Pensacola Bay Li'l Napoleon IPA

Brewery: Pensacola Bay Brewery
Location: Pensacola, FL
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.3%
Price: $6.99

Continuing my exploration of Florida's finest, today's review comes from Pensacola Bay Brewery. This brewery is located in the heart of Pensacola's historic district. In fact, it's the city's first full-scale brewery since prohibition, and for a while, they were not actually allowed to sell beer on their premises. So, to get around the laws, patrons could buy the glass (empty) and receive free beer. Not a bad deal!

I picked up Li'l Napoleon from Total Wine in Jacksonville. This is actually my first taste of anything from Pensacola; so I was quite eager to give it a go!

The aroma is pretty mild. There are hints of hops on the nose, but there's nothing overwhelming. I was pretty surprised at how absent the aroma is given that it's an IPA--a style that usually has a strong aroma.

For everything the nose is lacking, the flavors make up. Li'l Napoleon is a citrus punch in the face. Lots of hop-bitterness, citrus freshness, and not a whole lot anything else (and that's not a bad thing). Very little sweetness or malt to speak of beyond the fructose-like-flavors that come from the citrus profile. The finish is crisp, clean, and slightly dry. Overall satisfying and exactly what I'm looking for in an IPA.

As I mentioned above, this is my first beer from Pensacola Bay and it definitely doesn't disappoint. Li'l Napoleon is just an old fashioned American IPA and that's all it tries to be. I appreciate the fact that Pensacola Bay Brewery didn't try to be too experimental with this. It's exactly what a solid IPA is supposed to taste like. It's hoppy. It's floral. It's refreshing. What more do you need from an IPA?

A Gallon of the South Carolina Coast: HopArt

The following post is a guest review from a good buddy, Russell Radel. Craft beer is as much about the fellowship and community as it is the beer. I welcome multiple perspectives and contributions to this blog. If you would like to share your thoughts, reviews or opinions on a beer, brewery, or bar, simply contact me or leave a comment below. Cheers!

As a Christmas gift I got a free growler fill at Community Tap (@communitytap) in Greenville, SC. I was excited to get something new to me from my home state to see what I had been missing in my time in Jacksonville (4 years strong!). An exciting brewery, Coast Brewing (@coastbrewing) from the Charleston area had an offering called HopArt IPA, a 7.7 ABV beer that by the look of the label and description from the brewer promised to be an assertively balanced brew. Sign me up!

So I dove in, a gallon growler to explore, one persistent man to explore it.
First glass: "Thank goodness it is as advertised!" Drank it fast, can't even tell its 7.7!!

Second glass: the brew really opens as it hits optimum temp. both in the (light for an IPA) nose and the sweet yet fresh hoppy flavor.

Break...

Back to it, and No I won't go through all 10 or so glasses. Fast forward to the last...I am really glad one of my favorite towns has a brewery with such promise. From the idea to the execution of this beer, I think they hit on all marks! If you like higher gravity but beautifully balanced IPAs that impress with their focus on fresh, bright, clean flavors with no overpowering features, find you some HopArt. You might just find a promising new southern brewery to accelerate South Carolina's love for homemade drinks (see the history of Whiskey and Moonshine!)

If you get a chance...Drink it! And follow me on Twitter for more of my explorations @RadelRA

Bold City Roxy's Finest Imperial Cream Ale

Brewery: Bold City Brewery
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Style: Imperial Cream Ale
ABV: 10.1%
Price: $10/4pk

Jacksonville's craft beer scene has exploded in the last few years, thanks in large part to Bold City for introducing quality hand-crafted beer to North Floridians. Since Bold City opened its doors just a few years ago, Jacksonville has experienced a nice increase in the number of breweries, beer bars, and stores--and the beer scene has only just begun! Bold City has been, and still is, the foundation of Jacksonville's craft beer identity.

Roxy's Finest Imperial Cream Ale was released in four packs of 12 ounce bottles. This is a treat for locals because the brewery mainly sells only bombers and 12 packs. So this smaller package is a welcomed sight for people who don't want to commit to a 12-pack or are scared off by bombers.

Roxy's Finest pours a nice and hazy golden hue. The aroma is lacking--there's just not much there. There's a faint smell of yeast and alcohol, but it's not all that arousing.

The taste is full of booze. It actually took me a few sips to distinguish anything beyond the mildly sweet alcohol flavor. Once I was able to move past the booze, I got hints of banana, yeast, and malt, but the flavor profile is pretty one-dimensional and way too boozy. The mouthfeel is quite syrupy, which is to be expected with a cream ale. Unfortunately, the taste isn't desirable enough for me to want my mouth coated with syrup of this flavor.



This imperial cream ale is pretty much a stronger version of their Killer Whale Cream Ale. The profiles are nearly identical; the imperial simply has more of everything. So, if you are a fan of Killer Whale, you'll probably enjoy this. Sadly, I am not a fan of either.

I appreciate what Bold City has attempted with Roxy's Finest Imperial Cream Ale. I like that they are venturing out and experimenting with what they already have. And despite my tasting notes, I will never tell a brewery to shy away from high gravity beers. Bold City is certainly going in the right direction; this one just didn't do it for me. Regardless, Bold City has become a local staple and I look forward to trying whatever concoctions they come up with in the future.

Terrapin Hop-Karma Brown IPA

Since my relocation to North Florida, I must admit that I have spent most of my time exploring locally brewed concoctions and have not ventured beyond the Sunny State all that much. Recently, however, I have been turned on to Terrapin and have been mostly glad with what I've discovered.

Terrapin Beer Co., out of Athens, GA, used to produce Hop-Karma under a different name (India Style Brown Ale). Wisely, they moved away from the former name (because it was just plain boring) and gave this beer a spunky new title. There's a fun little Indian-inspired design on the label that caught my attention and interest. So, kudos to the Terrapin marketing team for designing something fun and interesting!

Now to see if that same spunk was found inside the bottle.

Hop-Karma Brown IPA's aroma is full of roasty malts and something sweet--caramel, chocolate, and molasses maybe. I can also smell a hint of fresh hops, but I only detected it after I took a couple of sips. No doubt, the smell is overpowered by the malts and sugar notes.

The taste is far more complex than the smell. Sure, there are flavors of roasted malts, caramel, and molasses on the front end of the taste, but those flavors are quickly washed away with a citrus kick from the hops. The flavor finishes with a touch of bitterness and dryness, but leaves a unique after-taste that is very pleasant. There are echos of orange peels and chocolate flavors that linger--it is really quite enjoyable.

This is a well-balanced beer that has the best of all worlds. Hop-Karma Brown IPA is a beer that will please hop-heads and malt-bomb lovers alike. It's not too heavy and at just 6% ABV, it's not too dangerous either. There's not much to complain about with this one. It's a beer with which I could easily keep the fridge stocked.

Cheers!

Stone's Enjoy By 12.21.12 IPA doesn't Disappoint (Even if the Mayans Did)

BREAKING NEWS: The Mayans couldn't foresee their own demise let alone ours. Today is the well-hyped apocalyptic day, or as I call it, Friday. If you are just emerging from your underground bunker, I hope this review prompts you to grab a cold one and celebrate being alive today. And tomorrow. Until the day you die.

Following Stone's instructions, I cracked this bottle open last night to avoid the bottle's expiration date of 12.21.12. Stone made it very clear that this is meant to be enjoyed immediately and one should not plan to cellar any for later. As soon as I popped the top, I understood where Stone is coming from. The scents immediately escape the bottle as if it had literally just been brewed and bottled. Indeed, this is one you NEED to enjoy fresh.

This double IPA pours a slightly hazy amber color, which is quite beautiful. There are some amazingly fresh and citrus scents on the nose--very green. Not so much piny as it is citrusy, and I also catch a scent similar to fresh-cut grass.

The earthy, grass-like, scents come through on the flavor, though there's a sweetness that is very unexpected. I am reminded of sugar-covered grapefruits. The flavors are pretty complex. The body is surprisingly heavy with an almost syrup-like mouthfeel that coats the tongue, letting the flavors hang around and linger awhile until you take the next sip.

The front of the palate is hit hard with the freshness of the hops, but then there is an intense wave of sugar, citrus, and malt that complete the taste. It should also be noted that I tasted this with a buddy homebrewer who immediately picked out the Amarillo hops that dominate this beer's flavor profile. This also explains why this is not nearly as bitter as one would expect from a DIPA coming from Stone.

This is a really solid beer. I recommend sharing this with any friends who are turned off by IPAs that are "too bitter." This one is a crowd pleaser. It's also 9.4% which pleases the crowd even more!

So, here's to Stone's Enjoy By and to the world not ending.

Craft Beer and Twitter: Friends among Strangers

Last night I met a few people out at a couple local brewpubs in Jacksonville Beach. Sounds like a typical night, right? The interesting thing about last night is that I was meeting people for the first time; people whom I have never met; people from various locations across the State of Florida; No, this wasn't some sort of weird online dating event. This was purely a social get together with a bunch of beer geeks who share a common interest, made possible by Twitter.

Twitter has connected me with people who I would otherwise probably never meet. And this got me thinking about how amazingly unique it is to commonly meet absolute strangers and know you share a common interest or hobby before you ever shake hands.

When I moved to Jacksonville in June 2012, I was still fairly new to Twitter. I only had 67 followers, most of whom were colleagues and beer nerds in Houston. Once I got to Florida, I did a simple Twitter search: "Craft beer AND Florida." Through this search, I discovered two Twitter handles: @SuwanneeRefugee and @Floribrew. I read their profiles, read their blogs, and most importantly, saw that they also loved craft beer! I immediately followed their Twitter feeds and though they had no clue who I was, they followed me in return (a common courtesy in the Twitter world).

Twitter feeds act as spiderwebs that connect various users to other users--many times complete strangers--based on common themes and interests. In six months, my network of followers on Twitter has exploded and I have met several people from the Sunshine State who, like me, have turned their hobby into a way of life. At some point last night I realized how amazing it was that I was sitting at a table among complete strangers and yet it felt as though we had all known each other for years. Everyone shared bits about their past, their passions, and of course, their love for craft beer. Some brought their homebrew while others shared bottles from their favorite breweries.

In what other setting does this happen? When else do people feel comfortable sitting at the same table with utter strangers? Even better was the fact that by the end of the night, there were no strangers among us. Only friends.

I heard this saying once and think it's an appropriate way to describe the Twitter culture: Facebook is all the people you know and can't stand and Twitter is all the people you don't know and wish you did. I'd say that's pretty accurate; however, I am glad that I got to meet some of those Twitterfolk last night.

Here are some people on Twitter you should follow (just to name a few):

• SuwanneeRefugee
• Floribrew
• JenHawk78
• GrassLandsBrew
• Apostlebrewing
• beer_chris
• DailyBeerReview

Brothers' Reserve: Kill Devil Brown Ale (Widmer Brothers)

Despite my best efforts to stay objective, I approached this beer with fairly low expectations. Every review I have seen or heard has been sub-par; most bloggers' reviews have cited disappointment and letdown. And then I tasted Kill Devil for myself and remembered an important fact about craft beer: like art, beer speaks to each person differently based one's palate and personal preference.

But in case you still don't trust your own palate, I'll lend you mine for the moment.

I picked up a bottle of Kill Devil from Beer:30 in Jacksonville. The aroma is incredibly sweet. There's definitely a hint of rum, but the sweetness is pretty overpowering.

Like the aroma, the taste is very sweet. I was actually a bit surprised at how sugar-forward this is on the tongue. Reminds me of sugar cane juice I drank in Egypt. Beyond the sugar-forward introduction in your mouth, there are heavy amounts of molasses and caramel flavors that are followed by an unmistakable rum profile, which is my favorite part about this beer. The rum comes through even more as the beer warms and the low-moderate carbonation also helps create a solid rum finish. I recommend letting this one sit for about 10 minutes after you've taken it out of the fridge.


This is a sugar-rum-molasses-malt-bomb in a glass. It's really quite enjoyable and really serves as a nice winter warmer. The 9.5% ABV brings a good amount of heat that picks up as the glass warms. The biggest problem I have with this beer is the amount of sugar that comes through. Although I really enjoyed the taste, I'm not sure I could drink more than a glass due to its sweetness.

If you like rum, brown ales, fun dip, or rock candy, this beer is right up your alley.

Click here to watch the brewery's promotional clip about the Kill Devil.

Cheers!

Westvleteren XII US Release: Gone before it was ever Released?

Westvleteren XII is regarded by many as being the best beer on this planet. It has a perfect 100 rating on both beeradvocate.com and ratebeer.com. It has been voted as the #1 beer by several beer and consumer polls. This Belgian Abbey is brewed by monks (literally) and has been making the world's highest rated beer since 1940.
Westvleteren XII has never reached American soil (legally) until now. Less than 8000 six packs, or gift packs (each six pack will include two souvenir glasses), have been distributed to the US and many of these gift packs will be sold at the chain, Total Wine and More for a whopping $85--many believe this is actually a good deal.
As the news spread, many people jumped with joy in anticipating. I imagine beernerds around the country were shouting, "The Westies are coming! The Westies are coming!" No longer do little boys and girls need to hope for a beer trade with Santa. On December 12, anyone who stands in line at their local TWM at least has a shot at purchasing their own six pack of the Holy (again, literally) juice. At least that's what everyone was told.
After announcing TWM would be selling the beer in 9 states on 12.12.12, some stores actually sold some of the gift packs early. Beerstreetjournal.com reported that several Total Wine stores sold the gift packs on December 1st--nearly two weeks early! This has upset many and left others wondering whether the stores will even have any to sell on the 12th.
Like I have seen so many times, this looks like a classic case of store employees taking cases home for themselves and selling the rest to their friends. It's another example of a highly anticipated beer release going out to the people on the inside, leaving the average folk like you and me left with our hearts broken and mouths watering.

Hoppin Frog Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale

First, I will just address the elephant in the room when it comes to pumpkin ales. 1) they are often over-hyped and 2) it's hard not to compare every one of them to Pumpking (there I go over-hyping it).

I enjoyed this from a 22oz bomber and poured into a Brooklyn snifter. The appearance is a brilliant copper hue which is exactly how a pumpkin ale should look. The head quickly dissipated and there is no trace of any lacing in the glass.

The aroma makes you want to dive right in. Lots of sugary sweetness and spices. The taste follows suit. The pumpkin flavor takes the lead but is balanced nicely by the different spices. The finish is a bit sticky and pretty sweet with just a hint of the alcohol. I would never have guessed the ABV to be over 8% on this. The booze is masked well.

Overall, this is a solid pumpkin ale that is probably a bit over-priced for the quality. The mouthfeel is a tad too watery and more viscosity wouldn't hurt. If this were $7-$8 a bomber, it would easily be one of the best seasonals on the shelf. Regardless, it's still above average and in my top 5 pumpkin ales. I would love to try the barrel aged version of this!

Serving type: bottle

Brau Brothers Rye Wyne Ale

I am SO glad I got a bottle of this from a buddy who is from the area.  I cellared the bottle for a few months before opening and think this could probably sit for a good year or two before it peaks. But, that is way too long for me to wait...and I never was a fan of patience.

Poured into a 10 oz. snifter. The smell is wonderful. Tons of whiskey, malt, vanilla, and oak. Not much head, but the color is a bit murky, but still enticing. The mouthfeel is pretty carbonated, which I could use less of. However, that is ok because the taste is as good as the aroma. The whiskey is down-played in comparison to the smell, but it's definitely a main component of the profile.

Let this one warm. I started drinking it right out of the fridge. After about 20 minutes, the characteristics of this brew really come out. I got a lot more whiskey and wood flavors as it warmed. The malt sweetness really is a great balance to the harsh booziness (which I am quite partial to).Point blank: if you're in the Northern Mid-west and can score a bottle, try and get at least two or three so you can try some now and save the rest for a rainy day.

Overall, this is an awesome beer. And for what it's worth, I preferred this over Boulevard's Rye-on-Rye (which I look forward to trying again now that they've been in the cellar for about a year).

I need to shout out @Apostlebrewing for sharing Rye Wyne with me!

Serving type: bottle

Sweetwater Festive Ale

Brewed just once a year and with 8.5% alcohol, this is is a winter seasonal that is beginning to gain quite a large following. Before moving to Florida, I was fairly unfamiliar with SweetWater and have been sampling each of their beers as they've come my way. Festive is my favorite beer out of the Atlanta brewery thus far; though I have only had a handful to date (420, Blue, IPA, Road Trip). This beer was reviewed in the Beer Advocate Magazine (issue #39) and this quote really sums up why I like this beer: "Happy to see more beefed-up versions of the Winter Warmer style? Do you want a mouthful of pie spices, or do you want to drink a beer?" I'll take the latter, Alex, for 300.

Festive Ale is definitely a beer, and it is a good example of what happens when you have a quality beer that is adequately spiced to meet the needs of a particular style. Festive is full of the usual Christmas ale suspects--cinnamon, nutmeg, and some dark fruits. However, there's substance beyond all the spices.

The body is mildly frothy, but there's enough carbonation to let you know this is definitely not a stout. The taste includes all of the spices, but is much sweeter than I expected. Very malty with a burnt sugar flavor. I also get brown sugar and a tad of chocolate. The alcohol is prevalent near the finish and the label "winter warmer" is quite appropriate.

Overall, I really enjoyed this beer and will probably sit on a bottle or two for next year to do a side-by-side next year.