Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The new Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video is here!



Let’s roll out with Sir Aston Martin!
(Click on the vid for the full scale version)

What’s up, brew heads???

As you know, I had to catch up on the two-hour difference from out West thanks to my awesome trip to Park City, Utah. People are still tripping on how much I rave about that spot, but you will just have to see for yourselves!
Anyway, I have been Cruisin' For A Brewsin' for a while now, covering the wonderful world of beer, but how I get around deserves a story in its own, right? Well, legitimizing the "Cruisin'" element of his show, I am showing love to wheels that get me from pub to pub, brewery to brewery, and city to city from time to time. Since I like to go to the extreme, 
why not feature one of the fastest, most exotic and yes, expensive whips to hit the streets like an Aston Martin 2011 Vantage Roadster S? Of course I want to emphasize that there is always a designated driver rolling with me who takes the wheel after the first sip of the world’s greatest beverage hits my lips, but until then, I'm pushing this bad boy! This is especially true when the opportunity to roll out in something as incredible like this $170,000-plus 2012 Vantage Roadster S out of England comes into play! 
Special thanks to may main man Keven Digital with KRJ Productions on the footage and video choppin’, my brother Rashad "Suede" on the banging score, and the homey Carsen at Motorcars of Georgia for showing Ale Sharpton some southern hospitality. I will be buying one of those joints one day! (Or at least the key chain.) More Cruisin’ episodes to come thanks to you watching and showing invaluable support.

Cheers!
Ale
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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Utah was simply awesome!

Who said there's no beer in Utah?
The Squatters Roadhouse Grill proves otherwise.
What's up fellow sippers???
Wasatch Brewery founder Greg Schirf
knows how to party!

I just got back from Park City, Utah and I had a freakin' blast! As I dry my tears and get back on the saddle here in the ATL, (I missed you guys so don't take the crying personal), I had to reflect and let you all know that this was one of the best trips I have ever taken, period. I'm talking worldwide. The memories started rolling from the first step off the plane in Salt Lake. It was that fun.
The air is fresh, the mountains were majestic, the food was delectable and the brew was pretty damn good! Yes, for those who've heard wrong, there is beer in Utah. Great beer.
As for company, my hosts were fantastic and catered to every one of my needs which were honestly quite simple: a damn good time lubricated by the suds and fueled by awesome grub. My homies Stephen, Joan, Amy, Bev, Craig, Linda and Andy answered those requests flawlessly, plus more!
Wasatch: I'm all about the trout!
On the food tip, I had lunch with Jennifer Talley, the sweet, inventive brewmaster (you heard me!) of Squattersand had one of the most memorable beer dinners with Wasatch owner Greg Schirf, who is one wild cat! Speaking of which, or better yet, Wasatch, I think Chef Mike Jewell out of San Francisco kicked major ass with the pots and pans; everything he served was freakin' perfect. No one better dare call anything he dishes out pub food! (I am still having flashbacks of Jewell's Pan Seared Idaho Trout in hazelnut-caper brown butter sauce. Whoa!) Don't get me wrong, the Canyons Resort's burger was pretty damn serious too, as well as a some other dishes that had me trippin', but plate by plate? Jewell shined the most (yep, intended pun)!
Squatters Brewmaster Jennifer T. is
hella cool and passionate about the suds!
Besides the orgasms my taste buds experienced, my other senses certainly got some lovin' as well: I breathed in the cleanest air (thin and all) free of the concentrated pollution big cities work up daily; saw the stars both on stage at Deer Valley Resort (Parachute, Michelle Branch and the Goo Goo Dolls did their thing!) and in the clear night sky while sippin' a variety of Utah's finest cold ones; felt the gust of wind going down Park City Resort's Alpine Slide and Coaster; and heard some of the most amusing stories about Park City's history from locals and implants who looooove their home; and felt revitalized from biking (Thanks, White Pine Touring!), hiking and running through natural trails lined with sculptures, fellow workout buffs and picturesque environs. Besides that, I shot the breeze at one of my favorite bars, No Name Saloon, ziplined in Olympic Park, went shopping at the family friendly Park Silly on Main Street during Sunday afternoon, and ran into 7'-4" Utah Jazz legend Mark Eaton at Red Rock Brewing Company (thanks for the exclusive 750s, Red Rock!!!).
A whiskey flight of trouble. Good trouble!
Beer was at the top of the list of course, but I sipped a lil' whiskey too, courtesy of the folks at High West Distillery. Oh! And their High West Grillswith dessert, a grilled cinnamon dusted Krispy Kreme donut served with homemade whiskey vanilla ice cream in the middle, was absolutely nuts!
There will certainly be more coverage of Park City for other folks including J'Adore and Beer Connoisseur, so stay tuned.
The bottom line is: Don't sleep on Park City, Utah. It's bucket list worthy. I will be back.
Peace!
Ale
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Thursday, August 18, 2011

Cruisin' For A Brewsin': Operation Utah!

Utah, here I come!
You gotta love this Utah humor from the Wasatch Brewery!


Okay y'all, you almost packed? It's time to roll with your homey Ale as we go Cruisin' For A Brewsin' in Park City, Utah, where there are some breathtaking views; crisp, fresh air; good eatin'; nice people; and equally  important, great suds
Okay, before I fall asleep at this computer and forget to pack my own bag, I just wanted to say peace out to the ATL and all of the off-the-meter brew events that are going on while I'm gone (that always seems to happen), but I know it will be well worth it when I kick it on the west side (picture your favorite Cali rapper throwing the "W" up here)! 
I mean, hell, I had to come back after how much fun I had at the top of this year skiing, hanging out and getting my sip on in Winter Wonderland! Now, with the warm months finally taking rule, I have some awesome things lined up that only require shorts this time around, including visits to numerous pubs and breweries, piggin' out on some of the best cuisine the left coast has to offer; an outdoor concert; and some serious playtime! (Here is a more detailed write-up and highlights I posted on JadoreMag.com) The cool thing is that you will be joining me as I share my experiences on this now, a-hem, award-nominated site (more on that later!). 
Anyway, the plane leaves in a few hours so get some rest and be ready for Utah! I plan on bringing a few goodies from Georgia so they know how we get down back home, so we'll see how they are received four flying hours away. Oh yeah, there is a stop in Denver, Colorado's airport on the way so I plan on seeing which pubs have set up shop in there. It should be a nice way to kill and hour by trying a new local ale in hand, right? 
Anyway, deuces and stay tuned!
Let's get Cruisin'!
Ale
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Cypress Street: Beer Geek Tuesdays, a new chef and new grub!



Cypress Street Pint and Plate's Sublime Burger. Say no more

It’s Tuesday, and what I always try to fit in my schedule is a visit to Cypress Street Pint And Plate (www.cypressbar.com) for their Beer Geek Tuesdays my dude Wes throws weekly (www.Facebook.com/BeerGeekTuesday). They do everything from beer pairings to launching exclusive one-and-dones from some of the best craft breweries in the world.  Today might be a little nuts for me because I am preparing for my trip to Utah, but I still might be able to shake loose and get my sip on for a sec. Regardless, BGT is always a blast.

Anyway, I tried their wings and they are fantastic, but now Cypress is stepping their game way up in the culinary arts by adding new Executive Chef Richard Silvey and trust me, he is no joke! His resume speaks for itself: Sotto Sotto, Fritti and Agave have all taken advantage of his Latin-themed cuisine fused with his culinary studies in Milan, Italy. Besides the new summer menu Chef Silvey brings to the tabletops of Cypress, check out some other awesome local specialists Cypress is teaming up with: Sublime Doughnuts, Philly Pretzel Factory, Bakeshop, High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet and King of Pops. Hell yeah!
Cypress also has their 4th Annual Pig Roast coming around the corner so look out for more news on that here in a few.

To get the mouth watering, here is the current summer menu in all its glory. Holla!:

Cypress Street Pint And Plate’s 2011 Summer Dinner Menu

SNACKS
BBQ Egg Rolls - 6
Pulled pork, collard greens, spicy bacon ranch.

Southern Fried Chicken Tenders - 7 
Honey mustard, fries. 

Chicken Wings - 8.50
Buffalo sauce, celery, blue cheese. 

Edamame Hummus - 7 
Sweet potato chips, parsnip chips, red beet chips, yellow beet chips.

Fried Mushrooms - 7 
White wine and rice flour, battered mushrooms with roasted garlic sauce.

Scotch Egg - 6 
Egg wrapped in homemade Italian sausage, pimento cheese, cilantro sauce.

Nachos - 9 
Tomatillo pork nachos, pineapple habanero salsa.

Sliders - 9 
Homemade meatballs, arugula, parmesan, Caesar dressing.

Mussels of the Day - 9 
Ask your server for details. Served with garlic French roll.

Pub Frites - 6 
Hand-cut French fries, choice of two dipping sauces

Mac and Cheese - 6 
Cavatappi pasta, three cheese sauce.

SALADS
Beet - 9 
Mixed greens, candied walnuts, goat cheese, lemon vinaigrette.

Southern Caprese - 8 
Fried green tomato, pimento cheese, pickled peach vinaigrette.

Caesar - 7
Romaine, parmesan, croutons, classic Caesar dressing.

Chopped - 9 
Mixed greens, turkey, pepperoni, cheddar, garbanzos, tomato cucumber dressing.

Black and Blue - 9.5 
Mixed greens, blue cheese, blackened chicken, blue cheese dressing.

PIZZA
Sausage - 10
House Italian sausage, candied walnuts, goat cheese.

Shortrib - 10 
Braised shortrib, sharp cheddar, applewood bacon, pickled onions.

Veggie - 10 
Roasted garlic, spinach, feta, red pepper flake, mushrooms.

SANDWICHES
Buffalo Chicken - 8  
Fried chicken, buffalo sauce, blue cheese, spicy mayo, ciabatta.

Chicken Club - 9 
Grilled chicken, Swiss cheese, bacon, garlic aioli, arugula, tomato, ciabatta.

French Dip - 9 
Roast beef, caramelized onions, swiss cheese, truffle mayo, au jus, French roll.

Pimento BLT - 8 
Pimento cheese, fried green tomato, bacon, greenleaf lettuce, sourdough.

BBQ Sandwich - 8
Pulled pork, spicy BBQ sauce, jalapeno slaw, pickles.

Cypress Burger - 8 
½ lb. burger cooked to order, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion roll.

Maytag Burger - 10
½ lb. burger, caramelized onion, blue cheese, Swiss cheese, onion roll.

Sublime Burger - 10 
½ lb burger,  two Sublime doughnuts, cheddar. caramelized onion, bacon.

Veggie Burger - 8 
Mixed veggies, peppers, spicy mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion roll.

Burger OTM - 10 
Special burger of the month.

PLATES
Fish and Chips - 10 
Beer battered cod, fries, slaw, tartar sauce.

Pork Tacos - 8
Carnitas, pico de gallo, jalapeno slaw.

Veggie Loaf - 12
Veggies, peppers, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, cilantro sauce.

Stuffed Meatloaf - 12
Prosciutto, spinach, mozzarella, garlic mashed potato.

Salmon - 14 
Jamaican jerk rub, sweet potato puree, pineapple salsa.

SIDES
Fries, sweet potato fries, side salad, chickpea tomato cucumber salad, mashed potato.

Cypress Street Pint and Plate is located on the corner of 6th street and Cypress Street at 817 West Peachtree, Suite E-125, Atlanta, Georgia. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 2:20 a.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2:30 a.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until midnight. For more information, please visit www.cypressbar.com or call 404.815.9243. Follow Cypress Street on Twitter at @CypressStreet and Facebook at Facebook.com/CypressStreet.
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Monday, August 15, 2011

A Case of the Mondays: Atkins Park and SweetWater host Madden Tourney

Play Madden and sip SweetWater brew on Mondays at Atkins Tavern!

Atkins Park Tavern goes gourmet and plays games with SweetWater Brewery

I loved that line in the comedy flick Office Space where the rosy cheeked receptionist said  to the disgruntled worker, “Looks like a case of the Mondays!” Although she was addressing his long face (left), I am using the phrase for solving the case of what’s poppin’ beer-wise on the  first day of the week. In the last installment, I gave a shout out to the new venture, Monday Night Brewing, and their first growler fills of the Eye Patch IPA (6.3% abv/46 IBUs) and Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale (7.2%/26 IBUs) at Hop City, followed by the after party at Ormsby’s (which was completely nuts!). Congrats again, J-Crew!

The Blueberry Glazed Smoked Pork Sliders were
pretty damn good with the Hopsecutioner too!
Anyway, let’s get up to date. The tavern called Atkins Park based in the chilled out Virginia-Highlands district has made quite an impression on me. On August 4th, they had an awesome pairing of BBQ-themed fare with Terrapin Brewery and it was awesome! The setting was at the top of the main floor in what seemed like an intimate, classic dining room from something out of Gone With The Wind complete with the wooden dining set, white tablecloths, large windows, curtains and an overall down-home vibe. My girl/food writer Andrea Janise and I had a ball with the other cool guests at the table, licking our fingers and sippin’ good brew out of Athens. The pairings were perfect and, although it was a tough call, our favorite was the Grilled Beef Short Ribs with and Vanilla-Roasted Potatoes paired with the extremely limited Reunion Ale ’11: A Beer for Hope—a Terrapin collaboration with Shmaltz Brewery out of New York. The short ribs were incredibly tender, flavored with a unique Chocolate Chili BBQ Sauce thanks to Chef Andrew James Smith, and the brew featured an unprecedented fusion of cocoa, vanilla and chili peppers. Crazy!

So what does this have to do with Monday? Nothing besides the fact that the Atkins’s dinner rocked. Wait, I take that back. The segue is that Atkins is hosting something pretty damn inventive tonight and every following Monday until the NFL season starts and televisions show Monday Night Football religiously (September 1, 2011). Are you a PlayStation gamer and love Madden? How about brews by SweetWater? Well if so, you are in heaven. Check this out direct from Atkins and SweetWater:

“Every Monday until the official start of the NFL Monday Night Football schedule, Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia-Highland is partnering with SweetWater Brewing Company to host a Madden NFL 2011 PlayStation Football Tournament on the restaurant’s big screen television beginning at 8:30 p.m. The Monday Madden tournaments will be played in a bracket style, and entry is free. Each quarter will last three minutes, and players will have the chance to win Atkins Park Tavern house cash, SweetWater Brewery tour passes and gear. Play begins at 8:30 p.m. and lasts until someone wins.”

I will admit that I have never played Madden because I consider it a drug like crack and I will never be able to kick the habit. I am that big a sports fan. So if you are already hooked, get in there and make your addiction worthwhile! There are only a few weeks left.

Cheers!

Ale

Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia-Highland is located at 794 N. Highland Avenue.  For more information, call 404-876-7249 or visit www.atkinspark.com. For more information on Sweetwater Brewing Company, visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com.


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Friday, August 12, 2011

Atlanta Beer Festivals Are Coming!



Yep! Besides all of the awesome beer dinners, special meet-up spots for beer geeks like myself, and just awesome beer overall, Atlanta is about to host at least three major beer festivals starting with...
  • The Sandy Springs Beer Festival is today! Last year was a very calm, chilled out vibe with a good amount of brews for everyone to get their sip on, so expect the same this time around. There might be tickets left, so go here in case you are one of those last-minute folks.
  • The super gangster HOToberfest touches ground on the 1st of October. These HOToberfest guys really go out of the way to pamper their guests with more than 225 beer variations, live music, mini-whiskey barrels, stuff for the kids to be distracted while drinkers get their sip on and judge. (Whaddup Alan, Tryon and D!). Well-timed indeed, this beer festival in on the first day of the official Atlanta Beer Week organized by my boy Reid, the Atlanta Beer Master. The response is already crazy because their “Admission Early Bird special” is Sold Out!
  • Then comes my homey Mike D and his Great Atlanta Beer Fest at—get this—Turner Field, home of the Braves! This is the first time this is going down in the stadium’s history and it should be a blast. And the even more cool thing about this is the organizers planned it specifically for my birthday on October 8th! Okay, maybe not, but this is still one helluva gift! Trust me, Hank Aaron Drive is about to be off the chain! 
Of course, there will be a couple of other big brew events coming up that I will be providing a ton of more info as they get closer, plus post-coverage so keep checking in! Here is the breakdown below on the three beer fests.


See you at all of ‘em!
Ale


2011 Heritage Sandy Springs Beer Fest
Where the hell is it? Heritage Green, 6110 Bluestone Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
When is this thang? Today!!! Saturday, August 13, 2011; 4-8 p.m.
How much bread? Admission is $25.00 per person and includes beer tasting
What the hell is the website? www.hssbeerfest.com
Straight from their tap:
“Kick back and sip on a unique selection of specialty beers at the 2nd annual Heritage Sandy Springs Beer Fest on August 13th! The Beer Fest will be held from 4-8 and will feature live music, great local food and a variety of beers to sample.
The Heritage Sandy Springs Beer Fest takes place at Heritage Green on the Sandy Springs Society Entertainment Lawn. No outside food or beverage is allowed. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Parking is available on Sandy Springs Place in designated parking lots and in the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church's Hitson Activity Center lot, on Sandy Springs Circle.
“All the proceeds will go to Heritage Sandy Springs, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.”


2011 HOToberfest
Where the hell is it? Glenwood Park Community; 916 Glenwood Park Drive, Atlanta GA 30316
When the hell is it? Saturday, October 1st, 2011; 2-7 p.m.
How much bread? Prices vary. Check out the three options below. On sale now!
What the hell is the website? www.hotoberfest.net
Straight from their tap:
HOToberFest, Atlanta’s best craft beer festival is also the city’s best sustainability festival, promoting smart living and raising money for two great non-profits. Once again we will feature free live music all day, an artist & craft market, great food & beverages and our no-charge kid's area.
Plus, the Beer Tasting features three options for our great judges!

General Admission “Beer Garten”
3-7 pm $30
175+ Beers

“Firkin VIP’ Tasting”
2-7 pm $75
50+ seasonal, cellared and exclusive casks.

“Designated Driver Ticket”
3-7 pm $20
If you don’t want to drink but you want to hang with your friends we are offering a Designated Driver ticket.


2011 Great Atlanta Beer Fest
Where the hell is it? Turner Field, Atlanta, Ga.
When is this thang? Saturday, October 8th, 2011; 3-8 pm.
How much bread? The first 500 tickets will be just $25. After that, $35 advance, $45 day of event, and they will all go on sale Wednesday, August 17 at 10 am.
What the hell is the website? www.greatatlantabeerfest.com
Straight from their tap:
“We are proud to announce that the Great Atlanta Beer Fest at Turner Field will be held on Saturday October 8th from 3-8pm. Turner Field will provide an outstanding atmosphere for what will soon be the biggest beer festival in all of Atlanta. We will feature hundreds of different beers to sample from all over America, as well as a great selection of European beers.
The bulk of the Great Atlanta Beer Fest will take place in the Grand Entry Plaza and Monument Grove. Scout’s Alley will be open and the games will be free for beerfest patrons. College football will be on the 18 TV’s all over the Chop House, so you won’t miss the day’s action. There will be live music on the stage of the Grand Entry Plaza; the band will be announced soon.
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

5 Seasons’ Brewmaster Crawford Moran taps two vintage brews tonight!



My man and legendary Atlanta brewmaster Crawford Moran has been featured on my site a few times, including the write-up I did on his literally hot beer, “Lady Gaga,” which he served  up during one of the worst Atlanta ice storms ever here. Well the man behind the brew at 5 Seasons Westside is at it again, tapping two vintage brews (one dating as far back as 7/22/09!) tonight that he crafted personally for us cherished ATL sippers: The “Johann’s Grand Cru” and “House of Louis.” And to show you how cool he is, he sent me poetic descriptions of each, along with their ABV potency. Check it ooooout:

Crawford sniffin'
some hops
Crawford writes about the Johann’s Grand Cru: “Vintage 1/15/10. 7.2% abv. It was brewed with 100% Belgian Pilsner malt, a little dextrose in the kettle and 100% Saaz hops. The Belgian yeast gives off nice notes of grape, muscadine, peach and apricot. We then aged it in a new French oak barrel for about 5 months before keg conditioning it. The keg has been in the Cellar for an additional year. The barrel imparted a beautiful backbone of oak with nice vanilla notes from the wood. With time a slight lemony character has evolved which melds nicely with the oak.”

Crawford writes about the House of Louis: “Vintage 7/22/09. 9.5% abv. It was brewed with Belgian Pilsner malt and small amounts of both malted and unmalted wheat. The Belgian saison yeast is incredibly complex, producing an amazing array of flavors; tropical fruit, berries, apples, exotic spices and a faint earthiness. We then aged it in a Louis Latour pinot noir barrel for over a year. The barrel imparted some nice color, a wine character and beautiful oak. Despite its strength it finishes very dry. After the year in the barrel we keg conditioned it and it has spent an additional 8-9 months in the Cellar. Time has added even more dimensions as plumb notes deepen, it continues to dry out and a faint tartness starts to show.”

See you there!

Holla,

Ale
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Monday, August 8, 2011

A Case of the Mondays!

Monday Night Brewing loses their virginity!

Today is Monday Night Brewing’s launch for public consumption by slinging growlers at the amazing beer store, Hop City! I reported this last week here, but with our crazy lives, it wouldn’t hurt to get an event reminder. MNB’s three-man squad I call the J-Crew —Jonathan, Joel and Jeff —will be in the house to break down their suds to first-timers.
When?           Mon, August 8, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Where?         Dammit, I said Hop City! (1000 Marietta Street #302 Atlanta, GA 30318)


The Porter ’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Fundraiser

Drink responsibly by supporting The Porter Beer Bar’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Fundraiser. The Porter (1156 Euclid Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307) will be donating 10 percent of today's sales to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society so that we can find a way to kick these diseases' asses! 
When?           Mon, August 8, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Where?         The Porter, 1000 Marietta Street #302 Atlanta, GA 30318
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Thursday, August 4, 2011

IPA Day plus Atkins Beer Dinner tonight? Whoa!!!

Hip Hop, ya don't stop!

You gotta love the hops—those flowery cones sent directly from the beer gods which naturally preserve beer, give it that piney, citrusy, earthy smell and simply bitters against the sweetness of malt. Well, India Pale Ales or better yet IPAs, are the extreme of all of those attributes: the most bitter, fragrant and in my opinion, most fun, of them all! With that being the case, today is IPA Day which means you need to get out, let your mind run free and prepare those taste buds based especially in the back of the tongue for some IPA sippin’ at your favorite brew spot.
Here is one of the best IPAs in the biz to the left, Ithaca Beer Co.'s Flower Power. Since you can't get it here in Atlanta, I posted it to avoid local favoritism. Plus, I was born in Ithaca so hey, it's all love! 
What I will do is name a few spots you might want to consider getting your sip on when it comes to what the U.S. considers real “bitters.” I will see you at SweetWater Brewery in case you go there. I am heading that way at 5:30 for what they have in store regarding all of their IPA variations as well peep the expansion of their brewery in progress. After that, it’s Atkins Park for their BBQ Beer Dinner with Terrapin and Schmaltz Breweries collaborating at 7 here!  I am not sure if there are still seats left so call and find out!
Happy IPA Day, homies!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Brew Spots to celebrate IPA Day in Atlanta:

Molly of The Porter in Lil’ Five Points says:
“On July 4th we celebrated the pursuit of happiness; August 4th is all about the pursuit of hoppiness! There'll be lots of hoppy treats on tap, and at 6pm we'll tap a special firkin from Stone Brewing. Be there!"

Chris T., the brewmaster at The Wrecking Bar, says:
“Folks, it is International IPA Day! Though I have never heard of this holiday before, I like the idea a lot! In honor of this joyous occasion, The Wrecking Bar will be pouring a cask of our King Louie IPA-dry hopped in the cask, of course. We will also be pouring a Belgianized version of The Victor IPA, pushed thru a Randall stuffed full of the wonderful Centennial leaf hops that arrived on our doorstep just today. We will also have the following on draft: Golden Nelson Ale, Belgina Wit, Jemmy Stout, WB Abbey Dubbel."

“We will be celebrating at the brewery from 5:30 - 7:30 pulling the IPA stash out and tasting some really special, one-of-a-kind treats, all while sharing our love for this fantastic style of beer we will be pouring on draft." 

By the way, go to www.RateBeer.com which has a full listing on events happening around Atlanta, the Southeast and the globe!
Happy...I mean Hoppy Sippin’!

Ale
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Monday, August 1, 2011

Monday Night Brewing is coming, well, Monday!


From Bible study to brews, it's Monday Night Brewing!

When I finally got the chance to take Jonathan Baker’s offer to visit one of the weekly shindigs his Monday Night Brewing crew put on to showcase their homebrewing in the backyard of CEO and Brewmaster Jeff Heck, I had an absolute ball and couldn’t wait to write about it (click here for the throwback). Jonathan, the MNB marketing guy and self-proclaimed “Master of Mind Control” was on point in saying they truly had some good suds.  
In between sips of their IPA, we loosely discussed how this once Bible study group (which also includes  MNB head of operations, Joel Iverson) could possibly take their ales, awesome marketing campaign and amazing story overall to the next level. That was almost a year ago. Now, after seeing Jonathan at a local distributor's trade show a few months ago pouring his brewery’s product followed by this recent announcement—“We’re about to launch. So loosen your ties, Atlanta”— it’s on!
The J-Crew: Jonathan, Joel and Jeff
Yep, the ATL is blessed with yet another brewery that will launch their first growlers of the Eye Patch Ale and  Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale fittingly next Monday, August 8th at 5:30 p.m. The location will be the recently voted #12 beer store in the nation, Hop City, located in the “Beermuda Triangle” of Atlanta just west of downtown. (Congrats!) But why Hop City?
“We’ve bought supplies from them for brewing test batches,” they said, regarding choosing Hop City as their launch pad. “They’ve provided input on our test batches to make the beers even better. Plus, growlers! We aren’t bottling beer yet, but this will allow you to take some home to enjoy.”
Jon and the rest of the Monday homies will be there to “to answer questions about the beer, give unsolicited advice on your wardrobe, give creepy back massages, etc.” That is straight from their press release. They are wild cats!
Anyway, when I personally talked to Jonathan yesterday, he told me about the Monday Night venture, “It's exciting for us to see our beers finally making it to market, from what started in a garage with a group of guys brewing on Monday nights. We've put almost five years into this business—perfecting our recipes, growing relationships, and all those little things it takes to get off the ground. We're not quite sure where this journey will end, but it begins on Monday nights. We hope to contribute in even a small way to the growing craft beer scene in Atlanta and the Southeast.”
Amen!
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ALE MAX Returns to Fuse Craft Beer & Sneaker Cultures!

Yup! It's that time again! Ale Max Day , the event put on by my boy Craig and I, will be in its second year, and it's going to be an...

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