Beer-Universe

WOWZERS....I'm still working off those amazing beers that i had yesterday at Jupiter Brewers Festival. It was great running into some good friends and making some new ones! A Review is coming soon....

In the meantime to keep your little brains spinning I was able to sit down with the creators of Beer Universe, last week and ask them a few questions; Dos Beer-igos Style. They seemed a natural fit since they too were Amigos that loved beer as well. Here is the question and answer segment of my discussion with Arup and Heath from Beer Universe.

D-B; HELLOOOOOOO!, If you could please give our readers a brief history of Beer Universe?

B-U; Hey Guys! Well, Beer Universe was conceived over a couple brews (or a few too many), when we realized there wasn't a single source available online for answers to all of our questions about beer. We decided the next day that the idea was still a good one and we were going to look into a bit further. While there are other sites out there (BeerAdvocate / RateBeer) none provide an easy, user friendly interface that regular beer consumers can enjoy. Beer Universe serves at the platform that solves that problem.

D-B; If your business partner and your cold miller lite were hanging off a cliff, who would you save?

B-U; Well, we honestly aren't huge fans of Miller Light, so probably the business partner. But if we're looking at some Dogfish Head or Abita, there's a strong possibility of that answer changing.

D-B; We at Dos Beer-igos like to describe beers as sexy, what in your words would make a beer "sexy"?

B-U; I've never really thought about a beer quite that way, but I think the qualities which make a beer sexy are pretty similar to what makes a woman sexy. First, it needs to stand out from the rest of the pack by being either bold, distinctive, or both; second, it has to have a great story that consumers find intriguing; and third, it has to exemplify the idea of effortless perfection, which means it was brewed with the highest standards for quality and consistency so every time you open a bottle you know it's going to be great.

D-B; Where do you see the craft industry moving in the next 10 years?
B-U; The craft beer market is certainly an exciting one. Over the past 10 years, the industry really has felt a resurgence. Prior to prohibition in the 1920’s, breweries across the United States were plentiful, it was only until after prohibition where we entered into a market where the big 3 could really take over. Thankfully for beer lovers, the increased consumption in craft/micro beers has allowed new innovations in techniques, flavors, and textures. We believe that mass-marketed beers have their work cut out ahead of them as up and coming breweries (even the likes of Sam Adams, which is still technically a craft brewery) are gaining momentum (10-15% annually) and taking away market share. In the next 10 years, look for more joint projects between breweries and some consolidation as large breweries begin to pick off the smaller higher growth brewers.

D-B; If you could change one thing about this industry what would it be and why?
B-U; This is a great question and it is pretty difficult to answer. Really, one of our biggest complaints is the way that beer is distributed. Often times we are envious of wine sites around the Internet because you can actually purchase it online without major complications (barring the states that don’t allow interstate alcohol sales). The beer industry, on the other hand, is highly regulated and the costs (time & money) of being licensed to distribute beer in multiple states is an expensive undertaking for many craft breweries. It's unfortunate because it creates a major barrier to beer enthusiasts nationwide enjoying some of the great beers these smaller regional breweries have to offer.

D-B; If you had to compare yourself to a single piece of glass wear what would it be and why?

B-U; It would definitely be a mug. While it may not be beautiful to look at, it's sturdy, and open to having any type of beer poured in it. Sort of like us.

D-B; What does the near future hold for B-U?

B-U; Beer Universe is constantly innovating and coming out with new features / tools. We’re hoping to show off our beer recommendation tool that is in our member’s area, as we think it’s a feature that many people would find really helpful, but don’t know it exists. All you have to do is take a short quiz and rate some beers on our site and we automatically recommend some beers, based on your preferences, that we think you would like. So far, every beer recommendation we’ve got, we have loved!

So there you have it Beer Fans; We learned that the dudes from Beer-Universe think of themselves as a Beer Mug, Are creating the best beer website on the net right now, Hate the distribution of Beer in the US, Wouldn't take the miller lite if both were hanging off the cliff (but might think of it if it was a Dogfish 60), and Will be happy to suggest a beer for you.

WHEEWWW that was a hell of a long sentence!

From personal experience BEER Universe offers a few things that other beer sites do not. The main thing is the layout of the page; it is easy to navigate and use. They allow their members to not only communicate on the forums and in reviews, but they also can submit their professional reviews and join groups of fans of similar styles. Another thing that has drawn people to the site is you get rewarded for using the site! Add up enough points and you can get cool prizes.

Check them out by clicking any of the hyper-links above; or by simply going to; http://www.beer-universe.com/

FERM OUT!

Cheers! no wait.....BEERS EVERYONE!!

Jupiter Brewers Festival

Well, TODAY IS THE DAY!

Jupiter Brewers Festival!!

Cerveza Chica and I reviewed a fresh batch of beers last night, and the reviews will be released this week.

Tomorrow I will be posting a review of this event with pictures and Ceveza Chica's long awaited profile.

See everyone in Jupiter!

~Ferm

Jupiter Brewers Festival 2010

Considering that we have one of the largest and best Beer Festivals hitting South Florida starting tonight the next two days ill review them both.

Tonight is Field of Beers; 6-9pm

Field of Beers is a matching of food and beer from a number of local and national brewers as well as local restaurants. Sadly, none of the Dos Beer-igos bloggers will be able to make this event. Tickets are still available off the website and are $73.00 per person.

While i have never been to this event, it seems like it would be a very enjoyable one. A list of the Beers and Food Pairings can be found on the MENU PAGE (<--- Click the link).

Tomorrow; Jupiter Brewer's Festival 1-5pm

When it comes to beer festivals this is probably the best in the southeast. It is well organized and offers a spectacular list of brew houses.

SADLY TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT OFF THE INTERNET!

BUT WAIT!?!?

IF YOU ARE WITHIN THE 1ST 1400 PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP TOMORROW YOU CAN BUY A TICKET AT THE GATE FOR $25.00 (cash only)!!!

Ok, that being said, get there early. Last year they ended up turning away about 1600 people and there were some very upset travelers in that pack. DON'T BE THAT GUY. I recommend getting to Roger Dean Stadium at least an hour in advance....if not a bit earlier if you want to be guaranteed to get in!

A list of offerings can be found on the BREWERS PAGE (<--- Uhh yah thats a link too!)

If your there tomm and want to share a beer with me, Dos, or our newest member Cerveza Chica. Just look for us. More than likely Dos will be wearing a pink shirt that says "FREE HUGS" (yep he likes to hand them out), I'll be rocking my BEER-UNIVERSE.com shirt, and who knows what Cerveza Chica will be rocking. More importantly look for the drinking gloves (they keep ur hand toasty and ur beer cold...!)

SEE YOU TOMM!

Shipyard XXXX, ipa

Shipyard Brewing Company
Portland, Maine
9.25 ABV

C. Clear as can be

H. Red-ish Orange; almost like a piece of copper

N. Hops, hops, and more hops (notes of citrus, pine, and some sweet aromas)

Cerveza Chica; Let me begin this by stating that this is hands down my favorite IPA. I love the nose of this beer. It is sweet with hints of citrus and hops. Upon first taste of this beer I get the citrus, which is then followed by the hops and ends on a bitter note. It is a very drinkable beer to me and, although it is somewhat higher in alcohol content it is in no means overpowering. It is a must try beer. It is worth splurging the few extra bucks at Total Wine.
Score; 4.77 because I have yet to experience the “perfect” beer.

Ferm; Well this is the 1^st official tasting that I have done without my partner in crime, it was a tad bit odd, really felt sort-a out of place. I figured that I might as well start these new team tastings with one of my favorite beers. XXXX is quite like a party on my tongue. There are four different types of hops in this bad boy, and to balance out the bitterness there are four different types of malt. Now while I’m not a fan of malt, I am a fan of hops. I can’t say anything bad about this beer, partially because my kindergarten teacher (Miss Buzzy) told me to never say anything bad about anyone or anything. Although even if I wanted to I couldn’t. This is an amazingly well balanced IPA that if I could I would drink it all day, bathe in it, and then attempt to make sweet sweet love in it. YOU MUST TRY THIS BEER! Score; 4.97

Overall; 4.87

Samuel Adams; Cream Stout

Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA
4.69 ABV

C. Clear enough, for a darky

H. Dark Brown

N. Would you like some Malt with that…..straight malt hints of coffee and chocolate

Fermentation: Go figure the 1^st beer I go to do a solo review on is the Sam Adams Cream Stout, and we all know how much of a fan I am of stouts and porters! Off initial pour we have a nice foamy tan head. The beer is amazingly clear (which is to be expected from S.A.) for a dark beer. 1^st taste and I feel like I am chewing on a nice chocolate and coffee flavored toffee. This is a pretty thick and chunky beer if I say so myself. She is pretty and quite refreshing to the palate, easy to drink, and like a good girl….I mean beer she invites you back for more. The flavor does sort-a change a tad at the end, leaving hints of alcohol fluttering around but dies out quickly. Not the most complex stout that I have had, but I would say it is a great entry beer for someone that might want to adventure over to the “dark side.” Worth a try, just as any of the Samuel Adams are….

Score; 3.599999

Overall = 3.60 (I’ll round up since I know Dos would have given it a higher score)

Late Night Blog, Some Answers, and FREE BEER?!?!?

Fermentation here to give you the inside scoop on what’s going on in the world of the Dos Beer-igos.

Well where do we begin? This past week has been an interesting one to say the least. It was a roller coaster of emotions for both of us. So lets start here…WE APOLOGIZE FOR NOT POSTING A NEW BLOG YESTERDAY AND MAKING YOU WAIT ALLLLLL DAY FOR THIS UPDATE.

Ok so now that, that’s over. Here is the skinny, Dos is a woman, and I am actually a beer drinking chimpanzee. Ok…..im just playing around.


Seriously though, I would like to congratulate Dos on getting a promotion in his current employer. Yes, it is sad for me and for the regular readers of this blog, but it is a great opportunity for him. Sadly this promotion will move Dos to the other side of the state making our bi-weekly meet ups a little more challenging.

Q; So how is this going to change the best beer blog on the internet?
A; Well it’s a good thing that Mike Loves Beer (shameless plug) has nothing to do with Dos, but Dos Beerigos will lose Dos as a regular writer.

We will carry on though. I will be continuing this blog along with the help of my friends. We will have a new guest blogger hopefully every week, but ill need your help. The weeks that Dos isn’t around Ill need volunteers to come and sit and share their wacky thoughts on a handful of beers with me. This will allow us to still have two opinions in all of our reviews.

The schedule will go something like this
Sunday; Guest Blogger Profile (and maybe a picture if their SEXYYYY)
Mon-Fri; Beer Reviews
Saturday; Reviews, News, and Interviews with people inside the industry

So this leaves the age old question;

Who wants some free beer?

Only catch is you have to drink it with me, The Fermentation!

Email me at DosBeerigos@gmail.com

Would you like to Value Size that with a Beer?

Ok, so the next time you visit a Burger King dont be surprised if you get asked would you like a beer with your meal.

WHAT?

ARE WE IN HEAVEN?

SURE WE WILL HAVE A BEER WITH THAT!

Well in an attempt to win more loyal fast food eaters, Burger King will start offering Domestic Beer in a special aluminum bottle. The Beer will run you $4.25 alone or you can add it into your value meal. A Whopper combo with a beer will be $7.99.



I guess Burger King really does want you to Have It Your Way!

As of now it looks like the only beers that will be sold at the BK Bar are domestics from the big three (Bud, Miller, Coors). Although yesterday on twitter (follow us @DosBeerigos) several people were rumoring a Coors only campaign. BK did say that they would be open to other beers if it was requested by the general public.

@DogFishBeer tweeted yesterday; Dont get me wrong, don't think any of ours would fly with fries & a whopper.

What do you think about all this craziness....Beer and a Whopper?!?!?

What do you thing about this? Comment Below!

Rogue XS Imperial India Pale Ale

Rogue Ales
Newport, OR
9.5 ABV

C. Cloudy

H. Light orange, maybe darkish yellow

N. Very hoppy, hints of floral

Dos: Ok, so this interesting concoction wasn't as interesting as I had hoped. Trust me, it was good and drinkable, but with all the hype and cool bottle and all, I didn't feel like it lived up to it's expectations. I get baffled sometimes because I drink a beer that has an extreme bitterness, yet the IBU is lower than expected, and then I drink something like this where it is pretty hoppy and bitter, but not to an extreme, and the IBU is higher than that last beer. Just like The Dolphins, my fav team, they don't usually live up to expectations. Everyone gets all riled up before the season, and then they lose the first 4. What the hey is that??? Eh, oh well, looking forward to the other XS Imperial beers from Rogue. Score = 3.84

Fermentation: Hmmm well I will give this beer the coolest bottle award. I love the fact that this bottle is heavy and has the “Grolsh style” top to it. Ok, enough about the pretty packaging. This was a good Imperial IPA, nothing special definitely not worth the retail price. Strong hoppy hit and nice lingering bitterness. There is good balance between hops and malt. Worth a try if you can find a friend that got this for their birthday! Thanks guys! Score = 4.12

Overall = 3.92

A Beer Can is how Old?!?!

Well HOPPY BIRTHDAY to the Beer Can!
75 years ago, this month, this heavenly invention of beer carrying capacity was created.



Here is an excerpt taken from Beer Universe, one of the many AWESOME beer websites out there...

Grab a few 6-packs, get a couple friends together, and start celebrating - January 2010 marks the 75th anniversary of the beloved, the one and only, beer can.
That's right - the concept of the beer can didn't even exist until the 1920s, when brewers first started thinking about using metal cans for the packaging of beer. The concept took a backseat due to Prohibition, but when the restrictions were lifted in 1931, researchers got to work on finding an alternative to the traditional glass bottle.
There were a few problems that needed to be overcome. Minor assembly and manufacturing problems aside, the can needed to be strong enough to withstand the pasteurization process, which requires pressures of up to 90 psi (more than 6 times as much as atmospheric pressure). Also, the can needed an inner lining that would protect the beer inside from harmful chemical reactions. The first few attempts to find such a lining involved flour, gum, and somewhat unexpectedly - asphalt. The Gottfried Krueger Brewing Co. were the first to use the new plastic-lined beer can, in January 1934. When sales increased dramatically in just a few short months, Pabst and Anheuser-Busch followed suit, and the beer can revolution was born.......

Check out the rest over at Beer Universe.

But that leads me to a question.....what is your favorite beer out of a can?

Post your answer below, who knows maybe we will review them!

Rocky Mountain IPA

The Fort Collins Brewery
Fort Collins, CO (USA)
6.2 ABV

C. A little clear, very small amount of cloudiness

H. Amber

N. Very strong hoppiness, and a hint of Lodge Fries
(To experience our numerous comments about Lodge Fries, please visit The Lodge Boca located at 200 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL)


Dos: Finally, something worth drinking (on that tasting day). The last few beers we have had have been gnarley. This is a strong, hoppy, and bitter American IPA. Loaded with hops, and the IBU is very higher too. The nose definitely draws you to this beer, and the taste does not disappoint either like some strong beers. If you have ever hooked up with a chick that you never thought was pretty until randomly one day, this is kind of like that. I mean she’s not hott, or popular, and she is only decent looking, but once you got a wif of that perfume, you thought there may be some potential. Then you kind of sat back and remembered that you might not want to lower you’re standards, but then what the hey, you go for it. And just like you expected, she was awesome, just like this beer. Fort Collins, you’ve out done yourself on this one, nice work! Score = 4.11114

Fermentation: I don’t like to compare beers but this really does sorta taste like Lost Coast Indica on initial taste and then it mellows out and has a bit of a burnt taste to it……..wait for it……then a minute later a strong bitterness hangs around…..IMPRESSIVE. As most of you know I love myself some hops and this beer is about as much of a West Coast IPA as you can get. The head is an off white and quite thick….Sexy Head!!! The nose of this beer is huge. Dos put it in front of me and I could smell it from the tasting table. I would easily drink this one again…..GREAT JOB FCB! Score = 4.13

Overall = 4.12057

Raging Bitch Belgian-Style India Pale Ale

Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, MD (USA)
8.3 ABV

C. Perfectly clear

H. Amber, sort of burnt orange

N. Whoaaaa hops!

Dos: Geez, they weren't kidding when they made this one. Very hoppy, and a super nice bitterness to it also. The IBU is 60, but I feel that seems a little low for it. Nowhere near something like The Ruination, but it definitely has a kick to it. When I found out that this beer was made with the El Diablo yeast, I laughed even harder. Believe it or not, this beer does NOT describe any of my former women! Why you may ask? Well, they were all raging bitches at some point in time, as this delicious brew was, but this IPA stayed good the whole time, where, well, the women were just plain mean and ended on a sour note. Score = 4.17

Fermentation: Wow, this beer is properly named…..she really is a bitch. Great banana notes from the yeast, strong hops and a little kick of sweetness not sure if its from the yeast or malt. This is a fun beer, but be careful and watch your tone, cause you just might get slapped in the mouth from this Raging Bitch. Score = 4.191

Overall = 4.1805

Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival in only 2 weeks!

January 30, 2010
1pm - 5:30pm
4th Annual
Abacoa Town Center in Jupiter, FL


Brewers and Vendors



This is a friendly reminder to buy your tickets in advance. This place WILL sell out, and you don't want to make the drive and not have a ticket to get in. I cant say enough good things about this beer festival, and i would love to run into some of the readers there.

So do it today;

Go to; Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival

Purchase your tickets in advance.....and let us know if you will be in attendance!

Cheers and have a great Sunday!

Jomo Lager

Starr Hill Brewery
Charlottesville, VA (USA)
5.57 ABV

C. Cloudy definitely, with many small things foating around.

H. Burnt orange, just like the Texas Longhorns.

N. Malty, pretty much it.

**Request from JP**

Dos: Eh, nothing special about this one. This was not the first time I have gotten to experience this Starry beer, but I must say I did not enjoy it as much this time around. Maybe because the first time I drank it, it was out of the bottle and this one was in a glass? I don’t know, Maybe it’s because we have spoiled ourselves with the likes of Utopias and Dogfish beers and such. I typically tend to enjoy all of the Starr Hill’s, but this one is just average. I guess if I went to some whore house, and I had 6 ladies to choose from, it would kinda of be like if the 5 best ones were taken, and I had to settle for the 6th best. Oooo gotta love that 6th best. All in all, it’s a drinkable beer, just like I’m sure the young lady would be decent, but if I had the other ones to choose from, I’d probablyyy go with the others. Score = 3.31

Fermentation: Yummy after opening this beer I decided I needed a turkey sandwich…..why? Well this one has sorta a dill pickle attack to it. Once you get past this, Starr Hill did a good job, it is just an odd first attack. Not the first beer I have had with that as an attack. The Jomo has a clean refreshing taste to it, that is quite complex, but east to drink. This is defiantly a good beer to have with a picnic. In fact, grab your picnic basket, some of this beer, a sandwich or two, and a SEXY woman…..Good beer Score = 3.32

***NOTE, We do these reviews AND scores separately, and when we saw how close our two scores were, we just laughed. Definitely without a doubt the closest we have ever gotten.

Overall =3.315

Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager

Dixie Brewing Co.
New Orleans, LA (USA)
5.0 ABV

C. Pretty clear

H. Straight up brown, not black as the name claims.

N. Malty, hints of sweetness and toffee.


Dos: Ahhhh, that was literally my exact reaction after the first taste. It went from hmm maybe, to omg no, to hey where did it go all in like 2 seconds. What the hey was that? Like this is almost worse than the other beers from Dixie Brewing, which those are baddd. They made this with all malt, and no hops. Maybe they should have added some hops to this cause this beer blows. I’m gonna be mean about this beer cause it is seriously being mean to my mouth. First, blackened lager? It’s brown, like nowhere near black. Get your name right guys, come on! Second, stop emphasizing so much on the water. Yes yes, water is the most important ingredient to beer, but hello, we buy beer because we don’t want to drink something that tastes like water. So make it taste like beer! Durrrr. Third, which crappy girl that I have dated can I relate this beer to? Hey, how about all of them. They all suck. You’ve heard my stories, well combine them all and that would be this evil so-called beer. Fin. Score = 1.97

Fermentation: ::I wake up in the morning, quite hungover, stumble to the coffee machine. Damnit there is coffee from yesterday…oh well, pour the coffee toss some ice on top and take a sip….I place the glass down and forget about it for about an hour. Come back it is not sort-a brownish since it is watered down, take a sip….and ahhh it taste just like Dixie Blackend Voodoo Lager.:: I Expected bigger and blacker (Warren Sapp like qualities)….but didn’t get it (Steve Urkel like qualities). Ohh well. Safe to say that this will also be the last Dixie we try. If someone was to rebottle this with an Abita (another New Orleans brewery) bottle I don’t think I would ever second guess where it came from. Weak try….nothing special here. Score = 2.335

Overall = 2.1525

Dark Starr Stout

Starr Hill Brewery
Charlottesville, VA (USA)
4.81 ABV

C. Who knows, cause this is blackkkkk.

H. Black, with the head being really brown.

N. Coffee, pretty plain coffee though, a little smokey

**Request Review for JP**

Dos: My breath smells like I just smoked a cigarette, or 10. And I don’t like cigarettes, but this beer isn’t that bad. It is smoky, and definitely has the smell and taste of cold coffee. Not that lame iced coffee with shipped crème crap, it just seems like coffee that has been off the burner for a few hours. Very dark black, and I was extremely impressed by the brown color of the head. I have many many nicknames, and one of them is Chocolate Thunder. I met this chick one time down in Miami, she was dark, like super dark, so we called her White Lightning of course. Well this beer reminds me of her. Dark, smoky, and she invited me for coffee the next morning….wink wink. Score = 3.814

Fermentation: Well I expected a bigger beer with lots of coffee and maybe a hint of chocolate. In fact this was something I was looking forward to since it was the closing of out tasting session today and we save the darker beers for last. Keep in mind I don’t like big stouts, but since Ten Fidy I have kept an open mind. Aroma was coffee, this sorta got my lips wet, as for taste….wow SMOKEY. I feel like a chain smoker just exhaled a pack of 305’s in my mouth. Though it calms down it was a bit too smoky for my taste. Good beer if you like stouts but I don’t. Score =2.89

Overall = 3.352

Dixie Beer

Dixie Brewing Co.
New Orleans, LA (USA)
4.5 ABV

C. A little cloudy, and some small particles floating around

H. A very light, dull yellow

N. Very refreshing, light, kinda smells like lemonade.

Dos: Interesting I have to say. I love that the front of the bottle says that it was brewed with “crystal cleat water” haaa! It looks pretty darn cloudy to me with some junk floating around in it. I mean it is from New Orleans so maybe they used that water that they drained out of The Superdome ohhhhh. Too soon? Whatever. Anyway, each drink was different than the last which is not too common. It started out kinda like lemonade, then it was a little less, then it was just really dull. I once dated this chick that was on the dance team, and she was the same way. Started out sweet, then she got a little whiny, then she was just plain mean, so I didn’t like her anymore. Hence how I feel about this. At the end, I’m not so satisfied. Score = 2.539

Fermentation: 1st beer reviewed from Dixie. This one is quite like a chameleon. It changes flavors for the first three sips. Started out sorta sweet, then sorta odd, then clean and crisp. After a while it sorta started tasting a little old. Regardless this is a clean, crisp, and smooth drinking beer. I would tailgate with this beer in the summer. Easy to go down and nothing quite complex. Low score but I would drink this again. Score = 2.62

Overall = 2.579

Red Head, Red Ale

Brewed by Thomas Creek Brewery for Dunedin Brewery
Greenville, SC/Dunedin, FL (USA)
5.2 ABV

C. Clear, like very clear

H. Crimson red, almost lke cranberry juice

N.

Dos: So we have had a beer from Dunedin Brewery once before, and it wasn’t so special. I actually think we were pretty brutal on our review of it. Anyway, this one was better than the Pale Ale, but it was kinda weird. They weren’t kidding when they said it was red. One major thing about this is that it was smoky. Didn’t expect that one. The Dunedin Brewery labels look like they let some 1st graders make them with crayons. I think they also allowed those 1st graders to make the beer also, with adult supervision of course! Next time we see something from this brewery on the shelves, we may just leave it there for some other poor sap looking to try something new. This beer reminds me of a cross between my red haired roommate, and chain smoking owner of the bowling alley named Gladys. Neither are ones that you want to remember after that fateful first AND last time around. Score = 2.84

Fermentation: Well after first taste I felt like I just licked a rubber band. Strong rubber taste to this one. This was the second Dunedin Brewery Beer that we have tasted and I think its safe to say that it will be the last. No current plans on swinging by that brewery on my next trip to Tampa. Not saying that I could brew better, but I probably could. This won an several awards too. Honestly I would hate to have gone to the beer competition where this won an award…..seriously how bad were the beers there. I was once told by a young woman that once you go red you’ll wanna go to your bed…….yah I might want to do that and go to sleep, hopefully forget about this beer. Score = 2.12

Overall = 2.48

ELePHANT Premium Beer

Carlsberg
Denmark
7.2 ABV

C. Pretty clear other than massive amounts of particles.

H. Pee yellow (the type of yellow after you take a lot of vitamins)

N. Confusing scents, smells just like any normal American type of lager (Bud, Miller, etc.)

Dos: Junk. I think we both agree that this tastes like pure saltwater. It looks like pee, tastes like salty water, why do people want to drink this? I mean I think the normal Carlsberg tastes better than this crap, and this is supposed to be the premium version? Dude, no. Two minimal sips of this beer and I was done. I don’t usually toss beer out, but this was one of those not so good ones. This monstrosity should not be consumed. Thank goodness we didn’t even pay for this beer since it was a gift. Nice gift…..lol. Score = 1.31

Fermentation: Ok, so this is a beer that is by appointment to the Royal Danish Court……FOR LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD IN BEER, STAY THERE. ELePHANT is not the normal Carlsberg which is pretty good, this is stronger in alcohol, and stronger in the taste like poo style. Not impressed in this at all, it is bland and tastes like a run of the mill lager. The only thing that is remotely cool about this beer is the bottle. Lets focus on the positive; The bottle is green, it has some cool writing on the glass, and there is a metallic elephant on the label. Back to reality, LEAVE THIS ONE ON THE SHELF! Score = 1.003

Overall = 1.1565

Sam Adams Imperial Series; Double Bock

Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA (USA)
9.5 ABV

**Aged about a year**

C. Pretty clear, especially for a bock

H. Brown

N. Hints of brown sugar, and some rye bread

Dos: So, I’m half and half on the aging of this beer. I think the taste got a little blandish with age, but a good thing is that it kept. Still has the nose, and the taste isn’t flat or anything, but it just doesn’t seem as tasty as it was the first time. I almost like it better as I am going in for the sip than the actual sip itself. I mean like I say a lot, the Dogfish and Sam Adams are my two favorites, so yes yes they may get a little higher rating than they possibly should have, but whatever, it’s my review! I mean this is a very good beer don’t get me wrong, but I liked it better the first time, just like the chick I picked up at laser tag last week, than the second time when I could actually know what I was doing, I mean drinking. Score = 4.221

Fermentation: Ok, ever seen that movie Brown Sugar? Yah, well Mos Def’s role was better than what this beer’s role was in my night. I don’t think aging did this beer any justice, infact sorta like the movie Brown Sugar. I would say buy and it and drink it, don’t cellar this one. This Lager was strong in the sweetness level (once again not my cup of tea or beer for that matter). Keep the malt for someone else and hand me a hoppy beer. Still good job to Jim Koch a crew. DRINK IT NOWWWW Score = 3.024

Overall = 3.6225

Sam Adams Imperial Series; Imperial White

Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA (USA)
10.3 ABV

**Aged about a year**

C. Very very cloudy.

H. Top is yellow, bottom is dark orange

N. Very strong, clove, banana.

Dos: Well, this beer definitely settled down with age I can say that. This is my second experience with it because I bought two of all of the Imperial Series beers when they first came out, and drank one of each pretty much immediately. I figured I would see what happens to them with age. Well the nose was still there, if not stronger, but the taste was a lot smoother the second time around. Just like the first time with that new really hot chick. The first time was like whoaaa awesome, k I’m done. But the second time around seemed a little longer (talking about beer you guys geez) and it was also a little easier. ;-) Score = 4.32

Fermentation: Well lets see here we tried these about a year ago (same batch), I can honestly say quite like women; this one got better with age. Boy oh boy that intial alcohol bite is gone the nose opened up a bit more. This beer became a little easier to drink. Sweet and still has a pleasant odor from the yeast. I’ll give you a tip, buy a four pack and sit on this for a year. Cellar it well! Good Job Jim Koch and team worth the wait! Score = 3.94

Overall = 4.13

Pipers Pale Ale

Brewed by Thomas Creek Brewery for Dunedin Brewery
Greenville, SC/Dunedin, FL (USA)
??? ABV

C. Pretty dang clear

H. Orange like a push-pop

N. Hint of Hops

Dos: Piper you magnificent male specimen you, you have made one non delicious beer. This literally tastes like someone just put a couple of hops into a barrel of water and added some orange food coloring. This isn’t the worst beer I have ever had, cause I’ve had some bad ones I won’t mention (Bud Light Golden Wheat lol), but I digress. I mean ugh, the hot dog that fell on the ground that I ate about 30 minutes ago with bad mustard and sour relish was better than this. I mean my rating isn’t horrible on this cause it had a nice hoppy hint to the nose, but I will not be enjoying, or attempting to enjoy, this beer for quite some time, aka never. Score = 2.76

Fermentation: Well this was a let down, well not really; but sorta. I was really excited about this one seeing that I found it in Tampa and decided I had to bring it back. This is the typical American Pale Ale. While it isn’t a big price tag beer, it still might be cheaper for you to go and buy an entry level brew kit and a starter A.P.A. kit and have at it. I guess its sorta like give a man a fish he eats for a day teach a man he eats for the rest of his life……yah learn to drink for the rest of your life. Good entry level A.P.A. though; nothing complex. Although impressed with the clarity! Score = 3.001

Overall = 2.8805

Palo Santo Maron

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton, DE (USA)
12.0 ABV

C. Irrelevant cause it’s black

H. Straight up black, son

N. Sweet, hints of cinnamon

Dos: Now that’s what I’m talkin about! Not as strong as a stout, and definitely not light at all. Apparently a brown ale, although it looks pretty dang black too me. I like the fact that it has a cinnamon taste to it as well as a coffee taste as well. Gee, it seems like we have been doing a ton of coffee tasting beers lately…..maybe cause it is winter time. I don’t really have any funny things to say about this beer. I know, odd. But it is a Dogfish, and you all know that I sure as holy Jesus love my Dogfish beers. Ya know, I wish I could combine like the Dogfish 120 Minute with the Stone Ruination, lol. Now that would be one insane concoction in my book. Score = 4.154

Fermentation: Well after the pour I didn’t think this was going to be very good, but after the smell I had hope. Smell was different, sorta spicey but sweet notes. The initial taste was like a deep dark brown ale, but it finishes with a peppery bite that comes out of nowhere. Man this is awesome, I love the bite at the end of this. Good beer. Score = 3.89

Overall = 4.022

Gamma Ray ; Wheat Wine Ale

Terrapin Beer Co.
Athens, GA (USA)
10.8 ABV

C. Cloudy

H. Dark yellow

N. Strong sweetness, hints of banana, not as much honey as it claims

Dos: Ok, I think Super Turtle on the label just punched me in the mouth. I’m a big fan of comparing beers to other breweries, although my counterpart is the complete opposite, but this beer tastes like a Dogfish. If you’re a regular reader, then you know my love for the Dogfish Head beers, so anything that has a taste and/or smell like any of them, I’ll mention it. But this is definitely a strong beer. Ok, ya know what, I’m straying away from the beer itself, but I mean the label design is so awesome. The freakin turtle is wearing Cyclops glasses and holding a lighting bolt! That’s so great. Anyway, definitely a wheat beer, and as strong as it claims to be. Can taste the honey a lot better than you can smell it. Can’t wait to try the other beers from this new series. Score = 4.48

Fermentation: HOLLYYYY TURTLE. This was a beer that I have looked forward to since we picked it up. This was amazing. The attack is nothing but a banana smothered in honey. It calms down a bit with just the banana notes, and then finishes up with a sweet but not too sweet after taste. This beer is just like the quiet blond in class that when you take her home she is in your face and knows exactly what to do. THIS IS A SEXY BEER! If you don’t get your hands on this then that’s just a shame. After this one, look forward to more posts on the newer Terrapin beers. Score = 4.62

Overall = 4.55

Warmer Winter, Winter Warmer Ale

Cigar City Brewing
Tampa, FL (USA)
10.0 ABV

C. Cloudy

H. The color of beet juice, like a blood reddish color

N. Sweet and malty! Smells like the wine from The Fermentation’s wedding.

Dos: Holy beer this is something good! My love for Dogfish Head types of beer keeps rising again! It literally seems like Cigar City let Dogfish make a special beer for them, then added a little coffee at the end, and let them slap their own label on it. As “The Fermentation” will most likely say, this is a sexy beer. Very sweet nose, very sweet first hit, then BAM, coffee at the end. I wanna make sweet WARM love to this all WINTER down by the fire. Get it, haha. And at the edge of the fire, I will have a big bottle of Dogfish staring at us acting all jealous and such cause believe it or not, I may have just found a new love. Mmmmmm. Score = 4.48

Fermentation: **Note** Not a fan of dark ales. **Note**
That being said HOLY JESUS THIS IS A GOOD BEER. This makes me want to go out side and streak….btw do you think KFC is still open!?!?! This beer has an akward nose to it sort-a malty but then an odd sweet almost like citrus. This is a true winter in Florida. Even better Cigar City just increased their capacity in Tampa and will be able to share more of this wonderful seasonal beer to the rest of the state. Grab it now….its really good. Its weird chocolatey in the front, middle is citrus-y good-ness, and then SMACK have some coffee! I look forward to more Cigar City’s! GREAT JOB!!!!!! Score =4.561

**Please keep in mind that these reviews are written separately and then read to each other. Similar words are pure coincidence. (Sort-a like how Dos thought I would call it SEXY……)**

Overall = 4.53

2010 Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival

January 30, 2010
1pm - 5:30pm
4th Annual
Abacoa Town Center in Jupiter, FL


Brewers and Vendors

Over 100 craft beers for you to sample!
**Please note this list is subject to change.

Abita - Abita Springs, LA
Anchor Brewing Co. - San Francisco, CA
Angry Moon Cigars - Jupiter, FL
Bells Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI
Big Bear Brewing Co.- Coral Springs, FL
Blue Moon Brewing Co. -Goldenr, CO
Bold City Brewing - Jacksonville, FL
Boulder Beer - Boulder, CO
Brewzzi - West Palm Beach/Boca Raton, FL
Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY
Brown Distributing - West Palm Beach, FL
BX Beer Depot - Lake Worth, FL
Cigar City Brewing- Tampa, FL
Corner Cafe & Brewery - Tequesta, FL
Dogfish Head - Milton, DE
Florida Beer Company - Melbourne, FL
Flying Dog Brewery - Frederick, MD
Fresh Beer - Ft Lauderdale, FL
Gold Coast Distributing
Gordash Beer Co. - Ft Lauderdale, FL
Gordon Biersch - Miami, FL
Hops - Tampa, FL
High Falls Brewing Company - Rochester, NY
Highland Brewing Company - Asheville, NC
Florida Beer Company- Melbourne, FL
Inlet Brewing Company - Jupiter, FL
John Grassi - Pilates
Jefferson Street Brewery - Lynchburg, VA
Kelly's Carribean Bar & Grille - Key West, FL
Kona Brewing Company - Hawaii
Left Hand Brewing - Longmont, CO
Leinenkugel - Chippewa Falls, WI
Magic Hat - South Burlington, VT
Merchant Du Vin - Tukwila, WA
Narragansett Brewing Co - Providence, RI
Native Brewing Co - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Oceana Coffee - Florida
Orange Blossom Pilsner - Orlando, Florida
Palm Beach Draughtsmen - West Palm Beach, FL
Redhook Ale Brewery - Portsmouth NH
Rogue - Newport, Oregon
Rooney's Public House - Jupiter, FL
Sam Adams - Boston, MA
Saints Somewhere Brewing Company - Tarpon Springs, FL
Saranac - Utica, NY
Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery - Jacksonville, FL
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA
Selin's Grove Brewing - Selinsgrove,PA
Shipyard/Sea Dog - Portland, ME
Southern Teir Brewing Company- Lakewood, NY
Star Hill Brewery - Crozet, VA
Stone Brewing Co. - San Diego, CA
Swamphead Brewery - Gainesville, FL
Titanic Brewing Company - Miami, FL
Victory Brewing Co.- Downingtown, PA


We both highly recommend this festival. In Our opinion it is the best Craft Beer Festival in the state. Unfortunately, we will not be able to do a review on all the beers we try on this glorious day, but we wont let you down. We will do a review on the festival itself. We will give you pros and cons and also take some pictures for you. So grab your drinking gloves and get ready to ROCK AND ROLL!

For more information or to buy tickets in advance check out Jupiter Craft Brewer's Festival

Winterbraun Ale

Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe
Eureka, CA (USA)
6.5 ABV

C. Moderately clear, a hint of cloudiness

H. Dark amber to light brown

N. Like the morning after a keg party at your house, not so nice

Dos: Well, the taste is kinda better than the smell, cause the smell is gnarly. It does lose taste pretty much immediately though which is so lame. The label talks about chocolate tastes and chocolates malts, but yeahhhh no chocolate whatsoever. I do like chocolate. Young ladies tend to buy me those big gigantic hearts that are filled with chocolates, but I always seem pretty drunk after I eat them all. Come to find out, they have been injecting them with alcohol so I’d be more vulnerable. Anyway, this is an average winter beer, and not really as cool as the snowboard on the label would make it seem. Score = 3.39

Fermentation: So after reading the bottle (yah I know I typically don’t do that) it says that there are chocolate malts in the beer, and that it has a chocolate taste….Well the only thing chocolate about this beer is the “Chocolate-Face” (from the movie Borat) on the label. Overall it’s a decent beer. Easy drinking but nothing special. I wouldn’t flip out if you didn’t get a chance to try this one. I’m sorta happy it’s only seasonal. Score =3.13

Overall = 3.26

Fade To Black Ale

Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO (USA)
8.0 ABV

C. Irrelevant

H. Black

N. Whoa coffee, smokey, almost like a cigarette

Dos: Mmmmmm, I love the taste of coffee and cigarettes. Lol not really, considering I don’t drink coffee, and I don’t smoke. By the way for all you sin stick hogs…..smokers are jokers. Mom taught me well. Anyway, although most people would probably hate this beer as I’m sure “The Fermentation” despises it, I actually kinda like it. It has black power (raises fist) and it leaves an insane aftertaste for the ages. It does not “Fade to Black”, it just is black from the very first pour. I love these types of beer. Just like Campbell’s soup, MmmmMmmm good. Score = 4.21

Fermentation: Well here yah go, this is why we are doing two peoples opinions. From the pour to the last sip, this was Dos’s beer all the way. As stated before, I'm not a fan stouts, and this is a stout to EVERY sense of the word. Big coffee and smokey. Almost as if Smokey the Bear was drinking a cup of coffee that was left on the burner all day. Not for me. Ill try to stay fair with the rating since im sure Left Hand did a good job with this one. Score = 3.0

Overall = 3.605