Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Grandaddy of Double Whites

I made my semi-annual visit to downtown bars the other night and found myself looking at Anodyne's bottle selection for something interesting, as the draft selection rarely changes and what is on tap is hardly exciting. I was surprised to see bottles of Double White from Southampton Publick House, a New York brewery that is probably best known for popularizing the "Imperial Witbier" style (is that even an official style?). Fans of Marble's Double White should be on the lookout for this GABF Silver medal winning beer, as it was an inspiration for Ted Rice to brew his own version of the style. Do a side by side comparison of the two beers; compare and contrast, if you will. Use in place of champagne for that morning Mimosa. I haven't noticed it sold anywhere but Anodyne, but I also haven't been to any stores since my downtown excursion, so it may be in stores right now. Anyway, you're probably getting growlers filled today and not worrying about bottled beers, but thought you should know anyway. Enjoy your holiday!

Friday, November 15, 2013

New Bastards Friday

Tis the season for the annual release of Double Bastard from Stone Brewing Co., though this year we have three exciting variations on the regular version. There are numbers involved here, so pay attention, please: first up is Southern Charred, 2012 Double Bastard blend with 51% of the beer aged in bourbon barrels for 10 months, 41% aged in second-use bourbon barrels for 13 months (the first use was for the Suitable for Cave Aging beer, a tribute to GABF cellarmaster Danny Williams), and the final 8% aged for 10 months in charred oak barrels. Got all that? My head is throbbing like I already chugged one of these 12.6% monsters.
Next is Crime, which uses the popular once released Lukcy Basartd (blend of Arrogant Bastard, OAKED Arrogant Bastard, and Double Bastard), ages it in bourbon barrels, and adds a particularly nasty-sounding blend of peppers: red and green jalapenos, black Nagas, Carribean red hots, and Moruga scorpions and fatalis. And you seriously expect me to drink that? I wouldn't even want to try a salsa with those ingredients. Those of you less wimpish than me might be excited about this one...I'll just have a sip.
Finally, Punishment is this year's Double Bastard aged in bourbon barrels and with the same hot pepper bill as Crime. I don't know what we did to piss Greg Koch off, but he is getting back at us with these firey blends. Keep some milk nearby and give these beers a go. Jubilation has all three for sale now.

Friday, November 8, 2013

New Beer Friday

Finally, a beer gets released at the time when people might actually want to drink it. November marks the month that Alaskan Brewing releases its classic Smoked Porter, and Albuquerque residents can finally buy it without leaving the state. Is it any good? The 6.5% ABV Smoked Porter has won medals at the Great American Beer Festival some 20 times, if that tells you anything. Olde English 800 has also won medals at the festival. You can find this legendary Porter at Jubilation and other well-stocked craft outlets.

And keeping with the mindset that an IPA will sell at any time of year, New Belgium has ditched its Snow Day winter seasonal in favor of Accumulation, a White IPA. I'm not the biggest fan of Winter Warmer styles like Jubelale or Isolation, as they always seem like Brown Ales with extra brown in them. However, those feel more in line for winter drinking than a White IPA, but what sells, sells. And New Belgium sells. And Mosaic and Amarillo hops together sound enticing. $7.99 a six-pack also sounds pretty good. White IPA might not be the first beer you think of reaching for when sitting in front of the fireplace, but at least you have the choice. Enjoy your weekend drinking!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

With Santa Fe Rents Soren, Marble's Tap Room Peters Out

Santa Fe is poised to lose one of the few reasons to visit there, as reported in the Santa Fe New Mexican:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/marble-brewery-gets-boot/article_e4cd2d30-ca09-5228-bd38-c2a794f59458.html
The article pretty much sums it up, so I won't bother with a follow-up sum-up. I did talk to Marble's Ted Rice (name spelled correctly in the article, unlike Marble President Jeff Jinnett's) and he seemed positive about the whole situation. Could Marble have something entirely outside of a Santa Fe location in the works? Could they be planning to put another tap room somewhere in Albuquerque, maybe in the Northeast Heights? Probably not- I have to make it clear that this is only me thinking that it would be a good idea- I haven't heard one rumor that they would ever do this. But it would be nice for residents up there, and it worked for other multi-unit local businesses. O'Niell's, for one. And Farina did it, but they only had to haul flour and mozzarella up there, not a bunch of heavy kegs. In any case, it will be sad for the locals who called the Santa Fe Tap Room their home bar, but Second Street and Santa Fe Brewing are nearby options.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Lobo Fans, Get Ready to Hurl?

Who isn't ready for some Lobo basketball??? I'll admit that at one time I got mad because the radio broadcast of the Lobo game superseded my usual nighttime AM show,Coast to Coast with George Noory. I had to rely on my friend Andreas to tell me of the daily UFO sightings. Funny how a lot of those happen around places with airports. And now that Coast to Coast is no longer here, I welcome the Lobo basketball broadcasts. Will I welcome the new Lobo beer? Come out to Kelly's Brewery for the coaches show to find out. Or keep reading:
I don't know, as I didn't buy any. Don't hold it against my school spirit, but I just had a feeling that the Lobo (5% ABV)and Lobo Lito (4% ABV), both products of the Pedernales Brewing Company out of Fredericksburg, TX, might not be what people were looking to read about on a "craft beer" page. But you thought it was just fine to write about a hoppy cider on this "craft beer" page, didn't you?? I did, evil Siri. And though I didn't try Lobo beer, I thought it might appeal to the college crowd reading this site. Instead of drinking the Lobo beers, I instead tried to gain my way into a party at Lobo Village armed with a six-pack of Lobo and Lobo Lito but was denied. Lobo beer may serve well to those who want to do a little pregame imbibing (without getting that DIPA coma by halftime feeling) before heading to the Pit to watch the Lobos defeat another opponent. Available at finer stores. Used Lobo 15 times in that post. I should get some free tickets.