Natty Greene's Brewery - Southern Extral Pale Ale

The wife and I went out for "date night" and decide to stop at a local dining establishment called Queen Anne's Revenge.  As soon as we walk in the door, there are racks of wine and immediately past that is a wall full of different craft brews.  I admirably stared at the "beer wall" as I made my way to our table.  The waitress comes for our drink order.  I inquired about the beers on tap, to which she replies, "All of our taps are from Natty Green's Brewery."  "ohhh reallly?!" 

I think about my choices for a second and decide on the Southern Extra Pale Ale.  The beer makes it to our table and it's a nice clear gold/copper color with a white head.  Smelling the hoppy aroma, I take the first sip...delicious.  A medium body brew that has a rich crisp hoppy flavor with a hoppy, citrus finish.  Overall a very nice tasting beer.  It went really well with the crab dip appetizer....and the buffalo chicken bacon ranch pizza....and finished off the meal with one for dessert.

This is one fine tasting beer that is good to have on any summer afternoon and gets two thumbs up from this guy.

Cheers!

Blue Moon - Summer Honey Wheat

'Tis the summer season and Independence Day weekend. Hot days filled with some outside work, grilling, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying your favorite seasonal ale such as Blue Moon's Summer Honey Wheat.
First a quick story...

I'm out in town running errands when I decide that I need beer.  I stop by a nearby store and walk to the beer aisle in search of liquid happiness.  No sooner than I reach the beer isle I hear, "Security scan all sections."  Well I think nothing of it and continue my search.  A couple of minutes later this guy appears out of nowhere and stands about 10 feet away from me.  I pay him no attention until he takes a couple of brief scans of me then pulls a feather duster from his back pocket and starts dusting random crap.

Now I know what is going on, I decided to have a little bit of fun.  I walk into the large cooler move a couple of 12 packs around, then walk back out, then back in, and play around a bit more.  Then I decide to walk out the side door of the cooler so I can spy on this guy.  He peeks in the cooler and doesn't see me so he walks in.  So I walk back to the aisle to where I last saw the guy. At last he appears, looking a bit agitated   It is then that I spot Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat.

Anyway, it was because of that circumstance that I stumbled across the beer.  I must admit that is was fun screwing around with the "security guy".

Anyway, on to the beer. I like wheat ales and honey, so I figured that a honey wheat had the potential to be fairly decent. Boy was I right, so good in fact that after a couple I had a Frank the Tank moment.

On to the actual tasting... This is a light refreshing beer with a smooth finish. It has a nice aroma with hints of citrus and honey, sort of like a Belgian Wit. Absolutely delicious and goes with any type of food ... trust me. This is definitely a beer that gets a double thumbs up from this guy and will be a main stay in my fridge throughout the summer.

Happy Independence Day...Cheers!

Sweetwater Brewery - 420 Extra Pale Ale

How could I forget to write about this fine brew.   It has been a little more than a month since we went to see the Canes play, but still remember drinking the afterwards.

Anyway, after 3 hour drive, new guitar purchase, hockey game, and running back through the rain to our hotel, we stopped off at the Backyard Bistro to get a late night bite to eat.  As it turns out Sweetwater Brewery's 420 Extra Pale Ale  was on special....YYAAAAYYYY.  It was just what the doctor had ordered.  So after a few of these babies, my sadness from the game's outcome was gone.

It was a bit fuller than the typical American Pale Ale, but that contributed to its drinkability.  The 420 Extra Pale Ale gets two thumbs up from this guy.

Homebrewing

The thought of home brewing has been this little buzz in the back of my head for a number of years.  That little buzz has gotten louder since this blog's conception.  I was recently in a home brewing store, yes they exist, inquiring about a good brewing book.  The store manager suggested that I pick up "How to Brew" by John J. Palmer.  So I did.

I must admit that the book is not disappointing.  The book is broken down into 4 sections and covers everything you need and would ever want to know about brewing. Some subjects discussed, in detail, are malts,boiling and cooling, yeasts, fermentation, conditioning, and priming and bottling.

This is a must have for anybody wanting to take up the craft of home brewing.

cheers!

Youngs Double Chocolate Stout

The wife and I were at dinner last night when this gem caught my eye.  It was the only stout on the list that I haven't tried.  I order it and a few minutes later our waitress returns.  I make the pour and am immediately hit with a chocolate aroma.

It seemed to melt out of the bottle filling up the glass at a slow rate and topping off with a two finger width head.  After sitting there for a second admiring this creation, I take a drink.  Very delicious.  The beer had a smooth chocolatey flavor with almost no aftertaste.

This is a must try for any dark beer lover.

Cheers!

BBQ Nachos

My buddy Michael and I just returned from watching the Hurricanes have the playoff door shut on  them by the Bolts. Obviously we were disappointed with the game's outcome, but still had a great time at the game especially the BBQ nachos, oh, and the craft beers.

These were not your average nachos.  Their appearance was similar to regular nachos, but with a twist.  Pulled beef brisket was piled on the nachos, then the cheese was poured on top.  It is the best game food that I've ever eaten.

Pictured with the nachos is a Torch Pilsner (left), Foothills Brewery, and a Southern Pale Ale from Natty Greene's Brewery.  We also had another of Natty Greene's finest ales, Buckshot Amber.  Our post game venture was Sweetwater Brewery's 420 Extra Pale Ale at the Backyard Bistro.

A good night with great food and craft beer.

cheers!

Drink to Your Health

Health benefits of wine have been well documented over the years.  Unlike their counter part, the health benefits from beer have barely been examined mainly because it was associated with unhealthy habits such as smoking and binge drinking.  Recently, that tune has changed primarily due to the popularity in craft beer.

Research this past decade has shed a new light about the effects of beer on your health.  Moderate amounts of beer, 1-2 per day, have been proven to be good for your heart, brain, kidneys, bones, and cancer.  The research is summarized below:

Heart

"Alcohol raises levels of ‘good' HDL cholesterol.  It also has anti-clotting effects, which keeps blood vessels clear and healthy," says Arthur Klatsky, MD.  Researchers found that one to two beers a day reduces fibrinogen levels, a protein that helps promote clotting.

Brain

One classic New England Journal of Medicine study, which analyzed the drinking habits of about 11,000 women over more than 15 years, found that those who had up to one drink a day had a 20 percent lower risk of brain function decline (as measured by memory and other cognition tests) than nondrinkers. Alcohol intake may protect blood vessels in the brain and also lower stroke risk.

Kidneys

Finnish researchers found that men who drank beer had a 40 percent lower risk of kidney stones to those who drank other types of alcohol. The benefit may be due to beer's high water content. It is believed, not proven, that beer's hops may also help prevent kidney stones by slowing the release of calcium from bones.

Bones

Beer is a major source of silicon intake in the US leading to denser bone minerals. “Silicon is present in beer in the soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA), which yields 50% bioavailability, making beer a major contributor to silicon intake in the Western diet” "Silicon helps stimulate bone-building cells, and the estrogenic effect of alcohol also has a protective quality for bones," says study author Katherine Tucker, PhD, professor of nutritional epidemiology at Northeastern University in Boston. Which brew boasts the most silicon? Try an India Pale Ale. A 2010 University of California Davis study found that IPAs had the highest levels of the mineral.

Cancer
A Portuguese study revealed that marinating meat in beer can eliminate 88% of carcinogens cause by frying.  Researchers believe that sugars in beer help prevent formation of cancer-causing compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs).  Other research in the US believes some compounds in beer may prevent colon or prostrate cancer (the study results are not available).

This gives a new meaning to “Drink to your health.”  I for one enjoy reading something positive about beer because for years I’ve heard how bad beer was for you…not any more.

Cheers!

Resources

www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010.../w-rrl020310.php

http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/0315/tap-into-beers-health-benefits.aspx

http://www.forbes.com/2008/03/14/beer-drink-health-forbeslife-cx_avd_0317health.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/13/earlyshow/health/main518587.shtml

 

Mother Earth's Dark Cloud

mmmmmm, beer.  I love beer.  Have I mentioned this before?

I have been researching beer since my initial thought on beer blogging.  There is so much I want to learn, yet I know that I have barely scratched the surface.  Recently, I began reviewing beer judging and its associated technicalities.  It is this newly acquired knowledge that I will apply to my first beer review.

My first victim is Dark Cloud from Mother Earth Brewery located in Kinston, NC. This is a brewery has been on my radar screen for some time now and it just so happens that I found a "sixer" of their brew in a local store.  The brewery got its name from a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band song titled "Mother Earth."  I'll save the details about the brewery for my visit.

Dark Cloud is a Munich Dunkel style beer.  I have never drank much Munich Dunkel style beer.  Not that I chose not to, but it just was never available where I lived or I wasn't looking for it.  Anyway, I saw it the other day and thought I would give it a try.
 

Appearance: This munich-dunkel pours a crystal clear dark copper color.  Gave a substantial off-white, one inch head that had little retention which resulted in minmal lacing.

Smell: The main scent that comes through is a Munich malt sweetness, typical of a traditional Munich Dunkel.  There was also a hint toasted breadiness (is that a word?), along with caramel.

Initial Taste: Mmm...this is one well balanced beer. As the aroma suggests, sweet flavor of the malts are dominate with hints of caramel and a bit of grass. The finish is sweet with some lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue.

According to some of the research I have done, this beer has all that of a traditional Munich Dunkel. This is a very tasty beer that would satisfy any beer enthusiast and may convert a few over to the "dark" side.  There is a nice blend of bitter and sweet to make it smooth. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good dark lager or just wanting to try something new.


cheers!

Beer Marketing

There are many interesting beer marketing ploys by beer companies that entices the consumer to buy their product.  In my research efforts to learn more about beer I have focused on three, probably the big 3, of these ploys.  I will add that, while misleading, the subject of the ploys are used in the brewing process, but have nothing to do with the flavor.  Let's take a look.

"Beechwood aged" - Beechwood chips are added to the fermenters to create more surface area for the yeast to cling to.  This results in an accelerated fermentation process.  It was posted in RealBeer.com's forums that a poster's relative who interned at the brewery said the chips were "boiled / cleaned beforehand to make sure it won't impart any flavor." 

"Triple Hops Brewed" -  This isn't a ground breaking brewing method.  According to Paul Hightower of the Dallas Examiner:

In all beers, hops have three distinct applications (the so-called “triple hops” process):

• Bittering hops. A first hops addition is introduced early in the boil. This allows the volatile (airborne) components of the hops to escape and the stronger flavor oils to break down. Brewers use hops’ bitter nature to offset the sweetness of the malt; without bittering hops, beer would taste too sickly sweet to drink.
   
• Flavor hops. A second hops addition is introduced near the end of the boil. With this addition, more of the natural hops flavor is retained as it doesn’t have the time to boil away or break down. This can add layers of complexity to the flavor, marrying the malted grains with the herbal freshness of the hops.
   
• Aroma hops. A third hop addition is often introduced either just after the boil has stopped or later, during the fermentation or conditioning process (also known as “dry hopping”). This has the same effect as throwing fresh herbs into a dish just before serving. All the volatile compounds are retained, and the fresh hops aroma is captured in the nose of the beer.

"Frost brewed, Ice Brewed, Glacier Brewed, or Cold Brewed" -  Beer must be boiled during the brewing process...period.  The only information that I could find relating to "frost brewing" is from the book How to Brew.  It states, "the colder lagering temperatures (~35 degrees F) seem to produce a smoother beer than the warmer temperatures (45 degrees F)."  To clarify, the lagering occurs during the fermenting process.  The colder the temperature the longer the beer ferments.

As it turns out, these are all common methods used by most, if not all, breweries.  This lead me to research how many people consume beer based on the marketing and came up with zero results. However, I asked some friends of mine if they ever tried beer based on the marketing and all said no.

 Now this leaves me wondering, what part of the brewing process will they market next?... Roasted malt?... Dry hopped?... Spontaneous fermented?

Cheers!

Howdy.

Hi, I'm Elwood.....

I live in eastern NC with my wife, two beautiful children, and our dog.  Being a husband and father are the two greatest things that a man can be.  My wife is the most wonderful woman that I know.  She is strong willed, determined, awesome mother, fantastic wife, caring, and a great friend.  My children are wonderful.  It's so cool watching them grow up.  There is always something going on, which begs the question,  "What did we ever do with our free time?"  I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

I started this blog because I'm just an average guy who loves beer and have made it my mission to share my experiences from brewery tours, tastings, festivals and other miscellaneous events.  I also hope raise awareness about some of the lesser or unknown brews in our world because I truly believe there are no bad crafted beers.  Yes, I said it, because somebody loves that particular beer that I don't have the taste for.  The same applies to brewers.  There is no such thing as a bad brewer.  Every brewer has a passion and drive for what they do, if they didn't then they wouldn't do what they are doing.  They are always learning new tricks to perfect their craft.

As with anything (say brewers), you must be a sponge, always learning as much as you can.  If I do that, then I can provide the best available information to you.

With all that I said, I hope you can learn something from this blog or better yet, teach me something.

Cheers!

Aviator Brewery

Welcome to the initial installment of the Drunken Boat Chronicles.  Beer has long been an interest of mine as well as many of you.  There’s just something about visiting breweries, and tasting the beer, that I truly enjoy.  Now I have the opportunity share my experiences with you.  The first port of call for the Drunken Boat is Aviator Brewery.

 
Aviator Brewery is nestled away in the Piedmont of NC.  Located near Fuquay-Varina, the brewery has grown from a home brew experimentation site at a local airport hanger to a near full blown production facility.  The owner/brewmaster, Mark Doble, has lived all around the world drinking and making many crafted brews.  It was almost a decade ago that Mark decided to settle down in the small town of Fuquay-Varina.

Here I am on brewery visitation day.  My expectation is to gain a better understanding on beer appreciation, besides “mmmm….that’s a good beer.”  Being a stout beer guy, I’m excited to taste the King Rat Imperial Oatmeal Stout.

I arrive at the brewery, walk in, and am immediately welcomed by the bar keep.  “Hey buddy, you want a beer?”  “Why yes I do.  I will have the King Rat Stout please,” I replied.  He extends his hand and says, “I’m Mark, welcome to the brewery.”   At this point, I can barely stand the excitement.

Mark hands me my beer and I take the long awaited drink.  Wow….that is a great stout.  A full bodied stout with 8% alc/vol.  Chocolate and oatmeal flavors hit right away.  A very smooth beer that would make any stout drinker want more.

Just before the tour starts I get a refill.  Now this is how a tour should be!  So the tour begins:

First stop, the mill.  This is where the malt is ground prior to adding it to the mash tun.  In the mash tun, dechlorinated water is mixed with the ground malt at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time.  Temperature is a very important.  Just a couple of degree variation in the mash will produce a different beer.

The mill.

The mash tun (top left), boil kettle (top right), and a bag of hops.

From here the “sugar water”, called wort, is strained from the mash tun and in some cases, additional water is poured over the grains to extract additional sugars (sparging).  The wort is then transferred to the boil kettle where the wort is boiled with hops or other ingredients.  It is here where the most important chemical reactions take place that gives the beer it’s taste, aroma, and color.  The wort is then cooled and added to the fermentor.

The fermentors.

Once in the fermentor, a yeast strain is selected and is added to the wort and fermentation begins.  It is during this process that the sugars are converted to alcohol, carbon dioxide, and other components.  The fermentation process lasts for 4-7 days.  Following this process the beer is filtered and transferred into the conditioning tanks where the beer ages and the flavor smoothes.  Sometimes the beers are conditioned in different vessels, say Jack Daniels Oak Barrels.

Stout aging in Jack Daniels Oak barrels.

 

After a week or few months, the conditioned beer may be filtered again to polish the color, flavor, and is carbonated.  The beer is now ready to be kegged or bottled.


After a very detailed description of the brewing process, we congregate at the bar for another round.  Here Mark tells us how beer judging is done.  I’m thinking, “This is awesome!”  We are given beer scoring sheets and a choice of two beers.  My choices were the Frostnipper and Hog Wild IPA.  I could go into great detail about the judging, but I’ll refrain and summarize my choices:

The Frostnipper (7.3% alc/vol) is a darker than average brown ale.  It is a good seasonal beer with hints of various spices and tad bit of smokiness.  This beer goes down smooth and is easy on the palate.

The Hog Wild IPA (6.7% alc/vol) is on the other spectrum of the Frostnipper.  It’s a gold cloudy beer that has a very hoppy aroma. The flavor was a long lasting sweet-bitter taste that could be considered fruity at times.

Both beers were good and worthy of another round or two.

To top off the day, I was given a growler of the King Rat and a pint class.  This was definitely an awesome place with a very cool owner.  I was lucky enough to be provided with an abundance of brewing knowledge from someone who is passionate about his craft.

mmmmmmm.... King Rat  Imperial Stout.