Archive for May, 2011

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The Stags Head Blues Brothers Event Live blog

May 31, 2011

Shout out to Nick @ Stags head!!! Go see this man!!

Phil’s First- Oskar Blues G’Knight – Always my favorite from Oskar. Holds up at this great event. Just the right malty seedbeds with a hoppy bite to start the night off.

Brad’s First- Oskar Blues Ten Fidy – what else on a hot night but a stout… Wait… Somethings are just so good you need to get them. With no Hungarian Oak Aged available (See: The Pony Bar Oskar Blues Night) I settled on a brew I always enjoy – Ten Fidy, dark, malty and delicious.

Brad’s Second- Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout – I like a lot of stuff Two Brothers does, but this is no Imperial Stout, not nearly as heavy as the Ten Fidy, but this is unfair – like trying to follow Michael Jordan you’re never gonna be as good (Read: LeBron James).

Phil’s Second- Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout – thankfully I don’t really like basketball so I’m unbiased to my interpertaion…….and that means I liked it. Good and deep malty roasted goodness with a nice coffee sidecar attachment to the flavor. Definitely a repeat offender for my Taste buds.

Phil’s Third- Left Hand Sawtooth – always a fantastic way to round out the evening. This is one I never fail to have if it’s offered. Perfect for the back of the bell curve.

Brad’s Third- 21st Amendment Monks Blood – classic, I’ve had this on tap a couple places and this is always enjoyable. This doesn’t taste like rotten fruit (Phil) but like a nice mixture of light fruity taste but still a beer. No overpowering notes makes this very light and drinkable.

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Posted in Bars, Beers, Brewery, Event, Live Blog | 1 Comment »

New York City Craft Beer Events for the Week of May 29, 2011

May 31, 2011

 

Tuesday, May 31 – Blues Brothers @ The Stag’s Head, Manhattan:

One of the greatest movies of all time: Blues Brothers.  Playing at a bar.  And not just any bar – the Stag’s Head.  And they won’t be serving just any beer – they’ll be pouring 5 lines each from Oskar Blues and Two Brothers.  And there will be prizes and giveaways.

Did we mention they’ll be playing the Blues Brothers?

The Stag’s Head is located at 252 51st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, Upper East Side, Manhattan.

Tuesday, May 31 – $10 Tuesday Tasting – Colorado Beers @ Jimmy’s No. 43, Manhattan:

We here at the Beer Friends have a soft spot for Colorado.  One of us is from there.  We also love beer.  Colorado is full of beer and last summer we traversed the state drinking it.  This Tuesday you can grab a sampling from two of the states best breweries – Breckenridge and Oskar Blues.  And as always a Colorado beer expert will be on hand you talk you through all the brews.  And if he’s busy the Beer Friends very own Brad can help.

Jimmy’s No. 43 is located at 43 East 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, East Village, Manhattan.

Wednesday, June 1 – Anderson Valley Takes the Taps! @ Rattle n’ Hum, Manhattan:

Anderson Valley out of California is not seen around these parts very often.  Well, you can get your fill at Rattle n’ Hum this Wednesday as they take over the taps.  Check out this list:

Gatlin Damnosus
Rude Eye Red Ale
Hop Ottin
Boont Amber
Summer Solstice
Poleeko Gold Pale Ale
Imperial IPA
Boont ESB
Brother Davids Double
Brother Davids Triple

Rattle n’ Hum is located at 14 East 33rd Street between 5th and Madison Avenues, Midtown, Manhattan.

Wednesday, June 1 – Style Events: IPA’s @ The Blind Tiger, Manhattan:

The IPA.  The king of beers.  Well, maybe that’s just my opinion.  But I can speak for the rest of the Beer Friends and we love them.  We love the crap out of them.  The Blind Tiger will be celebrating the style starting this Wednesday and are inviting all of us to join in the party.  Check out what we’ll be drinking:

Hill Farmstead Double Citra
Hill Farmstead Abner
Hair of the Dog Blue Dot
Brooklyn Blast (Firkin)
Pennichuck Imp IPA ‘’09
Grassroots Limoncello
Mikkeller Green Gold
Dogfish 90 Minute IPA
Captain Lawrence Reserve Imp IPA
Firestone Walker Double Jack
Flower Power
Ballast Point Sculpin
Smuttynose Big A
Thornbridge Raven Black IPA
Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous
Nebraska IPA
Avery DuganA

Is that Brooklyn Blast on the list?  I think so.

The Blind Tiger is located at 281 Bleecker Street between Jones Street and 7th Avenue, West Village, Manhattan.

Friday, June 3 – Sixpoint Can Release Tasting @ The Bowery Whole Foods, Manhattan:

Those of us involved in the NYC craft brew scene have been waiting for one thing for a long, long time – the day where we could pick up a cold can of Sixpoint Craft Ales and enjoy it in the comfort of our own homes.  Well now we can.  Four-packs of 16 oz. tall boys of  The Crisp, Sweet Action, Bengali Tiger and Righteous Rye have been popping up all over the place and Sixpoint wants to celebrate.  This Friday they’ll be serving tastes straight from the can at the Whole Foods Bowery Beer Room.  They will also be pouring 6 Sixpoint drafts.

If you love Sixpoint then Friday is your day. See ya at Whole Foods!

The Whole Foods Bowery Beer Room is located at 95 East Houston Street between the Bowery and Chrystie Street, East Village, Manhattan.

Posted in Beers | 1 Comment »

Bonus Beer Review: Sixpoint Bengali Tiger in Cans!

May 25, 2011

Hello Beer Friends Nation!

Today was a great day.  All day long tweets and Facebook post flew up announcing where people could find Sixpoint Bengali Tiger and Sehr Crisp Pilsner around New York City and the Beer Friends were suckered in… we ran around like tourist trying to find Times Square, and our faces lit up when we did.  Today we post a Bonus Beer Review of Bengali Tiger in 16 oz cans, finally a bit of Redhook in our fridge.  Beer at Home!  4 packs Tallboys! Sixpoint!

UPDATE! 5/30: You may notice that the Beer Friends may have reacted a bit differently to the Bengali Tiger in Cans than they did to the growler review they had done previously.  Come to find out, the beer that made it into the cans is a bit different from the beer that was enjoyed out of the growler.  Apparently, about 3 months prior to the release of these cans, Sixpoint tweaked the recipe of Bengali Tiger and changed 1 of the 4 hops they use in this IPA.  They replaced the Amarillo hops with Citra hops changing the flavor of the beer slightly.  So this became a review that wasn’t just about the cans, but unwittingly a review about the new Bengali Tiger recipe.  So with that new information, get yourself a nanokeg and see if you can taste the difference.

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Posted in Beer Review, Beers | 11 Comments »

Beer Review 65: Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest 2011

May 24, 2011

Hello Beer Friends Nation!

For this weeks Six Pack of the Week we go down under… to New Zealand!  This week we tried the Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest 2011.  The world on the street (and Sierra Nevada’s website) is that this is the first American craft beer to use hops grown in the southern hemisphere, hand picked, dried and flown back to Chico, California and used in this Harvest brew.  The three hop varieties are Pacific Hallertau, New Zealand Motueka and New Zealand Southern Cross Hops – none of which these Beer Friends have heard of or tasted!  Southern Hemisphere!  New Hops!  G-Day Mate! Beer!

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Posted in Beers, Beer Review | 5 Comments »

New York City Craft Beer Events for the Week of May 22, 2011

May 23, 2011

Hallelujah! The Apocalypse/Judgement Day/Coolest Party Ever has been averted! Well, maybe it wasn’t ever going to happen in the first place, or maybe somebody out there prayed really hard…or the Big Guy upstairs didn’t want to end the ingenuity of American Craft Brewing just yet.  You know, just when it was starting to get good. (more…)

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Posted in Beers | 1 Comment »

Live Blog of Oregon Beers night at The Stag’s Head

May 18, 2011

As a peace offering to the West Coast, The Stag Head has graciously hosted an Oregon Beers night here in NYC! At least one of us is SUPER excited for the possibilities, let’s see what we have in store from Rogue, Dick’s and Elysian Breweries:

Phil’s 1st – Elysian Men’s Room Red: a good staple kind of red ale. A little coppery on the aftertaste, but was an excellent way to start the evening, a good malty ending helps bring the flavor forward.

Brad’s 1st – Elysian Jasmine IPA: This was a bit of a surprise because I was expecting a more flowery hop because of the name (I’m a native male). This brew was good but could’ve been better… However I’ve had other Elysian stuff so I’m looking forward to more.

Phil’s 2nd – Dick’s Danger Ale: a good choice for the second round. A good showing from he malts involved, but I missed the hops that were supposed to round out the taste. The feel was a little on the thin side, but definitely worth a try.

Brad’s 2nd – Full Sail IPA: a decent IPA, although I enjoy a hoppier IPA. When your favorite IPA’s are Bengali Tiger and Pale Ale is Dale’s a lighter hopped IPA just doesn’t do it… The thrill is gone.

Phil’s 3rd – Full Sail LTD 05: I had high hopes for this one, and it came close to my hopes and dreams. A good middle range ale, gets a little bread-y I’d you let it get warm. Maybe good for a first round, but I think better could be found.

Brad’s 3rd – Elysian Immortal IPA: This is cheating but I’ve had this beer before and I really like it. It’s a hoppier IPA (see above) and that’s the way, ug huh ug huh I like it!

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Posted in Beers, Brewery, Event, Live Blog | 1 Comment »

Beer Review 64: Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

May 17, 2011

Hello Beer Friends Nation!

This week we returned to a favorite brewery of ours… Brooklyn Brewery, to try not a six pack, but one of their bottled beers, Sorachi Ace.  Sorachi Ace is one of Garrett Oliver’s Brewmaster Reserves that the Beer Friends seem to LOVE.  Sorachi Ace didn’t disappoint and because of limited available we suggest that you get this ASAP.  Check out below the video for more Brooklyn Brewery reviews! Brewmaster Reserve!  Catalogue of Beers!  Brooklyn!

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

Brooklyn Brown Ale

Brooklyn Local 1

Brooklyn Dark Matter

Brooklyn Pilsner

Brooklyn Summer Ale

Brooklyn Black Ops

Brooklyn Pennant ’55

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Posted in Beer Review, Beers | 3 Comments »

New York City Craft Beer Events for the Week of May 15, 2011

May 16, 2011

I woke up this morning with great expectations.  The sun was shining, a warm summer breeze blowing through the air, the smell of blossoming plants and then I opened my eyes.  Rain.  Thunder.  Fog.  And it was cold.  And it will be happening all week long.  Then I looked at the list of craft beer events happening this week.  The clouds parted, the sun came back out and the annoying spitting from the dense fog that engulfed the city transformed into a soft mist reminiscent of the Irish countryside.  Yea, craft beer has that affect on me.

Tuesday, May 17 – Empire Brewing Company Night @ Rattle n’ Hum, Manhattan:

Imagine you were taking a boat trip down the Erie Canal (10 points if you know where the Erie Canal is) rafting through the port towns of Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo and you wanted a beer.  The obvious choice is Empire Brewing Company.  Started in Syracuse and at

(more…)

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Featured Brewery: Coopersmith’s Pub and Brewing

May 11, 2011

Hello Beer Friends Nation!

Coopersmith's Brew PubDeep in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins you’ll find one of the most famous brewpubs in Colorado, Coopersmith’s Pub and Brewing.  As the story goes, Coopersmith’s was founded in 1989 after John Hickenlooper had started the Wynkoop brewery in Lower Downtown (LoDo) Denver, and using that same formula created Coopersmith’s in Old Town, which was struggling to attract businesses and customers the same way LoDo was at the time.  Coopersmith’s has a large fermenting tank outside and they do a lot of their brewing in the basement which is a self guided tour when you walk in and head down the stairs.  Overall the beers are good, nothing outstanding but drinkable and the atmosphere was a little too family friendly.  We did enjoy what they were trying to do in creating a brewpub with good beer and avoiding the Coors Light on tap to keep the highheels and popped collars out.

I had the Horsetooth Stout, and being a big stout fan, it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had.  It had good flavor, slightly watery but didn’t really pick a style – not creamy enough for a milk stout, not dry enough for the Irish Dry style, no texture or flavor for a Oatmeal stout, and not enough roasted malts to create a bitter Coffee stout flavor.

Graham had the Punjabi Pale Ale that claimed to be a IPA, but Graham being a huge hophead felt the beer was too heavy on the malts and not enough hop flavor… To each their own I guess.

Phil had the Sigda Green Chili beer.  This beer was a bit of a novelty for us New Yorkers visiting the Wild West.  After each of us tasted it we felt it was too strong on the Green Chili taste and light on the beer taste.

Coopersmith’s Brew Pub is located in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins at 5 Old Town Square, Fort Collins, Colorado.  The Brew Pub serves food and is open from 11am to 11pm Sunday through Thursday and 11am to 1am Friday and Saturday.


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Posted in Beers, Brewery | 2 Comments »

Live Blog Smuttynose at Pony Bar

May 10, 2011

Hello beer Friends Nation!

Rub those eyes one more time… Two, yes two live blogs tonight! Personally I’m clocking overtime for this. Two Beer friends awaken to Pony Bar’s Smuttynose Brewery event featuring 14 drafts and 2 casks… round 2… Ding ding ding!

Phil’s 2nd 1st(I guess) – Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA: a good a around opener IPA. Good, bit not overpowering, hops at the start with a nice sweeter ending that doesn’t take away from the overall flavor.

Brad’s 1st 2nds(?) – Vunderbar is another German pilsner that’s heavier on taste and malts. Not as hoppy as the Rogue pilsner ( t-minus two hours ago) this pilsner is more like a traditional German style which my best reference is Brooklyn Pilsner… Either way it’s flavorful and easy to drink!

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Posted in Live Blog | 1 Comment »

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