tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88121680975040721482011-11-27T19:38:33.805-05:00Covering the brewing scene in Southwest FloridaAlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.comBlogger901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-6847760707528419562009-11-24T17:36:00.001-05:002009-11-24T17:42:10.168-05:00

At the suggestion of colleagues at the Herald-Tribune, I'm moving this blog to my company's Web site. The blog is getting a new name, Beer Geek, and a new Web address, heraldtribune.com/beer, where you can read all my new posts. The mission of the blog -- covering the craft beer scene in Southwest Florida -- is staying the same. I'm going to keep my old blog entries here and cross-reference

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-14331044319519713242009-11-17T23:27:00.001-05:002009-11-17T23:27:53.860-05:00

Greg Kitsock at The Washington Post wrote an article on extreme beer with quotes from Jim Koch, founder of the Boston Beer Co., which brews Samuel Adams beers. Koch says he coined the term "extreme beer" when his company brewed Triple Bock in 1994. It was the strongest commercial beer at the time at almost 18 percent alcohol. Kitsock says that people often wrongly think that extreme beer also

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-28105593166233687102009-11-13T00:23:00.002-05:002009-11-13T00:24:19.760-05:00

Tampa's Cigar City Brewing's founder, Joey Redner, posted on his brewery's blog that there is a problem with bottles of their excellent Bolita Brown. They are apparently infected with brettanomyces yeast, which gives them a slight sour, funky flavor. It's not a safety issue, rather it's an issue of quality. The Bolita won't taste like Cigar City intended. Redner writes that he believes the

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-73889820593429546262009-11-11T00:20:00.000-05:002009-11-11T00:20:26.153-05:00

World of Beer has been open for a few weeks, but they are having their official grand opening celebration this Saturday, Nov. 14. According to their e-mail, they are having an outdoor party from noon to 6 p.m. with a free cookout from 2 to 5. The party moves indoors at 6. They say they will be "family friendly" with games until 7 p.m. The beer bar is at 8217 Tourist Center Drive off University

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-72211708810425145192009-11-09T01:06:00.012-05:002009-11-09T03:20:26.088-05:00

Cigar City Brewing, which has some very creatively named beers,* occasionally brews a beer called Hunahpu's Imperial Stout, which is named -- according to that dubious source Wikipedia -- after a character out of Mayan mythology. Cigar City calls it a Mayan chocolate imperial stout "brewed with Peruvian cacao, Ancho and Pasilla chiles, cinamon and vanilla beans with a nod toward the frothy cacao

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-55597944363077487552009-11-06T13:16:00.000-05:002009-11-06T13:16:51.361-05:00

My colleague at the Herald-Tribune, Steve Echeverria, writes about World of Beer, the new beer bar on the border of Sarasota and Manatee counties, in his No Cover column in this week's Ticket. You can read Steve's column online here. Read my past coverage of World of Beer here.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-12133808079016474592009-11-05T23:26:00.052-05:002009-11-06T15:11:16.161-05:00

I'm a day late posting this, but Sebastien Jadot with Cigar City Brewing e-mailed* me the beers they will be selling this week at the Tampa brewery: Regular draft lineup Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale Jai Alai IPA One-off drafts Maduro Oatmeal Raisin, which is Maduro with a hint of raisin and cookie spice. I've tried this beer at the brewery and I can tell you that Cigar City wields a subtle hand

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-85493783558649409852009-11-03T23:58:00.003-05:002009-11-04T00:02:00.640-05:00

One of Cigar City Brewing's seasonal beers is a Russian imperial stout* named after Georgy Zhukov, whom Encyclopedia Britannica calls "the most important Soviet military commander during World War II." If you are a student of history, I suggest you read about his fascinating history at your local library. I bought a 750 mL bottle of this beer, which they release in August, at the brewery during

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-23668018667568273232009-10-28T21:58:00.001-04:002009-11-06T21:51:39.679-05:00

I was in the Tampa area today and stopped by Cigar City Brewing to refill my two growlers with the world-class Jai Alai IPA, which I'm drinking right now. They now take major credit cards, which is convenient and allows you to spend a lot more there than you planned. Sebastien Jadot, Cigar City's Tampa area sales and events coordinator, was working there again and was very friendly and helpful.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-17566253305720748672009-10-27T20:42:00.001-04:002009-10-27T20:43:44.064-04:00

I stopped by the newly opened World of Beer on the border of Sarasota and Manatee counties after work on Friday night. I got there about 11:00. I only lasted five seconds. The place was packed and they had a band playing in their loft with the sound set to concert levels. I turned on my heels and left. It's tough for a place to be more repellent than having smoking, but brain-breaking loud music

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-63217291317062562912009-10-22T12:26:00.003-04:002009-11-19T14:58:34.078-05:00

Saint Somewhere Brewing is a little brewery in Tarpon Springs. They have been making two Belgian-style beers, Saison Athene and Lectio Divina, for a couple of years. The 750 mL bottles are about $10 each. They are kind of a stealth brewery, making two good beers and keeping under the radar. Their Saison Athene gets a mention in the November 2009 issue of Food Network Magazine. It's part of a

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-67252643419701079862009-10-22T12:01:00.000-04:002009-10-22T12:01:04.080-04:00

Wouldn't you know it, I leave town for a few days and World of Beer opens their newest beer bar on University Parkway on the Manatee-Sarasota county line. I hear they planned on a "soft" invite-only opening but the word got out and lots of people showed up. I'm not sure if they have had the official grand opening cookout they promised on Twitter, but their Web site is fully operational. I'll

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-35384584090181097422009-10-13T15:11:00.000-04:002009-10-13T15:11:30.365-04:00

My newspaper's sister site, yoursarasota.com, has posted an expanded online version of the "Kings of beer" story that ran last week in the Herald-Tribune and featured the Cock & Bull Pub and the Sarasota Brewing Co.* This version includes more of Chip Litherland's great photos. You can read it here. *Read my blog post on the article here.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-51141998893182447762009-10-11T22:46:00.005-04:002009-11-05T23:57:16.725-05:00

I bought a 32-ounce growler of Cigar City's Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale at the brewery when I visited it on Oct. 2. I drank the beer several days ago. The review It pours a deep brown in color with a large sticky head. The smell is of toasted and roasted grain: coffee, molasses and chocolate notes. The roasted smell carries over to the taste. Bread flavors mix with light tastes of chocolate and

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-31033815695263341852009-10-09T00:40:00.001-04:002009-10-09T00:40:37.361-04:00

My colleague at the Herald-Tribune, Steve Echeverria Jr., wrote an article, "Kings of beer" in Thursday's Ticket section that features the Cock & Bull Pub, Sarasota Brewing Co. and the Shamrock Pub. I confess I've never been to the Shamrock. I'll have to check it out. The soon-to-open World of Beer also gets a mention. Here are two great excerpts from the article: "The guys who say they love

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-14947337297330366262009-10-06T23:09:00.002-04:002009-10-11T22:48:52.312-04:00

Imperial While is from Samuel Adams' sort-of new Imperial Series. They're brewing four bigger beers year-round and selling them in four-packs.* The beers are: Imperial White, Imperial Stout and Double Bock. They also make a seasonal Imperial Pilsner, though they don't consider it part of the Imperial Series. All of these are very good beers and are some of SA's best. I'll post reviews of the

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-25532835688140264142009-10-04T17:00:00.002-04:002009-10-09T00:54:46.127-04:00

On Friday I drove to Tampa to visit Cigar City Brewing. The brewery is open for tours, tastings and sales Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. I got there a little after 4. Like most breweries, it's a utilitarian place (no air conditioning) designed for brewing, not hanging out. The tasting room is a cordoned-off area of the warehouse. They are a friendly bunch and were very willing

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-89900460889881623652009-10-04T14:08:00.004-04:002009-10-04T14:11:01.533-04:00

My wife and I took her mother to see the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 5-3 on Saturday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. It had been about 10 years since I last went to a Rays game.* I planned to get a draft beer at the game and remembered the choices being rather stark: Bud or Bud Light.** So I was surprised to see a Gordon Biersch counter on the way to our seats. Gordon

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-27411334775200515512009-10-01T21:26:00.002-04:002009-11-23T01:21:24.236-05:00

Cigar City winning a gold medal for its barrel-aged Jai Alai IPA made me want to try its draft-only cousin. I've only heard good things about it and as a hophead I was feeling the urge after reading Cigar City's description: Jai Alai IPA is a monster interpretation of an American IPA. In fact, it is so big that it equals the alcohol of some double IPAs on the market. Our IPA uses 6 different hop

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-63875690685659982762009-09-29T12:50:00.000-04:002009-09-29T12:50:00.204-04:00

Melissa Cole, a judge at the Great American Beer Festival, blogged about the beer that made the biggest impression on her at the festival, and it was Cigar City's gold-medal-winning Humidor Series Jai Alai IPA: The stand-out beer for me that I judged, in terms of innovation, was the winner of the gold category in wood-aged beers, the Humidor Series IPA, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL. It is aged

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-49849226293503932162009-09-29T11:50:00.001-04:002009-09-29T11:50:00.236-04:00

World of Beer posted on Twitter today that they have started training their staff at their in-progress beer bar off University Parkway in southern Manatee County. So they are another step closer to opening.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-13177696875368922932009-09-29T11:11:00.001-04:002009-09-29T11:11:55.622-04:00

Tampa's Cigar City Brewing will work with Orange County, California's The Bruery to create a beer made with two unannounced fruits that will be aged in barrels. They haven't announced what the style of beer with be, but Cigar City's Joey Redner posted the following on BeerAdvocate: So without confirming anything, maybe the idea is to use fruits cultivated in Florida/California rather than

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-23914677468529157902009-09-26T20:36:00.003-04:002009-09-27T14:26:37.246-04:00

Cigar City Brewing in Tampa won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Their Humidor Series Jai Alai IPA took first place in the wood- and barrel-aged beer category, beating 32 other entries. The GABF is one of the largest beer festivals in the world and this medal is a big deal, especially for such a new brewery. Here's what Cigar City says about their Humidor Series: The

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-61324641060048417702009-09-26T20:22:00.000-04:002009-09-26T20:27:09.506-04:00

I visited the Web site for World of Beer's coming Sarasota-Manatee beer bar and they have pushed their grand opening back to October. Originally they were hoping to open in August or September. I'm not surprised, considering the state the bar was in when I stopped by recently. Starting up a place like that always takes more time than planned. When they open, I'll be there.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-36248787367808692692009-09-26T00:35:00.000-04:002009-09-26T00:35:12.611-04:00

A reader a while back asked about "skunked" beer, which is also known as light-struck beer. BeerAdvocate has an excellent article on the subject. Basically, you should keep your beer away from light, and particularly direct sunlight, because light causes the beer to break down and can give it a sulfur-like character. Brown bottles can slow this process, but don't prevent it.* If you're really

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-46692611740302172952009-09-22T12:14:00.003-04:002009-09-22T15:26:38.365-04:00

A quickie post today. It's been a few months since I bought Full Sail IPA. I picked up some last week and was reminded how good it is. It's bitter and hoppy in that great West Coast way. Drinking it reminds me of my visits to Oregon, where Full Sail is brewed. Plus it's usually less than $8 a six-pack, which is a bargain for beer this good. And Full Sail is employee-owned, which is also pretty

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-16480022124524566642009-09-19T06:50:00.001-04:002009-09-19T06:50:00.242-04:00

Cigar City likes to make interesting beers. Their creativity reminds me of Dogfish Head. They call Improvicasion an "oatmeal rye India-style brown ale." OK, I haven't had one of those before. Oatmeal makes beer creamy and adds slickness to the body. Rye, according to Brewingtechniques.com, adds further complexity to beer's malt flavor. It doesn't make beer taste like rye unless a good amount is

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-25659615230232439442009-09-12T00:03:00.006-04:002009-09-12T00:26:08.439-04:00

This is the third of three Hoppin' Frog beers* I bought recently, seeing as they are new in Florida. As I've written before, imperial stouts were originally brewed in England and shipped to the Russian court. They are a lot stronger than regular stouts. Hard drinkers, those Russians. B.O.R.I.S.** is 9.4 percent alcohol and won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2008. Pours all

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-8645351734949381112009-09-11T00:09:00.003-04:002009-11-05T23:57:55.550-05:00

When I see Cigar City beers in stock at a store, I pick one up: They bottle in very limited amounts and when something's gone, it's gone. I picked up a 750 mL bottle of Bolita Brown, one of Cigar City's seasonal beers, for $10 at my go-to beer store, Total Wine & More. I find myself going there a lot more than to Whole Foods, even though that store is right near where I work. For one, Total

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-64124596363830221622009-09-09T23:09:00.001-04:002009-09-09T23:10:22.422-04:00

An alert Sarasota Craft Beer reader* tipped me that The New York Times wrote Tuesday about how Dogfish Head, who are known for brewing high-concept beers** has done it again.According to the Times, Dogfish's founder, Sam Calagione -- a craft beer celebrity and master pitchman who comes up with all these high concepts -- decided to brew chicha, a traditional Latin American corn beer. OK, that's

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-37541753359886927602009-09-05T02:17:00.002-04:002009-10-11T22:51:07.217-04:00

I had to buy a bottle of Dogfish Head Sah'tea ($14 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine & More) after reading about Dogfish Head brewing it in The New Yorker. It's a modified sahti, which is a Scandinavian style that, according to BeerAdvocate, dates back to the 1500s. The malted grains were boiled in wooden vessels that had heated stones dropped into them. The wort was then poured into another

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-30005358665153322132009-09-04T00:01:00.004-04:002009-09-05T02:17:09.376-04:00

I drove by the soon-to-open World of Beer off University Parkway in southern Manatee County today after visiting Total Wine & More.*Looks like they still have a ways to go; I didn't notice much progress since my last visit a couple of weeks ago.And a source within Sarasota's craft beer community tells me that World of Beer may allow smoking inside if they can't get approval for their patio. Let's

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-69081826224819939062009-09-01T00:35:00.002-04:002009-10-11T22:51:56.986-04:00

Mean Manalishi Double IPA from Hoppin' Frog Brewery in Akron, Ohio, is one of the most expensive I've had: $12 for a 22-ounce bottle at Total Wine & More. The Double IPA is my favorite style of beer. They are very hoppy, very bitter and usually pretty strong. Mean Manalishi is 8.2 percent alcohol. From my notes: It's ruby in color with a sticky off-white head. Big aroma of hops: citrusy. A big

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-217267383054717652009-08-31T06:00:00.004-04:002009-10-11T22:52:47.007-04:00

I was happily surprised to see a note on BeerAdvocate that Cali-Belgique from Stone was in stock. I heard from friends that this beer started out as a one-off, but was so popular that Stone is brewing it year-round. A 22-ounce bottle was $6 at Total Wine & More on Aug. 20, but I heard it was part of a special order, so don't be surprised if they are out of it. Stone calls this a Belgian IPA,

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-12041400317698076642009-08-30T00:57:00.005-04:002009-08-30T01:06:42.296-04:00

The Smuttynose Brewing Co.* from Portsmouth, N.H., is a relatively new arrival in Florida. But I remember having their beers years ago at the Cock & Bull Pub when it was still on Main Street in Sarasota. I guess they stopped distributing at some point but decided to come back. Welcome back!They call their India Pale Ale "Finest Kind." I don't know why. But I can say that this is some fine

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-86445607506778822282009-08-23T23:49:00.003-04:002009-08-23T23:58:12.388-04:00

When I saw this bottle of Bell's Sparkling Ale on the shelf, I thought it was a low-alcohol beer like Cooper's Sparkling Ale. But at $2.50 per 12-ounce bottle, I realized it must be something different. Reading the label set me straight. This is a Belgian Tripel, a strong golden ale usually brewed with coriander and dried orange peel. Bell's is almost 9 percent alcohol. They say this is their

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-76617368447673046712009-08-23T01:52:00.010-04:002009-10-11T22:54:10.415-04:00

Stone makes some mean beers. They're not for the craft beer newbie. As I've written about before, I'm very excited to have Stone's 13th Anniversary Ale after reading their comments that it's the hoppiest beer they've ever made. That's like Barrett Rifles saying they've made their biggest gun yet.* From my notes: It's very, very deep red with a big foamy light brown head. The aroma is hoppy, of

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-79918924835279022942009-08-22T06:00:00.003-04:002009-10-11T22:54:39.096-04:00

Hoppin' Frog Brewery from Akron, Ohio, is another new arrival in Florida. It seems we're getting a lot of new beers these days! As our former president said, "Bring 'em on!" I bought one of each of their three beers that were available at Total Wine & More off University Parkway. These beers had better be good, because they are expensive. From $9 to $12 per 22-ounce bottle, to be exact. Tonight

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-53843769297046947212009-08-20T21:51:00.000-04:002009-08-20T21:51:15.464-04:00

After being alerted on BeerAdvocate that Stone's 13th Anniversary ale was in stock at Total Wine & More, I had to get some. (Remember, Stone calls this the "hoppiest beer we've ever brewed.") Sure enough, a phone call confirmed that they had 22-ounce bottles in stock for $7 each. So I headed over on today. Not only did they have the anniversary ale, they also had Stone's Cali-Belgique ($6),

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-77363441398040558762009-08-20T06:00:00.002-04:002009-08-20T06:00:02.583-04:00

Beers from the Magic Hat Brewing Co. of Burlington, Vt., are in Sarasota. So far I've only seen their flagship, No. 9, at the Cock & Bull Pub in Sarasota. Magic Hat sent our entertainment editor a press release (and a beer!) that also said No. 9 is at The Distillery and The Lost Kangaroo Pub in Bradenton. No. 9 is a good beer. Spicy and Belgian-like, and easy to drink and very approachable for

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-76347661580746975992009-08-19T11:14:00.000-04:002009-08-19T11:14:25.841-04:00

Morton's Gourmet Market, 1924 S. Osprey Ave. in Sarasota, is hosting its annual Celebration of Brewing event on Saturday, Aug. 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. The event will benefit All Faiths Food Bank. They say they'll have beers "from around the world" and "beer-friendly cuisine," which I would argue is pretty much all food because beer is so versatile, far more versatile than wine. (Check out the menu

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-17285161526649602712009-08-19T06:00:00.001-04:002009-08-19T06:00:06.975-04:00

To update a previous entry, Mattison's Forty-One restaurant, 7275 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, is hosting a five-course beer tasting dinner on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. They are featured beers from Brooklyn, an awesome New York brewery. They supplied details on the menu: Grilled Peach Salad: 
shaved prosciutto, bitter greens, goat cheese fondue and 
honey-thyme vinaigrette
. The beer: Brooklyner

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-27831991857198836002009-08-16T06:00:00.006-04:002009-10-11T22:54:58.575-04:00

Dogfish Head likes to brew "high concept" beers. Like Pangaea, which uses ingredients from all the continents, including water from Antarctic icebergs. Here's their description of Theobroma: This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions. The

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-54762700473230988232009-08-14T06:00:00.002-04:002009-10-11T22:55:20.589-04:00

Fort Collins is a new arrival in Florida. Total Wine & More stocks several of their beers. I had to pick up the smoked one, Z Lager. Smoked beers are a fairly old style, since historically all grain was malted over wood fires, imparting a smoky flavor to the grain. The first time I had a smoked beer (Rogue's Chipotle Ale) I thought it was the worst beer I'd ever had. But the smoky flavor grew on

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-50102205841973771842009-08-13T00:06:00.003-04:002009-10-11T22:56:26.834-04:00

Fresh hop beers are relatively new. Instead of using dried hops, brewers use hops right off the vine, which gives the beer a more resiny and floral hop aroma and taste. You have to be quick, though, because hops degrade rapidly in a few days if they aren't dried. I've seen more western brewers do fresh hop beers, I'm guessing because American hops are grown in the west, particularly Washington.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-41147261105898589152009-08-07T23:53:00.001-04:002009-08-19T00:17:39.375-04:00

As I've noted before, World of Beer is planning on opening a new beer bar on University Parkway in southern Manatee County in September. To recap the details: 30 taps, 500 beers, nonsmoking. They're on Twitter now, and posted that they are planning a grand opening celebration with free food, live music, giveaways and beer. No specifics on date and time, yet.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-30754493357827428492009-08-04T06:00:00.005-04:002009-10-11T22:57:06.761-04:00

It's been years since I had Anderson Valley brews. I visited their brewery in Boonville, Calif., in 2003 during a beer pilgrimage. It's a couple of hours north of San Francisco. And yes, there's not much there. A lovely rural area. They are a recent arrival in Florida, which is great. Anderson Valley's beers have an illustration of a bear with antlers on them. The label says "The legendary

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-56032954000200437602009-08-01T07:00:00.003-04:002009-08-04T00:27:48.368-04:00

Mattison's Forty-One restaurant, 7275 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, is hosting a five-course beer tasting dinner on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. They are featuring beers from the Brooklyn Brewery, an awesome brewery. It's $40 per person and reservations are required. Call (941) 921-3400 or go to mattisons.com to buy tickets. Thanks again to H-T Assistant Business Editor Gerard Walen.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-70744474046927172332009-07-31T15:42:00.000-04:002009-07-31T15:42:20.031-04:00

I just read that craft beer was served at President Obama's "beer summit" Thursday. Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates drank Samuel Adams Light. Good for him.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-2910625254047645612009-07-31T13:22:00.000-04:002009-08-04T00:28:36.497-04:00

I'm late with this news, but Cigar City Brewing in Tampa is having a release party tonight for their Barrel Aged Big Sound Scotch Ale. In addition to Big Sound bottles, they will be offering a very cool draft lineup of some limited beers: Coco Loco: Bolita Double Nut Brown Ale aged on Cuban espresso beans, coconut flakes and Peruvian cacao nibs. 9% ABV Barrel Aged 110K+OT Batch #2: An Imperial

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-39839602440664051992009-07-30T16:42:00.001-04:002009-07-30T16:50:48.535-04:00

As I posted earlier this week, the beer choices (Bud Light, Red Stripe and Blue Moon) for President Obama's "summit" have raised concerns in the craft beer world. Craft brewer Magic Hat out of Burlington, Vt., (beer geek aside: I visited them while on my honeymoon!) has issued a news release on the matter, as reported by BeerUtopia.com. Magic Hat writes: Craft Brewers the country over are

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-8514950199032923682009-07-27T23:23:00.001-04:002009-07-30T16:50:00.130-04:00

The New York Times (disclosure: I work for one of their newspapers) writes that Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department will be sharing a beer with President Obama on Thursday. It's an attempt to smooth out tensions over Gates' arrest. Here's what caught my eye: White House spokesman Robert Gibbs promised Budweiser, the all-American king

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-61909632036264831602009-07-21T14:22:00.000-04:002009-07-21T14:22:56.455-04:00

Fellow BeerAdvocate member DoppleThis reports that the Mellow Mushroom in Citrus Park (map) has a keg of 6-month-old Sierra Nevada Bigfoot barleywine on tap. A barleywine is a strong ale and one style of beer than can be aged. Bigfoot can be aged for years. Bigfoot is a monster of a beer: bitter, sweet and alcoholic. It's very agressive and will be a shock the first time you try it. I love it.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-16879263342245562022009-07-15T08:00:00.004-04:002009-07-31T23:38:50.391-04:00

I picked this up at Total Wine & More the other day: $3 a bottle. It's great to see more Harpoon brews in Florida. I thought we were fated to only get their hefeweizen and IPA. Leviathan is a rotating release from Harpoon. Each iteration is a different extreme beer. They have also brewed a Baltic porter, strong pilsner and quadruple. This is the first Leviathan I've had. My notes: Pours a nice

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-75867448683689260692009-07-11T08:00:00.011-04:002009-07-31T23:38:50.391-04:00

My co-worker Kat told me I needed to try this double IPA from Lagunitas since she knows how much I love Bell's Hopslam, which currently tied with Rogue's Imperial India Pale Ale as my No. 1 rated beer. So when I was at Total Wine & More this week I picked up a 22-ounce bottle for $4.49, which is a great price. I am a sucker for hoppy beers. I love this beer's name. The label description, which

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-53727481512952916952009-07-09T22:57:00.009-04:002009-07-31T23:38:50.392-04:00

This is the third of three beers in Samuel Adams' LongShot six-packs this year. As I've written before, LongShot beers are the winners of Sam Adams' annual homebrew competition.I've been slacking on this review. I'm so late, it's probably not in stores anymore. I didn't see any at Total Wine & More on University Parkway the other day.A witbier, or wheat beer, is similar to a German hefeweizen.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-55192875697688208492009-07-09T08:00:00.008-04:002009-07-09T08:00:02.139-04:00

A friend told me about a deal on beer at a local store the other day. His news reminded me that sometimes deals on beer aren't deals at all. Occasionally beer is put on sale because it's old and past its prime. And while some strong beers can be aged, about 99.99 percent of beers are meant to be consumed within a couple of months after being brewed. BeerAdvocate Magazine recently wrote about

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-40116644110381810762009-07-06T08:00:00.014-04:002009-07-06T08:00:20.580-04:00

I wrote earlier about Anderson Valley beers coming to the Sarasota Whole Foods. Today I went to Total Wine & More near Interstate 75 and they also are carrying the brewery's beers. I bought a six-pack of Hop Ottin' IPA. There were some other news beers there, too: Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Sierra Nevada Kellerweis, Lagunitas Hop Stoopid and Harpoon Leviathan. I've had the Stone beer before

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-61277589554603582162009-07-05T18:41:00.005-04:002009-07-05T18:48:13.371-04:00

Back in May I wrote about the World of Beer bar that's coming to University Park in August or September. Here's a map from their Web site:I was in the neighborhood today and stopped by to check on their progress. They had more info in the window about what's coming: 30 taps, 500 beers. Fantastic. The inside was still a long ways from being completed, looked like they had dug a trench in the

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-28418223694553160622009-07-04T08:00:00.053-04:002009-07-04T11:47:53.793-04:00

I'll take the opportunity on the Fourth of July to remind everyone that July is American Beer Month. So while you're celebrating our independence this weekend, why not drink American beer, the same thing our founding fathers drank? And try a craft beer, something made by the little guy, not a giant multinational corporation.For those beer drinkers out there who "only drink imports," I can

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-53923136099846823152009-07-04T00:30:00.003-04:002009-07-05T13:27:34.371-04:00

I said I'd write a post about my trip out West. With the long weekend, I can finally get around to it.The West has lots of great craft beer, and Wyoming is no exception. Some of the craft beers I had there are Old Faithful Ale, Bitch Creek ESB (very good), Sweetgrass IPA, Moose Drool (a world-class brown ale brewed by Big Sky in Montana) and Red Lodge Pale Ale. It's nice to have craft beer

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-42150886510632760752009-06-30T08:00:00.033-04:002009-06-30T10:26:00.873-04:00

A co-worker gave me a bottle of this beer from Lagunitas Monday night. She bought it on sale at Whole Foods in downtown Sarasota. And it was cold, so I just had to drink it after the shift.Lagunitas, from Petaluma, Calif., generally makes beers with pronounced hop flavors. They're the perfect example of a West Coast brewer. Their beers are also known for the crazy notes printed on them and on the

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-2885154213555762009-06-28T23:43:00.001-04:002009-06-28T23:43:54.713-04:00

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was on sale today at my Publix, so I bought two six-packs. Drinking one got me to thinking about American pale ales, which are usually hoppier versions of British pale ales. They combine a nice malt flavor with a good amount of hop flavors and bitterness.Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the standard by which all other pale ales are judged. They essentially created the style

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-87326336326353618612009-06-27T08:00:00.033-04:002009-06-27T12:07:55.855-04:00

Traditional Bock is the second-best of the three LongShot beers from Samuel Adams this year. You may not agree if you don't like super-hoppy beers like their Double IPA, which I love.LongShot brews, as I wrote about in a previous post, are the winners of SA's homebrew contest.A bock is a dark lager. Lager beers are brewed with yeast that ferments at the bottom of the vessel (ale yeast ferments at

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-70129179326049416592009-06-26T08:00:00.002-04:002009-08-04T00:28:36.497-04:00

Just a reminder that Cigar City Brewing Co. will be having a special release of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Bolita today from 6 to 10 p.m. They are selling 170 bottles ($20 each, limit 3) of this brown ale that they aged for five months in a Maker's Mark bourbon barrel. They will also have some surprise beers available on tap, as well as food. More info is on Cigar City's blog.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-39554311478449768362009-06-19T02:27:00.003-04:002009-06-20T02:42:16.520-04:00

Brewers put all sorts of interesting things in beer. Would you believe coffee? It can work really well in beer, especially in stouts and porters, which used roasted and blackened malt, which has some natural coffee-like flavors.The best such beer I've had is Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout from Terrapin in Athens, Ga. It's also known as Wake-n-Bake. They use a special blend of coffee from Athens

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-20164610158523036012009-06-17T00:31:00.004-04:002009-08-04T00:28:36.498-04:00

Cigar City Brewing Co. will be having a special release of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Bolita on Friday, June 26, from 6 to 10 p.m. They are selling 170 bottles ($20 each, limit 3) of this brown ale that they aged for five months in a Maker's Mark bourbon barrel. Sounds extreme, indeed.They plan to hand out placeholder tickets at 6. The sale itself starts at 8. They said they're using tickets

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-89015295460127026072009-06-14T19:09:00.006-04:002009-06-26T00:09:21.583-04:00

I was just drinking some iced Tazo Spicy Ginger tea and it reminded me that herbs can be used in beer with just as much success.I wish I could get some Chamomile Ale from Rogue (a great brewery on the Oregon coast) right now. It's great. The chamomile really works in beer and gives it a tea-like quality. Many of Rogue's beers make it here to Florida, but Chamomile Ale isn't one of them.Here's

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-31435980443143663942009-06-13T00:05:00.003-04:002009-06-13T00:09:24.913-04:00

This is my first beer from Cigar City Brewing Co. It has a strange name, 110K+OT. They plan to change it each year: same name, different beer. This time it's a modified Imperial Russian Stout (they're calling it an India Russian Imperial Stout because they've used a lot of hops), a strong stout that was originally brewed in England and shipped to the Russian court.On to the review:Pours super

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-80040704571923944172009-06-12T15:34:00.003-04:002009-07-05T18:51:51.018-04:00

To follow up on my previous post, I went to the Whole Foods in Sarasota today and they also had Cigar City's 110K+OT in stock. $13 for a 750 mL bottle.They also had four beers from Anderson Valley Brewing Co., a great California brewery. They've been making beer for years but are a new arrival in Sarasota. Whole Foods had Hop Ottin' IPA, Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema, Brother David's Abbey Double

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-71239034244075523462009-06-12T12:06:00.001-04:002009-07-05T19:07:19.976-04:00

Fellow BeerAdvocate member JAA posted on the site that Total Wine & More on University Parkway in southern Manatee County has 750 mL bottles of Cigar City's 110K+OT on the shelf for about $12 each.Cigar City changes this beer each year. This year, according to their blog, they have called the beer IRIS:"which stands for India Russian Imperial Stout. Yes, that's right, we are just making styles up

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-1515190153448806532009-06-10T17:46:00.004-04:002009-06-10T17:57:14.130-04:00

The Brewers Association (not surprisingly) is calling on beer fans to contact their senators and tell them they oppose tripling the excise tax on 4.5 percent alcohol beers and raising the tax rate even higher on higher alcohol beers.The association says these tax increases will hurt the smaller breweries, which they call Main Street businesses, the most. "Federal, state and local taxes represent

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-80347586749191286872009-06-10T08:00:00.005-04:002009-06-12T23:58:55.672-04:00

According to their blog, Cigar City Brewing's tasting room is now open for business. Cigar City, Tampa's only microbrewery, has been making beer for a few months but had delays in getting their brewery tasting room ready. I haven't had any of their beers yet, but have heard very good things.It is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. They're at 3924 W. Spruce St. Suite A, Tampa, FL 33612.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-60188066673903794992009-06-09T23:46:00.001-04:002009-06-13T00:11:53.466-04:00

I just got back from a great vacation in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Salt Lake City, Utah.So it's back to hot and humid Florida after freezing (in a good way) out West.I had some good and not-so-good craft beer while there. I'll post more about that later. But here's the quick info: There's craft beer in the parks, and it's pretty good. I went to a good brewpub and a

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-77254933035567974342009-06-01T08:00:00.004-04:002009-06-01T08:00:01.305-04:00

Abita Brewing Co. calls this beer a Helles Doppelbock, which is a twist on a traditional Doppelbock, a strong German lager. Helles means bright, and while regular Doppelbocks are dark, this is a bright gold in color. German Doppelbocks have names that usually end with -ator, like Salvator, Celebrator, Optimator, etc. So Abita makes a good joke by using an alligator on the label and in the name.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-61698302429122404022009-05-28T07:00:00.004-04:002009-05-31T00:49:18.881-04:00

This is the best of the three beers in Samuel Adams' LongShot six-pack this year. LongShot brews, as I wrote about in a previous post, are the winners of SA's homebrew contest.Pours a cloudy amber in color with a sticky and foamy off-white head.The aroma is all about the hops: Herbal, earthy, citrus -- this beer has it all. The aroma reminds me of smelling hops before homebrewing.The taste is

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-73992214717508550292009-05-27T22:15:00.001-04:002009-05-27T22:16:29.744-04:00

Brewery Ommegang from Cooperstown, Mass., brews beers in the Belgian style. While they have a cool picture of Mars on the label, the Belgians would call this a March (Mars) beer. One thing that makes this beer interesting is that Ommegang says they add "a bit of magical space dust," Brettanomyces bruxellensis yeast, during fermentation.Some Belgian beers (and a growing number of American) are

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-14966347806827971622009-05-27T06:00:00.001-04:002009-05-27T06:00:00.396-04:00

This month's BeerAdvocate magazine, which came to me today, features Tampa as its beer destination this go-around. They do a write-up on the region and select the top-rated places, according to the users of BeerAdvocate.com. A few selections: Cigar City Brewing, Mellow Mushroom and Saint Somewhere Brewing Co. But no mention of the Oldsmar Tap House? That's the best beer bar I've ever been to.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-23760792888256807182009-05-26T15:03:00.000-04:002009-07-05T19:07:19.976-04:00

Hopheads, take note: I spoke today with Scott Sheridan, Stone's Southeast regional brewery representative, and he said Stone 13th Anniversary Ale (see my previous post), which they call their hoppiest beer yet, will "most certainly" be coming to Sarasota-Manatee and the greater Tampa Bay area. Whole Foods and Total Wine & More are two of the local stores that will have it, possibly by June 29,

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-87107916981776161382009-05-23T01:56:00.008-04:002009-06-15T20:40:15.134-04:00

I learned from writer/actor Wil Wheaton (via Twitter, of course, its not like I've met him), that Stone Brewing Co., maker of such excellent beers as Arrogant Bastard and Ruination IPA, has announced its 13th Anniversary Ale on its blog.They call this "the hoppiest beer we've ever brewed." For those who don't know, that's saying a lot. Stone makes some of the hoppiest beers around -- check out

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-18050687293492982632009-05-22T13:15:00.002-04:002009-05-23T01:48:00.922-04:00

LongShot is a pretty cool idea. Homebrewers from across the country submit their beers and the Boston Beer Co., maker of Samuel Adams beers, brews the best and sells them in limited-edition six-packs.There are three beers in the packs, two of each.Cranberry Wit, a wheatbeer brewed with (surprise!) cranberries and other spices.Traditional Bock, a German lager.Double IPA, a stronger and hoppier

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-66061138492547503902009-05-21T11:47:00.000-04:002009-08-08T03:05:57.469-04:00

In response to another one of my e-mails, Matt LaFon said the upcoming World of Beer will be nonsmoking and feature a large patio. It will be great to have a nonsmoking beer bar in town.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-18287640786199238852009-05-21T09:00:00.001-04:002009-05-23T01:48:00.923-04:00

Howie Hochberg, the owner of the Cock & Bull Pub, posted on BeerAdvocate that he's working to get all the brews from Cigar City Brewing, a new craft brewery that's just started in Tampa. Their beers are generating a lot of buzz in the beer geek community. I haven't been able to try any of their beers. Howie had some of their Maduro brown ale, but he was out of it by the time I was able to stop

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-48825147522394347102009-05-21T02:53:00.004-04:002009-05-21T03:01:16.842-04:00

Tonight's beer is an English Barleywine, from Colorado's Flying Dog brewery. Barleywines are strong ales brewed with lots of malted grain and hops. This particular beer has an alcohol level of 10.5 percent, which is more than twice the strength of a typical beer. There are also American Barleywines, which are similar to their English predecessors but usually have a lot more hop flavor and

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-87223784179384375892009-05-20T16:49:00.006-04:002009-05-23T01:48:00.923-04:00

If you've noticed craft beer getting more expensive, get ready for it to get pricier.As part of a plan to expand health insurance coverage, the U.S. Senate is considering raising taxes and fees on many products, including beer.According to The Associated Press, "Under the proposal, beer taxes would go up by 48 cents a six-pack, from the current 33 cents."That doesn't sound like much, but remember

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-51364077725846548052009-05-20T11:00:00.003-04:002009-05-20T11:00:00.743-04:00

I made a poll to find out what content you would like to see on this blog. It's in the column on the right. Blogger was giving me an error, so I apologize if it's not working right.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-81288764943381582702009-05-20T08:00:00.002-04:002009-05-20T08:00:00.165-04:00

The craft beer situation here in Sarasota County, circa the late 1990s, was rather bleak. Remember in "The Blues Brothers" when the band went to Bob's Country Bunker? The proprietor said they played both kinds of music: County and Western. The beer selection here used to be like that: Bud and Bud Light. Until the Big Change. But before the Big Change there were oases in the wasteland. The first

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-69707307228732426452009-05-20T03:05:00.003-04:002009-05-21T03:00:36.088-04:00

I haven't had Maximus, a Double India Pale Ale from Lagunitas, in more than four years. The last bottle I had was a 22-ounce bomber I drank during a trip to Portland, Ore. I visited their brewery in Petaluma, Calif., during a beer pilgrimage several years ago. This is a very good Double IPA. It's hoppy and bitter, but not in a pound-you-over-the-head way. Check out my older review at

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-16928924697194623742009-05-20T00:11:00.008-04:002009-07-05T18:46:56.303-04:00

After my wife and I saw the "Coming Soon: World of Beer" sign in the empty storefront on Tourist Center Drive off University Parkway near Interstate 75 in Manatee County across from Moe's and Jersey Mike's (next to Keva Juice), I e-mailed World of Beer. Matt LaFon wrote back: "Thank you for inquiring about the new location in Sarasota for World of Beer. You can expect it to open in

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812168097504072148.post-53630785481674922502009-05-19T23:14:00.003-04:002009-05-20T03:52:07.136-04:00

After gently prodding by my family, I've decided to start a blog on the growing craft beer scene here in Sarasota, Fla., my hometown. This area used to be a craft beer wasteland. That sure has changed.My idea for this blog is to expand upon my work at BeerAdvocate.com, where I review beer and try to keep other craft beer fans in the area in the know. I also learn a lot about the local beer scene

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10432510995921525441noreply@blogger.com0