Modern Times Ice

Modern Times is a San Diego based brewery focused on "aroma-driven, complex, flavorful, sessionable beers." Modern Times Ice is a Czech Pilsner and, given the aforementioned description of their focus, I'm eager to check this beer out. While the Czech Pilsner style certainly falls under "sessionable" beers, a solid pilsner is difficult to brew well and not a style you typically think of as aroma-driven and flavorful. I am out to find whether Modern Times can live up to their mission with this light lager.

Before I get to what's inside the can, let's talk about what's on the outside. Not sure where the name, 'Ice" comes from, but I can't help to think of a certain light beer that has historically found its way onto college campuses and, formerly, my basement. Regardless, I find the name and can label to be jovial and maybe even a little ironic. The design is like a flashback to the early 90's. I can recall a fanny pack I used to wear that would have complemented the overall design and color scheme quite well.

Now, let's get to the beer. I served Ice ice-cold as the can instructs. The beer pours a clear golden color and I  immediately picked up on a classic pilsner aroma -- grass, hay, and biscuity malt.

The flavor follows suit. Lots of sweet grain on the palate, as well as hay, grass, and biscuit flavors. I also pick up corn, slight pepper, and herbal notes. The finish is dry with lingering pepper.

I can't deny that this is a solid Czech Pilsner, Lots of flavor, and yet light and very drinkable. I enjoyed how crisp it was--perfect for summer. Great aroma, definitely flavorful, and overall enjoyable.

To learn more about Modern Times, check them out here. I recommend looking out for this beer and checking it out. If you do, give me a shout-out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter 
and let me know what you think!

Touring Winter Park's Brewstillery

Posing with Co-Founder, Andrew Asher, at the Brewstillery

When the Founders of the Winter Park Distilling Company unveiled expansion plans to combine their craft distillery with a fully functioning brewery, taproom and retail showroom, it was innovating, groundbreaking, and set to be the first of its kind in the State of Florida. Those plans were originally unveiled in 2015. Today, that plan and vision for “The Brewstillery” has been fully realized and patrons can visit the site, now home to The Bear& Peacock Brewery and the Winter Park Distilling Co. which has been in full operation since the grand opening in November 2016.

I was recently given a tour of the site by co-founder, Andrew Asher, whose enthusiasm and passion for craft brewing and distilling was on full display. The tour began in the brewery (which is separated from the distillery only by a government-mandated wall) where Asher gave an overview of the brewing process, focusing on the scientific nature of his five-barrel system. 

While I have been on more brewery tours than I can count, this tour was different. Asher’s presentation was fully engaging and enlightening. His love of Winter Park, craft beer, and craft liquor was inspiring. He intertwined Winter Park history into the tour and provided personal stories which gave light to his inspiration for opening the craft brewery. 

The name, Bear & Peacock, for example is homage to Winter Park— “Bear” referring to a lake he and his friends used to hang out around, and “Peacock” referring to the bird found on the city’s official seal thanks to members of the Morse family who brought the first peacock to Winter Park in 1950. As Asher stated in his original press release announcing the brewstillery, “Our identity as a craft distiller is grounded in the unique beauty and creative drive of this community.” 

The second part of the tour took place through the opening of the wall and into the distillery side. Here is where Asher truly shined. It’s clear that the Winter Park Distilling Co. is Asher’s first love. Again, he provided an expansive overview of the process. Like a kid on show-and-tell day, Asher proudly displayed the 250 gallon still which sits adjacent to the smaller, home-made still with which he began. The tour also included a walkthrough of the aging area where barrels of rum and whiskey await their bottling day, and a humble side space which serves as an office, lab, and bottling room.

The tour concluded with, perhaps, the best part – the samples! To no surprise, Asher pulled out every bottle of liquor he had available; he generously shared a tasting of each spirit while giving even more backstory behind each one. Typically, the samples are available only to those who pay for a tour (scheduled by appointment only), but Asher pulled in the crowd and invited several others to enjoy – one final reminder that the Brewstillery is, at its core, grounded in community.

Within hours, Winter Park Distilling Co. tweeted a photo from our tour

The Brewstillery is located at 1288 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park, FL and is open Monday-Sunday. For tours, contact tours@wpdistilling.com or call 407.801.2714.

A few more shots from the tour:

Entrance to the Brewstillery, located at 1288 N. Orange Ave.

A look at the brewery's fermenters

Barrels of WPD rum and whiskey currently aging

The original, hand-made still at Winter Park Distilling Co.

Tasting the award-winning Bear Gully Classic Single-Barrel Bourbon

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To see more from the Beer Apostle, be sure to follow on Twitter and Facebook and check out the Archives section! Have questions or feedback, contact me and share your thoughts! 

Fill My Cup: God's Direction and Tampa-Style Lager

Welcome to the new weekly series, "Fill My Cup." The series will invite readers to share in and engage with my personal review of the Bible and also my critical tasting notes of a beer from the week. May this series spark discourse and reflection, while learning something new about craft beer and the Bible. I invite you all to engage with me--share your thoughts, comments, and musings along the way!

Good News

We are obsessed with directions. It's no wonder four of the top ten self-made YouTube millionaires made their money by posting "how-to" videos. Looking for the best Thai food in a 10 mile radius? There's an app for that. Need directions on how to learn a new instrument? There are dozens of videos online to get you started. Heading on a road trip and need directions on the quickest route? Cellphones now come with built-in GPS apps that not only provide you with a turn-by-turn direction, but they will calculate the best route given traffic and roadside hazards. If you're anything like me, you like to have your GPS on even when you know where you're going because sometimes it's nice to see you're still going the right way.

The directions we rely on everyday are only helpful when we have access to and can understand them (IKEA, I'm looking at you). God provides us with the ultimate set of directions: His voice. All we have to do is hear it. I love the line, "Whether you turn to the right or the left," because God knows that we are constantly losing our focus and that we have an inkling to lead ourselves astray. But the assurance we have is that at anytime, no matter how far off the path we've gone, His voice is always behind us, always leading.

Perhaps, the hardest thing to do is listen.

Craft Brews

If you're looking for directions to the best beer to help you finish out the summer heat, Cigar City's Tampa-Style Lager may be your beer. This American lager is a refreshing and light beer that has hints of tropical bitterness to make this an easy winner over some of the alternative light lagers on the shelves. The initial flavors on the palate are light cracker and grain malt with sweet corn and a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Tampa-Style Lager has been my go-to summer beer. It's highly drinkable, mildly crisp, and smooth. I could have used a bit more crispness on the finish, but other than that this is a very good beer that I suspect most people who try it will like.

Three (more) Tree House Beers for Review

This is a continuation from a previous post where I sampled Julius. The bar has been set high, and I am excited to share my tasting notes from the remaining three Tree House Beers that I recently received.

Lights On 

American Pale Ale

5.6% ABV

Being that this is only the second beer I've ever tasted from Tree House, my only point of comparison is Julius--two radically different beers, and yet, I found some obvious similarities that show a distinct craftsmanship from the brewers. 

Strong and pleasant aroma--strong hop notes and a subtle orange peel aroma as well. As you can see from the image, the beer poured a thick hazed pale-orange color. Not as vibrant as Julius, but a similar haze and orange aroma.

Lights On tastes of grapefruit, orange zest, lemon, mango, and other tropical fruits. This is a very flavorful and citrusy pale ale that packs a balanced bitterness, making this an approachable and highly drinkable beer. It's not quite as juicy as Julius, but one could argue this beer had more going on in terms of depth/layers of flavors.

Haze

Imperial IPA

8.2% ABV

Similar to the previous two beers I've sampled, Haze is...well, hazy. This beer pours an almost identical color and "thickness" to Lights On and Julius. The aroma is similar as well: tropical fruits and some citrus zests dominate the nose.

On the palate, Haze begins with notes of orange, lemon, and pineapple. There's not much of a hop bitterness here, and I enjoy the more prominent malt presence that's in this beer. Still, there is a clear theme going on with Tree House's IPAs: they pack a punch of juicy (often tropical and citrus) flavors. Haze tips the scale more on the tropical side of the scale, but the signature orange flavors are certainly there. 

Also noticeable is the heaviness of this beer. I found Haze to have almost a "chewy" feel to it: quite thick and juicy--but that is definitely not a knock on the beer in any way. As an imperial IPA, Haze does not disappoint and provides the flavor and mouthfeel to satisfy the genre.

Single Shot

Milk Stout

6.4% ABV

I was excited to try this one as it was so very different from the previous three that I sampled. There was such a clear theme and pattern detected in the pale ales, that I was curious to see what Tree House would do with a stout.

Single Shot is labeled a Milk Stout or Sweet Stout, depending on which site you're looking at. Either one works well in my opinion. As soon as I cracked open the can, I was met with a sweet coffee aroma, something similar to a cafe con leche. 

If you are someone who likes their coffee with lots of cream, this beer is for you. Single Shot tastes of rich coffee and sweet cream flavors. There is a hint of chocolate in the middle, but this beer doesn't shy away from being a sweet coffee stout and nothing else. The finish is very smooth. There's absolutely no bitterness from hops nor coffee. This is a rich and smooth, sweet and bold stout. I would love to try this one on Nitro and have a nice creamy texture to go with the sweet cream flavors. 

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After tasting four different Tree House beers, it's clear that those of us who live in Florida are missing out on some well crafted beers! I thoroughly enjoyed each one and have to thank Nine State Brewery one last time for sharing these beers with me. Be sure to check out Tree House Brewing Co by visiting http://treehousebrew.com/ and show some love to Nine State by giving their facebook page a Like!  https://www.facebook.com/ninestatebrewery/

Julius-Tree House Brewing Company

I received a message recently from Eric of Nine State Brewing. He asked if I had ever tried anything from Tree House Brewing Co. I explained that I hadn't but would love the opportunity and, just like that, I received a packaged containing these four beers. Eric's only request was that, in return, I provide my readers with honest and in-depth reviews of each beer. Challenge accepted!

After doing some research on each of the four beers, I decided to start with Julius and work my way through each one, posting a review as I go, based on the hop profiles of each beer,taking into consideration the beers that should be consumed fresh.

Brewery: Tree House Brewing Co.
Location: Monson, MA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Beer Apostle's Final Grade: A+

Julius is Tree House's flagship American IPA. Julius has a perfect score of 100 on both BeerAdvocate and RateBeer, and has become one of the more sought-after American IPAs as of late. Just a quick glance on any of the beer trading forums and you'll quickly see there is a considerable buzz around Julius. However, I will state for the record: I am not one to fall in line with the hype around beers. Without naming specific labels, there are several "whales" that dominate the ISO forums that, in my humble opinion, are not worth the trouble people go through just to get their hands on a beer that may not be much (if any) better than the beers brewed at your local microbrewery. With that being said, I trusted the endorsements given by many who have tried Julius and was eager to give it a taste for myself.

As soon as I opened the can, the aroma from Julius instantly fill the room. Just as if I had lit a candle, the kitchen filled with vibrant scents of citrus and tropical fruits. There was also a considerable amount of orange notes detected.

Julius pours a deep haziness. This is as cloudy as I have seen an IPA. The color is spot-on: a beautiful orange hue to match the theme and label.

Complex layers of citrus and tropical fruits attach the palate. Julius is just as sweet and juicy as advertised, and full of oranges--both fruit and rind flavors. But for as juicy and fruity as Julius is, there's also a good amount of bitterness that balances this beer. I have seen some reviews labeling Julius as sweet with little bitterness, but I would have to disagree. I get a good amount of bitterness, but it's just not overpowering. As for a malt profile, there's not much of one. Julius is juicy, tropical, and citrusy.

Overall, Julius is as near a perfect IPA as I have tried. In many ways, I find this to push boundaries on what my archetype of an American IPA is or was. Julius' juiciness is unmatched. And the amount of fresh orange flavors that are packed into this beer is impressive. As far as I can tell, Julius deserves the credit and even the hype. It's refreshing and delicious, and I wish I would have received more than just one can.

To see more from the Beer Apostle, be sure to check out the Archives section! Have questions or feedback, contact me and share your thoughts! And don't forget to join in on the discussion by following  on Twitter and Facebook!

Zardoz Imperial Russian Stout

Brewery: Aardwolf Brewing Co.
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.1%


The setting is a post-apocalyptic world in which Sean Connery strolls around in tight spandex (or is that a cloth diaper held up by suspenders?) and tries to save the world in a cinematic expression of good versus evil. The movie, Zardoz, is terrible. It’s a mockery of acting and should have ruined Connery’s career.

Seriously. Check out this trailer from 1974.

Thanks to the creative genius’ behind the brewing doors of Aardwolf Brewing Co., Zardoz has been resuscitated. Only this time, Zardoz is a Russian Imperial Stout. Those hoping to see 70s style spandex shorts should stay home and dust off the old LaserDisc.

Zardoz Russian Imperial Stout is a sci-fi thriller in your mouth. It’s James Bond meets Chewbacca meets that chick from The Fifth Element. It’s fun and enjoyable.

Jest aside, this beer is the real deal. Zardoz brings rich flavors of chocolate and smoked malts. There’s bits of oak that run throughout the palate, finishing with a subtle bitterness. Zardoz goes down surprisingly well for a RIS that weighs in at 10% ABV. There’s a sweet vanilla flavor that eloquently strings the smoked malts, charred oak, and bittering flavors together into something that is complex and quite enjoyable.

Beer Apostle's Final Grade: B

Aardwolf Brewing Company is located at 1461 Hendricks Ave. Jacksonville FL, 32207. I highly recommend visiting their taproom on Wednesdays as they release a new and unique pilot batch each week. 

Check out www.aardwolfbrewing.com for more details on their beer and upcoming events. And as always, support craft beer and drink local!

Shiner Birthday Beer Chocolate Stout

Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery
Location: Shiner, TX
Style: American Stout
ABV: 5%

Each year, the Spoetzl Brewery produces a new brew to commemorate it's birthday. This year, for its 106th birthday, Shiner brewed itself a cake. Sort of. Birthday Beer Chocolate Stout is brewed with real cocoa and made to be sweet and decadent. It's a different direction from the German-inspired brews that Shiner typically produces, and I like that they've had a little fun with this year's anniversary brew.

Appearance: Birthday Beer pours a deep chocolate brown hue  (almost black) with a tan and frothy head.

Aroma: There's an interesting nose on this beer. I get a lot of chocolate at first, but then I begin to pick up some bready yeast aromas on the back end. The chocolate smells very sweet, almost like chocolate syrup or frosting.

Taste: This is definitely a dessert beer! Sweet milk chocolate and sugary goodness jump out on the front of the palate. Cake batter and chocolate frosting also comes to mind. Beyond the initial burst of sugar, the flavor dries out just slightly. Again, I pick up bread on the finish, which I tend to enjoy. It helps to cut the sweetness of this stout a tad.

Overall: If there's ever a beer to replace the ol' cake at the next birthday bash, this is it. It's enjoyably sweet and has a drinkable body. However, as someone who doesn't really love cake and sweets all that much, this isn't a beer I would want to keep drinking. It's definitely worth trying, and I found the beer to be quite tasty, but one and done is good enough for me.

Beer Apostle's Final Grade: B-

To see more from the Beer Apostle, be sure to check out the Archives section! Have questions or feedback, contact us and share your thoughts! And don't forget to join in on the discussion by following  on Twitter and Facebook!

NOLA Brewing Rebirth Pale Ale

Brewery: NOLA Brewing Co.
Location:New Orleans, LA
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5%

I was recently given a bottle of Rebirth Pale Ale, which just recently began distribution in select Florida markets. Having not tried much from NOLA Brewing, I was pleased at the opportunity to try something new and provide a review on my experience with the brew. And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't give a big thanks to Guy for sending me a can of Rebirth to check out!

Appearance: Rebirth pours an orangish hue that is slightly cloudy. The pour provides a white head with negligable lacing.

Aroma: The aroma is mild and hard to detect any one element. From what I can distinguish, I get sweet citrus and caramel malt notes.

Taste: Just like the nose, the taste is fairly mild, and I don't find that there is any one flavor distinguishing itself from the rest. Nonetheless, I will do my best to create a separation and describe what I detect. Rebirth is bready and yeasty. The malt sweetness picks up on the middle of the palate and then ends with a slight pine and bitter finish. The slight malt and slight pine make this a fairly mellow, yet drinkable, beer.

Overall: Mild is the theme, and I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. I can see this being a local favorite, especially during those warm summer months in New Orleans. Rebirth Pale Ale is easy to drink and docile.

Beer Apostle's Final Grade:C+

To see more from the Beer Apostle, be sure to check out the Archives section! Have questions or feedback, contact us and share your thoughts! And don't forget to join in on the discussion by following  on Twitter and Facebook!

Samuel Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin

Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Location: Boston, MA
Style: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Beer Apostle' Grade: B+

It's the first week of September and pumpkin beers have been on the shelves (and in my fridge) for over a month already! While some have a problem with pumpkin brews being released this early, I really don't see what the fuss is all about. Pumpkins are great. They remind me of the Fall. Living in Florida, I'll take any reason to get my mind off the unrelenting heat of the summer months.

And although I've been sippin' on these beers for weeks, I at least waited until September to post my first pumpkin review. If you think this is even a bit too early, simply bookmark this page and come back in four weeks. For everyone else, enjoy the review below and, as always, let me know what you think in the comments section and on social media.

Appearance:  Deep ruby highlights. Sandy colored head laces the glass and lingers.

Aroma: Pumpkin spices and booze. I also get a deep malt aroma followed by candied sugar, molasses, and honey.

Taste: As complex as the aromas are in this beer, the flavors really deploy on the palate to create a pretty complex tasting beer. At first, I taste everything that I picked up on the nose: pumpkin and spices, burnt sugar, and molasses. The spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, and maybe clove. Beyond that, there's almost a wine-like presence that's quite nice. This beer is bold and boozy. The finish is alcohol, cinnamon, and pumpkin. Mildly dry.

Body: This is a full-bodied beer. Mild carbonation helps Fat Jack's syrupy consistency coat the tongue.

Overall: This is quite enjoyable. Lots of flavor here. I appreciate that this beer is not sweet. The nose is a bit deceiving. I thought this was going to be overly sweet and spiced. On the contrary, Fat Jack turns out to be quite balanced and feels more like a mulled wine, especially as it warms. I definitely recommend you give this a try.

I will admit though (here it comes...), this beer is a bit heavy, maybe too heavy, to be enjoyed on a hot summer day. I can just imagine how much more enjoyable Fat Jack would be if it were consumed next to an open fire in the middle of November. But then again, I live in Florida, where the middle of November is merely a euphemism for, "Yep, it's still friggin hot in Florida."

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

Ranking the beers from Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp Across America

The Beer Camp series first debuted in May of 2011. Since, Sierra Nevada has released a different variety pack every year, with this year's edition featuring 12 collaboration brews with some of the most notable breweries across America (hence this year's title).

Before you commit to buying this year's Beer Camp, take a look at my quick review of each of the 12 brews that are featured in the pack. I have conveniently ranked them, based on my preferences, and have assigned each a letter grade. Feel free to agree/disagree in the comments section below. Don't be shy.

Here is the list of each beer in order of my preference, from worst to first.


#12:
Myron's Walk Belgian Style Pale Ale, Allagash Brewing Co.

Yeasty aroma mixed with some banana notes. Flavor starts and finishes with yeasty characteristics. Bread and biscuit flavors followed by a strong spice presence. Clove and coriander. I find the beginning of this beer to be better than the finish. The back end of this beer is underwhelming. Dry and flat finish.

Final Grade: C-

#11:

Canfusion Rye Bock, Oskar Blues Brewery

Canfusion is one of two cans that come in the variety pack. The first sip is an initial slap-in-the-face! Rye and pepper explosion. Malt and citrus notes follow the spicy ambush, but at this point, my palate is traumatized. There's definitely a lack of balance here. Overall, this beer is all over the place. Strong rye presence, minimal malt, and mild citrus notes from the hops, this beer leaves my palate pretty canfused. See what I did there?

Final Grade: C

#10:

Tater Ridge Scottish Ale, Asheville Brewers Alliance

 

Deep amber hues. The nose is biscuity with hints of smoke and roasted malts. Flavor is malt-forward with those roasted flavors following. Medium body with an almost syrupy texture. Finish is dry, spicy, and medicinal. I don't really taste any sweet potatoes, which is rather disappointing. Might be similar to 7venth Sun Root Down Stout, a beer in which I didn't detect the sweet potatoes until I tried it again 6 months later.

Final Grade: C+

 #9:

Electric Ray India Pale Lager, Ballast Point Brewing

I am a lager fan, and this is one of the cross-over styles that has been hit or miss for me. And more often than not, it's been a miss. Electric Ray, on the other hand, does a nice job of nailing this style. The initial flavors are pungent, earthy, and fairly intense. But the payoff comes towards the back of the palate where this India Pale Lager showcases a nice malt body that comes with being a lager. It's a bit piney with a semi-sweet caramel malt finish. Surprisingly drinkable for 8.5%.

Final Grade: B- 

#8:

Alt Route Altbier, Victory Brewing Co.

Looks and smells like a dark lager. Nose contains nutty, bready, lager aromas. The taste is grainy with burnt malt flavors (there's really not a lot of sweet notes in this one), with a hoppy bitter taste. The hops bring an earthiness to this beer which go well with the grainy flavors that precede. Looks, smells, and tastes like a lager. This is a beer I could drink plenty of. Would be great with some wings and football!

Final Grade: B

#7:

Chico King Pale Ale, 3 Floyds Brewing Co.

Nice malt aroma mixed with some herbal fragrances. The flavor is a complex balance of malt sugars (burnt sugars) and spicy yeast notes. The back end of this beer opens up into a floral bouquet of hop resin, citrus zest, and toasted malt. Dry finish.

Final Grade: B

#6:

There and Back English-Style Bitter, New Glarus Brewing Co.

Nice malt aroma to start things off. The taste follows the nose at first with caramel and toasted malt flavors, followed by an earthy hop notes that leave the a mild bitterness on the palate. The more I sipped on this, the more I could pick up some fruit flavors on the front of the palate. Not overly complex. Easy to drink. Pretty enjoyable.

Final Grade: B

#5:

Hoppy Pilsner, Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

The beer gives an immediate hop-forward intensity that is citrus and floral. A nice earthy complexity follows the floral notes, and then this torpedo disengages, leaving a light, crisp, and dry finish. Fairly clean on the palate minus a dry bitterness that lingers just a touch too long in my opinion.

Final Grade: B+

#4:

Belgian-Style Blonde Ale, Russian River Brewing Co.

Strong Belgian aromas and flavors here. Nothing shy about this beer. The taste is dominated by strong pepper and coriander on the front of the palate. I pick up banana and bubble gum...lots of bubble gum as the beer travels towards the back of the palate. Overall, this is quite nice. Light and very drinkable. And bubble gum.

Final Grade: B+

#3:

Yonder Bock Tropical Maibock, Cigar City Brewing

Great scent coming from this one! Sweet malt and fruit aromas (peaches and mango, maybe). Flavor follows the nose. Taste starts off with sweet tropical flavors that are almost candy-like on the front of the palate. This is followed by mild spiciness and citrus hops. Light, easy to drink. Dry hop finish.

Final Grade: B+

#2:

Maillard's Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale, Bell's Brewery

Nice rich chocolate malt aroma with hints of coffee. One of the more prominent aromas of any of the beers in the variety pack. The flavor is full of roasted/toasted goodness. Coffee, toffee , and bitter chocolate are easily detectable. Smooth finish with a touch of smoke. I could use a bit more substance on the body, but other than that I really enjoyed this.

Final Grade: A-

#1:

Coffee Milk Stout, Ninkasi Brewing 

Wonderful coffee aroma. I probably couldn't detect that this was beer if I smelled this blindfolded. Flavor follows with a robust dose of coffee, bitter roastiness, and sweet cream notes. Finish lingers with a heavy coffee bitterness. By far the heaviest body in the variety pack. Great milkiness, thanks to the lactose. Hints of chocolate as the beer warms. Very solid tasting beer.

Final Grade: A

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Pontificator

Brewery: Karbach Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX
Style: Smoked Doppelbock
ABV: 8%
Beer Apostle' Grade: B+

I often show love to Texas breweries on this site for two reasons: 1) I lived in Houston for 5 years, and 2) it's the place where I experienced my craft-beer-conversion (I am forever indebted to Saint Arnold's Spring Bock and Oktoberfest beers!).

Karbach Brewing opened at the tail end of my stay in Houston, preventing me from really getting to know them as a local brewery. Fortunately, I've had several opportunities to try their beer, even after moving to Florida, thanks to the Texas-sized generosity of the folks I left behind.

This particular bottle was sent to me by David, one of the Sales and Marketing guys at Karbach. I just can't speak highly enough about how classy these guys are, and am thankful for their generosity with this one. Cheers to good people who make good beer!

Speaking of the beer...I had never had Pontificator before this tasting, but had heard plenty of good things. I have one friend in Texas who swears by this beer and almost refuses to drink anything else.

Pontificator is a smoked doppelbock. Doppelbocks are strong and malty German lagers that are generally big-bodied beers with little-to-no bitterness. The smoked characteristic of this particular doppelbock comes from malts that Karbach smoked on some Cherry-wood. This should provide a bit of  dry and smoked flavor throughout the beer.

Appearance: Deep dark brown. A thick creamy head forms as this beer is poured into the glass.

Aroma: Pontificator gives off a sweet caramel scent that is accompanied by substantial smokiness. I also detect brown sugar and bready malts.

Taste: Similar to the nose, this beer prominently features the smoked malts, giving the beer a "meaty" flavor which helps to balance the equally prominent sugary notes. While the malt backbone is sweet, it's not overly done. There's raisin, brown sugar, fig, burnt caramel, and...is that BACON? I doubt any bacon was used in the brewing process, but let's go with it and move forward.

Mouthfeel: Pontificator is thick and chewy, full-bodied, complex, and medium carbonated.

Overall: This is an excellent beer for the style. Truth be told, I am not a huge fan of smoked beer. Sometimes the smoke is overdone and takes away from the other flavors. However, Karbach has done a nice job of maintaining balance and order in Pontificator. The smoke is a key player, but it never really trumps the dark fruit and caramel sweetness that hit nicely on the tongue.

Again, I want to thank the guys over at Karbach for sending this beer for me to sample. I thoroughly enjoyed Pontificator and hope to try more soon!

This is my third review of a Karbach brew! To see the others, click here!

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

Best of Beer Apostle: June 2014

Alright, folks, It's that time again! As we approach a sun-soaked July, let's take a few minutes to glance back at the top articles from June. The three posts below were the most read, tweeted, liked, and clicked posts from the Beer Apostle blog.

Cheers and happy reading!

#3: Grasslands Big Cypress Brett IPA
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!

Continue reading...

#2: Beer Review: New Holland's Black Tulip

New Holland's Black Tulip is a Belgian Tripel that was first released in '98. It might be hard to imagine, but back then, waaayy back in the 90s, craft beer wasn't really all that popular, and Belgian beers were better for...well, Belgium! But New Holland stayed its course and now produces one of the more respected Tripel ales on the market.

Continue reading...

#1: Sourcing Suds: Dahlia's Pour House
Dahlia’s is located off King Street, in a historic building in the heart of Riverside’s booming “Beer District.” Strictly a beer bar, Dahlia’s has one of the largest selection of beer in Jacksonville, boasting 85 taps and over a hundred different cans and bottles. And if that’s not enough, they are currently the only bar with a selection of meads on tap!

Continue reading...

 

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Sourcing Suds: Grape and Grain Exchange

'Sourcing Suds' is a monthly column I write for Buzz Magazine acknowledging a locally owned beer joint that's serving up locally brewed beer. 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: Grape & Grain Exchange

During the prohibition years, "speakeasies" referred to bars and establishments that illegally sold alcohol. Such places were secret and often hidden. Only people in-the-know knew where to find these places. And people literally had to speak easy, or quietly, about them for fear of being caught and arrested.

A sliding bookshelf reveals a "hidden" entryway to the Speakeasy

Luckily, prohibition ended in 1933, and a modern-day speakeasy often refers to a retro-style bar. Jacksonville has its very own retro parlour and speakeasy, and it's located right in the heart of the San Marco shopping and dining district. Grape & Grain Exchange (GGX) opened in November of 2012 and has been providing Jacksonville with craft beverages ever since.

When asked about the focus on "craft beverages," owner, Bob Smith replied, "Craft has been an often over-used and slightly ambiguous term lately, but I look at craft the same way Webster does."

Webster's Dictionary defines craft as the following:

¹craft

 noun \ˈkraft\

: an activity that involves making something in a skillful way by using your hands

: a job or activity that requires special skill

GGX not only provides craft beer, wine, and spirits, but customers who visit will experience the "craft" of bar tending and serving as well. "When people come to The Grape and Grain Exchange we want them to feel at home, and we want them to leave feeling like they just learned something useful no matter how long their stay. I like to think of GGX as the classroom and The Parlour Speakeasy as the stage. You can come and learn about craft beverages in The Grape and Grain Exchange and then see them in practice in The Parlour," added Smith.

Owner, Bob Smith, pours a pint of Cigar City White Oak Jai Alai

If you're looking for an authentically craft experience, Grape & Grain is an absolute must! "The idea of craft beverages is already super popular, but you would be surprised how many people still feel intimidated by it. We try to take the intimidation out of the equation, basically, booze should be fun," exclaimed Smith.

GGX carries a large variety of hand-crafted, small batch liquors

This retro-style parlour and speakeasy offers a true variety of craft beverages. There are hand-distilled liquors, local wines, and of course, craft beer. At the time of my visit, GGX had Cigar City's White Oak Jai Alai on tap. One of my favorites from the Tampa brewery.

Suds: Cigar City White Oak Jai Alai

Cigar City, in many respects, is the godfather brewery of Florida. Thanks to their Hunahpu's Imperial Stout and Jai Alai IPA, Cigar City was one of the first local breweries to put Florida on the map, and has garnered national respects and accolades over the past several years.

White Oak Jai Alai takes the original IPA and ages it on American White Oak. The wood adds a nice smoothness to the beer, bringing hints of vanilla and oak to the otherwise citrusy and tropical IPA. I pick up grapefruit, apricot, orange, and a hint of coconut. While the White Oak does mellow the hop flavors a tad, there's still plenty of hop notes to please the average IPA-lover. White Oak Jai Alai finishes with a citrus kick, sweet tropical flavors, and mild hop-bitterness.

The Grape and Grain Exchange is open Tuesday - Sunday 12pm-12am. The speakeasy opens at 5pm and typically features local jazz and blues artists.

Mark your Calendar: GGX hosts beer and liquor tastings on the last Friday of every month. These events are first-come-first-served and require a small fee of just $10 to participate.

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