What Are Friends For?

Really though, what are friends for if they don't share good beer? Fortunately, I have great friends! One of my best friends recently moved to his wife's homestate of Virginia. One of the craft brews he found in stores there was this Tumwater Porter put out by Washington's own Fish Brewing Company.

Now I know this isn't a Virginia brew, but I haven't seen them here locally to me in TN. I have to say, this is a pretty darn good porter. Medium body, yet full of flavor. It has seven different malt varieties, including cocoa. That explains why it has such a rich chocolatey, creamy profile. Also, pleasantly nutty without being too much. It is very balanced. It ends you off with a smooth, dry finish. 

It's a very drinkable and full of complexities. Even though I prefer a heavier porter, or even a stout, I'd drink this one again. I really enjoyed it and if you're a porter fan, you will too. If you have these at your local market, pick up a case before you leave.

Taylor gives this one a 3.5 out of 5.

For the Tennessee Natives

Those who know Nashville know that craft beer is taken in all seriousness. There are a few greats that people worldwide know all too well. Yet there is one great TN brewer who has escaped my radar, until now.

My father-in-law (owner/operator of popular Nashville food truck, Funk Seoul Brother) commandeered this locally longed for brew. It's so good, that the taproom supposedly had a line of 350+ people trying to snag a case of this limited release Double IPA. I guess my father-in-law likes me okay enough to gift me a can of this "Nashville Gold". Anyway... here it is.

Bearded Iris Brewing employs Old World fermentation techniques mixed with modern innovation to "bring you a beer that's as skillfully designed and delightfully unique as the flower for which it's named".

Their Mood Ring Double IPA definitely fits that bill!

It is brewed with raspberries, for which I owe the ruby red color to. Then it's accompanied by a hint of vanilla and some lactose, as well as some hops common to an IPA. It has an excellent fruity flavor profile, and is very smooth. Although the fruit flavor is somewhat upfront, it does not come close to "wine cooler status". It is a somewhat tart raspberry hint that compliments the bitter hop quite well. 

Overall it is an excellent Double IPA, and I can understand why the Tennessee locals desire it so much upon it's release. I do personally prefer some other IPA's due to my liking for less "fruit forward" brews. At any rate, however, if you ever have the means to get in line at the taproom, do it!

Oh, and don't worry, this beer is on their list of recurring releases.. so you'll have your chance.

All things considered, Taylor gives this flower a whopping 4 out of 5.

"Well Your Left Hands Free..."

The band Alt-J may talk about a left hand being free in one of their hits, but you will want to make sure yours has a bottle of Left Hand Brewing Co.'s Milk Stout firmly in grasp.

For those unacquainted with these brewers, they claim to have a sense of balance in their beer by saying, "A healthy dose of all things in a balanced way keeps your right brain feeling good and the left brain knowing it’s all good... ...Everyday we strive for that perfect balance between malt and hops..."

I'm not too sure about all this "balance" mumbo jumbo. Perhaps it is just my poorly educated palate? Or simply my preference to more "nutty" stouts? At any rate, this wasn't my favorite. Does this mean that I hate it? HA! Heck no. This sweet stout has a proper roasty-toasty coffee feel to it, with a good amount of bitters from the hops, just as any stout deserves. It has the creamy feel any reputable stout with milk sugars should have. It does seem a bit lighter in flavor as other stouts, mainly because I don't feel the requirement to almost chew it as I drink. You may, then, be wondering what warrants the reservations I have. Well, simply put, Left Hand kind of over-hyped this brew for me. They claim that "America’s great milk stout will change your perception about what a stout can be." That just doesn't sit well with me. I have had many other stouts that I would rate higher than this. Again, not to say this brew is BAD in any way, just doesn't stand up to the words that are behind it. 

All things considered, it is a beer that is worthy of purchase. Just don't get ahead of yourself and hope that it's the best stout you'll ever have.

Taylor rates this beer a 3 out of 5

Mahalo Maui Brewing Co.

Aloha my fellow craft beer Ohana! 

Today we are gonna take a trip down to the Hawaiian islands with Maui Brewing Co.'s flagship Coconut Hiwa Porter.

This dark ale can totally "hang 10" with the rest. What stands out right up front is the distinct flavor of toasted coconut. That rich full flavor is followed by tones of a creamy mocha. Please don't let that scare you off however. Maui Brewing made sure that this brew stayed true to the robust flavor that a porter should have. If you're a fan of dark ales, this should definitely be a staple in your beer fridge, if available. Not to mention it pairs fantastically with homemade chocolate chip cookies.

 (Thanks honey..)

Taylor gives this Hawaiian native a 3.5 out of 5.

Bosnian Beer?

When anyone goes on a vacation and ask me if I want a souvenir, I always request a local craft brew. This time, I got to experience a treat to a beer from the land of Bosnia.

My great friend, and cousin, just returned from a month long trip to Bosnia, and surrounding European countries. What better souvenir than a local beer that I would never be able to have otherwise! So here it is...

Niksicko Dark Beer

Pronounced: Neek-Shesh-Co. It reins from the country of Montenegro, just south of Bosnia to be exact. This beer is quite delicious, given its mysteriously vague title of "dark beer". It is dark....and full of complexities. It had a reminiscent "bitter hop" flavor more common to an IPA, and a smooth nuttiness likened to a porter or even a stout, but without the feeling of having to chew it before swallowing. The finish was dry from whatever hops were used. It made me feel like it was a hybrid between an IPA and a Porter, then it hit me... BLACK IPA! Eureka! 

What is a Black IPA you may ask? Well, a Black IPA, or Cascadian Dark Ale, is an ale that ranges from dark brown to pitch black and showcases malty and light to moderate roasty notes and are often quite hoppy generally with the use of American hops.

Anyway, if you ever find yourself in Bosnia, or heck, if you live there and are reading this now, hunt down this brew. Its a delightful beer to have, and quite frankly, if you're in the beautiful country of Bosnia, you have to enjoy it with a beer.

Taylor rates this experience a 4 out of 5.

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Huntsville and the 805

Ah, Huntsville. A place I've visited many times throughout my life, yet I haven't actually explored the local scene very much, if at all. Luckily, some of my best friends have recently moved in the area and showed us around town this past weekend. One of the notable places (at least for the sake of this blog) is Campus No. 805! 

The old school has been revamped for the use of cool shops and small businesses, and more up my alley, a couple of fantastic breweries. So obviously we had to check them both out! 

Numero uno on the list is Yellowhammer Brewing.

Yellowhammer is quite exceptional in the craft brew industry. Its no wonder that head brewer Keith Yager was named Brewmaster of the Year in 2016  at the inaugural Alabama State Beer Championship. A high caliber of brews, and many of them are on tap. (pictured bellow)

My choice, after a few free samples, was Groovy Dan's Groovy IPA.

Among the many IPA's offered, this was the one that really caught me. It features a nice body, with an exceptional amount of hop to it. Overall it is a dry IPA, to my satisfaction. Yet, it retains a smooth finish at the end. Needless to say, I was happy with my choice.

Taylor rates a 3.5 > 5 for this groovy brew.

My wife chose a brew seemingly a bit more fruity, yet still packed a full flavor.

Belgian Pear Pale Ale

This Pale had a very noticeable pear tone, but remained on the safe side of the "wine-cooler status". I would hardly call this fruity though. It had a wonderful array of hop flavor that kept it full bodied, while still feeling light.

Taylor rates a 3 out o' 5

Last on the list is my good friend Tyler's choice. He went with with one the seasonals, the Frankenhammer Belgian Strong Ale.

This brew had a very wonderful "Nutty" scent, and a bold flavor and an almost creamy finish. Upon research, Yellowhammer explains it as a "malty palette that finishes dry with a slight chocolate roast and woody finish." 

Taylor gives this a 4 out of 5 (at least for the season...ha.) 

Next, we went Straight to Ale... no really...that's the brewery.

The place itself was pretty cool to visit. As you make your way, you pass through where all the magic happens...

...and then you walk in. 

Seems to be a typical brewery pub, bright, loud, TV's and music and an array of taps to choose from. But hey! We're with locals remember? They then take us to a secret door, that leads to the "Speak Easy". A dark room with booths, tables, and taps where you can just chill and enjoy the delicious food and brew. I got a flight here obviously.

My choices were the flagship Monkeynaut American IPA, Pumpkin Lilly Flag Pumpkin Milk Stout, He ain't Hefe German Style Hefeweizen, and the Monkeyhot Habenero IPA.

All were exceptional and delicious in their own ways, especially the flagship Monkeynaut. However, the Monkeyhot was something I have never experienced. Essentially its the flagship, just with a bite of habenero. It doesn't burn the mouth, rather it burns in the back of your throat as would a typical bourbon. With the spice, its almost like taking the dregs of a hot toddy and pouring the Monkeynaut right over it. Quite an experience.

My second favorite of the flight was the Pumpkin Milk Stout. As a white girl would say, I just can't even. Dumb hipster jokes aside, this stout was actually light on the whole "PSL" craze that happens this time of year. It had a full body, and a creamy finish, as would any milk stout. The nuttiness of the brew reminded me of coffee, and the pumpkin flavor was definitely a good fit in there.

Notable mention was the Brother Joseph Belgian Dubbel

  

If you're planning on having an array of brews here, this Dubbel is a perfect start. "It's a gateway into other beers and food" is how my friend Tyler described it as he sipped. It's definitely one to try.

Taylor rates Straight to Ale Brewery a 4.5 out of 5, just to keep them humble.

All in all, the 805 is a great place to chill with friends on a Saturday evening. Plenty of good brews and foods to choose from between the two breweries, and a plethora of activities to join in on throughout the old campus. (like axe throwing)

So if you find yourself in Huntsville, Alabama, defintily stop on in!