Craft Beer NYC

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