mattias-beer-experience

MABT 10 Bars & Beers VII

2010-07-31T04:07:00.001+02:00

Harrisburg to Williamsport in gods country.

2010-07-30

“Ottos Pub & Brewery, State Collage”

110. Arthurs IPA (cask)

“Otto & Arthurs, the cats”

111. Slab Cabin (d)

112. Red Mo Ale (d)

113. Double D IPA (d)

114. Pilsener Lager (d)

115. Black Mo Stout (d)

116. Apricot Wheat (d)

117. Double D IPA (d) (my own full glass)

“Elk Creek Cafe + Ale Works”

118. Great Blue Heron Pale Ale (d)

119. Winkelblint ale (d)

120. Great Blue Heron Pale Ale (d) (sample)

121. Elk Creek Copper Ale (d)

122. Brookie Brown Ale (d)

123. Poe Paddy Porter (d)

124. Double Rainbow IPA (d)

125. Hairy Johns IPA (d)

126. Pems Valley Pilsner (d)

“Selins Grove”

127. Selingrove IPA (d)

“Bullfrog Brewing Company, Williamsport”

128. Apricot Wheat (d)

129. Farmhouse Pale Ale (d)

130. Edgar IPA (d)

….

MABT 10 Bars & Beers VI

2010-07-31T03:54:00.001+02:00

PA Round Trip

2010-07-29

“Lancaster Brewing Company”

89. Cream Ale (d)

90. Strawberry Wheat (d)

91. Gold Star Pilsner (d)

92. Milk Stout (d)

93. Hophog IPA (d)

94. Fest Beer Amber Lager (d)

95. Hefeweizen (d)

96. Celtic Rose (d)

97. Litening Lager (d)

98. Amish Four Grain (d)

99. Chocolate Covered Wheat (d)

100. Kölsh (can)

“Victory Brewing Company”

101. HopDevil (cask)

102. Storm King (cask)

“Slyfox Brewing Company”

103. Amarillo Pale Ale (d)

104. Route 113 IPA (d)

105. Phoenix Pale Ale (d)

“Stoudts, Black Angus & Restaurant & Pub”

106. American Pale Ale (d)

107. Scarlet Lady (d)

“O’Reilly”

108. Great Divide 16th Anniversary IPA (d)

109. Summit Oatmeal Stout (d)

…

MABT 10 Bars & Beers V

2010-07-31T03:41:00.001+02:00

Rehoboth beach, Delaware.

2010-07-26 (My Birth day)

“Dogfish Brewery & Eatery”

64. Dogfish Indian Brown (d)

65. Dogfish 60 Minutes IPA (d)

66. Theobrama (d)

“Rehoboth Beach Ale House”

67. Evolution Brewing ESB (d)

68. McSorleys Irish Pale Ale (b)

2010-07-27, Rehoboth Beach to DC

“Dogfish Brewery, Milton”

69. Saison Buff (d)

70. Dogfish 60 Minutes IPA (d)

71. My Antonia (d)

72. Palo Santo Maron (d)

“Rams Head, Stevensville MD”

73. Light lager (d)

74. Taverrn Ale (d)

75. Copperhead Ale (d)

“Churchkey, Washington DC”

76. Stone Pale Ale (d)

77. Green Flash Imperial India Pale Ale (d)

78. Bells Two Hearted Ale (d)

2010-07-28, DC to Harrisburg

“Appalachian Brewing Company, Harrisburg”

79. Purist Pale Ale (d)

“Tröegs Brewing Company, Harrisburg”

80. Tröegs Pale Ale (d)

81. Hopback Amber (d)

82. Troeganator double bock (d)

83. Javahead Stout (d)

84. Draftingroom Imperial Amber (d)

85. Flying Moflan Barley Wine (d)

“O’Reilly, Harrisburg”

86. Tröegs lager (d)

87. Lost Abbey Judgment Day (d)

88. Great Divide 16th Anv. IPA (d)

MABT 10 Bars & Beers IV

2010-07-26T06:25:00.001+02:00

From Philadelphia to Atlantic City and over to Delaware and Rehoboth Beach.

2010-07-25:

“Iron Hill Brewery”, MS

50. Iron Hill Light lager (d)

51. Vienna Red lager (d)

52. Ironbound Ale (d)

53. Pig Iron Porter (d)

54. Seasonal Belgian Ale (d)

55. Raspberry Wheat (d)

56. Dk Situation Imperial Stout (d)

57. West Coast Wheat (d)

58. Christmas In July (NITRO)

59. English Strong ale (d)

“Tun Tavern”, Atlantic City

60. Devil Dog Pale (APA) (d)

61. All American IPA (d)

“Dogfish Brewings & Eats”, Rehoboth

62. Shelter Pale Ale (d)

63. 60 Minutes IPA (d)

MABT 10 Bars & Beers III

2010-07-26T06:18:00.001+02:00

Leaving NY and going south to Philadelphia.

2010-07-23:

“Triumph Brewing Company”, New Hope

29. Amber Ale (d)

30. Bengal Gold India Pale Ale (d)

“City Tavern”, Phillie

31. General Washington's Tavern Porter (d) (Yards Brew)

32. Thomas Jefferson's 1774 Tavern Ale (d) (YB)

33. Poor Richards Tavern Spruce (d) (YB)

34. Alexander Hamilton Federalist Ale (d) (YB)

“Grace Tavern” (best in Phillie!!)

35. Boulder Mojo IPA (d)

36. Dogfish 60 Minute IPA (d)

37. Philadelphia Brew Co, Newbold IPA (d)

38. The Duck Rabbit Milk Stout (b)

39. Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter (b)

2010-07-24: (An other hot day)

“Yards Brewery”

40. Yards Brawler Pugilist Style Ale (d)

41. ESA (Extra Special Ale) (d)

42. Phillie Pale Ale (d)

43. IPA (d)

“Standard Tap”, close from Yards Brewery

44. “Standard” Porter (cask) (Brewed by Slyfox, recipe by the standards owner)

“South Philadelphia Tap Room”

45. Twin Lakes WIT (d)

46. Tröegs Dreamweaver (d)

47. Slyfox Stout (d)

“Triumph Brewing Company” In Phillie

48. Helles Lager (d)

49. Saison (d)

MABT 10 Bars & Beers II

2010-07-26T06:01:00.001+02:00

Around Brooklyn best craft beer bars.

2010-07-22:

“Midtown Bar & Grill”

17. Dogfish 60 Minutes IPA

“The Brazen Head”

18. Longtrail IPA (d)

“Waterfront Ale House”

19. Greenport Harber IPA (d)

“Brooklyn Ale House”

20. Stone IPA (d)

21. Brooklyn Pale Ale (cask)

“The Barcade”

22. Fisherman's Amber lager (d)

23. Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter (cask)

24. Founders Porter (d)

25. Erie Derailed Black Cherry Ale (d)

26. Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Stout (d)

27. North Coast Rasputin (NITRO)

28. McNeils Warlord (d)

MABT 10 Bars & Beers I

2010-07-26T05:53:00.001+02:00

2010-07-20:

“Stags Head”, E 51th street

1. Stoudts Pale Ale (d)

2. Green Flash West Coast IPA (d)

“Valhalla”

3. Captain Lawrence Pale Ale (d)

4. Ithaca Flower Power IPA (d)

5. Captain Lawrence Imperial Reserve IPA (d)

6. Oskar Blues Mamas Little Yella Pils (d)

2010-07-21:

“The Blind Tiger”

7. SlyFox IPA (d)

8. Lagunitas Undercover Shut Down Ale (cask)

9. Victory Hop Wallup IPA (cask)

10. Dogfish World Wide Stout (D + Randal with hops)

“Hop Devil”

11. Lakefront IPA (d)

12. Stevens Point Pale Ale (d)

“East Village Tavern”

13. Peak Organic (d) (from MA)

“Against The Grain”

14. 21st Amendment Watermelon Wheat (d)

15. Two Brothers Brewery, The Bitter End Pale Ale (b)

“Stags Head”

16. Cisco Brews Whales Tale Pale Ale (b)

MABT (Mid Atlantic Beer Tour) 10

2010-07-26T05:39:00.001+02:00

Yes we are on beer trip in the USA again and this time it was time to explore the area of Mid Atlantic (including the NY,NJ,PA,DE & MY states).

We have now been travelling from New York (started right on Manhattan on the 50th street with our black JEEP Compass) through Phillie and have now just arrived to Rehoboth Beach to visit Dogfish for a couple of days.

I will try to write something more extended, but will have a short start with the sampled beers and places so far in the next report.

Test live writer

2010-07-20T00:03:00.001+02:00

BLAH

Test after a long time without a single entry

2010-07-19T22:14:00.000+02:00

BLAH

SBWF Live Report II:nd week: The Beers…

2009-09-25T19:47:00.001+02:00

Nogne IPA (d)
Lake Placid Ubu Ale, NY (b)
Sigtuna Black October (d)
Bruton Lilith (b)
Rogue Brutal Bitter (d)
Teerenpeli Hippaheikki Bitter (d)
Lakefront IPA, WI (b) (NEW from Galatea)
Flyging Dog Gonzo Special Hops Imperial Stout (handpump\cask)
Rogue Brutal Bitter (d)
Kaggen Stormakts Porter 2006 (b)
Kaggen Stormakts Porter 2007 (d)
Dugges 1/2 Idjit (d) (Todays winner)

SBWF Live Report: The Beers…

2009-09-19T16:59:00.001+02:00

1. Gotland Bryggeri Sitting Bull Dog IPA

2. Butte Creek Brewing Organic IPA

3. Butte Creek Brewing Organic Pale Ale

4. Nils Oscar God Ale (NEW)

5. Brouwerij De Molen Bloed Zweet & Trancen

6. Sigtuna Brygghus IPA

7. Sigtuna Brygghus Red Ale (a hops bomb) (My No. 1)

8. Rogue Shakespear Stout

9. Butte Creek Organic Porter.

10. Lost Abbey Serpent Stout

11. Butte Creek Organic Pale Ale

12. BrewDog Bashah (cask conditioned) (Amazing beer done together with Stone)

13. Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Extra! Ale

SBWF Live Report 2009

2009-09-19T16:46:00.001+02:00

Hi, seems I have been located in a very warm place (under the spotlights) at Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival and the OT VIP corner.

Tricky to report any big details, anyway the top things right now include;

1. The Brewdog booth where they served the beer brewed together with Stone. Yes, it was great. Also fun to see one of the brewers visiting the festival. Always fun when SBWF gets the proper attention it deserves.

2. The new initiative from Gotlands Bryggeriet (owned by Spendrups) where they are playing around with IPAs and Pale Ales. Also fun to see that they have understood the importance of dogs together with breweries, i.e. beer labels including names like Wisby Sleepy Bulldog Pale Ale.

3. The Kaggen 2005-2008 collection of taps at Bishop Arms.

4. The Butte Creek organic brewery booth. Really fun to see that a American brewery have come all the way to Sweden to show their beers.

5. The beer provided by OT, as always amazing.

6. A new brewer and new beers from Sigtuna Brewhouse. The new Red Ale with late added hops were simply amazing and a good restart for this brewery. Until now the beers have been traditional and well balanced, but in my taste very boring, but now it seems we can see more imitative that is at least once or twice are outside the borders. Good luck, now we hopefully we can look forward for a couple of great IPA or DIPAs.

MY_BEER_DIARY #6: 2009-09-10@Oliver Twist

2009-09-11T22:27:00.001+02:00

Did not the chance to sample any of the Ruby Mild (this years best beer award at Great British Beer Festival) but OT had instead 2 other beers from the Rudgate brewery. This was quite a busy day at OT when visited last Thursday. Seems a lot of people have come down to enjoy one of the last summer evenings, you sort of forget that September can be quite nice in Stockholm. Hope it can last at least a couple of more days.

( c = cask\handpump, d = draught, b = bottle, cn = can)

Some exiting beers and breweries coming to Systembolaget

2009-09-11T11:29:00.002+02:00

15 September:
Southern Tier Hoppe 8,0% 65 cl
Southern Tier UnEarthly 11,0% 65 cl

2 November:
Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood 6,5% 50 cl
Haandbryggeriet Ardenne Blond 7,5% 50 cl
Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel 10,9% 50 cl

16 November:
Nøgne Ø Underlig Jul 6,5% 50 cl
Ayinger Winter-Bock 6,7% 50 cl
Mikkeller Fra____ Till____
Three Floyd & Mikkeller Oatgoop 10,4% 65 cl
Haandbryggeriet Haandbakk 7,0% 50 cl
Haandbryggeriet Dark Force 9,0% 50 cl
Lost Abbey Judgment Day 10,5% 75 cl
Lost Abbey Inferno 8,5% 75 cl
Port Brewing Old Viscosity 10,0% 65 cl

MY_BEER_DIARY #5: 2009-09-05@Monks Cafe

2009-09-05T23:20:00.001+02:00

The latest beer report, now coming from Monks Cafe (@Wallingatan), surprise surprise. It actually worked out very well this time as every beer asked for actually existed. So this time it is possible to say Cheers and a big thank you very much for all the beer experience today.

SKA Brewing Buster Nut Brown Ale (b)
Big Sky Scape Goat Pale Ale (b)
Great Lakes Brewing Commodore Perry IPA (b)
SKA Decadent Imperial IPA (b)
Port Brewing Old Viscosity Ale (b)

Best beer?, well I can not help myself to simply say that Port Brewing rules in this compilation.

( c = cask\handpump, d = draught, b = bottle, cn = can)

MY_BEER_DIARY #4: 2009-08-29@OT

2009-09-05T23:03:00.001+02:00

Triple FFF Rat & Warthog (c)
Smuttynose IPA (d)
Great Divide Fresh Hops Pale Ale (b)

@Akkurat

Skebo Bruksöl (c)

79 US-breweries & 453 different beers at Monks

2009-08-26T23:03:00.001+02:00

I guess the news about Monks bar in Stockholm to be serving 453 different beers from 79 US-breweries from Sept 1th is some kind of record (must be, at least in a bar).

The complete list is specified below and from the list its surely some interesting breweries that I have been thinking about trying, including Big Sky Brewing and SKA brewing.

The news is at least that they will have bottles from all these breweries from Sept 1th connected to their biggest US beer festival and guest beer list ever (the initial goal was 500 beer). Do not know if this includes both locations in Stockholm, but I guess that would be the case.

Abita Brewing Company
Allagash Brewing Company
Anchor Brewing Company
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Arcadia Brewing Company
Avery Brewing Company
Barley Island Brewing
Bear Republic Brewing Company
Bells Brewery
Big Sky Brewing Company
Black Mountain Brewing Co.
Boston Beer Company
Boulder Beer Company
Breckenridge Brewery
Brooklyn Brewery
Brownings Brewery
Buffalo Bills Brewery
Capital Brewery
City Brewery (Melanie Brewing Co)
Coors Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Dark Horse Brewing Company
Dogfish Head Brewery
Eugene City Brewery & Rogue Ales
Flying Dog Brewery
Founders Brewing Company
Goose Island Beer Company
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Great Divide Brewing Company
Great Lakes Brewing Company
Half Acre Brewery
Harpoon Brewery
High Falls Brewing Company
Hoppin Frog
Iron City Brewing
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Lakefront Brewery
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Lion Brewery, Inc.
Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe
Magic Hat Brewing Company
Matt Brewing Company
Mendocino Brewing Company
Metropolitan Brewing
Miller Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Minhas Craft Brewery
Moylans Brewery & Restaurant
New Belgium Brewing Company
New Holland Brewing Company
North Coast Brewing Company
O'Fallon Brewery
Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Ommegang Brewery (Moortgat)
Otter Creek Brewing
Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Pyramid Breweries Inc.
Redhook Brewery
Rogue Ales
Sand Creek Brewing Co.
Sea Dog Brewing
Shipyard Brewing Company
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
SKA Brewing
Southampton Publick House
Southern Star Brewing Co.
Southern Tier Brewing Company
Spoetzl Brewery (Gambrinus Company)
Sprecher Brewing Company
Stevens Point Brewery
Stone Brewing Co.
Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch
Summit Station Restaurant & Brewery
Three Floyds Brewing Company
Two Brothers Brewing Company
Tyranena Brewing
Victory Brewing Company

So I guess its time to give Monks a new visit in a close future. Hopefully the list above actually means that the beers are available in real life. Simply if you are a bit frank I really hope that this do NOT mean that 453 beers means just a couple of bottles per beer, that has been the case before.

Because if that would be the case again you can really question what the purpose is, except to be able to impress the public with nice numbers. To be serious (and this time it truly looks amazing) if this is a hit it need to mean that you have the chance to get what you want and when asked for during a visit. I understand that beers from the US are limited and will be out of stock during the coming weeks, but seriously if a beer is only available with 2-3 bottles it does not matter if the list is impressive, it is still just a nice facade and nothing visit or recommend.

Enough with complaints- I will give it a chance and recommend others to come, and I hope all the luck to Monks that this is a true success that will make all US-craft beers in Stockholm happy and satisfied.

I at least already have a short list building up that I want to test.’

If interested here is the complete list of beer from each brewery; Monks US Guest Beers.

Its Tuesday with World Wide Stout

2009-08-25T23:14:00.001+02:00

Thanks Sam and Dogfish Head to be able to lighten up a boring and normal workday Tuesday. What can be better then simply deciding that you deserve a beer from the “cellar” and decides that what about World Wide Stout 06? When is it a better then a day you just feel for it?, you simply can never find the perfect day or occasion anyway.

I really enjoyed the Bruery’s Black Tuesday and is trying to figure out how to get myself a bottle over to Sweden when it comes out in October, but really the WWS is still the champion!, and I will survive as long the bottles do not end (still have 6 bottles left).

It simply reminds me that it is really not so long until its time for the BA Extreme Beer Fest in Boston again so that you can get a chance to drink some World Wide Stout on pitcher, the trip just needs to be planned.

Now I need to give the beer my full attention again as it deserves.

Cheers Sam.

A record in serving beers from Stone Brewery

2009-08-22T23:44:00.001+02:00

Life is really unfair sometimes when see that Stone seems to try to break some kind of record during the 13th Anniversary party.

Its a great treat for us here in Stockholm when ONE bottle of Stone is available in a good beer bar near you, and its a real beer party when you get the chance to have a Arrogant B. or Ruination on draught. But when you see the following list of beers from Stone over at the 13th anniversary party you almost start to cry of envy.

“Stone Brewing Co standard”

1. Stone Smoked Porter

2. Arrogant Bastard Ale

3. OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale

4. Stone Cali-Belgique IPA

5. Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans

6. Stone 13th Anniversary Ale

“Stone “Collaborations” Booth”

7. AleSmith/Mikkeller/Stone Belgian Style Triple Ale
8. BrewDog/Cambridge/Stone Juxtaposition Black Pilsner
9. Ken Schmidt/Maui/Stone Kona Coee, Macadamia, Coconut

10. Porter Stone 13th Anniversary Ale

“Stone Handpump Station”

11. Stone IPA with Simcoe and Amarillo hops
12. Stone IPA with Centennial hops
13. Stone Cali-Belgique IPA with French Oak
14. Stone Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers
15. Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans
16. Arrogant Bastard Ale with American Oak
17. 13th Anv.Ale with Columbus hops
18. 13th Anv.Ale with Amarillo hops
19. 13th Anv.Ale with Simcoe hops

19 in total! Is that a record or?

Anyway I hope everyone joining this party have a great time, cheers to all you bastards. Myself can only wonder what a Stone IPA with Simcoe and Amarillo hops would be, I guess great, sigh.

MY_BEER_DIARY #3: 2009-08-21@OT

2009-08-22T23:13:00.001+02:00

“Oliver Twist (OT)”:

1.	Triple FFF Alton's Pride (c)
2.	Sly Fox Phoenix Pale Ale (can)
3.	Two Brothers The Bitter End Pale Ale (b)
4.	Long Trail Double Bag (b)
5.	Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA (b)

Great to see that Long Trail brewery has founds its way over to Sweden and OT. We found this a very nice brewery in Vermont during our trip to New England last year. They do not do monster or master piece beers, instead its traditional styled beers with very good balance and variety. More in the English tradition compared to the more alpha hoppy variants many US brewers tend to stick with.

Also it was nice to see that OT has finally convinced the brewers that also the Pale Ale styled beers travel well, at least if you drink them early. Before the beer bottle batches from the US have almost 100% been stronger beers in ABV and high in the hoppinies, with styles like DIPA, Imperial Stouts or Barley Wines. So you sort of miss the more softer and balanced Pale Ales that you enjoy so much during the beer trips to the US. Finally it was nice to see several examples, including the Two Brothers and Sly Fox examples, instead of the monster beers we have had before from those breweries.

Then of course I could not help myself and ended the night with one of the better beers in the world, i.e. the Double Simcoe IPA from Weyerbacher, Simply amazing.

New US Craft beers available @ OT

2009-08-21T19:08:00.001+02:00

A direct report from OT simply says that OT now has a new batch of craft beers on bottle.

Here is the latest offering. No report yet on the beers as I am still drinking my Triple FFF Alton's Pride on cask (a good start), but it is fun to see the old friend Long Trail brewery from last years New England beer trip.

Cheers to all at a Friday night.

MY_BEER_DIARY #2: 2009-08-19@OT

2009-08-19T23:53:00.001+02:00

“Oliver Twist (OT)”:

Stone Ruination IPA (d)
Stone Ruination IPA (d)
He'Brew Rejewvenator 2009 (d)

Not much to report except that the Ruination was amazing, not as fresh and crisp as in Escondido, but still nothing to complain about, simply a masterpiece of perfection in a DIPA.

Finally a session beer...

2009-08-19T20:47:00.005+02:00

Sorry for being a bit slow, but finally I found a short and describing information what a Session beer is. When listening to US-brewers or reading different blogs you often see the term session beer, and often in connection to "this is not a session beer but..." or "this is a great session beer compared to...".

And now and then you wonder (as a Swede not having full control of english) what the hell is a Session beer, except that it is a "normal" beer compared to the hops monsters many of us like.

But now in the latest BA I saw it, and finally I know what it is, so now I am also with you. Anyway the short and simple description was;

"Low ABV & highly drinkable"

Do anyone argy with that?

Cheers

Mattias, drinking a amazing Stone Ruination on draught at OT, which in short is not a Session beer.

News: A new batch of US-beers at OT

2009-08-16T22:54:00.003+02:00

Oliver Twist will have a new batch of US-beers ready on Tuesday August 18th. No information about what it will be, but the focus this time will be mostly on new bottles and not any new kegs.

Except that I have heard some buzz about Stone Ruination on draught, it can even be on already. You lucky bastards that are at OT will have a treat. Myself can just think about the fact that it was not so many weeks ago I was sitting at Stone Bistro & Res. drinking a really fresh Ruination.

MY_BEER_DIARY #1: 2009-08-15@OT

2009-08-16T21:24:00.001+02:00

A traditional beer visit on a Saturday to OT (Oliver Twist) seems a good start starting my beer diary, i.e. simply a geeky beer list what I drink. No ratings as that is not my cup of tea and so many other are better at it.

“Oliver Twist (OT)”:

c = cask \ handpump, d = draught

Twitter...

2009-08-15T21:58:00.004+02:00

Now I am also at twitter.

http://twitter.com/mwillefors

Cheers...

BEER SAMPLING@HOME: “Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA”

2009-08-15T00:55:00.001+02:00

One of my current favorites when you feel for a clean crisp hoppy flavor without too much fuzz and hops blending. As Simcoe is one of my number one hops styles when it comes to a good hop blend it is a delight to be able to drink it as clean as possible.

This is of course not a beer for people that only drink a so called balanced beer. But this should not be the idea when you drink this kind of beer. Instead it should be seen as clean beer for really understanding what this particular hops does for a beer. Great that Mikkeller can provide it for you to bring home.

Simcoe Single Hop IPA is defined as a American IPA, which is quite true. It is currently brewed all year round in Belgium at Brewed at the De Proef Brouwerij.

It pours with creation of a extremely fluffy white head, it actually took me several minutes to pour it as every try almost went over the glass due to all the head created.

The smell is really hoppy with bunch of pineapple and tangerine touches.

Also the taste is really citrus and great after taste of the crisp Simcoe hops.

It is not a masterpiece and everyday type of beer or your typical IPA due to the single hop of Simcoe. But if you want to learn what Simcoe does for a beer it is great way of doing it. And of course if you do not bother about balance and being a hop head like myself it just all the hops you want.

If you do not know it the beer is one of a whole series of beers coming from Mikkeller with single hops, currently they have this one, but also Warrior and Cascade single hops are available.

Seems “Black Tuesday” is being buzzed…

2009-08-14T15:04:00.001+02:00

As we were all taken by this beer during our visit to “the Bruery” brewery a couple of weeks back it feels great that this beer is getting a lot of attention. So we were not so wrong when we marked this as a new comer to look after, both as a beer and a brewery.

Based on the current information over at BA it is now the highest buzzed beer in America, i.e. a high climber in number & A-ratings (22 ratings since July 18, so it is growing fast).

Just hope I can get hold of a bottle when it is released later this fall (October), or at least that we could see a bottle coming over to a good beer bar close by.

BEER SAMPLING@HOME: “Mission Brewery IPA”

2009-08-13T00:53:00.001+02:00

Bought during the latest trip to south California at Beverages 4 Less in Santee in north of San Diego.

The Mission Brewery was not visited (do not think it is neither possible) when visiting San Diego. But it was on the list for new small exiting breweries to test. These guys are quite new in the brewery industry as they started out sometime during 2007. But after only 4 months in business they won 3 different prices at that years GABF (Great American Beer Fest), so I guess they are doing something right.

They got a bronze medal for this IPA (category American IPA) so it seems to be a good beer for me, simply as I like the style at least.

So how about the beer?

It is a American IPA in style with 6.80% ABV coming with a 66 in IBU.
Starts out with a quite good head during the pour, but dies out quite quick after the first sips.
It uses high alpha hops with cascade and centennial as the backbone and with that It smells nice with a good combination of both the hops and the quite sweet malt.
It has a clear taste of the hops, but it is more a small and short nice kick in the finish instead of filling up completely. In that sense it is a very balanced IPA compared to how it could have been with that high IBU and the use of the hops choice.

Simply a good American IPA and quite a good start for the brewery. Can be interesting to see if I can find more from them in the future.

But as the number of great IPAs in the San Diego area I guess it will not be on any personal top list.

A solid IPA but not as my two new favorites from the trip;

Sculpin India Pale Ale from Ballast Point Brewing Company.
Duet IPA from Alpine Beer Company

Yes, really a cool label and a even cooler beer

2009-08-12T00:42:00.001+02:00

As already mentioned by Steve over at the blog “Summer Of Beer” this new treat from the Lost Abbey really has a cool beer label and with a very suitable cool beer name; “Duck-Duck-Gooze”. Its genius to play with a beer name in connection with Lost Abbeys earlier sour “Ducks” with a Gooze (referring to a true Gueze) in the sense of simply blending young and older beers.

Not a true gueze as we are not talking about blending lambics, but its still Lost Abbey and Tomme Arthur playing around with following the same Belgian brewery principles of blending beers to create a new bread of beers, simply exiting and something new in the US craft beer heaven.

(2 ducks blended with a gooze, and with this label = a great word play (blending beers or also a famous children's game) and a new Lost Abbey masterpiece))

For some further background the beer actually started out about 6 years ago when Tomme were thinking about the art of Belgian Gueze (blending new and older lambics) and maybe trying that out through the Lost Abbey brewery.

The beer were finally created through the beer cellar project at Lost Abbey and comprise of; a “mellow yellow” (simply a lager and the youngest, said to be a “Port Brewery Amigo Lager” that Tomme keeps aged in barrels and used for replacing beer that evaporates from his other barrels), a “Phunky Duck” (the middle beer, limited & brewed once) and finally a 3 year old “Avant Garde” (a Bière de Garde + soured) + probably something more from cellar. They also used different type of barrels, all originally holding red wines.

As personally being a big traditional lambic and gueze fan it was quite fun to realize that sampling this beer you after a while came to the conclusion that it was really close to a Cantillon variant of the type. That was also probably why it was such a hit for us at the Christmas in July event, simply as Cantillon is one of my favorite breweries.

When drinking gueze I really enjoy a acetic touch of it, the more sour and crisp the beer is, the more I enjoy it (probably why Cantillon comes before the more mellow tastes of Hanssens and Boon variants) as a lambic beer.

It will be exiting to see what happens with my own bottle (could only get one single home) after some more maturing and if this is the first attempt of many more to come I think we have existing times to look forward. I just hope that you do not need to always get to San Marcos to get hold of future bottles and that at least a couple of bottles could pop up at a good beer bar closer by (please help us out Akkurat or OT).

Vacation and a Double Bastard on the terrace

2009-08-11T00:14:00.001+02:00

It just feels great that the vacation is still going on, and what about celebrating that with some beer drinking from the personal “cellar”.

Some “serious” blogging together with opening up the last Stone Double Bastard Ale edt. 2007 was a great idea.

As it seems the summer weather has decided to stay in Stockholm it was time to hit the terrace (you never know when you get the next opportunity) and spend time with a arrogant bastard.

Sow how about the beer?, it was excellent and had survived the cellaring since 07 (expiration date was set to march 2010) with pride. It had of course lost it pure freshness (that you can not get anyway here due to transport over the ocean) but instead matured well with a very sweet start, but then a strong warm and bitter after-taste. It is getting a bit “bready” but is still very alive and as it should be; arrogant, simply a great bear to share with a close friend (especially when you think about the 10% ABV).

Now when all the bottles have been emptied I really hope we can see some more of them at “systembolaget” in a near future, please.

Cheers!

BrewDog & Stone brew together…

2009-08-10T01:08:00.001+02:00

Seems Greg and company have been visiting BrewDog in Scotland which ended up with the birth of a new beer.

If you think about good combinations this must be a perfect match, BrewDog with their Scottish version of high alpha hoppy US IPAs, and Stone which is kind of the original Californian hoppy beer company (they have been a big influence for BrewDog when they started out).

The beers is called “bashah” and is a “black Belgian double ipa” (what ever that is now).

You can read more about the collaboration over at the Stone blog; link. I also recently linked to their blog which seems great if you want to know about what happens over at Stone, like that they have just tapped the latest vertical epic which will be out in the US on 09/09/09, lets see when it comes to Sweden.

Great to be “home” again…

2009-08-10T00:26:00.001+02:00

Regardless of all the great beers, breweries and bars available during our trip to California it is always nice to know that you still have a beer heaven back home (OT) that you can return to.

Available US craft beers on draught this Saturday evening was two old friends in the form of;

1. Moylan's Moylander Double IPA.

2. Southern Tier Hoppe (Imperial Extra Pale Ale)

Seems I will survive with beer treats also in the future and have my beer experiences back “home” for a while.

Right now I think we have made enough beer traveling for a while, and then it feels great that I actually live in one of the best beer cities in the world, feel really lucky.

Cheers + nice to be “home” again.

Three US Craft Breweries that should be brought to Sweden

2009-08-10T00:04:00.001+02:00

During the trip to California this summer a couple of breweries brought extra attention to us all. Off the many beers and breweries sampled I would like to see the following breweries making it over the ocean and land in some of the better beer bars in Stockholm (like for example “Oliver Twist”, hint hint). Maybe they have been here already, but regardless I definitely think they should come here more regularly.

1. The Bruery

Location: Placentia, California

Beers: Black Tuesday, White Oak Sap, Papier, Saison Rue, Sour in The Rye etc.

People: Patrick Rue - CEO / Founder, Michael Rue – President

Description: A newcomer (just celebrated their first year) to the quite limited brewery scene in the LA area. As the number of breweries around LA was very thin it was really a treat to find this brewery tucked away close to the border of anaheim. Patrick Rue (the founder) has Belgian relations in the family, and it seems that this has also affected his brewery influences. Most of the beers have some touch of Belgium beers and flavors all blended with different type of oak techniques (bourbon, brandy, white oak etc). The more standard beers like; Orcha White, Saison Rue, Trade Winds Triple are all good, but nothing extraordinary. But then when it comes to the more advanced and experimental beers it is a completely other story. We initially thought that the beers were ok but nothing really to talk about, then when we went for the special flight they had available we were completely knocked down bye all the flavors and aroma. I can simply say that the “Black Tuesday, a strong imperial stout (19.50% ABV!!) stored on bourbon barrels, the “White Oak” and Papier (Bourbon Barrel) were all one of the better beers I have ever tasted. Simply a amazing trio of beers that we just wanted to take with us. Unfortunately we were a bit too early and the beers are not yet available on bottle (info at the brewery told us late fall or similar).

As the brewery as many other craft breweries are being distributed by “Stone” and their distribution company I can see that it must be possibilities to get their beers in the next available container. The owner (Mr.. Rue) of the brewery is always keen on getting the beers out (even got their card to be able to set up the needed contacts), so therefore I hope we can see a “Black Tuesday”" on the other side of the Atlantic in a soon future, I will anyway be on the buying list.

2. Alpine Beer Company

Location: Alpine, California

Beers: Duet IPA, Pure Hoppiness, Exponential Hoppiness, Nelson Rye etc.

People: Pat Mcilhenney (owner & brewer)

Description: Alpine brewery is located in the small city of Alpine outside San Diego. The brewery was started by a home brewer (Pat) as many other brewers. They actually started 1999 by sub-contracting with AleSmith Brewery in San Diego and the “McIlhenney’s Irish Red” beer. In 2002, they opened their own brewery in Alpine. They have also very recently set up the plan to build a small brewpub and a larger taste room. But when we visited they were still in the original location were everything is in the same building, including as small taste room (actually just a small bar table just in front of the brewery) were you could sample all the beers available.

I was really surprised by the overall quality of all the beers available. They have a large number of really tasty IPA, but also the lighter beers like the Irish Red and the Alpine Ale (an APA) were all really well balanced.Then of course the two high alpha IPAs in the form of “Pure Hopiness” and “Exponential Hoppiness” were two really classic west coast IPA. I think that we maybe have seen this brewery sometime in Sweden, but regardless I would like to some of these bottles could come over, at least the 2 high alpha IPAs would travel safely and will be a big hit on the shelves at “OT” or “Akkurat”.

3. Island Brewing Company (IBC)

Location: Carpinteria, California

Beers: Jubilee Ale, Nut Brown Ale, Big Island IPA, Paradise Pale Ale etc.

People: Paul Wright (Founder) (the nice gentleman below on the left side)

Description: Located in the city of Carpinteria and have been in operation since July 2000. It was started by Paul Wright, a former submarine captain, that as many other also started out as homebrewer (received a homebrew kit for Christmas in 91) and made quite quickly a brewery name in area. After working for breweries like Marin Brewing company he then started his own business in 2000.

This is a very small family run brewery that is brewing a amazing line of hoppy and tasty brews. I especially like the Jubilee Ale, but also the Island Pale Ale. Same thing as with Alpine that I think I have seen this brewery in Stockholm (like at the Stockholm Beer Festival) once, but it is still such a great brewery that some more bottles could be consumed over here.

Top 15 Beers during SCXBT09 (Including location)

2009-08-04T23:17:00.001+02:00

So how about the beers and some ranking. Here is my personal favorites during the trip between San Francisco and San Diego (including the serving location);

(18.) Russian River Blind Pig (Toronado, San Fran)
(113.) Deschutes Black Butte XXI (Beachwood BBQ, Seal beach)
(249.) Stone IPA (Stone, 3rd visit)
(203.) 30th Street Pale Ale (Green Flash Brewery)
(205.) West Coast IPA (Green Flash Brewery)
(151). Duck duck gooze (Lost Abbey)
(247.) Russian River Temptation Blond Ale (Stone, 3rd visit)
(179.) Duet (Alpine Brewery)
(95.) Black Tuesday (The Bruery, Placentia)
(237.) Ballast Point Even Keel American Pale Ale (BLAH, SD)
(22.) Moonlight Bombay By Boat IPA (cask) (Magnolia, San Fran)
(264.) Sculpin IPA (Ballast Point Brewery)
(42.) Bear Republic Lindys Mild (The Bistro, Hayward)
(60.) Double Jacks (Firestone Walker, Taproom)
(21.) Marin Brew IPA (On Cask) (Toronado, San Fran)

Cheers…

Some more images from the latest beer trip…

2009-08-04T02:14:00.001+02:00

Some more images from our beer trip to California. I will now try to figure out were all these images where taken.

Could be important in the future when you need to remind yourself.

Cheers.

Top 5 bars during the trip to South California

2009-08-03T22:44:00.001+02:00

We came across probably 20 or so beer establishments that could be described as a brewpub, pub or bar serving good craft beer, but you always very quickly get a extra feel for some of them, i.e. a place that feels like “home” and something you would like to return to.

For me a good beer place in the form of a pub (normally what we call it in Europe) or bar (usual naming in the US) should include the following elements and feelings;

1. A large number of beers available on draught (+ extra points if at least 1-2 is available on hand pump). Large do not mean a mega tap location, instead it should be a connection between the type and number of beers, i.e. different offerings of beers and not just 100 taps of lagers\ale of the same type. So 10-25 is a good level.

2. Focus on the bar area, with the bar as the central location. Extra points if the bar is almost as long as the place or as wide if the bar is at the end.

3. Staff that knows what they are selling and also actually like the beer (and have sampled them). Places that have not tested the quality of the beers should not either be on the list, meaning tested the actual day it is served.

4. Rotating taps with beers, so that you can get something new when you get there next time, but still you want a consistent list of beers always available.

5. Better to be a established dive bar that has grown to be a bar and not package from the beginning. Do not need to be dirty, but the rough dive feeling is always better. Dirty does not mean in connection with beers, that still needs to handled with care and knowledge. An other way of explaining is that the focus should be on the beer and not how the place looks! (Toronado in San Francisco is probably the best example to show what I mean, looks like crap, but the beer is amazing).

6. Opens early, simply as I like the feeling to drink early in the day when everything is cozy and not too many people. It is really a pain when you discoverer that a place opens at 5pm or 6pm and you are just passing the place during a vacation trip.

7. Good music which is played on the level suitable for the time of the day\evening. It is always great with some good tunes together with a great beer.

8. A centrally located beer board\table showing today's offerings, really hate place where you need to ask what they have. Also this list must be updated directly after any changes.

9. Beers presented should be available. A place with hundreds of beers that is not available when asked for them is quite useless, but quite often it happens.

10. And finally it should have the un-described feeling of “home”, a place where you easily can spend 1,2 or 5 hours without any need to leave, simply your second “home”.

Based on these criteria the following establishments were up there, lets see if my overall list of bars will need a update, but anyway they are all recommended.

Top 5 bars during SCXBT09

1. “Toronado”, San Francisco

C: Still my number one bar in the US together with Barcade in NY. Great dive bar with a constant change in craft beers. Staff is friendly (but you need to handle them with care plus a good tip) and very knowledgeable in what they serve. Love to hang here early in the afternoon.

2. “Toronado SD”, San Diego, North Park

C: Quite interesting how the people behind this new bar have been able to transform the same atmosphere from the original. Really impressive that a bar that in May 09 celebrated their first year actually creates a similar atmosphere. Same feeling as in San Fran, just a bit more cleaner. Same line of beer and quality, only difference is the origin of the breweries, i.e. more focus on the San Diego area. Also not to miss is the massive bottle offerings with great prices (at least for a Swede). This place is what made me already thinking about when you can find the time to return to SD.

3. “Hamiltons Tavern”, San Diego, North Park

C: Cool bar with a rock feeling and with the correct atmosphere. But this place really needed some people to start to live up. The line of beer is the correct mixture of breweries around south California plus some guests, not too many, instead focus on quality and mixture; from session beers to triple IPA and imp stouts.

4, “Beachwood BBQ”, Seal Beach, OC

C: Strange that I did not have this place on the list from start (maybe it was the name), instead we were recommended to go here after our visit to the Bruery. Came in quite late so the place was packed, but regardless you could feel that this was a genuine beer bar with a reasonable number of good choices. Did not eat anything, but I guess that had also been a hit with all the different BQ offerings. Also nice to see that all the current beers are shown on their website (hop cam). As it was quite difficult to find any good beer bars in the OC-area (except Goat Hill tavern that we also like a lot) this place was a great discovery. Just a pity that it was closed on Mondays so that we could not get the chance to try it out during day time the day after.

5. “Zeitgeist”, San Francisco

C: What can you say?, cool and some more cool. Great selection of beers, a large beer garden (did not sit there due to the heat) and staff that seemed to collect tattoos. Wish we could have stayed a bit longer but it was the first place of the day. Regardless it went directly to my list and next time it seems to be a good starting point before going to Toronado quite close by.

SCXBT 09 Beer List V (The rest)

2009-08-02T16:28:00.001+02:00

Never made the complete list back during the trip, but regardles I like to finish what we started out, so here is the list from 141 to 267.

2009-07-21

“Pizza Port, Santa Clarita”

141. Sharkbite Red

142. El Camino IPA

143. Clemente Cream Ale

144. The Ripper (english pale)

145. Infamous Imperial Stout

“Lost Abbey \ Port Brewery”

146. Wipeout IPA

147. Shark Attack

148. Lost Abbey 10 comdenments (farm)

149. Lost & Found

150. Serpant Stout

151. Duck duck gueze (got it before the offical release at 0725)

152. Old Viscony

153. Quadruppel

“Churchills Pub & Grille”

154. Green Flash West Coast IPA

“Stone Brewery”

155. Stone Pale Ale

156. Drakes Its Fity

2009-07-22

“Pizza Port, Carlsbad”

157. Palapa Ale

158. Great American Brown

“Breakwater Brewing Company”

159. Simcoe Pale

160. North Jetty IPA

161. Vladimir Stout

162. Point Break Porter

“Stone Brewery” (2nd visit)

163. Stone IPA

164. Pliny The Elder

165. The Bruery Cuvee Jeune

166. Craftsman Oyster Stout (cask)

167. Dechutes St. Lucy Belgian Artisan Ale

168. AleSmith Old Numbskull

169. Ballast Point Sour Wench Blackberry Ale

170. Alvinne Kerasus (belgian, not a US-beer!)

171. Stone 13th Anv.

172. Stone Ruination Ale

173. Stone Smoked Porter

174. Stone Pale Ale

2009-07-23 Alpine to San Diego

“Alpine Brewery”

175. McIlhennys Irish Red

176. Alpine Ale

177. Captain Stout

178. Pure Hoppiness (west coast double IPA)

179. Duet

180. Exponential Hoppiness

181. Mandarin Nectar

182. Nelson Rye IPA

183. Willy Wheat Ale

184. Mix of Captain Stout + Willy Vanilla (like flouter)

“Quinns Moring”, at the hotel

185. Stone Pale Ale

“The Local”, downtown San Diego

186. Green Flash West Coast IPA

“Hamilton Tavern”

187. Firestone Walker Pale Ale 31

188. CBC Islander IPA (Coronado)

189. Karl Strauss Rye IPA

190. Stone Cali-Belgique Belgian IPA

191. Avery Karma (saison?)

192. The Port Nightrider Stout

193. Drakes Imperial Stout

194. Dogfish Festine Peach

195. Bear Republic Red Rocket

196. Green Flash Imperial IPA

197. Oskar Blues Tenfiddich (on draft)

198. Port Great American Brown Ale

“Skolds and Nicks hotel room”

199. North Coast Rasputtin 12

200. North Coast 20th Anniversary Ale

2009-07-24 San Diego

“Bevarages 4 less”, Beer shop

201. AleSmith …?. oaked

“Green Flash Brewery”

202. Summer Saison

203. 30th Steet Pale Ale

204. Hop Head Red

205. West Coast IPA

206. Double Stout

207. Imperial IPA

208. Trippel

209. Le Freak

210. Barleywine

“Oceanside Ales Works”

211. Pier View Pale

212. Pink Boots Pacific Port

“Toronado”, San Diego

213. Port Brewing, Solona Beach, Swamis IPA

214. Port Brewing, San Clemente, The Ripper Pale Ale

215. Russian River Pliny The Elder

216. AleSmith Summer YuleSmith (handpump)

217. He´Brew Rejewenator 2009

218. Sierra Nevada Brown Saison

219. Russian River Blind Pig IPA

220. Russian River Damnation

221. J.W. Lees 98 (bottle)

222. North Coast Rasputtin Imperial Stout (nitro)

2009-07-25

“Lost Abbey, Christmas in July event”

223. Lost & Found

224. Duck Duck Queze

225. Port Hop 15

226. Wipeout

227. Angels Share Bourbon

228. Angels Share Brandy

229. Santas Little Helper 09

230. Duck Duck Queze (my own pint)

“AleSmith Brewery”

231. X (xtra pale ale)

232. Anvit ESB

233. Horny Devil

234. Speedway Stout

235. Grand Cru

“O´Brien´s”, San Diego

236. Alpine Pure Hopeniness

“Blind Lady Ale House”, Normal Heights

“Flight from ballast point” (6 samples)

237. Even Keel American Pale Ale

238. Piper Down Scottish Ale

239. Black Marlin Porter

240. Big Eye India Pale Ale

241. Dorado Double IPA

242. Navigator Doppelbock

243. AleSmith Nauticalnut

244. Alpine Captain Stout

245. Russian River Pliny the Elder

2009-07-26, San Diego Brewery Tour

“Stone Brewery”, (3rd visit)

246. Pale Ale

247. Russian River Temptation Blond Ale (gift from Dr. Bil)

248. Smoked Porter

249. Stone IPA

250. Arrogant Bastard

251. Ruination

252. Levitation

253. Full Sail Old Board Head Barleywine

254. Shakespear Stout

“San Diego Brewing Company”

254. San Diego Grantville Gold

255. Padre Pale Ale

256. Old Town Nut Brown

257. Hopnotic

258. Chocolate Porter

259. Smoke Jumper Brown

“Ballast Point Brewery”

260. Wahoo Wheat

261. Yellowtail Pale Ale

262. Brother Levonian Saison

263. Rye Ale

264. Sculpie IPA

265. Dorado Double IPA

266. Big Eye Ginger Special (handpump)

“At the hotel”

267. Bear Republic Races 5 (ended with the first beer I started out the trip with”

Cheers /Mattias…

The result of the SCXBT09 (locations)

2009-08-01T00:39:00.001+02:00

Technorati-taggar: SCXBT09,San Francisco,Los Angeles,OC,San Diego,Craft,Beer,Lost Abbey,Toronado,Breweries,Brewery

We came home safe from San Diego, even after Delta airlines made all the effort that we should fail. Seems all the goals was met, except as always that you wanted to stay more at the places you liked the most.

Here is the result of the trip including all locations setup nice and tidy at google.

Here is a link to all locations including all images.

SCXBT09: Collected locations

SCXBT09: San Diego Brewery Tour (with bus)

2009-07-27T06:28:00.001+02:00

Had a wonderful day with you guys, including our new friends from New Jersey.

And also a big big thank you and goodbye to Dr. Bill at Stone. The bottle of Russian River Temptation you shared with us was amazing.

SCXBT09: The santa at Lost Abbey

2009-07-26T08:53:00.001+02:00

Spent the day queing for some beers at Lost Abbey at met the Santa.

Seems like Santa is enjoying the kegs at Lost Abbey\Port!. Christmas in July, it can not be any where elese than San Diego.

SCXBT09: An other team picture…

2009-07-26T08:47:00.001+02:00

From the Oceanside Brewing company. Its a Friday evening beer at brewery, what a nice treat.

Greetings from Hamilton….

2009-07-24T08:03:00.001+02:00

We are in San Diego and having a great time.

Cheers…

/Mattias…

SCXBT 09 Beer List IV

2009-07-22T08:21:00.001+02:00

(myself inside the bar at “Goat Hill Tavern”)

The list continues down to San Diego.

“2009-07-20 Pasadena and south”

“Lucky Baldwin”

116. Craftsman IPA

117. Craftsman Holiday Amber

“Heroes Bar & Grill”, Fullerton

118. Firehouse Pale Ale

119. Alaskan Amber

120. Big Sky Brewing Moose Drool Brown Ale

121. Stone Ruination

“Newport Beach Brewing Company”

122. A.A.I.P.A

123. Back Bay Bitter

“Goat Hill Tavern”, Newport Beach

124. Stone Pale Ale

125. Steelhead Pale Ale

126. Firerock Pale Ale

127. Deschutes Mirrorpond Pale Ale

128. Port Brewing Wipeout IPA

129. Stone Levitation Ale

130. Stone Oakes Bastard Ale

131. Longhammer IPA

132. Bear Republic Racer 5

133. Anderson Valley Summer Ale

134. Stone Ruination Ale

135. Rogue Hazelnut & Brown

136. Anderson Valley IPA

137. Stone Arrogant Bastard

138. Widmer Drifter Pale Ale

139. Bigfoot

140. Anderson Valley Boon Amber Ale

Continued…

SCXBT 09: Greetings….

2009-07-22T07:57:00.001+02:00

Collected team pictures from our beer trip to south california.

“Newport Beach Brewing Company”

“Lost Abbey\Port Brewing visit” (Picture taken by Mike the head brewer.

Cheers

Mattias

SCXBT 09 Beer List III

2009-07-20T09:12:00.001+02:00

After our tour at FireStone the beer list have continued and hopefully reported as correct as possible.

2009-07-17 Santa Barbara & South:

- Visit to Telegraph Brewery, no sampler but bought 2 bottles from this tiny brewery, nice people and a great brewery.

“The Brewhouse”, Santa Barbara

61. Nirvana Pale

62. Anapamu Amber Ale

63. West Beach IPA

64. Montecito St. Wheat

65. Buster Brown Ale

66. Smoked Porter

“Island Brewing Company#

67. Island Pale Ale

68. Unfiltered Pale Ale

69. Starry Night Stout

70. Jubilee Ale

“Anacapa Brewing Company, Ventura”:

71. New Belgium Summer Wheat

72. Stone IPA

“The 3rd Stop, West Hollywood, LA”

73. Stone Arrogant Bastard

74. Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale

75. Deschutes Mirror Pond Ale

76. Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale

77. Flying Dog Gonzo

78. Allagash White

79. Lost Coast Nut Brown Ale

2009-07-18 Santa Monica:

“Fathers Office”

80 Craftsman's Hefeweissen

81. Drakes 1500 Pale Ale

82 OB Old Chub

83. Russian River Perdition

84. Russian River Damnation

85. Russian River Pliny The Elder

“Daily Pint” (A great place!)

86. Moylans Dragoons Stout

87. Stone Sublimity (cask)

88. Deans Brothers Brewing (IPA 7) Pale Ale (cask)

“The Bruery” !!!!! Great place, Jorgen should get this brewery to Sweden.

89. Orcha White

90. Black Orchad

91. Saison Rue

92. Trade Winds Triple

93. White Oak

94. Papier

95. Black Tuesday

2009-07-19 Santa Clarita:

“Wolfcreek Brewing”

96. Hot rod India Pale Ale

97. Howlin Hefeweissen

98. Valencia Honey Wheat

99. Green Flash West Coast IPA

100. Timber Wolf Bourbon Oaked Red

101. Alaskan Summer Ale

“Oggis, Santa Clarita”¨

102. Black Magic Stout

103. Torry Pines IPA

104. Sunset Amber

105. Paradise Pale

“Belmont Brewing Company, Long Beach”

106. Pale Ale

107. North Coast Scrimshaw

108. Marathon

109. Hop head read

110. Stout Crude

“Beachwood BBQ, Seal beach”:

110. Alesmith IPA

111. Russian River Blind Pig

112. Craftsmans Oyster Stout (cask)

113. Deschutes Black Butte XXI (insane)

114. Russian River Blind Pig

115. OB Dales Pale Ale

……

SCXBT 09 Beer List II

2009-07-17T08:42:00.001+02:00

The beer draught list of SCXBT09 continues with the following result:

2009-07-15 Day trip to Oakland & Hayward, CA:

Ben & Nicks, Oakland

38. Bear Republic Red Rocker Ale

39. Steelhead Extra Pale

40. Stone Arrogant Bastard

Catos Ale House, Oakland:

41. North Coast Red Seal Ale

The Bistro, Hayward:

42. Bear Republic Lundys Mild (yes, finally a decent US version of Mild)

43. Maui Brewing Co. Big Swell IPA (can)

Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, half moon bay:

44. Pillar Point Pale Ale (cask)

45. Princeton-by-sea-IPA

Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz:

46. Pelican Pale

47. Blur IPA

48. Sacrilicious Red Ale

49. Oatmeal Stout

2009-07-16 From Santa Cruz & Buellton:

Lucia Lodge & Res.

50. Anchor Steam (bottle)

Firestone Walker Brewery:

51. Pale 31

52. DBA

53. Union Jack

54. Robust Porter

55. Honey Blond

56. Red Nectar

Spikes, San Luis Obispo:

57. Green Flash Imperial IPA

Taproom at Firestone Walker Brewing Co:

58. Hamp Ale (brown ale)

59. IPA (Union jack)

60. Double Jacks

To be continued…

SCXBT 09 Beer List I

2009-07-15T08:43:00.001+02:00

This is the sampled beers so far…

Rogue Ale House:

1. Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA

1. FireStone Walker Pale Ale

2. Marin Brewing Co. IPA

3. Rogue Shakespear Stout (Nitro)

San Francisco Brewing Company:

5. Grampians Porter

6. SF Pale Ale

7. Pony Express Ale

8. Albatross Lager

9. Shangha(I PA)

“Thirsty Bear”

10. Howard Street IPA

11. ESB

12. Golden Vanilla

13. Valencia Wheat

“21st. Amendment:”

14. Brew Free! or Die IPA

15. Bitter American

“Zeitgeist:”

16. Stone Pale Ale

17 Moonlight Death & Taxes Porter

“Toronado:”

18. Russian River Blind Pig

19. Russian Pliny The Elder

20. Fire Stone Walker Pale 31 (On Cask)

21. Marin Brew IPA (On Cask)

“Magnolia:”

22. Moonlight Bombay By Boat IPA

(Speakeasy Double Daddy IPA (bottle)

Toronado:

24. Russian River Blind Pig IPA

25. Lagunitas New Dog Town Pale Ale

26. Russian River Publication

27. Port Brewing 3rd Ann.

28. Iron Springs Casey Jones Double IPA

29. Anchor Steam

“Beach Chalet:”

30. West End Wheat Beer

31. Presidio IPA

32. …. Pale Ale

“Rogue Ale House:”

33. Lagunitas IPA

34. Elysian ESB

35. Rogue Russian Imperial Stout

36. Rogue Imperial Porter

37. Maharadja Double IPA

….

To be continued…

SCXBT 09 REPORT I

2009-07-15T08:18:00.001+02:00

We have now started our beer trip to south California (everything south of San Francisco). As usual I have a bit of problem to get in contact with the internet during our US-trip, so a direct report is not possible. Regardless we have started out and is currently still trying out everything San Francisco is about regarding US craft beer. San Francisco is a safe harbor for great craft beer and we are really enjoying the days here in the city.

I promise to try write as much as possible during the trip, so that you all get a report, or actually mostly because I need a personal reminder where we went.

(Stefan and myself at Toronado, San Fran)

For your information “SCXBT09” stands for “South California Extreme Beer Tour 2009”. It started out in San Francisco on July 11 and will continue with the following locations;

1. San Francisco

2. Santa Cruz

3. Buellton

4. San Luis Obispo

5. Santa Barbara

6. West Hollywood

7. Costa Mesa

8. Escondido\Carlsbad

9. San Diego

Hopefully I will get a more structured reporting quite soon, but it is a bit difficult to get it written down after all the great beers, :-). So far at least my personal favorite is Russian River Blind Pig IPA as usual.

(Interior from Toronado)

A new live writer

2009-07-11T01:58:00.001+02:00

Testing live writer again for the start of the SCXBT09 (South California Extreme Beer Tour 2009).

Lets at a picture here.

Test of Windows Live Write

2008-12-23T14:07:00.001+01:00

Test test test and this is link;

Google

New England Report 13:2008-07-24 (Greenfield -- Amherst)

2008-08-17T23:14:00.005+02:00

We left Greenfield in the morning and first decided to have some sightseeing outside the normal beer tracking events.

So we had a short drive outside Greenfield and went to the beatiful area of Shelburne Falls. The place is famous for its falls and also the so called "Bridge of flowers", a former trolley bridge over the Deerfield River that is now maintained by the Shelburne Falls Women's Club as a floral display from April through October.

It was raining quite much during the staty but we enjoyed the short stay and checked out the bridge plus the nearby falls with its famous glacial potholes that has been formed by the Deerfield River.

After this it was time to continue our beer trip so we started the GPS again and went south towards the city of South Deerfield and the "Berkshire Brewing Company" brewery.

As it was not much to see and it seems they had nothing opened for public we simply took some pictures to have it counted (all counts, :-)) and then continued south again.

Northampton (MA) and the "Northampton Brewery" was the next stop. This is a centrally located brewpub in Northampton and it was opened for business. It was opened for lunch we had not the time to test anything of their food. Instead we ordered in the samplers and even got a new beer from the brewer himself. The beer was not on but it was being prepared so we got a chance to sample his new brew, it turned out to be a very nice red ale that we really enjoyed.

The rest of the samplers included;

133. Blue Boots IPA

134. Raspberry Brown

135. Old Brown Dog

136. Blackberry Stout

137. Redheaded Stepchild Red Ale (the new one)

138. Sandshovel ESB

They do quite decent beers here and something to recommend. The ESB was really good and I also enjoyed the IPA. The place is quite large and they also have a outside terrace that you should check out. We sat as we normally do in the bar but I think a lunch at the outside terrace is also a great experience.

The place is located in downtown Northampton and suitably located on "11 Brewster Court", yes it is true the place is called brewster. Northampton has been around for quite a while, they opened up the doors already in 1987. They have a large variety of beers and it seems a very popular outdoor, rooftop beer garden.

Very friendly staff and having a conversation with the brewer regarding our visit to the Vermont brewers festival (that he had also visited) is always fun, and a free beer is always great. Great experience and something we can recommend.

Crossed the connecticut river and went east to the city of Amherst where we in downtown visited the "Amherst Brewing Company". It was pouring down with heavy rain so we had to walk in the rain from the parking lot. Time for lunch and some more beers was on the list. We had a great lunch and sampled the following beers;

139. Cascade IPA

140. North Pleasant Pale Ale

141. Seeing Double IPA (amarillo/cascade)

Very tasty beers and beers that was really big in hops, something that is mostly popular among us hopheads. Everything that has loads of hops in it is most often a hit for us.

The food is also great, an excellent pub menu with many daily specials. Both the Cascade and the Seeing IPA is normally available on cask and it seems they do it very well. A good place to hang out and have some beers in Amherst.

After lunch we decided to stick in Amherst for a while longer as we went down the street towards the bar "Moan and Dove". But that needs its own entry completely, so lets continue with Moan later on.

New England Report 12:2008-07-23 (New London -- Greenfield)

2008-08-16T00:17:00.011+02:00

The next day started south in New Hampshire and the city of Manchester. Fun to see that so many cities are influenced with English cities and you get names as Manchester, Dover, Gloucester etc, even more interesting that we just before New London came from West Lebanon, wonder where that name comes from. The goal for Manchester, which is pretty large town, was "Millys Tavern" and to sample some of their beers.

Millys is located in a large brick building at the river front (merrimack river) in central Manchester.

The place does their own handcraftet beers on site and most often has up to 9 different styles on tap plus a couple of seasonals. They have a 15 barrel DME system install and uses water from Massabesic with northwestern hops.

We came early and did not have time for lunch, otherwise it seems they had a good choice in food.

Decided to have the sampler and came up with the following result;

113. Manch Vegas IPA
114. Mt. Uncanoonus Golden Cream Ale
115. Tashas Red Ale Tail Ale

116. Hells Bells Belgian Strong Dark Ale

117. General John Stark Dark Porter

118. Millyes Oatmeal Stout

119. Bo's Scotch Ale

Good quality beers, not worldclass. What I remember is that I really liked the Hells Bells ale which was really a kick in the ass strong ale that made you warm inside out.

The official information tells you;

"Hell's Bell's is a Belgian-inspired Strong Dark Ale. You won't have to sell your soul for a taste of this devilish concoction of the finest imported malts and hops, Belgian Candi Sugars and spices. Fruity phenolics and a hint of vanilla enhance the flavor of this 9% ABV ale. Do Hell's Bells toll for you?O.G.: 1.083 F.G.: 1.018 ABV%: 9"

This beer was a seasonal so do not expect to see this so much in the future. From the standard choices I would recommend the outmeal stout. A rich beer in color, smell and taste and very traditional to the style.

We had earlier arranged at meeting with one of the brewers over at Pennichuck Brewery in Milford NH. We got some help from Jugge over at Oliver Twist in Stockholm as he had met the owner a couple of times. So through Jugges help we were invited to this tiny brewery located in a old workshop garage outside Milford.

As we finally found this place it was at start really difficult to understand that it was hiding a fullscale brewery. A brewery that is not much older that a couple of years, but already is making a name in the industry with big beers like belgian trippels or barley wines. When you talk about big you can also notice that they like to use large bottles influenced by Belgium, meaning 1 liter bottles. Nice to look at, but really a hell to get home in your bag, :-).

(Exterior of the brewery, what happened to this poor car??)

The owner Phil Jewett was not at the brewery when we entered the place arround 14, but we instead were helped by the new headbrewer Damase Olsson (yes he has some connection with Sweden). They were in middle of brewing so we got a nice quick tour of the brewery during the same time as Damase were brewing and putting stuff in the brew. Fun to see. The brewery is not large but they already have 4 different standard brews plus a bunch of special brews that they package on 1 liter bottles.

(Brewery interior)

(Damase the headbrewer giving us a quick tour of the brewery)

Asking if they also did their own botteling the answer was of course yes and we got to see the very tiny and very manual equipment where all the botteling was done. Not large but very effective it seems.

We got to sample all of the standard beers including;

120. Halligan IPA (my favorite)

121. Fireman Pale Ale

122. Feuerwehrmann Black Lager (Schwarzbier)

123. Big O Oktoberfest (which was the new oktober beer that we sampled directly from the brew, great experience)

The visit was short but exciting and we thanked for the visit and bought some beers to get home to Sweden. Hope to see more from this brewery in the future and it will interesting to see how it will grow from the current limited quantities. Maybe we can expect some beers to turn up in Stockholm in a near future?

Continued to Westminster in MA and the "Wachusett Brewing Company". Had the standard beer tour and also sampled some of the beers. Wachusett seems quite large and uninspring, it says quite much when the breweries large seller (arround 80%) is a very boring Blueberry Wheat. It is difficult to do a good wheat and sometimes you do not understand why american breweries like to do it so much when the result is so bleak.

Maybe it is has to do with sales and warm summer days. Anyway it is very rare that you find a good beer when you have to sample a seasonal wheat in the US. Some times it happens but then you need to try to do it much more traditional belgian or german and it is much more interesting if you do a hefe wheat instead, good examples include; ÜberSun and Hop Sun from Southern Tier.

Sampled beers;

124. IPA

125. Black Shack Porter

126. Blueberry Wheat

After the brewery visit we ended up in Greenfield and headed for the "Peoples Pint" bar. Not much to say about this place. Quite good beers but I do not really understand the hype.

127. Pied pIPA

128. ESB (cask)

129. Provider Pale Ale

130. Helles Bock

131. Oatmeal Stout

132. Farmers Brown

Maybe it was the town itself or maybe the peanut wok (I can understand pasta with some peanut, but not cold peanut with some pasta, :-), better to get the burger at this place, probably a much better choice) that made it bad place. I did not like it much but it seems to very popular arround this area and the beers get quite good rating over at beeradvocate.

As Greenfield did not offer any more beer experiences (at least good experiences) it was just to get home to the motel and recharge for a new day.

New England Report 11:2008-07-22 (Leaving Montreal)

2008-08-15T00:50:00.007+02:00

The day after our short beer trail in Montreal started out with some more attempts to sample more beers from Quebec. This turned out to be very difficult and it seemed easier to just get back to the US and continue our New England beer adventure.

Through out the day we first went to Chambly and the Unibroue brewery. Famous for beers like "Trous Pistoles" and the my favorite "The Raftman". Great brewery but it seemed a bit big and closed for beer sampling visitors so we took a photo and then continued south to the US border. Seems that opened tap rooms is not discovered yet in Quebec, which is a bit sad for such a great brewery.

Next place on the list was a place called; BroueMont Pub & Brewery in bromont. Seemed to be a cool place but it turned out to be my worst visit ever. Ok it seemed they had some beers to sample, but it also seemed that the girl working (I am not sure if she really was working) at the place totally ignored us during 10 minutes. 4 people gets into a pub, gets to the bar and checks out the beers as we normally do as beer geeks.

What happens, well nothing, this girl simply goes around from bar to the table area and back and just talks in the phone with a friend or similar. She does not even blink to us and just continues to talk in the phone until we simply gives up.

For me this place should either decide to get rid of such awful people or consider closing down and do other stuff with their lives. Ok if the place maybe was closed, but could you not just get of the phone and simply inform us about that. If a place is opened and you can actually get to the bar my thought is that it is opened for business, or I am wrong?

This was one more example of the very bad attitudes we experienced arround Montreal. Do not understand the problem but it simply did not give any welcome feeling and you just wanted to leave.

Anyway enough talking about BroueMont, they might have beers but did not want to sell any of them, so I wish them good luck. Ever arround Bromont, just remember to forget this place and continue your journey, it is not worth the trip and you just waste valuable hours being totally ignored, simply crap.

We had a couple of more places in Quebec but decided after the bromont experience that we should give up and get back to the US instead, we had being travelling for hours and did not succeed in getting a single beer. Seems that Montreal and the actual city is the best choice for sampling beers from the area. If you go, you should probably have more time in Montreal and if you go you should not miss the amazing beers from DDC, they are at least worth the trip to Montreal.

Passed the border to Vermont and continued south to the "Trout River Brewing Company". Located in the beutiful area of Lyndonville this brewery has been on my beer map for a while. Unfortunately it was also closed for visitors and it turned out only to be opened for a couple of hours and on other days.

Nice place but sorry to say, we had not luck in getting beers at Trout either. Getting a bit desparate we decided to go for a safe place, so we header south and went down to the Long Trail Brewing company instead. This place was at least safe and we knew that it should be opened for business.

As for the rest of vermont this brewery is also located in a very nice area with surrounding mountains.

Long Trail Brewing Company is located in a place called Bridgewaters Corners and they have a large number of beers to offer. Both the IPA and the standard Long Trail Ale is great craft beers. Maybe not the most exiting brews, but they are well done and traditional to the style. The place is a large building similar to a winery of similar. They have a large bar area and with a complementary self brewery tour. We finally sampled some beers and went through the following beers;

96. Blackberry Wheat
97. Belgian White
98. Hefeweizen
99. Long Trail Ale
100. Double Bag
101. IPA

Where the Long Trail Ale (altbier) is probably my favorite beer. It has a very deep red color and a nice white head. Minor smell of hops and simply a very drinkable beer, not too much, but still a hoppy and bitter beer.

Crosed the border and went to New Hampshire again and the very famous "Seven Barrel Brewery" in West Lebanon. We sampled the following beers;

102. Quechee Cream Ale
103. Ice Rock Canadian
104. New Dublin Brown
105. The Red #7
106. Champion Reserve IPA
107. RIP Stout

Ended up in New London and after a short visit to our motel we walked up to the "Flying Goose Brewpub & Grill". A great place to end the beer day. The place is located so that you have a look a very beatiful view out over the mountains. It started to rain just after we came to the place so that it was really nice to sit inside and check out the rain during our dinner with beers.

Sampled beers included;

108. Crocketts Corner Oatmeal Stout
109. Perley Town IPA
110. Hedgehog Brown Ale
111. Flying Goose Pale Ale
112. Potter Place Porter

New England Report 10:2008-07-21 (Short trip to Montreal)

2008-08-14T01:18:00.006+02:00

After Burlington it was time to head north and our very short and limited beer trip to Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

We had first a short stop and a local beer shop outside Burlington and extended the beer storage. Concentrated on Vermont beers so we only managed to get a couple beers from our new favorite brewery of Rock Art (link to the brewery). Rock art is new for us, but turned out to be a brewery that just turned 10 years this year. They do a couple of great beers inluding the amazing IIPA and the funky Jasmine Pale Ale (spiced with herbs), plus the barley monster of "Vermonster".

Also saw some local beers from Sweden that had travelled all the way to Vermont. Nice to see that Oppigårds is concenquring the world now days. One of my favorite breweries in Sweden, great to see.

After the stop at the beer shop it was just to program the GPS once again and head for Montreal, Quebec.

We arrived in the city after a few hours drive and very quick stop at the Canadian border control. We managed to find our hotel outside the airport and started our beer trail in Montreal.

The first and only big stop planned was the "Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel". We first heard about this place and brewery when Oliver Twist and Jugge served their beers at the Stockholm Beer Festival last year. So we knew that they do big beers compared to most other beers in Canada. The beers they have is a big mixture of beer traditions from US and Europe with a extra touch, something like mixing belgian beers with influences from the US.

They had a impressive list of own brewed beers, I think it included at least 15 different beers all on tap including a cask version.

Sampled beers included;

81. Voyageur Des Brunes (ESB) (Cask)

82. Grand Messe Ale (rousse)

83. Corne Du Diable (American IPA)

84. Mea Culpa India Cream Ale

85. Desse Nocturne Stout

86. Aphrodisiaque Stout (Cacao Et Vanille) (American Stout)

All great beers including the amazing Aphro beer that we also sampled in Stockholm last year. A jet black stout with very strong milky chocolate aromas plus the touch of vanilla on the top. A excellent stout.

After the visit to DDC we had accomplished the best of Montreal and probably Canada so did not expect much of the next couple of places. Walking south from DDC we visited the following places.

"La'mere a boine"

87. Hefe Weizen (should not call it hefe, awful beer)

88. Odense Porter (even worse, should get 1 from me)

89. Fin De Sieghe (red ale)

Nice place, but awful beers.

"Le Saint-Bock Brasserie Artisanale"

Much better place with comfortable couches that you can spend hours in. A good mix of local Quebec beers including their own. Also influenced by American and Belgian breweries and beer styles.

90. Route Des Indes maitre brasserie IPA

91. Du Chaudron Cobra IPA

92. Barberie Bitter (Cask)

93. 3M American Pale

94. Porter a Lerable Hopfenstark

"The Keg"

Last bar we found, not part of the plan and no more comments.

95. Rickards Red Ale

This beer is from the large Molson brewery, but is quite decent for a macro beer.

That’s it for Montreal and Quebec for now.

I guess you appreciate the city a bit more if you stay longer, but right now it was mostly an unfriendly place where people do not want to speak English and try to be so much French as possible.

Compared to a US brewery or brewpub the difference is quite big, meaning if you talk about customer service, or simply being friendly and appreciating the customer being at your establishment.

I am maybe a bit harsh, but the difference is so great compared to the US so being in Quebec 24 hours you simply long for getting back to the US.

At least DDC is world class place and the beers and even the atmosphere over at Le Saint-Bock was great for sampling Quebec beers. To summarize it, the beers were great, but the city probably needed more time for showing its better sides.

New England Report 9:2008-07-20 (Burlington, Vermont)

2008-08-13T23:20:00.009+02:00

We had planned a slower phase of the trip so the next day was a full day in Burlington and the same hotel as the day before. Burlington is a great city to stay at when you want craft beers from Vermont and you do not even need to leave central Burlington to find a couple of great local breweries and brewpubs.

After some shopping we started the first couple of beers over at "Magic Hat" in south burlington. We managed to get to the brewery tour at 13.00 and started with some samples in their temporary beer tent outside the brewery. Here I got to sample the following beers before the tour started;

68. Magic Hat Lucky Kat
69. Orlio Brewery IPA
70. Notion (sour beer)

The tour started and it turned out to be very popular so it got really crowded when got into the brewery. With the help of a great dude from the brewery we got to see the whole brewery from start to end and got loads of information from our cool guide. Magic Hat is quite big brewery and they are constantily growing.

As a brewery they are fun with a large number of beers each year. Not my favorite brewery but they do decent drinkable beers and sometimes they show that they can do big beers. If have nothing else to choose from it is always a great choice to pick up the Magic Hat #9 or a Lucky Kat.

We learned the story and history of the brewery and it was one of the better beers tours so far, simply quick and loads of information (sometimes these tours can be so long and boring, meaning that a brewery works in the same way, so you have listened about how you do beers many times).

After the tour and Magic Hat we programmed the GPS and went outside the city to Waterbury and the very popular "Alchemist Pub & Brewery". Popular was very easy to see as it was the longest queue ever in the history of beer samples (at least what I have experienced) at the vermont brewers festival.

As we did not have the time and strenght to stand in the queue during the festival we simply figured out that it must be much easier to actually get to the place. It turned out that we were early as they did not open until 15.00 plus that it started to rain. So 4 beer geeks were standing outside in the rain for at least 15 minutes until they let us in, must have looked quite fun as it seems that Waterbury is not a big city to do much more in.

The Alchemist is a pub and brewery and they simply do BIG beers in all type of categories, some might thing they are simply to extreme but that actually do great beers with a extra touch. Most of the beers include different american styled pales, IPAs and IIPAs but they also experiment with styles as Dopplebock and Saison (american style). As we had to wait for the chef to get to work we sampled some beers before "lunch" including;

71. Pappys Porter
72. The Crusher Imperial Pale Ale (cask)
73. Holy Cow (IIPA)

I like this place, both as place to get great food and seconday get the opportunity to drink some amazing IPAs and IIPAs.

I must say that when they finally got the Holy Cow on a free tap it turned out to be one of the best beers of the beer trail and definately the best beer from Vermont. It was a amazing experience and the Holy Cow should be on my beer list, only problem is that you need to get to Vermont, through that it will probably not make it. But its is something to check for next time you get the opportunity.

Bought a cool T-shirt and also managed to meet the brewer over at Cape Ann in Glouchester, MA. This was a really nice guy that had also been to the festival the day before. He did not remember and neither did we, but we actually met him over at his brewery a couple of days earlier (so I have their bus in a picture both in Glouchester and Waterbury, Vermont).

To summarize, if you ever go to norhern Vermont, you simply have to get to the Alchemist and try out these amazing brews, it is worth the trip and it is once in a life time beer experiences.

After a quick trip up to Stowe and Ben'&'Jerry ice-cream factory we turned the car back to Burlington and night out in the city.

Visits during the evening was concentrated on the breweries and places we did not have time to visit after the festival.

"Three Needs Brewery and Taproom":

74. IPA

A fun place were we met both the brewmaster of "3" and a brewmaster from "MOUT Brewery" in North Conway, NH. Moat Mountain is a brewery that I liked to visit but simply did not have the time, at least very nice people and we talked a bit about beers and other stuff about brewing in both US and Sweden.

"American Flatbread" (Zero Gravity)":

75. T.L.A India Pale Ale (American Flatbread Burlington Hearth)
76. Rock Art I.P.A (cask)
77. Trout River Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
78. Orlio Organic IPA (bottle)
79. Magic Hat Chaotic Chemistry (plus 5)
80. Zero Gravity Boognish Brown

American Flatbread is both a restaurant and brewery (Zero Gravity), so that both have their own beers here but also a large amount of other Vermont based breweries. So this was a good place to stay a couple of hours, you did not need to travel all over Vermont to get the beers, instead you could sit in the bar and enjoy everything that beers is about in Vermont. Great place.

Due to the nice bar at American Flatbread it turned out that we did not get further in Burlington and the beer storage was full for us. What can you do, it must simply end and it was time to get home to our hotel again.

The area arround Burlington was great and the day included loads of great beers where the 2 winners went to the Holy Cow from the Alchemist and the Chaotic Chemistry from Magic Hat.

What more can you wish for.

New England Report VIII:2008-07-19

2008-08-13T23:03:00.004+02:00

The report from our New England Beer Trail now continues, the trip is already finished, but I need this for the future, so lets continue.

The day after the festival in Burlington ended up in central Burlington with a visit to "Nectars".

Recommended by BeerAdvocates that we often turn to when you need a good place. This time it maybe turned out a bit wrong as the place was a club that describes it self as; "the club is a sultry, down home juke joint providing cocktails, dancing, live Blues, Boogie, Groove, Soul, and straight up Rock SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK!".

As we are not the club-people anymore (probably never been, :-)) we sort of did not like the place too much.

They have a impressive amount of craft-beers (probably why BeerAdvocate had it on the list) but that does not matter if it takes ages to actually get the beer and had to sit in a extremelly loud environment. We had some food and at least got a local craft beer, but then left the place in a hurry.

67. Magic Hat Circus Boy

After that it was just to get home and have some rest so that you could load your batteries for a new day in burlington.

New England Beer Trail: "The Result in pictures and locations"

2008-08-06T00:55:00.007+02:00

More information will come and as usual it seems I had the normal problem with the internet so my goal to update everything during the trip failed.

Anyway I think we achieved most of the things we planned for a added some new fun stuff a long the way, when the original plan proved to be impossible to follow (you are always so optimistic back home, but often forget that you also need to spend some time at each place, not only travel between them, :-)) and we had to change a few things.

Vermont Brewers Festival: The Beers

2008-07-28T23:27:00.000+02:00

Complete list sampled at this years beer festival in Burlington included;

67. Long Trail Blackberry Wheat
68. Long Trail Traditional IPA
69. Pennichuck Engine 5 Red Ale
70. Rock Art IPA (II)
71. Rock Art Jasmine Pale Ale (RA)
72. Stone IPA
73. Stone Arrogant Bastard
74. Stone Coast 420 India Pale Ale
75. Switchback Unfiltered Ale
76. Wolavers IPA
77. Vermont Pub & Brewery Forbidden Fruit
78. Woodchuck Draft Cider Dark & Dry
79. Woodchuck Draft Cider Pear
80. Woodstock Inn Pemi Pale
81. Zero Gravity 07 Nights (Belgian Pail Ale)

Thats it.

And the winner? Well the best new brewery for me was probably "Rock Art" and then it comes to the IPA. Plus that I really learned to enjoy the ciders from Woodchuck, that is really a great cider that we should get to Sweden. A second great beer and also a new brewery for me was "Switchback" and the Unfiltered Ale

New England Report VII:2008-07-19

2008-07-27T07:17:00.008+02:00

At 17.00 it was finally time for the "Vermont Brewers Festival" that we had all been waiting for. After having some problems getting a cab from the hotel (seems everyone in Burlington was heading for the Waterfront Park at the same time) we finally managed to get there almost on time.

The park was packed with people in very long queues and the sun was extremelly hot. So it was really a struggle for the wait before we actually go into the festival area. But it went quite smoothly and it was organized very well.

Each brewery we located in different white tents and also a lot of food were provided. Talking about beers almost every known Vermont brewery were there, plus a good selection of external breweries like Stone and North Coast.

Getting to the list of sampled beers included; (you got 10 beers included in the price if you had the more normal beers, all connected to the ABV so some of the stronger counted as 3)

"Long Trail Brewing Company"

*. Blackberry Wheat
*. Traditional IPA

"Pennichuck Brewing Co"

*. Engine 5 Red Ale

"Rock Art Brewery" (a new favorite that I have not heard about before)

*. IPA
*. Jasmine Pale Ale

"Stone Brewing Co"

*. Stone IPA
*. Arrogant Bastard Ale

"Stone Coast Brewing Co"

*. 420 India Pale Ale

"Switchback Brewing Co"

*. Switchback Unfiltered Ale

"Vermont Pub & Brewery"

*. Forbidden Fruit

"Woodchuck Draft Cider"

*. Woodchuck Draft Cider Dark & Dry
*. Woodchuck Draft Cider Pear

"Woodstock Inn Brewer"

*. Pemi Pale Ale

"Zero Gravity"

*. 07 Nights (Belgian pail ale)

"Wolavers"

*. IPA

Scene outside the festival area, quite nice huh?

New England Report VI:2008-07-19

2008-07-27T06:36:00.006+02:00

Due to the bad Internet access you often get on the motels and probably due to late activities connected with beers these reports do not come out as expected. Anyway right now the report comes from a dreary bestwestern motel in Fall River, Massachusetts. Missed the opportunity to live down in Newport, RI as we so of did not understand that we really needed to book in advance. Due to that we simply had to rearrange the plans a bit so we simply ended up here instead. At least we got to the decided places in Newport and Middletown, RI and were happy with that.

Getting back to the report it is now 080719 and the trip continued from Bethel Maine to Burlington Vermont.

We stopped first at the "Italian Oasis Restaurant & Brewery" in Littleton.

This is a nice place located in a stylish tree house on the main street. We were early so as it had not yet opened we did some limited sightseeing (+ the longest candy store in the World, at least according to shop) by the river side. Sampled beers included;

59. Black Bear Stout (first of many black bear beers)
60. Cannon Amber Ale

As these beers were not really much to say about we can simply continue with the next stop.

Second place and just before we started our trip up to Burlington we stopped at the "The Shed Restaurant & Brewery" in Stowe. Original plan was the "Alchemist" in Waterbury but we could not find the time (solved later). The Shed is located in big red building and is also located in a ski resort area so much was connected to skiing and it felt like a nice place to be for a ski holiday. We had lunch and add the following beers to our list;

61. West Branch Golden
62. Shed Amber Ale
63. National IPA
64. Mocca Porter
65. Mountain Ale
66. Raspberry Wheat

(had samplers, so that is why it became so many)

After that it was just to hurry to Burlington and the planned "Vermont Brewers Festival"...

New England Report V:2008-07-18

2008-07-24T05:15:00.012+02:00

Now the report come from a very rainy Greenfield, MA. It is pouring down and we have to see how the travel will work south tomorrow morning. We finished the day in the Peoples Pint in central Greenfield.

Coming back to the normal report where the goal is mainly just to write some points down about the places we visited it is now down for day II outside Boston.

Second day in outside was supposed to be a brewery tour outside Portland.

We started out early with a visit to the Allagash Brewing Company. A brewery that was for me most connected to belgian inspired strong ales and tripples. A bit surprised the girl at the beer shop helped us with a very short and informal tour of the new brew house, and we were very happy with the information and tour we got. As the normal tour was 15.00 and we came to the brewery just after 11.00 it was great to have a couple of beers and a quick peak at the brewery.

Sampled beers included;

45. White (5% ABV)
46. Trippel Ale (9% ABV)
47. Black Stout (Belgian Stout), this was a great beer and something new for me, showed that they can do beer outside the standard belgian styled strong ale, great stuff and something we took with us from the brewery.

(Kegs at Allagash with the oaked barrell "Curieux", that we sampled at Sunset in Boston i couple of days ago)As the Casco Bay Brewing company had been closed down and that all brewers at Stone Coast Brewery were all occupied with the Vermont Brewers Festival (1 of 3 was not a great result) we instead continued to the Sea Dog Brewpub in Topsham. Time for lunch and;

48. Pale Ale (cask)

The beers are not really to exiciting at Sea Dog but the location in Topsham is worth checking out, has a large outdoor terrace along a small river.

Continued just as the very tiny Oak Pond Brewery opened up for visiting and free samplers. This brewery is actually just a one person operation.

We met the owner and brewer himself (see pic) and sampled;

49. Pale Ale
50. DoorYard Ale
51. White Fox Ale (best one)
52. Nut Brown Ale
53. Oktoberfest (biggest seller)

Coming to Bethel during we evening we also managed to find the brewpub in the ski resort, meaning the Sunday River Company and then finally ended up in central Bethel and the Suds Pub.

Sunday River Company:

54. Black Bear Porter
55. 420 IPA (also served here as the brewpub is owned by the people at Stonecoast brewery)

Suds Pub:

56. Magic Hat #9
57. Long Trail Ale
58. Gearys London Porter

Need for sleep now so I say goodbye with M and S saying goodnight from Suds and sunny Bethel, cheers to all.

New England Report IV:2008-07-17

2008-07-23T03:40:00.016+02:00

Reporting from the Fairview Motel outside New London NH. Here the trip also can continue on the web.

We have had a couple of more amazing beer days with loads of New Hampshire and Vermont beers, including the Vermont Brewers Festival (more about that later on).

If we continue with the actual trip and after the Cape Ann brewery (I later actually got a cap from the brewer himself outside burlington, thanks) if looks like this;

We took the car and continued back in the country from the coast and took us all over to The Tap in Haverhill, MA, a bit north or Boston. The was a natural spot after several pints of the amazing Leatherlips IPA.

(Tap handlers at the Tap in Haverhill)

The Tap has several great beer and is really a nice little town outside the Boston area. They are located in a town that was ages ago very famous for the shoe industry. Therefore they use the old shoe samples as part of the tap handlers.

Sampled beers included;

25. Rejuvination
26. Haverale
27. APA
28. Leatherlips IPA (amazing IPA at only 5% ABV, but in hops tastes like a double IPA, we even got a six pack to go)
29. Fresh Roasted Coffee Stout

After Haverhill we took the car up to Smuttynose Brewing Company in Portsmouth NH. We got the great opportunity with some talk with the bartender to be able to get a short brewery tour. Very fun to just have a quick browse through this brewery. As Smuttynose and especially the IPA is one of our old US IPA bit was really fun to check out the brewery. We got to see all of the production and even some of the future oaked barell experiments they are playing around with at the hidden corner of the brewery.

Sampled beers include;

30. Pale Ale Shoals
31. IPA
32. Portsmouth Lager
33. Old Brown Dog

The list expanded and as you see some people takes the beer list very seriously;

After the samplers and the brewery tour we had to continue and with some free samplers given to us at Smutty we went down to Portsmouth Brewery (sister brewery for Smutty) and sampled the following beers;

34. Bottle Rocket IPA
35. Black Cat Stout
36. Imperial IPA

After finally coming to Portland, maine we got rid of the car and headed down to downtown Portland. Portland by night included;"Grittys"

37. Bitter (cask)
38. Pub Style Pale Ale (cask)

"Sebago Brewing Company"

39. Fryes IPA
40. Boathouse Brown Ale
41. Roadhouse Red Ale

"Great Lost Bear" (Best bar in Portland, just sorry that it was the last place for the night and so far away from everything else, took us 40 minutes to walk between Sebago and the lost beer)

42. Stone Coast 420 IPA
43. Gearys Porter
44. Gearys Ale (cask)

At least you could understand that if you only need one place in Portland, the Great Lost Bear is the place. A cool place with loads of beers and atmosphere. But as always this should have been the first place to visit instead of the last place after a very long beer trail.

New England Report III: 2008-07-17

2008-07-21T06:12:00.005+02:00

First day if we talk about breweries and the beer trail took us to the "Cape Ann Brewing Company" in Glouchester, MA.

Sampled beers included;

20. Fishersmans IPA
21. Fishermans Pumkin Stout
22. Fishermans Brew (lager)
23. Fishermans Tea party Barley Wine

24. Bavarian Wheat

New England Report II: 2008-07-16

2008-07-21T05:49:00.007+02:00

Day II in and still in Boston. So this is the day that we need to show our beer friends the best of greater Boston beer scene.

The beers and places that we succeeded in getting to during the day includes (the weather was sunny and sunny etc)

"Beer Works", Canal Street

7. Fenway American Pale Ale
8. Back Bay IPA
9. Victory Red (cask)

"Bukowski Tavern" (during the wait of the Stone beer 12th anv.)

10. Lagunitas IPA
11. Sixpoint Bengali Tiger IPA
12. Cambridge Brewing Company Porter

"The Sunset Grill & Tap"

13. Bear Republic Racer 5
14. Boulder Beer Hazed & Infused
15. Moylans Double IPA
16. Allagash Curieux (cask)
17. Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard
18. He'Brew Lennys RIPA

"The Deep Ellum"

19. Ipswich Mild Brown

New England Report I

2008-07-21T05:30:00.003+02:00

Hi,

Yes we actually came to the US and started our New England Beer Trail 2008. The problems with my internet access has continued so a few days has passed with many beer experiences that you could talk about.

As always it is getting a bit late and I really hope that this one is a good choice to try something out on the net. Couple of the last attempts has ended with giving up and instead going to sleep.

So lets get some facts so far.

2008-07-15

Arrived in Boston and our hotel; "Midtown Hotel.

Straight to our favorite bar in Boston; "Bukowski Tavern" on Dalton Street.

1. Stone Arrogant Bastard
2. Cisco Whales Tale Palse Ale
3. Smyttonose IPA

"The Other Side Cafe"

4. DogFish 60 Minute IPA

"The Lower Depths Tap Room" (owned by the Bukowski team)

5. The Tap Leatherlips IPA (amazing IPA at 5% ABV)
6. Otter Creek Copper Ale

Yes and then it was Stone...

2008-07-15T02:41:00.003+02:00

Just if you missed it, it just happened to be a amazing beer tasting with Stone Brewery over at Oliver Twist, Stockholm last Thursday.

With personal brought beers by Greg K himself we simply had a amazing beer journey and sampling, including the very very new Stone 12th Anniversay oatmeal stout.

Quite fun that I planned to have that particular beer over in Boston on July 16th when it was supposed to be introduced there. But who needs to go to the USA when the CEO himself brings his beers to us.

Cheers and thanks very much for all the beers and information Greg. This was a very good start of the summer and all the beers we are supposed to enjoy arround New England.

10! beers were sampled and all brought directly from the US.

And yes I was actually there, here is the proof, thanks BK for the picture...

Yes I am still here!

2008-07-15T02:19:00.009+02:00

If anyone is still reading this blog except myself I just need to inform that our New England Beer Trip 2008 will just start in a couple of hours.

Hopefully I will have access to some kind of network and hope to make at least some comments about the trip.

It will start tomorrow (actually in a couple or hours) with going over to Boston, MA and end on July 30th.

We will probably not finish everything as planned but here is at least the main plan and where you can check were we probably are on this little beer trail.

New Spring beer from Sam Adams at OT

2008-05-19T00:22:00.003+02:00

Not that I like american style weiss\wit beer much but at least I need to give Oliver Twist some credit when they serve new beer from the US on draught, and even on the standard list of beers.

This beer showed up a couple of weeks ago at my favorite pub i Stockholm. It is called a "White Ale" and is a seasonal spring beer from Samuel Adams. So to categories it in style I would say simply a "Sam Adams"-style beer inspired by belgian witbier, meaning more Sam Adams instead of a normal witbier.

So if you like the taste of Sam Adams beers (as I do) and want to try something different this is your beer.

I like Sam Adams in the sense that it is a great starting point for people that usually drink international lagers. It is a beer that you can give a ago and often people like it and through that can learn and understand that a beer can actually taste something without being too much.

Often you hear that I want a beer, but it should not be dark, as to say that all dark beer would taste to much and different compared what they normally drink. Is that not strange?, why would just a dark beer taste more, at least you can not generalize like that. It is like say that a red wine would always taste more than a white wine, just because red is more color than white!.

According to Sam Adams this beer "has clear malt & wheat notes, and dominated by 9 spices and dried fruits". Personally I would say a beer with light orange color with a white head for a short while. For a wit-bier it has the lemon and orange you like in a beer like hoegaarden, quite refreshing as a summer beer and at the end very drinkable.

Not great and nothing I will drink much of but at least I will recommend it to people who wants something different and like to sample a US-beer.

In average I would give it a 4/10.

Tribute to my favorite pub; all categories

2008-05-18T19:54:00.007+02:00

What should a great pub\bar be?

Many beers? From many countries? Quality beers? Friendly Staff? Good food? Great location? Large? Small? Modern? Old?

Well that is a tricky question. But at very few occurences you just feel that this is it, this is something I like in pub, and this is a place that I like to return to.

This little tribute is such a place.

Barcade located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York city started out as a car workshop that was bought by a couple of micro beers & arcade enthusiasts in 2005. The place opened up in September 2005 and has quite quickly developed as a beer heaven for US-micro beers on draught, also recently on cask that is being more and more popular in the state.

So what about the hype, lets start with the actual building.

When you first arrive to the place it is really not easy to understand that this is a pub and a place where you should actually get close to. It looks like something that should actually been teard down ages ago, but that is part of the charm.

It is a rought place that just with its little sign saying "Barcade" shows directly what the place is about.

A place where you primarly drink beer (no food is served except beer nuts and chips) and can enjoy it with others also liking the beers to be based on quality and love to the craft brewing industry.

When you enter the place you will notice the exposed brick walls and the 25-foot ceilings, on the

left side a row of arcade games from the 80s, on the right hand side a long bar that strechtes out from start to end of the place.

And this is also one of the key things with a great bar, meaning the bar, you should be able to sit at the bar and not just get the beers from it. For me beers should be consumed at the actual bar, through that you can really get the atmosphere of the place.

So to summarize so for, it needs to be rough, meaning a place with a built in athmosphere and soul that shows that the place is primarly for beers and not just a place that has been heavily designed to be cool and classy. Secondly we need a long bar, either on the side or placed at the end of the place.

Barcades primarily serves micro beers through out the country and almost always on draught. The beers are handled with care and served with a understanding of glassware and suitable amount of beers (bad example of that is an other great place but that has no understanding of amount and glassware, at Mugs Ale Hourse also in Williamsburg I was served a Weyerbacher Double Simcoe India Pale Ale in a English pint!, great bargain but without understanding that you can not drink a English pint of a beer with arround 10% without loosing your touch and the touch of the beer), so you get a double ipa or a imperial stout in snifter or tulip, a american pale ale in a american pint glass as it should be.

One of the strange things that I have noticed the last couple of years in NY is the trend to replace the glass from american pint to english pint, why?, you should keep the glass that it should be not try to copy the english tradition.

Becuase if so, you are missing one thing, english beers are often light beers with ABV between 3 and 4%, american micros are often stronger in taste and ABV, so it is not a good idea to serve a 6-7% ABV Pale Ale or IPA in a larger glass, you just get drunk people not enjoying your beers.

Other things you notice is the staff, who has the knowledge and love of beers. They know what they are serving and they can talk about what the beer is about. If you do not know what you want they can help you out, and they have that special ability just by asking a couple of question can get the beer you really like, or just by knowing your last beer can spot out the next you should have, just before you realize it yourself.

Amount and number of changing beers is on my list of a good place, but is not the most important thing you look for. But anyway here you have a large number of taps and that is constantly changing in line and a great collection of beers from both the east, west coast and the rocky areas.

For example in this particular moment I could have enjoyed the following beers (unfortunately you can not be in NY every weekend, :-);

Allagash Four, Avery Karma, Blue Point Oatmeal Stout (cask), Middle Ages Kilt Lifter, Rogue Shakespeare Stout (Nitro), Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale, Sly Fox Saison Vos, Southampton IPA, Victory Prima Pils etc etc.

So this place is on my number one spot, it can not be any better, only pity is that NY is so far away. So I have to enjoy most of my beers locally. But at least everytime I am in NY Barcade is the number of spot.

Thanks to the folks at Barcade, thanks for giving me the ultimate beer experience.

Beers from Argentina enjoyed in Sweden

2008-05-18T01:41:00.008+02:00

Monks Café on Wallingatan 38 Stockholm/Norrmalm speciality is large number of beers, estimated to 1200 different bottles and arround 16 on the tap. I am not there so often (you can not visit every good place in Stockholm) but at some occurences we get up to the place and to try out some new brews from around the world.

This time I like to get the opportunity to give some credit to beers from Argentina. Maybe not a country that is famous for the beers, but why not, if Sweden can produce great micro beers why not Argentina.

So we sampled some of the beers available (Monks had a little Argentina beer festival, but I am sorry to say that I do not know the rest of the available beers) and discovered the beer from Antares. This is a small Brew Pub/Brewery located in the city of Mar del Plata (located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the Buenos Aires Province) brewed at the New Patagonia Brewery.

Antares beer is one of the fastest-growing premium beer in Argentina and has recently started to be available outside the country, exported to countries like Canada, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, and Japan.

Even in May month it has been announced that the beers (at least the lager) will be available in the US through the distribution of Aladdin Beverage (Brooklyn , NY). The lager seems to be the largest beer when talking about sales but we instead concentrated on the more interesting styles of port and stout.

First one was the porter that at start due to the cold storage did not taste much, but when the beer was warmed it turned out to be a very well made porter. This is a classic porter with aroma of toffe, coffee and and the end some roasted malts. It has has a quite thick beige head and quite oily in the mouth. Not a favorite in porters for me but at least very drinkable.

Second one was the stout (Antared Imperial Stout) that also comes with a deep dark brown color with a similar brown\beige head as the porter. This is of course something else compared to the porter, simply because of the storage and ABV. It has a very strong roasted malty character with quite smoky tastes. Not a favorite in imperial stouts (like Bells Expedition Stout and Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter) but it has the standard characters of a imperial stout and can be recommended to at least try out.

Always interesting to learn new beer countries and it will be interesting what the planned beers from Brazil that Monks is going to provide for us.

For the interested, here is a complete list of beers from Monks that are or at least have been available;

Antares Barley Wine
Antares Imperial Stout
Antares Kölsch
Antares Porter
Antares Scotch Ale
Aracuana Bock
Aracuana Doppio Malto
Aracuana Pale Ale
Aracuana Weizen
Otro Mundo Golden Ale
Otro Mundo Nut Brown Ale
Otro Mundo Strong Red Ale

The Beer Summer in Stockholm has arrived

2008-05-18T01:06:00.006+02:00

Last Saturday the summer finally arrived in Stockholm and took us all with storm. Seems that everyone was out enjoying the short opportunity to get some sun. Stockholm looked like a enormous beach area and you could not understand that we had snow just a couple of weeks back.

So it was a good time to get together and drink some great beers. The normal beer meeting with the The Swedish Beer Consumers Association had this time been transformed to picnic in the park.

We all met at tantolunden on Södermalm and had a great time with some sampling of beers and chocolate.

It felt a quite interesting experience to sit together and drink great quality micro beers from all over the world, when people at the same time arround were enjoying the maybe more "normal" fizzy yellow macro lagers in large scale. It was like a little island thrown out on a big field of international lagers and cheap wines.

Most of the beers came fram Anders H and Lasse and from one of their many beer trips to Copenhagen, so the quality was great and we were lucky enough to get some great beers from escpecially the USA.

How about the beer list that I personally enjoyed, can it be any better, micro beer and summer in Stockholm,

1. Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale

2. Oskar Blues Old Chub

3. Green Flash Double India Pale Ale

4. Närke ?

5. Runöl

6. Guiness export 7.5% (from a stach of beers that Carlsberg wanted to throw away due to the date, 2004!, very sweet beer and not really what you think a Guiness should taste)

7. Oppigårds Påsköl

It was a good day and I think we should do this more often, it is not always you get such great beers at a park in Sweden. Thanks to who ever came up with this brilliant idea, instead of just sitting inside in a dark pub sampling beers that we usually do when we have such gatherings.

Beer mayhem at Oliver Twist

2008-05-18T00:55:00.003+02:00

After some problem with the distribution (due to the cheap dollar everyone wants to buy, so it was difficult to get a free container) the beers for the US-beer Mayhem at Oliver Twist has finally arrived.

At least the menu is ready and we are all waiting to get the opportunity to get hold of some draught US-beer again.

It was a while now and I have not got the opportunity to drink some great US-micros since the NY-trip at the end of March. Looking at the list it seems that we can return to the "normal" line of US-micros from all over the country.

Also seems that Jugge has also got some beers again from the Fort Collins Brewery (hope they know about that this time, :-)), hope it will be as good as when we visited the brewery last year.

Hope ya all turn in, at least you that has the opportunity!

All you need in a fridge..

2008-04-29T23:07:00.004+02:00

Yes what can it be except a couple of canned Imperial Stouts and Imperial Porter!

Trying to find some time...

2008-04-29T22:53:00.003+02:00

It always seems that this time of the year has one problem and that is the tendency that everyone wants to be finished at the same time. So I am currently struggeling to deliver all the things you have promised (IT things) to do. Through that I very seldom have to time to write something interesting over here, hopefully it will come back.

At least here is a picture of a happy beer geek (myself) drinkning a english pint! of Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA over at Mugs Ale House \ Williamsburg \ Brooklyn for the bargain price of 5 bucks. Yes I have been to New York a couple of weeks back and had a great beer week, excellent trip, but I have simply not found the time to explore it over here at my little blog.

Happy

And happier

Tribute to a Swedish Real Ale Brewery

2008-04-10T00:18:00.008+02:00

It is great pleasure to introduce a new brewery that has touched my beer heart the last couple of months. Sometimes you just feel that this is it, this is great from start, and for the little "brewery" up north in the city of Sundsvall it has simply been a joyride for us beer geeks in Stockholm.

It is amazing that a place that is actually a local small pub in Sundsvall can do such master pieces. Simple traditional beers with genuin English cask conditioned traditions. You can simply in short say that this is "Real" real ale because they do the beer so traditional that it can ever be, well structured in the style and very british.

The Irish Pub in Sundsvall has been in business for quite a while now but it is just the last couple of months that it has appeared as a genuin brewery, at least now when the beer is available not only locally in Sundsvall. Its like a big secret has been revealed that has been hidden up north. Just a pitty that we have had to be waiting such a long time.

I guess I have sampled all the available beers and styles served at Akkurat the last 2-3 months, and they have all been great and very distinct in flavor and tradition.

Some of the sampled beers has been;

Irish Pub East India Pale Ale

Irish Pub Guld Kusten

Irish Pub Svarta Katten

So what could be better when we talk about Swedish Real Ales, well the market is not really big but at least the quality is high, so it would be my favorite brewery in Gothenburg and the amazing Ocean Brewery. Favorte beer from that brewery is the great english IPA in form of the Ocean India Pale Ale;

Cheers.

April news at Akkurat

2008-04-08T00:51:00.004+02:00

You might not always notice these lists outside Akkurat (if you are not a smoker also, :-)). But anyway here is the planned list for Akkurat in April. And if you have missed it, Akkurat is one of the best pubs/bars in Sweden and probably the world (beeradvocate rating).

Something to look forward for?, well Harviestoun always marks out the coming of spring and summer together with Dark Star, and what about some Avery Reverand on draught (now when the list is getting to the end at Oliver Twist, it is time for Akkurat to strike back, :-) ).

New Beer: How about some "Imperial Mild"

2008-04-08T00:20:00.004+02:00

So what do you think about the continued struggle by US breweries to do everything Imperial?

I thought I had seen everything, but what about this one that we sampled at our latest trip to New York, an "Imperial Mild". Yes a Mild coming with a stunning flavor and around 11% ABV!.

Well I guess it mostly a joke and a try to describe the beer, compared to really trying to be a mild. But at least we found it quite amusing.

And yes if you are wondering, I know, I have been very lazy and have not found the time to add anything new at my little blog for a very long time. But now I am hopefully back again, and during the time I have been having quite a few beer experience that I will try to come back to; like our beer trip to NY and the 1st Manhattan Craft Beer Festival, a "little" beer festival on long island, great new Swedish real ales from Sundsvall, great new draught US-beers at Oliver Twist (Avery is the king), getting closer to the beer mayhem at OT in May, just started to plan for the New England Beer trip during the summer, great new beers from Dugges and Ocean, new favorite beer bars in NY etc etc etc.

Link to the beer at beeradvocate; http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1635/41832 (Seems so new that is has still no rating, but is according to them a american barley wine, seems more approriate than a mild)

Bistro Double IPA Festival

2008-02-14T22:59:00.004+01:00

The yearly Double IPA festival has been held once more over at Bistro, San Fran, California.

And as normal I which I had the time to actually be there, sigh!!

Närke Kulturbryggeri Festival: Missed a hit

2008-02-12T22:10:00.000+01:00

Well I have really nothing to report except that I missed the Närke brewery festival at Akkurat, yes the whole weekend. I had to go on a business trip so I had to leave all the great beers from Örebro to the rest of the beer community at Akkurat and instead drink "Stor Stark" for 50 SEK in Åre!. So the only thing I have is the menu!.

For those enjoying this event you could drink amazing things like;

1. Stormaktsporter from 2005!!!
2. "!", An Old Ale at 8% ABV

etc etc. Well a classic that I missed but anyway it was a hit (500l was served during a few days) and hopefully Akkurat will have the great taste to have a rerun in a close future,

please?

Never mind the Bollox!: Swedish Imperial IPA

2008-02-12T21:34:00.000+01:00

Today it was time for a new beer in the form of a American styled Imperial or Double India Pale Ale and a new masterpiece from the brewery in Mölndal.

What I am talking about is the new Bollox! beer from Dugges Ale & Porterbryggeri. It has been served in Gothenburg for a couple of weeks now, but it is now time for Stockholm and the North branch of the Bishops Arms chain.

Dugges is most often a great brewery, simply that you get everything you want as a beer geek; new inventions, no restrictions, always a new type of beer, never boring, always something to wait for, much of everything etc etc etc.

The problem with bigger craft breweries is that they tend to start sticking with the big sellers and develop on that, and as a beer geek you instead tend to like the smaller craft breweries simply because they bring you something new every week or month or quarter.

So now it seems that Dugges has continued the success of the Bollox! branch, which is still a US-inspired IPA with bitter dry hopped aroma hops with tons of Centennial, or simply as the brewery says;

"No bullshit, this is the bollox!"

The new beer is the same beer with the same type of sweetnes with tons of hops but developed in the same category as Imperial IPAs (at least inspired) as "Russian River Pliny the Elder" or "Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA".

A very dark amber color with a steady white head, sweetnes comes first and when the beers matures in the glass & gets warmer you get a malty bitterners and warmness from the alcohol (9.2 ABV), and finally it explodes in hops touches. Simply a Swedish hop monster that will be a hit among the beer geeks, or at least the hop heads.

It is not up in hop heaven (cheers to pliny!), but as for a Swedish beer and for a brewery as Dugges (1 person) it is a big achievement and it is always great to have a hop buzz not only all the way over at the US.

You can close you eyes and you could believe that you are sitting drinking a US ADIPA at Barcade or Toronado or at a local brewery in Southern California.

So thumbs up for Dugges and it looks like 2008 will be a great new beer year, so whats next?, at least we are waiting for the "Perfect Idjit!".

The new cupboard...

2008-02-10T22:31:00.000+01:00

The new cupboard has arrived, so now we can finally get some order again in the increasing number of beer glasses. Feels great to have a place to store all the glasses that you "need".

So the cupboard is now divided into four different categories;

1. US Beer pints
2. Large & small tasters
3. Belgian lambic glasses
4. Assorted glasses from Stockholm beers

+ assorted belgian glasses for all kind of purposes.

QUICKTAKE: Middle Ages X Double India Pale Ale

2008-02-10T21:18:00.000+01:00

The Middle Ages X Double India Pale Ale was brewed once to celebrate the 10th anniversary and brewed in the style of an American Double IPA.

I purchased the beer in beginning at 2007 (Boston in feb during the extremen beer fest) and it has after that been stored until now. Seems that the beer was better than ever and it had matured good during the years (brewed in 2005 as the info on the site says) and with the 10% ABV it had the potential to store well.

It poured a deep copper & with a white head, smell was grapefruit aroma with a strong underlying bittering hoppy aroma, taste is also grapefruit with a bitterness to it, its rich & creamy with a slight alcohol bite. It is simply a great hoppy (Warrior?) ADIPA and it was worth wait and getting this beer all the way from Boston.

Finally the beer is a bit of a mystery for me, on the bottle design like the one at BeerAdvocate it says 1995 -- 2005, showing that the beer was done once in 05. But on my example this is removed and is not saying anything when it was actually brewed. So it seems maybe that the brewery has continued to do the beers after 2005?

VS.

Anyway a great DIPA that I will give 4+ on my beer scale. Seems that I have to check for more beers from this brewery when we get to New York in March.

QUICKTAKE: The beers from Skinners

2008-02-10T19:31:00.000+01:00

We have recently been enjoying real ales from both Rudgate and Skinners lately in Stockholm. Escpecially Skinners is a very good example for a great new brewery from Cornwall. Well "new", at least the brewery is quite new when it started up the business in 1997.

The brewery was started by Steve and Sarah Skinner in 1997 in Truro, Cornwall and they have quite quickly established themselves as one of the major craft breweries in the South-West. The brewery is family-run and operates all brewing in Truro and where they have a great selection of cask conditioned ales that has earned them prizes including twice Supreme champion of the South West and SIBA UK National Reserve Champion of Great Britain.

One of the fun part of the brewery is the quite hilarious labels that they use for the bottle design and also the beer name. What about; "Pennycomequick", "Jingle Knockers" or "Bishop Bills Truro Brew"? and these labels;

Served beers at OT that I have sampled so far is Skinners Keel Over and Skinners Figgys Brew.

The first one is a classic styled bitter, with a clear deep golden to amber colour and big white head, a decent real ale bitter. Second one is a darker bitter, copper in color and white head, a bit of hops with notes of malt, also very decent and drinkable.

The beers are not master pieces but they do decent drinkable beers that you can drink much of. Beers do not always need to be strong and hoppy and master pieces, some times you just feel for a drinkable beers and that is where breweries like Skinners have a place for me.

A strange beer from Carlsberg

2008-02-10T19:05:00.001+01:00

In the list of strange beers sampled this one from Carlsberg is probably on top 10. I recently found the bottle again when I was trying to get rid off all the stuff that due to some strange reasons you keep at home. I sampled this beer "19B" a few years back when Akkurat was having a beer sale and was selling beers that was coming to its end. I just remembered that the beer was drinkable but it was a bit unknown what beer it actually was, simply because it had passed its best form.

So does anyone know anything about this beer? Doing some searches on the web does not say much, at least I can not find the beer over at Ratebeer or BeerAdvocate so it must be quite rare.

Checking some more it seems that the beer is a export beer sold in Belgium and was a Dopplebock with around 7.5 ABV.

Some information I found at the Danish site says something like;

19B
Oprindelig lavet som Carlsbergs påskebryg i 1952. Den var mørk, markedet begyndte at efterspørge en lysere påskebryg. Derfor blev den erstattet. I stedet kom den til at hedde 19B og blev eksportøl.

More of the Danish beers in Stockholm (and some "bad" news)

2008-02-10T18:11:00.000+01:00

The Danish beer tour is still strong and alive around Stockholm. I can report a great beer experience over at the Mackinlay's Inn a few weeks back.

Available beers on draught from Denmark was the beers from Ølfabrikken. We sampled the amazing Rug IPA that was served in smaller glasses, mainly due to the very high price (85 SEK). But it was worth the price and the opportunity to have such a great beer also here in Stockholm.
This beer has been my favorite one from this brewery and it was also a hit to drink it locally.

It has a dark mahogny color with a small white head. A strong hoppy taste and flavor with hints of orange, apricot touches. It is strong and hoppy, but in the same time very balanced and I really like the extremely bitter finish.

During the time I started to write this entry I saw some very disturbing news regarding the future of the brewery. It seems in short that the brewery has been bought by the Gourmetbryggeriet (GB). What this actually means is a bit uncertain but it seems that it has been taken over in a deal that has not been appreciated by all parties, at least it seems so based on the bitter comments.

The co-founder Christian Skovdal Andersen has suddenly decided to leave the company and what GB wants with the brewery is very uncertain. This does not sound so great, bad news, especially now when it seemed that everything went so well with the brewery. It was becoming a world hit, with good ratings both around Europe and also especially in the US.

I am not sure want it means, but the fact that the site http://www.olfabrikken.dk has been shut down maybe is saying something what the future will be???

More entries about this news:

1. "This is the end of ölfabrikken"
2. What happened to ölfabrikken
3. Ölfabrikken offline

More Danes in Stockholm

2008-01-23T20:50:00.000+01:00

+ = Hygge

During next week and starting at January 29th there will be a Danish beer and food week at Bishop Arms North in Stockholm. This seems to be more of the good trend that we get more and more collaboration between our neighbohod countries regarding craft beers.

The planned beers for this events as reported by bk and c from Bishop Arms looks as follows;

On draught:

Bryghuset Braunstein: Porter, Pilsner, Amber lager & Viking IPA.

On the bottle:

Ølfabrikken: Cream Ale, Pale Ale, Rug IPA, Porter & Brown Ale.
Nørrebro: Skärgårds Porter, New York lager & Ravnsborg Red.

These beers will also be served with Danish food and especially a setup of different "Smørrebrød".

Närke Beer Festival at Akkurat

2008-01-20T13:00:00.000+01:00

(Quote based and translated on information from bk);

"Akkurat as the first bar in the world will have a small "Närkefestival" and will have up to 12 draft beers with up to 7 different served simultaneously. This will start on Thursday Jan 24 at 17.00 & will continue as long as beers is available.

The beer from Närke Kulturbryggeri will be;

!
Anders Göranssons Bästa Rököl
Black Goldings
Närke Sim-Ko
Kll’n v f n d’vill
Riktigt Jävla Mörker (Cask)
Riktig Örebro Styrian Bitter (Cask)
Örebro Bitter
Närke Slättöl
Närke Mörker
Max Goldings 2007
Stormaktsporter 2005!!! "

This seems to be a great initiative from the world famous beer bar in Stockholm and with a brewery that is getting better and better during the years. Örebro Bitter is a classic beer now, anyway feels like it. And the latest US-inspired beers of Sim-Ko and Kll’n v f n d’vill are both really quality and fun beers.

Damn, of course it seems that I will miss this event due to work and a planned trip to Åre. Well I hope those that can get there on Thursday will have a great time.

Spring US Beer Festival 08: The result

2008-01-18T23:57:00.000+01:00

I reported earlier (What about a beer festival in 08?) that we were planning a spring beer festival somewhere in the US. It was a bit difficult but mainly due to the exact timing and a reasonable distance from Europe during a extended weekend we finally came up with a suitable place. Yes, I know there are plenty of great beer and breweries on the west coast (like Portland that has been mentioned in some of the comments I got) and other places in the country but this year the journey will take us to;

The Spring Craft Beer Festival, Uniondale, Ny; March 29 + that we are also planning a short stop over at the 1st Manhattan Cask Ale Festival@Chelsea that I just stumbled upon a few days ago.

This will be great, a couple of beer festival and then the rest of the time heading for some beer journeys to my favorite places like;

1. Barcade, at 388 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, ******

2. Blind Tiger Ale House, at 281 Bleecker Street, *****

3. Mugs Ale House, at 125 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, ****

4. Ginger Man, The, 11 East 36th Street, ****

5. CB Six, at 252 East 51st Street, ***

6. Spuyten Duyvil, at 359 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn ***

Sadly the earlier number 3 spot; The Collins Bar, at 735 8th Ave. @ 46th St., as I earlier reported is no more so we can not start the trail anymore over at this amazing little place close to Times square.

But I guess we can live with House Of Brews - W. 51st Street close to the hotel. And hopefully some other places can be included that we have not visited in NY before.

Some sad news I missed from NY

2008-01-15T22:44:00.000+01:00

When I was planning today for our spring New York beer trip (yes it became NY this time) and was checking for the better bars close to the hotel I stumpled over some really sad and disturbing news.

One of my favorite NY-draft-beer-bars in central manhattan is no more.

What I am talking about is the "The Collins Bar", on 8th Avenue, just a single block west of Times Square has been closed down.

This happened in the end of July 07 simply because the whole block has been sold by the landlord and the building will be torned down. The plan seems to be building condos or similar.

This is really upsetting, it was simply a great place and a natural spot to start your NY-adventures in central manhattan.

So what should we do now?, where should we go when Collins is no more?

Anyway it has been a joy to be able to spend some great US draft beer hours at this place. And it feels fine that we at least had the chance to spend a last time when we visited NY last May.

It was also fun that the first time you just happened to stumple over the place as the first bar found just a few hours after arriving in NY and discovering that we had a amazing place just minutes from our hotel across the street.

The Gotham Imbiber reports at the blog that they had a farewell party at the end of July. Seems that they had a great time and closed with pride.

Lets see if they have the chance in a distant future to start up a similar place somewhere else in NY, at least the new spot for Blind Tiger turned out very well (talking about places being closed down and moved simply because they could not stay and instead replaced with a other Starbucks!).

So I am raising my glass a last time for this great place; rest in peace.

OB Ten FIDY in Denmark

2008-01-13T00:32:00.000+01:00

Just saw that Oskar Blues Ten FIDY Imperial Stout is currently available over at Ølbutikken in Copenhagen. That is really good news for the Danes and for us up here in Scandinavia. So now I understand where the OB Ten FIDY maybe came from when it was spotted over at Akkurat today, at least that is my theory.

From the site it says;

Navn: Ten FIDY
Bryggeri: Oskar Blues Land: USA Øltype: Stout
Indhold: 330 ml Alkohol: 9,4 % Pris: 52 kr
Beskrivelse:
Dåseøl!!

Well 52 kr for this amazing beer, that is really a bargain. Imperial Stout pouring as motor oil in a can, great stuff!!.

For learning some Danish, it seems that "Dåseøl" means a beer on a can (burköl in Swedish).

QUICKTAKE: Southern Tier Imperial Oat

2008-01-10T23:28:00.001+01:00

Well it seems that it did not take long for me before it was time for a US extreme beer. I actually tonight tried a pils from Germany and a english real ale. But anyway we had to try the new beer from Southern tier, at least over at our favorite place in the world (OT).

This beer is really completely pitch black with a dark tan with a very tight lacing. The aroma is of rich toffee, coffee and some sort of dried fruit and a very alco warming ending. It comes with a very hop character to bring balance to the extremelly strong roasted malty end. It finishes somewhat sweet´and that tells me about the oat compared to a "normal" thick imperial stout. Except that it is mainly a Imperial Stout compared to a "traditional" out-based stout. The difference is mainly the sweetnes, otherwise it is a US-inspired stout in the Imperial category.

This is a really big one in every way and not for the faint of heart. At the end it is really a complex beer and a other new example of a great beer from the southern tier brewery.

I promised myself to test other types of beer this year, but still the US-Imperial Stouts are very good and one of the best beer styles you can end a evening with.

Based on my scale I would give it a 5- or similar, together with Thirsty Dog Siberian Night Imperial Stout and Bells Expedition Stout that are still my favorite Imperial Stouts.

And what about this one? Mikkeller & FFF?

2008-01-08T21:28:00.000+01:00

A new beer project for 2008 from the brewers of Mikkeller and Three Floyds.

2 brewers of extreme beers combined in a single beer, can it be any better?, well lets see after the summer of 08.

Mikkellers own glass...

2008-01-08T20:50:00.000+01:00

is now available through the brewery. Nice huh?

According to Mikkel himself the glass is inspired by the belgian brewery; De Dolle Boruwers in Belgium (one of my favorite belgium breweries).

And checking a example from the belgian brewery it looks really like that. Seems like a very good choice for such amazing beers, both from Denmark and Belgium.

Simply a great glass to sample great beers with, I can not wait to try to get hold of my own example.

Mikkeller meets Nøgne Ø

2008-01-08T20:29:00.000+01:00

Read over at the Nøgne beer site that is now seems that everything is settled that Mikkeller the brewery from Denmark will get over to the Norwegian brewery in the beginning of 2008.

The brewer Mikkel Borg Bjersø is going to brew 2 batches of Mikkellers own styles (Beer Geek Breakfast) and also a guest brew together with Kjetil Jikiun (head brewer) at Nøgne.

Seems that this collaboration between these great brewers can be very interesting, anyway it is reported already that a a huge order of fruit is already placed by the brewer.

This news has also been recognized over at Mikkellers own blog; Mikkel(ler)'s Blog.

Nøgne Ø hits Hollywood...

2008-01-08T20:05:00.000+01:00

I could not stop myself, but it is always fun to see your favorite Scandinavian beers and breweries out there in the "real world".

So here is a picture that I got through Hair of the Dog Dave blog and from a beer shop in Los Angeles (Vendome Toluca Lake, 10600 Riverside Dr North Hollywood,CA, if you interested)

So Portland, Hollywood etc, what can be be next?, for this great brewery from Norway.

If you do not spot the bottle, it is the bottle with the green circle (it is the Winter Ale), third bottle from the left.

Here is the same beer from a other shop in California, next together with a Mikkeller.

The Beer Hunter: for download

2008-01-04T21:11:00.000+01:00

All of the episodes from the Michael Jackson "The Beer Hunter" series can currently be downloaded from here;

link

All originally produced and shown during 88/89, what I remember.

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy earns "2007 Beer of the Year" Honor

2008-01-03T23:51:00.000+01:00

Saw that one of my favorite beers all categories for 2007 has been awarded the beer of the year over at the Denver Post.

Yes, I surely agree with them saying;

Ten Fidy Imperial Stout comes roaring out of the revered Oskar Blues Brewery just in time to warm the Colorado winter. As the late Country Dick Montana of The Beat Farmers used to say, it's just the man for the job, with alcohol by volume at a bristling 10 percent. Don't be scared off by the can -- all of Oskar Blues' outstanding brews are packaged in metal.

The pour on this bad boy is rich and viscous, with a head like chocolate icing. The aroma is full of coffee and cocoa, and those hearty flavors wrap nicely around the hops and malt for a smooth, roasty fullness.

The oats used in the brewing process give Ten Fidy a satisfying roundness in the mouth. A hint of molasses balances the barleywine-like 98 International Bitterness Units. The high alcohol content is barely noticeable on the tongue (but trust me, have a driver or call a cab).

OB also report for those lucky ones that a small batch of FIDY (in cans and kegs) will reach some bars and stores in some other US-states in January.

So I guess it will be just luck if some FIDY would turn up over here in Sweden, sigh. I had the last can from my fridge during the New Year beer sampling, so now I can only try to remember how it tasted, :-).

My Own Beer Resolutions for 08

2008-01-03T23:08:00.000+01:00

Just read a nice little entry over at "The Beer Retard" regarding his resolutions for the new year. And inspired by this I had to create my own.

2007 was also I great beer year for me. I finally got myself together and actually started to write at least something here at my blog. I visited all the major beer festival that I got the change to attend, meaning Copenhagen, GBBF, Stockholm Beer and finally GABF in Denver. I will not forget those experiences.

Plus that a few smaller festivals or happenings like a small real ale fest in London in april and the Swedish\Danish challange in June. Even visited New York over the weekend and visited the favorites pubs plus a few new ones, among the amazing Barcade bar that is now on my top 5 list of favorite pub all categories.

Continued my stupid habit of taking a photo of each beer I drink and publish it on the web!, yes I know it is very geeky stuff.

I had amazing beers and really got stuck with all the IPAs, IIPAS, Imperial Stouts etc that I sampled both in the US, but also got the opportunity to drink them back home over at Oliver Twist (thanks Jugge). Discovered new breweries like Green Flash, Moylan, The Tap, Laughing Dog, Oggis.

Best beer experience all categories;

"Drinking a draught Oak Aged Gordon in Lyons and OB during a very sunny day and the GABF week, we never wanted to leave!".

To add something to that experience it was also the same day that they released "Ten FIDY Imperial Stout" on a can!

Anyway based on that, how about 2008?, well here is my own Beer Resolutions for 2008:

1. Continue to buy a read more beer books and to learn more.

2. Several beer trips but this will hopefully be the smaller festivals year and I will not focus only on the big ones. The smaller are often more pleasant and you have the possibility to actually enjoy the beers and the breweries.

3. Plan and hopefully also get to New England for a longer beer travel experience during the summer.

4. Continue with the blog and trying to expand my thoughts and writing, meaning not just about all the beer I drink.

5. Pay more attention to less hoppy styles of beer (copied from the beer retard)

6. Try more beer styles and find new beer countries that I have not experienced so much before, has been the case before but the last 2 years I have been stuck so much with US beers. This years I recon that I will give a new try with German beers, but also maybe check some beers from Argentina and even Japan. The German experience has already been started in smaller scale.

7. Try to actually drink beers from my beer collection that I bring home, and not just store them, that can be done by others, meaning pubs and other establishments.

8. And finally come back to Barcade!

Thats it.