Craft Beer NYC

Sixty-One is a wonderful hybrid of their famous 60 minute IPA with a touch of red wine.   Based on a self made mixture where Sam Calagione used to pour a small amount of red wine into his IPA for special guests.   The newest edition to their core beers, in fact the first new one since 2007, provides a unique blend of his 60 Minute IPA with Syrah grape must added during fermentation to create an improvisational experience. The subtle sweetness softens the IPA just right for the beer enthusiasts who might not indulge in the full bitterness a naked IPA might bring.  This creation was so special that Dogfish Head's founder hand painted the label design with pigments infused with beer, wine, and chocolate. 6.5% ABV 7.5 out of 10 Craft Wine Coolers Esquire Review http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/dogfish-head-sixty-one-review-15189713 Dogfish Head Info http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/sixty-one.htm

The Indian Brown Ale from Dogfish Head is a true hybrid in the ultimate Dogfish Head fashion.  They combo a Scotch Ale, IPA, and an American Brown to create this caramelized and malty, hoppy magic.  The organic brown sugar really provides a great flavor and brings out the tasting notes from the caramel and dark malts.  Just like their 60 and 90 minutes IPA's this one is dry-hopped to bring out the ultimate hop flavor from the IPA side of the hybrid.  The caramel notes come from the Scotch Ale, and the color is derived from the American Brown Ale.  Great for dark meats and spicy American food.  Watch out for the ABV- it packs a good punch given it's sweetness from all the sugar. 7.2% ABV 9 out of 10 "Malty Magic" http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/indian-brown-ale.htm

Lazy Magnolia has been distributing craft beer out of Mississippi since 2006, and was founded by Mark and Leslie Henderson.   My first selection from their portfolio was their Southern Pecan.   On record to be one of the first beers ever to be brewed with pecans,  this unfortunately misses the mark.   I was looking forward to the distinct nut tasting notes, but the pecan flavor falls a bit flat compared with coffee or chocolate notes in similar dark ales.  Comparable to a nut brown ale like the popular one from New Castle, this come up short on taste and flavor.  I'm looking forward to trying some of their other selections to see how they compare.  They are one of the few craft beers operating out of Mississippi that have made their way to New York. 4.39% ABV 5 out 10 Roasted Pecans- check out the Zabar's Link below The Best Roasted Pecans in NYC http://www.zabars.com/zabars-small-fruit-and-nut-tote-small/C1100TS.html?cgid=All_Gifts Lazy Magno...

Here's another winner from the off centered collection of ales from Rehoboth Beach.    Namaste is available year round and is a variation on a traditional Belgian Wheat Beer.   Brewed with organic orange slices, lemongrass, and coriander it captures a nice balanced flavor with subtle crisp tasting notes that pair well with chicken or turkey and cream pasta dishes.  Originally brewed in 2009 to support a Belgian brewery that had recently lost a huge batch of their product to a facility heat problem, it is now part of the Dogfish Head core brews. 4.8% ABV 8 out of 10 "White Shock Tops" Origin Story- Every Beer has a Story http://www.dogfish.com/community/blogfish/members/sam/namaste.htm

This American IPA from Connecticut is a solid sharp hopped beer.   The hop profile consists of Amarillo, Warrior, and Falconers Flight from the pacific northwest.  Founded by Luke Bowen and Trevor Hayward in 2008, the team at Evil Genius brews out of the Thomas Hooker Brewery in Hartford Connecticut.   This is a nice balanced IPA and available year round in draft and bottles.  I'm looking forward to see what else is brewing down at the Evil Genius facility in Connecticut. 6.0% ABV 7 out of 10 Dr. Nefario's http://www.evilgeniusbeer.com/current.html

This unique English pale ale comes off with a very intense flavor.  The Big Fish has the illusion of being a dark ale with a very bitter overtone and a medium to dark brown color.   It has the texture of a darker stout or porter, but keeps the flavor on the lighter side to enjoy in higher quantities.  The tasting notes range from citrus to earthly herbs from all the American grown fuggles hops.   I also got a mild sense of toffee or dark malts similar to a coffee stout.  It's good to have another upstate New York craft brewery in the midst.   Support your local small business and drink great beer! 4.5% ABV 8 out of 10 Thurman Thomas Rushes http://www.newbuffalobrewing.com

Here's another fall seasonal that inspires year round creativity and freshness.   Mixing a stout and a pumpkin ale, the Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout is a medium bodied hybrid that slides in at 7% ABV.   Brewed with real pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and extra spices it delivers a unique fall seasonal craft beer.  Their line of Fisherman's ales embody the spirit of the North Atlantic fisherman fleet that embarks out of Gloucester along the Northern shore of Boston every morning.  Proceeds help benefit the Northeastern Seafood Coalition. 7% ABV 7 out of 10 Pumpkin Chowders Pumpkin Seafood Chowder http://fearlesseating.net/pumpkin-seafood-chowder/ Cape Ann Brewing http://www.capeannbrewing.com

The fall series of Pumpkin Ales continues with this Imperial Stout Brewed with Pumpkins from the Southern Tier of New York State.   Distributed in 22 oz bottles just like their Pumking Ale all over Whole Foods, The Warlock is brewed with enchanting spirits on the darker side of the ale family.   Darkness and mystery are the trademarks of the Blackwater Series at Southern Tier, which spawns this black stout just for the Halloween season.   Enjoy the roasted malts with hints of spicy pumpkin pie and get ready for Thanksgiving with the family.  Serve in a nice cinnamon sugar coated goblet for the ultimate experience, which will unleash the dark black color and full body with medium bitter tasting notes. 8.6% ABV 9 out of 10 Little Nicky's

Are you afraid of the dark?   This toasted porter from Iceland is a powerhouse of dark flavor for the fall and winter season.   Chocolate and toasted malts provide a very dark, jet black color and intense clarity but remains medium on flavor and alcohol strength.   Located only 60 miles south of the Arctic circle in the fishing port of Akureyri, the Einstok Brewery uses some of the purest water sources in the world to brew its craft ales.  This American style porter from Iceland proves that dark intensity, toffee, and dark roasted chocolate coffee doesn't always mean a high ABV but creates an enjoyable flavor explosion suitable of a Viking hunting party! 6.0% ABV 9.5 out of 10 Black Iced Coffee's http://einstokbeer.com/home.html

It's that time of year again to discover and enjoy strong dark ales, stouts, and porters.   Saloon Boss Brown from New Buffalo Brewing hits the market with a bold intense taste that is more in line with porters or stouts.   This pours with a nice dark brown color and dense clarity for a hearty meal pairing with smoked meats or BBQ chicken.   Personally I can enjoy a nice dark brown ale year round, but enjoy this seasonal while it last!   Founded by William Campbell, after a career in the Air Force ROTC he wanted to bring back real American manufacturing to his hometown of Buffalo.   One of the things that makes this Brown Ale unique and tasty are the chocolate and nutty notes.   Stay warm Buffalo! 5.0% ABV 7.5 out of 10 Buffalo Bills http://www.newbuffalobrewing.com/our-brew/

Burton Baton is an oak-aged Imperial Pale Ale from the team at Dogfish Head.   This one is another great entry in a long line of unique crafted and off centered inspired ales from Delaware and the braintrust of Sam Calagione.   They start with two separate ales in stainless steel, an English style ale and an Imperial IPA and then transfer everything to one of their custom 10,000 gallon oak tanks where it stays for over a month to settle and soak in all the wood charm.   The oak brings great tasting notes, and also softens the alcohol and takes the bite out of the 10%ABV.    A nice blend of subtle citrus notes from Northwestern hops and vanilla that pairs well with the oak-aged flavor.  Started a few years back as a seasonal ale, this one is now available year round! 10% ABV 9.5 out of 10 Oak Hybrids http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/burton-baton.htm

Another great entry from the Flying Dog brew masters.   Germany is still the center of the beer universe, including the popular south German style of wheat beer "Hefeweizen".  Hopefully the mention of Germany multiple times in this post- will propel this past my current most popular post featuring the German Radeberger Pilsner.   Nice medium tone, very light and fruity with hints of vanilla and coriander.  Recommended for a nice cold night in NYC, where we wait for more snow.   Lock up your puppies-  the ladies are on the prowl! 4.7% ABV 7.5 out of 10 Wheat Berry Salads

Another entry from the dark beer specialists, this Amber Ale is a lot more intense and savory than the name implies.   Definitely riding on the darker side of Amber but on the lightest side of all their dark ales.  Duck-Rabbit proclaims this the gateway beer for their full flavored beer line.  A nice bronze color with several complex layers of malted caramel tones, this medium full bodied ale performs very well.   I recently noticed a six pack of Duck-Rabbit placed in the background of an episode of Big Bang Theory, don't blink or you might miss seeing Sheldon debating seeing a Duck or a Rabbit! 5.5% ABV 9 out of 10 Duck Thumps Learn about the masters of dark ales http://www.duckrabbitbrewery.com Here's my other Duck-Rabbit post http://afordnyc.blogspot.com/2014/10/duck-rabbit-brewery-milk-stout.html

This bold self described Quadruple Ale is an intense beer drinking experience.   Measuring in at 9.7% ABV, the dark, mysterious, and powerful ale keeps entertaining the craft beer connoisseur to the last drop.  This unique blend of a Belgian ale is amped up with a little added flare of Liefmans Kriek cherry ale to delivery a very impressive dark ale.  Three Philosophers is recommended to be served in a European goblet in order to optimize the taste and flavor while sipping over dinner or a plate of strong cheese and meats.  Ommegang calls Cooperstown, NY home, which is located in central New York and was the hub of all hop production back in the 19th century.   Cooperstown is also part of the historic Leatherstocking region of New York State and full of a superior water table which is an important part of brewing quality beer in this country.   New York water, including the Catskill water aqueduct, is some of the greatest public water supply in the cou...

Here's another pumpkin ale from New York State.   The Blue Point pumpkin has nice touches of nutmeg and cinnamon, but seems a little to filtered when it pours into the glass.   Some of the other pumpkin beers are more cloudy and seem to have been filtered less based on the color and clarity.   It has a medium body and mild hoppyness to balance the spices and pumpkin flavor.   Blue Point recently announced that is has been sold to Anheuser Busch.  Time will tell if they can continue to keep their craft brewing in Long Island with the same quality control as before the acquisition. 6.0% ABV 6.5 out of 10 Supreme Pumpkins http://bluepointbrewing.com/bpbc/microbrews/pumpkin-ale/

Another entry from the boys in the Jersey Swamp.   This is a good entry in the Pumpkin Beer category but not in my top 5.   The Imperial Ale gives the pumpkin a little kick coming in at over 8%, mixing pumpkin puree and molasses to create a strong, sweet, and medium bodied Pumpkin Ale.  Available August through October in 4 packs and on draft. 8.1% ABV 6 out of 10 Jersey Pumpkins http://www.riverhorse.com/html/liquid_details_seasonal.php?Hipp-O-Lantern-Imperial-Pumpkin-Ale-3

The Stevens Point Brewery was founded back in 1857 by Frank Wahle and George Ruder in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.    Their first brew was called Point Beer.   They didn't distribute beer outside of Wisconsin until 1990, but they get the crown as being the 5th oldest continuous brewery in the country.   They also are now completely independent and locally owned.  In 2009, the Stevens Point Brewery team started the Whole Hog limited and seasonal line, including it's award winning Pumpkin Ale.    A delightful mixture including cinnamon and nutmeg spices,  the sweet and spice flavor overpowers the mild hops.  It's almost a bottled pumpkin pie experience wrapped up in one.   They use Perle hops mixed with Munich, Caramel, and Roasted Malted barley to balance the pumpkin and fall seasonal spices. Great American Beer Festival, Pumpkin Beer Category- Gold Medal 2012 World Beer Championships- Gold Medal 2013 7.5% ABV 8 out of 10 Purple Pink ...

Duck-Rabbit is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.  Their mission is to focus on dark beers, which their founder Paul Philippon feels will allow them to carve out a special niche within the craft beer market.  They call Farmville, North Carolina home and currently only distribute to six states in the southeast, with Pennsylvania being the only one above the Mason Dixon Line.  I first tasted their Milk Stout and I'm a new fan.   Being a connoisseur of the dark ales, I applaud Duck-Rabbit's mission to break out as the dark beer specialists.   The Milk Stout is their top seller and mixes a great sweetness without being chalky or harsh with nice roasted grains to offer up a solid black color.   It comes in on the softer side of the ABV index for such a dark full bodied beer, but the 5.7% allows for indulgence and session style tastings for all. 5.7% ABV 9 out of 10 Bunny Quacks http://www.duckrabbitbrewery.com/beer What is a Duck Rabbit? http...

Celebrating their 30th Anniversary, the Ola Dubh is an innovative collaboration between Harviestoun and Highland Park Distillery.   This special limited edition "Black Oil" has been aged for up to six months in sherry butts formally used to age Highland Park's Single Malt Scotch Whiskey.  The casks add a very slight whiskey note to the ale, which already has hints of malted nutty chocolate and heavy spices mixed in with some sweet touches.   This puts a unique European twist on the oak aged barley wines coming out of the northeast.   Some would shy away from an extremely dark ale coined as "Black Oil", but for the adventuresome stout and porter gang this one delights.   Definitely a top pick of the year, I recommend you try to find some before it's all sold out.    At first taste I would have guessed this one was over 10% ABV, but the Ola Dubh comes in at  8% from the bottle.   The cask draught comes in a little higher in ABV at 10.5%. ...

This summer pilsener from Glendale, Wisconsin is a good interpretation of a traditional czech style pilsener.   It pours with a medium golden color and provides a nice mild hoppyness to go with its clean finish.  I was a little disappointed with the twist off bottle top, which when used instead of a traditional bottle top allows for the Co2 to slowly escape from the brewed ale over time.  This one is part of their seasonal series and only is available May through August and has been brewed since 2011.       5.0% ABV 6 out of 10 Golden Tickets http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/index.php

"Long before the ancients were eating chocolate they were drinking it," proclaims Sam in the Quick Sip video below as he gets excited about the results from his molecular biologist team.  Dogfish Head brings us another entry from their amazing ancient ale series, drinkable chocolate.   Theobroma is literally "Food of the Gods" with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs, rounding out the nose with an intense aftertaste of ancho chilies, honey and ground annatto.   Theobroma's body color is surprisingly light, compared with other chocolate inspired ales.    Based on documented findings of archeologists and chemists studying the Aztecs and Mayan, Sam and the team created a wonderful time capsule back to 1200 BC.  Take a look at some of the other occasional rarities in their portfolio of wonderful craft beers.  I had the honor of sampling Theobroma for the first time in the official tasting room at the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware.  Since...

Dogfish Head brings us another seasonal favorite from their Delaware based brewery.  Originally created for the local Punkin Chunkin festival over 20 years ago it has now taken off as their best selling seasonal.  Produced and shipped by the first week of September, it's usually sold out before Thanksgiving across the northeast.  Now distributed in 27 states, you can find it in your area using the beer finder link below.  This ale has a full body of flavor and with nice hints of brown sugar and cinnamon.  The base is a bold brown ale which provides a full bodied ale that doesn't get overshadowed by the notes of spices.   Dogfish doesn't cheap out on the ingredients either, they use organic brown sugar and locally grown pumpkin meat (from the same farms that stock the Punkin Chunkin festival).   Unfortunately this fall will be the first time in 30 years where the championship doesn't happen due to permit issues with the county.   You'll have t...

The celebration of pumpkin inspired ales continues for this fall season all over New York.  Southern Tier has been brewing craft ales since 2002, in the region of New York State that borders Pennsylvania known as the southern tier.   Most city dwellers were not aware of the southern tier region until Whole Foods starting selling local produce and craft beer from this region in their NYC locations.  When I walked into the Whole Foods location in Columbus circle, I was overtaken by the local aisles with rows and rows of Southern Tier Pumking Ale lined up ready for the taking.  Their graphically eye catching and clever designed 22oz bottles with their spooky pumpkin king that looks under the magical spell of All Hallows Eve helps draw in the crowds.  Their Pumking Ale has a delicate nose of pumpkin pie and ideally is tasted out of a cinnamon sugar rimmed goblet.  This ale pairs well with deserts like pumpkin pie, but is a little on the subtle side and doesn't ...

I always find interesting the ways that cities like Baltimore or New York try to draw an affinity to the famous works of Edgar Allan Poe.  There is a portion of West 84th Street in Manhattan named for him, since the farmhouse where he wrote part of The Raven used to be near there.  Mind you, nothing from that era still stands on the Upper West Side but the neighborhood felt obliged to pay honor in some way.   Baltimore has more of a reason to embrace the true father of the macabre, especially with beer.  The Peabody Heights Brewery has three co-op beer brands that get bottled and distributed from their facility on East 30th Street in Baltimore, including The Raven line. Who knows if Poe stumbled by there during his mysterious night that led to his death in the streets in Oct, 1849.   In 2012 The Raven beer line was founded using classic European brewing traditions and the mysteries of Edgar Allen Poe to develop their brand and flavors. Is there any better way to...

Union Craft Brewing is a new brewery located in the Woodberry neighborhood of Baltimore, MD. Founded in 2011, they shipped their first batch of ale in spring of 2012.  Their Blackwing lager has its origins as a new "Schwarzbier", which is German for "black beer".  Using hints of roasted coffee, and chocolate as a companion to its medium hop character from Noble German hops, they manage to create a very solid craft ale that dark beer fans can enjoy all year round.  I especially recommend this one for fans of coffee stouts or strong porters, even though technically this is a lager.  I discovered Blackwing while visiting family in Baltimore, you forget how many regional breweries are up and running and don't get distribution into every city.   This makes you feel excited about local beer again, and the fact that you can travel and experience new great regional selections across the northeast corridor between Boston and Washington on every road trip. Movie Pairing...

Another one of the Broken Bow ales available in 12 oz cans.  This American Pale Ale is a nice even balanced brew, with medium hop character and a nice citrus nose.  Family owned and literally family run, this Tuckahoe located brewery is making a splash on the Westchester craft beer scene.   They are often doing tastings at the Growlers craft beer bistro in Tuckahoe and are part of their Oktoberfest celebration this year as well.  Marbledale's namesake is based on the avenue where the brewery opened its doors just about one year ago. 6.3% ABV 7 out of 10 Silver Bows Introduction Video http://www.brokenbowbrewery.com/AboutUs.html

What do you get when you take a fruit beer and combine it with an IPA?  You get a hophead delight called Aprihop!   Brewed in March and usually available through May, this seasonal offering has become one of the most popular spring entries from Sam Calagione and the gang at Dogfish Head over the last couple of years.   The addition of Apricot juice offers a unique variation on the hoppy ale, making a mild sweetness using the undertones of the fruit to balance the massive amount amarillo hops added in the continuous stylized fashion that Dogfish Head does best. Scoring an 86 on the Beer Advocate scale, this one is something worth tasting at least once for beer fans that might not love fruit beers or sweet ales. 7.0% ABV 7 out of 10 Red-eyed Bunnies Sam's Quick Sip Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzxbEtfwP0

Sprecher Brewery Co. was founded in the Walker's Point section of Milwaukee in 1985 by Randal Sprecher.  Wisconsin was home to hundreds of breweries dating back to the late 1800's.  Almost every community had their own, slowly to be phased out by the 1960's.  Sprecher helped launch the craft and "Micro-Brewery" movement which brought local beer back to the midwest by the 80's and Mid 90's.  Their wheat ale is brewed with German yeast culture, and has touches of citrus and spices to its nose.  The Sprecher Hefe Weiss is European brewing from Bavaria meets midwest American craftsmanship at its finest.  Although Hefeweizen's are not one of my favorite styles, Sprecher is a decent performer for wheat ale fans. 4.2% ABV 6 out 10 Hoppy Wheats http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/beer.php?cat=1

Firestone's Union Jack is like a nice younger brother to the powerful Wookey Jack and Double Jack concoctions.  Weighing in at 7.5%ABV, it allows for a more session approach to indulge in the citrus notes and west coast dry hop character.   The ale embodies the full spirit of a west coast IPA, with a deep, dark hopped intensity.   Highly recommend, but if you have the time and energy stick with the Double and Wookey dust.   7.5% ABV 8 out of 10 Shouts of Anarchy in the UK! http://www.firestonebeer.com/home.php

2014- It's almost Turkey Day and we must drink all the Pumpkin Ale before it goes stale!   I actually wish every craft brewery would make this year-round.   Seasonal beer has always had a great stage in the new order of merry hops and barley.  This very strong entry is a great performer, with nice touches of cinnamon and pumpkin spices.   Cascade and Liberty hops, along with nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin puree round out the base.  Colonial brew masters were making ales from squash and pumpkins as far back at 17th century New England, as a way to make the water safe to drink. 5.84% ABV https://smuttynose.com/beer/pumpkin-ale/ 8 out of 10 Soleil Moon Frye "Pumpkin Heads"

This chocolate flavored stout was another rare find from Halftime in Mamaroneck when I went on a coffee and chocolate stout binge a few months ago.  There's a gap of information on Rhinelander and how it is being distributed by the Minhas Brewing Company out of Monroe, Wisconsin and Calgary.  Rhinelander was an original brewing success story dating back to the late 1880's founded in Rhinelander, Wisconsin but was run out of business in the late 60's with national competition.   The name was brought back in 2009 and in 2011 they launched a new craft line focusing on a rabbit theme (Thumper, Mystical Jack, and Imperial Jack) The chocolate stout delivered a nice taste and had a nice balanced tone of chocolate and malts but fails on delivering anything special.  Not sure this one will survive. 5.5% ABV 6 out 10 Lepus *Be on the lookout for Deforest Kelley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yww2x3bm9k http://rhinelanderbrewery.com http://minhas...

One of the staples from the Great Divide arsenal is the Yeti.   This powerful Imperial Stout starts with roasted malts and then follows with hints of caramel and toffee filled with a deep hop character.  This pairs nicely with spicy chicken and dark smoked meats (Chef Cuts "Turkey Jerky" anyone?).  The pack at Animal Planet is hot on the trail of Bigfoot or is it a nice 6 pack of Yeti that keeps evading their night vision cams?   Enjoy responsibly and remember to have your iPhone ready if you witness a Yeti sighting or else you might have a hard time convincing the world that you weren't just enjoying a Great Divide Imperial Stout. ABV 9.5% 10 out of 10 Sasquatch Patches More on Great Divide http://greatdivide.com/beer/year-round/yeti-imperial-stout/ Finding Bigfoot http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/finding-bigfoot Night Vision Gear http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=night+vision&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=31...

I discovered the insanity while wandering at Halftime craft beer market in Mamaroneck.  The interesting label caught my eye, and I was immediately thinking it was another cheap gimmick to get the attention of a passerby.   This beer, however is no marketing gimmick, this one is a beast, a powerhouse of "insanity".   I had to research what exactly was the brewing process of an English style barleywine, after I had this last night and nearly fell over.   The is aged in oak bourbon casks, to create a complex dark, and intense flavor, best made for a brandy snifter.    Based on the Blithering Idiot from the Weyerbacker year round brews, this seasonal selection takes the deep cooper ale with hints of dates and figs, and amps it up to a crazy, insane mixture of bourbon barrel aged barleywine not for the faint of heart.   Wonder what 11.1% does to you?  It's best to taste this one while indulging in some heavy meats and cheeses, and not on an empty stoma...

I applaud the team at Dogfish Head for innovation again!  This time creating a unique ale for our beer drinking friends that suffer from Celiac disease.  This brew experiment is uniquely flavored with buckwheat honey, strawberry puree, and sorghum syrup replacing the barley base to allow for a gluten-free craft experience.  The namesake comes from being initially produced on the cusp between spring and summer in 2012.  It's a sweet fruit beer with a honey twist that feels like a light chilled champagne for a hot summer night. 6% ABV 8 out of 10 Tweason berries Check out this cool cinema-graph showing the process http://cinemagraphs.com/dogfish/ Sam's demo video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Nw2n5Zyq8

I recently got to visit the Broken Bow Brewery in Tuckahoe, New York.  This newly opened Westchester Brewery is making full use of the great Catskill Mountain water system that flows freely into the Hudson Valley and the New York City Metro Area.   Proving that you can't brew great beer without great water.   The tasting room is open Wednesday through Sunday and tours are offered on Saturday and Sunday.  They currently have 8 different flavors on tap in their tasting room and all are available to be taken home in their custom branded growlers.   The friendly staff create a fun environment to drink and taste great beer and learn a little about their brewing process.  After a tour of their production facility, including their nifty fermenters and brite tanks imported from Japan, my first brew that I sampled was their Broken Heart Stout.  This nice dark ale with roasted malted barley has a medium finish and a spicy overtone of hops without being overpower...

This delightful red "copper" ale from Maine is a nice entry for a summer night.  Brewed near the Canadian border of Nova Scotia, where red ales flourish, the Lobster Ale has an even balance of hop flavor and floral spices.  This one scores high as a session beer with a diverse selection of food pairing for any social occasion. 5.0% ABV 6 out of 10 Red Lobsters http://www.belfastbaybrewing.com

The 60 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head is a fine replacement or substitute for its 90 Minute older brother, when you need the mental clarity that is lost due to its strength and fortitude.  Coming in at 6% ABV this hop roasted IPA is an outstanding performer for all occasions and can be used as more of a session beer compared to the 90 Minute version.  The hop mixture includes Northwest hops for a citrus and grassy flavor for hardcore hop heads.  The Dogfish Head process of continuously boiling the hops for 60 Minutes bring a unique hoppyness flavor and a fitting name to a strong IPA for beer fans of all varieties to enjoy. Food Pairings:  Anything spicy, BBQ Chicken, Beef or Pulled Pork Sliders 6.0% ABV 9 out of 10 Off Centered perfection! Sam's Video on the 60 Minute story http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/60-minute-ipa.htm

In 2006 Wells joined forces with Young and Co of Wandsworth in London to create the largest family beer company in the UK.  The history of the Wells half of this brewery was started by Charles Wells in 1875.  All their barley comes from family-owned farms in England that handpick their crops, which has been a key to Young Ales for almost one hundred years.   Their Double Chocolate Stout has been an award winner since 1998 and most recently in 2004.  Created by mixing a Pale Ale, crystal malt, chocolate malt, sugars, Fuggle and Golding hops, along with dark chocolate.  This stout has quite a nice tone and balance to it, without going overboard with the sweetness.   Pure luxury and indulgence to go around that amps up what would just be a normal stout.   I've been asking the basic question all year- why just have a stout when you can have a coffee or chocolate stout? 5.2% ABV 7 out of 10 Chocolate Bunnies http://www.youngsbeers.co.uk h...

Caution!  Remember to sit down while drinking this one.  Dogfish Head pumps this one full of sugar eating yeast to offer up an intense 9% ABV.   Drink wisely and responsibly while you wash down a nice healthy meal of chicken or beef sliders.   Sam and team at Dogfish Head focused an entire episode of his unfortunately short lived Discovery series, Brew Masters, around a quality control issue of 90 Minute IPA.   They pride themselves so much on perfection that they decided to dump an entire batch worth thousands of dollars to prevent a less than stellar batch going to market.   This has a strong hoppyness once they dry-hop every batch but balanced well with a large amount of English Two-Row barley.   This scores a Beer Advocate 95, but in my book it is perfection that can't really be duplicated.   This ale takes over a month to make given the intense continuous hop process that offers us a pungent and citrus flavor plus the dry-hop ...

2014 marks the 20th Anniversary celebration for Brian Dunn and the team at Great Divide in Denver Colorado.  This special ale is fermented with Viognier grape juice to give it a little extra flare for the celebration.  Enjoy in the 22 oz bottle and you'll agree that the team at Great Divide has something special to offer.  The brewery prides themselves on their green initiatives going as far as exclusively using bottles from a plant in Denver that uses recycled glass.  80% of the barley used in production is grown and malted in Colorado and all their spent grain is used by a local cattle farm in Platteville, Colorado.   We have just started seeing more varieties in NYC and hopefully we will see some of their rotating seasonal lines in Manhattan markets soon.  I'm trying to find the Oatmeal Yeti and the Lasso IPA just to name a few.   Try the special Belgian ale with shrimp or red curry. 8.2% ABV 6 out of 10 Andrew Jackson's http://greatdivide.com...

I applaud any attempt to brew a coffee inspired American Stout.   Bell's Java Stout uses a custom blend of coffee from the Water Street Coffee Joint in nearby Kalamazoo (Derek Jeter's hometown) to make their ale.  They take a nice dark and roasty stout and enhance it to another level to offer a intense taste but without any overpowering bitterness.  The magic enchantment of Bell's was founded in 1983 by Larry Bell with a 15 gallon operation that has grown to almost 250,000 barrels annually.   Originally opened in Kalamazoo, in 2013 they relocated to nearby Comstock, Michigan after outgrowing their old space.   Just like other success stories across the Mid-West, the Bell operation is riding the wave of the craft beer renaissance and expanding their production while building out their on site pub, which serves as an outdoor beer garden and music space called the Eccentric Cafe in downtown Kalamazoo.  Historical footnote, in 1993 they were the first brew...

Perfection!   This American style black ale or black rye IPA is an amazing powerhouse of flavor perfection.   The inspired ale uses roasted malts ranging from midnight wheat to black malts from Germany mixed with German Magnum hops for the bittering process and double dry-hopped Citra and Amarillo for flavor and aroma.  This also includes a secret ingredient known as "Wookey Dust" which is unknown in origin and doesn't even show up in a google search.  Notice the slight change in spelling in order to escape the legal team at Lucasfilm Ltd.  Scoring a world class 95 from Beer Advocate, this one will not disappoint the stout, black ale, or porter beer fan.   The complex tones blend so many things together in a way not commonly seen with the new dark stouts or hybrid porters that use chocolate or coffee.  The palette is so complex that you have to continue to indulge to discover new hints of hoppy spice and malts that engulf your sipping glass until the v...

Firestone Walker started brewing back in 1996 in Santa Barbara County, California in a small rented facility part of the Firestone Vineyard.  Relocated to Paso Robles in 2001 where they have been growing in production and reputation ever since into a craft beer powerhouse brand.   All their ales are fermented in their custom Firestone Union oak barrel brewing system, which consists of 65 gallons of American fine oak barrels.  The Double Jack IPA is a strong bold choice rounding out at 9.5% ABV and part of their select proprietors reserve series.  This IPA won a bronze medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival in the Imperial IPA category.  You can definitely taste the fruit overtones mixed in with a very intense hoppyness but the flavor is well balanced.   Remember to store below 44 degrees since they don't pasteurize any of their bottled beer.  For convenience, and to make sure their ales are enjoyed in their optimal freshness window, all bo...

Coffee and craft beer make a great combination, especially as part of a milk stout.   I posted about Keegan's regular Milk Stout a few months ago and this one scores much higher.  The added flavor tones of the coffee help balance their traditional milk stout which comes across very chalky and bitter.  They amp up the brown sugar from the standard milk stout recipe and then add in a cold coffee extract from the Monkey Joe Roasting Company also from Kingston, NY.  The extra brown sugar also ups the ABV from the 6% to 8% for a more bold and powerful experience. 8.0% ABV 7 out 10 Kingston Coffee Beans http://www.keeganales.com/the-beers/beers/

The Fort Collins Brewery is another Colorado craft beer creative force established in 2003.  After several expansions including upgrading to a 50 barrel production facility in 2013, they are now brewing a full portfolio of lines and flavors.  Building upon a philosophy from the three basic principles of create, share, and savor they are fully positioned to offer a very unique and true American craft beer experience for the coming generations.  The first beer in their portfolio that I had the privilege to taste was their Chocolate Stout, which does a great job at mixing the character of roasted barley and chocolate malts with a nice even hoppyness that create a subtle and smooth drinking experience.   I especially enjoyed that there is less of a chalky aftertaste that exists with some other chocolate or mocha stouts.  Self described as velvety smooth, this stout represents a rising tide of Chocolate and Coffee stouts that deliver a great alternative flavor for an...

I first sampled this new beer experience during the NYC Craft Beer Spring Festival at the Lexington Avenue Armory in Manhattan.  I was skeptical of a craft beer company jumping on the anti-gluten bandwagon of our current dietary age of Absurdism, but I was pleasantly surprised with my discovery.   Omission is the first American craft beer company with the specific mission to brew beer with gluten removed from the malted barley it uses in the normal production process.  The Omission line is officially part of the Widmer Brothers brew operation out of Portlandia, and if you want to personally verify the gluten level of the batch you purchased you can enter the batch # and production date from the bottle on their website. Here's a nifty little video to describe their vision: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5wdJ-QmKho The pale ale has a very nice finish from the Cascade and Citra hops, with a medium caramel malted body rounded out with a nice amber color.   For an...

The ladies and gentlemen at Flying Dog never fail to impress.  Their Hunter S. Thompson inspired Baltic Porter is another one of their top contenders.  This intense dark porter is packed full of caramel, black and chocolate malts mixed with warrior, cascade, and northern brewer hops.   Food pairings range from BBQ to all smoked meats, Chili, Chocolate and Coffee deserts.  I fully recommend this one for all beer fans who are willing to enjoy a great stout, porter, or heavy full bodied beer.  Sip wisely, as this one packs quite a punch with the ABV.  We hope they bring this back all year round. 9.2% ABV Perfect 10- Gonzo's cigarette holders at maximum velocity http://flyingdogbrewery.com/beers/gonzo-imperial-porter/

This English style pale ale is a tribute to the 1955 World Championship campaign of the Brooklyn Dodgers over the New York Yankees.  Dodger greats such as Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, and even Yankee coaching great Don Zimmer was on that roster.   This is a great fridge beer for the summer while watching a game at home, but it doesn't impress an IPA fan who is seeking more hoppyness.   This brew poured out of the bottle actually has a few metallic characteristics, which might have just been a bad batch or a stale bottle.   The team at Brooklyn uses Scottish Maris Otter malts, which does add to the biscuity flavor for this one.  The Brooklyn house yeast also creates a dry finish. 5.0% ABV 6 out of 10 Dodger Blues 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers Roster http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1955&t=BRO

I first found this on draft at the new craft beer spot, The Jeffrey, in Manhattan.   The Beast is part of a recent revival of the Saison or "Farmhouse Style", a complex brew with earthly tones and tartness.   Layers of spice, hints of sweetness, and medium hoppyness give the Farmhouse Ale a variety of flavors and textures.   Traditionally in Europe, Saison beers were brewed in the Winter with everything thrown in they could find in the fall harvest and saved for the Summer season.  Evil Twin comes to us from Denmark, founded in 2010 by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergs ø . The Evil Twin line has established very uniquely designed labels to give their portfolio some added cultural hipness.   As of March 2012 Jeppe has relocated the operation to Brooklyn, to firmly establish New York as the beer center of the world. 9.5 out of 10 Easter Bunnies- near perfection! http://eviltwin.dk/Ryan-And-The-Beaster-Bunny