Monday, September 28, 2015

Come to the Branzini & Beer Patio Party this Saturday!

It’s a seafood and Belgian beer fest from 2 to 4 on October 3rd. Try and win a ticket via Twitter with the hashtag #AleBranziniTrivia!*

Happy Monday! (Mmmmmph.)

Okay, it’s time to get back in the swing of things and begin the week after a rainy, but still action-packed weekend. Taste of Atlanta was a blast where I helped judge the Barcraft completion (congrats Paige Lane of Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall for winning the finals!), along with the Atlanta Beer Festival at Turner Field to name a few festivities.
Well, to keep the ball rolling, here is another event that I am working with this Saturday: It’s the Branzini & Beer Patio Party at Lure on October 3rd from 2 to 4 pm. Lure is already the bomb, extra classy inside and out, plus their seafood is top notch. Well this Saturday, they will flex their culinary muscle while pairing nine Belgian beers including lambics right on their chic patio!
For a mere $49.70 per person (including tax and gratuity), you’ll get:
·         A grilled whole branzino
·         Mini patty melts with charred onions and smoked oyster butter
·         Croquettes aux crevettes (Belgian-style shrimp croquettes)
·         Baby kale salad with smoked Georgia trout, muscadines, scuppernongs, and pecans
·         Moules frites (mussels with Belgian-style double-fried French fries and mayonnaise)
·         Cast-iron braised endive with béchamel, ham, and gruyere
·         A selection of nine Belgian beers and lambics
While tickets are limited and can be purchased here (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/branzini-beer-tickets-18561703555), I am going to give you a chance to win one with a lil’ trivia I worked out with Fifth Group Restaurants
*The first to get each question right by replying with the right answer and using the hashtag #AleBranziniTrivia will win the ticket! Sound good? I am going to post my first question on Twitter in exactly ten minutes after my initial announcement about the contest with the hashtag #AleBranziniTrivia so look out for it! I will space them out by about ten minutes apart so you will have time to get your Google on! You know your homey Ale wants to hook you up any way I can. 
Good luck! If not, splurge, buy a ticket, and get your grub on with me on Saturday!

Cheers!

Ale

*Congratulations to @LGSims300o and @ATLRenner for winning the trivia! Here are the answers to the questions:

Question One: How many restaurants does Atlanta’s Fifth Group Restaurants operate? 
Answer: 7! South City Kitchen Midtown, South City Kitchen Vinings, La Tavola Trattoria, Ecco, The Original El Taco, Alma Cocina, Lure

Question Two: What do they popularly call Branzino in Portugal?
Answer: Robalo
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Friday, September 18, 2015

Beer Fest time! This one is at Turner Field next Saturday!

The weather should be perfect for this joint.

Whaddup!

Quick and to the point, I haven't been to a beer fest in a while. Here is the next one in ATL. See ya there! Here is the necessary info below. They had me at 200-plus beers!:


Great Atlanta Beer Fest at Turner Field
Saturday, September 26, 2015 3pm-8pm
200+ beers and ciders, 30+ wine options; Live Music, College football on big TVs
Tickets: $45 advance, $55 day of event



Holla!

Ale
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Thursday, September 17, 2015

I Am Moderating the ‘Hopportunity Knocks’ Beer Panel Tonight!

Come check out panelists reppin’ Three Taverns, Orpheus and Hop City talking about ATL’s beer culture while FREE beer's poured for attendees at Ponce City Market’s General Assembly!

Yep, it’s me up to something again!

This time, I am more than happy to host General Assembly’s panel on the best beverage known to man—and woman—beer (!) during their annual Made In Atlanta Week. Based in the all new Ponce City Market, general Assembly specializes in assisting future leaders in the advancement technology, food, fashion, and pretty much anything hip; tonight, they invited locals Three Taverns, Orpheus, and awesome one-stop beverage paradise Hop City to discuss Atlanta’s beer culture, history and future tonight! 
I, along with Hop City Owner Kraig Torres and the panelists will be providing our expertise while the participating breweries make sure no one’s thirsty including SweetWater during this free event. It starts with a beer tasting at 6 pm followed by the panel I am leading at 7. Of course, I am working on some other surprises as well. Sign up ASAP here to attend if you haven’t already. 

Here’s the skinny straight from General Assembly:
At Hopportunity Knocks, panelists from your favorite breweries in Atlanta will gather to share insights into the professional world of beer. You'll hear from the brewmasters themselves about their early days and how their vision transformed into the local companies we know and love. Drink and learn about everything from what beer making looks like as a hobby to where experts see the future of local breweries in Atlanta.
Beer tasting 6 pm
Panel discussion 7 pm
 
Made in Atlanta Week: A week to celebrate great things being made in our city. We are bringing together people from all backgrounds and industries to foster collaboration through education. We have partnered with several Atlanta companies and organizations to bring you a whole week's worth of knowledge through a series of panels, discussions, presentations, and fireside chats. Some of the most exciting companies and organizations in the Atlanta Food, Design, Big Business, Fashion and Beer scenes will be joining us every day.

See y’all there!


Ale
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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

It's a Monday Night Tap Takeover at Brick Store Today!

Try their new 12% wheat wine called Laissez-Faire starting at 5 pm, ya heard?

Whaddup!

My homies at Monday Night Brewing continues to step their game up going more and more out the box of their already consistent portfolio of liquid goodness for the past four years. This time around, it’s the introduction of their new 12 percent ABV wheat wine called Laissez-Faire—their most limited of the Black Tie Series so far. Of course, pouring this first timer at one of the best beer bars in the world, Brick Store, along with some other goodies doesn’t hurt either! everything starts pouring at 5 pm.
Here is the official description of Laissez-Faire and the rest of the taps flowing straight from Joel Iverson, Monday Night’s “Operations Guy”:

Monday Night’s Joel Iverson says: 

Laissez-Faire, a 12% wheat wine that has been aging in fresh single-use Jordan Winery Cabernet barrels for almost one year. This will be our most limited Black Tie Series release to date, and it’s pretty special. One of our brewers was a former winemaker and was able to source these great barrels and the notes from the Cabernet and French oak created some fantastic notes over time. The name is a throwback to some of our early barley wines we’d make in the garage and the realization that letting the invisible hand do its work on the beer and not touching it for a long time can be a beautiful thing (and yes, I am a bit of an economics dork so this beer has a special place in my heart).

Tie 4 On, an 11% Quad Aged on Oak was our 4 year anniversary beer. To celebrate 4 years we used 4 malts and 4 hops to create this Belgian Quad. It clocks

Spirit Animal, a 5.5% sour ale aged on French oak and rose hips. This beer was a fun one to make. After a 3 day kettle souring we loaded it up with rose hips in the whirlpool, then aged it on French oak following fermentation.  It rounds out nicely and is a delicious beer for both the sour aficionados but also people more new to the style.

Bed Head Coffee IPA, 8.4 % Imperial IPA with Batdorf Bronson Coffee. This was a beer we released last year as part of our black tie series and we went back and did a small batch to celebrate our 4 years. Beer and Coffee are probably the beverages that make up 90% of my liquid consumption, and this beer brings together the best of these. We worked with our friends at Batdorf Bronson to do a custom roast of an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee that pairs nicely with the hops in the IPA and we use a cold extraction to bring out a lot of the floral notes from this coffee.

Blood Orange Blind Pirate, a 6.5% IPA with Italian blood orange juice. This is the newest beer in our clip-on series. It’s loaded with Simcoe, Citra, and Comet hops but as you sip it you get the complementary flavors of the blood orange juice.

Serrano Eye Patch, a 6.2% IPA with serrano peppers. We released this as a tasting room experiment last year and people went crazy over it. Pepper beers can go many different ways (coming from a guy who got duped into trying some crazy ass ones out in New Mexico a few years back that almost made me every want to try one again).  Peppers are also super subjective but we tried to bring out the notes of the Serrano peppers without burning off your tongue, unless you have a super sensitive tongue.

Nitro Drafty Kilt, a 7.2% Scotch Ale. One of my greatest moments was having Charlie Papazian, the writer of the book that got me into homebrewing, rave about our Drafty Kilt after it won a medal at the world beer cup last year. If you haven’t tried the Nitro version we release limited numbers of these and I would highly recommend.

Cask of Gun Show, an 8% Belgian Strong Ale with fresh pears. We added hibiscus, orange peel, and galaxy hops and was lightly soured for some tart notes.

It kicks off at 5 pm please come and join us!

Sound good? I say hell yeah!

Holla!


Ale
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Monday, September 14, 2015

It’s the Treehorn Cider invasion and we welcome it!


 
Ciders are blowing up and Georgia’s own cidery launches this week!

Hey Ya’ll!

Now you know I am a beer guru and all, but that is not the only type of beverage that gets love on my website. Please give a warm Atlanta welcome to Georgia’s own Treehorn Cider
After two years getting their act together to bring us one of the best methods to consume the apple, this awesome brand straight outta Marietta is ready for ATL’s consumption. Below is the listing of this week’s launch throughout the city. All Treehorn events will begin pouring their craft hard cider at 6 pm except for Common Quarter on Friday, which starts at 8 pm
I've listed all the venues and addresses below. For more info, hit up www.facebook.com/TreehornCider. Make sure you tell ‘em Ale sent ya!


Mon. Sept. 14 - The Wing Cafe & Tap House, Marietta, GA 
2145 Roswell Road, Suite 170, Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 509-9464

Tues, Sept. 15 - My Parent's Basement, Decatur, GA
22 N Avondale Rd, Avondale Estates, GA 30002 (404) 292-4607


Wed. Sept 16 - Argosy, East Atlanta
470 Flat Shoals Ave SE Atlanta, GA (404)-577-0407

Thurs. Sept. 17 - Tap: A Gastropub - Midtown Atlanta
1180 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 (404) 347-2220


Fri. Sept 18 - Common Quarter, East Cobb (8:00 pm start time)
1205 Johnson Ferry Rd #101, Marietta, GA 30068 (678) 809-4040


And wherever you are, Drink Local as much as possible!

Ale
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Lagunitas gets more than a 'Little Sumpin' from Heineken!

Heineken's set to invest a 50 percent stake in one of the best craft breweries in the U.S. The value? How about approximately a cool $1 billion?

Whaddup!

While many of us beer lovers grumble at any mention of a craft brewery joining forces with anything associated with the words “being bought,” “selling stake,” etc., I am not really mad at this news: Heineken is set to invest a 50 percent stake in Lagunitas.
Now I am a huge fan of the Petaluma, California-based Lagunitas Brewing, a microbrewery that has become a giant in its own right thanks to their delicious, often aggressively hopped concoctions, risqué marketing campaigns and fearless founder Tony Magee's candor. Assuming nothing changes with what made them one of the most exciting brewing companies in the nation, I see Lagunitas’ teaming with Heineken a great benefit when it comes to pacifying my hop fix across outside of the U.S.’ borders. According to the official press release posted on Lagunitas’ website here, I let out a big sigh when I read, “Tony Magee, founder of Lagunitas, will remain at the helm, with the same leadership and staff, same brewers, same recipes and same suppliers and distributors helping to drive the brand forward.” In other words, it sounds like their liquid gold won’t be watered down, skunked out and abused due to the global stretch. How they plan on keeping the hops gangster still remains a mystery but I am all ears.
And how much money are we talking with this deal? I have read from various sources that this puppy is valued at approximately a whopping $1 billion. Dizzzaaaamn!
Tony Magee
Facebook/Lagunitas Brewing 
So what are the advantages for Heineken and Lagunitas making the merger? The media release says, “Heineken provides Lagunitas with a global opportunity to present its beers to new consumers and Lagunitas provides Heineken with the opportunity to build a strong foothold in the dynamic Craft Brewing category on a global scale, with the category growing in popularity almost everywhere now.”
Magee explains, “This venture will create a way for Lagunitas to help Heineken's global distribution network participate in the growing craft beer category in places from Tierra Del Fuego and Mongolia to the far-flung Isle of Langerhans." He continues, “Lagunitas will share in the best quality processes in the world and enjoy an open door to opportunities that took lifetimes to build. This alliance with the world's most international brewer represents a profound victory for American craft. It will open doors that had previously been shut and bring the U.S. craft beer vibe to communities all over the world." He also provides a genuine, heartfelt breakdown with no apologetic feel (as Magee always does) in a blog post he put up this morning here. One significant quote from his Tumblr statement says:
‘This is not the end of anything at all at Lagunitas, except maybe it is the end of the beginning, meaning that we are now standing at the threshold of an historic opportunity to export the excitement and vibe of American-born Craft Brewing and meet beer-lovers all over the Planet Earth, our true homeland. This could one day even be seen as a crucial victory for American Craft Brewing.’
Tony Magee, Founder of Lagunitas
On the Heineken side, CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer chimes in, "We are very excited to partner with Lagunitas. We recognize and respect the tremendous success of Tony and his team in building one of the great American Craft Beer brands. We look forward to that same team partnering with us to expand Lagunitas globally, so it can reach parts that other craft beer brands have not."
After my creative agency AllWays Open worked with Heineken (especially John Romano) on the awesome “Dedication Two” mural by incredible artist Hebru Brantley in Atlanta (see the documentary here), coupled with my recent trip to their original headquarters in Amsterdam blogged here, I learned a lot more about the brew with the red star and garnered more respect for their brand.
While hate will surface from those who want American microbreweries to be solely, well, American, only time will tell how this merger will really work for all of us. In the meantime, I will be more than happy ordering a Lagunitas in countries I usually couldn’t. And hell, I see cans coming for easier shipping and better hop preservation in the future, too.
Stay tuned for more beer news soon. The response is going to be an interesting one so grab your popcorn!

Peace,


Ale
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Check out Rolls-Royce’s all-new Dawn convertible!

The wait is over! Labeled a true four-seater, peep these fly photos straight from the source.

Cheers Everyone!

To show the “Cruisin’” side of my blog some love, here are some shots of the all-new 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn four-seater convertible direct from the source.
This is basically a convertible Wraith which I covered a year and change ago here, and like all Rolls-Royces, there is nothing turtle-like about the Dawn. Packing a 6.6-liter, V12 twin-turbo engine, its 563 horses make this sleek condo on wheels something Usain Bolt would blush over. 
Labeled a “four full seater,” a quartet of adults should be quite comfy while enjoying Dawn's seemingly countless amenities a private jet would wish for. So dig in your savings, pull out about $300 stacks, and you can have this baby during the next roll out since its first run is reportedly sold out. Thanks a lot Floyd Mayweather!

For more info, hit up the Rolls-Royce site here.


And now, more drool-inducing photos:










Crazy right?

Well, happy motoring with whatever you are driving! We can all dream.

Ale
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Friday, September 4, 2015

Look what the Brick Store has in store for September!

This is getting ready to be poured for the first time Saturday! 
 September 5th starts off with Creature Comforts running the taps, followed by Three Taverns, Monday Night, Green Flash, and Girls Pint Out throwing down in Downtown Decatur's Brick Store!

Hey Fellow Craft Beer Sippers!

To begin with, I want to thank EVERYONE who supported my Heroes Villains event at Monday Night Brewing, and the DJ Jelly BDay party I help host last night at the Department Store aka Erosol. Finally getting a chance to breathe, I received some great news on how to start off the weekend.
One of the best beer bars in the world—Brick Store Pub—just happens to be in my backyard so when I saw what they have on deck for September, “Hell yeah!” was my response. Check out what’s poppin’ to kick off Labor Day weekend with a bang!
See y’all soon! Oh, and good luck on your fantasy drafts unless you are going against me.
Peace,
Ale

On September 5th, Creature Comforts does their thing with these gangster beers including the first ever pour of See the Stars, a Willett Rye and maple syrup barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout! They will also be pouring…
  • Tropiclia
  • Athena
  • Bibo
  • Reclaimed Rye
  • Arcadiana Saison (new saison)
  • Brettomatic Pale Ale (brett pale)
  • See the Stars (Willett Rye and maple syrup barrel aged Russian Imperial) (only keg in market)
  • Tart Cherry Athena Paradiso
  • Cucumber/Lime Tritonia
  • Southerly Love (last keg left in the world)
  • Dayspring (last keg left in the world)

 On September 10th, Three Taverns rolls in featuring The Brick Store's Imaginarium Series beer! It’s called Total B.S., a Three Taverns/Brick Store collaboration brewed with 100% Brett saison. Also on tap…
  • Inceptus
  • A Night on Brett
  • Rye Tripel
  • Day of the Departed
  • White Hops Cask
  • A Night on Ponce

And the party doesn’t stop for Monday Night Brewing, as they celebrate their fourth year pouring awesome brews on September 15th. They will have…
  • Gun Show
  • Bed Head
  • Tie Four On Quad
  • Spirit Animal
  • Laissez_Faire wheat wine
  • Blood Orange Blind Pirate
  • Drafty Kilt Nitro
  • One off cask


And on September 24th, there is the Green Flash/Girls Pint Out Treasure Chest. “It’s a night to raise money for breast cancer and the Susan B. Komen Foundation featuring a wonderful groups of ladies and a cool new IPA,” describes Brick Store Beer Manager Ryan Skinner. “It’s brewed with 100% Mosaic hopped IPA with prickly pear juice and hibiscus flowers.” Ummm, effin' yeah!

And last, it’s September 26th to go hard for Oktoberfest!

Bottom line, they do it big at the Brick Store!  Come see how they get down. You know I will!
Holla!


Ale
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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Heroes Villains goes down tonight! Answers to questions here!

Here's a sneak peek courtesy of phenomenal artist Dubelyoo. This is his Storm!

Hey You!

I along with my company AllWays Open have been working our asses off to get this production ready for you tonight starting at 5:30. Here are some questions I have been asked to help get you in:
  • Can I get both glasses? Absolutely! For a measly $5 more, you can have the dynamic duo!
  • Will there be food? Yep! My dude Doggy Dogg aka The Dogg Haus will have his delicious hot dogs on deck!
  • Are kids allowed? Yes. Oh, and they have ginger ale brewed on site that is Dy-No-Mite!
  • Can we get tickets at the door? Yep! You just won't get that free autographed print for getting tickets online here!
  • Will there be art for sale? Hell yeah!
  • Is there an Uber code? Yep! We got you covered. Use the promo code #HVATL and you will get $20 off your first ride!
  • Can we dress up? We encourage it! There is even a costume contest!
Sound good? See in a few hours! And thanks so much for your support!

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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