Today is the official kickoff of “Great Divide Brewing Co. Month” on this site and I am doing so with a review for a beer that I really enjoyed.  The enjoyment part will be a pretty constant theme for the beer reviews in the coming weeks.  However I will say that after writing this post from my notes that I would really like to evaluate this beer again at some point.  I believe my palate has evolved over the last year and I would now better be able to put into words exactly what I experienced with this beer.  The same could be said for many that I have done along the way, but my taste for IPAs has probably grown more than any other style over that time.

With that, enjoy the review, look for a possible redo in the future, and certainly give it a try sometime if you have the chance.

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Name: Hercules Double IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 9.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in an oversized wine glass (snifter-like).

Aroma: Heavy, but very bright and sweet hop aroma.  Slight fruitiness and a hint of alcohol.

Appearance: Copper color (with a hint of orange).  Thick, persistent, off-white head with a heavy trail.  Good clarity with tiny rising bubbles.

Flavor: Strong, but even (not harsh) hop flavors with a slight malty undertone and some dryness (astringency) at an otherwise very nice, even finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium (maybe towards light) body with good carbonation and a warming alcohol character underneath.

Overall Impressions: Well balanced (the slight maltiness and alcohol balances out with the hops) and very enjoyable.  Would certainly drink again.

Grade: A-

Great Divide Brewing Co. - Hercules Double IPA

Apparently I was not completely truthful when I said the other day that I was concluding my stretch of Flying Dog reviews that I have in the backlog.  After flipping through the pages this morning there was another one staring at me.  I would like to say again that this is the last one, but I really thought that before.  This is a good one so if it is the last, it will be appropriate to end the run of reviews this way.

I also said that day that I would soon be announcing the brewery that the month of February will be dedicated to.  After giving a few hints yesterday, I am going to wait until tomorrow to announce it.  I wouldn’t want to announce such a thing when doing a review from another brewery!

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery (Frederick, MD)

Name: Snake Dog IPA

Style: American IPA

ABV: 7.1%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Prominent hop aroma (citrusy with a hint of floral).  Slight maltiness in background with a hint of warmth.

Appearance: Medium copper color (with some orange).  One finger, off-white head that gradually dissipates with some trail.  Very clear with a few visible rising bubbles.

Flavor: Medium to high hop flavor (a bit floral and piney?) with an equal amount of hop bitterness.  Low amount of malt character with a slight sweetness.  Medium dry finish with some lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.  Smooth with very slight warmth.

Overall Impressions: Pretty well balanced in my opinion with a nice amount of hop bitterness.  Very enjoyable . . . I prefer it to their Pale Ale.

Grade: B+

Flying Dog Brewery - Snake Dog IPA

Before moving on to the bottling of what will be the last of my half batches for now, there is a bit of housekeeping to mention.  I will be tweaking the look and functioning of the site in the coming days, so you will notice things moving around a bit.  Perhaps it is in part because I have the itch to do so, but it is also in preparation for bigger and better things to come in this year and beyond.  I have some formatting ideas that I would like to try out and now seems like a good time to give them the green light.  Be sure to let me know what you like or don’t like about the changes you see.

Now then, in place of the usual food and travel post on Monday, I bring you more brewing updates . . .

When I say that these are the last half batches for now it is only because I have to adjust my approach to brewing these small amounts and also because I have bigger batches already in the works.  I will revisit the smaller (half) batches some day.

The bottling process for these two took me a lot longer than usual since there was a bit of an oversight in the use of my equipment that made it necessary to do some extra racking to get the job done.  Also because all of my fermenters were tied up with other batches I did leave these two in secondary fermentation for almost twice as long as what I have done in the past.  We will see if that makes a significant difference.

Final racking

A close up look.

There is not much to go over for the bottling process though I do intend on getting the whole thing on video one of these times.  Aside from boiling the bottle caps for five minutes, the other main preparation was to boil 2.5 oz of corn sugar in 1 cup of water for each of the two batches.  After cooling to below 80 degrees, the sugar solution is added to the bucket before racking the beer from the secondary fermenter.

Bottle caps reporting for duty.

The cranberry and ginger infused IPA was the first to go and the final gravity reading came in at 1.0206.  That leaves the beer at about 3.6% ABV and establishes a new low alcohol content for my home brews (not a real surprise).  It did seem to have a pretty nice aroma and flavor, making me think that it will turn out into a pretty good, light beer.

Just a little sample.

The British IPA was next to go and it clocked in at a specific gravity of about 1.0176, giving it a final ABV of roughly 3.77%.  Again that was not a shock and the flavor was fine.  It is definitely not an IPA, but I will likely have a(nother) good lighter beer on my hands.

In the bottle at last

The Cheif of Sanitation is always present.

The one hiccup in the bottling process was when I left my setup unattended to deal with an issue the dog was having.  Thinking that I had to put pressure on the bottling wand for the beer to flow, I did not expect anything to happen.  Let’s just say that there was a fair amount of beer overflowed into the box of bottles and there was some clean up to do before continuing on.  In the end, I lost a few bottles worth of beer to learn a valuable lesson.

Don't leave it unattended!

Now it will sit in bottles for a few weeks before the official review.

Until then . . .

Fortunately for me (and likely for you reading this), there is less explanation necessary as I go through each (rather basic) recipe of home brew since it has been written here previously.  As my equipment evolves, my methods become more complex, and my ingredients get a bit more adventurous I will need to go through things in more detail.  For now though, if you are interested in the specifics of racking the wort from a primary to secondary fermenter check out the video in “Pumpkin Ale – Part 2” on the “Brewing” page above.  In this post I will simply highlight the specifics of these two brews to keep you up to date on what is happening.

If that first paragraph sounds familiar it is because you have read it before.  Recycling material is fantastic!  Actually I would like to rework my brewing posts into a different format that is more of a recipe and less like reading an article.  I will get there, but today isn’t the day.

Yes, I use painter's tape to mark volumes!

The British IPA was the first to be transferred.  It came in at a specific gravity of about 1.0172 giving it a current ABV of roughly 3.83%.  The specific gravity of this one was even lower than expected after seeing the initial reading.  Hopefully it will continue to ferment a bit in secondary and drop down a little further before bottling.

Still cannot bring myself to try one.

The cranberry and ginger infused IPA was next to go.  No sugar was added at this stage as I have done before so it was a simple transfer to the carboy.  Since I had to deal with quite a bit of fruit floating in the wort, I decided to take the specific gravity reading before it was racked to secondary.  It clocked in with about a 1.0192, giving it and ABV in the neighborhood of 3.79%.  As with the British IPA, I hope that it will continue to ferment and the reading will come down a bit more.

All gone.

Both samples were not bad and I think will turn out OK once carbonated and in the bottle for a while, though with a much lower ABV than I would like to see.  Still a good experiment all in all.  However, it seems that exactly halving the recipes doesn’t equate to two beers of the same strength and character as the original so I think I will have to start upping the ingredients if I am going to continue that method going forward.

Back to the bathtub with you!

So now everything is sitting in the bathtub and I plan on bottling sometime before or during the weekend.  I have actually brewed another (full) batch today so there will soon be more home brewing excitement to share.  Stay tuned!

These two small batches are much the same what was in “IPA and Pale Ale – Part 1” with a few different ingredients thrown in.  Though I am not thrilled with the way the last two turned out, the only way to get better is to continue trying.  So this time I took a recipe for a British IPA and decided to split it into two 2.5-gallon batches so I could experiment a bit further.

Again I am going to focus on what was different this time, so I will likely pass over some of the basic processes.  If you are interested in a more in depth description of the steps, check out “Part 1” for any of the beers on the “Brewing” page above.  Hopefully this will all be clear as I try to again recap two beers in one post.

The Chief of Sanitation is always present

The 1 pound of Crystal 60L Malt and 2 pounds of 2-Row Malt was split into halves (1.5 pounds each).  Each half of the crushed grains was steeped in 1.25 gallons of 155 degree water for 45 minutes.  This time I used the grain bag for one and no grain bag for the other just to see what difference it would make in the process.  Exact temperature control still continues to be a bit of an issue for me, but 155-160 degrees was the general range for that time.  Each half was then rinsed with a quart of 170 degree (or so) water before removing the grains entirely.

In an attempt to keep the two batches straight here, the one with the grain bag will be referred to as the British IPA and the other as the IPA.  I was basically taking half of the recipe and staying very close to the British IPA instructions and using the other half as more of an experimental version.

For both batches 3 pounds of the Extra Pale Extract was added and dissolved before returning the mixture to heat.  Each was brought to a controlled, rolling boil before adding 1.5 ounces of Kent Golding hops to each for bittering.  After 45 minutes .5 ounces of Kent Golding hops was added to each for flavoring.  Ten minutes later the same amount of Kent Golding hops was added to each for aroma along with .5 teaspoons of fresh ground nutmeg and 1.125 ounces of fresh ginger to the IPA.

Hops and hops and hops

Fresh nutmeg

Chunks of fresh ginger

After the boil, the British IPA was cooled to prepare for pitching the yeast.  To the IPA I added 12 ounces of frozen cranberries after scooping out the chunks of ginger and allowed them to steep for 15 minutes (or so).  Since the fruit was frozen I didn’t really need to break the skins, but I did take the masher to some of them just to help the flavor come out.  I wanted the temperature to drop a bit to allow the fruit to pasteurize without boiling.  As mentioned before, if the fruit were to boil the pectin can cause problems with clarity and the higher heat can also give you different flavors that you may not be looking for.

Taking a warm bath.

The cooling is much easier with these small batches and I was able to get the temperature down without much of a problem at all.  Each batch was put into a primary fermenter and water was added to roughly 2.625 gallons.  The original specific gravity for the British IPA was 1.0464 and the IPA came in at 1.0481.  The readings for both batches were pretty low and I think my exactly halving the recipe is watering the mix down a bit.  In the future I might try to end at 2.5 gallons or lower just to see what happens.

Since the dry yeast worked so well last time I decided to use it again.  To prepare for pitching, the yeast was split (5 grams or so each) and added to .5 cups of warm (previously boiled) water and allowed to sit for 15 minutes.  One teaspoon of sugar was boiled in a small amount of water, cooled and then split and added into each of the yeast mixtures.  After covering and allowing each to sit for 30 minutes it was clear that they were alive and ready to pitch.

As it comes

Though I don’t know how the cranberry IPA will turn out, I think that the flavor will work better with the hops than the sweeter pineapple and grapes did in the last.  If the nutmeg and or ginger come through at all in the aroma I would be thrilled.  If nothing else, it was fun to use whatever ingredients I had around the house for an experimental brew.

Now I wait until racking to secondary.

Though I have really only gone through the brewing process a handful of times I have noticed that my efficiency has improved dramatically.  There are many steps along the way that you just cannot rush through, but bottling isn’t one of them.  I have that routine down pretty well and bottling the few cases I have for each brew goes by very quickly.  Even as I evolve my brewing to a larger setup and different techniques it is good to know that at least the bottling should go smoothly.

Since the bottling process was already covered in more detail in Part 3 of the Honey Porter, this will really just be an update on how my two experiments are doing with a few pictures thrown in to prove that all of this actually happened.

Sanitized and ready for duty

Racking one last time

My version of a drying rack

The brew that I have been referring to as the IPA clocked in at just over 4% ABV which was about what I expected with the previous readings being what they were.  Though it is tough to tell exactly how the flavor is when flat, this one seemed to be a bit more of a pale ale than an IPA when I gave the sample a try.  The hop flavor was definitely there though as confirmed by The Wife making a face after one sip.

Done with one and on to the next

The pineapple and grape infused Pale Ale came in at just under 5.25% ABV and, judging by my small sample, seemed like it would be a nice light(er) bodied beer when fully carbonated.

Since that time I have opened a bottle of each to try because I wanted to give some out to friends before the holidays hit.  Neither of the two I sampled were fully carbonated but they were drinkable, which is my rock bottom standard for handing out to others.  So I packed up a case and a half of my Pumpkin Ale (soon to be reviewed here), a few of the “Practice Makes Porter,” and some of the two recently bottled to hand out to some guinea pigs.

There is something about beer (especially when free) that just makes people smile and every bottle was gladly accepted.  Hopefully some of them like some of the beer and if not all I ask is to get the empties back so that I can use them to bottle the next batches.  It certainly felt good that others were willing to drink what I made and I thank them for helping me clear room to brew some more!

Before getting to the next step in my most recent home brewing adventures, I need to draw attention again to the beer review posted yesterday.  Please be sure to take a look at the comment from Travis at Dunedin Brewery confirming my suspicions of the bottle I opened and also clarifying their bottling process.  I was never going to shy away from their brews based solely on that sample (anyway) and I have every intention of giving the Red Head Red Ale another shot.  A nice response like that directly from them is very much appreciated.

Moving on . . .

Fortunately for me (and likely for you reading this), there is less explanation necessary as I go through each (rather basic) recipe of home brew since it has been written here previously.  As my equipment evolves, my methods become more complex, and my ingredients get a bit more adventurous I will need to go through things in more detail.  For now though, if you are interested in the specifics of racking the wort from a primary to secondary fermenter check out the video in “Pumpkin Ale – Part 2” on the “Brewing” page above.  In this post I will simply highlight the specifics of these two brews to keep you up to date on what is happening.

Chief of Sanitation checking out the setup

Just sit back and watch

The IPA was the first to be transferred.  It came in at a specific gravity of about 1.0111 giving it a current ABV of roughly 4.26%.  The original gravity of this one was lower than expected so this was not exactly a surprise.  As I tasted the sample taken for hydrometer use I did notice some nice hop aroma and flavor, though not as prominent as hoped.  My thought is that the carbonation will certainly amp up the hop aroma, but I am not sure where the flavors will end up.  Though fermentation has seemingly not continued, this beer is currently clarifying in the secondary fermenter.  Maybe I will bottle this one a day or two ahead of the Pale Ale?

Before

After

Job well done!

The pineapple, grape, and Cayenne infused Pale Ale was next to go.  Before starting, I boiled about 1.5 cups of light brown sugar in roughly 2.25 cups of water for a few minutes so I could add it to the mix.  After cooling, that went into the secondary fermenter so that it would be thoroughly mixed in during racking.

Just floating around

All that is left

Since I had to deal with quite a bit of fruit floating in the wort, I decided to take the specific gravity ready before it was added to the brown sugar.  It clocked in with about a 1.0101, giving it and ABV in the neighborhood of 5.67%.  It may gain or lose some with the addition of the brown sugar and I will just have to wait and see.  The sample of this one had a pretty clean aroma, light body, and slight sweetness.  I really did not have much of an idea of what this one would turn out to be, but it was a bit lighter on the palate than I would have guessed.

I could not bring myself to eat one.

Everything is back into the bathtub and if all goes well I plan on bottling sometime this weekend, which will likely be followed shortly thereafter by another two batches.  It seems I am a bit addicted and I am OK with that.

Back to the bathtub with you!

There is one last thing as a note to myself and also a warning to others.  It is not a great idea to put your head anywhere near the bucket directly after taking the lid off, especially with a lot of fruit in the mix.  It will clear your nostrils, and your head in a hurry, possibly taking a few brain cells out with it!

It also needs a "Don't put your head over it when opening" warning!

There are many more Dogfish brews for me to review, but this will be the last one for a while since I got to quite a few during “Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Month” and it is time to share reviews for other beers.  I do have another few breweries in mind for dedicated months on this site, but they can wait until at least January.

Their website says that this one is a blend of oak-aged English strong ale and Dogfish’s very popular 90 Minute IPA, which I somehow did not fit into the evaluations for the month.  I think this is a great blend of the two styles, which again gave me a beer that was different than anything I can remember trying previously.  The Wife didn’t make it past the first sip, but that only meant that there was more for me to enjoy!

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Burton Baton

Style: Imperial IPA (oak-aged)

ABV: 10.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in an oversized wine glass.  $3.49 for 12oz.

Aroma: Smooth, slightly citrus hop aroma.  A slight hint of vanilla with a little bit of earthy/woody nose in back.

Appearance: Medium amber with some orange tint.  Slight, cream color head with moderate retention and a heavy(ish) trail.  Quite clear with a few bubbles rising.

Flavor: Moderate hop flavor (some grapefruit-like character) with a nice background of caramel/slightly toasted maltiness.  Some bitterness and well balanced overall.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with moderate carbonation.  Very smooth and slightly creamy with an even hint of warmth in back.

Overall Impressions: Really incredible aroma (my initial impression) with the flavor falling right in line.  The oak aging did not over power either.  A very pleasant beer with a great combination of aromas and flavors.

Grade: A- (maybe higher)

Point of entry

Dogfish Head - Burton Baton

Dogfish Head - Burton Baton

A closer look

It is not as if I have mastered basic brewing at any level, but I felt the need to branch out a bit from the straightforward recipe brewing for my next beers.  So I ordered supplies for an American IPA and decided to split it into two 2.5-gallon batches so I could experiment a bit.  With that, I also purchased an extra primary and secondary fermenter so that brewing two batches at once could become the norm for me.  Waiting for one to finish before starting another became frustrating since I want to practice and get better at brewing.

I am going to focus on what was different this time, so I will likely pass over some of the basic processes.  If you are interested in more in depth description of those, check out “Part 1” of the “Honey Porter” or “Pumpkin Ale” on the “Brewing” page above.  Hopefully this will all be clear as I try to recap two beers in one post.

The 1 pound of Crystal 60L Malt and 2 pounds of 2-Row Malt was split into halves (1.5 pounds each) and I took .5 pounds of one half and roasted it for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  In an attempt to keep the to batches straight here, the one with the roasted grains will be referred to as the Pale Ale and the other as the IPA.  I was basically taking half of the recipe and staying very close to the IPA instructions and using the other half as more of an experimental Pale Ale.

Roasting some grains

Each half of the crushed grains was steeped in 1.25 gallons of 155 degree water for 45 minutes.  Exact temperature control continues to be a bit of an issue for me, but 155-160 degrees was the general range for that time.  Each half was then rinsed with a quart of 170 degree water before removing the grains entirely.

For both batches 3 pounds of the Extra Pale Extract was added and dissolved before returning the mixture to heat.  Each was brought to a controlled, rolling boil before adding 2 ounces of Yakima Golding hops to the IPA and 1 ounce of the same to the Pale Ale for bittering.  After 45 minutes .75 ounces of Cluster hops was added to the IPA and .25 ounces to the Pale Ale for flavoring.  Ten minutes later the same amount of Cluster hops was added to each for aroma along with .25 teaspoons of Cayenne to the Pale Ale.

Just some of the hop pellets

After the boil, the IPA was cooled to prepare for pitching the yeast.  To the Pale Ale I added 20 ounces of chunked pineapple (including juice) and 1 pound of halved seedless red grapes and allowed them to steep for 15 minutes (or so).  The fruit was actually put in the freezer for a bit to cool them before adding to the pot.  I wanted to temperature to drop a bit to allow the fruit to pasteurize without boiling.  If the fruit were to boil, the pectin can cause problems with clarity and the higher heat can also give you different flavors that you may not be looking for.

No cutting to be done here

Many grapes to slice

Cooling continues to be another issue for me, but it was much easier with these small batches and I was able to get the temperature down without much of a problem.  Each batch was put into a primary fermenter and water was added to roughly 2.625 gallons.  The original specific gravity for the IPA was 1.0436 and the Pale Ale came in at 1.0534.  The Pale Ale was pretty close to what I was looking for but the IPA was pretty low, possibly a result of adding too much water at the end or maybe just a result of halving the recipe.  Neither was a reason to be upset.

Just some of the strained hops

This was also the first time that I decided to use dry yeast.  That doesn’t always work out because the selection of dry yeast is more limited, but there was that option for this recipe.  To prepare for pitching, the yeast was added to 1 cup of warm (previously boiled) water and allowed to sit for 15 minutes.  One teaspoon of sugar was boiled in a small amount of water, cooled and then added into the yeast mixture.  After covering and allowing to sit for 30 minutes it was clear that they were alive and ready, so I split the mix into halves.

As it came

Half of the beasties

I don’t know exactly how the dry yeast will alter the end product, but active fermentation started earlier than ever before and was actually more vigorous.  It was also cheaper than buying it in liquid form, so if it works out well I will likely use it as often as it makes sense in the future.

Ah, the lovely sound of a bubbling airlock!

I have tentative plans to visit the Shipyard Brewing Company’s brewery when I am passing through Portland next month because I generally enjoy and appreciate their beers.  This one was an exception to that general enjoyment for me.  Maybe I had set my expectations too high and it fell short, but in the end it wasn’t a beer that I needed to have again anytime soon.

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company (Portland, Maine)

Name: Chamberlain Pale Ale

Style: Pale Ale (American)

ABV: 4.9%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  $3.99 for 22oz

Aroma: Light, slightly earthy hop nose.  Very faint caramel aroma?

Appearance: Light copper color with orange tint.  Short, off-white head that dissipates quickly without a trail.  Very clear with a few rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Low hop flavor with a slight earthiness.  Minerally finish with some cloying.  Maybe a hint of a bready malt flavor?  The aroma was a bit stronger than the flavor turned out to be.

Mouthfeel: Light body with some dryness on the palate.  Medium to high carbonation, producing some bite (sharpness).

Overall Impressions: Weak overall aroma and flavor (compared to what I expect in an APA).  Alcohol content typical for style.  Really not much going on overall.  Drinkable, but also forgettable.

Grade: C to C-

Shipyard Brewing Co. - Chamberlain Pale Ale

So, here we are on Saturday and again I have pizza and beer excursion to share. I shouldn’t put it that way because before last Saturday’s trip to Mellow Mushroom I cannot remember the last time I was out for pizza. It’s not exactly on my weekly schedule.

We happened to be in the area of Pizza Fusion and since my wife has been talking about going there for quite some time, we really had to give it a try. Once we were inside I also really had to try out a few beers. Just to get it off my chest right now . . . Yes, I was the guy taking notes on the beer at the table and yes, I was wearing my Voodoo Doughnut shirt because they are the best doughnuts anywhere, period, end of story.

Hard at work.

Pizza Fusion has made a name for itself by using only the highest quality ingredients, most of which are organic (over 75 percent) and with all of them being extremely fresh. With that they also serve organic and gluten free beers (at least at our location in Orlando). I chose a sampler of four beers from Orlando Brewing (certified organic brewery) consisting of their European Pilz, Red Ale, Pompous Ass IPA, and Eagle Stout.

As I mentioned in the post on my experience at Mellow Mushroom, it’s not the best situation to review beers back to back to back to back, but I am a trooper and gave it a go anyway. I wrote a few things down on each of the four, not a comprehensive review, but enough to share my conclusions.

Posing for a picture

The European Pilz was clear, light, clean, and crisp as I expected a pilsner to be. It really is a good accompaniment to pizza in part because it doesn’t fill you up on its own and leaves you with plenty of room for more pizza. It doesn’t really have a distinguishable aroma, but that may have been affected a bit by my environment. There was some bite from the carbonation.

The Red Ale didn’t really have a prominent aroma either. It was somewhat smooth and creamy on the palate. There was slight hop bitterness with some dryness at the finish. It was clean, but didn’t have a lot of flavor (for an ale).

The Pompous Ass IPA (great name) didn’t have a big aroma, but there was enough hoppiness there to tell where I was headed. The flavor had good hop bitterness, more so than the aroma implied. There was also slight creaminess on the palate and some bite from the carbonation.

The Eagle Stout had a light roasted malt aroma and a medium body. It also was a bit creamy and had some sharpness to it. There was some roasty to burnt flavor there, but also something else that I couldn’t quite pick out.

My overall impression is that each beer was OK and I say that perhaps viewing them differently as an organic (and local) product. They were not my favorites since I tend to enjoy beers with bigger flavor, but they are good and everyone should give them (and other organic beers) a try if they have been hesitant to this point.

I wouldn’t want to end this post without telling you about the pizza. It’s really good. I don’t think I need to say much more than that. I had the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza with steak, roasted bell peppers, roasted red onion, parsley, tomato sauce, gorgonzola, mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan on a thin multigrain crust. How could all that have possibly turned into a bad pizza?

This is still my favorite ‘Melo . . .

Carmelo Anthony

. . . but I am now making room for another one that I have a much better chance of hanging out with: the Mellow Mushroom.

I had visited the Winter Park location of Mellow Mushroom previously, but only to enjoy the awesome selection of beer. The list of beers on tap would be good for most any bar and is especially good for a pizza joint. So when my wife and I decided to go there for a Saturday evening meal I knew that at the very least the beer would be a sure thing.

We were able to get a table right away even with the people waiting outside for a spot to open up. That is one of the advantages of being a party of two I suppose. After a short look at the beer list my wife and I each ordered a paddle of beer containing (4) 5 oz. beers.

My paddle consisted of the four beers that held down the four rotating draft positions . . . Locomotive Breath Porter – Lagniappe Brewery, Bolita Brown(?) – Cigar City Brewing, Double Simcoe IPA – Weyerbacher Brewing Co, and Anchor Summer Ale – Anchor Brewing. I will let you know what I though of those after I also let you know what my wife enjoyed. Her paddle lined up with the Double Simcoe IPA, Blue Paw Wheat Ale – Sea Dog Brewing Co, Tangerine Wheat – Lost Coast Brewery, and Bogart Pale Ale – Atlanta Brewing Co.

Line them up . . . Locomotive Breath leading the way.

My paddle order didn’t exactly match the ticket provided, but being the sharp tack that I am, that didn’t affect my consumption. I will say that beer evaluation at dinner is far different from that in the friendly confines of my home. First, its tough to get a real sense of aroma with the smell of great pizza surrounding you.  It’s also not that easy to judge beers back to back to back to back and be able to describe the subtleties of each. I have great respect for beer judges. With that said I have my quick reaction to each, but I hope to revisit all of them for a more thorough review someday.

The Anchor Steam was very light, crisp, and clean. It was actually a bit creamy for a beer with such light body. Definitely a good beer for warm weather.

The Weyerbacher had a medium body, and was smooth on the palate with a rather high hop bitterness. I did catch the floral hop aroma even with my pizza inches away (more on that in a bit). There was a slight bit of astringency at the finish, which did linger for a short time.

The Cigar City had a medium body and was quite smooth and creamy. There was a slight bit of dryness at the finish. It had an even, complex roasted flavor with maybe a touch of molasses-like sweetness.

The Lagniappe had a medium-light body with some sharpness from the carbonation. It did have some roasted maltiness with a slight burnt note, but there wasn’t a big overall flavor.

Nothing bad can come from this.

All four of those on my were paddle pretty good, but none of them great. I would say they would all fall in a B- to B+ range . . . at least for me in that environment.

The beer was good as expected and the pizza definitely did not disappoint. I had an awesome white pizza with olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, ham, red onion, tomato, and a few other cheeses. My wife ordered a calzone with spinach, mushroom, tomato, pineapple, and mozzarella. They were both great and that, combined with the beer is more than enough reason to be back again.

Stopping for air.

Another point in Mellow Mushroom’s column . . . There was a mix up with my wife’s order that was dealt with so well that it would have been enough for a repeat visit buy itself. Her calzone was made with the wrong ingredients originally, but it was delivered to our table with the manager explaining the situation and telling us that her correct order would be out soon. So we ended up with a free calzone and enjoyed it as much as the rest of our meal. Fast forward to getting our check and we found out that we were only going to be charged for half a calzone because of the mix up, even though we ended up with two!

Thank you to Star and the rest of the staff, you all made the experience very enjoyable!