Proof's Brewing Equipment Arrives!

Today on Facebook, the GM posted a couple of pictures of Proof's brewing equipment being delivered!

No word on precisely when things will get going, but it should be early next year. Get excited!

Cheers!

New Brew at Momo's

Momo's has tapped their Blackjack Stout, which I am currently enjoying. Not too shabby!

SCARVES!

I was lucky enough to be featured in my wife's craft blog wearing one of her famous infinity scarves! Check it out! I post this not only as a plea for orders ($15 - $20 apiece, depending on fabric), but because it is a funny picture and my role is relatable to this blog, after all!

Bartenders!

Click here for the whole article! It's awesome!

Beer People are Good People

Though I already knew it before, this blog has made me realize something once again.

Beer people are good people.

Granted I gave fair warning, but I have said some pretty negative things on this blog. Luckily for me, this has turned into positive things. This is why I love beer people.

Let's talk Golden Horn Brewing Company for a minute. Since my original post about them, their beers have gotten better and better and I have gotten to know one of the brewers more and more. Now, I'm not going to say we're best pals and we go skipping down Beer Avenue on a weekly basis... but we're friendly. He tells me about the upcoming beers online and in person and we're even working on setting up an interview with the brew team for my blog... and possibly even a GHBC/TBC collaborative brew... now that's crazy.

Let's recap. Step one: Write long, boring blog entry about a botched release and a couple of... uninspired brews. Step two: Strike up a conversation with a brewer. Step three: Interview and a collab brew?

Only beer people could make that jump.

Fast forward several months to my "State of the Union" post. Towards the end I mention Pensacola Brewing Company and how their beers are awful and the brewers are, to quote myself, "giant d-bags." Luckily for me, a co-worker went to Pensacola Bay's Facebook page, told them about my blog, and asked what the word was on their potential move to Tallahassee. Wait a minute. Luckily? Drawing their attention to my blog entry that calls their beers "awful" and calls their employees "giant d-bags?"

Yes, luckily.

I got a very kind e-mail from one of their owner/brewers asking if we had ever met and if I had ever been to Pensacola because he'd love to meet me and try to sway my opinion. A few emails later and I discovered this particular owner/brewer has never been to Tallahassee for a beer function and he personally invited me to come visit the brewery and sample beers with him next time I'm in Pensacola.

See... luckily! You have just got to love beer people. It's how we roll.

Beer people are good people. Don't forget it!

By the way, Pensacola Bay responded on their Facebook page that the move to Tallahassee probably wouldn't happen.

I could go on with many experiences involving RateBeer, traveling, trading, festivals, releases, relatives, negative stereotypes, and more, but I'll save those for another time.

Until then...
Cheers!

(also, do yourself a favor and watch this)

Upcoming Events

Well gang, the Thanksgiving holiday is over. I hope you went deep into a food coma and awoke early on Friday to knock over a toddler and grab the last giant TV on sale... time well spent, for sure!

Since the break is over, events are popping back up here and there. On Wednesday, November 30th, Proof will kill the end of the month in style with a nice Sweetwater event. They will be tapping the newest Dank Tank release - Fresh Sticky Nugs - as well as the last dank tank - Ghoulash. I have to say Ghoulash (black IPA) was pretty tasty, and I'm excited for Fresh Sticky Nugs. It's a dry-hopped double red ale. For the entire goofy story - click here. As is Proof style, there will also be a glassware giveaway.

Speaking of Fresh Sticky Nugs... how on earth does Sweetwater get away with their beer names? I'm thinking they must have an insider approving their labels. For your pleasure, here are some of their more interesting beer names:

420
Big Ol' Belgian Blue Balls
Border Hopper
The Creeper
Donkey Punch!
Dubbel Ds
Happy Ending
Hummer
Jack Ass
Motor Boat
Tripel Lindy
Wet Dream

Some of these are a bit more coded than others, so you may have to do some Googling to figure them out. I'll get you started with an old poster they apparently used when they released Happy Ending:

Anyway... Proof is also having a Dogfish Head happy hour from 5-7pm on Friday, December 2nd featuring tappings of Faithfull, Burton Baton, Immort Ale, Chicory Stout, "and a few more surprises." I'm told they may have another keg of 120 Minute, which always goes fast.

On December 7th, at 5pm when they open, Fermentation Lounge will be serving a haus "Twigs and Berries" cider. I can't remember what they put into it to make it, but proceeds that night go to benefit one of the male bartenders who had a biking accident and needs help with his medical bills... I'll let you put those pieces together... no pun intended. For you RateBeer folk, sadly we won't get to rate this one, as RateBeer does not allowed flavored ciders. Balderdash!

UPDATE: Robert of GH was kind enough to pass along the cider info to me on Facebook:

"Dec 7 (Wednesday) is the Festical for Trevor and we are serving a Twig and Berries cider. Twig and Berries is a dry cider with cranberries and cinnamon sticks added in the secondary. I cooked down 4 lbs of cranberries with cane sugar, agave syrup, and three different types of cinnamon sticks. Once the pectin was broke down in the cranberries, I chilled the mixture and added it to the cider."

He was also kind enough to pass along the next GH Haus Bier release information, which will be at 5pm on Monday, December 5th.

"Dec 5 (Monday) we are releasing Date Brown (20g), a dark English style brown ale with dates added during secondary fermentation, and Spiced Persimmon Ale (10g), an Amber ale with locally grown persimmons and a fresh ground spice mixture. We roasted the persimmons on my grill, so there is a slight bit of smokiness present."

As always, these sound unique and tasty! Because of school, I don't know for sure that I can make the Festical (hah!), but I should be able to make the Haus Bier release on the 5th if anyone wants to stop in and say hello!

Cheers!

Happy Thanksgiving! Beer Pairings!

Well, due to Thanksgiving break in a college town, just about every beer bar is on hiatus as far as beer events are concerned... Momo's might put out a beer this Sunday, since they didn't last weekend, but as always... who knows?

So instead, I thought I'd offer up some beer pairings for your Thanksgiving holiday. I have to admit, I'm not really awesome at pairing beer with food, because I always tend to drink something new and/or drink what I like... so I just don't worry about it. So, I've browsed a few sites, pulled some information, and put it all together here for you. I've also made sure that every beer I suggest is available in Tallahassee so if you want to give them a try... you can! I've divided my recommendations into categories to make your life a little bit easier.

Are you having non-beer guests?

Many websites recommend Sam Adams, and I can't say I disagree. Most non-nerds will think they're really cool and drinking something special if you throw a Boston Lager in front of them. They'll swoon back to that special Wednesday night a few weeks back at Applebee's with their co-workers when they scrolled past a Busch Light for a pint of Sam Adams. For something a little more adventurous, throw other entry-level craft breweries at them like Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, and Stone. They probably loved their commercials and TV shows.

Many websites also recommend ambers and brown ales. If you want to push your guests a little bit, go for Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale. Approachable, but perhaps a little more robust than other browns, you can make your guests stretch their palates a bit. Plus, since our local breweries don't distribute, that's about as close as you can get to drinking local since they're from Tampa.

Beer nerds or brave guests?

Well, Tallahassee may not be a crazy utopia of beer, but you have some options, and here are some tasty suggestions divided by food.

In general: Generically speaking, a lot of sites seem to recommend farmhouse beers, saisons, etc. Apparently the herbal, earthy, and sometimes slightly spicy quality of these brews make them a perfect match for turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and many other Thanksgiving dishes. Right now Dupont's Avec les Bons Voeux is in town, and it's one hell of a saison. If you want to support 'Merica (fuck yeah!), go with North Coast Le Merle.

For plain ol' turkey, most sites go for ambers and brown ales. This is a bit of a simple style, but I think one of the best go-to ambers is Bell's Amber, which I know is available in town. I say go for it, as you'll enjoy it, and you can probably push some off on your guests as well!

If you want to explore a bit, or if you're tossing some cranberry sauce on or around your turkey, go for Rodenbach Grand Cru. This tasty Flemish red has all the tartness you need to complement that weird slice of reddish goo. Another benefit is the wood, acid, and vinegar you can find in this brew, which is sure to please the winos in the group.

Not a turkey fan? Going with ham? Most sites seem to recommend bigger brews that have a touch of sweetness to supplement the salty sweetness of this pink God. Go with a doppelbock like Ayinger Celebrator or a weizenbock like Schneider Aventinus - both top of the line brews in their style and easily obtainable in Tallahassee.

If you want to match your brew with your sides, the aforementioned farmhouse brews work well. You can also go for something malty, a little sweet, and unoffensive for some added flavor that won't overpower your favorite sides. Brooklyn Winter is a decent Scottish Ale that is pleasantly unoffensive, and Anchor Porter is a somewhat lighter, sweeter porter that will give you nice touches of chocolate and coffee without killing the flavors in your sides.

If you're like me, you've just been waiting for dessert. Don't get me wrong - I freakin' love all the food - but deep down I've got a sweet tooth like a mammoth. The beer you drink can depend a bit on your dessert, but in general sweeter, maltier beers work here as well. I like to toast the season with a nice winter warmer, and Sam Smith's Winter Warmer is decent enough and available in town. Beware some winter brews, though, as they're often unclear on what they are. If you're not sure - look it up on RateBeer or Google the brew and find out what's in it. For instance, if you don't want to drink a beer with mace, you may want to stay away from Sweetwater Festive. The spice may kill delicate desserts, but may also complement something like pumpkin pie.

Love pecan pie? Do you shudder in ecstasy thinking about that crunchy, crispy, roasted bite of pecans on top of the diabetic-coma inducing layer of gooey sweetness? Give Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan a shot. Not only will the nuttiness pair well with the sweet, syrupy pie, you'll also be supporting a brewery from a state that is struggling when it comes to craft beer - Mississippi. Don't even get me started on that crazy state. Similar malty, nutty brown ales will get the job done, too, but I know this gem is available locally!

Love hops?

Sadly, most sites say that uber-hoppy brews like IPAs and double IPAs can really kill some of the food you're enjoying. Instead, you may want to go with a nice English IPA to get your hop kick out of the way. The hops will be a bit more earthy (matches the food better), as well as simply subdued more than most American versions. Sam Smith's India Ale comes to mind as a locally available standard version. Not convinced? Go with Bell's Two Hearted. This is one of my all-time favorite brews, and it happens to be single hopped with Centennial hops. This type of hop is a bit more sweet and floral than some super bitter American hops, which complements the solid malt backing of this brew... plus... it's just an awesome beer.

That leads me to my next point. Do you disagree with these pairings and suggestions? It's not like my blog to admit this, but... AWESOME! It makes me want to reiterate my favorite advice:

DRINK WHAT YOU LIKE!

Seriously though, please do comment with other suggestions you may have, as I'm all ears, and people may like to try your suggestions!

Enjoy the holiday weekend, drink plenty of brews, and as always...

CHEERS!

State of the Beer Union Address - Tallahassee

Times... they are a-changin'.

2011 has most definitely been an interesting year for the beer scene in Tallahassee. Two new breweries are open, operational, and pumping out brews. Several new breweries are on the horizon, and rumors point to even more in the future. More and more people are embracing craft beer, homebrewing, and locally made brews. Tallahassee might not be the next Portland, but I have to say - things are looking up.

I'd like to begin with a re-cap of the breweries that are operational today. The first brewery to release beers was Golden Horn Brewing Company housed inside Fermentation Lounge. The last operating brewery in Tallahassee was Buckhead, which closed in 2003... wow. No fresh beer in Tallahassee for 8 years... Needless to say, everyone was thrilled when Fermentation Lounge opened their doors that first Wednesday to serve Golden Horn beers, and I was no different.

As you may remember me posting, they got off to a bit of a rocky start. I had plenty to say about how things were going... I have to say now, though, that Golden Horn has really started stepping it up. I still hate getting served 10oz pours in wine glasses for 4-5 dollars, but the beers have been getting better and better. Just yesterday I was lucky to hit their most recent release and try a tasty chocolate oatmeal imperial stout and a chipotle ale. These were hands down two of my favorite brews that they've made, and I've had a good time over the past few months getting to know the brewing team. They seem to be good people doing the best with what they have available to them. However, I do still wish the prices weren't so high, and I just can't wrap my mind around why they would ever open a brewpub that only brews 10 and 20 gallon batches. Regardless, they were the first to open up in town, and we're all very glad they're around. Even if they just keep making 10 gallon batches of weird brews, I'll still be there every time.

Market Street Brewpub, housed inside Momo's Pizza (Market Street location - get it?), was the second brewpub in town to start serving fresh, locally made beer. They boast a 3-barrel system (at least - I think they may have a 7-barrel fermenter or tank), which means they have beers on all the time and for longer periods of time than Golden Horn. They also have a much different philosophy - putting out classic styles that are drinkable. I could barely believe my eyes (and mouth!) the first time I sat in a Tallahassee brewpub drinking a locally made IPA. Wow, now that's a feeling. I've since had every beer they've released, and I continue to bask in the glory that is sipping on a fresh pale ale while devouring a slice of pizza the size of a small aircraft.

If I had to make a complaint or two, and I do, I have to say I'm annoyed by their marketing... or should I say lack of marketing. They never say anything when they tap a new beer. So far I've gathered that it always happens on a Sunday, but the timing so far has been erratic. Every time I've learned about a beer on tap, it has been because a friend or co-worker sends me a text, or I simply call them and ask. Also, though I enjoy them thoroughly, I have yet to be blown away by one of their brews. They are classic, drinkable, and go well with pizza, but I'm a beer nerd. I want them to put out an IPA that is dripping with so much hop character I sink away into a blissful hop coma until drool froths from my mouth and someone has to slap me back into reality. Until then, though, I will remain happy to go every couple of Sundays to enjoy a fresh, classic brew with 10,000 calories of pizza.

"I wanna know who's gonna pay for this - I spilt beer all over it when that car smashed into me."

So what does the future hold for Tallahassee beer?

Well... a lot of things, I hope. We know for sure that Proof is going to be opening a brewery downstairs, probably early next year, which will be awesome. Other than that... we mainly have rumors. Mike's Stone Baked Pizza was supposedly going to start brewing, but it's taken longer than expected, and my sources tell me it's probably not going to happen. There are also rumors of a couple of other homebrewers in town joining forces with local business owners to open brewpubs in or around the Midtown area, but nothing is 100% yet, of course.

Other than that, there are also rumors flying that Pensacola Bay will be either starting another location in Tallahassee or possibly moving here completely. I, for one, would be completely happy without them. Every single beer I've had by them has been awful, and though I don't have personal experience, many sources tell me the brewers are... shall we say... giant d-bags. I'd be completely okay with them not moving into town, though I hate to turn away fresh local beer. If you've ever had their brews or talked to them - you know what I'm talking about.

"But we have never measured progress by these yardsticks alone. We measure progress by the success of our people. By the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. By the prospects of a small business owner who dreams of turning a good idea into a thriving enterprise. By the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children.

That's the project the American people want us to work on. Together."

Cheers!