium Verum (German Pilsner).  I know that have tried this one before (or at least their Oktoberfest), but it has been quite a while now.  It pours very clear and yellow/straw to golden in color with the head leaving a slight bit of trail.  The aroma is light overall, but does have some sweet maltiness to it.  The flavor is light and clean like the aroma with some malty sweetness up front and a slight hop bitterness from the middle to a clean finish that does have a bit of minerally dryness to it.

Warsteiner Premium Verum

If I had to rank the three beers that day this one would be very slightly under the last (see below), but since they can stand alone I gave it a 3.5 (as did Bill).   Certainly I would choose this over the similar style domestics on the list at the same price ($4).  This beer is perfect for your burgers, fries, and onion rings, but the crispness would also stand up well with spicier dishes.

The second beer of the afternoon was a Red Stripe (number 71) and the familiar short brown bottle.  In fact, for the first time at CTT I drank this one straight from the bottle thanks to Rich giving me the option.  It seemed appropriate both for this beer and sitting at the outdoor patio bar.  Of course I did not see it on that day, but I know that it is crystal clear and a pale golden/yellow color.  The beer is clean and crisp with a light sweetness and slight bite towards the finish.  Though it is a slightly different style, it is like a less flavorful and more nondescript version of the Warsteiner we started with (both priced at $4).

It just wasn't the same without the ocean breeze.

In the right environment I do enjoy this beer from time to time.  Unfortunately sitting at a bar (even one outside) isn’t the right place for me to really enjoy it.  Since I think this is a beach or sitting in the sun or on a boat type of beer, I gave it a 2.5 after almost dropping it down to a 2.  Continuing with our afternoon of agreement, Bill also gave it a 2.5.  Red Stripe being very light and crisp will definitely go well with spicier dishes as well as fish and shellfish offerings, including those that are fried.

Knowing that the Brooklyn Lager (number 13) was the most dominant flavor of the three, that was the last of the trio for the afternoon.  It pours clear and amber (with slight hints of copper) in color.  The aroma has a lot rich, sweet, caramel-like malty notes as well as a good amount of floral hoppiness.  Being an amber lager this one certainly has more toasted maltiness and depth of flavor than the previous two.  The bitterness of the hops from the middle through the finish balances out the sweetness of the malts pretty well.  The finish does come with a bit of lingering dryness and bitterness.

Brooklyn Lager

This was definitely the most “sit at a bar” type beer of the three for me.  I gave it a 3.5 (Bill a 3), as I enjoyed it as much as the Warsteiner, but for completely different reasons.  Each of the three beers for the afternoon were priced at $4, so it was a good trio to compare with each other.  To me this beer is made for red meat dishes (including burgers) and has the hop character to work well with cheesy meals like quesadillas.

As my closing note to this post, I would like to pass along a thank you to Rich for a couple things.  The first thing is for being really friendly and making it fun to sit at the bar and chat about beer.  Also, for giving the options of glass, chilled glass, or straight up bottle.  It was very nice to have the choice from beer to beer.  Many thanks to you sir!

I guess that means it is time to head home!

For those keeping track, that is now 14 down and 85 to go!

Stay tuned . . .

Another early afternoon visit to Celebration Town Tavern with Bill yesterday of course meant crossing off a few more beers from the Beer Club list, but on this occasion there was also much to discuss.  We started off going over some options to modify the bottle list a bit in the near future.  A handful of beers are coming off the lineup, so that means that some new beers have a chance to be added in.  Be sure to keep an eye out for some new arrivals.

Then I would say the largest amount of the discussion after that was of another event coming up very soon.  One week from today on Wednesday, March 31^st starting at 5:30 will be the second monthly Tweetup at CTT!  Since so many things worked well at the first one last month, some of the fun will be familiar for those who joined us for that one.  For those of you who missed it, I will give you some incentive to make it there this time.

It is that time again.

For the folks attending the Tweetup there will again be beer.  Of course you would expect that anyway, but there is another special opportunity to sample a few beers not typically on the list at CTT.  With The Brew Crew Team continuing to be on board for the occasions, each person coming to this Tweetup will be given a flight of four beers to sample.  After tasting all four, everyone will vote on the beer that they enjoyed the most and more specifically for the beer that they would order on their own if they were to visit again.  The winner of this vote will be added to the draft selection at CTT for at least the near future.

Last month’s winner was Orange Blossom Pilsner and it is currently holding down a tap position as it waits for the next winner to take that slot.  We are trying to think of an appropriate name for that rotating tap to have going forward, so if you have any creative ideas please be sure to share them.

Time to name the heir to the OBP tap handle!

I have said it before, but how often do you get to help select the beer list where you go for Happy Hour and the big games?

Now comes the exciting part of announcing the four beers that will compete for inclusion on the draft list for the month.  I think there is a good range of styles here for everyone as well as two that are already on the Beer Club bottle list.  So if you have been hesitant to try them at CTT before, you will have a free shot at doing so next Wednesday.

The four beers and styles this month will be:

• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Chico, CA) – American Pale Ale
• Abita Andygator (Abita Springs, LA) - Doppelbock
• Dogfish Head Aprihop (Milton, DE) – American IPA (with apricots)
• Avery White Rascal (Boulder, CO) - Witbier

If that isn’t enough incentive to stop by a week from now, there is live entertainment lined up to start around 7 PM!

Come enjoy the great weather at the outdoor bar.

I am looking forward to seeing the founding members who were there last month and hopefully many new faces.  The Wife and I will be running around with cameras and I will likely be taking some notes so we should be easy to pick out of the crowd.  Please do say hello if you see us.  Last month was a lot of fun and I have no doubts that this one will be even better!

See you there!