Weekend Brews Postponed... Boooooo!

So I woke up this morning and I did not get myself a beer. I got myself some cough medicine, a huge glass of O.J. and a cup of tea. I'm as sick as a jerk and coughing like some sort of jackass... or cow.

So no beelz report today. As much as I would love to be drinking right now, it being Friday and all, it's best that I try and get healthy.

"Sorry folks. The park's closed. The moose out front shoulda toldja."

This Just In...

... Thursday nights are right for drinking!

Yes it's true I'm a slacker of sorts and did not post a Weekend Brews report last Friday. My family was in town and well, you know how that goes.

Anywho, I'm starting early this weekend. Tonight I'm sampling a delicious beer that I think every hop head can enjoy. It comes from the Boulder Beer Company and its name is "Hazed and Confused Dry-Hopped Ale." Mmmmmm... that sounds good, I'll have that.


He opens... he pours... he waits...

The head licks the side of the glass like a fat kid outside of the bakery, but trickles down quickly like the fat kid's face after his mom grabs him by the suspenders and drags him to the gym. Awwww... that's not nice at all.

Then it hits me. The aroma. Amazing. Stupendous. Mouth-watering and fantastic! It's a citrusy blast of glorious flowery hop scents massaging the wee little hairs that fill me nostrils. Tee hee hee.

Next I do what all good persons do when there is a glass of liquid so intriguing in front of them... I drink it. Ahhh the bitterness mixed with malt sweetness presents itself to a happy pale ale fan. This cloudy amber beverage is a perfect treat on a cool and rainy February night in Northern Florida. It's not heavy enough for a cold evening, but a solid choice to enjoy the cool breeze flowing through the screened in porch.

I like this beer. I believe anyone who enjoys a good American Pale Ale would agree. And at less than $8.00 for the sixer, I may just be adding this copper beauty to my list of regular weekend purchases.

If you haven't had it, go and pick up a six and try it for yourself. I picked mine up at the liquor store in the Publix shopping plaza on NW 34th and University. It was my first trip to that store and I was happy to see a fine selection of imports and American craft brewed beers.

Enjoy.

Overall Score: 4.25 out of 5.0

Weekend Brews Week 12

It's five o' clock somewhere, and that somewhere is Gainesville, Florida.

That means it is time to pop open a fizzy spirit lifter and start the weekend right.

Now I know the last post was about a Brooklyn beer, but I still had a flavor I wanted to tell you about.


This week let me treat you to a historic beer called,
Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55.

This beer is a tribute of sorts to the storied Brooklyn Dodgers franchise and their 1955 World Series Championship. Now that was before my time, but I do remember my grandfather telling me stories about him taking my dad to Ebbets Field to watch Jackie Robinson play, and man, well that sort of thing can bring a tear to a grown man's eye.

The new Mets stadium which is scheduled to open in 2009 will feature an entrance that is said to be a replica of the old Ebbets Field facade. Man, I cannot wait to see that.

Okay, enough about history, how about the beer?

It's a perfect light copper color often familiar to English-style pale ales, of which this beer is an example. The beer poured with a fluffy head that quickly disappeared into the amber liquid.

The aroma is nothing short of fantastic. The nose is filled with scents of fresh baked bread and warm cereal with a pleasing splash of hop aroma at the end. I picked up a bit more of the hop scent once the liquid hit my lips.

The beer goes down smoothly, filled with toasty malt goodness and a touch of bitterness to round out the flowing ride down my throat. It's a thirst quencher just right for the occasion of a Friday after-work celebration.

I think this beer would be a great match with some chicken pot pie or a hearty Maryland crab cake. I bet the sweetness would blend well with a nice bowl of French onion soup as well. Wow. Now I'm starving. Great.

Well, there you have it folks, another tasty brew to kick off the next few days.

Those of you heading out to St. Augustine for the camping trip this weekend, sorry, I don't have any Brooklyn beers left to share. Bummer. Have no fear, Dave, Mike and the gang are well-stocked with "ancient grain hop juice" for all of us.

See you out at the coast.

Prost!

Overall Score: 3.75 out 5.0

Weekend Brews - Week 11... Helloooo Brooklyn!

Hooray for Friday!

It's here again and I'm stoked because my good friend Adrian did me the favor of driving up to Valdosta, GA to pick up many beers we cannot get here in Gainesville,Fla.

Since the Giants will be trying to do what seems like the impossible this Sunday, I thought I'd feature another great New York brew this week. This weekend's choice is from my favorite hometown heroes, Brooklyn Brewery. Garret Oliver, I thank you.

I'd like to tell you about the Brooklyner Weisse Beer. It is gorgeous.

It pours into the glass with a fluffy head and light golden hue. After sticking my nose in the glass I can catch the fruity aromas of orange and lemon and even a slight note of banana. This beer has such a clean feel to it even without touching the glass to my lips. You can just sense the refreshment headed my way.

The first sip... ahhhhhh. As I tilt the long, slender glass back and the liquid gold slides down my throat I can only imagine being outside in a park during a mild Spring day, getting ready to play some wiffleball and enjoy the sunshine. Ahhhhhh indeed. This beer has a little bite, a touch of spice and the most pleasing citrus flavor you can imagine. It's velvety smooth and carries just the right mix of wheat malt and hops. Man, this is good!

I love this brew. Being a fan of traditional Hefeweizens, I can tell you that Brooklyn nailed it. The only thing I might want to see more of in this beer, and really it is just me nitpicking, would be a bit more carbonation. When I drink wheat beers, I always like them to be in the mid-range when it comes to carbonation, and I'd say this beer is more on the lighter side. There's just something about that wheat flavor that matches perfectly with a bit more bubbles in your glass. That's just me though.

Overall I think this beer is fantastic. It's light, refreshing, full of citrus and wheat flavor, and goes perfect with just about any type of outdoor grilling food.

This beer is not yet available in Gainesville,Fla., but if you can find it in your neck of the woods, and you're planning on having a BBQ for the big game on Sunday, I highly recommend picking up a case of Brooklyner Weisse Beer and sharing it with your friends... or stashing it away in a secret cooler to have all to yourself. ha ha. Either way, it's a great compliment to the food hot off the coals.

Go grab some for yourself. Do it!

Overall Score: 4.5 out 5.0