Weekend Brews - Week 31 - Ring the Alarm!

Ring the alarm... another Friday's upon us! It always feels good to hear that imaginary work whistle blow, and today the above song struck me as the tune to start the weekend.

Today I took a trip down to the local beer store... or rather hippie market with good beer selection, and found a few tasty treats.

First up is an organic beer from Chico, California from Butte Creek Brewing Company... the Organic Revolution XI Imperial India Pale Ale.

I crack the seal and pour...

The Organic Imperial IPA lands smack dab in the glass brightening the room with its amber glow. The smell of citrus and malt sweetness fill the air. A healthy heap of hops was surely part of the ingredients list for this fine brew.

The flavor is impeccable. A classic double IPA with plenty of barley malt fullness matched with hoppy bitterness. At 8.6% ABV, this brew packs a punch, but does not overwhelm with the taste of alcohol. As a huge fan of the style, it's great to be able to see a brewery pull it off using organic ingredients. Excellent job.

Look out Sierra Nevada, there's another brewery in Chico coming correct with some tasty beers. Those college kids in that town are some lucky bastards!

Overall Score of the Butte Creek Organic Revolution XI Imperial IPA (damn that's a long name!): 4.5 out 5.0

I shall post again in just a bit with my other selection(s).

Prost!





... and I'm back. Thanks for waiting.

Part two of Weekend Brews 31 features yet another selection from the Schmaltz Brewing Company... the Coney Island Lager. I've tried the other Coney Island selections and they were delicious. So, I thought I'd try the third one available here in Gainesville.

It's a nice, healthy, copper-colored lager with a light scent of citrus from the hops. It looks heavier then it smells.

This beer brewed using Czech Pilsner yeast comes across with that famous dry finish of a pils. It's an easy-drinking beer, that should not discourage those who are not used to drinking lagers with a darker hue.

This is not your grandpappy's lager.

FYI, proceeds from the Coney Island lagers benefit Coney Island USA, a non-profit organization decidated to preserving "lost forms of American popular arts and culture"(as read from the bottle). Check out the website for more info.

Overall score for the Coney Island Lager: 3.25 0ut of 5.0