Craft Beer NYC

The Ithaca Beer Co. has been producing some strong offerings in the last few years.  Country Pumpkin, which is their take on the fall seasonal from New York State is a very strong performer.  Magnum hops are used to balance out the aromas of pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and Allspice.  The malt profile comprises of some German ones like Vienna and Munich mixed in with 2-Row, Caramunich, and Honey.  It manages to have a sweet selection of tasting notes, but not overwhelming to feel like dessert.  Keep supporting New York State beer!  Eat, drink, and be local! 6.3% ABV 8.5/10 Empire State Pumpkins http://ithacabeer.com Taste NY Info http://taste.ny.gov

The brew team from Spartanburg, South Caroline delivers a seasonal wheat beer with a bomb of tasting notes.   The Bomber from RJ Rockers has a nice fruity nose with a strong, but delightful strawberry finish.   This is a solid performing wheat beer with a nice summer spin for those warm months of outdoor fun.  The Strawberry Bomber is available April through August each year, as one of their five rotating ales, two specifically for the spring and summer. 5.8% ABV 7.0/10 Strawberry Smart Bombs http://www.rjrockers.com/#!beers/ccgi

The Anderson Valley Brewing Company was started in 1987 in the town of Boonville, California.  The historic area was settled by Walter Anderson in 1851 by accident.  The Anderson Valley has many great marvels, including it's very own dialect called Boontling.    The brewery has been expanded twice, originally back in 1996 and then opening it's current facility back in 2000 using a 100 barrel copper kettle from a defunct German brewery.  Their fall seasonal brings a brew that mixes the magic of pumpkin pie with caramelized malt to bring out the tasting notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh pumpkin.  The label design has the iconic antler wearing bear drinking from a water bed at dusk while the bats start flocking above!  Happy Halloween from the Anderson Valley! 6.0% ABV 8.5/10 https://avbc.com/about-us/ Learn About Boontling https://avbc.com/about-us/boontling/

Brewed just once a year from the deep woods of Pennsylvania, this stellar brew evokes the energy of Metallica's masterpiece Master of Puppets.  Brewed with locally sourced pumpkins with German Northern Brewer hops to give it a nice spicy kick mixed with French Saison yeast.  The tasting notes range from vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and honey. Make sure you pour it into a nice goblet to pass the cool autumn nights away in the northeast. Troegs remains a truly independent force in the craft beer scene, among tons of consolidation and investment by the big guys in the local beer market across the country. 7.5% ABV 9.5/10 Pennsylvania Pumpkins http://www.troegs.com/beer/master-of-pumpkins/

The German style lager is one of the most popular offerings from the Saratoga Brewing Company.   A nice blend of German malts and hops.  This one is easy to drink and has a nice medium copper color and a smooth finish.   I recommend this to stock your fridge for a party, but don't look for anything special here. 5.5% ABV 6.0/10 https://www.oldesaratogabrew.com/menu.html

The IPA from Saratoga Springs, New York is a well balanced traditional "West Coast" style ale blending Cascade and Fuggles hops.  Saratoga Springs is a regional operation run by the Mendocino Brewing Company out of California.  The location in New York bottles some of the Mendocino line of craft beers for distribution on the east coast and is home to the Olde Saratoga Ales. 6.8% ABV 7.0/10 Racing Ales https://www.oldesaratogabrew.com/menu.html http://www.mendobrew.com/home.htm

I continued my exploration of pumpkin fall seasonal ales with the entry from Long Trail Brewing Co. of Vermont.  One of the founding fathers of the craft beer movement in New England, they have been brewing great beer for over 25 years.   Compared to other pumpkin ales this one has a stronger range of cinnamon, nutmeg and sugary tasting notes that round out the natural pumpkin flavors.  Perfect for        a cool night anywhere in the northeast! 5.5% ABV 8.5/10 Colonial Pumpkins! http://longtrail.com/beers/pumpkin-ale

The organic spirit at Wolaver's continues with one of their popular fall seasonals.  The Pumpkin Ale is produced using local organic pumpkins from the Golden Russet Farm in Shoreham, Vermont.  The  pumpkin and sugary spice is pretty mild and doesn't over power the golden amber ale with nice balanced malts and medium hop profile.  It was just announced that the parent company Otter Creek is shutting down the organic line of Wolaver's.  I will be sad to see them go, so grab what you can off the shelves!  There should be some IPA and Coffee Porter left as well from the December production. 5.35% ABV 10/10 New England Pumpkins

I don't often repost or cover the same beer, but in the spirit of Halloween I have been covering all the new Pumpkin Beer seasonal selections being offered this year including some returning favorites.  Dogfish Head's fall seasonal has a whole new look this year and slightly different taste.   Rich Kelly has redesigned the label and artwork for the 2015 edition, as part of Sam's ongoing seasonal art series.   The Punkin lady on the label teases the onlookers with a wink to the 1920's flapper or DC Comics Lois Lane while seemingly dancing through the pumpkin patch like Poison Ivy.   The Punkin again has a nice blend of real pumpkin flavor locally harvested, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a variety of spices, but this year the pumpkin is a lot of more subtle.    Punkin Ale is still a high quality fall seasonal and is still the top seasonal offering from Dogfish Head overall! 7.0% ABV 8.0/10 Punkin Chucks! My original post from last year http://afordnyc.blo...

This new fall seasonal is the perfect blend of two of my favorite things Pumpkin and IPA.  Flying Dog has chosen to balance the intense malts with German Hops instead of the typically varieties from the Pacific Northwest.  Hallertau and Hersbrucker fill out the German Noble hop profile mixed in with Rye, Biscuit, Cara Brown, and Oats specially malts.  The surprising range of pumpkin ales can go anywhere from a light toned candy ale to a dark imperial stout.  The IPA blend brings this one into the middle of the pack from a flavor profile standpoint.  Going forward, I see this being the new gourd standard for pumpkin flavored ales. 6.7% ABV 8.5/10 India Pumpkin Ales http://flyingdogbrewery.com/?beers=the-gourd-standard

Another entry in the new crowded field of Pumpkin Ales from the northeast and mid-atlantic craft breweries. The Pumpkin Ale from Captain Lawrence Brewery in Westchester County, New York is like candy for a fall day.   The overpowering pumpkin flavor is more of a sweet pumpkin pie than a subtle pumpkin accent.  The pumpkin puree is added directly to the mash before primary fermentation and then the assortment of spices are added near the end of the boil.  The hop profile is rounded out with Columbus and Crystal to balance out the Canadian 2-Row and German Vienna malts. 5.0% ABV 7.5/10 Westchester Pumpkins http://www.captainlawrencebrewing.com/the-beers/pumpkin-ale-fall/

This New England IPA has a great nose of spice and pepper.  I want to know who the 2 guys are on the bottle.  Maybe a pair of New Hampshire fisherman folks?  Lobster?    This is my favorite flavor in the SmuttyNose brewery family.   Enjoy with BBQ Chicken sliders and a ballgame. They pride themselves on discussing the natural sediment that appears in their IPA due to the difference in filtration in mass-produced beers.  Maybe their sea lion mascot is the secret to the 'ugly' unfiltered beer, or maybe the charismatic drunkards in the lawn chairs. 6.9% ABV 8.0/10 smuttynose.com

This edition of Dogfish Head's Ancient Ale series is a collaboration from all the three master brewers of Eataly's Birreria.    Originally released in December of 2012,  Sam from Dogfish Head went to Rome, Italy with Teo Musso of Baladin, Leo DeVencenzo of Birra del Borgo, and, molecular archaeologist, Dr. Pat McGovern to examine drinking vessels found in 2,800 Etruscan tombs.  The ancient inspired ingredients include, heirloom Italian wheat, Two-Row barley, tree resins, hazelnut powder, pomegranate, and honey.   Three different varieties will be made of this ancient ale each with a different take on the traditional fermentation techniques used by the Etruscans.  The Dogfish Head version used bronze in the primary fermentation tanks, Baladin used Italian Oak Barrels as wood fermentation, and Birra del Borgo used terra cotta clay fermentors to produce their ancient brew. 9.0/10 Etruscan Mummy Ale's http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/th...

Many attribute Brooklyn with being the place where all great things start.  Now Brooklyn can claim craft beer resurgence.   The spirit of Brooklyn lives on under the domain of home brewer Daniel Hoeffner who had turned his home brew parties into a new kind of urban legend.  In the words of Welcome Back Kotter's Arnold Horshack "OOOH, OOOH, OOOOH".  Set in the backdrop of the historic Prospect Park South neighborhood of Ditmas Park, he has taken self inspired home brewing to the next level.  Upon entry, guests are handed a menu of the night's available ales, ranging from IPA's, to dark wintry ales.   The Ditmas Park IPA, which is the perfect name for one of his core year round staples, is a strong but delightfully floral ale with nice hints of citrus from the Mosaic hops.    Officially the first signature beer to come out of his new stately home, this one deserves to be in the arsenal for many bashes to come.   I ...

This is the second brew out of the Santa Fe Brewing Company that I have posted about in the last couple of months.   The State Pen Porter is big and bold, but stays in control at only 6.4% ABV.    They use Cluster, Cascade, and Willamette hops to balance the 2-row pale, 30-37 I. Crystal, 70-80 I. Crystal, and Chocolate power malts.   Available all year round in a way that even Johnny Cash would be proud.  Indulge wisely my friends! Food Pairings: Dark Meats, Buffalo Sliders, Bratwurst,  and Red Hot & Blue Chips 6.4% ABV 8.5/10 Folsom Prison Blues http://www.santafebrewing.com/our_beer/detail/24

Break out your Super Mario Bros. and crack open a bottle of Flower Power from Ithaca Brewery!  This floral bouquet of hops is a true American legend in the making.  Suppport your New York State local brewery and indulge in this year round selection. 7.5% ABV 9.5/10  http://ithacabeer.com

The Rosabi collaboration was a limited release that Dogfish Head created back in June of last year with help from musician Julianna Barwick.   The vision was to take an Imperial Pale Ale and add red rice and wasabi root to create an artfully inspired ale to go along with an EP of original music created by Julianna.  The tracks were produced using the musical sounds of the actual brewing process layered over each other in a symphonic fusion.  Each element of the beer was carefully selected and are nods to the creators.  For example, the red rice was added as an ode to Julianna Barwick's home state,  Louisiana, and gives the ale a rose color and therefore its name.  Sam and Julianna personally tinkered with the recipe to get the mix just right.   The tasting notes start off bitter but then turn sweet and finish out with the burning heat from the wasabi root.   Definitely not a beer for the faint of heart or people who fear hot and spicy herbs b...

My second posting about Pennsylvania Brewing Company focuses on their new spin of the traditional Northern German Pilsner.  They use Two-Row barley malt with a blend of four kinds of Hallertau Hops that comes in at 4.5% ABV.   The tasting notes get amped up with a nice ample dose of carbonation that was noticeable on the pour and lingering on the taste.   The combination makes a fine crafted Pilsner really taste different than the watery, corn/rice filled, or additive-laden American versions. 4.5% ABV 7.5/10 German Bratwurst http://www.pennbrew.com/OurBeer/OurBeers/YearRound/PennKaiserPils.aspx

This more traditional English style brown ale is one of RJ Rockers year round selections.  The blend of caramel, chocolate, and black malts offer up a nice deep brown color and tasting notes that get close to a medium coffee stout.   RJ Rockers has an up and coming award winner portfolio and is worth giving a try if you can find some in your state.   The saxophone playing Squirrel says it all!  "Incredibly saxy brown ale!" 5.6% ABV 8.0/10 Jazzy Squirrels http://www.rjrockers.com/#!home/mainPage

The Riverwest Stein is actually the flagship beer for the Milwaukee based Lakefront craft brewery.   Delivered with a medium textured carbonation and subtle sweet tasting notes, this American Amber Lager has secured many awards through its run in the last 25 years.  Lakefront named their year-round staple after the Milwaukee neighborhood Riverwest where the Klisch Brothers founded their operations back in 1987.  Their blend mixes traditional German lager yeast with Zeus, Willamette, and Cascade American hops.  Enjoy the ode to Milwaukee, Milwaukee television and brewing history in the link below! 5.6% ABV 7.0/10 Shotz's Beer Gloves Wayne's World Tribute to Milwaukee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCTc6stICc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4oW9eqYh44

There have been many varieties of American Pale Ale's in this new wave of craft beer experimentation.  Fire Island's year round staple Lighthouse is a great option.   A mix of light carbonation and subtle caramel finish deliver an easy drinking ale for all seasons.  "Craft Beer from the Other New York" and "Respect the Deer" are a couple of the slogans that exemplify their easy going and relaxed spirit on the car free remote summer getaway off Long Island. 5.2% ABV 8.5/10 Bambi's Island http://www.fireislandbeer.com

How should you prepare for the end of the summer?  Long Trail's seasonal ale Harvest is a celebration of the beginning of the fall and the culmination of the long growing season.   Vermont Maple Syrup is added to this seasonal brown ale to give it a nice sweet punch.  The low ABV allows for fall feasting and indulging with friends and family after a brisk stroll in the park.   This one is a great fridge beer for the beginning of football season in New England! 4.4% ABV 7.5/10 Barn Brew's http://longtrail.com/beers/harvest

Fire Island Beer Company was started back in 2009 by Bert and Tom Fernandez and Jeff Glassman.   Their goal was to serve craft beer enthusiasts as well as casual beer fans.   In 2011, they brought on master brewer Simon Leonard as a consultant who created the Sea Salt Ale and then become a full time co-owner in 2014.  Their Sea Salt Ale starts with a German Pilsner base, and they add Magnum battering hops with real Atlantic Sea Salt to create an interesting and unique American craft beer.   The medium salty after taste and creamy head provides a great foundation for seafood pairings like mussels, clams, and oysters.   This brings the summer feel to any New Yorker year round! 5.2 % ABV 9.0/10 Breezy Point Beaches http://www.fireislandbeer.com/#about

Charles Wells brewers decided to take all the traditional qualities of their fine ales and combine them with a hint of banana.   It is available in casks in England and now widely available in large over sized pint bottles which are almost 16 ounces here in the states.  The tasting notes are very unique compared to other fruit beers.   Why not bananas?  This ale comes in on the mild side at only 5.2% ABV but has a nice medium finish to not disappoint the hop heads.  The Banana Bread Beer rounds out the Well and Young's portfolio, which include some nice Chocolate stouts.  Since 2006 Wells Brewing Company has been part of the larger Young and Co of Wandsworth in London and is the largest family owned brewery in the UK.  Check out my previous post on their Double Chocolate Stout below. 5.2% ABV 8.5/10 Banana Yellow Minions! http://www.charleswells.co.uk/our-company/our-products/wells-banana-bread-beer/ http://afordnyc.blogspot.com/2014/08/we...

Brian Lock started the Santa Fe Brewing Company back in 1988, which was the first craft brewery in New Mexico since Prohibition days.   The Nut Brown Ale is part of their core year-round offerings. This Santa Fe brew is an interpretation of the old English Brown Ale, which was rich in flavor and complex but not too strong to not be a session beer.    They use local, all-natural, well water that has not been treated with municipal fluoride or other additives and then start at a high mash temperature mixed with low-alpha acid hops to create a mild and smooth offering.  Santa Fe uses Willamette hops and 2-row pale, 30-37 I, Carastan, and Chocolate malted barley to create their popular Nut Brown Ale.   In an effort to be environmentally friendly, they give credits for people returning plastic and cardboard from their six packs and are using solar energy to offset 50% of their electric bill. 5.2% ABV 7.5/10 http://www.santafebrewing.com/about_us

Milwaukee has a deep history and connection with the American Brewing industry however often doesn't get talked about in the craft brewery scene.   Lakefront Brewery dates back to 1987, a time of Guns & Roses' Appetite for Destruction and KICK from INXS.   Jim and Russ Klisch started this as a true family operation, inspiring each other to experiment with home brewing and then going professional.  Their grandfather was a driver for Schlitz, so the brewing industry runs in the family.  The White is part of their Organic and Gluten-Free portfolio, and they have the honor of having had the first registered Organic and Gluten-Free beer in the country.  Wonderfully spiced with organic coriander and organic orange peel, this medium bodied, Belgian style ale has a balance of wheat and fruity tasting notes with the crisp finish fueled by the higher carbonation levels.   This puts new meaning to "Muscles from Brussels". Food Pairing:  Traditional Belgian ...

Kolsch is a classic German variety brewed to help celebrate Karnival in the Cologne or Koln region of Germany.  The brewers at Schlafly have an insider edge into securing yeast from Koln, given the wife of the brewery co-founder was born in Germany.  They linked up with the Gaffel Brewery of Koln to share their yeast strain.   They use Hallertau Tradition and Perle German hops to combine with the Pale, Wheat, Munich, and Carapils malted barley to create this European inspired creation.   The Koln Brewery Yeast distinguishes this one from other American variations on this carefully curated German tradition that is so sacred, only beer brewed in that region can officially be called Kolsch.  The American varieties get around the issue by labelling them Kolsch style vs. actually Kolsch.   The yeast needs a temperature of 63 degrees to work its magic, which is on the colder side for a fermentation temperature, which is then cold conditioned to round out the cris...

Founder Mark Johnsen started RJ Rockers in Spartanburg, South Carolina back in 1997.   Mark learned the art of brewing while being stationed in Germany after the Gulf War.   Son of a Peach is now the most popular selection in their portfolio.  Once started as a seasonal but now available all year round, this unfiltered wheat ale fills out the tasting notes with real South Carolina peaches.   This one is definitely a leader in the category of fruit flavored American wheat beers. 6.0% ABV 8/10 Peach Cobbler's http://www.rjrockers.com/#!2our-beer/cwwg

This unique American style Farmhouse Ale is brewed with European malts and hops from the United States and New Zealand.   The team at Stillwater uses a farmhouse ale yeast and bottle conditions each batch.   Innovation and experimentation are some of the founding principles that makes Stillwater a showcase for some of the best modern-day craft brewing of this era.  This is available mostly in bottles in NYC in Whole Foods and speciality markets around Manhattan and Brooklyn.  All the Stillwater beer is distributed by Twelve Percent out of Brooklyn, NY and is bottled and brewed either in Connecticut or Maryland. 6.8% ABV 9.0/10

Are you Tough Enough to handle the power of this unfiltered powerful brown ale?   Watch out for hints of caramel and vanilla as this ale is aged in custom wood brewing vessels from exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood custom built in the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware.  The translation of Palo Santo means "holy tree" and has been used in South American wine-making for centuries.  This intense roasted brown ale is amped up to 12% ABV and will knock you off your feet with just one glass.   This has been in production since 2007 and the shelf life for the wood tanks is only another 10-15 years, so drink up while you can.  The 10,000 gallon tank has the slots of wood pressed together without fasteners, and is truly an amazing feat of craftsmanship, which I got to witness first hand during my visit last September. 10.0/10 God of War Thunder Claps! 12% ABV http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/palo-santo-marron.htm Are you Toug...

This even balanced American style ale is part of the year round portfolio from the eastern end of Long Island craft brew masters. Greenport has been in operation since 2009, but just recently launched their bottled line across most of the New York area, including Whole Foods. Their Harbor Ale sits right between their two hoppy IPA's and the seasonal Summer Ale on the craft spectrum.    A nice hop blend of Warrior, Cascade, and Glacier varieties with 30% wheat malt give the Harbor Ale a light, but medium full body flavor and some citrus and tropical tasting notes. 5.3% ABV 7.5/10 Long Islanders http://www.greenportharborbrewing.com

This IPA from the team in Sonoma County, California has been the flagship award winning creation for almost 20 years.  Delightfully hop forward they use a variety of American malts and Pacific Northwest hops.  The strong hoppy tasting notes are primarily derived from the 4C's, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Columbus varieties.  Pairs great with spicy foods, and even Buffalo, although the Big Bear Black Stout is the official Buffalo pairing at the brewpub. 7.5% ABV 9.0/10 California Grizzlies http://bearrepublic.com

Named after a Civil War hero from Maine, this delightfully light and crisp English Style Pale Ale is a winner for the spring and summer season.  One of Shipyard's year round staples for over 20 years now, Chamberlain Pale Ale uses 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, and Wheat malted barley to bring that distinctive English taste.   The hop profile is light to medium featuring Fuggles, Cascade, Glacier or Tettnang Hops to offer up a mild hop signature.  Shipyard, evoking it's home of Portland, Maine named this one after Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.   Chamberlain was a Professor at Bowdoin College and got caught up in the cultural swell of the Civil War and quit his job at the school and enlisted.   He rose to to the rank of brigadier general and was part of the key Union victory of Gettysburg.  He also was given the honor of commanding the Union army at the Appomattox Court House during the surrender of Robert E. Lee.   He later become the 32nd ...

This is a nice summer ale that is actually brewed and bottled in New York State as part of their year round portfolio.  The Apricot flavored trend has offered up several new, usually seasonal ales over the last few years, mostly from the northeast.  For over 17 years the Ithaca team has been creating quality craft beer that has embodied the adventuresome spirit of the finger lakes region.   The craft beer industry is an important part of the economic redevelopment of New York State, and Ithaca Beer products are offered as part of Governor Cuomo's Taste New York campaign that launched at the end of 2014.  Key tourist and transit hubs now have Taste NY retail stores and beer carts that offer up local and independent options from everything from beer, wine and cheeses.   The hints of Apricot balances out the Summit hops for a crisp fruit set of tasting notes. 8.5/10  4.9% ABV Ithaca Website http://ithacabeer.com/beers/ Taste NY Info http://taste....

Music is one of the things almost as important as great beer to Sam Calagione.  His passion for Miles Davis and his classic jazz, fusion, psychedelic masterpiece Bitches Brew led to a very special event for the 40th Anniversary of the release.   Approached by Columbia Records and Legacy to commemorate the special anniversary, the music of Miles Davis always played a special place in Sam's beer-storming (brainstorming for beer-a-philes), so the pairing was a natural fusion of artistic minds.   The behind the scenes of the production was featured on the premiere episode of Brew Masters- the too short lived series on the Discovery Networks.   The beer is a hybrid of 3 parts imperial stout and one part honey beer with gesho root, a perfect dark ale for spicy chili and dark meats.   In fact this creation is coming up on its own 5 year anniversary- it was unveiled on June 5, 2010 at the Savor, An American Craft Beer and Food Experience in Washington, DC. 9.0%...

This dark lager from Pittsburgh is an American version of a dark German Dunkel.   They use Two-Row, Munich, and Black malted barley with imported Perle hops from Germany.  The modern Pennsylvania Brewing Co. started in 1986, but the location involved has a brewing tradition that dates back to 1848.  The Eberhart and Ober families started 3 breweries in the City of Allegheny, which is now part of Pittsburgh's northside.  As many breweries around the country,  production ceased in the early 50's due to urban decline and national ad supported competition.   Their dark lager is a nice balanced brew for fans of more intense full bodied beers.  If you have to drink a lager you might as well drink a dark one with more taste and flavor like a Dunkel.  The restaurant at the pub location was the first brewery with adjacent pub in operation since Prohibition in the entire state of Pennsylvania.  This is a great year round session beer,  and a new A...

Stillwater Artisanal Ales have some of the most interesting craft beer recipes and label designs in the northeast.   Thought to be based out of Baltimore, Maryland, however their bottle now say brewed and bottled in Stratford, CT.  They are also distributed by Twelve Percent LLC out of Brooklyn, NY, the same distributor that handles Evil Twin, the beer that doesn't have a brewery home.   This location and identity crisis doesn't take away from their quality brewing of artistic and radically unique creations as seen in this one, titled Why Can't IBU.  This is a statement against the IBU scale - short for International Bittering Units - often a scale that nobody pays much attention.  If you've had too many the label starts to appear in 3D or does it? 5.7% ABV 8.0/10 Eyes of Providence http://www.stillwater-artisanal.com

This new addition to the Flying Dog year round portfolio is a Pale Ale brewed with Blood Orange juice.   Tasting notes are everything from Grapefruit to a full balanced citrus sweetness to balance out the bitterness.  They use Rye and Caramel malts combined with Citra, Galaxy, and Northern Brewer hops to this Halloween inspired Hellraiser labeled black craft magic.   Food pairings tend to be lighter  chicken and meats.  This is a recommendation for a summer cookout with chicken or fish. Movie Pairing:  Hellboy or Hellraiser 7.0% ABV 8.5 out of 10 Puzzle Boxes http://flyingdogbrewery.com/?beers=bloodline More on Clive Barker http://www.clivebarker.info

Slamming in at 9.2% ABV, this imperial IPA is a serious beer.   The perfectly named, "Hardcore" IPA, from the guys at BrewDog brewery in Scotland, is another great example of how James and Martin continue to create intensely strong ales that inspire craft beer enthusiasts all over the world.  This one uses Maris Otter malts and a triple dose of North American hops (Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra).    This serves as a TVMA rated older brother of the softer and weaker TV14 Punk IPA from their core selections. 9.2% ABV 10.0/10 Thundercat Hops https://www.brewdog.com/beer/amplified/hardcore-ipa

The origins of this dark beer go back to 1516, but it continues to be a top beer as a 2010 Asia Beer Award silver medal winner in the dark beer/dark wheat beer category.    Prince Luitpold of Bavaria currently serves as the CEO of König Ludwig GmbH & Co. KG Schlossbrauerei Kaltenberg, located in  Fürstenfeldbruck  in  Upper Bavaria .  The royal monarchy of Bavaria has always played an important role in establishing the tradition of beer as part of the Bavarian culture.  Prince Luitpold has stated that the Weissbier Dunkel brand is one of his favorites.  It is also the most popular dark beer in all of Germany.  Bavaria was an independent, mostly Catholic, state in Europe until 1918 when the Monarchy fell and it became part of Germany.   The current slogan  "Bier von königlicher Hoheit," or "Beer of royal highness,"    refers to the brewery's long heritage which can be traced back through the Kingdom of Bavaria. ...

Wolaver's Organic Ales are top performers in almost every category, including their IPA.  Coming from an overall sustainable and environmentally friendly mindset, the brewers of Wolaver's are a perfect fit for Middlebury, Vermont.  The portfolio has a consistent and well designed branding for the label design and artwork on the six-packs.  The IPA is a solid entry, with a fresh crisp flavor and tasting notes of spicy American hops balanced with sweeter Munich and caramel varieties.  This sits in the lower range of ABV for American IPA's so this can be enjoyed all year round in mass quantities.   If you're looking for an organic and certified Non-GMO product you have found your perfect beer!   "Better Beer Better World" as they say on every bottle! 6.5% ABV 8.5.10 Non GMO Hops Meet your brewers! http://wolaversorganic.com/about-us/our-team

This brand new spring seasonal from the creative minds of Flying Dog, actually took 3+ years of development to fine tune the recipe.  Using Czech Saaz hops and German yeast, they add in cherries and top secret fruit flavors to create a sweet and tart concoction that pairs well with dessert and light fare.   Traditional this could be served as a dessert beer, but it feels similar to a Belgian fruit beer like Kasteel Rouge.  This is a limited release so if you see some, go ahead and grab it before it rotates off the shelves at your favorite market.  For NYC customers, Whole Foods is carrying this one in addition to always keeping the core year round selections of Flying Dog in stock.  In the words of Hunter S. Thompson "Good People Drink Good Beer" 4.7% ABV 7.5/10 Warrant Cherry Pie's http://flyingdogbrewery.com/?beers=supertramp-tart-cherry-ale Martha Stewart Cherry Ice Recipe http://www.marthastewart.com/354075/cherry-ice

This new entry in the Sierra Nevada portfolio bring a new step in hop experimenting in American craft beer.   This is the first IPA or any beer to use fresh farm distilled hop oil extracted from steaming fresh wet hops straight off the field.  They combine traditional whole cone hops in the boil kettle to create a truly hopified experience and an exceptional IPA.   Slightly less ABV than the Hop Hunter's cousin the Torpedo, the bitter tasting notes are balanced with the Two-Row Pale, Caramel, and Flaked Oats malted barley.  The finishing hops in the kettle are Cascade, Simcoe, and Crystal.  Hop Hunter embodies the adventuresome spirit of our modern day craft beer revolution. 6.2% ABV 8.5/10 Fred Dryer's http://www.sierranevada.com/beer/year-round/hop-hunter-ipa

The brewmasters at Shipyard just celebrated their 20th Anniversary up in Portland, Maine.  Fred Forsley and Alan Pugsley now distribute their craft beer in all 50 states and have achieved the ranking of the 14th largest craft brewery in the country.   The American Black IPA is starting to be one of my new favorites and has had a recent surge in popularity.   The Shipyard version is a fall and winter seasonal that was started in 2013.  They combine the crispy pine notes of American northwest hops (Nugget, Simcoe, Chinook, and Citra) with a rich full bodied malty dark ale.  They use 2-Row British Pale Ale, Munich, Brown, Whole Wheat, Black Prinz, and Chocolate for the malt character and the fermentation is done with a Top-Fermenting English yeast.  The result is a dark black full bodied beer that will please IPA and Stout fans worldwide! 6.2% ABV 8.5/10 Blackbeard's Treasure https://shipyard.com/content/black-ipa

This coffee and IPA hybrid was brewed specifically for Whole Foods markets.   Positioned as a fall/Winter seasonal or limited edition this one was a unique collaboration that performs above average.   Usually coffee infused beers are saved for stouts or porters, so it was interesting to hear that this one is a cold-brewed Stumptown coffee infused IPA.   Bringing the fair-trade magic of the pacific northwest, Stumptown Coffee Roasters brings tradition of innovation combined with the creative minds of Captain Lawrence in a perfect way to create a new American tradition for the sleep deprived creative minds. No Sleep till Westchester!  There was still ample supplies left at the Whole Foods on the Upper West Side, but supplies will be dwindling soon as they rotate into spring and summer seasonal ales. 6.5% ABV 8.0/10 Westchester Coffee Bean's http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2014/10/set_your_clocks_straight_with_hopsomniac_ipa.php

Germany takes pride in their brewing heritage and their cultural impact on brewers throughout the world. In 1516, they legislated this cultural connection to their brewing to enforce that regional varieties such as Früh Kölsch were preserved from imitators and copy cats, similar to modern day patents and copyright protection laws. Kölsch is only brewed in or around Cologne in the Rhineland region of Germany, which holds the rights to the official name "Kölsch". This brings "local" production to a whole new meaning that the rest of the world can learn from.  Cologne is also home to the German tradition of Karnival, a slight variation on Mardi Gras.  Kölsch is a top fermented light hoppy beer, that has tasting notes similar to mild lagers or pilsners. This very drinkable creation with a dry hop finish and a medium golden color, offers refreshing year round session quality that can stack up against any American imitators. 4.8% ABV 7.0/10 Cologne's  htt...

Lorenzo Di Vincenzo started Birra del Borgo almost 10 years ago in the small village of Borgorose, about an hour outside of Rome in central Italy.  In 2011 he joined forces with Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, and Teo Musso of Baladin to open Birreria on the Rooftop of Eataly in the flatiron district in Manhattan.  They feature authentic cask ales brewed on the premises from their own recipes as well as other craft ales on draft from the New York area.  His Perle ai Porci or "Pearls for Pigs" offers up a medium bodied stout with tasting notes of minerals and salt from the Oysters added during brewing with their shells intact harvested from the Brittany coast of France. 5.2% ABV 8.5/10 Brittany Oysters Birra del Borgo Website in Italian http://birradelborgo.it/en/birre/scheda/28/perle_ai_porci Available at Birreria at Eataly (Co-owned by Sam Calagione) http://www.eataly.com/nyc%2Dbirreria/

Sam Calagione continues to explore the experimental side of brewing as it relates to art and music.   In a unique collaboration between Dogfish Head and Dan the Automator, Positive Contact emerges as a true work of brewmaster art.  Releasing the Deltron 3030 concept album in 2000, blending Miles Davis inspired hip hop fusion with a Sci-Fi inspired apocalyptic future, and then with a follow up in 2013 they became one of Sam's favorites and inspired him to create a musically and artfully crafted ale.  Positive Contact is a beer hybrid compromised of cider from Fuji apples, farro, cayenne peppers, and cilantro.   The name comes from one of the key tracks from the Deltron 3030 album, the inspiration for this hip hop, beer, cider, culinary experimentation, and Sci-Fi fusion at its finest. 9.0% ABV 8.5/10 Fujisaki Apple's http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/occasional-rarities/positive-contact.htm Available at Birreria at Eataly (Co-owned by Sa...

Esquire has posted a sneak peek of the new season- I had the honor of attending the taping of this one in Brooklyn! Cheers and Enjoy! http://tv.esquire.com/now/brew-dogs/full-episode/brooklyn/414368323532

Here's a throwback to an old post for Punk IPA, one of core beers that BrewDogs brought over from Scotland before creating an American Beer Experience in Columbus, Ohio.  Also a pic of me with James and Martin at the 2015 taping on the rooftop of a Brooklyn Warehouse for the taping of the Esquire show.  Cheers!   I just recently experienced the DogHouse in Columbus for the first time, an inspiring and magical place for craft beer fans (and kid and dog friendly) Travel Recommendation!   https://www.brewdog.com/usa/hotels/usa/doghouse-columbus (2015 recipe notes imported version) Here's a total fusion experience of transatlantic delights!   James and Martin deliver combination of fine hops from North America and New Zealand to create tasting notes of Pineapple, Mango, and Grapefruit to balance the bitterness.   The hop profile consists of Chinook, Ahtanum, Amarillo, Cascade, Simcoe, and the special Nelson Sauvin from middle earth.   The boys at BrewDog h...