Sly Fox Rauchbier

I was in Reading PA today and had lunch with an old friend, it's always good seeing someone you've known since grade school especially since I am pretty sure I shared my first beers with him (and a few wine coolers unfortunately!) No beer at lunch as we were both working, but on the drive home, I stopped at the Royersford location of Sly Fox for a quick growler fill (Yes, I travel with an empty growler at all times!). You have to love $9 growler fills when so many places are charging as high as $20 for a standard fill. I was glad to find a Sly Fox beer on tap that I had not had prior and so the growler fill decision was quick and easy-Rauchbier! I have not tried it yet but will be soon. This is a style that can go either way for me. Some brew it perfectly with just the right amount of "smokiness" yet I have had some that overpower the beer with too much and you feel like you are drinking Liquid Bacon! This is also a beer style where aroma is very important. Here is beeradvocate.com's definition of Rauchbier: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/7

Today's Haul!

A quick trip into Elkton MD to visit Stateline Liquors netted 7 awesome bottles of Beer:

• Stateside Saison
• Rogue John John Ale-Dead Guy
• Red Hook Limited Series-Expedition
• Brothers Reserve (Widmer) Cherry Dopplebock (wood aged)
• Du claw-Black Jack Stout
• Du claw0Serum Double IPA
• Crooked Line-Cockeyed Cooper

Stateline never disappoints and just for signing up for the e-mail club, you always get 10% off all purchases. http://www.statelineliquors.com/

New Business Profile

http://brewyourownbottle.com/

Brew Your Own Bottle is a new Home Brew Shop in New Jersey. Located in Haddon Township, it is positioned well for the beer lover. Right down the street from The Pour House and Cork, Haddon Ave is quickly becoming a Beer Lover's NJ destination.

BYOB has Beer kits, Wine kits, bottles, and basically all the supplies you need to get started brewing or continue your hobby. The owner is in the process of getting Licensed so there can be on sight classes and 4 oz. samplings. On premise brewing and classes are offered as well.

I have about 10 bottles of my Coffee Porter left and have been thinking it is time for my next brew...BYOB has some great extract kits and I will surely be returning soon to decide on the next brew, maybe an Imperial IPA, a smoked Porter...who knows but whichever I decide, I will post here!

NEW BEER

Everyone that is into good beer is most likely well aware of Sierra Nevada. Each year, I look forward to the release of Celebration (In my opinion, it is the best Hop profile for the price). Torpedo was a welcome addition to their portfolio and now they have added a new Fall seasonal called Tumbler. It is described on the bottle as an "Autumn Brown Ale". I know it is August and still hot and humid but since it is hitting shelves now, I picked up a six pack to be able to try it at it's freshest. Tumbler comes in at 5.5% abv so it is a perfect session beer. It is a very solid brown ale with a malty, bready flavor and a hint of bitterness in the finish. Very Drinkable!

It's early August and...

...the fall beers are hitting the shelves. Oktoberfests, Autumn ales, Pumpkin Ales...I have seen many on the shelves already! Sierra Neveda's newest beer-Tumbler (An Autumn Brown Ale) is out, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin is out, Long Trail Harvest Ale is out. I am sure there are more and of course a lot more still to come! One of the best Oktoberfest beers made in the US is Victory Fest beer. Bottled seasonally Sept-Oct but I recently learned if you are a big fan of this beer it is on draft year round and it is PJ Welihan's house beer year round-known as PJW Copper Lager.

Pet Peeve!

http://http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/domestic

Domestic Drafts: I can't stand when a bar advertises a special such as "$2-Any Domestic Drafts" and so I order a locally crafted beer from Victory, Flying Fish, Dogfish Head or any other beer made within 60 miles or so of the bar and I am told the special is for Domestic drafts only. Domestic means "produced within this country" so all of the above beers should be included or the bar should use different terminology. In fact, what they are really offering is $2 drafts on American beers bought out by foreign countries-Bud, Miller and Coors are almost always considered domestic drafts even though they are owned by Foreign companies!

Random Beer Photo

New to the East Coast

Some BEERS are remembered more for the memory or the company you enjoyed them with than the flavors or the complexity of the ale. That is the case with The Pike Brewing CO beers for me. I recently walked into a local beer store and saw a huge display of Bombers from The Pike. I knew immediately that I would be purchasing some. Not because I remembered how great they tasted (Although I have since had a couple and they are quite good especially at $3.99 per Bomber) but because of the memory it stirs. I first had beers from The Pike while on my honeymoon in Seattle and the Cascade Mountains and then again 5 years later upon our return to Seattle. So while these Beers are good beers (I especially like the Extra Stout), it is more a nostalgic beer for me at this point. Yet another reason BEER can be so enjoyable-the social aspect of it and the people you are with.