Thursday, August 29, 2013

Cypress Street's 6th Annual Pig Roast is Saturday!


Whaddup! 
Check this out. My homies at Cypress Street Pint and Plate are throwing down this weekend. Short and sweet. 
BTW, I have some cool features coming up soon including a feature on beer and El Jimador tequila cocktails, the video from my Latin ConTEMPOrary night at Loews, some cool clips on beer, and more highlights to look forward to for the weekend so be ready! 
Cheers!
Ale
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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Red Hare Brewing and Bone Lick Anniversaries are celebrated today!

Last night's Latin ConTEMPOrary event at Loews was bananas! Here are two more things going down today. Plus, I am a special guest on an awesome show called Ladies Night that will be filmed this evening. I will be doing a beer tasting with them and I have awesome surprises in store. The party never stops in the ATL!
Cheers!
Ale

Bone Lick BBQ Goes Hog Wild for its One-Year Anniversary Bash


Daylong Celebration Featuring Live Bands, DJs, Games, a Dunk Tank,
Beer Chugging Competition, Barbecue and Much More
 Saturday, August 24, 2013 at 12 p.m.

West Midtown’s favorite bar-b-cade, Bone Lick BBQ, is excited to invite friends and fellow barbecue aficionados to celebrate its first year of success on Saturday, August 24, 2013. The all-day birthday bash kicks off at 12 p.m. and features live music, DJs, a dunk tank, classic arcade games, drinking and eating competitions and much more. Free to attend, Bone Lick’s full menu created by award-winning pit master Mike LaSage will also be available throughout the day and night.

Taking over the expansive sidewalk in front of the restaurant, a DJ will start the party at 12 p.m. and revelers will have an opportunity to dunk their favorite Bone Lick BBQ staffers and local personalities throughout the day to help raise need funds for Staplehouse.  Beer lovers can get their fill at 2 p.m. during the Red Hare Brewing Company Chugging Competition and those that dare can participate in the Fat Ass Muff Challenge - a.k.a. attempt to eat the ultimate 5-pound sandwich filled with pulled pork, house smoked sausage, smoked brisket, collard greens, crispy onions, jalapeno infused bacon, and homemade coleslaw. Live music kicks off 5 p.m. leading up to an hour of complimentary Red Hare brews from 6 to 7 p.m. Bone Lick’s own Mike LaSage and his band the Stumbling Troubadours will take the stage at 6:30 p.m. for a special performance and, of course, the Braves game will be on starting at 7 p.m. The 8 o’clock hour brings a new DJ to the celebration, taking the party to next level and bringing giveaways, a few surprises, the opportunity for Bone Lick fans to be among the first to try the new late night menu.  As always, guests can enjoy free skee ball and take advantage of the barb-b-cade’s multitude of classic arcade games throughout the day and night.

Bone Lick BBQ is located at 1133 Huff Road at Apex West Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia and is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Ample parking is available on the street and in a large parking deck accessible by an entrance located between Slice and Bone Lick BBQ.  For more information about Bone Lick BBQ and the one-year anniversary celebration, please visit Bone Lick BBQ online at www.bonelickbarbecue.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bonelickbbq or call 404-343-6574. Stay connected on Twitter and Instagram at @bonelickbbq.

Red Hare’s 2nd Anniversary


Red Hare Celebrates Their 2nd Anniversary Saturday August 24th

Red Hare first opened their brewery doors to the public on Labor Day weekend of 2011. Since then, two years have passed and the brewery has progressed exponentially; from its presence in the market, to the volume of beer being produced and its beer profile. This calls for a celebration.

Red Hare’s 2nd Anniversary will be celebrated at the brewery on Saturday August 24th during the tasting from 2-4pm.  Hottie Hawgs will be at the brewery serving their award winning BBQ, while Gr8ful Dude & Frenz rocks the outside stage (weather permitting). Their brewers have prepared some special treats. A cask of Long Day Lager with hints of lemon and blueberries, as well as a cask of Watership Brown flavored with maple and bacon will be tapped to kick off the festivities. Their mainstays, seasonal, and root beer will available to sample, along fan favorites from the Rabbit’s Reserve cellar: Chocolate Porter, Bitter Hearts Double Black IPA, and Coffee Cream Stout.

Red Hare Brewing Company is an independent microbrewer in Marietta, GA selling its craft beer through out the state. Its three most popular varieties are Gangway IPA, Long Day Lager, and Watership Brown. Red Hare also brews a seasonal line, and a line of one-off batches called Rabbit’s Reserve. Red Hare is the first craft brewery in Georgia to can their beer. The brewery tasting room is open to the public for sampling and tours Thursdays and Fridays from 5:30-7:30 and Saturday from 2-4pm.

For more information visit our website at www.redharebrewing.com, contact the brewery by e-mail at info@redharebrewing.com, or by phone at 770-955-5430. Located at 1998 Delk Industrial Blvd, Marietta, GA 30067.




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Thursday, August 22, 2013

AllWays Open Creative is hosting Latin Night at Loews this Friday!

Come get your salsa on!
Yep! My creative agency AllWays Open Creative is at it again. 
After killin' 'em with our Penny Candy Art Show featuring Hebru Brantley's jaw-dropping work at the gorgeous Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown to the tune of 1,500 attendees (see our video for it here), it's time to hit the great city of Atlanta with another home run! Now we are bringing to you Latin ConTEMPOrary this Friday from 7-Midnight, an exhibition of fine art directly from South America, plus live bands, complementary tapas (come early), Latin-themed cocktails by Svedka, and, of course, beers from the region for everyone to enjoy. Plus, there is DJ Mafioso on the ones and two's, some hot rides being showcased by Toyota and Scion... Ah hell, just check out the official press release I wrote below. 
AllWays Open, baby!
Ciao!
Ale
--------------------------------------------------
AllWays Open Creative and Loews Atlanta Hotel present
Latin ConTEMPOrary
A Latin American Art Experience
7 p.m. to Midnight, Friday, August 23, 2013
Loews Atlanta Hotel, 1065 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

Following up from producing their stellar art show featuring one of the nation’s most popular artists to date — Hebru Brantley’s Penny Candy exhibit at the posh Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown — AllWays Open Creative Solutions is set to make history once again for Georgia Capital’s art scene. This time, AllWays Open and Loews Atlanta Hotel will present Latin ConTEMPOrary — a celebration of Latin culture via paintings, sculptures, and live music by world renowned artists — on Friday, August 23, 2013, from 7 p.m. to midnight. This is a free event and the attire is cosmopolitan.

Taking place in Loews Atlanta Hotel’s stunning lobby, the highly anticipated Latin ConTEMPOrary is set to showcase recent works by mixed-media genius Esteban Patino from Colombia (estebanpatino.com) and fascinating sculpture created by Uruguay’s Bruno Armesto. Pieces from internationally recognized art dealer Gerardo Reyes’ Ger Art collection (Ger Art LLC) will also be presented via a “TEMPO” journey from modern to contemporary, between inspiring “geometric abstraction” and the exquisite expressions of today. This collection includes Jesus Soto (Venezuela), Carlos Cruz Diez (Venezuela), Julio Leparc (Argentina), Carmen Herrera (Cuba), Francisco Sobrino (Spain), and Fernando Canovas (Argentina).

Esteemed guests will also vibe to the live sounds of the Bossa nova-seasoned GoZon & Gay band and Loews Atlanta Hotel’s favorite performing collective Calle Flamenco. Additionally, proud Dominican Republic representative DJ Mafioso will spin Latin-inspired tunes from various music genres throughout the evening.

To keep art enthusiasts refreshed, Loews Atlanta Hotel’s award-winning Master Chef Olivier Gaupin will provide complementary delectable bites. There will also be an assortment of libations from the bar including beer direct from Brazil and Guatemala; cocktail specials featuring rum, tequila, and cachaça; and especially Latin-inspired vodka drinks courtesy of Svedka of will be served.

And to embrace the TEMPO theme, Toyota will be showcasing their gorgeous, all-new Avalon luxury sedan, and Scion unveils the highly anticipated 2014 tC sports coupe during the evening. There will be representatives on hand to give you an informative walk-around of the models on site. There will also be a special prize for a few selected guests courtesy of Toyota and Scion.
Art. Music. Food, Libations. Dance.

Latin ConTEMPOrary will undoubtedly be a night to remember.
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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Goose Island invades Decatur today!

Chicago-based Goose Island shows off their brewing mastery in the 'Dec'

I have always been a big fan of Goose Island's product and covered their craft brews numerous times including a piece I did with FirstWeFeast.com on the best stouts in the world here, and the awesome beer dinner with TAP here. Well, tonight (Wednesday, 8/21), they are hopping pub to pub in Decatur showing off their existing ales, new joints, some tastes on the exotics, and hard-to-finds brews. Here is the official list of participating pubs, the beers featured, and time which vary. (Click on the links for location info).

Cheers!
Ale


Two gangster bourbon-aged stouts from Goose Island's Bourbon County series. I wish they sold them here. (Photo by Curt D. by the way.)
Home Brewer Hoppy Hour at The Square Pub 5:00-6:00 p.m. 
featuring...
Big JohnMadame Rose '12, Madame Rose '10, BCS Vanilla tastings, King Henry

The Square Pub Goose Island Migration Invasion 
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Bourbon County Rare (Samples)3122012 Sofie, IPANight Stalker 

4:30 p.m. 
Madam Rose & The Illinois 

5:15 p.m. 
312, Honkers, IPA, & Big John

6:00 p.m.
Pepe Nero, IPA, Sofie Paradisi & Night Stalker 

7 p.m. 
Night Stalker, 312, IPA, & Lolita
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Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Beer Dinner Alert!

TAP and Red Brick throw down tonight!

What’s up Craft Brew Sippers!
To get things rolling for this third week of August (which has been a completely nutty month thus far), one of Midtown’s favorite gastropubs and hangouts, TAP, is throwing a beer dinner with the state’s oldest existing brewery, Red Brick Brewing, tonight at promptly 7:30 p.m. It’s a 6-course beer dinner and the cost per person is a measly $55, all inclusive. The menu is crafted by my man Chef Nick McCormick, and the beer list is below (which includes the silky smooth 20th Anniversary Imperial Stout I have been hyping the hell up since its launch at the brewery two weeks ago here).
Tickets can be easily purchased by clicking here.
See you there I hope!

Dog Days Ale
Passed Appetizers
Crostini of goat cheese and strawberries with black pepper & honey
&
Mini Maine lobster rolls with celery & chive

Laughing Skull
Beef Tartar
Cornichons, shallots, quail egg, Worcestershire reduction

Special Cask
Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Panna Cotta
Crisp guanciale (look it up), Bing cherries, rainbow greens

Hoplanta
Crispy Frog’s Legs
Buffalo sauce, celery seed vinaigrette, dolce gorgonzola

Black Eye Rye
Slow Cooked Newman Farm Pork Shoulder
Coffee and coriander rubbed shoulder, black mission figs, German fingerling potato salad

20th Anniversary Imperial Stout
Double Chocolate Mocha Brownie
Stout caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, chopped macadamias

Cheers!

Ale
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Friday, August 9, 2013

Two new ATL brews you MUST try!


The new Dank Tank Belgian-Style  "Price Is Wrong" Strong Ale at 79 IBUs and 9% ABV being poured during its debut yesterday directly from SweetWater Brewery. They killed it with this one!
The SweetWater Dank Tank and Red Brick 20th Anniversary are rockin'!

Whaddup fellow Craft Beer Sippers!

Sorry for the delay, but I have been running crazy finishing hella articles and planning my AllWays Open Creative Agency's Latin ConTEMPOrary Art, Food and Spirits Show at Loews Atlanta Hotel on Friday, August 23rd. (Okay, there is fantasy football, concerts, Breaking Bad coming up, and photo shoots as well, but you get my drift.) 
So bust it, I'm on Instagram finally after my last phone conked out, so I bought one that actually shoots the way I want 'em to look. My address is @realalesharpton so holla! (Some woman in South America also has my name pronounced "Allie" I think. Crazy right?) 
Anyway, in the spirit of Instagram, here is a post of beer pictures promoting a tandem of Atlanta brews you have to get! They are both phenomenal and altogether make me even prouder of the Atlanta beer scene: Scoop up the SweetWater Dank Tank "The Price Is Wrong" Belgian-Style Strong Ale 22-ouncer and Red Brick 20th Anniversary Bourbon Aged Imperial Stout four-pack (Congrats for being here two decades!). 
Plain and simple, they are damn good! I could post the press releases and my comments, but it's all about the photos this time. (Click on the links for all the deets.) And now, for more pictures:

and the Red Brick...

My boy Jason holding up the gangster, Ale Sharpton style (above). And below, him pouring it, Red Brick style!

Plain and simple, get 'em both! I will holla at you next week. Have a safe and fun ball this weekend! 

Peace,
Ale

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Thursday, August 1, 2013

Some cool ways to celebrate IPA Day in ATL!


Yep! The buzz is huge about today's celebration of IPA Day so here are some creative ways you Hop Heads can get a buzz in the ATL including Frozen Pints, Taco Mac, SweetWater and Big Tex Decatur! Look for more updates on my Twitter too (@alesharpton)! Enjoy!

Frozen Pints Honey IPA gets scooped today at 15 Taco Macs!
IPA ice cream? Yep!!!
They Say: Hop Heads rejoice! Satisfying the sweet tooth of beer aficionados and ice cream lovers, Frozen Pints craft beer ice cream is prepped to make its grand debut in 15 Taco Mac Sports Grill establishments in Georgia beginning on National IPA Day, Thursday, August 1, 2013.  
Introducing two of Frozen Pints most popular flavors – Malted Milk Chocolate Stout and Honey IPA – patrons will be able to experience and savor the unique frozen treat as a dessert or atop their favorite, go-to beer. Patrons will also be able to receive a Taco Mac Brewniversity credit with purchase of either Frozen Pints flavor.
Frozen Pints Craft Beer Ice Cream is an alcoholic ice cream product that is made and produced locally with all natural ingredients and, of course, craft beer. It's "ice cream for adults"! There are 5 flavors available year-round, including the Honey IPA, and all flavors require an ID to purchase because of their ABV (ranges from 1% - 3.1%)



SweetWater's Head Brewer 'Slick' Nick go hard on IPA Day!
Aug. 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
They say: Calling all fellow Hop Heads – it’s just about our favorite time of year again. Celebrate the 3rd Annual IPA Day here at the brewery on Aug. 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Head Brewer Nick Nock has been preppin some specialty casks for the occasion, and we’ll be bustin out a few from the cellar we’ve been holding onto for a special occasion like this. So come sip on SweetWater’s biggest stash of IPAs including:
  • Ol’ Faithful – IPA and peppercorns
  • Ghoulash
  • Some Strange
  • Rye on Rye – LowRYEder aged in a Rye Whiskey Barrel
  • IPA Keg-hopped with Willamette and Amarillo
Cellared Brews:
  • Tennessee Whiskey barrel-aged
  • Rye Whiskey barrel-aged
  • Double Bourbon barrel-aged
  • Chocolate Bourbon – with cocoa nibs
  • Chocolate Bourbon – with cocoa nibs, pecan and Amarillo & Centennial hops
On top of the lineup of extra heady IPAs, food trucks will be servin’ a whole mess of IPA inspired dishes. Sweet Auburn BBQ, Poor Huey’s Hot Dog Company and King of Pops all have tasty treats cooked up just for the holiday.
Since we’re expecting a couple of y’all might be interested in comin’ out for this little shindig, we put a bunch of advance tickets on sale online at https://www.xorbia.com/e/hep/ipa-day-2013. Picking ‘em up online will help you get in the door faster on game day plus guarantee you a one-of-a-kind IPA Day 2013 pint glass to take home.
Admission is priced same as weekly tours at $10 per guest, and walkups are still welcome. Tickets include a souvenir tasting glass, six tasting tickets and a brewery tour. If you’re planning on showing up day of to buy tickets, make sure you get in early if you want that real special pint glass we mentioned.
Getting’ a little excited? Maybe some tingly taste buds? Don’t forget to RSVP on our Facebook Page, check in on Untapped  using the hashtag #IPAday on Aug. 1 to pick up the IPA Day badge.
We’ll see you folks in Hop Heaven!

Big Tex Decatur throws down with $10 IPA flights
Seven no-joke IPAs plus the grub is gangster!

They say: National IPA day is back this Thursday, August 1 and Big Tex Decatur is celebrating in style. Beer lovers can sip on a selection of six IPAs on draft and even test out a flight of the six IPAs on draft for $10 all day! Featured IPAs include Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest, New Holland Brewing Company Imperial Hatter, Port Brewing Company Mongo Double IPA, Great Divide Brewing Company Titan IPA, 21st Amendment Brewery Brew Free! or Die IPA and Bell's Brewery Two Hearted Ale 
(Big Tex is on 308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, Ga. 30030 bigtexdecatur.com 404-377-3939
Connect on Facebook and Twitter!) 
Cheers!
Ale
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It's National IPA Day and here are some faves!

I took this during my visit to the Sierra Nevada brewery in
Chico, CA. God bless these things!
Let's bop to hip HOPS!

It's time to celebrate arguably the most popular beer style in the U.S., which is ironically called India Pale Ale, because it's IPA Day! 
Now anyone can brew an IPA, but the best are the ones that are aggressively bitter on the palate, and extremely fragrant with aromas ranging from piney to grapefruit, but most importantly BALANCED with the maltiness. In fact, I personally think IPAs can often serve as an effective measuring tool to reflect how good a brewery is. They are that gangster! 
To help you find the perfect IPA, I have done extensive, ummm... research and have a few for you to certainly try because, frankly, I love ‘em. Anyway, here are some musts you need to have in your shopping cart or bar tab sooner or later. There are so many others I could list from breweries like Three Floyds, Russian River, Bear Republic, Cigar City, and Ballast Point to name a few, but I took it easy on ya and listed some varieties that are fairly easy to grab today in particularly Atlanta in stores like Green's, Hop City, Tower, and Ale Yeah! (with a few you might have to hit up eBay for) that are in no particular order. Hop to it!

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
A keeper from their revered Beer Camp Series I was blessed to take part in, get this astounding IPA now!

Stone Enjoy By...
The series
Hard as hell to find, but still one of the best ever. I first had it at Cook Hall on tap and have been craving for the monthly release ever since!

Founders Double Trouble
One of the best breweries in the nation makes one of the best IPAs. The artwork is pretty sick too!

Dogfish Head 90 Minute
Just a bit maltier and stronger than the 60 Minute, and still damn good!

Green Flash Palate Wrecker
G.F. is no joke when it comes to hops and are all slammin', but this one is my fave!

Terrapin Hopzilla
Athens, GA represent! I brought this one to Thailand (see here) and showed them how we brew in the southern U.S. This one's a monster!

Bell's Two Hearted
This one is eternally gangster and very easy to get...thank goodness.

Lagunitas Sonoma Farmhouse Hop Stoopid
One of the best bomber deals on the shelf and frankly, one of the best, period.
Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's
I had to get a can in there, and this Oskar Blues beast is perfectly named.
Enjoy these fantastic IPAs, but know there are many more that I didn't list because, well, I'm tired as hell! 

Happy IPA Day!
Ale

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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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