The first number that I was given (via @jcarlin) was 77 and turned out to be a good old Sam Adams Boston Lager (Boston Beer Company).  It is surprising that with so many Sam Adams options on the list, that this is the first one I have crossed off.  It pours crystal clear and amber in color (with a bit of orange tint).  Both the aroma and the flavor have a good malty base that is slightly sweet and has a bit of toasted character.  The best part of it for me is the good amount of hop bite and bitterness that comes through from the middle to the finish.  That character does linger a bit, which makes me thirsty for the next sip.

They should stick with these labels.

Sam Adams Boston Lager

We were both (Bill and I) in agreement when giving it a 4 since it is just a solid beer to enjoy at a bar and a good value at 4 bucks per each.  Though I would drink this one with just about anything, I would say if you stick with chicken dishes (including wings) or burgers you will have a really good beer pairing.

The second beer of the afternoon was again via @KegWorks, who gave me number 49 that was a Lobster Ale (Belfast Bay Brewing Co. – Belfast, ME).  Though I have never tried it, I seem to remember seeing this one a fair bit during our travels in Maine.  It pours a crystal clear amber color and has a clean, light malt aroma with some sweetness.  The flavor has a nice malty character that is somewhat dark caramel-like with a light burnt/smoky quality.  The hop bitterness comes through toward the finish that is abrupt and somewhat dry.

A lobster you can drink!

A better look at the color of the Lobster Ale.

I did like this one with its bit of smokiness in the flavor, though I am not sure how often I would be in the mood for it again.  It seems that Bill had some of the same thoughts since we both landed on a 3 for it.  I am very glad to have tried it where I likely otherwise would not have without the Beer Club incentive.  Because of its smoky, dark caramel characteristics I think it would go really well with strongly flavored cheeses and good steaks.  A nice burger with bleu cheese would probably be the perfect accompaniment.

Since the beer that was number 10 (via @kwidrick) was out of stock that afternoon we gave @jcarlin’s second number (9) a shot, giving us a Honey Raspberry Ale (Spanish Peaks Brewing Co.).  The bottle indicated production in Saratoga Springs, NY though I am not certain that is the main brewery location since it was founded in Montana.   It poured an amber (to copper) color that was pretty clear, though with a slight haze.  The aroma had a prominent berry profile with an underlying brown sugar-like maltiness.  The flavor of the berry comes through strongly up front then fades quickly and (to me) is noticeably artificial.  It is smooth with a slight bite at the finish.

A closer look at the dog.

Honey Raspberry Ale

There seems to be a distinct pattern developing with the wheat and fruit beers on the list that I have crossed off so far because this one lands at a 2 for me.  Bill could not get himself to even finish his and did not hesitate to give it a 1.  It likely would be more enjoyable when outside on a warm day (as I have said with fruit beers before), but it certainly should be consumed cold because it does not get better as it warms.  This is another beer that has a light overall profile and would be fine with salads or maybe lightly flavored fish or chicken dishes.

As a closing note to this post, I must say that I was surprised and pleased to have no chilled glasses this time.  I did not ask why on this visit as I am waiting to see what the situation is on my next visit.  I know that some people prefer the ice-cold glass, but I am not one of those people.

For those keeping track, that is now 11 down and 88 to go!

Stay tuned . . .

I still tend to go into drinking fruit beers with a little hesitation, as I don’t expect to like them that much.  The warmer days in Florida do seem to help out their case as the outdoor air and sunshine somehow changes how I feel about them.  Then again, being barefoot with my toes in the sand alone makes a lot of beers taste better to me.  So since I was not close to the beach when I evaluated this one, I was a bit surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.

I should not have been too taken aback since it was a Boston Beer Company brew.  I may not love them all, but there is a consistent level of quality that I know will be there regardless of how my palate accepts it.

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, Massachusetts)

Name: Blackberry Witbier

Style: Fruit Beer

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pilsner glass.  $8.69 per 6-pack

Aroma: Noticeable fruit nose (though not sure that I would have guessed blackberry).  Light wheat character with some slight spiciness (coriander) in back.

Appearance: Light gold (almost to full/deep gold) color.  Three finger, off-white head that is thick with good retention and leaves a trail.  Mostly clear with a slight haze and many bubbles visible.

Flavor: Nice sweetness with a hint of berry (just enough) and the slightest note of hops.  Well balanced with nothing overpowering.  A bit dry at finish, though not lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with high carbonation.  Smooth and slightly creamy with the slightest bit of dryness.

Overall Impressions: Refreshing and easy drinking.  Definitely glad I tried and was as good or better than expected.  I would drink again as a good summer beer.

Grade: B

Boston Beer Company - Blackberry Witbier

Of course there are pecans and apples in there as well to round things out!

We arrived well in advance of the start of the event via an earlier than necessary departure time and the driving skills of Chauffeur Joe.  There was more than enough time to walk around the Ybor City area of Tampa a bit and also enough time that we would have considered (what I think was called) the urban race that was going on in the vicinity.  Now we still don’t know what the race exactly entailed, but it seemed to be a lot to do with a costume party mixed with a scavenger hunt.  It looked like a good time, so maybe next year.

The trolley was on purpose, the finger was not.

This area was less than busy.

There was also plenty of time to grab a bite for lunch before getting to the beer sampling, so we headed to Tampa Bay Brewing Company for some food and, well, a beer.

Just the type of decor I appreciate.

The event started at two and though it was only a few minutes after that when we exited our lunch location, the plazas were already packed and the line at the check-in was down the street of people yet to enter the fray.  I am not going to say that we cut to the front of the line, but since we had a limited window for beer sampling lets just say we didn’t wait very long in it!

Just one half of the action early on.

What is a beer festival without this?

A few familiar faces were found among the crowds as I ran into Tom the Beer Guy multiple times during the day.  I have to thank him very much for suggesting the event (as I would not have known about it otherwise) and for having some Toasted Coconut Porter on hand to sample again.  Though I had no real expectations going in, it turned out to be bigger and better than I thought it would be.  It will be going on the calendar for next year for sure.

At the end of the day for us I was also able to meet up with (now award winning home brewer) Mike Melton and a few of his friends at Tampa Bay Brewing Company.  It was nice to get to catch up with a really nice (beer) guy. It was a fast and furious afternoon and part of an evening.  We definitely all had a great day and I thank the boys for joining me for the fun.  I have some interesting video to share as a way to experience the crowds without having gone to the festival so this will simply be the first of two parts of recapping the event.

A little empty outside after teardown.

As a teaser to that second post and a close to this one I will list a few of the beer highlights for me:

• Hunahpus Mayan Chocolate Imperial Stout from Cigar City – Very glad to sample this one since I will not be able to make the release party at the brewery this Friday.
• Tampa Bay Brewing Company – Since I had never tried any of their beers previously and generally enjoyed them all.
• Cream Ales in general – A style that enjoy but cont drink very often.  Offhand I remember TBBC and Bold City Brewery having nice ones.
• Iniquity Imperial Black Ale from Southern Tier Brewing – A unique style for me and probably my favorite beer of the day.  I immediately went back for a second sample.

Stay tuned!

Random thought #1 – I have no problems with using portable toilets, but I would prefer that they be stable and secure.  Using one that is not level and is rocking makes using an airplane bathroom during turbulence seem luxurious.  With that, was is the official name for those . . . portalets?

Random thought #2 – Is something that is called a club sandwich actually a club sandwich if it doesn’t have any bacon in/on it?  I don’t know the answer, but please let me know if you do.

Random thought #3 – So in flipping through the channels I find out that apparently their are some species of ants that may be able to kill a human.  Just great.  That is not exactly something that they should be including in the tourist brochures in places like Costa Rica and Australia.  I dislike fire ants quite a lot, but maybe I should consider myself lucky that I don’t have those other ones in my back yard.

Random thought #4 – Apparently having a car in the shop for various services and repairs twice in recent weeks was not a guarantee that they would tell me there was NO coolant under the hood.  Thankfully that seems to be the reason that my car dry heaved and flashed the check engine light at me out of nowhere this morning.

Random thought #5 – Going on a long walk on a gorgeous sunny day is really great fun until you realize that you are sun burnt and tired and somehow still miles from home.  Still fun, but I will be sure to bring sunscreen and water next time.

Cheers!

Just after the luch time rush.

Backing up a bit, on this visit I had the most difficulty finding a parking spot to date.  I should know better than arriving during the lunch hour since it had always been busy, but I have gotten away with it a few times in the past.  It really was not a big issue to have to search for a few minutes, but I will take that into consideration when planning future trips for lunch.

Care to argue?

Much of the initial discussion was about the beer themed Tweetup and that having just shy of 50 people at the very first one was a darn good turnout.  The conversation continued to range among topics from home brewing, to the NHL trade deadline, and CTT website design ideas.  Danielle was fun as usual and even joined in on our late discussion of fruit based beers.  I am sure we didn’t get to the end of that one quite yet.

I would not mind having a signed one of these on my wall.

The beer selections were via my Twitter friends again, with a few thrown in from a text message to be used for a later visit.  It was some coincidence that the numbers turned out to be a northeastern themed trio of brews with one from Massachusetts, one from Maine, and one from New York.  That was a pretty appropriate set of beers for us to have in a New England style tavern.

Apparently non-Redsox fans are allowed in.

Stay tuned for the reviews . . .