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