Thursday, April 28, 2016

Three Taverns' Sour Asylum #5 a.k.a. Pometheus releases tonight!

Photos courtesy of Three Taverns
Get your sour-lovin' tail to the Decatur brewery Friday night for its bottle-only special release!
Yo! 
Three Taverns, one of my favorite breweries in the Southor the nation for that matter—is doing a bottle release of their extremely limited Sour Asylum #5 Pometheus brewed with pomegranate tonight, Friday, April 29th, at their headquarters located at 121 New Street, Decatur, GA 30030. Doors open at 5:30 and there is a limit of two per person. I love limited bottles. They are great for trades and sharing with fellow beer nerds who appreciate greatness!
Here is the full breakdown straight from the source along with a close up of their label below. 
Cheers!

Brewery only bottle release of Sour Asylum #5, Pometheus on Friday 4/29. This is the first time any bottle of our Sour Asylum series of lacto-fermented beers has been released from the brewery. 750ml bottle-conditioned Pometheus will be available to go as part of a special release tour for $10 each. The limit on this special tour is 2 per person and will be available all weekend as long as our supply of bottles lasts.

Also available, as usual, is our standard tasting tour for $14 that includes a souvenir glass and 36oz. of beer on tap. Cheers and see you on the 29th!
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Thursday, April 14, 2016

Charlotte, NC’s Beer Scene Continues to Blow Up!

Free Range Brewing is doing their thing! I need to get back to Charlotte soon!
Here’s what to look for in the Queen City regarding brew thanks to the CRVA!

Cheers Everyone!

After seeing how I loved covering their beer scene for FirstWeFeast.com here and my Instagram, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) made sure you—my cherished readers—are up to date with what’s poppin’ lately.
Below is the official CRVA write up featuring numerous breweries and craft-centric shops doing their thing in Queen City; I noticed that there are definitely a few I need to put on my list including Sycamore Brewing, Triple C Brewing Co., The FūD at Salud kitchen (I love their bottle shop), Lenny Boy Brewing Co., Sycamore Brewing, Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Legion Brewing, and Sugar Creek! There were even a couple joint cideries shown love— Red Clay CiderWorks and GoodRoad CiderWorks.
For more information on what’s going down in Charlotte, feel free to visit charlottesgotalot.com.
Okay, read on and look for me Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ in Charlotte again soon.

Clinkin’ glasses!
Ale

What's on Tap for Charlotte Craft Beer
Craft beer boom gives rise to new ways to explore Charlotte's beer scene

In 2009, Charlotte was the largest city in the U.S. without its own craft brewery. Now, less than 10 years later, Charlotte's craft beer industry is booming with 28 breweries in the Charlotte area and more than 15 in the works.
With the development of new breweries and the growth of more established taprooms come new events, unique brews and new ways to enjoy craft beer in the Queen City. 
Urban Brewery Sprawl: In the last year, 12 breweries opened the doors to their taprooms, and more than half of them set up shop just outside of Charlotte city limits. Nearby Cabarrus County welcomed two breweries in 2015 and 2016: High Branch Brewing Co. and Cabarrus Brewing Company. Breweries have also opened in Belmont (Rivermen Brewing Company), Fort Mill, South Carolina (Full Spectrum Brewing Co.), Rock Hill, South Carolina (Legal Remedy Brewing Co.), and Shelby (Newgrass Brewing Co.). 
Lenny Boy Brewing.
Brewing Bigger: The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery has been blazing the trail for Charlotte craft beer since opening in 2009. In 2014, the brewery moved its headquarters to an expanded space off Yancey Road, upgrading to an 8.5-acre brewery and biergarten with a 60 barrel-brewhouse and 3,600-square-foot taproom. Last year, NoDa Brewing Company and Birdsong Brewing Co. followed suit, opening new taprooms in Charlotte's NoDa neighborhood. Lenny Boy Brewing Co. and Sycamore Brewing also have expansions in the works. 
Beer Bites: These days, Charlotte craft beer doesn't just come in a pint glass; it can also be found on a plate. The FūD at Salud kitchen opened in 2015 as an expansion of Salud Beer Shop and now offers three dishes featuring Charlotte local beers: the beer cheese and pretzel appetizer, featuring Birdsong Brewing Co.’s Jalapeño Pale Ale; the Frambella waffle with NoDa Brewing Company’s Coco Loco Nutella; and the Jason-Gi-Ham-Brie sandwich with Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill’s Peach Cider. Charlotte’s Wooden Robot Brewery, which Beer Advocate magazine included on its “Class of 2015 – 33 of the Best New Breweries” list, has teamed up with Twisted Eats food truck outside its taproom to offer bites crafted with the beers on tap. 
Can It: To meet the demand for local craft beer in Charlotte and the surrounding areas, brewers are starting to look beyond the taproom. Birdsong Brewing Co.’s upgrade to a 17,000-square-foot taproom in 2015 included a canning line to package 16-ounce cans of the brewery's Jalapeño Pale Ale, which it began distributing locally last spring. The Unknown Brewing Co. has also gotten into the canning business. It released its Pre-Game Session Ale, the second year-round canned beer for the brewery, following in the footsteps of its Over the Edge IPA. In addition to Birdsong Brewing Co. and The Unknown Brewing Co., NoDa Brewing Company, Sycamore Brewing and Triple C Brewing Co. all offer Charlotteans canned versions of local brew favorites. 
Good Things Come in Small Batches: Small batches are becoming a big deal in the Queen City. Free Range Brewing, which opened in 2015, boasts consistently rotating short-run small batches found on 11 of their draft lines. With its 1-barrel brewing system, Lake Norman Brewing Company produces specialty brews, like the Man Overboard IPA and the Wakeboard Wit, one small batch at a time. Part nanobrewery, part CrossFit gym, Full Spectrum Brewing Co. combines the passions of craft beer and fitness and offers beers named after colors on the color spectrum. 
Fitness on Tap: For beer fans looking to lace up their running shoes, unroll their yoga mats and dust off their drivers before putting back a pint, Charlotte's craft breweries have them covered. The Charlotte Runners recently started leading their Legendary Legion Run Thursday nights at the newly opened Legion Brewing in Plaza Midwood. NoDa Brewing Company, Triple C Brewing Co., Lenny Boy Brewing Co. and more also offer a schedule of weekly run clubs. The Unknown Brewing Co. launched its Saturday Bike & Brew in 2015, while Sugar Creek Brewing Co. and The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery offer disc golf and yoga, respectively.  
The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Brewery: The next big wave in craft brews may have more to do with apples than hops. Hard ciders were the fastest growing segment of the beer and flavored malt beverage landscape in 2014, enjoying a 75.4 percent growth in sales. While national cider sales slowed in 2015, Charlotte's cider scene is just starting to blossom. The city welcomed its first cidery, Red Clay Ciderworks, last year with another, GoodRoad CiderWorks, on the way in 2016. 
(In celebration of NC Beer Month, this five-part content series about Charlotte as a beer destination features facts and information that help tell the story of the city’s burgeoning craft beer scene.)


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This infographic shows where you can drink craft brews in their Sky Clubs throughout the U.S.

Cheers Everyone!

I posted an Instagram of my tradition of pairing a Samuel Adams Boston Lager with those awesome Biscoff cookies whenever I fly Delta (which is 99 percent of the time). Along with the pic, I did drop a line stating my desire for airlines to step up their craft beer game and my willingness to help out via consulting. Well, a Delta employee nicknamed “Crafty” sent me an email conveniently on National Beer Day stating that his airline does a lot to support U.S. craft breweries specifically in their posh Sky Lounges; he even hooked up the infographic graphic for us to refer to along with some commentary in an email directly to me. Check it out:
Crafty said:
“So far, we offer 26 different beers (I’ve had nine) in 35 Clubs with more to come. Over the past several months, as part of Delta's focus on improving the overall Sky Club experience, there has been a focus on adding more local beers.”
Crafty added:
“The results are obvious, folks love tasting beers from various markets, and best of all, it's complimentary for all of our Club members.”

Well, I want to thank Crafty for the gem of info; it kinda makes me an even prouder Frequent Flyer of Delta. Now if only I got to kick it in the Sky Club to experience this myself when I fly to Nashville to explore Bowling Green, Kentucky and then to Philly for the Craft Brewer’s Conference; that would be even more dope! I will speak this…err…write this into existence I guess.

Keep sippin’ on the fly!

Ale
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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Wicked Weed takes over at Smith's Olde Bar tonight!

There will be a few surprises too!

Ayyyo!
I love these guys and brew by Wicked Weed straight outta Asheville, and they have taken Atlanta by storm this past year. Tonight is no different when they'll be pouring a lot of their gangster sips as you can see in the artwork above. (Did you peep the Dark Age? I never had that joint.) To add, there will be a new release of a sour or two! 
Say whaddup to my main man Andy, the rep for this great brewery who will make sure y'all have a great time and this funky, always rockin' Smith's Olde Bar!
Today is nuts for beer. Plain and simple. Just peep the right events column.

Cheers! 
Your homey,
Ale
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Rogue Throws Down in Atlanta All Week!

From both Octanes to 4th & Swift, it’s on in ATL with Rogue!

Cheers Y’all!

Starting with their official launch of Rogue’s Cold Brew IPA all week long at both Octane coffee houses, this pioneer brewery out of Oregon is going hard to make Atlanta aware of what they bring to the table while raising money for one of my favorite charities, The Giving Kitchen. I am going to embrace their push and enjoy their beer dinner tonight at 4th & Swift. I believe there are a couple of seats left so make sure you call 678.904.0160 asap!
Here is a list of their events this week
  • All week long, Octane and Rogue are raising money for the Giving Kitchen with each Rogue pint or cold fashioned sold.
  • As mentioned above, tonight is their intimate beer dinner at 4th & Swift. Here is their official breakdown: Join us April 12th at 7 pm for a limited and exclusive dinner with Rogue Brewery and United Distributors.  Rogue Brewery is releasing their Cold Brew IPA and we are helping them kick it off.  Seats for this dinner are $75 per person not including tax and gratuity.  Chef Graham House has come up with an amazing menu to support their beers.  We will be dining "al fresco" on our intimate patio.  Please call 678.904.0160 to book your reservation.  Seats will go fast!  You must provide a credit card that will be charged day of for the event. Cheers!
  • Tomorrow (Wednesday) there is a Cold Brew IPA tasting at Octane's Grant Park location from 5-7 pm
  • Friday they’re holding the 1st International Cold Brew Coffee Throwdown (a wave of coffee people are in town this week per the big Specialty Coffee Association of America expo) with Stumptown Coffee and Barista Magazine at Chrome Yellow. Brett Joyce, Rogue's President, will be one of the judges. There will be plenty of Cold Brew IPA to be had!
  • Saturday, Rogue will be throwing an aftermath/check presentation party at both Octane's to give the donation to The Giving Kitchen
Like I said, Rogue is showing Atlanta a lot of love so make it reciprocal if you can.

See ya!

Ale
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Monday, April 11, 2016

Saltyard and I Host a Beer Dinner Celebration with Creature Comforts!

Five Courses with Special and Limited-Release Creature Comforts Brews, a Live Auction, and Raffle next Friday, April 22,  from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

Cheers Y'all!

It’s about to be on next Friday! I am teaming up with one of the best breweries in the nation, Georgia’s own Creature Comforts, along with the great Chef Nick Leahy for a beer dinner on April 22 starting at 6:30. The official write up is below and the link is here
You know how I love beer dinners! From pairing food with the world’s best beverage to actually indulging, this is one of my favorite things to do; Chef Nick and I killed it when we did one last year at Saltyard. This time, I will be giving away some slick prizes at the end via a raffle. Proceeds help the The Farmer Fund, an initiative that helps Georgia farmers maintain production when dealing with natural disasters.
Come through!
Ale

My homey Chef Nick Leahy.
Five-Course Seasonal Tasting Menu Paired with Special and Limited-Release Creature Comforts Brews, Live Auction, and Raffle Benefiting The Farmer Fund on Friday, April 22, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

Athens, Georgia-based brewery, Creature Comforts, Executive Chef Nick Leahy of Saltyard, local non-profit The Farmer Fund, and Atlanta's favorite beer personality, Ale Sharpton, are joining forces to host “An Earth Day Beer Dinner Celebration” benefiting The Farmer Fund at Saltyard on Friday, April 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 
The celebratory dinner will be the perfect chance to try two of Creature Comforts’ award-winning, year-round brews, Tropicália and Athena, and will provide guests the opportunity to sample the brewery’s more highly limited releases: Brettomatic, Emergence, and The King’s Ransom. Guests will enjoy a welcome cocktail hour from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. before being seated for dinner at 7:15 p.m. Chef Nick Leahy will present five courses, hors d'oeuvres, and dessert inspired by this Spring’s best local produce with featured Creature Comforts beer pairings.
The evening will come to a close with a live auction and raffle hosted by Ale Sharpton. Cost is $69 per person plus tax and gratuity, and includes dinner, paired beverages, and raffle entry. Guests must be 21+ to attend. Tickets for An Earth Day Beer Dinner Celebration are limited and may be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, please visit http://ccbeerdinner.brownpapertickets.com or call Saltyard at 404-382-8088


An Earth Day Beer Dinner Celebration Menu:
Hors d'oeuvres
Bibo Pilsner
Passed house made Canadian bacon, Creature Comforts beer mustard on cheddar crackers 

Course 1
Emergence Limited Release Blonde Ale
Otter Bay oysters with Emergence & Meyer lemon granita

Course 2
Athena Berliner Weisse 
Charred local squash, herbed Atlanta Fresh Yogurt, Athena-chile-honey, boiled peanut gremolata

Course 3 
Tropicália American IPA 
Pan-seared scallops, field pea and sweet corn succotash, country ham & tomato butter 

Course 4 
The Kings Ransom Baltic Porter
Pastrami-cured smoked pork cheek, Vidalia onion champ, porter glazed baby carrots

Course 5 
Brettomatic Pale Ale 
Strawberry & rhubarb pie, Brettomatic pastry cream, toasted oat crumb

About Saltyard:
Saltyard delivers a uniquely social dining experience encouraging guests to connect over internationally influenced small plates, craft cocktails and a mostly domestic wine and beer selection. Locally sourced ingredients are featured throughout the restaurant's seasonal menu and the open kitchen and floorplan make it a favorite spot for groups or those looking for a great chef’s table experience. Guests can expect warm, ambient lighting, reclaimed woods mixed with industrial metals and soft banquettes perfect for intimate meals. Saltyard is located in The Brookwood building in South Buckhead and complimentary valet is available in the building’s garage. For more information please visit http://saltyardatlanta.com/ and connect on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/saltyardatlanta, on Twitter @Saltyard and on Instagram @Saltyard.

About Creature Comforts:
Creature Comforts is an Athens, Georgia based brewery offering finely balanced artisanal beers. Since opening its doors in April 2014, Creature Comforts has made an imprint in the craft beer community with its award-winning, year-round and special release beers. To learn more about Creature Comforts, contact Emily@ccbeerco.comor visit us online at www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com

About The Farmer Fund:
Founded in 2015, The Farmer Fund exists to support farmers in the face of natural disaster and help keep farmers farming.  We serve the farmers that feed Metro Atlanta through farmers markets, CSAs and restaurant sales. The Farmer Fund provides an economic "stop loss" for our agricultural producers after natural disasters which include but are not limited to tornado, flood, storms and damages resulting from them. We aim to help rebuild farms after natural disasters so that farmers can continue to serve our community. For more information, please visit  www.thefarmerfund.org

               
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CigarBQue Returns To Atlanta On April 21


Eat. Drink. Smoke Some Sticks. Not mad at that!

Whaddup?!

If you are into cigars, grilled grub and getting your sip on, the second installment of CigarBQue at Old Fourth Ward’s Venkman’s is your event! There will be four chefs, six drink specialists, and a complementary cigar from Diamond Crown, so I am definitely going to slide by. Below's the skinny straight from the source. Proceeds are going to a good cause too, called the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation
Oh! And the beer dinner I am helping host at The Saltyard in Midtown follows on Friday, April 22, so save room! Next week is going to be rockin’!

Cheers!
Ale

CigarBQue Returns To Atlanta On April 21
The national festival highlighting top local food and beverage talent will take over Venkman’s for a Thursday evening of cigars, cocktails and grilled bites


CigarBQue will take place in Atlanta this spring for a second consecutive year after a successful inaugural event in 2015. The nationwide touring festival, presented by Diamond Crown cigars and founded in Chicago, will bring together a collection of Atlanta’s top food and beverage talent for an evening filled with fine cigars, great food and unique drinks at Venkman’s, the premiere dining and live music destination in the Old 4th Ward, on Thursday, April 21 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Taking advantage of the spring weather, CigarBQue will be held on the expansive, newly opened patio at Venkman’s. Approximately three hundred guests will be able to enjoy delicious grilled dishes from five of Atlanta’s top chefs while imbibing original cocktails from five of Atlanta’s best bartenders. Premium cigars from Diamond Crown are included in each guest’s ticket package to be enjoyed with the food, drinks and live music curated by Venkman’s. Please see below for a list of chef and beverage participants:

Food
Chef Nick Melvin, Venkman’s (host)
Chef Jordan Wakefield, Smoke Ring
Chef Conor O’Reilly, Seven Lamps
Chef Rusty Bowers, Pine Street Market
Sommelier Ian Mendelsohn, Vine & Tap

Beverage
Pieter Guilbault, Venkman’s (host)
Madison Burch, Seven Lamps
Mikey Kilbourne, One Eared Stag
Adr’ain Harrow, Unique Syrups
Garn McCown, Gypsy Kitchen

“CigarBQue was started by chefs and we love that it highlights local restaurants even though it’s a nationwide event,” says Chef Nick Melvin of Venkman’s. “It’s basically perfect: cigars, good food, stiff drinks and a little wine on a big patio on a spring night. Plus, our live music and location not far from the Beltline are factors that will make this year’s CigarBQue tough to beat.”

Tickets to the event cost $75 (excluding fees), and proceeds will be donated to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, which works with local organizations in the Dominican Republic to fight poverty and provide useful job training and skills development for the nation’s citizens. The organizers of CigarBQue would also like to recognize Chef Jordan Wakefield of Smoke Ring for his participation in both 2015 and 2016. His generosity and the excellence of his dish in 2015 have earned him and his wife, Erin Wakefield, a trip to Tampa, Florida to cook at the CigarBQue finale event at J.C. Newman’s headquarters, the parent company for Diamond Crown Cigars. The chef with the best dish this April, as chosen by the organizers of CigarBQue, will make the trip to Tampa next year. CigarBQue’s first 2016 event will take place in Atlanta, followed by stops in Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Chicago, IL; Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; St. Louis, MO and Tampa, FL.
To purchase tickets to CigarBQue, visit www.cigarbque.com and select Atlanta from the “Cities” dropdown menu. Tickets are also available on Eventbrite here. Connect with CigarBQue on Facebook and Twitter. The festival will take place at Venkman’s, located at 740 Ralph McGill Blvd., Atlanta, Georgia 30312.

ABOUT CIGARBQUE
CigarBQue is an intimate evening of fine cigars and food prepared by some of the country’s best chefs. This outdoor grilling event features top notch food, wine, beer, creative cocktails and Diamond Crown Cigars.
It all began when Executive Chefs Rick Gresh and Cleetus Friedman decided to meld together their passions for fine foods, entertainment and premium cigars to host a unique charity event. The first CigarBQue Chicago in 2012 was such a success, every participating chef agreed to come back for the 2013 event in less than 24 hours and the event has only grown in popularity.

In 2015, after three years of a successful partnership in the Chicago area, the CigarBQue concept expanded nationwide so people across the country can enjoy this outstanding culinary experience in a relaxed atmosphere. To learn more about a specific CigarBQue event visit the website at www.cigarbque.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
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Friday, April 8, 2016

Athens rocks this weekend with Terrapin's BDay and the Classic City Brew Fest!

2015's Classic City was cray, cray as always!
The Turtle Folks throw down Saturday and Classic pours 29 gangster casks and 400+ brews to sip on! 

Yo!

Plain and simple, Athens, Georgia is going to be rockin' this weekend! Peep it:
Terrapin's 14th Anniversary on Saturday, April 9th sets things off with a crazy roster of brews and hella fun. Go here for all the info. It starts at 4:30 and "ends" at 8:30. Here is all the info. Happy BDay my Gs! Shout out to everyone including Leigh, Dustin, Abigail, Erin, James, Steve, Katie, Kelly, Lauren, and of course founders John and Spike's crazy ass! 


Then there is the Classic City Brew Fest on Sunday, April 10th. This is one of my favorite festivals to get my sip on because the founder and homey Owen Ogletree goes out of his way to make sure we try some of the best beers in the world. This is the 21st version and I can’t wait to hit it up on Sunday. 
Go here for Tickets and to get more info, hit up www.BrewFest.net. Besides the other 400-plus brews being poured, here is the super rare cask list sent directly from Owen. Crazy! See you this weekend! It starts at 2:30 and again "ends" at 6 (I often hit up Trappeze after).
King Owen
·       Black Diamond Mogaltra - An intense West Coast IPA dry-hopped with an obscene amount of Mosaic, Galaxy and Citra. 6.3% ABV, 70 IBUs.
·       Blue Tarp Brett IPA - A new, funky, hoppy ale fermented with 100% Brettanomyces yeast and dry-hopped with Calypso in the cask.
·       Burnt Hickory Killboy Powerhead (Orange Creamsicle Didjits) - This cask comes in at 7% ABV and offers sweet notes of oranges, vanilla ice cream, hop nuances and complex, fruity esters.
·       Cedar Creek Dankosaurus IPA was created with dinosaur bones. After some serious science, we discovered that this type of dinosaur ate grapefruit and pineapple. So, we decided to dose this cask with grapefruit and an experimental hop that imparts pineapple notes. Meet the "Dankfruitahops!"
·       Cherry Street Belgo Ruskie Imperial Stout. Fermented with Belgian abbey yeast, aged in rye whiskey barrels for 11 months, and then dosed in the cask with rum-soaked oak spirals and vanilla beans. 9.5% ABV.
·       Coastal Empire Coco Piña Gose is a tropical take on the cult-classic, sour German Gose style brewed with pineapple, coconut, pink Himalayan salt and sea salt.
·       Creature Comforts Double Koko Buni (8.7% ABV) is a rich, velvety, indulgent imperial milk porter with toasted coconut, cocoa nibs, 1000 Faces coffee and vanilla. Decadent, yet balanced.
·       Eagle Creek River Street Praline Brown Ale. This Classic City Brew Fest cask ale has been aged in bourbon barrels with Madagascar vanilla, hazelnuts and maple syrup.
·       Eventide Fruit Kölsch-Tail - Eventide's authentic Kölsch made with fresh mango, papaya, banana, pineapple and strawberry. The perfect way to kick off spring!
·       Fannin Brewing Farmhouse Toccoa Brown Ale aged in a red wine barrel from Cartecay Vineyards with a dose of succulent Greek figs.
·       Fonta Flora - This extra special cask will be announced soon.
·       JailHouse Mr. McGee says "Hold on to Your Raspberry." Hints of pineapple and spice, and a punch of tart raspberry highlight this fruited cask of Saison Reprieve. Keep it guarded.
·       Max Lager's Hopsplosion!!! IPA - We stuffed this special cask full of Azacca, Citra and Galaxy dry-hops to make your hop-head explode! 8.1% ABV, 100 IBUs.
·       Monday Night Brett Michaels is our award-winning, malty Drafty Kilt Scottish ale aged withBrettanomyces yeast for an unexpected funky, earthy complexity.
·       Moon River Wild Georgia Belgique IPA (8.9% ABV) - After a four-month metamorphosis in barrels with Brett Trois, Georgia Belgique emerged with strong notes of tropical funk that intertwine with hoppy, floral, citrus flavors.
·       Red Brick Hoplanta IPA dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops and blackberries for a bright, tart, tropical flavor twist.
·       Red Hare Cafe au Coconut is our Long Day Lager infused with cold-brewed coconut coffee. This beer offers an extremely smooth mouthfeel with a blast of coffee flavor and hints of coconut. 
·       Reformation Pinot Noir-Aged Cadence with golden raisins and dates. Rich dark fruits and complex caramel notes mesh with oaky, fruity and dry Pinot Noir flavors.
·       Second Self Maverick & Gose - A sour, salted golden ale dry-hopped with tropical Wakatu hops and infused with papaya and kiwi fruit for additional tropical flavors and acidity.
·       Service Brewing Compass Rose with organic pineapple (6.6% ABV) - A refreshing IPA with intense aromas of grapefruit and pear, this special cask was conditioned with a whole organic pineapple. It finishes with notes of passion fruit, orange peel and bold pineapple.
·       Southern Brewing Owen's Citra-licious Session IPA - A collaboration ale made with Classic City Brew Fest founder/director Owen Ogletree, this quaffable, hoppy, 4.2% ABV golden ale is made from English 2-row malt, cara-pils, wheat and 100% Citra hops.
·       Southern Sky Frosted Orange Varsity Cask is a cream ale fermented with lactose and orange peel. This cask is then conditioned with vanilla and even more orange peel for a delicious finish.
·       SweetWater Wake Up Pils - German-style pilsner infused with light roasted coffee (a type of blonde roast). Pours golden in color with a subtle coffee aroma and flavor.
·       Terrapin Cherry Rhubarb Pie - We took our Terrapin 14-year anniversary tart Belgian red ale and added cherry and rhubarb juice for a uniquely fruited cask.
·       Thomas Creek Deepwater Dopplebock is our full-bodied, German-style dark lager with rich, creamy flavors, roasted nut tones and hints of coffee and chocolate. This rare cask was conditioned with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!
·       Three Taverns Kick In The Head is our 10.5% ABV Old Ale matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels for deep layers of earthy, malty, alcohol complexity.
·       Twain's Galactic Flight Double IPA. Taste upon this juicy, 8% ABV hop rocket as you blast off into another galaxy! Big aromatics of Galaxy and Falconer's Flight dry-hops make this cask a hop-lover's delight.
·       Wild Heaven Oud Bruin has been aged in Bordeaux barrels for a year and then re-fermented in the cask firkin with Westmalle Trappist ale yeast. 10% ABV.
·       Wrecking Bar Neapolitan Jemmy Stout - Our decadent and chocolate-forward Jemmy Stout cask-conditioned on toasted cacao nibs, Tahitian vanilla beans and strawberries.

See you there my homies!

Ale
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Thursday, April 7, 2016

The History of National Beer Day Y’all!

A lil' share with my Brew Tang Clan at my spot...
Here is a quick breakdown on how it got started.

Today’s A Good Day!

Any day named National Beer Day has to be special off the bat; the reason April 7th was declared such an honor was due it being the first legal time to pour a beer post the infamous 13-year Prohibition in 1933 thanks to the Cullen-Harrison Act signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The evening prior to this was creatively termed New Beer’s Eve with folks waiting in line for midnight to strike as if Russian River’s Pliny The Younger was being poured. Reportedly a million kegs were popped the next day. 
I concur! Shooter unknown.
The 21st Amendment made everything official and graciously got rid of that haytin’ ban on selling suds and spirits on December 5th, 1933. (Hence, one of the best breweries in the nation is named after that Amendment based in San Fran, ya dig? Check it.) Of course, there were still some hurdles to eventually jump, including increasing the alcohol limit from an extra sessionable beer maxing out at 3.2 percent by weight (4 percent by volume), but that was how they got down back then.
Oh! And to show some respect to the godfather of National Beer Day, I read that a beer-loving cat named Justin Smith out of Richmond, Virginia helped make this day an official holiday for us imbibers in 2009 using Facebook for the launchpad. (This is his breakdown on how it got started here.) Hey Justin, if I ever see you in person, expect a fist bump and beer on me!
Anyway, look for my Tweets and Instagrams celebrating this sippin’ holiday. I'm off to plan Part 2 of my Brews. Brims. Beats. II event and then it's chill time.
Happy sippin’ Mr. Smith, all of you reading this, and craft beer supporters around the world! I hope you celebrate this day in style with some gangster brews. You know I will!

Cheers!

Your Homey,

Ale
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Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Green Flash releases the Jibe IPA at My Parents' Basement tonight!

Everything starts at 5 p.m.! 

Cheers!

Hump Day just got better thanks to my homies at My Parents' Basement, Green Flash, and awesome rep Tyler pouring us the brand new cans of their sessionable Jibe IPA today starting at 5 p.m. in Decatur.  Besides Poppin' the  top off this 4% ABV, 65-IBU palate refresher, there will be schwag, some new comic book releases, and a lot of super cool folks getting their sippin' on. Come through!
Look for more events I am about to post coming up in ATL and Athens. This week is about to be cray!

Holla!
Ale
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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Here is the official list of the Top 50 U.S. Breweries of 2015!

Coming straight from my homies at the Brewers Association, ya heard?
Whaddup?!

I just got back from L.A. and finally caught up with everything including my article due for Jezebel Magazine’s Bartender’s Page, a car review, and two interviews (Tony Gaskins and the McBride Sisters). Missed y’all!
Anyway, my first update is this list of the Top 50 U.S. Breweries of 2015 based on annual sales volume sent by my homies at the Brewers Association. It's hooked up in graphic form up top and also below by list. What’s gangster about this is the number of independent breweries who made it—43! So what qualifies as a “craft brewery” these days? According the BA posse, peep it:
An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.
Small means…
  • Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships.

Independent means…
  • Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.

Traditional means…
  • A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers.

Bart Watson, the Brewers Association chief economist, even dropped some science:
“The top U.S. brewers continue to drive demand, growth, innovation and exponential interest in beers from small and independent brewers. With a historic record number of breweries in U.S., the top brewers continue to open new markets and expose beer drinkers to a variety of fuller-flavored styles and offerings.”

Here's the list again:
All in all, support craft beer whenever possible and maintain the innovation they are doing with ales and lagers. Hell, we can even include sodas, spirits and ciders in this as well now.
Oh, and I can’t wait to see my Brewers Association folks and all participants of the Craft Brewers Conference in Philly the first week of May. Dopeness! Who is rolling?

Cheers!
Ale


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