Grasslands' Big Cypress Brett IPA

This is a recurring monthly series in which I taste and share my thoughts on a different beer from Grasslands Brewing Co. as they progress on their journey to open their doors to thirsty craft beer lovers THIS SUMMER!  Grasslands is an up-and-coming brewery out of Tallahassee, Fl. that centers their philosophy on making quality "earth first ales." I will taste pilot batches and share my thoughts with the BeerApostle community. You can read past posts about Grasslands beer in the archive section of this blog.

Brewery: Grasslands Brewing Co.
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Style: Brett IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Beer Apostle's Grade: B+

It's hard to believe this is my twelfth review of a Grasslands brew, and the third time I am reviewing a Big Cypress iteration! It's been an absolute blast covering Gabe Grass' journey as he gets set to officially open the doors of Grasslands Brewing Co. Over the last year, I have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of Gabe's experimental and innovative batches. I am not sure why he's entrusted a schmuck like me with such a high honor, but am thankful nonetheless!

This Big Cypress Brett IPA is something I have really been looking forward to. Having tried batches #1 and #4 of the base recipe, I am curious to see how the Brett yeast affects this beer. To see my reviews of Big Cypress IPA without the Brett, click here and here.

You might be wondering, "What is Brett?" Brett is short for Brettanomyces, which  is a form of yeast that traditionally imparts a level of “funkiness” or ”sour” tones to its beers. While this is often the case, there are various strands of Brett yeasts that give floral and tropical impressions. The latter is the form of Brett yeast that's used in this Big Cypress IPA.

Let's get to it, shall we?

Appearance: This Brett IPA pours an unfiltered, hazy copper hue. There is minimal head that quickly dissipates.

Aroma: Earthy hops come to the front of the nose. I pick up a citrus undertone--lemon and orange zest.

Taste: This is an in-your-face tropical IPA! I get a lot of citrus and tropical fruits, mainly grapefruit, mango, and lemons. There is a mild spiciness that comes towards the back of the palate; this is
possibly given off by the Brett. The finish includes a subtle sweetness capped off with the aforementioned spice.

Mouthfeel: Big Cypress Brett IPA is a medium bodied beer. Without a ton of malt sweetness, this beer feels lighter than it is.

Overall: With this being the first 100% Brett IPA that I have tried, I really didn't know what to expect. I also had no point of reference for comparison. And I must admit that prior to the first sip, I fully expected to get some funky notes from the Brett. I definitely fell into the "Brett trap." While there are no elements of "funk" in this beer, it is a bold-flavored IPA. There's really nothing subtle about  Big Cypress Brett IPA. The tropical fruit flavors, citrus bitterness, and spicy finish makes this an IPA that leaves an impression.

I appreciate the willingness to innovate here. As I take a look back at the past 12 beers I've reviewed from Grasslands, I can confidently say they've proven that when they open in just a few months, their beer will be anything but status-quo.Grasslands will push the envelope on various styles and will be cutting-edge in the product they deliver to beer fans. It's going to be fun to watch (and taste).

Interested in becoming a Grasshopper?

If you're interested in getting your hands on any of Grasslands' brews before 2014, register for their Grasshoppers Club which is your ticket in to getting exclusive releases from the brewery before they open. As a Grasshopper, you'll be eligible to enter the monthly lottery drawings to sample beer and provide critical feedback that may contribute to the final product. You can also check out Grasslands on Twitter and Facebook for more information.


Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!

USGBC Green Social Event

 The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is hosting a FREE social gathering at the Aardwolf Brewery on June 10th at 6pm.

The USGBC's mission is to "create a sustainable region and green buildings for all within this generation." The social event takes place in San Marco inside the Aardwolf tasting room. The event is free for everyone, and will help to highlight some of the green-focused businesses and innovations that are going on around Jacksonville.

Enjoy a local vodka, have a beer, grab a bite to eat from The Happy Grilled Cheese, network, learn more about the USGBC, and have a good time while learning about local businesses.

While there, you'll hear from a few local business leaders, including:

• Philip McDaniel (CEO) and Brendan Wheatley (Head Distiller) of St. Augustine Distillery.
• Ben F Davis (Owner) of Intuition Ale Works 
• Aaron Alexander Glick of TransForm Jax 
• Shannon Blankinship of St. John's Riverkeeper 

Also, mark your calendar for October 4th. USGBC will be hosting the Green Lion Festival, which will also take place at Aardworlf. The event was a huge success last year as it brought in over 400 people. This year, the event is sure to be one you won't want to miss. There will be samples of local craft beer, liquor, and food. And best of all, it's all FREE!! Check http://www.usgbcnf.org/greenlionfestival for more information as the date gets closer!

Recap: 6th Annual Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Fest

Preben Olsen dressed in his Aardwolf best!

The 6th Annual Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Fest took place this past Saturday. This was my third year attending the event, and my first as a BUZZ Columnist. There were a total of 2500 tickets to the event with over 40 breweries and several restaurant vendors.

With a purchase of any ticket (there were three levels to choose from: General Admission, VIP, and Ultra VIP), beer lovers were spoiled with all-you-can-drink-and-eat samples.

The beef fest was, once again, held at the Veterans Memorial Arena, which is a great location for a beer fest of this caliber. Three levels of the arena were opened and filled with various breweries and food vendors. Of the three levels, I must admit there was one place I spent the majority of my time, just as I did last year, and the year before: the arena floor.

The bottom level of the arena housed the local breweries and homebrewers. This year, the arena floor included local favorites and usual suspects, such as Intuition Ale Works, Aardwolf, and Pinglehead; and there were a few newbies, too, like Veteran's United Craft Brewery (set to open their doors in the next month or two) and Big Storm Brewing (Odessa, FL).

As if the local craft breweries weren't enough, CASK was also there pouring some of their delicious homebrews. While I don't want to take anything away from all of the wonderful breweries that were here from around the country, I found it difficult to rationalize spending much time away from the arena floor. If nothing else, this beer event confirmed one thing: Jacksonville's beer scene is reaching a boiling point. It doesn't seem far-fetched to think that in a few years, there will be a need for more than just one floor for the local breweries. Jacksonville is definitely becoming a beer-destination! We're looking at you, Tampa!

Below are just a few of the pictures from the beer fest:

Chatting with Chris from Veterans United Craft Brewery

Some of the amazingly delicious sweet treats offered in the Ultra VIP section

 

Marc Wisdom (Jax Beer Guy) and me before the event

Local homebrewers from CASK pouring their unique concoctions

Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!

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There's a lot happening in Jacksonville, and you don't want to miss out on any of the fun! I frequently give away tickets and VIP access to all the major beer events (Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Festival, Jaxtoberfest, Putt 'N' Crawl, and more!). Sign up below!

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Sweetwater Dank Tank Johnny Hash

Brewery: Sweetwater Brewing Company
Location: Atlanta, GA
Style: Double IPA
ABV:8.5%
Beer Apostle's Grade: A-

I am excited about this review for two reasons: 1) I have heard nothing but great things about this brew, and 2) this will be the first review in which I assign an actual rating/grade to my post. You will be able to quickly glance at the grade I assign each beer at the top of each review. Thanks for all your feedback. I hope this helps you gain a better sense of how "good" or "bad" I think each beer is.

Johnny Hash is brewed with a literal "hash" of hops. This concentrated amount of Citra hops are hashed together (just like you would a potato hash for breakfast), which theoretically creates a purer tasting hop profile.

According to the commercial description on the bottle,

This super concentrated hash is pure hop lupulin (ya know-the hop kief-the good stuff!) and will play a resinous riff with the pilsner, 2 row and wheat malt used to back up the man in black! With Amarillo on the drums setting the bitterness beat, Citra hash takes the mic in the whirlpool, packing a sticky aromatic punch with potent lyrics creating a heavy hop forward set worthy of a July Carter finger dip.

Enough talking about it. Let's get to the hash, shall we?

Appearance: In typical fashion, Sweetwater has catchy artwork on the label. There's a cartoonish caricature of Johnny Cash who seems to be giving "the bird" to the world. The beer itself is a clear golden color with tints of amber. All-in-all, this is a beautiful looking beer.

Aroma: Citrus and pine are the first two aromatics that I am able to identify, followed by a hint of honey and booze.

Taste: Sweet fruit notes, maybe even tropical in flavor. The first impression is borderline candy-like. I get pineapple, passion fruit, and mango notes. The initial fruit flavors are followed by some of the resiny/piney bitter notes from the Citra hops. The malt flavors are actually more noticeable on the front of the palate, which is a really nice change. The finish includes lingering resin notes with some spice notes (minty even). As the beer warms, the spicy aftertaste becomes much more apparent, but it is never over the top.

Overall: Johnny Hash, hands down, my favorite beer of the Dank Tank series. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The Fruity flavors are well balanced with some pine notes and a mild honey-like malt sweetness. This is an all-around-well-executed beer.

To learn more about SweetWater Brewing Company and its Dank Tank series, visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!

Sourcing Suds: Aardwolf Early Bird Special

'Sourcing Suds' is a monthly column I write for Buzz Magazine which acknowledges a locally brewed beer being served at a locally operated beer joint. The people and places pouring for us are what make the craft beer community what it is. Join me each month as I highlight some of the great places and beer found right here in Jacksonville!

Source: Aardwolf Brewing Co. (Taproom)

Aardwolf Brewing Company is located in Jacksonville's San Marco neighborhood, just minutes from the heart of downtown. The Taproom is an inviting space. There's exposed brick, plenty of seating, and a long bar that practically spans the length of the entire taproom.

It's been a full year since Aardwolf opened its taproom, and I recently sat down with co-owner, Preben Olsen, to talk about his initial vision for the space.

Beertender, Kevin, offers samples of beer to a customer

"Our taproom is a place to teach people about beer. We don't just have our beer, but we have great guest taps too. And our bar, you can see it's really long. We designed it to help people interact with others," said Olsen.

It's clear that Aardwolf's owners put a lot of thought and intentionality into the design of the taproom, and a year later, they are seeing the fruits of their efforts. The taproom is usually full of patrons, and it's not uncommon for a food truck or two to be stationed in the parking lot.  Aardwolf might be Jacksonville's youngest brewery, but it's quickly building a name for itself. 

Suds: Early Bird Special (Anniversary Breakfast Stout)

Aardwolf wanted to celebrate the one-year mark with a bold beer that has a lot going on. And Early Bird Special certainly fits the bill. This breakfast stout is brewed with generous portions of oats, vanilla, and cinnamon, and then aged on coffee beans. It's a dark beer that gives off an appetizing aroma of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon.

After taking one sip, I looked up at my server and said, "It's like drinking French toast!" The flavor profile is loaded with cinnamon and vanilla that provide a maple-syrup like essence. The coffee bean flavor is also there, giving a nice roasted flavor that mimics burnt toast a little. The finish is slightly bitter with some heat from the alcohol.

This is a great-tasting beer with a great aroma and some very complex flavors. It's a great beer to celebrate Aardwolf's taproom anniversary, and it's a beer that we might see again. According to Olsen, Aardwolf might consider brewing Early Bird Special again. September will mark the brewery's one-year mark for the brewing side of operations, and just maybe we will get some more of this breakfast stout for that celebration. But until then, stop by the taproom and check this one out. You won't regret it!

The Taproom is open Wednesday through Saturday at 3pm. My recommendation is to go on Wednesdays for their weekly tapping of a pilot batch. These are rare and extremely limited batches (sometimes only 5 gallons of beer), that highlight the brewery's experimental and riskier side.