Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Mustaches for Ulcers
Beer Review: The Original Cave Creek Chili Beer
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Beer Review: The Brothers Bernardus
On my recent trip to Orlando with the wife and daughter, to visit my family and the House of Mouse, I was fortunate enough to stop at a Total Wine. This place is pretty incredible as far as liquor stores go. The claim to have "8000 wines, 2000 spirits and 1000 beers in every store" and man were they right. The place was a Sam's Club of alcohol with huge bulk shelves stocked full of booze. I, of course, didn't care about anything but the beer section and what a wonderful section it was. Compared to our selection in Louisiana this was beer heaven. One of the many items I saw on the shelf was a St. Bernardus gift pack that came with 4 beers(Abt 12, Prior 8, Pater 6 and Tripel) and a glass! All for only $13.99! Damn great price in my opinion. I know, I know, ya'll are saying "Who gives a shit, I can get these beers anywhere", but unlike you lucky bastards that live in other states I can't get St. Bernardus in Louisiana(which should be changing in the next couple weeks I am told) so for me it was a big deal. Well anyway, I just recently finished up the last of that 4 pack and I thought it would be cool to review all 4 beers on the blog together. So without further ado here are my reviews.
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Beer: Abt 12
Style: Quadrupel
ABV: 10.50%
Recommended Glassware: Snifter, Tulip or Chalice
Food Pairings: Cheese: Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, Blue, Cheddar General: Digestive Meat: Game, Smoked, Beef
Serving Type: My St. Bernardus chalice of course.
Appearance- Poured a nice dark brown color with a thick tan head.
Smell- Great smells such as clove, banana, caramel and some mustiness which I find very nice.
Taste- Wonderful fruity taste to it. Nice hints of citrus and yeastiness. Alcohol wasn't overpowering. The malty sweetness is very nice.Mouthfeel- Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall- What can I say other than this beer is incredible. I wish this one was available in New Orleans.
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Beer: Tripel
Style: Tripel
ABV: 8.00%
Recommended Glassware: Snifter or Chalice
Food Pairings: Cuisine: Mediterranean Cheese: Blue, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Limburger Meat: Pork, Poultry
Serving Type: St. Bernardus chalice
Appearance- This one poured a nice amber color with a nice, big off-white head. Lacing was incredible.
Smell- Interestingly complex with hints of spice, yeast, bread and fruits.
Taste- A nice sweetness with hints of honey, banana, cloves and other spices I can't name. Has a nice dry finish. The alcohol is present.
Mouthfeel- Has a medium, smooth body with a lot carbonation.
Overall- A great triple but not my favorite of the bunch.
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Beer: Prior 8
Style: Dubbel
ABV: 8.00%
Recommended Glassware: Chalice
Food Pairings: Cheese: Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, Gorgonzola, Limburger General: Chocolate Meat: Beef
Serving Type: St. Bernardus chalice
Appearance- Poured a nice murky brown color with a nice huge off white head. Beautiful lacing.
Smell- Cloves, spices, figs and a nice malty breadiness as well.
Taste- Wonderful balance of hops and malts. Hints of caramel and also cloves and other spices. Yeastiness present.
Mouthfeel- Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall- Great beer. Not as good as the Abt 12 but still a solid brew.
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Beer: Pater 6
Style: Dubbel
ABV: 8.00%
Recommended Glassware: Chalice
Food Pairings: Cheese: Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, Gorgonzola, Limburger General: Chocolate Meat: Beef
Appearance- This beer poured a nice dark brown with huge frothy tan head. Lacing was present throughout the life of the beer.
Smell- Huge fruit smells such as apples, citrus and dark fruits. A nice sweet biscuity smell with a slight hint of alcohol.
Taste- The wonderful fruit tastes really come through here. Mostly dark fruits but as in the smell I got apples and citrus also. There is an interesting brown sugar taste which is present as well.
Mouthfeel- This beer has a nice medium body with medium carbonation. It's an easy drinking beer.
Overall- Fantastic. Surprisingly my second favorite behind the Abt 12. I really enjoyed this beer a lot.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Beer Review: Terrapin Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
OK, so normally I wouldn't drink an Imperial Stout during the middle of summer. To me stouts just aren't great beers to drink during the oppressive heat of an infamous New Orleans summer. Lagers, Pilsners, Wheats, Weizens or Wits. Those, to me, are good beers to drink while sweating your balls off.
So last night I'm making dinner for my wife and open my beer fridge to grab a nice tasty brew to pass the time and there staring back at me is this Terrapin Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. It's been sitting in my fridge for months just waiting for me to consume it. In fact, if you look at my list of current beers in my fridge you'll see a bunch of stouts waiting their turn. I just can't bring myself to do it. But last night guys, I did it. I broke the unwritten rule of drinking a beer in its off-season and....I loved it! So let me stop rambling and get to the review!
Brewery: Terrapin Beer Company
http://www.terrapinbeer.com/
Beer: Terrapin Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 8.10%
Recommended Glassware: Pint Glass, Snifter or Oversized Wine Glass
Food Pairings: Cheese: Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss General: Chocolate, Digestive Meat: Beef, Smoked Meat, Grilled Meat, Game
Serving Type: I poured this beer into a nonic pint glass.
Appearance - Man this beer poured a oily black with a huge milk chocolate colored head!
Smell - The coffee aroma is SO overpowering but in a good way. Hence the name Coffee Oatmeal Stout.
Taste- Huge roasted coffee flavors dominate but also some hints of chocolate cocoa and some interesting spice I couldn't quite make out.
Mouthfeel - Extremely thick and and heavy. The carbonation was medium.
Overall - Incredible beer! Very tasty and would be a nice replacement for coffee in the morning or perhaps a beer for dessert. Nicely complex with a nice mix of flavors.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bruisin Ales Is Shipping Beer!
Bruisin' Ales, Asheville's renowned beer-only store, boasts nearly 700 brews from around the world (and around the corner). The small, colorful boutique shop in the heart of downtown is a treasure trove for beer lovers—specializing in Belgians, Belgian-style, American craft brews, and the very best from around the world. The unique bottle shop set-up allow customers to "Mix-a-Six."
Choose from the shelves or two coolers chocked full with a constantly rotating stock. A large selection of glassware, books, t-shirts, hats and other breweriana await. Visit the website for an up-to-date listing of available selections, as well as a beer blog and event calendar. Join the mailing list and get the early scoop of Bruisin' events.
Owned and operated by Jason and Julie Atallah since 2006, Bruisin' Ales has quickly become known in the beer world and was recently rated the #2 Best Beer Retailer Worldwide by RateBeer Best 2008. The store has been featured in All About Beer, BeerAdvocate magazine, Ale Street News, and Southern Brew News.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Beer Etiquette from Merchant Du Vin
2. If your group is buying rounds, don’t feel locked in by the second or third round. People drink at different paces. It’s OK to order a beer on your own if other folks aren’t ready; it’s certainly more polite than sitting with an empty glass or forcing someone else to hurry up and finish their beer faster than they want to.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Beer Blogging Babes from the Blogosphere
Abita Beer Dinner
Saturday, August 23, 2008!Juban’s Restaurant 3739 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Beer-Tails at 6:00PMSeating at 7:00PM$65 per person
As you arrive
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Baked Chicken Wings a la Brewski
1 1/2 pounds chicken wings or drummettes
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
1) Cut tips from wings and discard. Cut wings at the joints into 2 pieces. Put the chicken into a bowl; sprinkle with the salt, thyme and pepper. Pour the beer over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refridgerate for 2-6 hours.
2) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a shallow baking pan with tin foil and spray with some nonstick cooking spray.
3) Drain the chicken, reserving some of the marinade. Place your wings on the baking pan in a single layer. Bake for 40 minutes or until the chicken is well browned on both sides. During baking make sure you turn and baste occasionally with the reserved marinade but not during the last 5 minutes of baking.
4) Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!!
Makes 6 servings
Friday, July 18, 2008
My Name is Beerbuddha and I Love Yuengling
The Environment and Beer
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Beer Review: Saison Dupont
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Life Lessons
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. This time the students were sure and they responded with a unanimous "Yes!"The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar -- effectively filling the empty spaces between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children; things that, if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car."
The sand represented everything else. The small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued "there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.""Take care of the rocks first -the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Zephyrs Baseball and Beer
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Beer Buddha's Best of New Orleans: Beer Stores
The next installment in The Beerbuddha's Best of New Orleans is beer stores. As many of you know finding good beer in the New Orleans area is tough to do. Hell, I work at a store that has a great selection and to me it is still lacking. Thanks to the work of some(you know who you are) in this town we are getting some great beers. This is a list of the top 5 best stores that I think have the greatest selection of beer in the greater New Orleans area. If a reader sees that I'm missing one please let me know!! These are in no particular order.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Beer Buddha's Best of New Orleans: Beer Bars
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Beer Review: Saint Somewhere Lectio Divina
Friday, July 4, 2008
Beer Product: Chuggler Mug
So I was checking out a lot of the beer sites I frequently visit and usually I don't click on the ads but when I saw these busty, half naked beauties staring back at me I cracked and clicked. I'm a typical male how could I not click? Look at them!! Yes, yes they are chugging beer and I know I shouldn't be promoting the irresponsible consumption of beer but when hotties like these are staring at you how do you not click on them. Well anyway, by clicking on them I was transported to the site http://www.chuggler.com/ where they sell, get this, beer funnels. You know, those things we made out of parts we found at Walmart or Autozone for less than like a $1. They say that they are the "Ultimate Evolution of the Funnel" and have pictures of drunk coeds using their product to prove it. For a mere $15 you can buy one in black, blue, orange or green and get your drink on!! They even sell T-shirts(for girls only) and even replacement hoses. Well shit, I'm sold since they sell replacement hoses! Anyways, I'll stop teasing them. I'm not trying to make fun I actually think it's a pretty cool idea and wish I had come up with it first. I do have to question why they had to put "Not for use with alcoholic beverages" at the top of the page. What? Not for alcoholic beverages? What the hell is it for then and what are all those coeds drinking in the pictures? Lemonade? Damn disclaimers! That's an argument for a different blog however . Anyways, cool product for those who can't make their own beer funnel and don't mind spending $15 + S/H.
Stay Buddhalicious!
Beerbuddha
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Beer Fridge Awesomeness
Beer Review: Westvleteren 12
Westvleteren is a belgian brewery founded in 1838 inside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren. The brewery brews three beers that have acquired an incredible reputation for taste and quality and are extremely hard to get because of limited availability and very limited distribution. For more info regarding the Westvleteren brewery and their beers go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westvleteren_Brewery Now on to the tasting notes!
Name: Trappist Westvleteren 12
Style: Quadrupel
ABV: 10.20%
Recommended Glassware: Snifter, Tulip or Goblet
Food Pairing: Cheese: Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, Blue, Cheddar; General: Digestive; Meat: Beef, Smoked Meat, Game
Serving type: Bottle poured into an oversized wine goblet(all I had available)
Appearance- This beer poured a dark amber color with a huge off white head. Lacing was present throughout the entire beer.
Smell- Nice fruit smells with hints of alcohol. Has nice hints of raisins, dark cherries, chocolate and spices.
Taste- Incredible. Great tastes of dark fruits(plums, dark cherries), chocolate and spices(cloves, anise). The high ABV is hidden well.
Mouthfeel- Nice thick yet smooth mouthfeel with medium high carbonation.
Drinkability- This beer is absolutely incredible. Not quite a perfect 5 for me but damn close. I feel lucky to have been able to try one and now I want more.