Cigar City/Terrapin Southern Slice

Brewery: Cigar City Brewing and Terrapin Beer Co.
Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 10%

Cigar City and Terrapin teamed up to collaborate on this dessert-in-a-glass. According to the commercial description, the breweries wanted to create an innovative beer that would also be familiar to folks from the South; thus, Southern Slice is a pecan pie themed lager.

There were limited bottles of Southern Slice distributed outside of the Tampa area, so when I got my hands on a bottle, I wasn't too sure whether I was going to cellar the beer or crack it open. As a rule of thumb, I really only cellar a beer if I have at least two bottles--one to drink and one to save for later. The decision was easy.

Knowing the bottle was a 750ml, I called in the reinforcements (a very willing @RadelRA), and began an impromptu tasting.

Southern Slice pours a dark brown in color with amber highlights. Actually, the beer looks a lot like cola. Dark brown with red hues when shown against a light.

The aroma was forgettable. I smelled molasses, malt, and an undetectable sweetness. I could sit here and tell you that I picked up caramel and vanilla notes, but that would just be me trying to impress you. And let's face it, that's hard enough to do when I'm being truthful.

The taste made up for the nose. Southern Slice is full of flavors. I first tasted vanilla (honestly, I did), butter, and caramel malts. Lots and lots of malt, As the beer traveled the palate, I picked up on chocolate and even more butter. This beer is sweet from beginning to end. Just like a slice of homemade pecan pie.

The mouthfeel is heavy. The butteriness of this beer leaves a slick and oily coating on the tongue. Little carbonation. Southern Slice is big and bold.

Overall, I enjoyed this beer, but I'm glad I had someone to share it with.It drinks more like a stout than a lager and I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't a stout.

The best quality of this beer has nothing to do with the beer and everything to do with what it represent: Southern hospitality. This beer is heavy and filling. It belongs at in a dining room filled with family and friends and lots of food. Southern Slice is a comfort beer. I would love to pair this with a holiday meal next year.

Underdark Release: February 1, 2014 (Intuition Ale Works)

Intuition Ale Works is gearing up for their annual release of Underdark, an Imperial bourbon-barrel aged stout. The release will be on Saturday, February 1, though members of their Mug Club will have the opportunity to buy bottles of Underdark the night before.

Before we get into the details of the event, let's make sure we know what Underdark is...

Legends tell of the Underdark, a vast dark and dangerous place where few brave souls have journeyed, and from which even fewer have returned. Journeying through the unforgiving terrain where cruel creatures lurk within the dark caves is not for the faint of heart, and neither is this drink. It is for the brave who journey fearlessly into the dark void to battle true darkness. Let the mead halls forever echo with the sounds of praise for the warriors who dared travel the Underdark.

Bottles will go on sale at 12pm on Saturday, and Intuition will be shutting down King Street, creating a block party for the event. There is a 2 bottle limit, and sales are cash only ($15/bottle). So, you'll want to arrive early and stop at the ATM on the way.

To make the event even more exciting, Intuition will be serving Underdark on tap along with a limited quantity from last year's batch to allow folks to conduct a side-by-side tasting of the two releases.

There will also be guest beers on tap and local food trucks to keep the party going. Intuition Ale Works is located at 720 King Street. The event is from 12pm-9pm with parking along the street.

The Silver Cow: Jacksonville's Newest Craft Beer Joint

King Street. A part of Jacksonville's Riverside area that has become known as "The Beer District." Intuition Ale, Kickbacks, Dahlia's Pour House, Beer:30, Pele's all call King Street home. And now you can add one more to the list of places within walking distance from each other: The Silver Cow.

Regina Heffington (Affectionately known as the Jax Brew Bitch by locals), opened the doors to The Silver Cow last week. The opening wasn't advertised other than a few tweets, posts, and word-of-mouth announcements. And as much as I hope The Silver Cow experiences great success, I selfishly want it to remain a secret gem.

The space is small but packs charm. The exposed brick walls, antique lamps, whiskey barrel table-tops, and dim lighting give a eloquent sophistication that's intriguing and welcoming.

And there's beer.

The Silver Cow has 25 rotating taps that provide something for everyone. Local brews from Intuition and Bold City are represented as well as in and out-of-state favorites like Cigar City Jai Alai and Founders Dirty Bastard. And there will be others. And after talking to Regina, I can confidently say that her patrons will soon be spoiled by some big-time beers she's planning to tap very soon.

Although The Silver Cow's 25 taps may be a modest comparison to Dahlia's and Kickbacks (both of which offer over 80 taps), craft beer lovers will appreciate the intentionality with which Regina selects her beer menu.

And if, after a few beers, you find yourself looking for some grub, The Silver Cow has that too! Each day, there is a different special that is offered that's sure to give your grandma's recipes a run for the money. On Tuesday, for example, the daily special was Olde School Beef Pot Roast prepared with rosemary, garlic and Dogfish Head's Olde School Barleywine topped with Italian parsley served with polenta and roasted carrots. Try finding that somewhere else.

There's charm, beer, food, and good company. Regina is one of the kindest and passionate people I know. She has a heart for the Jacksonville community, and I wish her and The Silver Cow all the success in the world.

The Silver Cow is located at 1506 King Street. They are closed on Monday, but open every other day at 3pm (1pm on Sundays).

Come check it out, drink some good beer, eat home-cooked food, and spread the word...but don't tell too many people. I like that this is a quiet watering hole for locals; although I can't imagine it's going to stay unknown for long. After all, it's only been open for a week and there have already been numerous articles and praises for the place. Deservingly so.

Poll: Which Logo Should Become the New Beer Apostle Logo?

I am in the process of giving the Beer Apostle a facelift, and I am looking for your input to help decide the future logo for this site and everything associated with Beer Apostle (who knows, maybe there's a clothing line beyond the horizon...).

I have been fortunate enough to work with Stephen Nichols (@TallyCraftBeer) on potential logos for the site. After looking at a handful of proofs, we've made changes, eliminations, and have landed on the two that you see below:

So, which logo do you think should be the new Beer Apostle Logo?

Locals Only Beer Fest: Saturday, January 25 (Jacksonville, FL)

What: LOCALS ONLY BEER FEST: Beer fest featuring North Florida's local breweries
Where: 3 Independent Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32202
When: Saturday, Jan. 25 2:00pm-6:00pm

For the first time, all of the local Jacksonville craft breweries will be gathered in one location for patrons to wet their palates. The beer fest is free (beer is not), and there will be savory and delicious food available for purchase, thanks to the trucks from Jax Truckies.

This fest is being hosted by some of the area's great organizations, like the Jax Chamber, One Spark, and The Players.

Here are the breweries that will be represented at the Locals Only Beer Fest:

• Pinglehead
• Intuition
• Bold City
• Green Room
• Aardwolf
• Engine 15

Click on the event link for more information.
 Cheers to Local Beer!

Ranger Creek Responds to "Infected" Beer

Two weeks ago, I posted a review of Ranger Creek's Small Batch No. 3, and in the midst of the tasting, discovered an obvious case of yeast-gone-bad. This prompted a social media discussion around two questions:

1. Does infected beer adversely affect a brewery's reputation?
2. What response do we, as beer consumers, expect a brewery to take when a batch goes bad?

The discussion was rich and plentiful. Some were critical of Ranger Creek, tweeting, "An off batch is one thing, but an infected batch should be unacceptable, no matter the size of the batch/brewery" (@TeeJayJewel).

Others were more forgiving, like @StayHoppyAustin who tweeted, "Had a few infected bottles from @rangercreek as well. Harmed view? Maybe a bit. But have had great ones as well."

I enjoyed reading the comments on the blog and engaging in debates with folks on Facebook and Twitter, but ultimately wanted to hear from Ranger Creek, which prompted me to reach out and see if they'd be willing to shed light on the situation.

I was interested to gain the full-picture knowledge of what would cause a brewery to release an infected batch, assuming they knew it was infected, of course.

Ranger Creek did respond.

After a few exchanged tweets, I received an email from Mark McDavid, Co-founder of Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling. Mark's email exemplifies what I love about craft beer. His response was candid and somewhat vulnerable. He apologized for my experience with Small Batch No. 3, and then provided context explaining what actually happened with the beer.

After our launch, we did discover limited quantities of wild yeast in this beer, although it was completely free from bacteria. We began more evaluation and found that the reaction to the wild yeast flavors was limited to certain bottles and varied depending on the individual's taste buds and whether it was stored warm or cold. We have been cellaring cases since the release and trying them regularly, and we very much enjoy and appreciate the flavor and complexity of SB#3. Consumer feedback and our internal assessment made us make the decision to continue sell and cellar this beer.

That said, it was not what we intended and below the standards that we set for our brewery. Since then, we have changed our head brewer and implemented an internal lab program that guarantees the highest level of control for our beers.  In addition to sensory evaluation we do wild yeast and bacteria tests at multiple stages before release.  

There are two things about Mark's email that impressed me greatly. First, he cuts right to the point and admits that the beer hasn't performed at the level he wanted. So much so, that Ranger Creek has since changed their head brewer and added more lab testing to prevent this from happening to future batches. Secondly, Mark explains that he has been intentional with his decision to not only sell the beer, but he is cellaring Small Batch No. 3 for (presumably) future tastings and releases.

Mark McDavid's response to consumer feedback (including his tweets to me) is what I love about the craft beer industry. There is a genuine care for the consumers that isn't always found in other markets.

Any skewed view of Ranger Creek that I may have had after tasting an infected beer is wiped away because of Mark's response and openess in talking about what happened with the batch and how the brewery has since made adjustments.

Mark has offered to send me additional bottles from Ranger Creek's Small Batch Series, and I will be sure to add my reviews of those beers and continue this narrative.

But for now, cheers to Ranger Creek, Mark McDavid, and everyone who contributes to such a positive culture in the craft beer community!

Favorite Red Ales

As I was sipping on a freshly canned Tocobaga, I started to think about how much I appreciate a good red ale, and then I realized that there aren't a ton of red ales that have blown me away. In fact, I would argue that when compared to other beer styles, the red ale genre is fairly lacking in superb beers. Let's face it, stouts and IPAs get all the glory in the craft world.

So, I thought it would be fun to give recognition to three of my favorite red ales, and then I would love to hear from you. Admittedly, my list is limited because I don't typically seek out red ales when I am looking for new beers to try. So please feel free to add to this list, dismiss the beers I've mentioned, or argue for your favorite red ales!

My list of favorite red ales:

1. Pinglehead (Pinglehead, Jacksonville, FL). Pinglehead is located inside Brewer's Pizza, and is a place I would consider "a gem" in North Florida. It's a small brewpub in Clay County that not only makes mean beer, but they also cook up some awesome pizzas too! Pinglehead's Imperial Red is a perfectly balanced red that blends the sweet malty backbone with a floral and semi-bitter hop presence. It has just the right amount of bitterness and sweetness to make this a highly enjoyable, very drinkable red ale that's packed with flavor. Whenever visitors come to Jacksonville, Pinglehead usually tops my list of beers they need to try.

 
2. Tocobaga (Cigar City, Tampa, FL). Tocobaga was the first red ale I ever tried that had true complexity and character. Before Tocobaga, I had limited experience with reds and probably thought of Fat Tire as the ceiling in terms of the style. Tocobaga is a rich red ale with a prominent malt backbone that is countered by a citrusly-sweet-bitter note that comes from the Citra hops with which Cigar City dry hops the beer. As I said on Twitter, when this beer is consumed fresh, it's a real treat!

3. Zoe (Maine Beer Co, Freeport, Maine). I purchased six bottles of Zoe to celebrate the birth of our second daughter, Zoe, in October 2012. A few weeks before my wife's due date, I searched Google for beers that might share the same name. I found this red ale from Maine and had it shipped to Florida so that I could properly toast and welcome my daughter to the world.

Zoe, like the first two on the list, has a nice hop bitterness that balances the malt profile of the red ale. In fact, I would say Zoe is the most "bitter" of the three on this list. Zoe drinks more like an IPA than a red. But Zoe and I are forever linked, and it has earned it's place on my top 3 red ales list. Before I close, I must mention some beers that I left off this list that I suspect might be on your list.

Honorable Mentions:

• Lagunitas Imperial Red
• Grasslands Leeroy the Red 
• He'Brew Genesis
• Terrapin Oaked Big Hoppy Monster
• Saint Arnold Amber Ale (This might have made my list 3 years ago when I lived in Houston)
• Bold City 1901 Red Ale

So, let's hear from you. What beers did I leave off? Where did I mess up? What are your favorite red ales?

Visiting Tomoka Brewery

I had the pleasure of stopping by Tomoka Brewery, one of North Florida's newest craft beer breweries. Tomoka is located in Ormond Beach, FL, which is just minutes from Daytona Beach.

Tomoka is a place I had been trying to visit since the opening in 2013, but my work and family schedule made it difficult to make the 90 minute drive from Jacksonville. Nonetheless, I am glad that I was finally able to visit Tomoka and taste some of the delicious pizzas and, of course, beer.

The brewpub is conveniently located and within walking distance of the beach. Although I visited on a cold day (for Florida's standards), I made a mental note to come back in the summer and make use of the brewery's optimal proximity to the water.

The pictures are hazy because my daughter put a filter over my lens and I didn't catch it until later.

Tomoka just received their Federal license to brew and sell their own beer this past week. So, during the time of my visit, I wasn't able to order any beers that were solely brewed by them; although I did try a collaboration beer they brewed with Due South Brewing Co. out of Boynton Beach, FL. The collaboration was an imperial brown ale called, Ginger Snap Imperial Brown Ale.

Just like it sounds, the beer was a sweet and malty ale with subtle notes of ginger, toffee, and brown sugar. It served as an excellent dessert beer after I devoured an order of gravy and cheese covered french fries, which were the appetizer to the pizza I ordered--the Spanokopizza: a pie that's topped with spinach, garlic, onions, mozzarella, feta, and butter. YUM!

My visit was pleasant and I know I need to come back. Owners Jen and Peter are great people. They are avid supporters of the craft beer community in Florida and are just generally good people to be around. Peter even came out from the back of the kitchen to snap a quick photo with my daughter and me.

That's me in the middle, proudly wearing the "Drink Beer from Here" @hopcloth shirt.

If you're in the Daytona Beach area, be sure to stop by Tomoka for a good meal and great beer. I will definitely be back once they have their own beers flowing from the taps.

Cheers!

Ranger Creek Small Batch No. 3

Brewery: Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling
Location: San Antonia, TX
Style: Barleywine
ABV: 10%

Small Batch No. 3 is an English Style Barleywine in a series of small batch releases from the Texas brewery.  Here's a little more information about the small batch series from Ranger Creek's website:

Our Small Batch Series is a line of seasonal single batch brews designed to be unique, interesting, and often experimental. Each one is made in small quantities and with a completely different recipe. The unique color, number, and QR code on each label identifies each batch, the details of which can be referenced on our website or by scanning the QR code with a smart phone. Small Batch Series releases are meant to age well over time, so drink a bottle now and save others to enjoy later. They will cellar best in a dark place around 50 degrees. Each batch is brewed and bottled by hand and undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Pour carefully so as not to rouse the yeast.

Before I move forward with this review, I have to give this disclaimer: my expectations are low. I'm even a bit wary. After talking to people who have tried this, and after reading several other posts about the beer, I fully expect this beer to be infected and funkified to the max. But despite my wariness, I'll proceed...

This bottle has a hand-written bottling date of 10-8-12

Appearance: The bottle itself is appealing. The label clearly indicates that this is a small batch, limited release. The wax dipped tip is a nice touch. The beer pours a deep copper hue with an explosive head. I poured this gently, hoping to avoid this problem.

Aroma: Smells like a saison, not a barleywine. Brett-like yeast aromas, spicy notes, hints of sweet caramel malt.

Taste: Sweet and fruity with a malted backbone and an obvious sourness on the middle of the palate that follows the flavors 'til the end. The taste isn't as funky as the nose, but it's certainly sour and definitely infected as so many others have posted. The finish is slightly oaky with sweet malts.

And sour.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation. Flavors linger on the tongue for a while, giving it a perceived heaviness.

Overall: There just isn't the depth and complexity that I hoped for. I put this bottle in my cellar in 2012 with high hopes. I can see where they wanted to go with this beer. The sweet malt offers a glimpse of the barleywine that Ranger Creek wanted to create. However, somewhere along the way, the yeast has gone funky and has no hopes of maturing into the beer it should have.

Sadly, I must admit to pouring the remaining liquid down the drain. I drank enough to provide a thorough review, but had no desire to finish what was left in the bottle or glass.

Cigar City Invasion Pale Ale

Brewery: Cigar City Brewing Co.
Location: Tampa, FL
Style: Pale Ale
ABV: 5%

Cigar City had some fun with this one. The back of the can tells the story of a city that's been invaded and under siege for the last century. Out of options, CCB joins forces with the blasted buccaneers and brews up a tropical pale ale that's sure to please patron and pirate alike!

Invasion is a session ale that pours a cloudy yellow with a decent sized fluffy head.

The aromas are all hops: pine and citrus. This smells like a hop bomb...much hoppier than I would expect from a pale.

Taste: The first sip is full of grapefruit. It's tart at first, but then I get the tropical sweetness from various fruits. The finish includes more citrus notes--I get a lot of lemon zest that's balanced with a piney bitterness.

The headline around this beer is hops. The hops literally invade every aspect of the palate as this beer is consumed. However, there is complexity here. I noticed a yeasty-wheat aftertaste with the lemon zest. And call me crazy, but I pick up some fresh cilantro too.

I appreciate the folks at CCB calling out that this beer should be consumed fresh. The hop flavors literally make this beer and time does not treat hoppy beers well. However, I have one piece of critical feedback: if I am expected to drink this fresh, make sure I can read the date that's printed on the can. I think this one says it was bottled on Nov. 25th, but I can't be too sure.

Overall: This is a sessionable beer at just 5%, but I question whether it's something I could continuously drink by the pool. While it's light in alcohol and calories (estimated at only 150), the citrus, pine, and zest make this beer a bit too abrasive for a session beer. But if you're looking for a beer that packs a punch in the mouth but not on the waistline, you've found your match!