Category Archives: Beer Tastings

2 Nights, 40 Beers

September 3, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Events, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings@Bottlebareast, @YardsBrew, Bottle Bar East, Fishtown, Philadelphia, Philly Beer Scene Magazine, Weyerbacher, Yards Brewing, Yards Love Stoutgeekybeergal

Two Nights, 40 Beers sounds like a lot – it was – 40 beers of fun!

A writer for Philly Beer Scene recently posted for help in reviewing beer for an upcoming article. Of course, this gal had to try and be one of the lucky 15-20 folks to garner a spot on the panel and woohoo I was. Two nights, 40 beers!

Not only was it fun getting to try 40 different beers for FREE but being given the opportunity to hang out with some fellow craft beer lovers that I haven’t met before, hear about their beer likes/dislikes and their recommendations for different beer places to visit is always makes for a good time as well.

The tasting took place upstairs at Bottle Bar East – bonus I had never been so got to try out a different beer bar as well.

Night 1
First thing – parking. Street parking only folks but I managed to find a spot nearby fairly quickly. (2nd night it took some time but finally snagged a spot). Once I arrived at Bottle Bar East I made my way upstairs to where the tasting would be taking place.

When one first enters Bottle Bar East your eyes are immediately drawn to the cold case displays to the left of the entrance. It’s a beautiful display of individual craft beer bottles for sale. One can take them home or drink them on premise. To right of the entrance is the cashier, straight back are the stairs (that lead to a 2nd floor seating area) followed by a long bar on the right and about 4 to 5 high top tables to the left and the “kitchen” is in back.

I made my way upstairs for the tasting where each table was set up with water and tasting forms. The first night was a blind tasting of 20 beers approximately 15 of them either IPA’s or Pale Ales. For each beer we were told the style and alcohol content but that’s it. Each person had a sheet to jot down a few tasting notes/descriptions plus a score from 1-10 with 10 being the best. For a non hops lover it was a bit of hops overload but I managed. However, towards the end my tasting notes took a nose dive eventually leading to a one word description for one of the beers – No. By this point I was pretty sure hops were sprouting from my tongue. I couldn’t wait for some malty goodness to hit my taste buds. Yards Love Stout to the rescue.

A fellow taster and I made our way downstairs to one of the high top tables. I requested a taster of the Punk’n Harvest Pumpkin Ale – Uinta Brewing Company 4% – light body with good pumpkin flavor but my taste buds required something more full body so I treated them to a little slice of malt heaven – Yards Love Stout – Yards Brewing 5%
Oh my taste buds were so happy to be coated with malts, roasted chicory and chocolate. I enjoyed this malted beauty with the Roasted Vegetable Flatbread that was down right tasty. My taster buddy enjoyed the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Side note: sandwiches come with salads since fries are not served at Bottle Bar East. In fact, it would seem there is no deep fryer at all, which I find pretty cool, leading to some different bar menu options.

Night 2
By this point murmurs of speculation as to what the article was about were swirling around with the tasting panel. All we knew for sure was that we really didn’t have a clue. We were told we find out the names of the beers from the blind tasting and what the article is about in a few weeks. Looking forward to both.

For night two we were informed of the beer name and style and bottles were put out on display – no blind tasting this time. The styles varied a bit more on night two but still leaned towards hops. Food was available for purchase each night but the folks I shared a table with all agreed that we didn’t want food skewing our judgment of the beer. As we all know a beer on its own vs. paired with food could alter ones judgment of the beer.

Night 2 leaned towards “local” brews. I don’t want to say much more than that since the article hasn’t been published yet. I will say that I was happy when Weyerbacher Merry Monks made an appearance.

By around beer 14 it was obvious some of us were losing steam and short on words to describe the beers but we managed. At this point I was thankful for the wall behind me. Having a wall to lean on is so underrated. By the end of the panel tasting I found myself daydreaming about some malts; so my taster buddy and I headed downstairs to the bar.
BTW – hooks under the bar for hanging ones belongings – love it!

The experience at Bottle Bar East was a bit different on this night compared to the previous evening. Night 1 the service was excellent and very attentive, unfortunately, I can’t say the same for night 2. As a former bartender, I understand wanting to spend some time chit chatting with friends that stop in for a beer but PLEASE remember you have other customers as well. Wait on customers and then chit chat – that is the order. Grrr, pet peeve.

At Bottle Bar East there’s a good varied selection of beer on tap to choose from plus the wonderful selection in the cold case. However, I wanted something on tap, just tried 20 beers and still had a drive home ahead of me so something not real high in alcohol content was preferred so, once again, the Yards Love Stout won. This time I paired it with the homemade Mac & Cheese with asparagus mixed in. This was a wonderful crock of stick to your ribs comfort food!

The 2 night experience was a blast. I got to taste 40 beers, meet new people and try a place I didn’t even know existed – all in all pretty cool! Plus, after 40 beers in 2 nights I was temporarily beered out. Not something that happens often, if ever.

Interstate Drafthouse

August 21, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Pub Crawl@BullfrogBrewery, @interstatedraft, Anderson Valley Brewing, Arcadia Brewing, bullfrog brewing, Clown Shoes Brewing, Fishtown, Flying Dog Brewing, interstate drafthouse, Philadelphia, Yards Brewinggeekybeergal

Interstate Drafthouse Philadelphia, PA

This gal has been trying for some time to check out Interstate Drafthouse to no avail. I was beginning to think it wasn’t meant to be but indeed it was! I had added Interstate Drafthouse to my Philly Pub Crawl list (posted 12/13) fully trusting my Philly connection with the worthiness of the establishment to the list. Worthiness confirmed.

Located just a hop, skip and jump off Interstate 95 via the Gerard Avenue exit in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia, Interstate Drafthouse is a neighborhood bar that is also a destination spot. It really is smack in the middle of a neighborhood with easy off street parking. I would say from the looks of the building it was somebodies home in a prior life but fortunately for craft beer lovers it’s been converted into a great bar.

Upon entrance to the Drafthouse one is immediately standing in the bar area. The bar is to the right and few high top tables to the left. Walk back a little further and a step up to the dining area that consist of about 12 or so tables. Off the dining area is a cute little patio. Unfortunately, there was a summer rain storm taking place so a seat at the bar is where my companion and I found beer happiness.

Interstate offers a warm, cozy environment with a good bar vibe feeling with an old style tin ceiling, lots of dark wood, holiday twinkle lights and hooks under the bar for umbrellas, purses etc., always a nice touch. Overall the place is a little kitchy but in a fun way. It reminded me of some of the neighborhood bars I’ve visited in New Orleans. It’s also a wee bit dark inside which can make reading the menu a tad difficult at times. (flashlight app to the rescue). The owner is very welcoming and friendly as is the staff. They are also generous with beer tastings which is always a plus.

Not only does Interstate Drafthouse have a nice tap list, with a style for everyone, but they’re also very reasonably priced with great weekly deals! Happy Hour is offered Monday – Friday 4:30-6:30 with $4 Draft Beers. We happened to be there for Taco Tuesday $1 Tacos and $4 Beers ALL NIGHT – Sweet! Wednesday they offer a Beer and Meal for $10!

Veggie "Steak" Sandwich — Veggie “Steak” Sandwich

The food menu is pretty diverse with everything from gator to seitan on it. Another words both meat and vegetarian friendly with a fun Cajun/Creole influence to it. We started with the homemade guacamole which was spot on. My companion enjoyed a tasty brisket sandwich and this gal opted for a nicely done veggie “steak” sandwich. I hear the mac & cheese is lip smacking good.

As tasty as the food was the beer was even better…

As soon as I spotted an offering from Bullfrog Brewing I knew what my first beer of the night would be. Bullfrog Brewing holds a special place in this Gal’s heart. I use to visit it many moons ago on the way to and from vacationing in Western Pennsylvania. If you ever happen to be near Williamsport, PA (home of the Little League World Series) I strongly recommend, heck I insist you stop at Bullfrog Brewery for some beer and food. I’ve never had a bad experience there. Their beer put a smile on my face each and every visit.

Saison – Bullfrog Brewing
Blond Ale meets Farmhouse Ale. Classic Saison cloudy appearance with citrus, floral and enough tartness that it makes your mouthwater at the end but makes you want to go back for more

Next up…
Arcadia London Porter – Arcadia Brewing Company 7.2%
Well done English porter with a pleasant smokey nose. The flavor is a mix of roasted malts, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and just a touch of hops. A good true-to-style English Porter that ends with a slightly bitter finish. (favorite of the night)

Finished with the
Summer Solstice – Anderson Valley Brewing Company 5.% (cream ale)
Had I known it was a cream ale I probably wouldn’t have ordered it since I’m not a big fan of the style. However, the Summer Solstice has changed my opinion of cream ales. It’s as good blend of spices, malt and caramel that make it an enjoyable summer beer.

Sips of:
Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale – Flying Dog 5.6%
This ale is brewed with Old Bay Seasoning which intrigued me but sadly the taste did not appeal to me at all. It was just odd. I would be willing to try a small taster of it with some food. That combo may work but on it’s on just not for me.

Pynk – Yards Brewing 5.5%
I was super excited when I saw the tap handle go on for this beer. It’s a delightful berry beer. I wasn’t in the mood for a full pint on this visit but could envision myself enjoying this little tart beauty on my deck one warm evening. I also could see myself mixing it with a chocolate stout since it’s so lambic like. Don’t forget Yards donates $1 from each case sold to the Tyanna Foundation, which provides support for the care and treatment of breast cancer patients.

Galatica IPA – Clown Shoes 8%
This Imperial IPA smells and taste very floral so much so I felt I was sipping on perfume. It was a bit much for me to handle. A true love for hops is necessary to enjoy this beer. That being said my companion enjoyed it.

Sapient Triple -Dark Horse Brewing Company 9.5%
Crazy smooth, easy to drink without the high alcohol feeling. Delightful banana and coriander flavors. Would have loved a glass but no triples on this visit since I still had to get myself home.

This Gal was very happy to finally be able to try Interstate Drafthouse and looks forward to returning for $4 Beers!

Maine Part 3 – Oxbow Brewing

August 13, 2014Beer Tastings, Brewery Reviews, Uncategorized@BoothbayBrewery, @oxbowbeer, belgium style, farmhouse beers, Maine, Newcastle, Oxbow Brewing, Saisongeekybeergal

Oxbow Brewing – Newcastle, Main

The exploration to Boothbay Brewing went so well that two days later the group decided it was time to go beer sampling again. My bro researched and found Oxbow Brewery was just around the other side of the lake we were staying on. A mere 15 minutes away! Five of us piled into the vehicle, we lost one of non-beer drinkers for this exploration, and headed out.

Oxbow specializes in Belgian-style ales that are brewed in a small renovated barn located in a pretty rural area. One would never know its back there and can easily drive past it. The sign out front on the roadside is small and easy to miss but luckily we spotted it. The minute the vehicle turned on the path to get to the brewery I knew I was going to be one happy gal. I think most places small and hard to find turn out to be hidden gems. Oxbow is just that – a true gem! Their slogan perfectly describes them “Loud Beer from a quiet place”. It’s the kind of place I could seeing bringing a book to enjoy while hanging out relaxing with an Oxbow beer or two.

As we pull up the excitement in the group was growing. Right away we noticed picnic tables and corn hole for outside enjoyment. Off to the left of the path is some sort of wood shed that looks like it might have some use during events. Straight ahead is the tasting room – cute rustic shed and behind that is the brewing barn. All surrounded by woods.

Upon entering the tasting room I fell in love with the place even more and I hadn’t even tried their beer yet! For a small establishment they have nailed it. From everything to the logo, tasting glasses, swag for sale, great customer service and the overall inviting environment for their guest to enjoy. The tasting area is small with a mini bar to order at and then you can either take your beers out front, out back or step down to the small room off the entrance area with 3 or 4 barrel tables to sit at.

One can purchase a sample round, individual full glass pours or growlers. During our visit several locals stopped in to refill growlers. Always a good sign. Of course, this Gal went for the sample round as did the other beer drinkers in the group. The staff working the tasting shed was very pleasant and helpful which always helps the experience be that much better.

Personally, I love farmhouse style Belgian beers but realize they aren’t for everyone. Each beer drinker in the group did find at least one beer they liked. This Gal enjoyed just about all of them.

Loretta – Oxbow Brewing 4%
Refreshing blonde ale that begs to be enjoyed sitting outside on a lake shore of Maine. No one flavor dominates it’s just a very easy drinking beer.

Freestyle 25 – Oxbow Brewing 4.5% (Freestyle is the breweries creative outlet featuring beers only brewed once) Czech Red Ale style done well with toasted malts, floral tones and an unique hop flavor.

Farmhouse Pale Ale – Oxbow Brewing 6%
Right away one can pick up the saison yeast followed up by the hops with a pleasant array of spices and citrus flavors going on. It’s their flagship beer and understandably so – nice job.

Grizacca – Oxbow Brewing 5%
Ummm, no. Not for me but my Bro’s fav of the bunch so much so he had a full class after the taster. It has an earthy grass essence to it followed by a wallop of hops.

Oxtoberfest 2013 – Oxbow Brewing 6%
This Gal’s fav of the bunch and the one I chose to have a full glass of after the taster. This beer wasn’t a fav for the rest of the group. In fact, most didn’t care for it but I found it to be very interesting and enjoyable. Good dry body with a smoky tartness. The sourness complimented the malts without being overwhelming.

It’s safe to say this group will be visiting Oxbow again. Heck, even the non-beer drinker liked the brewery so much she bought a t-shirt from it, as did this Gal. I have to say it’s one of the comfiest t-shirts I’ve ever worn. Even their swag is top notch quality!

Nice job Oxbow!

Update July 2015: We recently revisited Oxbow and once again thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was amazing to see how the groups beer taste has grown and changed. Last year the Grizacca wasn’t for me but this year loved it – amazing. Has was everything else. I especially loved the Bowie. Also, the group enjoyed all the beers including the ones they weren’t too fond of last year. Yup, taste grow and change.

Catch this Gal talking about Oxbow on What’s On Tap beer show.

Maine Part 2 – Boothbay Brewing at The Watershed Tavern

August 8, 2014Beer Tastings, Brewery Reviews, Brewpub Reviews, Uncategorized@BoothbayBrewery, Boothbay Brewing, Maine Beer, The Watershed Taverngeekybeergal

Boothbay Brewery at The Watershed Tavern

After a few days of kayaking and boating this Gal felt it was time to explore some more of Maine’s other great offering – BEER! Next tasting stop Boothbay Brewery at The Watershed Tavern. This particular exploration involved six of us including both beer and non-beer drinkers alike.

We piled into two vehicles and were on our way until we had no clue where we were. Not one to give up I called to only find out we were a mere minute down the road from the brewery. I feel safe in saying many folk get lost on their way and the brewery is use to explaining how to find them. They are not far off the main road to Boothbay but at the same time one would never expect a brewery to be where they are. Once we arrived none of us could believe what we found. The brewery and attached restaurant are really plopped down in the middle of a back road surrounded by the beauty that is Maine. Not only is there the brewery and restaurant but several small cute cabins scattered about the property for rent. It’s a little slice of Maine heaven that is beautiful and welcoming.

The brewery itself was closed by the time we arrived so we wondered into the restaurant, The Watershed. When one walks in you feel like you entered a good friend’s rustic cabin that they built by hand using their own trees which is pretty much the case here. It’s warm, cozy and invites one to stay and enjoy.

We decided to plop ourselves down at the bar which meant we took up most of the bar. There are only 8 stool/chairs around the bar. These seats are a piece of carved art with very high backs and extremely sturdy. Around the bar is a small booth and game table ledge with a couple of stools around it. The bar top is a beautiful piece of milled wood. OK, there is beautiful wood everywhere, walls, ceilings, beams, tables, chairs, tasting trays – all of it gorgeous! There is also a handsome brick fireplace in the bar area that I can only imagine ads to the cozy environment in the winter time.

Geeky Beer Gal’s Bro suggested we share a taster round since it include 6 large tastes and we were still pretty full from lunch. (there is also a 10 beer taster round) Two others in the party shared a flight as well. The two non-beer drinkers entertained themselves with tavern puzzles available at the bar for patrons to enjoy and drive themselves crazy with. The Watershed offers both beer and wine but no hard liquor. They do offer a few selections from other breweries, as well, such as Dogfish Head and Allagash.

My being a malt person and my bro being a hop head made for a very interesting mix for our taster flight which consisted of:

633 Pale Ale – Boothbay Brewing 6.33%
A true pale ale and happens to be their flagship brew as well. This ale has some good quality malt tones that help counter balance the hops. Right away one can tell they are using American west coast hops which helps me to distinguish one pale ale from another. To me American West Coast hops are a breed unto themselves with a very distinct characteristics that sets these beers apart from the rest of the hop pack. The hop factor was a bit much for me so not a favorite but a very well done pale ale.

Ken Brown Tribute Ale – Boothbay Brewing 7%
Sweet malty goodness! This ale has a nice dark roasted coloring but the body is on the lighter side for a brown. Great mix of malts with accents of hops and a good nutty flavor. Enjoyable indeed.

Dexter “Rippa” Red IPA – Boothbay Brewing 6.5%
Hop overload for this Gal but the Bro enjoyed it. A hoppy red ale true to style with some caramel undertones making its way through the field of hops.

Black Rocks Stout – Boothbay Brewing 6.7%
Yum! Wonderful roasted coffee, bitter chocolate and caramel flavors mixed with just a hint of those West Coast hops. A full pint of this black beauty would be most enjoyable. (Tried a small taste of this on nitro – AMAZING – the nitro helped to mellow out and blend the flavors together even more so.)

Devil’s Thumbprint Black IPA – Boothbay Brewing 6.6%
More and more I find myself enjoying the Black IPAs. I just find them to be a really nice balance of malt and hops and easy to drink. This certainly was the case with the Devil’s Thumbprint. It was so well balance that both myself and my bro enjoyed it!

Townsend – Boothbay Brewing 5.3%
A good medium body English style ale with a pleasant mix of fruitiness, hops and malts.

Fellow tasters shared the…
Flip Flop Kumquat – Boothbay Brewing 4.9%
Very light in body, nice wheat beer with hints of citrus. Good intro beer for someone just starting to get into craft beers.

Vanilla Porter – Boothbay Brewing 3.8%
First tried this after tasting the Black Rocks Stout and felt it was good with just hints of vanilla. I tried it again later on in the tasting and wow the vanilla really punched its way through. Nice porter body but the vanilla was bit overpowering.

While enjoying the beer we all took notice of how delish the food looked and smelled. A nice touch was the chef retrieving some beer from the taps to cook with. The menu is true tavern fare with both meat and vegetarian offerings. On the way out we spotted fish and chips being served to a patron and none of us could believe the size of the dish. We all agreed we’ll have to pay another visit to Boothbay Brewing so we can try out the food and enjoy some more beer!

Vault Brewing

July 29, 2014Beer Tastings, Brewpub Reviews@VaultBrewing, American Stout, Brewpub, English IPA, Kenyan Coffee Stout, PA, Sorachi Ace Blonde, St. Celeia Bitter, Vault Brewing, Yardleygeekybeergal

Vault Brewing, Yardley, PA

A couple of weeks ago this Gal had the pleasure of meeting a dear friend at Vault Brewing for an evening of drinking, eating and catching up. Don’t you just love friends that you can pick up right where you left off even if it’s been months?

This was my fourth visit to Vault Brewing and I find it just keeps getting better with each visit. When the Vault first opened the beer was young, the food was fine but nothing to write home about and the seating, well, not the most comfortable. I’m happy to say all that has changed. Gone are the uncomfortable tractor seat things and in their place comfortable chairs, the bar now has stools were there was no seating before, the food is delish and the beer has matured and is down right tasty!

Vault Brewing is located in an old bank in Yardley, PA that Geeky Beer Gal’s parents used to bank at so I remember being in the building as a kid/teen. It’s nice to see it recycled in to such a cool place. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and the wood-fired kitchen is in view as soon as you enter the establishment as is the brewery. There are rooms off to each side of the bar area and a wonderful patio for outside drinking/dining. There’s parking out back but it’s limited and parking in other lots could result in towing. You’ve been warned – read the signs.

There was a nice crowd for a Friday night without being overwhelming. I’ve heard most Fridays here are packed but we lucked out. No wait for a table unless one preferred patio seating. My friend and I opted to sit at a table in the bar area. One of the things I love about the Vault is it’s designed for socializing. Meaning that there are no TVs (woohoo) and the music is cool. On this night there was a fantastic trio, Mike Billingsley, playing near the entrance. Great trumpet, this Gal loves a trio that includes trumpet.

After looking over the beer list I decided to stick with the usual format of enjoying a taster round. Once the beer was ordered it was time to peruse the food offerings. The menu isn’t huge but has something for everyone with interesting offerings.

We started with the Buffalo Cauliflower, think Buffalo wings done with Cauliflower, so yummy! My friend had the Crab Cake Sliders and I was told there were very good. I decided to go for my sister-in-laws favorite dish at Vault Brewing the Wild Mushroom Flatbread – incredibly wonderful and just as good the next day reheated.

Now for the beer! There’s usually 5 or so beers on tap and the offerings rotate so there is a beer no matter your taste and always something new to try.

005 — L to R: Sorachi, Bitter, IPA, Coffee Stout

The taster round consisted of:

Sorachi Ace Blonde 4.9%
This beer has nice bit of heat from the spices but was well balanced by the citrus and coconut. Don’t panic about the coconut, this is not a sweet beer but rather light and refreshing. Really a pleasure to drink.

St. Celeia Bitter 4.4%
Something about the carbonation of this beer reminded me of pop rocks with cola. Basically, it was fizzy but enjoyable. Nice combination of fruit, hops and caramel. I’m always up for trying a bitter even though I’m now a huge fan of the style. This is a particularly well done Bitter.

English IPA 8.7% Cask
The cask caught my eye so had to add it to the round. For a non-hop head this was a really enjoyable IPA. This beer is a perfect balance of both malts and hops. With the hops being present but not overwhelming. They don’t over power the malt and fruit tones but rather compliment them.

Kenyan Coffee Stout 5% Nitro
Good morning, and yes I believe one could drink this in place of their morning cup of joe. The coffee is very up front and wonderful. A wonderful stout down to the last drop! Great roasted malt, coffee and chocolate flavors going on. Super delish! My favorite of the round.

My friend and I decided to enjoy one last beverage for the evening. A Sangria for her and the American Stout for myself. Somehow I missed the American Stout the first time I studied the menu otherwise I would have added it to the taster round. Beings it’s a stout I felt secure that I would enjoy it and ordered a full pint.

This brings me to the one down point of the evening – service. When one has trouble finding room on a table to set a beer down instead of trying to rearrange the dirty glasses and plates just remove them. Finally, my friend and I took it upon ourselves to remove the dirty dishes and place them on the table next to us that hadn’t been cleared yet. I find table service here to be hit or miss, which is a shame, because everything else at Vault Brewing really is a hit!

Now that we made room for our drinks we were able to sit back and enjoy them.

American Stout 5.8%
This is a well done stout but I wish I had tried this stout before the Kenyan Coffee Stout. The American Stout has a slight roasted coffee and chocolate offerings but was overpowered by the flavors I experienced with the Coffee Stout. I would like to try it again on its own without my taste buds first experiencing the Coffee Stout.

It was a wonderful evening at Vault Brewing catching up with a great person while enjoying wonderful beer. Vault Brewing is a fantastic addition to my childhood town of Yardley!

NJ 350th Birthday Party

June 30, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Events, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Uncategorized#BlendNJ350, Blend Bar & Bistro, Kane Brewing, New Jersey Beer Company, New Jersey Beers, Pinelands Brewing, Rinn Duingeekybeergal

NJ 350 Birthday Party at Blend Bar & Bistro

Blend Bar & Bistro recently hosted a party to celebrate New Jersey’s 350^th Birthday. It was quite the celebration showcasing New Jersey Brews and some classic Jersey food, think pork roll. Around 12 to 14 New Jersey Brewers participated and several of the breweries had reps at the event as well. With both indoor and out door seating there was plenty of space for the large crowd which the staff did a great job handling. There were door prizes too but in the 3 1/2 hours this Gal was at the event I never heard ticket numbers being called out so not sure how that worked but the prizes were pretty cool looking. Mostly swag from the Brewers.

The evening started off with a beer from a company I hadn’t had the pleasure of trying before – NJ Beer Company.

LBIPA - Was enjoying it so much forgot to take a pic of it until it was almost gone! — LBIPA

LBIPA – NJ Beer Company 7%
By now most know this Gal is not much for IPAs, although, they are growing on me. I do believe it’s always good to try new things so went for a full pint and was glad to have a pint worth’s of this beer. This beer is perfect for kicking back and enjoying the summer with. It’s has nice crisp citrus tones with hints of floral and just the right amount of hops. It’s a very refreshing and a pleasing drinking beer that would be a great addition to any picnic menu. I look forward to trying more selections from this brewery in the near future especially their stout. (Was enjoying the LBIPA so much forgot to take a pic of it until it was almost gone, whoops.)

Next up was a taster round…

Trinity Smoked Scottish – Rinn Duin Brewing Company 4.%
I was really looking forward to trying this beer. It’s been a while since I’ve had a smoked brew. Unfortunately, this one really didn’t hit the mark for me. I don’t want the smokiness to overwhelm the beer or knock my taste buds over but I do want to at least enjoy some smokiness and there really wasn’t much to this beer. This beer is on the light end of medium body with some malty sweetness and just a faint hint of smoke.

Boaks Abbey Brown Ale – Boak Beverage 7%
This Gal was really excited about this ale. I love me a Belgian Strong Dark Ale and this didn’t disappoint. Nice rich brown color with nice roasted malts, dark cherries and just a hint of chocolate that finishes nicely. Well done!

Happy Buck’n Anniversary – Bolero Snort Brewery 7.7%
Between this being a porter and the brewery having a fun name I had to get this beer. I loved how dark this beer pours such a deep rich black color with a nice cocoa taste accompanied by roasted coffee. This is a good medium body porter that can be enjoyed year round.

Morning Bell – Kane Brewing Company 9.2%
Oh mother love this beer is tasty. It’s got the wake me up in the morning coffee punch that I love in porters and stouts. One can smell, as well as taste, the coffee in this little black beauty. Along with the chicory it has a nice amount of dark chocolate bitterness, roasted malts and slight hints of vanilla. Finishes solid and is a very well balanced porter that I look forward to having again and again.

I finished the night with a firkin offering from Pinelands Brewing Company.

Pinelands Farmhouse Ale – Pinelands Brewing Company 6%
What’s better than a Saison? Well, a firkin of Saison. This beer has the true hazy golden color associated with the Saison style. One can immediately smell the yeast, lemons and wheat and this beer offers a good balance of both citrus and spice.

This was only this Gal’s 2^nd visit to Blend Bar & Bistro but each time I’ve been impressed. #blendnj350

Garden State Brewers Festival

June 29, 2014Beer Events, Beer Festivals, Beer Tastings, UncategorizedBattleship NJ, Beer Festival, Flying Fish, Kane Brewing, New Jersey Beer Company, NJ Brew Fest, NJ Brewers, NJ Craft Brewersgeekybeergal

Garden State Brewers Festival 6/28/14
Aboard the Battleship New Jersey

This event was a ton of fun. It’s been several years since I’ve attended this festival and have never been since it started being held on the Battleship which let’s face it is a really cool setting for a beer festival.

This year I decided to volunteer and help out which was a great way to meet fellow beer folks. After my shift was done I had the pleasure of enjoying the festival itself. I have to say this particular festival is run nice and smooth and there is plenty of room for everyone with both seating on the open deck as well as coverage under tents and there is always a nice breeze on the deck even on real hot days. Bonus, the live band was really good as well! Great beer accompanied by Grateful Dead tunes is a win win for this Gal!

Too many beers to review but will highlight a few.

Most interested in trying – Village Idiot Brewing
I have to say their Tripel didn’t disappoint

Best Selection – Triumph Brewing
They were pouring 4 beers and had something for everyone. Pleasantly surprised by their Saison and their Porter was nice too.

Most Surprised by NJ Beer Company
I didn’t think I would see an Abbey on tap and was surprised they offered one – delish by the way. Keeping my eye on this brewery – this was only the 2^nd time I’ve tried one of their beers and both times really enjoyed them.

Second Favorite Beer of the Day Cricket Hill Nocturne Chocolate Ale
I found myself at this tap a few times and directed others there as well

Favorite Beer of the Day – Kane Brewing Morning Bell
Just had this beer for the first time 2 days prior but it’s quickly becoming a favorite of this Gal’s!

Hulmeville Inn

June 16, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Events, Beer TastingsHulmeville Inn, Philly Beer Week, Tap Takeover, Weyerbacher Brewinggeekybeergal

Hulmeville Inn

Philly Beer Week June 1, 2014

As some of you may have heard this Gal was pretty excited about Philly Beer Week 2014 and was looking forward to enjoying several events. There were so many events to choose from but one particular one caught my eye; the Weyerbacher Tap Takeover at the Hulmeville Inn. I had never been to the Inn but was looking forward to trying it out and no better time than a tap takeover.

I’ve been hearing for some time how great the Hulmeville Inn is but truth be told the smoking kept me from seeing for myself. Luckily it’s smoke free now! As soon as I walked in I knew this was going to become a Geeky Beer Gal hangout. Upon arrival I loved the little garden area outside that lead you to a wonderfully cozy (think lots of nice dark wood and brick) bar area with table options and a descent size horseshoe shaped bar and a closed in porch area off the front of the building. Another words plenty of seating options for those who want to be in the heart of things and those who want to be off on their own in a more quiet setting. What really got this Gal’s attention the room with POOL TABLES – hello! Great beer + pool tables = fun.

The pool tables were going to have to wait for another visit for this visit it was all about the beer. My companion and I took seats at the bar and were presented with the tap list. The tap list consist of 20 beers 16 of them excellent and 4 of them that need not be discussed any further. My favorite way to experience a tap takeover is with a tasting rounds so I can try as many beers as possible. I was a wee bit disappointed that the Inn doesn’t offer tasting rounds. Oh well, no biggie just meant I would have to choose wisely since all the Weyerbacher beers came in at 9% and above.

First up…

Rhumpshaka American Strong Ale – Weyerbacher Brewing 11%
Nice oaky color with a small eggshell white head. With just the first sip one can immediately tell this ale had been aged in rum barrels. Not only can you taste the rum but you can smell it as well. Along with the rum there’s flavors of citrus, vanilla, caramelized sugar and some spices. Even though this beer has an ABV of 11% it’s a very easy drinking beer. Another words be careful it can seek up on you have too much. I decided to move on after the one.

Before ordering my next beer my companion and I decided it was time for some food. The menu is very much bar food that is made right in front of you at the grill “kitchen” area. I’m happy to report the Inn is both meat and vegetarian friendly and they over some great deals.

Once the food was ordered it was time for Round Two:

Quad 2010 – Weyerbacher Brewing 11.8%
Smooth, smooth and smooth very little carbonation on this honey color beer. A nice quad with banana, cloves with hints of honey, toffee and very faint notes of tobacco.

Tango Belgian Dark Ale – Weyerbacher Brewing 10.6% (taste)
I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit to a full glass of the Tango so the bartender was kind enough to pour me a sample taste. Right off the bat you can taste the cherries and what tasted like rye to me. It was interesting but I just wasn’t in the mood for a cherry beer. The taste was plenty for me this time around.

Last up…

Sunday Morning Stout – Weyebacher Brewing 11.8%
For my last beer I decided to treat myself and request the Stout be mixed with the Framboise Lambic. Folks I highly recommend experimenting with mixing your beers. Stouts and lambics go wonderfully together and it’s so rare to have both on tap I had to go for it. The bartender was very accommodating and was happy to oblige. This combo was outstanding the richness of the stout complimented the Lambic wonderfully. I could still taste the chicory, bourbon and cocoa of the stout with the sweetness of the raspberries from the lambic. Ahhh, heaven.

I’m looking forward to a return visit to the Inn. The atmosphere at the Hulmeville Inn really lends itself to enjoying the day hanging for a while with some friends. Very pleased I finally got to try it out.

Side Note: Weyerbacher donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every drop of Last Chance IPA to small, regional animal rescue operations. These shelters offer dogs, cats and other pets their last chance to find a new home.

Blend Bar & Bistro

May 20, 2014Beer Bar, Beer TastingsBeer Bar, Blend Bar & Bistro, Hamilton, NJ, North Coast Brewinggeekybeergal

Blend Bar & Bistro

Blend Bar & Bistro has been open for over a year and half now and for some reason I just hadn’t been able to make the time to check it out. Even though several people had recommended I do so simply because of the beer line up. However, one of my drinking buddies recently invited me to join him and a few other beer buddies for the North Coast Tap Takeover at Blend and decided it was finally time to see what’s what.

Blend is located in Route 33 in Hamilton, NJ in a small little shopping center/strip ball. Nothing about the outside leads one to believe it’s much of anything but I was pleasantly surprised upon entering the establishment. I personally love the industrial décor, open ceilings, use of recycled materials, long bar and nice sturdy wood tables. This Gal also loves when love businesses support local artist and Blend does just that by showcasing local artist work on the walls.

Blend is exactly what the owners say it is – a bar. This is a full service bar at that; that is becoming known in the area for their craft beer selection. They have 12 taps 8 of which are dedicated to a lineup of rotating craft beers and 4 are still dedicated to, well, swill. They also offer a take home package section with a pretty nice selection. I’ve seen better but then again this isn’t a full service beer store but a bar that happens to offer six packs for sale.

Didn’t try the any of the food menu offerings on this visit but did take a quick look at the menu. It’s a small limited to apps, sandwiches and salads offerings that are both meat and vegetarian friendly. Really just the right size menu for a bar.

Now onto the beer. Since it was a North Coast Brewing Tap Takeover I decided enjoy one of their offerings first.

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout – North Coast Brewing 9%
I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying this beer previously but do love when I find it on tap. It’s a beauty with a nice rich black color and a full creamy head with just the right balance of roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, malts a small kick of hops at the end. A nice stout that goes down smoothly.

Next up was the beer behind one of my favorite beer labels:

Brother Thelonious Belgian Strong Dark Ale – North Coast Brewing 9.4%
Right out of the gate one can smell and taste the alcohol in the beer. It pours a nice deep ruby amber color with a small head. It has a slight sweet taste to it that is not over powering but helps to balances the bitterness that is there as well. When I say balance I really mean this beer is a nice balance of sweet/bitter and hops/malts that finishes with a slight caramel taste that fades away delicately.

Rounding out the night I had to go with a beer that caught my eye when I first arrived…

Comma Black Saison – Carton Brewing Company 6%
A black saison is just crazy talk which translates to this Gal having to try it. Holy Pepper! You start with pepper and finish with pepper but in between there is a nice Saison with fruit tones, sweet malt and that nice yeasty body Saisons offer. Personally, I would prefer this beer with food rather than just drinking it on its own but very happy that tried it.

I think Blend Bar & Bistro is continuing to grow and make it’s mark in the craft beer bar world. They continually offer and support new breweries, host craft beer nights, as well as, craft beer festivals. Coming up in June is the New Jersey 350th Birthday NJ Craft Beer Party.
#BlendBar #NJCraftBeer

Yards Brewing

May 13, 2014Beer Tastings, Brewery Reviews, UncategorizedBrewery, Love Stout, Philadelphia, Saison, Swartzbier, Yardsgeekybeergal

Yards Brewing

Back in April I suddenly found myself with a free Saturday, which is rare occurrence in this Gal’s life as of late, so I decided to take full advantage of the day, a beauty at that, and get caught up on some overdue chores and errands. As a reward I treated myself with a jaunt to Philly. I had been feeling the pull to revisit Provenance Architecturals and see if anything inspired this Gal. Provenance is a great salvage place that inspires one to be creative. Oh and it also happens to be located right across the street from Yards Brewing.

So once I had my fill of inspiration I walked, really ran for dear life after all its Delaware Avenue, across the street to Yards. It was later in afternoon and I had figured a nice beer or two would complete this wonderful day. I had planned that the brewery would be hopping but I did not expect the crowd that was there. Holy Cow the place was packed. At first I thought maybe there was some sort of event going on but I came to find out that every Saturday it’s a jumping. Even with the crowd I managed to make my way up to the bar pretty easily. Normally, I would prefer a taster round but didn’t feel like balancing a taster paddle while standing in my little corner of the world. Since the taster was out of the question I decided to go for a pint of one of my favorites…Love Stout. Yum! While enjoying my little piece of roasted malty goodness I noticed a free bar stool on the other side of the room and was able to weasel my way over. Score!

Since I had planted myself on a stool I figured I might as well stay and enjoy some more delish beer. I noticed they offered two different taster rounds/flights. Revolutionary Flight: George Washington Tavern Porter, Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale, Poor Richards Tavern Spruce & Love Stout the other flight was the Signature Flight: Brawler (my go to beer for sitting out on my deck), Extra Special Ale, Philadelphia Pale Ale and IPA. Both nice flights but not really what I was in the mood for so I asked one of the many bartenders working if I could make up a flight – Sure Thing! Geeky Beer Gal Flight: Saison, La Colombe Corsica Coffee Love Stout, Swartzbier and the Special Belgian Triple.

Yards offers tours of the brewery, which I enjoyed on a past visit, and the tasting room has picnic and regular tables for hanging at, a nice size bar and pool tables plus a menu that is meat and vegetarian friendly. Also, every Saturday is Food Truck Saturday featuring a local food truck right outside the Tasting Room. Yards really is a place where a group of friends can chill for an afternoon or evening.

I have to give a shout out to the staff and their exceptional service. I can’t emphasis enough how busy this place was and yet they kept up with everyone’s drink and food orders, kept the place clean and things moving smoothly plus were accommodating to everyone. High fives all around!

Love Stout 5% – Sometimes I forget how much I enjoy this beer. This is a really smooth stout that has a nice balance of coffee, chocolate, roasted malts and just a tinge of earthy hops.

Saison 6.5% – Nice fruity presence with hints of pepper and coriander that pours a hazy golden color and finishes with just a touch of bitterness. Would go nicely with Indian or Thai cuisine.

La Colombe Corsica Coffee Love Stout 5.5% – Wow, wow, wow. Upon drinking this I felt like I stuck an IV of coffee in my body. Very nice but the coffee was a bit overpowering for me and usually I love a strong coffee taste to my stouts. Nice dark body but really couldn’t taste much but the coffee. This Gal is staying with the regular Love Stout.

Swartzbier 6% – Nice medium body German style beer that pours a nice reddish/brown color with a slight roasted chicory taste and bittersweet tones that linger in the mouth.

Special Belgian Triple 8% – Oh how I love a Tripel! Not much of a nose by very smooth with a nice clear body. Not one particular over powering flavor, very balanced and easy to drink which could be a bit dangerous coming in at 8%.

Southern English Brown 5.3% (small taste) – nice nutty nose, very smooth and delish. Overall a very well down brown.