Feeling Nimble (Hill) in Tunkhannock

One of my goals this summer is to try to get to many, if not all of the local breweries in the NEPA area.  So far my travels have taken me to Susquehanna Brewing Co. in Pittston and Breaker Brewing Co. in Laurel Run.  In between, I took a road trip and hit Mad Fox Brewing Co. in Falls Church, Virginia.  I will say this, I enjoyed our local breweries much better than Mad Fox.  Many people in our area think that they have to go out of town to get good beer.  Let me tell you, the beers brewed in NEPA are in most cases much smoother with more flavor.  Cudo's NEPA Brewmasters for a job well done.

Last weekend, Mrs. Meister and I decided that we wanted to go out to grab a bite to eat and to try a few new beers.  We were looking for a place that we had not gone to yet that brewed their own beer.  After a little research, we settled on Nimble Hill Brewing Company out on Route 6 in Tunkhannock.  I had tried a few Nimble Hill brews in the past and liked them so I thought it was time to check out what they call their Tasting Room & Growler Den.  This was a 25 to 30 minute ride from the Meister Mansion so we buckled up and hit the road.

When we pulled up to the building we were greeted by a very colorful sign that promoted wine slushes.  Now you may be thinking why wine slushes at a beer tasting room?  However, Nimble Hill also makes their own wine using grapes from their own vineyard.  When inside, we first encountered the wine tasting area where we politely asked, "Where do we get the beer?"  They directed us to the right and through an opening and we found the beer tasting room which had several people drinking and relaxing. 

As we walked up to the serving area, we were greeted by a woman named Gloria.  She asked us if it was our first visit to Nimble Hill and of course we said that it was.  She then said, "Ok, let me give you the spiel".  Gloria ran down the beer list like she had brewed them herself.  She was very knowledgeable when it came to the beers that they had on tap.  The beers that we chose for our flight were the Flinke Hugel, Hop Bottom IPA, Wit Raddler and the Russian Imperial Stout.  After a few minutes, Gloria came over and set down our multi colored flight of beers as you can see from the picture on the left.  Now a major decision needed to be made.  Which beer do I drink first?  I decided to go with the first beer on my left and go clockwise.

THE REVIEWS

Since there are 5 beers, I will shorten my review of each for the sake of not making this too long.

 Nudder Pilsner / 4.6 ABV

Sight:  This Czech style Pilsner had a bright yellow color with a pure white head that rimmed around the inside of the glass.  This had a typical pilsner color to it.

Aroma:  When I took a smell, I didn't get too much.  Of course with a Pilsner all you should get is a good old beer aroma.  The aroma totally fit the profile.

Taste:  With my first sip I tasted exactly what I thought I would taste, a smooth traditional Pilsner with a slight bite at the end.  This was a nice tasting beer that you could drink all day long.  Like Nimble Hill says, "I'll Have a Nudder" and I would.

 
5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

          

Flinke Hugel Helles Lager / 5.0 ABV

Sight: This Helles Lager had a beautiful golden color and a hearty white head that lasted for some time.  This was a really good looking beer.

Aroma:  When I smelled this beer, I got a very crisp aroma of malty earth tones followed by a little fruity sweetness.  Not overly complex but it's not supposed to be.   

Taste:  Very smooth!  Up front you get breadiness followed by citrus back notes from the German yeast and Magnum hops.  This was another really good beer that you could drink all day long.  The ABV is right too.
 
5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

 

Hop Bottom IPA / 7.0 ABV

Sight:  This IPA has a nice somewhat cloudy light orange to golden color with a white head of about 1/2 an inch thick.  Once the head dissipated it left a nice rim around the inside of the glass with a "head island" in the middle. 

Aroma:  Upfront I could smell the grapefruit like flavor of the citrus hops.  A traditional IPA aroma.

Taste:  Again, another smooth tasting beer from Nimble Hill.  Off the top, let me say IPA all the way!  This had a well balanced IPA with a shot of citrus up front followed by what I thought was a back note of orange.  A must try for IPA lovers.
 

5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

 

 

Nim Wit Raddler / 4.8 ABV

Sight:  This Wit Raddler has a Cloudy yellow color like straw with a white head that dissipated rather quickly.  This had the look of a traditional German Wit Beer

Aroma:  Right off the top you can smell coriander, orange and lemon with back notes of ginger.  An outstanding smelling beer!

Taste:  With my first sip a tasted a well balanced Wit Beer.  You get a bit of yeast, wheaty malts followed by the spices that ends with a shot of lemon at the end and a little banana like flavor.  The lemon comes from Nimble Hill adding Turkey Hill Lemonade.  I really liked this beer!
 


5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

Turbo Diesel Russian Imperial Stout / 10.0 ABV

Sight:  As you can see by the picture above these reviews, this Imperial Stout stands alone.  It has an opaque dark, almost black color that you cannot see through even when held up to the light.  The head was light brown and lasted for quite a while.

Aroma:  This beer smells great!  With your first sip you will get chocolate, caramel and coffee up front with a slight back note of alcohol.  It is 10.0%.

Taste:  If you like stouts, then you have to try this one.  Upfront you will taste the chocolate with hints of caramel and coffee.  On the back end I tasted what I thought were prunes with a sherry like finish.  The sherry like finish is because this beer is aged in Port wine barrels. 

 5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk

 

Overall I was very impressed with the 5 beers that I chose at Nimble Hill Brewing Co.  All of them were smooth and tasty.  I would recommend that you take a road trip and swing by Nimble Hill to try a few for yourself.  It will be worth the drive.  To get more on Nimble Hill you can go to their web site at http://www.nimblehillbrewing.com    

A Virginia Vacation With a Mad Fox Flair

Outside of Mad Fox Brewing

This past week Mrs. Meister and I headed south to visit our son Jim, his wife Manuela and our beautiful granddaughter Kai.  While there, we did some fishing, ate some great meals and took a swing by a local Euro Gastro Brewpub called Mad Fox Brewing Company.  Mad Fox is located in the town of Falls Church and is renowned for its fine food and handcrafted beers.  Locals in the area rave about the beer like it is the nectar of the gods. So, of course I had to go check it out along with their food and atmosphere.

Beer Vats When You First Walk In

When we got to Mad Fox, all of us went inside where we were greeted with a smile and a warm welcome.  Then came the big question, would you like to sit inside or outside?  The inside of the place was really nice, but since the weather was outstanding we decided to sit outside at street level.  If you have never been to Falls Church, it is a thriving town filled with plenty of bars, restaurants and unique shops along with a few big chain stores which are tucked away in high rise like buildings.  It's a really neat little culturally diverse town with something for everyone.  

My Flight of Beer

Once seated, I immediately went to the beer menu to see what I might order to quench my thirst and to review.  One of the beers that is spoken highly of is their Orange Whip IPA.  I was told that it was a huge local favorite so I knew right away I had to try it.  As I looked over the beer listing, a few others caught my eye so I thought why not get a flight of 4 beers.  I ordered an English Summer Ale, an Altbier, the St. James Irish Stout and of course the Orange Whip IPA.  A nice variety to say the least.  So, lets start the beer rolling with my take on the beers pictured above from left to right.

English Summer Ale / 5.2 % ABV (Meister Meter = 2)

Sight:  This ESA had a very light clear yellow color from top to bottom along with a high quantity of effervescence.  When ordering a flight at a pub, its really hard to determine the beer's head since you don't see it being poured.  I will say that this one had a nice pure white head when it arrived at the table which lasted through several sips.  A pretty typical looking Summer Ale.

Aroma:  Up front you smell a simple beer aroma of hops and barley with back notes of citrus.  Nothing really great to smell just very simple.  I expected more.

Taste:  Right off the top I could taste bready malts with very slight hints of citrus (grapefruit).  This was a pretty good plain English Summer Ale.

Overall I was not really that impressed, however, this was a very simple English Summer Ale that if kept on ice could be an all day drink at a summer picnic or clambake.  I would pair this up with simple grilled food like a hot dog, cheeseburger or chicken.

Orange Whip IPA / 7.5 % ABV (Meister Meter = 3)

Sight:  This IPA had a nice dark amber color with orange hues throughout the glass with a nice cream colored head that lasted a bit.  Not a typical looking IPA but I really liked the way it looked.  I was starting to get excited. 

Aroma:  Up front you get that IPA-like hoppy aroma followed by back notes of citrus ending with a shot of orange.  A nice complex aroma for an IPA.  I am now totally intrigued to see what this tastes like. 

Taste: Yep, this is certainly an IPA all the way.  Right up front you can taste that typical IPA hoppiness along with the grapefruit back notes followed up with a slight flavor of orange.  I was a little disappointed since I was expecting a little more orange. 

Overall I was disappointed with the Orange Whip IPA since it was so highly regarded.  I was expecting big flavor.  Again, a nice IPA that could have used a little more orange to take it to another level. I would pair this up with barbecue ribs or chicken.  It would also go well with a pork chop, red potatoes and green beans.  With a 7.5 % ABV this beer will sneak up on you.

Altbier / 5.9 % ABV (Meister Meter = 4)

Sight:  Since I really like drinking German Altbiers, I couldn't wait to dive into this one.  What I saw here was a nice darker yellow color with amber hue's throughout the glass and an off white head that rung the glass for a long time.  I would say a nice copper like color which is typical of a good looking Altbier. 

Aroma:  With your first whiff, you smell roasted malts and nuts with hints of caramel followed by back notes of chocolate.  A well balanced blend of aromas. 

Taste: With my first sip I could taste the bready malts and caramel followed by hints of what I thought were vanilla and orange ending with chocolate.  This was a very flavorful, well balanced beer on the tastebuds.

Overall this was my favorite beer of the day at Mad Fox.  A nicely blended beer that looked good, smelled good and tasted good.  I will say that as this beer warmed up a bit, the flavors popped a bit more.  I would pair up the Altbier with a smoked pork shoulder or grilled salmon. 

St. James Irish Dry Stout / 4.2 % ABV (Meister Meter = 2)

Sight:  Since I am Irish and my first name is James, this beer selection was a no-brainer.  This is the last of the 4 beers in my flight of Mad Fox selections.  As I looked at my Irish Stout, I saw exactly what I expected, a very dark beer with a light brown thick head.  The head actually lasted through my tasting of the 3 other beers.  Impressive!  

Aroma:  With your first whiff, you get a slight aroma of chocolate and caramel and nothing more.  For an Irish Dry Stout the aroma was weak.  I was totally perplexed at what Mad Fox was trying to do here.  Now I didn't know what to think.  The beer looked good, but was very weak in aroma.

Taste:  Well, let me just say that I did not save the best for last.  This was a weak attempt to reproduce an Irish Dry Stout.  I did get the flavors of chocolate, caramel up front with coffee on the back end.  It seemed watered down and on only slightly flavored.  I really expected the flavors to slap me in the face but it instead all I got was a brush of wanted flavors.

Overall this was my disappointment of the day.  A good looking stout that simply lacked flavor.  If you want to try an Irish Stout for the first time, this would not be the one.  If I had to I would pair this up with nothing.  I know that is harsh, but that's how I see it.  As an Irishman, I am disappointed all around.

With all of the hype surrounding Mad Fox Brewing Company and their reputation for good brews I must say that I was not impressed.  Their beers looked good but were lacking in hardiness of flavor.  The brew pub itself was very nice, the employees friendly and the food was good.  You can check out Mad Fox Brewing Co. at madfoxbrewing.com   


            

AMERICA'S BEER / HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

As I sit in the house on this 4th of July holiday due to a pending storm that appears to be brewing, I thought about what would America's National Beer?  There are so many beers, good and bad, made in the U.S., but what would or should be tagged as our National Beer.  What would the parameters need to be to determine this honor?  Would it be looks, taste, packaging or the most popular beer based on sales to the American public.  That last one is a scary thought for me because we would have to automatically include Coors, Miller and Bud since they seem to be the go to beers in these United States.  Don't get me wrong, The Highlife and Coors Banquet are OK.  As for Bud, I'd rather drink swamp water.  I will not even give you my opinion on Coors Lite and Miller Lite because I simply don't want to waste my time describing terrible beers.

As I pondered more and more on this topic, I also wondered if other countries have official beers.  Per say, I was not able to find any
"official" designated nations beer, however I did find the most popular  beers by country which you can see on the map to the right.  I also found out that China produces the most beer in the world followed by the U.S. and then Brazil.  Yep, the Chinese are ahead of us in beer production along with everything else.  Lets go America, drink more beer so we can be #1!  I also found out that the #1 beer in the world rated by the The Daily Meal is Toppling Goliath Brewing Company Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout.  Believe it or not, a few "beer" web sites rated Bud Lite as the #1 beer in the world.  I'm thinking they were going by sales and not taste.   

So, what would be America's Beer?  This question is like how was the universe created so I had to go on a mission.  I jumped in the car and went to several beer stores, bars and deli's to look over the inventory to try to determine what would be America's Beer.  After a lengthy and exhausting search I came up with.....drum roll please..... PABST BLUE RIBBON BEER!

THE REVIEW

PABST BLUE RIBBON BEER
Pabst Brewing Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin / 4.74 ABV

Sight:  My Blue Ribbon poured a very light yellow color with a hefty pure white head that actually spilled over the top on my glass.  The head lasted for quite a long time then finally dissipated into a small "head island" in the middle of the glass.  Other than that, this is a plain looking beer.

Aroma:  It simply smells like beer.  You can smell the rich malts and breadiness along with very subtle,ever so subtle hints of sweet corn.  Again, a plain old fashioned beer aroma.  The smell actually took me back to my childhood when my parents would have cookouts in the back yard and drink Steg, Pabst and Gibbons.

Taste:  If you are expecting some flamboyant tasting beer, just turn away, just turn away.  PBR is simply a decent smooth beer that has that old school beer flavor.  You will not taste hints of this or that, back notes of anything, just a beer flavor with a slight bite to it.  This was beer before beer became what it is today.

If you are wondering and I'm sure you are, how did I come up with PBR as America's Beer.  First off, just take a look at the can.  It's all American red, white and blue.  It was established in the beer capital of the United States, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has been around since 1844.  It has survived 2 World Wars, Prohibition, The Great Depression and the influx of foreign beers.  In 1893 PBR was voted America's Best Beer.  At its peek in 1977, Pabst produced over 18 million barrels of beer and in 2015 won the Best Large Brewing Company of the Year Award at the Great American Beer Festival.  Yes, America's Beer, award winning, smooth, simple, cheap and has been around for a long time.

If you think I am crazy, just go over to Price Chopper in Edwardsville and grab a pounder.  You may be surprised with what you taste.  You can pair up PBR with a grilled hot dog or cheeseburger and some potato salad at your next cookout.  If you are looking for an all day go to beer, PBR is it.

If you have a beer in mind for America's Official Beer, send it over to me with your review and I will post it here.  You can be a Guest Meister.

        
5= Outstanding

4= Very Good

3= Good

2=Fair

1=Skunk