#PCBW2014: Beaver County Homebrew Club Showcase at Bocktown Beer and Grille

Sunday, April 27^th, 2014, Monaca, PA.

Bocktown Beer and Grille hosted the Beaver County HomebrewClub on Sunday as part of Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week. About fifteen members of the homebrew club showed up and poured samples of their beers for anyone interested in trying them. The homebrewers were knowledgeable, friendly and discussed their beers with pride and joy.

   The homebrewers and beer enthusiasts discussed brews that ranged in styles and brewing methods.  Variations on ales and lagers of all sorts were present. Overall, all the beers were the delicious rewards of meticulous labor, but some that I particularly enjoyed were: the Russian Imperial Stout, which had plenty of booziness and fantastic cocoa flavor, brewed by Dan Benedict; an “American-Style” Kolsch, brewed with home-grown centennial hops by Ralph Moore; a session IPA brewed with home-grown Zeus hops by Barry Covington, titled “Mount Olympus;” and the most interesting: Frankie Goes to Wheat, a wheat beer which included Frankenberry cereal in the grain bill, brewed by Mike Bobbish.

   The event made for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon with free, fresh beer and ample opportunity to discuss the beers with the brewers themselves. What more could you ask for?

Pictures from the event:

Jason Brandenburg pouring his cask-conditioned Hoedown Session Ale, Ralph Moore is pictured in the green shirt in the background

Picture of the Russian Imperial Stout and Mount Olympus Session IPA mentioned above

Jason Brandenburg posing proudly with his Hoedown Session Ale

Mystic Brewing's (Mike Bobbish) spot at the Beaver County Homebrew Showcase including Frankie Goes to Wheat/Relax Homebrew It

A list of kegged beers in the cooler available for sampling

More beers in the cooler, including the "American-Style Kolsch" mentioned above

Barry Covington pouring his Mount Olympus Session IPA (Mike Bobbish pictured in the white over-shirt to the left)

Cheers until next time,

KevBot

(P.S. Don't forget to keep checking the PCBW calendar for a list of events each day. Hopefully I'll see ya around.)

Beer of the Week: 4/23--4/29: East End/Lavery Collaboration: Rojo Ahumado

Photo Credit: TotallyCoolPix

Rojo Ahumado, or "Red Smoke," can be used to indicate a location, signal a warning, or in some soccer matches, celebrate a big goal. I would certainly light a few flares in honor of this beer and all it brings. This beer has nothing to do with soccer or signaling locations (to my knowledge) and earned its name from the amber, or red, color of the beer's body and beer style (amber ale) and the smoked malts with which it was brewed. The beer is ideally named, as both tastes come across pleasantly.
   The beer is a Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week collaboration between East End Brewing (Pittsburgh, PA) and Lavery Brewing (Erie, PA). It was brewed at East End's facilities (March 21) after the two groups also combined to brew "Steel City Saison" at Lavery's brewery on March 11th.

My review:
Appearance: a very dark amber, bordering on brown with a solid cream-colored head that lingers for a bit.
Aroma: I'll admit my sinuses are acting up a bit, so I'm not totally committed to this category-but both smoke and spice are blatantly obvious.
Taste: tastes like an amber, but with the added kick of smoked malts, which come through fantastically, followed by moderate spiciness. The real heat from this beer isn't noticeable after only one sip, but it builds and it lingers on the back of the palate and is especially noticeable after breathing out. There's also a certain grit about this beer that is emphasized through earthy and woody tones that complement the amber backbone well. The earthiness is likely from the chili pepper flavors and the wood from smoked malts. There's also faint hints of cherry and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: carbonated, but not too overdone. overall its very smooth. the spice is perfect because its not overly dominant, but you know who's in charge: like the perfect coach or a successful boss, it dictates and directs without too much interference.
Overall: This is a really good beer. The amber backbone provides an ideal canvas for this well-crafted beer. Initially noticeable smoke flavors part ways for a perfect amount of spice and heat to finish off a fantastic collaboration between two great local breweries. I'm really impressed at this collab and hope I have a chance to chat with the East End or Lavery folks about this beer some time during PCBW14.

Photo from Scott's blog at East End's webpage. Sure looked like a lot of fun. I'll certainly search out the Steel City Saison during #PCBW14

Make sure you get a pint of this during PCBW14 or afterwards if its still around, you will not regret it.

Cheers,
KevBot

Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week

What's better than a nice, cold craft beer? How about an entire week of them...and the brewers that created them and information and food pairings as part of a week long celebration?The biggest week for craft beer in Pittsburgh starts on Friday, April 25th 2014 as Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week 2014 (PCBW14) kicks off. I'll dedicate some posts to previewing PCBW14 through Friday by highlighting some of the events I look forward to most, a special Beer of the Week collaboration (Tuesday night), and some discussion about venues, breweries and brewers involved.
    Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week 2014 runs Friday, April 25, 2014 through Sunday, May 4th, 2014 with events happening at various locations throughout Pittsburgh and its suburbs. The week "will highlight the Pittsburgh region’s craft beer culture, expanding the reach of craft beer through education, collaboration, cooperation and responsible libation." And PCBW14 kicks off with a bang by emphasizing the aforementioned values in quite a unique way.
   One of the most anticipated and most unique events of the week is part of the opening day: Commonwealth Press Beer Barge. Two boats tied together, more than 35 breweries, live bands and craft beer fans will take Pittsburgh's three rivers by storm on Friday night. The event, likely the most popular of the week, sold out its tickets in just four minutes! So if you're reading this and do not have a ticket, unfortunately you will not be able to attend this highly-regarded event. But as long as you follow this blog, you're in luck as you can read a review of the event because I'll be volunteering with a buddy as a beer server.

 

Maybe you don't want to read about such an awesome event if you can't attend, don't worry: there are A LOT of other tap take-overs, beer dinners, samplings & tastings,  and much, much more to look forward to this week. I'll have details about some of these offerings throughout the week, but if you want to check it out for yourself, give this calendar a look for yourself (with customized dates, event-types, and neighborhoods for easy searching).

   For more information and alternative experiences and articles check out these driven and devoted beer bloggers, whom will also provide content throughout the week.

Brian Meyer, author behind the splendid @CraftBeerAcademy twitter account and blog under the same name.
Jason Cercone, 'lead conspirator behind breakingbrews.com ' <--a  blog featuring some of the best content around: style definitions, debates and reviews.
Gwin, Hunter and the rest of the Beer Gaggle team will be attending events and writing up pieces from differing perspectives during PCBW14. Their blog here.

Look forward to posts from all these authors and perhaps a few more I missed during PCBW14. Short summaries of blog entries will be linked through the Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week blog directly to each of our pages, so you can read the intro and decide if you'd like to continue reading (which I would recommend).

Cheers until next time,
KevBot

Local Winners of National Notoriety

Local Winners of National Notoriety

Recently Denver, Colorado just hosted just hosted the WorldBeer Cup International Competition, a competition developed by the Brewers Association in 1996 “to celebrate the art and science of brewing by recognizing outstanding achievement.” After judging was complete, Northeast Ohio, and by distribution Western PA, have a lot to celebrate.

            Four beers from Northeast Ohio received celebratory remarks at the World Beer Cup this past week. Among them, one of my personal favorites (link first article), Willoughby Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter, took home gold in its category.  Fat Head’s (North Olmstead/Cleveland/Pittsburgh) took home two prizes, while Thirsty Dog in Akron and Columbus Brewing Co. in Columbus each took home one.

Willoughby Brewing Co.: Willoughby Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter won the Gold Medal for category 9, “Specialty Beer.”  This style was characterized by “any beers brewed using unusual fermentable sugars, grains and starches that contribute to alcohol content other than, or in addition to, malted barley.” This beer finished first of thirty contestants.

Thirsty Dog: Barrel-Aged Siberian Night won the Bronze Medal for category 22, “Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout.”  This category includes any and all stouts with an alcohol percentage greater than 6.5% abv. These beers must be aged for any period of time in wood barrels (whiskey, oak, bourbon, sherry, wine, etc) and the presence of the original beer may or may not be apparent.  From the categorical definition by the World Beer Cup, “Ultimately a balance of flavor, aroma and mouthfeel are sought with the marriage of new beer with wood and/or barrel flavors.” This beer finished third of seventy-two entrants.

Fat Head’s Brewery: Head Hunter won the Silver Medal for category 87, “American-Style India Pale Ale.” IPAs are perhaps the hottest ticket in craft beer right now as they’re loved by both beginners to the craft beer scene, as well as experienced connoisseurs.  The style demands rigid appearance, allowing for some haze from hops.  The aroma and taste of the beer is heavily reliant on “citrus-like, piney, resinous or sulfur-like American-variety hop character” with “medium maltiness present.” This beer finished second of 224 contestants (the highest total of entrants).

Fat Head’s Brewery: Bonehead Red won the Silver Medal for category 90, “Imperial Red Ale.” Imperial Red Ales are dark amber in color, full of hops and balanced by medium to high caramel malt character. The alcohol should be perceived and the hops provide a biting edge.

            The Gold Medal winner was Columbus Brewing Company’s Uncle Rusty, noted here because it may occasionally be available regionally, as Columbus is available in and around Youngstown, Ohio.

You can find the official 2014 winners page here and specific style criteria here.

Ever try any of these? Think they deserve the award, or were they sold short? Perhaps you feel they are overrated? Have your say below.

Cheers til next time,

KevBot

Beer of the Week 4/9--4/15: Full Pint Rye Rebellion

Full Pint's Rye Rebellion:

The label reads "Western PA has a rebellious past regarding whiskey, especially rye whiskey. In honor of the brave men who stood up to the tax collector we have created Rye Rebellion, an imperial stout brewed with four different types of rye and aged in rye whiskey barrels."

It's brewed with "Malts: Pils, Crystal, Aromatic, Roasted Rye, Crystal Rye, Flaked Rye, Chocolate Rye and; Hops: Columbus and Tettnang."
AbV: 11%

My review (on Beer Advocate):

Appearance: Pitch black, no visible light coming through the beer. Thin tan head that disappears almost immediately

Aroma: Whiskey aromas are dominant. Faint hints of chocolate, maybe some roasted malts. Some noticeable alcohol is present in the nose too.

Taste: this beer starts with whiskey and a gritty rye flavor that competes with chocolate and alcohol for full attention of the palate. The former pair narrowly edges the latter, though it’s a fairly tight contest that suggests a very well balanced beer. As the drink warms, some sweet touches of caramel are faintly detectable.

Mouthfeel: The gritty rye flavors are mitigated by the chocolate malts. A stinging mouthfeel from whiskey and rye is rapidly laid to rest by smooth chocolate and roasty flavors, but makes a brief appearance on the back of the palate. The lingering flavor is light alcohol and chocolate.

Overall, this is a pretty good beer. I’d prefer either: 1) some more full-bodied whiskey flavor (though I’m not a whiskey drinker); or 2) more malts and less whiskey. The beer seems to be caught in between the two areas, though it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I certainly appreciate this beer for what it’s worth.

Final Rating: 3.81

Full Pint has really risen in my list of favorite locals lately. This is certainly one of them. It's a really good beer and I'd suggest one for any slow-sipping occasion, two if you're enjoying a nice relaxing night by yourself with a group of fellow craft beer enthusiasts (or a stressful day at work).

Contact info:

Twitter: @fullpintbrewing

Website: http://www.fullpintbrewing.com/

Availability: This is a seasonal, but I know for sure you can find it at Vintage Estate in Boardman, Ohio and Whole Foods Market in Wexford, PA among many other places I'm sure. Keep an eye out for this bad boy and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Enjoy good beer and good friends,

KevBot

"Double Brew" Doubles Expectations

New Castle Double Brew Doubles Expectations

“I believe nicotine plus caffeine equals protein,” professional golfer John Daly once proclaimed for the media. Unfortunately we know this isn’t true, but I’m sure many of us wish it were. If you add alcohol to the mix though, you may end up with a new chemical reaction for muscle building: the kinds of muscles that forge unforgettable memories. And this year’s first annual Double Brew, hosted by Two Rivers Artisan Coffee, in downtown New Castle provided just the right concoction of delicious beers, tasty coffees, full-flavored cigars, fine arts and any combination of the like you could conceive.

   I’ll be blunt: the Double Brew doubled my expectations, which were already astronomically high.  Volunteers and workers were scattered throughout New Castle’s marvelous Riverplex, pouring coffee and/or craft beer, serving buffet-style hors d’oeuvres, promoting cigars or performing live exhibitions and displaying varying forms of art.  However, the best part of the night was the “double brew.”

   Hector Marquez and Cassie Shore perfected the “double brew” by producing some wonderfully unique combinations of Two Rivers’ coffees and varying types of alcohol. Hector worked his black magic with Voodoo Brewing’s beer and TR’s carefully-selected coffees from Intelligentsia.  Meanwhile, Cassie was conjuring up ancient spirits of her own by mixing flavored hard liquor and hario-system pour-overs. Beyond the delicious double-brews and craft beers available, other artists and aficionados plied their trades throughout the night.
   Cigars, live paintings, art exhibits and clay pottery were also available to stimulate the senses in place of, or in addition to, chemical substances. Slippery Rock Cigars offered their knowledge of tasty tobaccos, including some flavored cigars of mango and mint chocolate chip, though their more traditional offerings satisfied my palate just fine (and complemented the rest of the night splendidly). Another artist, Thomas McNickle, created a lasting memory of the night by painting with Two Rivers’ coffees and giving it to the highest bidder during a Chinese Auction, which also featured various local artists, businesses and organizations that donated goods and services. The Hoyt Center, a co-sponsor of the event, also assisted by adding a unique artistic element to a fine charitable event, benefiting New Castle’s fireworks celebration in July 2014.
   New Castle’s fist ever Double Brew was a fantastic charity event that mixed all of the best aspects of local artists, businesses and connoisseurs of their respective crafts. I look forward to the next event down at the Riverplex and especially next year’s Double Brew, which although fantastic this year, has room to grow and excel even further.

   If you're interested in any more information about Voodoo's Wynona's Big Brown Ale, Two Rivers' Aristan coffees, the Hoyt Center, or any other parts of this article that caught your attention, let me know and I'll be more than happy to tell you about them, or point you in the proper direction.

Thanks for reading,

KevBot

Coming soon: 

Tasting notes of Hector's and Cassie's delicious mixes.

Slideshow pictures of the event

Homebrew Review #1: "IBU-tiful"

Since I'm doing the whole local brewing scene, I thought I'd share a review of most recent homebrew: "IBU-tiful," which is an IBU-tiful learning experience, if nothing more. This is only my second homebrewed batch, so I was not expecting a whole. I won't bore you with the details of how we brewed it, the recipe or the mistakes made and laughs enjoyed, so here's my review:

Stock Photo of IBU-tiful: 3/6/2014 (not the sample reviewed)

Appearance (2): Way over-carbonated (seemingly). Poured into pint glass, carefully and slowly. 3 inch head of cream/beige color. The head on this beer does not disappear. Three minutes after pouring and it’s still two inches thick. Opaque, lighter amber to rustic brown color.
   The beer itself isn’t ugly, but the head retention has created a pile of clumped foam in the beer that is extremely unpleasant to look at…

Aroma (3.5): bready sweet malts, faint hop scent of spicey, piney, earthy variety.

Flavor (3.75): Bitter up front. The sweeter malts (are not present)/give way to fruity hops: tropical, some pineapple notes. At the back of the palate the malt sweetness returns and leaves a temporary lingering of a nicely balanced malt/hop effect. The scent and flavor do not match very well. Perhaps this has to do with the aroma hopping of Fuggle, which is very distinctly different from the bittering/flavoring hops we used (Warrior, Simcoe, Amarillo).

Mouthfeel (3): Carbonated, but not as much as one would anticipate prior to tasting (based on head retention). After letting it sit for a few minutes, the bubbling ceased. However, it is certainly over-carbonated for an IPA.

Overall (2.75): Not sure what to think here. The first few I had, when fresh, were delicious. They were overpoweringly bitter up front, but finished smoothly with notes of pineapple and citrus fruits. The malts weren’t as noticeable, which allowed the hops to really shine through.
This beverage is about a month older and has lost a lot of hop character (as expected) but is far from what I tasted awhile back. It’s not necessarily terrible, but I’m not exactly as proud of it as I was a few weeks ago: Drink Fresh if brewed again.

Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh here as others have enjoyed it and this is only the second batch. I really enjoyed it fresh, but I’m having doubts now. Looking forward to the next batch. Lots to learn from and to look toward the future.

Averaged out, my second batch of homebrew receives a 3.00. This isn’t terrible, but I’m sure there is a tad bit of bias here. The biggest lesson learned is how to approach bittering, flavoring, and scenting hops.

I still have some left to share, if you’d like one and I’ll be seeing you soon, let me know.
Cheers and thanks for reading,

KevBot

Beer of the Week 4/2--4/8: Great Lakes Chillwave

So here's a new feature I'll include on my blog each week. This is my "Beer of the Week" segment and it will highlight a different beer from "local" breweries. Local, for this blog's purpose, will include breweries located anywhere between Cleveland, Ohio to Erie, PA, down to Pittsburgh, PA and anywhere in between.

This week's beer is 'Chillwave' by Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio. This double IPA was formerly known as 'Alchemy Hour,' but recently changed the name due to a lawsuit from Widmer Bros. for use of their trademarked "Alchemy" Ale.  The new name, after careful planning by the owners at GLBC, was selected to honor the insane surfers on the Great Lakes that look to ride any gnarly wave, regardless of temperature.

   The label reads:

"Great Lakes surfers work hard for their thrills. They wake before dawn, listening to the weather report like school kids hoping for a snow day. If the waves are wrothy, they ride. No matter the cold, no matter the season, no matter the frozen crystals gathering in their beards, or the wind-whipping, white knuckle conditions they must face. To these chill rust belt surf dudes, it's all good. Yeah, it sounds a little crazy, but we didn't craft our Double IPA for the faint of heart. With a flash of Mosaic hops and a kiss of honey malt, it's a rush in a bottle. Ride our Chillwave. Then go out and find your own."

This brew is phenomenal. Below, I've included my BeerAdvocate review. I would highly recommend this beer if you see it.

Appearance: Partially hazy, a blend of gold and copper color. small head, somewhere between beige and tan that rapidly disappears. 
Smell: tropical and citrus fruits. some alcohol on the end. Maybe some earthy or herbal scents.
Taste: stronger tropical and citrus flavors. Definitely some mango. Noticeable sweet malt flavors that complement the hops well without overpowering this fantastic dipa. Some noticeable alcohol tastes, but nothing worth fretting over. Like the aroma, there is some earthy hop taste and faint pine flavors.
Mouthfeel: Spot-on carbonation that allows the tropical/citrusy hops and sweet malts to linger on the palate long after the initial sip is finished. Only possible complaint is that it is a bit light.
Overall: this is really good. Plenty of different hop aromas and flavors happening while some sweet malt tastes lay a nice foundation for a lingering, pleasurable aftertaste.

Cheers until next time,

KevBot