Bluepoint Brewery and Pete Cotter

Last night at Proof was long Island's Blue Point Brewery's launch party and glassware giveaway.

The night started off a little shaky, my roommate was celebrating her birthday and we wanted to be there early enough to plant our asses in a space at the bar and ensure a free glass as we poor boys do, but we ended up arriving right at the stroke of eight. To our surprise, not only was it fairly dead, but the bartenders had mistakenly started handing out glasses, and as we stepped to the bar to get our own, we got a quick, stonerific, answer of "oh, well, we gave them out by accident, you're gonna have to wait until the beer rep gets here." The place packed out about 20 minutes later.

Ra-tards.

Luckily, said beer rep was an awesome dude by the name of Parish, who was a Stinky's rep, once upon a time. I was outside smoking when they arrived and missed out on hearing the obligatory "if you have any questions for us, do it now 'cause we're drinkin'" speech, but I was quickly forwarded this information, and i scooted my way in with the shyest, cutest, non-threatening wave I could muster.

Now, mind you, i read up on these guys initially, had a whole set of questions written up in my beer diary which is nice, hard cover, moleskin...and i left it at home. I couldn't of felt more unprofessional approaching him with a Wal-Mart receipt leaning on my wallet to scribble down notes whilst drinking a beer, but after a few words with Pete Cotter, I realized, my inappropriateness was right up their alley.

The beers they they turned out on tap included:
Rastafa Rye IPA
Toasted Lager
Hoptical Illusion and
Blueberry

Kay: How's it feel to be in the armpit of America?
Pete: I thought that was Nassau County where I'm from.

Kay: Why Tallahassee?
Pete: You know, I go to 3 thousand more towns than anyone else? I don't know, I like Tallahassee, it's a classic beer town, but one of a kind at the same time. I came here 15 years ago with my friend, Attorney Bernie...he's not actually an attorney though, hahaha, and I remembered it as a decent place for beer.

Kay: How far away does Cobblestone Brewery and Winery (now closed) feel right now?
Pete: (This is where he gave me a- ahhhh this little girl did her homework smirk) Not that far away, not much has changed, really.

Kay: Are craft beers hard to come by in New York? You are Long Island's first microbrewery, after all.
Pete: Something like that. A lot of people in that area drink Sam Adams and Bass, Bass is a big one, so we wanted to create something that would speak to the Long Island market, which is why we created our flagship beer Toasted Lager. Those other beers are a bit underdeveloped, we wanted something with a lot more flavor and drinkability as well.

This is about where i ran out of room on the receipt, but we talked for some time about Tallahassee, how I know Parish, how I'm unemployed, what places to hit up in North Florida, etc, but one nice tidbit I got from discussing my unemployment and the closing of Stinky's due to the BP Oil Spill, is that Blue Point Has released a new beer called Toxic Sludge, a Black IPA brewed to help with spill issues and available now.

It was a good time, kids, hope you made it out.

And, without further adieu, the beers:



Toasted Lager: Smooth as a lager should be and wonderfully nutty. It finishes sweet, but not overpoweringly so. Easy to drink and more complex with each sip and as it draws closer to room temperature.



Rastafa Rye IPA: My first rye ale. Remarkably light in rye breadiness and hoppy as an IPA better be. Smooth and crisp for a slightly darker brew. More malt intensive than expected but still delicious.



Hoptical Illusion: Armpitish in aroma, which, as gross as this sounds, is the mark of a great hop intensive beer, to me anyway, and really bitter. Feels more like an IPA than the Rastafar Rye and darker and easier to get down the gullet than expected. Very Tasty!

Proof events, beer, and other things

So, the cask night on Wednesday was canceled at the last minute, but I made it out there and stayed at the bar anyway...it was Kill The Kegs, and I was more than happy drinking 2 and 3 dollar beers.

But, what IS happening tonight at Proof:

@ 8 pm Bluepoint Brewing launch party and glassware giveaway! Meet both the owner and Brewmaster tonight as the Long Island company makes it's debut in North Florida.

October 29th: @ 8 pm; Victory Hopdevil India Pale Ale cask ale night and glassware giveaway. That's what the title says, but the info states that it's a cask of Hop-Wallop. I guess we'll see just which one it is.

October 30th: @ 8 pm; Proof's second birthday/Tallahassee Brewfest after party/Halloween party. Horror movies on the big screen, killer specials, treats and a costume contest for bar tabs.

And, don't forget Tallahassee Brewfest @ the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum from 5-9 pm. Tickets are $29.99/$99 for VIP.

Now, with all that out of the way, ON TO THE BEER!



IPA by Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, California. This India Pale Ale is Lagunitas' flagship beer and brewed with 43 different hops and 65 various malts. Such a mixture leaves you with a very well balanced beer that's slightly more malty than hoppy, but don't you dare expect this to be anything other than an IPA. This is the perfect starter IPA for those who have little experience with more bitter beers or those who generally turn their noses up at hop intensive brews.

It wouldn't take long to convince someone to love this beer.

Had this at Fermentation Lounge.



Torpedo extra or double IPA by Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico, California. You kind of already need a little hair on your chest to drink this. In fact, it's hardcore hoppiness is almost too much for even I to bare, but it's ability to titter on the cusp is why I love it. It's Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale's bad ass older brother. Very heavy, very herbal in flavor due to the whole cone American hops used in the dry hopping process, but very enjoyable. It takes some time to get this one down, but that's ok considering it's over 7%.

Bought this for a day with my old roommate Matt and also had this at Fermentation Lounge.



Two Hearted Ale by Bell's Brewing in Comstock, Michigan. An India Pale Ale and another 7%-er, this brew is made exclusively with American Centennial hops from the Pac Northwest which gives it i nice pine aroma and bitter citrus flavor. But don't worry, there's a ton of malts also to balance it out. It's crisp and bitter yet smooth and quickly reminds me of why i can't live my life with Budlight.

Had this for the first time at Fermentation Lounge

Victory Cask

Tonight @ Proof; 8 pm Victory cask. Tomorrow night's Stone cask night has been canceled due to shipping problems and rescheduled for sometime in early November. Proof's website doesn't have the Victory announcement on it, but I spied it with my peepers on the liquor store chalk board a few nights ago.

Also up coming at Proof:

October 26th @ 8 pm: Bluepoint Brewery Launch Party! Both the owner and Brewmaster will be there, and even though I've never tried their beer, apparently "good things come in small batches". We'll see what this Long Island Brewery has to offer to North Florida.

So will it be the pale ale, IPA, summer or winter ales, or the lager?

October 30th @ 8 pm: Proof's second birthday/Halloween/Brewfest after party. Scary movies on the big screen, costume contest, and specials are afoot.

And don't forget about the Tallahassee Brewfest October 30th @ the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum. Tickets on sale for $29.99/$99 for VIP.

Southern Tier, round duex

So here are a few more from Souther Tier in Lakewood, New York.



iniquity, “the antithesis of unearthly”. An Imperial India black ale brewed year round and sits at almost 9% ABV. Don't be fooled by the color of this beer, just because it's black as night doesn't mean it's going to be anything like a stout. IBA's, and especially this one, have all the bold flavors you'd expect from a stout, but lacking in the same texture. Big and hoppy like an IPA should be, this brew is very impressively different from anything else I've ever had.

Another great black beer to try is the Brazilian made Xingu.



It some how holds a strangeness about it that can only be described as being half way between beer and South American, real cane sugar, Coca-Cola. It took about half a beer to decide if I liked it or not, to be honest, simply because I felt like my pallet was being accosted. How dare they confuse me.

Anyway, back to Southern Tier.



Pumking, "brewed with pagan spirit". Imperial Pumpkin Ale released in August and made for the fall. It's a strong boy at 8.8%. I feel like I can forgive this the sell out, pumpkin, stereotypical, fall brew...everyone makes a pumpkin ale for October...for sake of the Harvest ESB. On a different note this is one of the few pumpkin brews I've had that takes the whole of the Thanksgiving concept. Aside from the high gravity tang, each sip gives you a little brown sugar, a little graham cracker, and a pumpkin pie feeling without actually, physically tasting too much like a pie. It's worth trying, but I suggest finding a place with this beer on tap, otherwise it only comes in boomer 22 oz. bottles.



Creme Brulee, "a stout of great contention". An Imperial milk stout that rings in at almost 10% ABV and released only for the summer. One would think it'd do better in the fall and winter months because it is a stout at the end of the day, but the added milkiness of it makes it easy to drink in the heat. This easily a dessert beer, as silly as that may sound to some. It's sweetness over rides the hoppiness of this beer, and I can really only handle three ounces or so. It truly tastes like a fine French dessert, and if you're into beer that tastes like food, go for it.

I'm a firm believer that fruit and food flavors have no business in beer, but that's just a personal philosophy.

As for what's next? I'm excited to try:



Krampus, "are you naughty or nice?". Imperial Helles Lager that'll be available next month.

Southern Tier, O! How I love thee

There's no way I could ever say I truly love a single brewery, my heart is far too fickle for such a statement, but I can easily say that I have never been disappointed by a beer from Southern Tier. So, here are a few beers I have found to be incredibly enjoyable from these folks in Lakewood, New York.



Farmer's Tan, "the hallmark of hard work". An imperial pale lager brewed only for the summer; generally released in June. This guy's a heavy hitter, ringing in an alcohol content of 9% and only distributed in boomers (22 oz. bottles) and 1/6th barrels.

Probably the strongest-in flavor and alcohol-I've ever experienced in a lager. Robust, which the paleness in color of this beer would make one think otherwise, smooth, but bitter in after taste. Very malty and sweet almost at first before the hops roundhouse kick you. If only they made this year round.



Unearthly IPA, "an uninhibited infusion of hops". Imperial India Pale Ale available year round from these guys. Be very, very careful with this brew, the 11% ABV on this one is no joke, and neither are the hops. Better on tap (of course) than in a boomer; bitter, oh so bitter on the end but pleasantly so. This beer is raw and almost dirty tasting, like a beer should taste. If herbally brews are not your bag, stay away.



Harvest, "quadrupulus humulus lupulus". An ESB, or, Extra Special Bitters, brewed for the first time this year and released for the fall. First, I'd just like to say how refreshing it is to get a fall seasonal that's not pumpkin beer, God, pumpkin beer season makes me want to shoot myself in the face. Second, the 4 hop varieties in this beer are balanced so well with just 2 malts, it's almost a wonder on how it could be an ESB. Very drinkable, guys, try it while you can.

Just a handful to name a few, more to come from my experiences with Southern Tier in my next post.

Cask Night, Brewfest and other things

Tonight @ 8 pm, Proof; Terrapin Cask Ale and pint glass giveaway.

What's in the cask, you may ask, why, none other than Big Hoppy Monster. This brew is a red ale/American amber/whatever other label you want to give it and Beeradvocate gives it an A-. It's part of their monster beer tour which includes 3 others, so my assumption is that Tallahassee was just bestowed with whatever the brewery chose for the region or something. It's a hefty boy at 8.75%, however, so be careful tonight.

Now, Georgia's come into it's own with a few great breweries around, but I can't really say that I've enjoyed the Terrapin brews that I've had. I'm more than willing to give this guy a try, especially when the bar's in walking distance from the crib. Not to mention it's become near impossible to steal a glass from that joint, so, the glass give away is a major plus.

The week of the 21st (yay, my birthday) will be the same deal but with Stone Brewery with a cask of Ruination IPA.

Also coming up at the end of the month is the 4th annual Tallahassee Brewfest at the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum. October 30th from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm; tickets are $29.99, VIP $99 (you basically pay triple the price to get in an hour early and 'sample' beers only for VIP members and get a cheesy t-shirt). Tickets include unlimited beer tasting and food is available, but only light weights need that. After party at Proof.

Whoever took my fucking glass...

While wallowing in unemployment hell this morning, I came across a post in that thing on my dashboard from Beervana about being listed as the number one beer blog on some ranking site, which is awesome, congratulations.

However, I was much more interested in an article that came out yesterday on the Brewpublic blog that I was lead to. There was a small pang in my heart when I read it and it easily ties into the point I made yesterday about brew pubs in the PacNorthwest.

I have both stayed at the Skamania Lodge and booze hounded at The Walking Man which is, I can honestly say this now, the first place I ever experienced an IPA and fell in love. The Homo Erectus has a very special place in my heart and I'm so excited to see that tiny, and I mean, tiny blip on the radar known as Stevenson, Washington is being appreciated.

To the guys at the Walking Man, I was in that inappropriately sized group of miscreants that invaded your space 4/5 years ago from Miami, Florida. And to the woman who banged out a breakfast for 9 big eaters all by her lonesome in that amazing little diner on the main drag. Thank you for the kindness, the hospitality unmatched even here in the south, the brew, and for giving me something I will never forget.

I still have my Homo Erectus shirt...but whoever took my fucking Walking Man glass...I swear to god...of all the pint glasses in my house I've stolen from bars, you had to take the one I paid for and can never replace...thanks a fucking lot, asshole.

Gettin' a little heavier...

We're going to get a little deeper here, a little heavier, a little stronger...a little bit closer to what I usually drink.

After spending some time out west in states like Washington and Oregon, and even in places closer, like Pennsylvania, I've come to be very dissatisfied with the fact that down here, in good ol' sunny Florida, we have very little to offer in the micro brew/brew pub/craft beer venue area. Now, what the guys are doing over at Cigar City is pretty amazing, totally noteworthy, and something everyone should experience if they get the chance, but very little else is happening here. So, I'm going to start with something close to home.

This first beer comes from Jupiter, Florida:



Monk in the Trunk from Inlet Brewing Company. An organic amber ale that's not actually brewed in Florida, but instead brewed by Thomas Creek Brewery in Greenville, South Carolina. Now...this beer is the only thing Inlet produces...and they don't actually make it...so I don't know how that all works...sounds pretty whack to me.

Anyway.

Had this when we served it at Stinky's Fish Camp, back when it was pretty miserably hot outside. Tastes like Yuengling with the addition of Belgian yeast...as lame a description as that is. Too much on such a humid night.



Midas Touch by Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware. This is a 2,700 year old recipe discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Delightfully sweet and bitter at the same time. You can taste the honey and saffron in it, but it's not over powering by any means. This shit'll deceptively intoxicate you as well; it's sweet, earthy, loveliness hides the fact that it's 9%. I drink this whenever available.

Had this first at Proof and then later at Fermentation.

Gettin' warmer...

God, I felt like I had so much less in the wit/wheat/Belgian area but I guess that's all I could manage in this summer's 100 degree plus weather. The trouble of going through a book of 60+ beers falls hard in reality also.



Samurai by Great Divide Brewery in Denver, Colorado. A Rice Ale, something totally different from anything else I've ever had. The texture is like a wit once in your mouth but the yeast infection tang is totally absent. Instead it has an almost floral taste which is different and refreshing. Very crisp and smooth considering that it's an unfiltered beer, so be mindful when pouring.

Solid.

Bought this bad boy at The Liquor Loft for a day of food, booze and mural creation with my old roommate Matt.



Joker hard cider by Ace out of Sonoma County California.

Now...I typically really hate ciders. Mostly because I love apple juice...a lot...and soon find myself face planted in a gutter somewhere after drinking too many because I forget there's alcohol content in that shit. That and it makes me feel like I'm in Junior High again and Mom and Dad won't allow me to have a sip of champagne.

But there's just something about this one that sets me off. I guess it's the wonderful mimosa feeling and flavor it has that makes me feel like a classy bitch. I don't really have anything to say other than MOMMY LIKES.

Had this guy at Fermentation as recommended by Tyler.



Blanche by Weyerbacher in Easton, Pennsylvania.

I love Penn and the amazing beers they produce in the state. Blanche is the only beer I've ever had from the Weyerbacher brewery and I can't say that I was terribly impressed. It truly is a very nice, very smooth, very drinkable white beer, however, nothing to specifically write home about.

I'm not going to pass judgment on this brewery until I've had more of their product, but, and as idiotic as this sounds, I'm never inclined to buy their beers and most of it has to do with the awful graphic designer they hired (sorry...I have a degree in art). I know, never judge a book by it's cover, but packaging is a big fucking deal in a media inundated society. Get your shit together, guys.

Bought this a The Liquor Loft for a night of booze hounding at the house.



The Love by Starr Hill Brewing from Charlottesville, Virginia. Someone once told me that one of the original brew masters from Starr Hill is the creator of Sweetwater, but I don't have the energy to research whether that's true or not. Starr Hill is the superior brewery in my opinion, however, The Love is a very disappointing wheat beer. Mediocre in both flavor and texture- the citrus tang at the end is very nice, but the rest is not very desirable. I won't buy this again.

Got this at Seminole Discount Liquor, and almost sorry I did, for beer pong at Tyler's.

The Belgian Bonanza Continues

In keeping with my diary entries of the lighter, summery beers about to either be inappropriate to drink and/or off the shelves at some point, here are the rest I meant to talk about...yesterday...and perhaps even more to come, to be honest.

Before I even introduce this beer, I just want to say, there was a point where this was the only brew I'd consume when available, ha ha.



White by Allagash in Portland, Maine. Had this on draft at Proof and later in bottle at Fermentation Lounge.

Smooth, clean, crisp and yeasty at the end. It's an incredible summer beer, especially on a nasty, humid, damp, frizzy hair kind of night. The smell comes off sweet and bready with a hint of citrus and translates into the overall flavor.

An actual Belgian this time:



Duvel a Belgian, bottle conditioned, golden ale from Moortgat Brewery in Puurs Belgium. The head on this beer was so thick I could of floated a fat kid on it. Thick, creamy, and deliciously tangy.

And the last for this evening, a short brew for the summer only:



Satsuma by Abita Brewing in Abita Springs, Louisiana. Like the other fruit flavored beers I've tried from Abita, this one focuses more on the essence of the fruit, rather than cramming it down your throat. It's every bit a wit as one could be, so it's not for those who have held their dicks between their legs and ventured only into Shock Top or Blue Moon. Nice for the summer, and who doesn't love a brewery like Abita who go out of their way to help their community? Restoration, or SOS anyone?

The Dog Days of Summer Are Over

Ahhh, the end of summer. For those who live in a world that involves snow, I'm sure the looming idea of shovels and hand warmers is suddenly all too close, but, here in The Sunshine State, the beginning of fall only marks the end of inappropriate heat and humidity. It also marks the time of year where stouts and robust beers dominate the scene.

So, in keeping with my claim that, yes, I will be adding all of the old beers from the physical diary to this virtual one, here are a few of the lighter guys I tried back when it was too hot to sit outside and smoke a cigarette.



Helios by Victory Brewing which sits about 40 minutes outside of Philly. I was in Philly this June, and for some God awful reason, my friend didn't want to take me there (even though they had an amazing kegs and eggs deal going down for the World Cup), though she was kind enough to drive me 3 hours north to Pottsville to visit the original Yuengling Brewery.

A saison/Belgian farmhouse style brew that Beer Advocate gives a B+.

Now...I didn't shit all over myself on how awesome this beer was, not like the old boys on Ba, in fact, according to the diary, I HATED it, which is striking, because I love almost everything that utilizes Belgian Yeast. I know, I have a vagina, which some how discredits my opinion by half, since, what do women know about beer and driving automobiles? But farmhouse does more than just describe the brewing style, this beer tastes like what I'd imagine a live horse would taste like. The diary even notes that I wanted to send it back, which is something I never do.

Had this at Fermentation Lounge here in Tallahassee, Florida.

As for a saison I love:



Hennepin by Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, New York.

This beer puzzles me to no end. It's got this coriander and ginger taste and paired with Belgian yest it comes off as having a very exotic and almost fruity flavor. What's even more puzzling about it, is how it retains a light and highly drinkable weight to it while being higher in gravity then most beers at 7.7%.

Badass, in just about every way.


Had this at Stinky's Fish Camp here in Tallahassee, Fl.

R.I.P. Stinky's...I'll miss being your bartender...this is depressing me...I'll have more to post later.