Glory Days - A Reunion With An Old Friend

TBC The Princess IPA 
Breaker Brewing Co. / Wilkes-Barre, PA. / 8.9 ABV

First off let me apologize for not getting a beer review on here for a few weeks.  I had some technical difficulties with my laptop that made my monitor not work.  However, now I am up and running and ready to review a beer.

A few Saturday's ago, I had the chance to meet up with an old friend Warren "Savy" Savitz to catch up on things, have a few beers and to reminisce about our high school days.  If you remember the song Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen, our high school days would be it.  More on that is coming up.  After a few text messages, I decided that we should meet up at Breaker Brewery in Laurel Run at about 6:00 PM.  They have great beer made on the premises and the atmosphere is outstanding.  I had to decide because Warren lives in Tennessee and had no idea where to go.  The pressure was on so I wanted to pick a place where we could talk without screaming and a place that might not be too jammed.  Let me say I chose wisely.

At 6 we both arrived, met in the parking lot, shook hands and had a good man hug.  It has been a long time since our days back on Warren Avenue in Kingston, so we headed right in to sit down and catch up with a cold beer.  As we caught up, our conversation turned to drinking beer while we were underage.  When we were 16 years old, we bought our first two 6 packs of Pabst Blue Ribbon from a local establishment that was well known for serving minors.  I will not mention the name of the place to protect the innocent or would it be the guilty.  I will say that it was in North End Wilkes-Barre and had a reputation of giving beer to anyone.  I think if a baby crawled in there they would have sold beer to him or her.  I know back then, in 1974 or 75, the law did not crack down on underage drinking like they do now.  I think if Breaker served Pabst we would have gotten one just for old time sake.

Once we got the beer back home, we drank a few cans and then had to figure out what we were going to do with the rest.  As we sat and pondered, we came up with the idea of burying the beer behind my garage.  You might think that this was a dumb idea, however we had a master plan.  When it got dark, we snuck behind the garage and dug a hole about 3 feet deep.  The beer went in the hole in a small wooden crate like object and then we covered it with dirt, leaves and pine needles to make it match the surroundings.  It was brilliant!  Being underground kept the beer cool and we always knew where it was.  We also knew that no one really wanted to go back there because it was kinda spooky. It was the perfect place.  Neither one of us could remember whether we eventually got caught, but we did have a great laugh.

TBC The Princess

As the night went on, we talked more and more about our "Glory Days" of drinking beer at parties and at the beach in Wildwood among other things that I will not mention.  About half way through the evening, Warren asked me if The Beer Meister was going to review a beer.  I told him yes I was and immediately pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket and asked the bar tender for a pen.  By the way, our bartender at the back bar was great.  Now my big decision came, what beer do I review?  When I decide to review a beer, I randomly pick something that I have never had before and go from there.  After looking over the beer menu, I settled on TBC The Princess IPA.

THE REVIEW

Sight:  When My Princess arrived (no it was not in a horse drawn carriage), I could see a cloudy yellow colored beer with a very slight tint of orange.  The picture on the right does not do it justice.  It looked really good, almost like a German Wit Beer.  The head was pure white and slight but lingered around for quite some time.

Aroma:  When I took my first sniff of The Princess, I got aroma's of earth tones and pine along with citrus.  If I was not mistaken, the citrus was Strawberry in nature.  I also got a very, very slight hint of vanilla bean.  It smelled great.  Now I was like a dog drooling for a taste.

Taste:  Now it was time to take a sip.  At first taste, you get a slight IPA like bite, but after it hits the back of your throat WOW!  I was able to taste a well balanced blend of piney earth flavors, bread malts along with back notes of citrus and vanilla.  Just after I swallowed, I tasted very subtle hints of the strawberry.

Overall, I really liked TBC The Princess.  It had complex aromas and flavors along with the taste of a subtle IPA.  I would recommend pairing this beer with Breakers Old Bay Mac & Cheese or their Pastrami Cuban Sandwich.  If you haven't had the chance to go to Breaker Brewing Co. I suggest you jump in the car right now.  Its such a great place to meet up with new and old friends to have a few beers and something to eat.  You can check out their beer and food menu at http://www.breakerbrewingcompany.com.  You can reminisce about old times or you may even create some of your own "Glory Days".  Thanks "Savy" for a great night.  We will do it again next time you are up this way or if I get to your neck of the woods.

5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

              

 

    

The Beer Meister / He's Back!

Innis & Gunn Bourbon Aged Dark Ale 
Edinburg, Scotland /ABV 7.4%

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​After taking some time away from writing about beer, I have decided to come back with this blog entitled The Beer Meister (Of course, what else would it be). Like my articles in the local newspaper, I am not going to write about the everyday beers like Coors, Miller and Bud. What I am going to do is to give you an everyday Joe's take on all different types and styles of beer in the hope of broadening your beer horizons. I will use what I call the S.A.T.'s of beer, Sight, Aroma and Taste. I will always give you my honest opinion.  I will also visit bars and restaurants to review beer and their overall selection. Whether you agree or disagree with me, I want to hear from you at thebeermeister359@gmail.com. I will also throw in some history on the beer, a personal story or two as well as what type of food to pair up with your beer. This blog is in its infancy and I plan on it growing as time goes on. I will be posting old reviews that ran in the newspaper and hopefully have a podcast in the very near future. Enough of the serious stuff, it's time to talk about beer.

Spring can be a funny time here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. One day you have snow and temps in the 20's while the next day is sunny and in the 50's. Yesterday, was one of those really nice days. This pleasant weather gave me the opportunity to get outside to do some spring clean-up of the front and back yard. I did some raking and sweeping of the winter junk that was left and actually filled 2 bags of yard waste.  After getting everything done that I wanted to (how about that for a change), I headed to the shower to clean off all of the winter filth. Of course, next in line would be a few cold beers on the patio and possibly a fire.  Before I hit the shower, I thought to myself, " You better go check on the beer supply". Good thing I did, because I was very low and that meant a trip to Leo Beer on Welles St. in Forty Fort . By the way, Leo has a great selection of beer at very reasonable prices. You can also buy 12 and 6 packs. So off I went to Leo Beer where I found some very interesting beer.  The one beer that really peeked my interest was Innis & Gunn Bourbon Aged Dark Ale. It seems that the latest beer craze involves the aging of beer in or on oak from Bourbon barrels. I like beer and I like bourbon, how could it be bad? When I got home, I placed the beer in the fridge, hit the shower and then lit a fire on the patio. Now it is time to relax.

THE REVIEW

SIGHT:   With the wind blowing and the fire blazing, I poured my Innis & Gunn (in the kitchen) and what I saw really got me excited. This beer poured very dark brown, almost black in color along with a healthy beige head of about 3/4 of an inch thick and a hefty dose of carbonation.  It poured just like what we would call, "A TV Beer" .  This was a good looking beer with a long lasting head.

Aroma:   Since this beer looked so good, I was very intrigued to see what it smelled like. In many cases, the aroma of a beer will give you a preview of how it tastes.  As I brought the glass up to my nose, I got very subtle hints of smokiness.  No, I did not pour the beer outside by the fire.  I also got slight notes of a bread like sweetness and of course bourbon.  No one aroma stood out over the other and all were very subtle.

Taste:   As I took my first sip (in my kitchen), I got a smokey flavor up front followed by hints of possibly caramel followed by earthen tones and ending with a back splash of bourbon. Very interesting.  Like the aroma, none of the flavors overpowered the other but worked well together.  This beer went down easy and finished smooth.

Overall, I really liked this beer. It was a perfect fit for a cool day and a late afternoon fire after a long day of working around the house. It had good flavor and went down easily. I would recommend pairing this Dark Ale with a steak on the grill or roast beef. Don't forget the baked potatoes and asparagus. If you would like to try the Innis & Gunn Bourbon Aged Dark Ale, take a run over to Leo Beer on Welles Street in Forty Fort. You can actually get a 4 pack to test it out. If you want to find out about the other beers brewed in Scotland by Innis & Gunn , you can go to their web site at www.innisandgunn.com.

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

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A Warmer For The Winter

Harpoon Winter Warmer 

Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA. / 5.9% ABV

Tradition:  The transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way. 

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The Holiday Season is upon us and many families around NEPA and around the world are steeped in

traditions that date back through many generations.  From Jolly Old St. Nicholas to adorning the top of the tree with a star, year after year we all feel the need to keep up with old family traditions.  We decorate the house, put up the tree and maybe even a platform with an old Lionel train.  I actually have an old Lionel that my mother gave to my father for their first Christmas together.  Don’t ask me the exact year, but it was in the mid 1940’s.  Through the years, my family has kept with several holiday traditions that I still practice to this day.  For example, I have these three little cloth elves that go back to my grandmothers day.  These elves date back to the early 1920’s and look like the current Elf on a Shelf that is being sold today.  Um, I wonder where they got the idea for the shelf sitting elf?   

Every year, someone in the family has to hide these elves somewhere on or in the Christmas tree after all of the lights and decorations have been carefully placed.  Then as the days go past leading up to Christmas Day, we have to find these elusively placed pixies.  When you see one you yell out to let everyone know that you found one.  My son Greg has become an expert in hiding these imps.  There have actually been years that no one in the family could find at least one of these.  It’s always a mystery.

Another tradition that I have is the placing of the “Alien Eye” ornaments.  These two ancient bulbs are about as big as a softball and have three huge eye like decorations adorning their three sides.  Before any other ornaments go on, I bring in the Alien Eyes and carefully place them on the tree.  These two decorations actually date back to the early 1900’s as well.  Just to let you know, my wife hates these ornaments.  Every year she asks my why do we have to put these ugly things on the tree?  I tell her tradition, it’s a tradition.  Over the years I have waited to hear them smash on the floor followed by an oops.  It would be like the leg lamp in the Christmas Story getting mysteriously broken.  They are fragile’.

Along with all of our holiday traditions, I always like to make sure that I have a tasty traditional winter beer on hand for family and friends.  One of my favorites is Harpoon Winter Warmer.  This winter brew is crafted by the Harpoon Brewery in Boston, Massachusetts.  Harpoon was started in 1986 by three friends, Dan Kenary, Rich Doyle and George Ligeti who loved drinking beer together but found that their choices were somewhat limited.  In June of 1987, a warehouse on the Boston waterfront was transformed into a brewery where they could brew good beers and drink them with friends.  This would be the location of where the first Harpoon Ale was made.  Since then, Harpoon Brewery has come a long way.  While they kept their original trade mark beer the same, Harpoon now has several brews including seasonal offerings such as their tasty Winter Warmer.

THE REVIEW

       

Sight:  When you pour your Harpoon Winter Warmer you will see a beautiful dark copper color with a soft white head that pours about an inch and a half thick.  The head will dissipate quickly so make sure you get your fill of this eye candy.  Even though this beer looks dark, it is still transparent through the entire glass.

    

Aroma:  In the true tradition of a Winter Warmer style beer, Harpoon has blended several spices together to create a heavenly aroma.  When you take your first sniff, you will get the aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and a little ginger along with strong toasted malt.  It is almost like smelling fresh gingerbread coming out of the oven.

Taste: As for the taste, let me say it is just as good as the aroma.  At first sip you will get hit with the cinnamon and nutmeg followed by the clove and then a slight back note of ginger.  The after taste combines all of these flavors together along with a smooth toasted malt ending.  As you continue to sip this Winter Warmer you will continue to enjoy its complex flavors even more.

    

Overall, Harpoon Winter Warmer is one of my favorite beers to sip on Christmas Eve while enjoying the lit tree with all of the gifts piled high around it.  Of course there are Christmas songs on to heighten the Holiday mood.  There is nothing like relaxing by the tree with a cold Winter Warmer.

I would highly recommend that you give this beer a try, you won’t be disappointed.  Harpoon also makes a few other good winter beers like Chocolate Stout (5.9% ABV), Czernobog Russian Imperial Stout (10.0% ABV) and UFO Gingerland (5.2%ABV).  You can pick up Harpoon Winter Warmer at any of our wonderful local beer distributors.

   

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

DIRTY LITTLE FREAK

Dirty Little Freak

Duclaw Brewing Co.  Baltimore, MD / 5.8% ABV

I was sitting at home on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon and thought it was a perfect time to have a drink.  The ground outside was white and the temperature was at a cold 24 degrees.  I figured a nice bourbon or a scotch would be in order because of the weather outside. In my mind I also entertained the thought of having a short glass of 18 year old Jameson Irish Whiskey.  My first move was to open the refrigerator door to explore all of my possibilities and there it was the perfect beer for the occasion.   It was a bottle of Dirty Little Freak.

From experience, Duclaw Brewing Company makes good beer.  They make a very nice chocolate & peanut butter stout named Sweet Baby Jesus, a blueberry citrus wheat called Funk and a really tasty Blonde Ale named Bare Ass Blonde Ale.  I have to say that Declaw does a great job with infusing different flavors in their brewing process without losing the actual taste of the beer.  When I saw their Dirty Little Freak offering I had to dive in.

THE REVIEW

 

Sight:  As you open the dark brown bottle and pour this Little Freak of a beer you will see a delicious dark amber color followed by a thin tan head.  I don’t know about all of you, but when I pour a beer I like to tip the glass for the first half of the pour and then straighten it out for the last half.  This prevents a “head overload” all over the table.  As this beer settles, it maintains a slight foamy head in and on the side of the glass.

Aroma:  At first whiff, you definitely get the aroma of sweet chocolate.  I closed my eyes and thought I had just opened a Hersey’s candy bar.  Behind the chocolate aroma you can catch the roasted hops smell along with a very slight hint of coconut and caramel.  My mind immediately went to a warm tropical island, which would be a great place to be on a cold snowy day.

Taste:  As I came back to reality I took my first sip of Dirty Little Freak.  Delicious!  I am not a big fan of super sweet beers but this was just perfect.  The chocolate flavor was perfectly balanced throughout the entire drink.  Along with the consistent chocolate flavor you will taste an initial back note of caramel and then a secondary back note of coconut.  As you breathe through your nose you will taste all of these flavors combined.   This beer was very smooth going down with very little after bite.

If you like beer and chocolate and who doesn’t, I recommend that you try Dirty Little Freak. It’s a smooth beer that holds it chocolate flavor throughout your drink and then teases you with some caramel and coconut back notes.  Personally I would pair this up with a Fuente Double Chateau cigar and a round of PGA golf on TV.  This chocolate freakish beer is brewed by Baltimore, Maryland based DuClaw Brewing Company.  They also brew beers name Guilty Filthy Soul, Naked Fish and their most famous beer Sweet Baby Jesus.  You can pick up a Dirty Little Freak at Wegman’s in Wilkes-Barre.

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

SAVE THE OYSTERS, DRINK A PEARL NECKLACE

Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout

Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD. /5.5% ABV

I have always been under the misconception that certain beers were meant to be drunk at certain times of the year.   In the summer when temperatures reach into the 80’s and 90’s we all seem to reach for a good IPA or a fruit flavored Wit beer for refreshment.  Porter’s and Stout’s are dark, heavy beers that most of us believe we should drink on a cold winter day with snow on the ground outside and a crackling warm fire in the fireplace.  Of course, Pumpkin Ale’s and Oktoberfest beers were only consumed in the fall between the months of September and November.  This sounds about right, doesn’t it?  I am not sure who may have laid down these beer drinking rules, but starting right now you should crumble them up and throw them right into that fireplace.

You see, I was deceived by these rules even as I browsed the isles of beer looking for a summer sampler.  After browsing for several minutes I decided on a case of Flying Dog.  They brew good beer so I knew I was safe without really looking carefully at the four beers that were packaged in this summer sampler.  I saw Belgian IPA and Pale Ale so I knew I was good.  However when I got home I realized that I failed to see the Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout on the label of the case.  I thought Oyster Stout, who puts Stout’s in a summer sampler and is this really made with oysters?

As I read the label it became very clear, yes it is made with real oysters.  In fact it is made with Rappahannock River Oysters which many believe are the best oysters in the world to eat.  You see the Rappahannock River empties into the Chesapeake Bay and right where the fresh water meets the salt water is a virtual paradise of minerals and nutrients for oysters.  This is why these oysters are hearty in size and rich in flavor.  The question is, how will they taste in a beer?

THE REVIEW

 

Sight:  As I poured my Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout I quickly noticed that this is a really dark beer.  It has a nice deep rich chocolate color from top to bottom along with a heavy kahki colored head.  When you hold it up to the light you cannot see through the entire glass.  The full head fills the glass all around but does not seem to lace the sides as it drops away quickly.  I am now really intrigued.

   

Aroma:  Like many Stouts, this beer has a nice aroma of chocolate and caramel that blends well with the regular beer scent.  I was very surprised to find that I did not catch a whiff of oysters or that fishy salt water smell.  Now I have to taste this.

Taste:  I am somewhat hesitant to taste this beer, but the sight and aroma has me way too curious not to.  My first sip was tentative, but boy is this good.  A smooth beer flavor with strong back notes of chocolate along with hints of caramel.  You may even catch a very slight hint of black licorice.  As these flavors subside, you will get a very slight hint of saltiness on your tongue and in the back of your throat.  Also, it is not as heavy as most Stouts.  Now I know why Flying Dog put this in their summer sampler.        

Flying Dog Brewing Company has a summer hit with its Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout.  I recommend that you throw away those beer drinking rules and crack one open.  In fact for every bottle of Pearl Necklace Flying Dog sells, the Oyster Recovery Partnership will plant 10 oysters in the Chesapeake Bay.  By buying this sampler pack I just got 60 oysters planted.  Who would have thought that drinking beer could help increase the oyster population?  I would pair Oyster Stout with a nice lobster tail, shrimp scampi and of course a plate full of Rappahannock River Oysters. 

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

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The Proof Is In The Pudding

Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale 

Charles Wells Brewing Family / 5.0% ABV

I love pudding.  I like Chocolate, Vanilla and Tapioca pudding.  By far, my favorite pudding is Butterscotch.  However, I also like Toffee pudding especially when it is made into Sticky Toffee Pudding.  OMG, if you have never had Sticky Toffee Pudding you haven't lived.  Sticky Toffee Pudding is a British dessert consisting of a very moist sponge cake, finely chopped dates, covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream.  Can you feel the calorie counter running amok?  I have to admit it, the British really came up with a winner here and they took it one step further at the Charles Wells Family Brewery in the heart of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom.         

The Charles Wells Brewing Family has been crafting beers since they bought their first brewery in Bedford in 1876.  Today, they have plans to build a new brewery, visitors center, shop and on site brew pub.  For more information on the Charles Wells Brewing Family go to their web site at http://www.charleswells.co.uk/.  

If you remember last year, Wells came out with a delicious Banana Bread Beer.  This is one of Mrs. Meister's favorites.  As a follow up, they have taken the ingredients of sticky toffee pudding and converted them into an ale.  Now mind you, I am not a huge fan of sweet or sour beers, but am more of a traditionalist when it comes to drinking beer.  However, I am game to try anything and my love of pudding lured me to this beer.

THE REVIEW  

SIGHT:  At first pour, you get a clear brown color with a reddish hue down the middle.  The head was about a 1/8 of an inch thick, tan in color which dissipated quickly.  When I first looked at this beer in my glass, I thought it was cream soda.  It made me think back to being a kid with an ice cold glass of cream soda. 

AROMA:   With the name of Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale I expected nothing more than the aroma of toffee pudding.  Guess what, that's exactly what it smelled like.  Not much more to say here other than it smelled delicious.

TASTE:   As I took my first sip, I got the toffee flavor up front all the way to the end with very slight hints of vanilla.  The flavor was not overpowering but just right.  I was pleasantly surprised that it did not overpower me with a sickening sweet flavor that would send me into diabetic shock.  The one thing that took me back a bit on this beer was the after bite at the end.  I was somewhat surprised by it considering the toffee flavor up front.  Hey, this bite is not a real bad thing, just surprising.

Overall, I would have to say that the proof was in the pudding.  I couldn't drink it all day or on a hot sunny day, but it would be great to have after dinner with your dessert.  You can pair up a cold Sticky Toffee Pudding Ale with a slice of apple or pecan pie or a big bowl of french vanilla ice cream.  You can pick up a 4 pack of Charles Wells Sticky Toffee Ale at Leo Beer on Welles Street in Forty Fort.

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

WHERE THERE IS SMOKE THERE IS BEER

Smoked Lager

Samuel Adams Boston Beer Co. / 5.0% ABV

The past Saturday was the first day of the trout fishing season here is Pennsylvania.  The weather was going to be great so two friends of mine, Charlie T. and Bob W. and myself decided to head out to Moon Lake to try our hand at catching a few trout.  Like the ritual that it is for many fishermen, women and children, we decided to get on the road at 5:30 a.m. so we could be lakeside no later than 6:15 a.m.  Yes, you read that right, on the water no later than 6:15 a.m.  First day of trout along with good weather bodes well for potential shoulder to shoulder fishing, lines tangling and shoreline brawls.  It is always possible for things to get ugly out there.

When we arrived at Moon Lake, the sun was just peaking up over the horizon and to our surprise there were not that many people there yet.  Since our timing was good, we quickly unpacked our gear and hustled down the shoreline to grab what we thought was a

"sure thing" spot.  When we got to our spot, we set up our poles, fold out chairs and the Coleman Grill.  We were now ready to catch a few of the 3,000 Rainbow and Golden trout that the PA. Fish Commission had stocked into Moon Lake.

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When 8:00 a.m. came and the horn blew, the lines were cast and trout season had started.  We were anxious to see which one of us would get the first bite and the first fish caught.  Well, 9 a.m. came, 10 a.m. came and not a bite.  At this point, the three of us were slumped in our chairs, and I was day dreaming of Rainbow Trout being cooked in my smoker.  I have have to tell you, there is no better way to eat trout.  The flavor of a nice oak smoke on a trout is outstanding. 

However, I will need a few fish in order to smoke them.

 

It was approaching 11:00 a.m. and still no bites.  The sun was high in the sky now and it was getting hot.  I could feel the sweat dripping down my back and my face getting sunburned.  It was time to peel off the heavy shirt and get down to my tee shirt.  As I looked around the lake, I could see lots of humans, but none of them catching any fish.  Since this

seemed to be the trend of the day, I sat back in my chair and started thinking about the smoked trout again, but this time with a nice cold beer.  That got me to thinking, I wonder if there is such a thing as a smoked beer?  Great question isn't it?

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I was pondering this question on the shoreline of Moon Lake when I was snapped out of it by Bob W. saying, "I've had it!  Let's get outta here".  Charlie and I could not agree more so we packed up our gear and headed home.  Once I got home and showered, I headed over to Leo Beer to see if there was such a thing as smoked beer.  I know many of you are saying that there is no such thing.  No way can you smoke a beer.  Well, to my surprise, I actually found a smoked lager.  Sam Adams makes a winter sampler that includes their Smoked Lager.  Since I didn't have any trout to smoke, I thought I would pick up a sample pack to try.  It was a glorious day outside so Mrs. Meister and I decided to sit out on the patio to have a few beers.  Of course my first would be this Smoked Lager.

THE REVIEW

SIGHT:  At first pour, you get a clear dark brown color with an orange hue throughout the entire glass.  The head was about a 1/2 of an inch thick, off white in color which  hung around for several sips.  I thought that this lager looked exactly as I expected.  It kinda looked smokey.

AROMA:   As I poured my Smoked Lager, I could smell the smokiness.  I must say, it smelled a little bit like my smoker.  As I dove in for a better whiff, I was able to get through the smoke aroma to get some earth tones and sweetness.  Definitely all of the aroma's worked well together. 

TASTE:   Now it was time to take a sip.  I had not tried a smokey beer before so I was a bit apprehensive.  As I took my first sip, I tasted a prevalent smokey flavor.  It was not a true smokey fire flavor but more of a liquid smoke taste.  This lasted throughout the drink and was followed by a little sweetness and a back of the throat bite at the end.  I have to say this beer was very different.  I was not sure whether I really liked this a lot or not at all.  I had to take a few more sips and a few steps back to decide.

Overall, I was not crazy about Sam Adams Smoked Lager.  Don't get me wrong here, it was OK, but nothing to write home about.  It was more of a I'll try it once to say I tried it.  After doing some research on smoked beers, I found out that there is whats called a Rauchbier.  A traditional German Rauchbier is made with a beechwood smokiness and toasted barley malts.  The malted barley is actually dried over an open flame which gives it that smokey flavor.  If you are looking for a good beer to drink by the fire pit on a cool evening, I would suggest an Alaskan Smoked Porter or Spezial Rauchbier.  I think I would pass on the Sam Adams Smoked Lager.   

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

AN AWARD WINNING LAB RAT

JFP Porter (Lab Rat Series)

Rivertowne Brewing, Pittsburgh, Pa. / 5.8% ABV

In case you haven't heard, I am a die hard Notre Dame football fan.  Every Saturday during the months of September, October and November I meet fellow Fighting Irish fans to watch our favorite team play one of the most difficult schedules in the nation.  Notice I threw in one of the most difficult schedule in the nation in there for you fans of other teams who play meatballs throughout the year and then win the National Championship.  Yeah, you know who you are with that elephant mascot.  I could rant and rave forever on this, but I won't.  It's time to talk about beer.  

Now you might be wondering why I am mentioning Fighting Irish football in April?  Well, that's because this past Saturday was the Notre Dame Spring Blue & Gold game.  This game features the team competing against itself in a shortened and adjusted game format which allows coaches to assess the progress that they have made during their spring practice time.  This also allows for fans to get an early glimpse of how their favorite player has progressed and what the team may look like in the fall.  They also get to witness a game that the team will not lose.  That's an inside joke.  I guess they can't win the game either, but it's all about whether your glass is half full of beer or half empty. 

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What the Spring Game also provides is a reason for really die hard fans to get together to satisfy their jag for college football and to tip back a few brews while evaluating their team.  Well, that's what I did this past Saturday with a few die hards at The Tipsy Turtle on Market Street in Jenkins Township.

I must say that I was so excited to hit The Turtle for the game that I was actually in the parking lot before the place even opened.  I had my "Play Like a Champion" hoodie on and my evaluation skills warmed up and ready to go. When the doors opened at high noon, I stormed the ramparts along with a few other ND fans and headed directly to the bar.  I have to admit, I was also excited about trying a new beer or two while watching the game.  You see, The Tipsy Turtle always has a great selection of beers on tap and good food on the menu.

As I settled in, one of my friends and fellow Notre Dame fan Mike C. busted open the door just as the game began.  When we ordered our first round of beers, I noticed Mike had a really dark beer in a snifter.  Mike is a sort of beer "lab rat" who will try anything.  I asked him what it was and he uttered the words Lab Rat.  Say what?  Lab Rat.  Is it good?  Pretty good.  I had to find out what this was and how it tasted since Mike is a beer connoisseur like myself.  So after I finished my first beer, I asked the bartender Jordan for a Lab Rat which prompted a funny look and a huh?  I said a Lab Rat, the beer that Mike ordered.  She then corrected me and said you want a JFP Porter.  YES!

THE REVIEW

SIGHT:  When my JFP Porter arrived, I saw an opaque black color beer with a beige head which was served in a snifter.  When I held it up to the light I saw a slight reddish hue down the middle of the glass.  The head was about a 1/4 of an inch thick, which hung around for several sips.  This was a nice looking porter to say the least.  Now I was really interested in what this smelled and tasted like.

AROMA:   As I lifted the snifter to my nose, I smelled the crisp aroma of chocolate.  It wasn't an overpowering smell, but just a slight aroma of chocolate.  I was also able to get hints of coffee and a woodsy aroma.  This appeared to look and smell like a typical American Porter.

TASTE:   Now I had to take a taste to find out if this Porter met the standard.  As I took my first sip, I could taste the chocolate right up front.  Like the aroma, it was not a blast of chocolate flavor, but a nice flow of chocolate over the palate.  I was also able to taste back notes of nuts and grassy earth tones with a slight alcohol-like bite at the end.  This made total sense since JFP Porter is made with English Fuggle Hops.  This beer had a well balanced but weak flavor.  Just as an FYI, I let this beer warm up a bit thinking I may get a better read on the aroma and flavor.  I did not.

Before I go any further, I'm sure you want to know about English Fuggle Hops.  English Fuggle Hops were first released into the marketplace in 1875 by Mr Richard Fuggle of Brenchley in Kent,

UK.  They have a wonderful, delicate, minty, grassy and slightly floral aroma along with a floral and earthy flavor.  Fuggle is also grown in Slovenia as Styrian Goldings and in the USA as Oregon

Fuggle and reputedly as US Tettenang.  In the United Kingdom, it is susceptible to wilt and has been

produced in lower volumes in recent years.

Overall, I thought the Rivertowne Brewery JFP Porter was an OK drink.  In 2017, this Porter won a Bronze Medal in the Robust Porter category at the Great American Beer Festival.  It was part of a series of beers that Rivertowne Brewing produced under the Lab Rat Series name.  I'm not sure how it won, but it did.  I would have one or two during a sitting, but I would not go crazy with it.  This was somewhat of a typical Porter, that came up a bit short on aroma and flavor.  You can pair up a JFP Porter with a plate of cheeseburger sliders and fries (The Tipsy Turtle has good ones) or a nice cheese steak hoagie.  If you would like to try the JFP Porter, take a run over to The Tipsy Turtle on Market Street in Jenkins Township.  They have it on tap.  

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5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk