Tag Archives: Craft Beer

The Best Thing You Will Ever Do on a Saturday Morning

by

0

Image

Half Acre Brewery is a great place to grab a tour for those who like to wake up for a Saturday morning adventure. I am not a morning person – but I was really proud of myself when I woke up early enough to pick up a very necessary bagel and coffee before making an hour drive into Chicago to get in line for a chance to join the Half Acre Brewery tour. I knew that if I wasn’t in line in time to be included in the lucky 60 people allowed on the tour at 11am – I could still enjoy the tap room (and so can you if you don’t do well with mornings).

When the line starts getting long – a nice young man with nice snug jeans will come out and count the people who will be able to get in, let you know where the cut off is, and tell everyone else that the tap room will be open. My boyfriend and I were behind the cut off, and too tired to be heartbroken. At 11am they opened the doors and started letting people in. Somehow by the wonders of nature we were the last two people let into the tour, even though earlier we might have left. Half Acre Brewery tours prove that miracles can happen to anyone.

First off – you’re going to get three pints of solidly great beer for 10 dollars on this tour, plus the glass you get to bring home. This is by far – the most for your money in dollars per ounce that you’re going to get on a beer tour (that you randomly attend without any pre-arranged membership, etc.) – especially in a big city. I’m going to tell you what I filled my pint glass with.

I started with the Pony Pilsner. This was great. It was a full flavored bitter beer that has a really fresh, crisp ending to it. I wouldn’t recommend it right away to a beginning beer drinker because it might be a bit much, but would recommend it to folks looking for a good alternative to a filling fruity wheat beer over the summer. This is has a fresh enough taste that it works for the summer, while still satisfying the bitter beer lover.

The Akari Shogun English Brown was my second beer & is great because it’s really, really smooth. It’s also right in the middle of the bitter – sweet scale and a solid combination of nutty and juicy. The flavor is a little overwhelming at first, but it’s quick to get used to and I would have a hard time not recommending it to anyone.

Last, I had the Ambrosia, a great wheat beer. A lot of wheat beers that folks start making closer to summer either taste like Lambic or Lemonade and could replace an entire meal at the rate they expand in your stomach. This is brewed with oranges & hibiscus – and has a nice malty finish. This one is pretty medium weight – with a really creative and well balanced flavor that you just have to try.

Also available that day was Half Acre’s staple, Daisy Cutter Pale Ale. It’s great pale ale. The situation is that I didn’t have it… that day, so I didn’t really write down anything about how I think it tastes. Honestly, I have it at least once every time I am in the Chicago area so you should just try it. Per the name, it is obviously a hoppy beer with a tiny floral hint. Just trust me and have some – you basically have to.

You also should take sometime to walk around in this place and look at all of the characters on the tanks, and the stickers on the wall. You’ll heard someone yell when it’s time for you to go – but these folks aren’t just good brewers, they’re fun characters – so take some time to look around, and even pop over to the tap room afterwards if you have enough space left in your stomach.

On a scale from “I hate everything on Saturday mornings,” to “I wake up with the sun and everything before noon is wonderful,” this is totally a 9 on the “worth it” scale in my book. These folks are energetic, happy to have you, and they know their shit. The only thing I would say is that you need to remember to eat beforehand, because otherwise you’ll be drunk during the tour, and you’ll start having conversations when someone is trying to teach you about beer. You really should listen to these guys – they’re smart, and even a little funny.

Things to Google before you go: (some of these are dictated by the characters on the tanks – have fun!)

New season of Arrested Development

Devil’s Half Acre

Why cans are better than bottles

(Project) Narwhal

Follow them on Twitter:

@halfacrebeer

More info on the beer:

http://halfacrebeer.com/beer/

Beer with the Anderson Family

by

2

Image

If you ever take a trip to Madison, Wisconsin, one of the spots I’m sure you’ll visit for beer is the Great Dane – a brew pub that has four great locations in Dane County. Something a lot of folks don’t know is that there is also a location in Wausau, Wisconsin – a place that you think is “up north” if you’re from out of state. Really, Wausau is in central Wisconsin, and this is a great stop is you’re visiting breweries in the area (among them are Central Waters, O’So, & Point). I should say that all of the Great Dane locations have different beers at different times – but do keep their staple beers everywhere.

The treat about this trip is that I was with my family. My mother, father, & I were visiting my sister who is working in Wausau. I’m happy to say that this post includes special commentary from my dad. My dad grew up on a farm in Northeast Wisconsin and worked his way up with my mom to make sure we had a nice place in the suburbs. He embodies Wisconsin because of his hard work, his excessive love of hunting, planting vegetables, wearing flannel & sweatpants together, and his understanding that you need to bring cheese & venison jerky with you on every long trip so that you have something to eat in the case you get stranded and need a snack.

So now that you have some background – we’ll get to the beer. Folks will tell you that you absolutely have to try the Crop Circle Wheat. My dad said “Tastes kinda fruity. Reminds me of the old feed mill.” I say it’s a smooth creamy wheat beer with a lemony flavor. The texture is super unique & it’s worth a try. Be aware that this beer fills you up, and you should make sure you’re staying awhile, or waiting a second to order your food if you’re going to have it.

If you wander around a UW-Madison on game day, you’ll for sure find someone with a t-shirt that says “Grateful Red.” That’s also the name of a beer here.  My dad says “Kinda reminds me of briar rabbit molasses.” It might be because I am too young – but I have no honest to God idea what that means. This is a full flavored red lager that is a little creamy with a slight bitter molasses edge. While it’s flavorful – it’s very light and is easy to have with a meal. It offsets some good Wisconsin deep fried food very well.

If you’re a brown ale fan – you’ll probably like the Otter’s Brown. It’s not complicated and very light. The taste starts sweet, and just when you don’t think it’s that creative, there’s a nice bitter after taste. It’s well put together but honestly just not one of my favorites. I could work with it if it were a little heavier & had a bit more flavor. My dad had a profound opinion of this one saying, “This is pretty good.”

Next, let’s talk Emerald Isle Stout. This come’s highly recommended by my sister. She says, “It tastes like coffee – good coffee. It was recommended to by a really nice man who works here.” What you don’t know about my sister is that she is a former (but well- seasoned) Starbucks employee and overall coffee enthusiast and snob. This stout was a little light for my taste – but she loves it.

Last, the Schwartz Bock. My dad says, “This is really good. This is my favorite.” It was my favorite of the day too. It was a medium weight beer that you could drink easily, with a well measured, complex taste. It has a caramely hint & a chewy texture with a nice full, bitter finish. Don’t drink it too fast – or you won’t appreciate it.

There are a lot of great staples & rotating beers here. In my experience, the wait staff members are usually local folks and know what they’re talking about – so feel free to ask questions. On a scale from “don’t bother” to “you’re an idiot if you visit Wisconsin without going here,” it’s a solid 7.5 and a good spot in my book. Just to draw you in a little more – if you’re a mac & cheese fan, that goes up to an 8.

Things to Google before you go:

John Stoner, Fitchburg Farmer

Beer Soap (because you can get them at some locations)

Fauerbach Brewery

 

More Info:

About the beer: http://wausau.greatdanepub.com/location-beers

Follow them on Twitter: @greatdanepub

A Spot Too Often Missed in Downtown Green Bay

by

0

Image

Our biggest industry in Wisconsin is tourism. One of the reasons is because a bunch of people come to Green Bay every year for Green Bay Packer games.  Downtown Green Bay is an area usually missed by football tourists, but if you’re also a craft beer lover, you should make the quick drive over. One of the treasures downtown is Hinterland Brewery. Hinterland Brewery also distributes locally, so it’s a great thing to pick up and bring home.

First – if you’re thinking of having dinner here, be prepared to pay a little more. If you’re super hungry for a good bear and a big greasy cheeseburger, this isn’t the place. They have a lot of reasonably portioned, well crafted, locally grown food. So if you want to go somewhere where you’re sure to try some new, creatively put together food, this is the spot for you.

But I am more concerned with the beer.

True to form, I started out with their Pale Ale – the go to beer at Hinterland. It tastes and smells grainy & floral toned hops. I loved this one because the texture was really unique. I felt like I could feel the grain on my tongue when I was drinking it & it gave my beer a really fresh edge. The Pale Ale is a medium weight & is a great start to the night at 5.3% ABV.

Another staple at Hinterland is their Luna Stout. This stout is medium weight and goes down super smooth.  This is a perfect fit if you’re a creamy coffee lover. If you don’t like coffee – don’t get this. Like most stout – this comes best after dinner, but you honestly could have it any time.

By far & away in my mind, the best year- round- beer at Hinterland is their Amber Ale. First I should point out that a lot of times when you go to a brew pub & order “The Amber,” you’re getting a lager. This is ale. In a nutshell, ales are more flavorful because they are brewed differently and often use more ingredients.  So this Amber is heavier than you might expect and has a strong roasty – piney flavor, & even has a hint of a sweet after taste. This is a must have if you’re in Green Bay.

I want to mention quick just two seasonal beers. First is the Cherry Wheat. If you’re overwhelmed by the ales and stouts are a dark, scary thing to you, the cherry wheat can be a safe space. It’s a clean, crisp, wheat beer that doesn’t overdo it – and obviously have hints of sour Door County Cherry. Door County Cherries are famous here – and they make just about cherry everything up there. If you’re in Wisconsin for a while and making your way to Door County – you’ll know Shipwrecked in Egg Harbor also makes cherry wheat. Hinterland’s is better.

In honor of the 40-50 degree difference between the weather now, and this time last year I want to mention the Winterland seasonal. The winterland is medium weight with a full malty flavor – but what makes it special is the tart juniper berry aftertaste. It’s a great beer for the end of your night.

I should also mention if you’re coming here with non-beer lovers, there’s a good selection of wine & scotch here too – so everyone should have a great time!

The last thing to point out is that the staff here is good. They know their beer, and they know their menu. They’ll be able to walk you through your beer and food choices successfully. They’re also smart. I haven’t had a trip to hinterland without having a conversation with the staff about current events, and NPR radio show, or how Green Bay is working to rebuild its downtown area. Overall – I’d rate this place a 9/10 on the awesome scale. Hope you all can make a trip here after the next Packer game!

 

Things to Google Before You Go:

Science Friday on NPR (just for conversation with the nice host)

Hagemeister Park Green Bay (the park – and the restaurant)

Kavarna Coffee (a great place nearby)

Duck Heart (because yea… it’s on the menu)

More Info on Hinterland:

About the beer: http://www.hinterlandbeer.com/Beer.html

Follow on Twitter: @hinterlandbeer

Better reasons to go to DC… but there are Pretzels

by

0

Last week I had a great time visiting some of my friends in Washington DC. Naturally I wanted to visit a brewery.  Most breweries were only open for tours on Saturday, but Capitol City Brewery has a restaurant right downtown where I could get dinner and a couple beers.

If you go to this place during happy hour on a weekday – it will probably be crowded and loud. The plus side is that it’s because appetizers are cheaper during happy hour. The place is also big enough to accommodate it. We were told our wait would be 20 minutes and we only waited about 5. We sat down at our table, and our server promptly brought us one of those appetizers everyone gets. But here it’s not chips, salsa, or bread; it’s totally pretzels and mustard… which is awesome, & obviously respectable for every brew pub. If I find one without pretzels available on the menu from now on, you will hear about it.

The first beer I tried was their Pale Rider Pale Ale. If you like Pale Ale or IPA, do not order this. It has the usual Pale Ale medium weight, but just no flavor and no complexity at all. I usually like to let you know what food to have with your beer, or if you should have it before, after, or during dinner. If you have to have the Pale Ale for yourself, please just order it during dinner so that at least you have your food to eat between sips.

After finishing my Pale Ale as quickly as possible I tried their Prohibition Porter. It was a lot lighter than I expected but it has a creamy oatmeal malty flavor. You could totally have this for a beer during or after dinner. I wouldn’t recommend it be your first beer.

After the porter, I asked out waiter what their best beer was – he said he didn’t drink beer, like at all. He didn’t like it. I ordered the Rye Saison with no help from that guy. It was good: Hoppy, grape fruity, and full. It tasted exactly like I expected. It was a blessing a curse – nothing terrible, but nothing creative.

On a scale from “Beer I drink in a College Basement” to “Creative Small town Wisconsin Brewery,” it’s a 5, or C, meaning it’s entirely average at all counts. If you’re going to DC, there are lots of pubs that have great beer selections of beer made in other parts of the county; I would check out those.

 

Things to Google before you go (to make your DC conversations & experience better):

House of Cards (be prepared to discuss which episode you’re on, and whether or not the British version is better)

Snowquester (if you’re from the Midwest, you’ll want to make fun of some people for this)

DC Brunch (brunch is the best ever in this city – you’ll want to experience it)

The White House & the US Capitol Building*

More Info:

Here’s where you can check out what’s on draft now: http://www.capcitybrew.com/seasonalbrews.php

Follow them on Twitter: @CapCityBrewers

*This seems obvious, but a lot of tourists take pictures in front of the Capitol Building and caption them “I’m at the White House!” They’re not. Just make sure you know the difference so you don’t embarrass yourself. 

Want to start beer tasting & learning more? I have the place for you.

by

0

Titletown Brewery is more than a brew pub… it’s become a neighborhood hot spot in Green Bay. Whether you’re a veteran beer lover, taster, & enthusiast, or… usually drink Bud Light in someone’s basement, there is a spot for at the bar, and better beer for you to try.

Titletown is a great place in particular if you’re not an avid craft beer drinker and want to go somewhere with no judgment, but a world of opportunity to learn about Wisconsin’s great beer tradition – and a little bit about the Green Bay Packers while you’re there – hence the name Titletown.*

I’d like to share a couple of my personal favorites at Titletown, and start with the beers that won’t overwhelm you if you’re just starting to learn about the amazing world of beer. I have two go – to beers at Titletown. The first is the Johnny “Blood” Red. This is a tried & true Irish Red Ale that has just a tad more of a roasted taste than usual. It’s a great starter if you’re out for dinner, because it’s not quite light – but by no means heavy & you’re sure to finish it before your meal arrives in time to order yourself a beer to have with dinner.

My second go – to beer, as an IPA lover, is the Green 19 IPA. Number one, it smells great. It’s all around a great introduction to IPAs as it pretty medium all the way around on intensity. It has a clean floral – citrusy taste with medium hop bitterness. If it’s too much for you – call me a hop head and be upset.

The next beer to highlight is their Bamberg Brew which the menu describes as a “Smoked Oktoberfest Style Amber Lager.” Obviously that’s a long title, so let me simplify. I tried it and immediately thereafter said “This tastes like bacon.” Try it.

If you’re a beginner and scared of darker beer – go ahead and try the ZizaniAle – it’s a brown ale with an ounce of wild rice per pint. I absolutely loved it. Dark doesn’t mean heavy – and this one is light, smooth, full of smoky flavor, and goes down nicely. It’s a great beer to eat with the beer cheese fondue (that you should totally order), because it will quench your thirst and keep you feeling fresh without sacrificing taste.

If you pop in during the next few weeks – you’ll for sure see signs for the Perle Pale Ale. In Wisconsin, we like our creative hop blends, but this beer is brewed with 100% Perle hops that have a minty –spicy flavor giving it clean, crisp, full taste. It’s also a bit smoother than your average Pale Ale. This Pale Ale is worth a try, and a great beer to grab a growler to go & take home to family & friends. It’s hard not to like.

Things to Google Before You Go:

Green 19 Aaron Rodgers

Johnny “Blood” McNally

Sno- Cap Root Beer

Lombardi Trophy

Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Depot

More Info:

On the beer: titletownbrewing.com/beer

Follow on Twitter: @titletown

*Titletown refers to the title of Green Bay, WI being Titletown, USA as they won the first Super Bowl, and the Super Bowl Trophy is named the Lombardi Trophy. I know there are a few other cities that feel like they deserve the title based upon accomplishments in recent years. If you’re one of those believers, don’t bring it up while you’re in Green Bay unless you want a history lesson about the greatness of our city, our team, their fans, and our all- around awesome spirit for and unparalleled dedication to the Green Bay Packers.

Lakefront Brewery & their “2nd Best” Dark Beer

by

0

I spent last weekend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – where you just can’t pass through without at least one brewery tour. I spent my time at Lakefront Brewery. This brewery tour is a good deal – 7$ for four 6 oz samples plus a pint on the brewery at select local pubs that serve their brews. What I’m trying to say – is you’re going to want a good brunch or lunch before you get started, especially if you want to squeeze more than one brewery in.

The highest brunch recommendation I have is Trocadero (@ztrocadero on Twitter, http://www.trocaderogastrobar.com/ on the web). They serve brunch until 3pm on Saturdays, and 9am to 9pm on Sundays. They have a great selection of everything brunch, and personally I would recommend that you make sure to order the doughnuts as an appetizer  and ask about their Bloody Mary menu. There are three Bloody Mary’s that are always on the menu + the special that you should totally ask about.

Now you’re full – on to the beer.

You can come to the Lakefront Brewery prepared by reserving your spot online beforehand – but they always leave space for walk – in’s, so if you arrive 30-40 minutes early, you should be able to get a tour ticket, and get yourself a beer or two before you start. Make sure you don’t get too caught up in conversation so you budget your time & make sure you have a full beer when your tour starts.

You’ll know your tour is starting because someone will yell for you. Yes, yell. Your Brewery Navigation Specialist will probably stand on a chair and yell about your 2 minute warning… and let you know when you should run over to the front of the hall to start out your tour.

Once your tour starts, make sure you’re ready to participate. The Brewery Navigation Specialists at Lakefront don’t accept anything other than 100% participation. If you think you know the answer to a question – answer, & if they ask for a volunteer – raise your hand (you’ll probably get a free beer out of it).

I don’t want to spoil the tour, but you should be ready for some awesome jokes & some stunning visual aids.

During the middle of the tour you’ll get a pit stop to refill on your beer, where I recommend that you try a taste of the award winning Eastside Dark. It will probably be described to you as “if you don’t like dark beer, you should still try this,” and you should – you’ll still like it. The New York Times called it the 2nd best dark beer in America. When you’re on the tour I dare you to ask what the first is.

After your pit stop for more beer – you’ll see how the beer is bottled, packaged, & sent out.

Lakefront has great beer & an amazing brewery tour. Look them up here: http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/beer

Just to entice you a little more, here are some great things to Google before your tour so that you come prepared:

The Difference Between Ale & Lager*

Falcon Punch

Ingredients in Beer

Laverne & Shirley Theme Song Lyrics

*For this one, I seriously recommend  just typing in “The Difference Between” and looking at the google auto completes before you type “Ale & Lager,” it will give you faith in humanity.