Birdboy Brewing Company – Phoenix Rising
If you're wondering what's been happening at Birdboy Brewing Co. of late, and you're a tad confused by some recent comings and goings, then you're not the only one. A lot has been going on both...
Stone Brewing – an ending that began a long time ago
I suppose that I should throw in my two-cents on Stone, everybody else has. To be honest, were it not for the post that I wrote in 2015 that marked the end of an era for this blog, I probably...
From Fort Collins, CO to Goshen, IN, beer promotes community
If you happen to feel an enhanced sense of community the next time that you visit the Goshen Brewing Co. (GBCo.) in Goshen, Indiana, it's not by accident. Founder and former head brewer Jesse...
The State of Citizen Beer Blogging in 2022
I was toying with the idea of going to the 2022 Beer Bloggers Conference in Asheville in August of this year - that was until I learned that it had been canceled due to a lack of interest. My guess...
Never meet your heroes. The death of elite beer bars?
‘Never meet your heroes’ is a phrase that is probably best used by kids. They are the group that is perhaps most susceptible to thinking that people, places and things are without flaws, and that...
Beeradvocate more than a decade removed. Still banning!
On 3/31/22 the official Beeradvocate Twitter account manned by Todd Alström, blocked the newly minted dingsbeerblog Twitter account. Yep, it’s true. Quick, to the DeLorean! Todd blocked my other...
Come Into My Parlor
When Parlor City Brewing opened in June of 2020, it wasn't exactly the ideal time to be launching a service business of any kind, let alone one in the food and drink sector. With the pandemic raging...
Defining “Craft Beer”. OH NO, not this again!
I think it was maybe around 12 years ago that people (briefly) started to attempt to define what the term 'craft beer' really meant. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this led to a lot of arguing, and no real...
An Englishman and a Scotsman walk into an American bar
There's an unusual beast prowling just to the east of the Wells Corridor, north of downtown Fort Wayne. He's a brewer working in a relatively small brewery, in a relatively obscure part of the...
Session beer revisited, briefly
If you know, you know. I've got close to twenty years of online history relating to a single mantra about session beer, which is; beer can only be correctly labeled as session beer if it is 4% ABV...
A (S)ummit (City Brewerks) on styles
This is not really a post about styles or policing styles - at least not an in-depth one - but it may seem like it is. It's actually a post about a much larger issue surrounding styles - the bigger...
Legacy beer drinkers made sad
I want to support new(ish) and local breweries. I really, really do. But as a legacy beer drinker, it's becoming more and more difficult to do so. I suppose I should attempt to qualify what I mean...
The Trubble with Chad Hankee
When Chad Hankee says he's bored, you'd better get ready for some changes. Here's a man whose projects, and indeed life's journey, have been about bending in the wind and changing tack; and that's...
The Tavour myth machine, and staggeringly, ordinary, expensive beer
A longer post on my experience with Tavour (some of which is positive) is coming soon, but for now just a quick observation or two. Tavour is selling some excruciatingly expensive beers, many from...
Todd Stone & Junk Ditch – Where Plato meets Plato
Todd Stone is a young man with an old head on his shoulders. Trust me, that's a huge compliment in my book. He and I sat down at Junk Ditch earlier this week to talk about his journey to become the...
From Prints to Pints
When one reads the draft list of a brewery that's found in a tucked-away corner of an industrial park north of Fort Wayne, one wouldn't expect the head-brewer and I to have much in common. Only 50%...
A conversation with Tom Carpenter of 2Toms Brewing Co.
The resurrection of Ding's Beer Blog is going to be characterized by (at least at first) a focus on the local beer scene. That means Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana are in the crosshairs. I'm...
The past, the present, the six years between them, and the future
Here we all are. It's been six years since my last blog post on Ding's Beer Blog, but now I'm back. So where have I been? What happened in the period between January 2015 and today, May 26th 2021?...
Ambivalence, indifference, me, evolution, and Stone in 2015
Before you read this please know that I'm not really sure what I am trying to convey here, so I think this post is more likely to turn out to be a stream of consciousness rather than anything...
Session #94 – The Round-up
As usual with The Session, some posts are more interesting than others. Here's the round-up for #94 in no particular order. Miguel gives us this post at Amante De La Buena Cerveza. Unfortunately I...
Session #94 – My Role in Beer
As I said in my announcement for session #94, the question of my role in beer was provoked by a quick tweet exchange where @andrewinski1 suggested that rather than dropping pretty much completely...
Session #94 – The announcement. Friday, Dec. 5th – Your role in the beer ‘scene’. What it is?
The Session, a.k.a. 'Beer Blogging Friday', is an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic. Each...
Beer Review: Southern Tier Brewing Company, Sonnet
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Southern Tier is a real Jekyll and Hyde brewery for me, with a range of beers that I have...
Hilton Head Brewing Co., 2014 – Light at the end of a VERY dark tunnel
Each year since 2001, often as a result of multiple visits, I have been reviewing and writing about the catastrophe that HHBCo. has become over the years. During that 13 year period, I have probably...
The Session #88 – Beer Mixes
When I first read the announcement post for Session #88 on Boak & Bailey's blog, to be honest, my heart sank. They suggested that in preparation for Session #88 that we, the bloggers, go out and...
Talkbeer.com
Today I joined the talkbeer.com community. I believe that the site was originally a trading site that grew out of the discontent and disgust at BA, but it now seems to have reached the kind of...
Atlanta Cask Ale (#ACAT) 2014
So here I am, on the morning of another Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting (#ACAT), but this time I am not getting ready to head to the event later in the day. The #ACAT of 2014 will be the first one that I...
Pant-wetting fanboys and the US beer scene
Last night I got into a bit of a clumsy discussion on Twitter that ended very unsatisfactorily for me. Frankly it was my own fault, and I wanted to clear up my thoughts a little. In a nutshell, I...
Ding’s Christmas Wish List 2013
Here I go again with my annual Christmas wish list. The things I want Santa to deliver to my beer world. It goes without saying (I think), that the old chestnuts of me wanting the abuse of cask beer...
Me on (in) Draft (Magazine)
Last Wednesday I received an email from Chris Staten. Chris is an editor at Draft magazine. He asked me to respond to a few, simple questions about my public beer persona for an article that he was...
Session #82: Beery Yarns (a REDUX)
Here's my Session #82 post. This month Steve at Beers I've known asks for Beery Yarns. If you recognize this post, you're right, this is a cheat. I've posted it before, but this is such a great...
Twisted South – the article that never was
In February of this year I was asked by a person that follows me on Twitter to write a counter-point article for Twisted South magazine. After 0ver 9 months of being told that 'it will be published...
Why I’ve stopped going to The Brick Store
After my decision last January not to attend Atlanta Cask Ale ’14 this coming January, the very event that I thought would be the one that kept me sane in terms of real ale in America, I started to...
Beer Review: Seeing Double IPA, Foothills Brewing
Ding Points: 76.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I've known this beer for many, many years and usually I've enjoyed it immensely, but this is...
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Hypocrisy, FRESH and on tap!
It's always heart-warming to be reminded from time to time that there are so many of us out there that belong to the, 'mistreated by beeradvocate.com', club. My own story is well-documented, and...
Session #80 – The Craft Beer Bubble
The first Friday in October '13 brings us Session #80, where Derek Harrison at It's Not Just The Alcohol Talking asks, 'Is Craft Beer a Bubble?'. I'm no economist, and in any case economics is a...
Beer Review: Westbrook Brewing Co., Weisse Weisse Baby
Ding Points: 70.50 Pour: 40.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: $9.99 for the 750 mL from Growlers, HHI, SC, USA. Bottled 3/29/13. Well this beer has been a...
Session #79 – The round up and a few rebuttals
OK, Session #79 is now over and the thoughts of many have been recorded for posterity. There weren't quite as many posts as I was expecting, and some of the writing wasn't very good, but here's my...
Session #79 – USA versus Old World Beer Culture
OK, here we go with the blog post that you've read before. Why do I say that? Well essentially this is a post that I've written umpteen times over, just in varying guises. In those past posts I have...
Session #79 – The announcement. Friday, Sept. 6th – USA versus Old World Beer Culture
The Session, a.k.a. 'Beer Blogging Friday', is an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic. Each...
Beer Review: Westbrook Brewing Co, Mexican Cake
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Two separate, approx. (what looked liked) 10-12 oz pours (in undersize Duvel glasses) at The...
Beer Review: The Wrecking Bar, Ding – The English Bitter
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: I have not spoken to Bob Sandage about 'Ding', so I cannot comment on its origin with any...
Beer Review: Back Forty Beer Company, Freckle Belly IPA
Ding Points: 74.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: I've had very little exposure and experience with Back Forty beers, but when I did, I thought...
Beer Review: Brewery Ommegang, XV Reserve Anniversary
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: $15.99 for the tin and the corked bottle. Love me some Ommegang, but even before I open the tin...
Session Beer Day. Reflections
Well that was fun. Actually it was surprisingly uneventful, but four interesting things came out of it. Firstly I was surprised that I didn't lose any Twitter followers, at least I didn't lose any...
Session Beer Day 2013
So, it's here again, #sessionbeerday, this time on Sunday, April 7th, 2013. Mmmm, well it wouldn't be right for me to let the 2013 'event'* pass without comment (here's 2012's session beer day...
Beer Review: Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Silver Anniversary Lager 1988-2013
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: So what do we have here? Apparently it's a Lager, and 5 seconds research tell us it's a...
Beer Review: Jester King Craft Brewery, Le Petit Prince Farmhouse Table Beer
Ding Points: 64.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00 Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Big thanks go out to Lee for providing me with the original bottle of this back in 2012. That...
Beer Review: Victory Brewing Company, White Monkey
Ding Points: 54.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth:, 60.00 Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: I hold my hand up here and admit that I screwed up. The thought of Golden Monkey aged in white...
Beer Review: Stone Brewing Co, Enjoy By 04.01.13 IPA
Ding Points: 64.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Dammit. Enjoy by 04.01.13 - that means that once the 4th of January has passed this is going...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, Birra Etrusca Bronze
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Taste: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Pour is a, 'per the label' dark bronze color with some initially high head that fades pretty...
Back to School Night – 2013 Class & Tasting
February brings 'Back To School Night' at the independent school where I teach, when (as part of Institutional Advancement) alumni are invited 'back to school' for an evening of classes offered by...
ACAT 2013 – The follow up
OK, following yesterdays 2013 Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting, and in the wake of this post, I wanted to follow up with a quick run down of the events and the beer as they unfolded. Firstly it was great to...
My cask tears – Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting 2013
So, I'm writing this just a few hours before attending Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting of 2013. In fact, I'm writing as the judging for today's event is actually taking place and I'm texting one of the...
Beer Review: Jester King Craft Brewery, Commercial Suicide (Oaked) Farmhouse Ale
Ding Points: 51.00 Pour 60.00:, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 40.00 Tasting Notes: OK, an 'Oaked, Farmhouse Mild Ale'? Hmmm, I dunno. Unfiltered, unpasteurized and...
Beer Review(s): The Celt Experience Beers; Bronze, Dark-Age and Golden
Usually I don't like to review beers in batches, but on this occasion it seemed a little more appropriate for more than one reason. My friend from North Carolina/Yorkshire, Stuart Arnold (of...
Beer Review: Blue Moon Brewing Company (Coors), Proximity (Vintage Ale Collection)
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Yes, I am fully aware of what this is (and what it is not), but I'll try anything once, and to...
Ding’s Christmas Wish List 2012
Following last years Christmas wish list, here goes the 2012 version. 10. Fresh Cotleigh beer in the Atlanta area, please. 9. Death to all, 'Special' beer 'days' (e.g., 'IPA Day', 'Stout Day' etc.)...
Beer Review: Ranger Creek Brewing, Small Batch Series No.1
Ding Points: 77.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Bottle has black wax which is VERY thick. Quite a pain to open. As Ranger Creek mentions on its...
Beer Review: Karbach Brewing Co., Yule Shoot Your Eye Out (Seasonal Ale)
Ding Points: 86.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Huge shout-out to @lnashsig for the chance to crack this one. Looking forward to it immensely....
Beer Review: Samuel Adams (The Boston Beer Co.), Latitude 48
Ding Points: 66.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: These notes are an amalgamation of two different bottles, almost exactly 12 months apart, and...
Beer Review: The Bruery, 5 Golden Rings
Ding Points: 77.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Original Review: 12/07/2013 I always look forward to The Bruery release of the 12 days series,...
Beer Review: Lazy Magnolia, Indian Summer
Ding Points: 61.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Pour recedes to leave zero head, zero lace. Looks like a lucozade. Really fruity, but not...
Beer Review: Jester King Craft Brewery, Thrash Metal Farmhouse ***** Ale
Ding Points: 74.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: What's the deal with the (apparently) blacked out word between Farmhouse and Ale?? Pour gives...
Beer Review: Sierra Nevada, Oatmeal Stout 2012 Beer Camp #45
Ding Points: 87.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Before purchasing the Beer Camp 12 pack, I was pretty sure that the beer that I would like...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Hard Time Barleywine Style Ale
Ding Points: 71.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Part of the solitary confinement series. I had a few conversations with various folk about the...
Beer cellaring – a new perspective and a re-think
To be honest, I never had any interest in cellaring beer until about 2003-04. I read some articles about this relatively new idea, and also became acquainted with kp. Keith (kp) is a pretty...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co., Liquid Bliss (Side Project #18)
Ding Points: 68.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Here we go with Side Project #18 from Terrapin, a 'peanut butter beer'. The usual, 22 oz,...
Beer Review: Shmaltz Brewing Company, He’Brew Miraculous Jewbelation 8
Ding Points: 74.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: The back story to this beer is that I missed out on it when it was first released (late 2004),...
Beer Review: Founding Fathers Brewing Co., Founding Fathers Light Lager
Ding Points: 24.00 Pour: 40.00, Nose: 20.00, Palate: 20.00, Mouth: 30.00, Global: 20.00 Tasting Notes: I really only wanted to review this because of the small conversation that my review of the...
Boulevard Brewing Co., Bob’s ’47 Oktoberfest
Ding Points: 85.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Apparently this beer is brewed to celebrate one Bob Werkowitch, Master Brewer, and his...
Beer Review: Freetail Brewing Co., Witicus
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle, tanks go out to @lnashsig for the opportunity to try this one. At first glance...
Beer Review: Brewery Ommegang, Duvel Rustica
Ding Points: 66.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: OK, what are the differences between this and Duvel? The question really seems as though it...
Beer Review: Great Divide Brewing Co., Wolfgang
Ding Points: 53.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 40.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Black body with a thick, creamy, almost old fashioned Guinness like head. The retention is OK,...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, 75 Minute IPA
Ding Points: 67.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouthfeel: 90.00, Global 60.00 Tasting Notes: Had a chance to purchase a bottle at the brewpub in March of this year, but I passed....
More Growler Stores? Really? Yes, and it’s not over yet.
Last Friday I received a comment on the blog from Brandon, General Manager at the recently opened JUGS Atlanta growler store in Sandy Springs. He invited me to swing by to say 'Hi', and to check out...
Beer Review: Jester King Craft Brewery, Boxer’s Revenge
Ding Points: 87.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: I have to admit, I am not really predisposed to liking this beer. I'm not a big fan of anything...
Beer Review: Ranger Creek Brewing, Small Batch Series No. 2
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Thanks go out to @lnashsig for the chance to try this one. bottle-conditioned, 07.18.12, Batch...
Beer Review: Weyerbacher Brewing Co., Seventeen
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz single, Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pretty straightforward here. Very sweet, highly...
Beer Review: Brooklyn Brewery, Fiat Lux
Ding Points: 90.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 32 oz growler from AleYeah! Roswell in September, and then about six weeks or so later, as a 32...
Chad’z Homebrew
So, I'm writing this against my better judgement, but here we go. Chad, of Chad'z video beer reviews, gave me a couple of his homebrews. First off, full disclosure. Generally I'm not a fan of...
Beer Review: De Proef Brouwerij, Flanders Fred
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth; 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Always glad to see another De Proef collaboration, this one being the sixth in the series. Some...
Sweetwater Brewing Co., Danktoberfest
Ding Points: 58.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: The latest in the Dank Tank series. Blue and white checkered motif in a nod to the Bavarian...
Beer Review: Brasserie Fantôme, Fantôme Saison
Ding Points: 95.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 100.00, Mouth: 100.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Extremely surprised to see this back on the shelf at Green's in early August of 2012 -...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Dead Man Walking
Ding Points: 58.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 20.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Ahhh, dammit. Such a shame. This beer looks absolutely spectacular when poured into the Tucher...
The search is over, and at the same time, just beginning
Yesterday was a pretty significant day in my little beer world. Was it a day that was characterized by me finding a long sought after bottle? No. Was it a day that I tasted and reviewed a super-rare...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Partners In Crime
Ding Points: 72.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Delighted to see a Berliner Weisse. Not really that I'm an especially big fan of the style, but...
Beer Review: The Lost Abbey & New Belgium Brewing, Mo Betta Bretta Ale
Ding Points: 68.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: $13.99 for the 12.7 fl oz in the corked & caged bottle. Yes, I said $13.99! As always with...
Beer Review: Stone Brewing Co., 16th Anniversary
Ding Points: 86.00 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Bottled conditioned, August 2012. OK, the last Stone Anniversary beer that I thought was any...
Beer Review: Boulevard Brewing Company, Rye-On-Rye 2012
Ding Points: 77.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: More thanks go out to @lnashsig. 2012 vintage, bottle number 20081, Batch 2012-2, Best By:...
Beer Review: Jester King Craft Brewery, Das Wunderkind!
Ding Points: 77.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: For the second time in just about as many days, I find a beer that for all intents &...
Beer Review: Freetail Brewing Co., 3Tail
Ding Points: 60.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Thanks go out to @lnashsig for the chance to try this. Opened in 2008, Freetail Brewing Co....
Beer Review: Founders Brewing Co., Frangelic Mountain Brown
Ding Points: 64.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: 25.4 oz bottle, $13.99 Smyrna World of Beverage. Not sure why I bought this. Anyway.... A...
Beer Review: Brouwerij St. Bernardus Watou, Tokyo
Ding Points: 90.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: I originally drank this at the Brick Store on draught. This review is mainly from my experience...
Growler Stores, Place Reviews, Competition, Cumbaya and Boycotts
In my beeradvocate days, before the unforgivable debacle, I took pride in reviewing just about every beer venue that I traveled to. My view at the time was that I was doing the web site and...
Beer Review: Alpine Beer Company and New Belgium Brewing Co., Super India Pale Ale (Lips of Faith)
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Anything involving Alpine in the DIPA category usually gets my attention, so I was interested...
Beer Review: Mikkeller, Open Windows Open Hills Tiger Baby
Ding Points: 61.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: I ran into a cacophony of new Mikkeller offerings in the store last week, with all kinds of...
Beer Review: Green Flash Brewing Co. and Founders Brewing Co., Linch Pin ‘White India Pale Ale’
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I'm not a big fan of hyped-up, imaginary beer styles, so this gets off on the wrong foot all...
Beer Review: Cigar City Brewing, Cucumber Saison
Ding Points: 90.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: High, fluffy, large bubbled and wispy white head sits above a mid-orange, slightly clouded...
Beer Review: Mother Earth Brewing, Silent Night (2010)
Ding Points: 89.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: If truth be known I have a bit of a soft spot for Mother Earth. The reason is simple. Although...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co., Samurai Krunkles (Side Project 17)
Ding Points: 47.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 40.00 Tasting Notes: Side Project 17. A quick look at the description of this beer has me interested. 'Ale brewed...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, Positive Contact
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Presented by both Dogfish Head and Dan The Automator (whoever he is), this has farro, cayenne...
Beer Review: Brewery Ommegang, Biere d’Hougoumont
Ding Points: 72.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Curious that a brewery would pay homage to a Bière de Grade by naming the beer after the scene...
Beer Review: New Belgium Brewing, Tart Lychee (Lips of Faith)
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouthfeel: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I tried this in its initial incarnation back in March of 2010 in Raleigh at The Pit. I was...
Beer Review: Rogue, Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale
Ding Points: 43.50 Pour: 40.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 30.00 Tasting Notes: I picked up this 22 oz bottle at a price of $10.99. I finally gave in and purchased it, based...
Beer Review: New Belgium Brewing, (Lips of Faith) Brett Beer
Ding Points: 50.00 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: I stopped in at Growlers on my arrival on Hilton Head Island, and saw they had this on tap. The...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Prison Camp Pils
Ding Points: 60.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Very light, straw colored pour. Actually the beer is incredibly pale, almost to macro, low...
Beer Review: Green Flash Brewing Co., Rayon Vert
Ding Points: 81.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Interesting bottle that reminds me a little of the Australian stubbies. Pour is a mid-orange...
Beer Review: Sierra Nevada & Russian River, BRUX Domesticated Wild Ale
Ding Points: 91.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 100.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL corked & caged bottle, approx. $15. Are they using the word 'domesticated' to...
Hilton Head Brewing Co., more than a decade of thoughts
July 2012, and I find myself on Hilton Head Island for perhaps the 20th time in the last ten years or so. I've been coming to the island long enough to have seen the transition from largely hopeless...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Beer of The Guards
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I'm always very excited to try the latest Jailhouse offering, and this is no exception. I...
Beer Review: Jester King Craft Brewery, Noble King (Hoppy Farmhouse Ale)
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 100.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Jester King is a brewery that I have been monitoring carefully over recent months (even...
Beer Review: Sweetwater Brewing Co., LowRYEder IPA
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Plate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I am assuming that this is a re-birth of the Crank Tank Rye'd Ale from the fall of 2010 (I've...
‘Craft’ beer – what the hell is it and does it matter?
Warning: A Stream of Consciousness follows, that may or may not make much sense! A pretty lively and interesting conversation got thrown up on Twitter yesterday, and as usual it was an event (in...
Beer Review: George Gale & Co. LTD, Millennium Brew
Ding Points: 95.00 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 100.00, Mouth: 100.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Opened on the occasion of Her Majesty The Queen's, Diamond Jubilee. God Bless you Ma'am....
Beer Review: Steinhaus Brewing Co., Mission St. 2012 Anniversary Ale
Ding Points: 69.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: $2.99 from Trader Joe's who market and distribute the Mission St. beers. The range is brewed by...
Beer Review: Guinness Ltd., Guinness Black Lager
Ding Points: 60.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Brown with reddish highlights. Pitted, frothy tan head. Head fades badly with little or no...
Beer Review: Minhas Craft Brewery, Boatswain American IPA
Ding Points: 48.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle, another Trader Joe's, el cheapo offering. I've had mixed success with these...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, URkONTiNeNT
Ding Points: 84.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: OK, here we go with another Dogfish Head experiment. The second one, Noble Rot being the first,...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, Tweason’ale
Ding Points: 63.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: From notes. Purchased as a 12 oz single form the beer store a few miles north of the Dogfish...
Beer Review: Founding Fathers Brewing Co., Founding Fathers Lager Beer
Ding Points: 50.00 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: This is a ruse, right?? It's Yuengling, marketed by Rolling Rock, surely?? Even if that's not...
Beer Review: Sweetwater Brewing Co., 15th Anniversary (15 Years of Heady Beers, 1997-2012)
Ding Points: 68.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: If the truth be known, I didn't like this much when I first tasted it, immediately after it...
Beer Review: New Belgium Brewing Co., Cocoa Mole (Lips of Faith Series)
Ding Points: 71.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Chestnut pour from the 22 oz bottle, with a small, white head but some better than expected...
Beer Review: Bomb Beer Co., Bomb (Lager) Beer
Ding Points: 47.00 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 40.00, Global: 40.00 Tasting Notes: Alright, let's be VERY, VERY clear about what we have here. Essentially, this is a beer...
Beer Review: Tommyknocker Brewery, Nice Saison Seasonal Ale
Ding Points: 48.00 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 40.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Tommyknocker is a brewery that has flattered to deceive me over the years. One of my earliest...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co., Phlux Capacitor (Side Project 16)
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Here we go with Side Project 16, Phlux Capacitor. Label says 'Oak Aged, American Ale' and...
Beer Review: Olde Hickory Brewery, Death By Hops
Ding Points: 19.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 00.00, Mouth: 00.00, Global: 00.00 Tasting Notes: Purchased on a recent trip to Raleigh at Bottle Revolution. An attractive pour with a good...
Beer Review: Dogwood Brewing Co., Youngblood’s Imperial Porter (BrewMaster’s Series 1)
Actually, less of a beer 'review' this time, and more a few cellar notes on this 2004 gem. This particular bottle was consumed on 04/29/12. The sad (and somewhat ironic) thing about Brewmaster's...
Beer Review: Clown Shoes, Clementine
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Beer looks like a glass of orange juice with a head (the picture below doesn't quite do it...
Beer Review: Samuel Adams, Tasman Red
Ding Points: 71.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Label has this declaring itself as a 'Red IPA' - more nomenclature nonsense that doesn't really...
Beer Review: Voodoo Brewery, Gran Met (Grand Master)
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Advertised as a 'Belgian Style Ale' this is clearly a Tripel despite the fact that untappd...
Beer Review: Anheuser-Busch Inc., Shock Top, Wheat I.P.A.
Ding Points: 49.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 40.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 40.00 12 oz single bottle, Buffalo Wild Wings, Hiram, GA. Classic macro disappointment with an initially decent head...
Beer Review: Oskar Blues, Deviant Dales India Pale Ale
Ding Points: 77.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 32 oz growler from Hop City rather than a can from the 16 oz, tallboy 4-packs. Official word on...
Beer Review: Finch’s Beer Co., Golden Wing Blonde Ale
Ding Points: 54.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Finch's beers have been in Atlanta for a few weeks now but becasue I am SICK TO DEATH of the...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co., 10th Anniversary Ale
Ding Points: 80.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Into the Terrapin snifter it goes. Modest head and modest lace on opening and pouring and...
Real Ale? In Griffin, GA?? You’re kidding, right???
Approximately one year ago, maybe a little less, I first heard about a brewpub that was supposed to be opening in rural Georgia. The idea of a brewpub in such a location seemed fanciful and...
The dearth of an American, ‘Beer Middle Class’
Most people reading this will be more than familiar with my opinions about the lack of beer culture here in the USA. My thoughts are well documented, and boil down to the fact that I do not see...
Beer Blogging – what the hell are people thinking?
This post has been on my mind for some time, and like most of my thoughts on a particular subject, they tend to require a whole bunch of things to come together before critical mass is achieved and...
Beer Review: Sierra Nevada, Ruthless Rye (2012)
Ding Points: 44.00 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 40.00 Tasting Notes: Chill hazed, clouded brown body with a very disappointing head. Some spotty film, but no...
Beer Review: Samuel Adams, Alpine Spring
Ding Points: 63.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Hazed, lemon, orange and golden pour with some nice white head and decent lace. Unfiltered look...
Beer Review: Shmaltz Brewing Company, Funky Jewbelation
Ding Points: 41.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 20.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 30.00 Tasting Notes: Barrel Aged Release#6, apparently a combination of; Jewbelation 15 (3 months old), Vintage...
Beer Review: Ommegang, Art of Darkness
Ding Points: 76.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: The usual Ommegang Limited Edition series presentation. Cork pops with modesty. Brewery...
Beer Review: Blue Moon Brewing Co. (Coors), Blue Moon Spring Blonde Wheat Ale
Ding Points: 36.50 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 40.00, Palate: 30.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 30.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz single; I think I paid 89 cents - I may have been had! Another Blue Moon Seasonal, and I...
Beer Review: Shmaltz Brewing Company, Hop Manna IPA
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I have to say that I approach Hop Manna with a little trepidation, since although I generally...
Beer Review: Samuel Adams, Harvest Pumpkin Ale
Ding Points: 76.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: This is approx. 3 months old so certainly not quite as the brewer intended, but still drinking...
Beer Review: Crown Valley Brewing, Black Cabin Smoked Ale
Ding Points: 52.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Strange one, this. Pour is a light amber, slightly hazed color with absolutely no sign of the...
Beer Review: Clown Shoes, Lubrication (American Black Ale)
Ding Points: 58.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: I suppose it's worth stating right off the top that I detest the name, 'Black IPA' and...
Me, Lew, session beer and ‘session day’
OK, this post is not a rant about session beer (at least not a FULL rant about session beer), but rather some reflections about Lew's quest and the subsequent creation of 'session day' on April 7th...
Beer Review: Good People Brewing Company, Brown Ale
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz can from Vulcan Beverage, Birmingham, AL, and also at the brewery tap room. the picture...
Beer Review: Sam Adams Longshot Cat. 23, Honey B’s Lavender Ale
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: BJCP Style 23 is 'Specialty Beer' which really means a dumping ground for beers that do not fit...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Reprieve (Saison, French-Style Ale)
Ding Points: 68.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: I had this a long time ago (almost immediately after it came out) and was somewhat...
Beer Review: Full Sail Brewing Co., E.S.B (Extra Special Barney)
Ding Points: 90.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00 Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Brewer's Share series. Right off the bat I am extremely annoyed by the abuse of the ESB moniker,...
Beer Review: Sixpoint Craft Ales, Bengali Tiger
Ding Points: 75.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Had this a couple of weeks ago at The Capital Ale House in Richmond, VA and when I opened that...
Beer Review: Unibroue, 17, Grand Réserve
Ding Points: 91.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 100.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Bottled in 2011, No. 2011-100254, best before 12-12-2016. Parchment like label, information on...
Beer, calories, fitness and being 45 years old – ANOTHER problem with the American ABV situation
For many years I have been conscious of my general caloric intake and also pretty much fundamentally aware of the calories associated with beer. For probably in excess of 10 years now, I have also...
Beer Review: Sixpoint Craft Ales, Sweet Action
Ding Points: 62.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: 16 oz can from The Foodery, Northern Suburbs in Philadelphia, PA. Bought this along with the...
Beer Review: Green Flash Brewing Co., Summer Saison
Ding Points: 86.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle. Lemon, hazed pour with a minimal head. Nose and tastes have more hoppy bitterness...
Beer Review: Sam Adams Longshot Cat. 23, Friar Hop Ale
Ding Points: 64.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth:, 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: BJCP Style 23 is 'Specialty Beer' which really means a dumping ground for beers that do not...
Beer Review: Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn, TAP X Mein Nelson Sauvin
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: It's an attractive presentation in the dimpled, very heavy, olive green bottle, and at $16.99 I...
Beer Review: Unita Brewing Company, Hop Notch IPA
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth 70.00:, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Pretty standard all-American IPA here. Reviewed from the bottle, but notes from at least one...
Beer Review: SKA Brewing Co., Euphoria Pale Ale
Ding Points: 63.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: From the 12 oz can, the beer pours a lot darker than I was anticipating with a quite...
Beer Review: Mactarnahan’s Brewing Co., Spine Tingler
Ding Points: 68.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: OK, an American brewed, Belgian Tripel, from a brewery with Scottish connections? We'll see!...
Beer Review: Sam Adams, Cinder Bock Rauch Bock
Ding Points: 69.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: In a nutshell, I think it's worth saying that if a hybrid beer should taste like a combination...
Beer Review: Sam Adams, Thirteenth Hour
Ding Points: 55.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes In the impressive, corked & caged bottle. Part of the Barrel Room Collection. Jet black with...
Beer Review: Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Let There Be Light
Ding Points: 60.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes I think that Wild Heaven are a bit confused with their marketing, and no I'm not only talking...
Trading Lists
I haven't traded any beer for a very, very long time (maybe more than 2 years), but thought it time to get back to it (a little!). This is mainly motivated by some spring cleaning of the cellar, but...
Beer Review: Thornbridge, Bracia
Ding Points: 55.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Bottled Winter 2010, best before 12.14. A beer from their Thornbridge 'Hall' series. Black...
Beer Review: Kona Brewing Co., Koko Brown
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes On-tap at Deckard's. Rich, brown body, off white head, decent lace. Fades to a slightly...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, Noble Rot
Ding Points: 83.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: It's strange how coincidence works out sometimes. I had heard about the new, embossed and...
Beer Snobbery
This is an important post. I'm tired of experience, discernment and real knowledge being mistaken for 'snobbery', and people considering all opinions to be equal and all beer knowledge to be...
Back To School Night 2012 – Craft Beer 101, Class & Tasting
February brings 'Back To School Night' at the independent school where I teach, when (as part of Institutional Advancement) alumni are invited 'back to school' for an evening of classes offered by...
Beer Review: Sweetwater Brewing Co., Dank Tank 420 India Pale Ale
Ding Points: 81.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes. OK, so I suppose this setting out to be a combination of 420 and IPA, merged for the latest in...
Beer Review: Cains, Cains Finest Bitter
Ding Points: 71.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Having had this from the can several months ago, I wanted to refrain from reviewing it until I...
Beer Review: Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Eschaton
Ding Points: 63.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: 32 oz growler from The Beer Growler in Avondale Estates, GA, USA. I was delighted that the...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Hop Riot
Ding Points: 73.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Surprised to find this at Hop City on Friday. I didn't even realize this was coming out as the...
Beer Review: The Caledonian Brewing Co. Ltd., (Newcastle) Founders’ Ale
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: This is the third or fourth time I have this in the last couple of weeks, a few times on draft...
Beer Review: Boulevard Brewing Co., Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
Ding Points: 95.50 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 100.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Part of the usually tremendous, Smokestack Series, the beer pours with a magnificent, bright,...
Hopslam – it’s an annual annoyance, but for a new reason this year
It's January and I was expecting the hype machine surrounding Bell's Hopslam to piss me off (again) this year, but didn't really anticipate it aggravating me in the manner that it did. I was...
Beer Review: Brewery Ommegang, Seduction
Ding Points: 87.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Dark brown (close to black) pour with a modest, pitted, light beige colored head. Lace is...
Beer Review: Monday Night Brewing, Eye Patch Ale
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00 , Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: I wrote these original notes on August 11th, 2011. It's my understanding that the Monday Night...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, ta henket
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL bottle, $10.99 from Mac's, Atlanta, GA, USA. I don't think a huge amount of this came to...
Beer Review: Good People Brewing Company, IPA
Ding Points: 71.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Good People - Legally Brewed since 2008. Reviewed from the 12 oz can that came from Vulcan...
Beer Review: Krombacher Braueri, Krombacher Pils
Ding Points: 60.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 50.00, Taste: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Nice high, rocky head. Retention not great but some lace. 11.2 oz bottle as a single from Mac's...
Beer Review: The Caledonian Brewing Co. Ltd., (Newcastle) Winter IPA
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Mid-amber pour with pretty good clarity. Smallish white head without much retention or lace....
Beer Review: Samuel Adams (BBC) Weinhenstephaner, Infinium (2011)
Ding Points: 68.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Having had this last year at Thanksgiving and been lukewarm on it, I thought I would try it...
Beer Review: Sprecher Brewing Co. Inc., Abbey Triple
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Taste: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00 Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz single from Highland Beverage, Birmingham, AL, USA. $2.19. I simply really, really enjoy...
Ding’s Christmas Wish List 2011
Dear Father Christmas, Here is my wish list for this year. I hope that you can help me with some of these, I would love to find them under my tree. Your friend, Ding. I wish........ 10. That frozen...
Beer Review: Clown Shoes, Tramp Stamp
Ding Points: 61.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: So, thanks to some more shenanigans related to distribution, Total Wine in GA gets in a bunch...
Beer Review: The Bruery (with Dogfish Head), Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Collaboration Series)
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: The first thought was, whoops this is an expensive beer for a lager shandy, but luckily that...
Beer Review: Crown Valley Brewing, Oktoberfest
Ding Points: 83.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Surely the final Octoberfest of the 2011 season - surely? 12 oz single from Hop City, Atlanta,...
Beer Review: The Bruery, 4 Calling Birds
Ding Points: 87.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: OK, here we are with a beer that I've been looking forward to for some time. Definitely a beer...
Beer Review: Moylan’s Brewery, White Christmas Spiced Winter Lager
Ding Points: 47.50 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 60.00:, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Damnit. One of the most disappointing beers I've tasted in a LONG time. The big problem here...
Beer Review: Samuel Adams (BBC), New World Tripel (Barrel Room Collection)
Ding Points: 87.00 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Never thought I would see this on shelves in GA. Love the presentation in the corked and...
‘Top 10’ myths that the US craft beer fad has perpetuated amongst the newbs, and (most disappointingly), even…
...amongst those that should know better. It's the time of year when many people reflect on the 12 months gone by, and often those reflections take the form of 'Top 10' lists. Such lists, whilst...
Beer Review: Bridgeport Brewing Co., Summer Squeeze
Ding Points: 71.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: I'm a big fan of lemongrass in all kinds of contexts and beer is no exception. I like the...
Beer Review: Ridgeway Brewing, Reindeer Droppings
Ding Points: 76.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Very hazy, orange pour. Very nice, bubbly head that offers plenty of sticky lace with very good...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Misdemeanor
Ding Points: 86.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Bought a growler of this a few weeks ago but left it in my brother-in-laws fridge by mistake....
Beer Review: Stone Brewing Co., Vertical Epic 11.11.11
Ding Points: 64.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Every time that I pick up a VE bottle I am annoyed by the fact that the series is not a...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Witness Protection
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: On tap at Taco Mac, Metropolis, Atlanta, GA, USA. $6.00 for 16 oz. Solid black pour with a...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Insanity Plea Ale
Ding Points: 68.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: More Jailhouse goodness? I hope so. Not sure if 'plea ale' is a play on words (pale ale), but...
An awakening confirmed, and then re-affirmed by (another) return to my roots
About four years ago I drove like a madman, across the city (Atlanta), visiting four or five beer stores in the quest to find a few bottles of a relatively uncommonly distributed beer. A week later...
Beer Review: Lagunitas, Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale
Ding Points: 63.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Pours with a slightly washed out, pale gold color with some haziness but not chill haze. A...
Beer Review: Thomas Creek Brewery LLC., Banana Split Chocolate Stout
Ding Points: 60.00 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.0, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: $10.99 from Arbor Place Beverage for the 750 mL, (plastic, yuck!) corked, (crappily) caged...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co., So Fresh & So Green, Green 2011 (Challenger)
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Single hop beers (or even multi-hop beers that are dominated by only one hop) are OK, IF the...
Beer Review: Thomas Creek Brewery LLC., Octoberfest Lager
Ding Points: 70.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: My oh my, Thomas Creek is a strange brewer. On the whole I have found their beers to be largely...
Beer Review: North Coast Brewing Co., Grand Cru
Ding Points: 73.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Very heavy, thick 500 mL bottle with a large dimpled bottom. Must add significantly to the...
Beer Review: Innis & Gunn, Winter Beer 2011
Ding Points: 81.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 11.2 oz, clear bottle. 111201936 bottle dot-matrixed in black on the lip of the bottle -...
Beer Review: Rogue Ales, Good Chit Pilsner (Chatoe Rogue First Growth Series)
Ding Points: 87.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Another in the First Growth series. 650 mL bottle in the usual, First Growth/Chatoe Rogue...
Beer Review: Founders Brewing Co., Blushing Monk 2011
Ding Points: 81.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Pour is a black-cherry colored affair with a bright pink head. Obviously not much retention or...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, Faithfull Ale (Pearl Jam Twenty)
Ding Points: 61.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Paid about $12 for the 750 mL bottle from Macs in Midtown Atlanta, GA, USA. Yellow,...
It would be really interesting to have an off-the-record chat with Jason Alström over a beer…
...or even Todd, but I would draw the line at the acidic Candice! In the past couple of weeks I have received a whole bunch of electronic correspondence about the apparently continuing spiral of...
Beer Review: Brooklyn Brewery, The Companion
Ding Points: 64.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Not too often one sees a wheatwine so it's always a beer that I'm interested in. Some fairly...
Beer Review: New Glarus Brewing Co., Uff-da Bock
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz bottle form Kevin - thanks, man! Dark chestnut pour, quite close to black. BIG, ice-cream...
Beer Review: Sweetwater Brewing Co., Fresh Sticky Nugs (Fresh Dry Hopped Double Red Ale)
Ding Points: 91.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 100.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle, the latest in the Dank Tank series, this time with a red, yellow and green...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Community Service
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Jailhouse's collaboration with O'Dempsey's and that makes me a little nervous because it brings...
Beer Review: Anchor Brewing Co., Brekle’s Brown
Ding Points: 72.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: The highly recognizable, 'Anchor shaped', 22 oz bottle that reminds me of their 'Small Beer'...
And you thought The Bruery’s Partridge ‘IN’ a Pear Tree was something to get excited about!
If you are interested in beer and live in the USA, you'll know that The Bruery's Partridge In A Pear Tree is a beer that has provoked a whole bunch of that typical, American beer geek hysteria that...
England 2011 – The photo dump, part 2
More iphone photos from the trip. Still some editing to do here, but you get the picture. More Help apple ios downloads book soft download
England 2011 – The photo dump, part 1
Just got back from my first trip home to England in four years, and as you can imagine I found it to be a trip of much gravity (despite the relatively low gravity!). I'll be blogging about the trip...
Beer Review: Sweetwater Brewing Company, Dank Tank Ghoulash
Ding Points: 52.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 50.00, Taste: 50.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Full disclosure: This is probably not a particularly objective review since I have a particular...
Beer Review: Port Brewing, Older Viscosity
Ding Points: 87.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 12.7 fl oz corked and caged bottle. Vintage 2011, dot-matrixed on the neck. Even though this...
In defence of the Oxford Companion to Beer (sort of….well, not really)…….
The much heralded arrival of 'the only beer book you'll ever need', AKA 'The Oxford Companion to Beer', has been characterized by some well respected folk (including a number of contributors to the...
Beer Review: New Belgium, Lips of Faith Series – Clutch
Ding Points: 80.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Mmmm, interesting. A sour stout rather than a 'sour dark' - I guess I should have researched...
Beer Review: Abita Brewing Co., 25th Anniversary Vanilla Doubledog
Ding Points: 70.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Chestnut body with a good, light coffee colored head on an aggressive pour. This fades fairly...
Beer Review: Birra del Borgo, My Antonia (Italian version)
Ding Points: 73.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: 12.7 oz bottle, 7.5% ABV. Not any easy bottle to get into with medium thick, black foil and a...
Beer Review: Brasserie La Botteresse de Sur-Les-Bois, Brune
Ding Points: 98.50 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 100.00, Mouth: 100.00, Global: 100.00 Tasting Notes: This beer did something for me that happens pretty infrequently these days - it really...
Beer Review: Shmaltz Brewing Company, Genesis 15:15 Barrel Aged Harvest Barleywine Ale
Ding Points: 86.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Batch 001, 791 cases, bottling date 9/7/2011 all noted in detail on the neck label. 22oz bottle...
American beers for the English?
OK, which six, American beers to take back home to show (not necessarily 'showCASE') what American brewing is all about in 2011? They need to be either on hand, in the cellar or at the store here in...
John’s Tasting – a quick summary
Over the years I've organized many tastings, talks and presentations, ranging from the very formal to the much less 'official', but each time catering to the specific needs of the situation or the...
The REAL thrill of (not) beer-hunting
Following all the ridiculous bullshit associated with the CBS release of last week (that I wrote about here), it was somewhat ironic (and tremendously gratifying) that at an almost simultaneous...
Previous trip home (England 2007) – The Beer List
As I prepare to head home for the first time since 2007, I was reminded of the three week beer odyssey that my last trip was in the summer of 2007. Amongst many great moments, pub visits and time...
Discretion. Where’s it gone? Actually, it was never here!
A little background: When I moved to Atlanta, GA in the summer of 2000, one of the first questions that I asked one of my new colleagues was, 'Where can I buy great beer in this town?'. Being a...
A beer revolution? No thanks!
If you are really, really 'into' beer and live in the USA, there's no way in the world that you don't know what the (beer) abbreviation 'CBS' stands for. If you are really, really 'into' beer but...
I’ll be down the PUB; or will I??
DISCLAIMER: I don't know if this post will make much sense since I am trying to get a load of stuff whizzing around my head into focus, but for now this is my best effort. I hope it conveys...
Beer Review: New Belgium, (Lips of Faith) Kick
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: More beer in the Lips of Faith Series. This one brewed in association with Elysian, it's a...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co. & Left Hand Brewing, Peaotch (Midnight Project Collaboration #4)
Ding Points: 58.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: The latest in the Midnight Project Series (brew four) from the Left Hand and Terrapin...
Beer Review: Fort Collins Brewery, Hellesbock
Ding Points: 78.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz beer purchased from Arbor Place Beverage in Douglasville, GA, USA for $5.99 where I know...
Cellar Notes – Allagash Victoria and Victor
In the last few days I pulled both an Allagash Victoria and a Victor from the cellar; both were purchased fresh in August of 2008. Here's a quick note on what I found with these vintages. I cellared...
Beer Review: Full Sail Brewery, Sanctuary
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes It never ceases to amaze me, how a fairly limited set of ingredients, plus the brewing process...
Sierra Nevada & Dogfish Head, Life and Limb 2
Ding Points: 72.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes I wasn't crazy about the original Life & Limb, which of course came with plenty of hype, but...
Beer Review: Vanberg & Dewulf (De Troch), Lambrucha
Ding Points: 77.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: An interesting one since this appears to be a beer that is blended in Belgium (at De Troch) for...
Beer Review: Stone Brewing Co., Escondidian Imperial Black IPA
Ding Points: 50.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 40.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 50.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: Classic Stone presentation. Screen printed bottle with usual Stone nonsense on the back. August...
Beer Review: Brasserie Beck (Brouwerij De Musketiers), Antigoon
Ding Points: 67.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: The label shows a giant with a severed arm and lot of theatrical blood. OK, whatever, but the...
Beer Review: Full Sail, Elevation
Ding Points: 75.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: The 22 oz bottle is adorned with a bright orange label which seems appropriate for the...
Beer Review: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V., Brigand
Ding Points: 43.00 Pour: 50.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 40.00, Mouth: 40.00, Global: 40.00 Tasting Notes: Stubby, 11.2 fl oz bottle with an attractive sky blue colored cap. Label says 'Bottled on...
Beer Review: Shmaltz & Terrapin Beer Co., (A Beer For Hope) Reunion Ale ’11
Ding Points: 73.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 70.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: Another beer in the charitable, reunion series. 22 oz bottle. A 'Dark Imperial Ale' whatever...
Beer Review: Monday Night Brewing, Drafty Kilt
Ding Points: 87.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Poured from the Hop City growler it is a beautiful, brown garnet look with a creamy looking,...
Beer Review: De Proef Brouwerij, Broederlijke Liefde Saison Ale
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL, (plastic, meh) corked & caged bottle in the usual Brewmaster's Collaboration Series...
Beer Review: The Fort Collins Brewery, The Incredible Hop (Imperial India Style Wheat Ale)
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global 80.00 Tasting Notes: Surprisingly clarity on the pour (given the Imperial India Style Wheat Ale moniker - whatever...
Beer Review: Cricket Hill Brewing Company Inc., East Coast Lager
Ding Points: 61.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Oh look, a REAL session beer (if the 4.0% ABV is to be believed!). Massive carbonation on the...
Beer Review: Brouwerij Liefmans, Fruitesse
Ding Points: 64.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: Medium thickness on the matt, black foil reveals a corked & caged bottle. Pop on opening...
Beer Review: Shipyard Brewing Co., Smashed Blueberry
Ding Points: 90.00 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle, somewhere between $7.99 and $8.99 in most Atlanta retailers. The gold foil and...
Beer Review: SKA Brewing Co., True Blonde Dubbel
Ding Points: 80.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 90.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: SKA is perhaps the American brewery I would most like to see available in Georgia. Over the...
Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Conjugal Visit
Ding Points: 90.00 Pour: 100.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: The third bottled release in the Solitary Confinement series (assuming this is in that series)...
Beer Gallery (aka old iphone photo dump) – Part 1
I know that many beer geeks love beer 'porn', so I had an idea when swapped my old 3G iphone out for a new iphone 4 a few weeks ago. Why not dump all the beer related photos on to the Blog? There's...
No wonder I STILL can’t find any session beer in the USA (and, please re-run the numbers Ken)
Anyone who knows me, also knows that my constant bitching & moaning about the lack of session beer in the US is a feature as fundamental to my being as my 'Englishness', so it has become a bit...
Beer Review: Smuttynose Brewing Co., Homunculus
Ding Points: 77.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Characterized on the label as 'A Belgian Style Golden Ale', and by other sources as a 'Belgian...
Beer Review: Red Brick Brewing, Dog Days Ale
Ding points: 52.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global 50.00 Tasting Notes: I am reliably informed that this beer is essentially the same recipe as the 2010 Summer Ale that...
Beer Thoughts
Two weeks solid vacation with some superb beer behind me, it's time to get back to blogging. Some of you may have gathered by now that this blog only exists as a result of me being ejected from...
Beer Review: Boulevard Brewing Co., Long Strange Tripel
Ding Points: 92.50 Pour: 90, Nose: 80, Palate: 100, Mouth: 90, Global: 90 Tasting Notes: A beer, which on the one or two other occasions I have drunk it, I enjoyed it so much that I never got around...
Beer Review: Three Floyds Brewing, Apocalypse Cow
Ding Points: 83.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle from Binny's in Clybourn, Chicago, IL. $11.99 (I think). Pour is a very...
Beer Review: New Belgium Brewing, Somersault
Ding Points: 76.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz single from Mac's, Atlanta, GA as part of their mixed sixer. The second time I've had...
Beer Review: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Best of Beer Camp #37 – Weizenbock
Ding Points: 88.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: Had you asked me in advance of tasting any of the Best of Beer Camp Beers, I would have...
Beer Review: Moylan’s, Extra Special Bitter Ale
Ding Points: 80.00 Pour: 80, Nose: 80, Palate: 80, Mouth: 80, Global: 80 Tasting Notes: Every time I see an American brewed beer with the ESB moniker, my heart sinks. On nearly every occasion that I...
Beer Review: 21st. Amendment Brewery, Hell or High Watermelon
Ding Points: 50.50 Pour: 60.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 50.00, Mouth: 40.00, Global: 50.00 Tasting Notes: 12 oz can as a single from Mac's. New style can with different colors from the first time I had...
The ‘Grand Pooh-Bah’ is dead! Long live the ‘Ding’!
I wanted to draw a line under my beeradvocate.com experience once and for all, but couldn't realistically do that to my own satisfaction until I had collected all of the reviews that I had...
Beer Review: Avery Brewing Co., Eighteen
Ding Points: 74.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose; 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: If the truth be known I'm really not a big fan of the bitter, grating unrelenting tastes that...
Beer Review: Weyerbacher Brewing Co., Sixteen
Ding Points: 81.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: Obviously a relatively unusual style, especially in the form of an anniversary beer, but...
ABV’s & session beer; sanity & insanity – Part 2
Continuing my quest to highlight the misuse of the term session beer, here is part two of the 'Sanity & Insanity'. Read Part 1. References to Insanity William Bostwick in the Wall Street Journal...
Beer Review: Lost Abbey/Port Brewing Co., Red Poppy Ale 2011
Ding Points: 78.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 12.7 oz bottle that is REALLY heavy. Very thick glass on this one. Annoyingly hard to remove...
Beer Review: Heavy Seas/Clipper City Brewing Co., Letter of Marque 2011
Ding Points: 76.00 Pour: 70, Nose: 80, Palate: 70, Mouth: 70, Global: 80 Tasting Notes: If the truth be known, over the years I have found the Mutiny Series a pretty average collection of beers, and...
Beer Review: Red Brick Brewing, Double IPA
Ding Points: 64.00 Pour: 80, Nose: 60, Palate: 60, Mouth: 70, Global 60 Tasting Notes: God bless 'em, Red Brick (aka Atlanta Brewing Co.) just CANNOT get their packaging right! Despite a whole bunch...
ABV’s & session beer; sanity & insanity – Part 1
Following Sunday's, Session Beer rant, I'm going to start listing 'References to Sanity' and 'References to Insanity' as I come across them on the web. Here's the first installment, much more to...
New York Ale Project’s take on Session Beer, featuring….
...yours truly. Thought it was time to air this again in the wake of my session post of yesterday. Session Ales - The Ultimate Battle For the record, if standing up for tradition and fact makes me a...
Session Beer – an amalgamation of years and years of thoughts
OK, it's time to tackle the session beer post. Anyone that knows me (or has read my comments in beer cyberspace over the years), understands that this is a serious subject for me, and that I get...
Beer Review: Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, Anniversary Beer
Ding Points: 81.50 Pour: 90, Nose: 80, Palate: 80, Feel: 80, Global 80 Tasting Notes: 22 oz bottle, $7.99 form Smyrna World of Beverage, Smyrna, GA, USA. Bottled on 5/5/11 with an additional...
Beer Review: Brasserie De Saint Sylvestre, Gavroche French Red Ale
Ding Points: 79.50 Pour: 70, Nose: 80, Palate: 80, Feel: 90, Global: 80 I'm fairly sure that this is a bottle with a significant amount of age on it, but at the same time I'm pretty confident that...
Beer Review: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., The Best of Beer Camp #8 California Common
Ding Points = 80.00 Pour: 80, Nose: 80, Palate: 80, Feel: 80, Global: 80 Tasting Notes: My first of the Beer Camp Series. Picked this up at Mac's in Atlanta, along with two of the three others from...
Beer Review: Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner Ruby Redbird
Ding Points = 72.00 Pour: 50, Nose: 70, Palate: 80, Feel: 80, Global: 70 Tasting Notes: OK, the cap for this beer has "The Perfect Summer Beer" emblazoned across it so it is certainly not afraid to...
10 reasons why it was better when fewer people knew about good beer
1. When a limited beer was released it used to be possible to stroll leisurely down to the store, anytime within the first couple of weeks of it being out, and pick up as much as you wanted. Now one...
Bad Batches, Infection and other QC issues – a follow up
Seth asked me to re-direct you to this new link for the QC issues spreadsheet with updated and enhanced features.Continue Reading download windows crack Android apps 3d game download
US beer distribution spreadsheet
While we're on the subject, I forget about this Google Doc Spreadsheet that also originated on beeradvocate.com that summarizes beer distribution in the US. Again, not necessarily gospel, but a...
Beer Review: Sweetwater Brewing Company, Waterkeeper hefeweizen ale
Ding Points = 73.50 Pour: 70, Nose: 80, Palate: 70, Feel: 70, Global: 80 Tasting Notes: Another 22 oz, one-off (presumably) offering from the Sweetwater Brewing Co., that for my money have eclipsed...
Bad Batches, Infection and other QC issues
Some folks over at beeradvocate.com are trying to put together a list of beers with QC issues. They have summarized the collective, anecdotal and factual wisdom in a Google Docs Spreadsheet that you...
Beer Review: Stevens Point Brewery, Burly Brown
Ding Points = 60.00 Pour: 60, Nose: 60, Palate: 60, Feel: 60, Global: 60 Tasting Notes: Not a brewery that generally sets the pulse running, but I'm always open to trying the next beer from any...
Imposter on Twitter Part 2.
The rogue Twitter account (@D_I_N_G with extra _ at end) been removed BUT the name has now been changed to use a lowercase 'L' in place of uppercase 'I'. Looks identical to my real account, but is...
What’s in a style? And are you in ‘Raptures’ over them?
OK, as far as I can tell there was no Rapture yesterday, so since I am still able to, I thought I should go ahead and blog about the Rapture's relationship with beer styles - yes, there IS a...
Beer Review: Brasserie de Cazeau, Saison Cazeau
Ding Points 87.00 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 90.00 Tasting Notes: I spent an hour or so chatting with Crawford Moran (the genius brewer at 5 Seasons Westside in...
Imposter on Twitter
Please note that there is a child acting up on Twitter. They have created the Twitter account @D_I_N_G_ (NOTE: extra underscore added at the end of the name) and stolen my avatar. Please report them...
I fixed the RSS feed (I *think*!) – thanks for the heads-up
RSS Feed
beeradvocate and me – a brief follow up
A few extra thoughts and just to clarify a few things. This will be my last, direct post on the matter for now, then it will be back to beer. 1. Thanks to everyone that has voiced support (both...
beeradvocate.com and me
Having been locked out of my beeradvocate account for nearly four weeks now (and only having received the most curt reply from Todd about the situation plus having one subsequent email totally...
Beer Review: Heavy Seas/Clipper City Brewing Co., Aarsh Irish Red Ale
Ding Points: 75.50 Pour: 80.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 80.00, Feel: 70.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: I've been dreadfully disappointed over the years with the mutiny series, even to the point where...
Beer Review: The Bruery & Cigar City Brewing Co., Marrón Acidifié
Ding Points: 82.50 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 80.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 80.00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL capped bottle with the usual 'The Bruery' presentation. The pour produces a fairly...
Beer Review: Heavy Seas/Clipper City, Dubbel Cannon
Ding Points = 50.50 Pour: 60, Nose: 50, Palate: 50, Feel: 40, Global: 50 Tasting Notes: 12 oz single from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. The pour produces a somewhat disappointingly lifeless beer, with...
My beeradvocate.com account status
This is NOT the 'beeradvocate and me' post that I promised on Twitter last week (which is still in the hopper and goes into much greater depth about my history and relationships with the site - its...
NOT a post about the ABV of session beer, but…..
...still me bitching and moaning about session beer! OK, I'm gonna hold the "correct ABV of session beer" rant for another post (that's going to be a long one!), but I just wanted to get this quick...
Beer Review: Terrapin Beer Co., Side Project 15 Indiana Krunkles
Ding Points = 45.00 Pour: 50, Nose: 50, Palate: 40, Feel: 60, Global: 40 Tasting Notes: 22 oz gold foiled (neck) bottle with the usual Terrapin Side Project presentation; this is #15 in the Side...
Beer Review: Stillwater Artisanal, existent American Farmhouse Ale
Ding Points: 68.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 70.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 90.00, Global: 70.00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL capped bottle with matt, black foil on the neck with a brooding sepia and black label...
A ‘golden age’ of brewing? My ass…and BTW, get off my lawn
As I travel both literally and virtually around the US beer scene, I am constantly reminded by those that purport to 'know' that we are currently enjoying a 'golden age' of brewing. I suppose, that...
Beer Review: Dogfish Head, Robert Johnson’s Hellhound On My Ale
Ding Points 60.00 Pour: 70.00, Nose: 50.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL capped bottle in the usual DFH presentation. Pour offers a low density, bright copper...
Beer Review: Brewery Ommegang, Gnomegang
Ding Points: 90.50 Pour: 90.00, Nose: 100.00, Palate: 90.00, Mouth: 80.00, Global: 90,00 Tasting Notes: 750 mL, corked & caged in the usual Ommegang bottle. Pop on opening is modest, with a...
Beer Review: Mikkeller, Rauch Geek Breakfast (AKA ‘Beer Geek Bacon’)
Ding Points = 60.50 Pour: 80, Nose: 70, Palate: 50, Feel: 60, Global: 60 Tasting Notes: Purchased at Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA. 500 mL bottle. Jet black pour with a really dark, coffee colored...