The Barber Shop Brewpub

Dripping Springs is soon going to be dripping beer. Ughhhh.

Not much info available. Time will tell. Interested...keep yr eyes focused here and here.

h/t: Hopward

ABW: More on BTA vs CA Ultimate Fanboy Bike Pub Crawl Throwdown

I told you about this already. We have a BA Event page about it. Now we also have a Facebook Event page happening. Log on and let us know yr attending, or that we are wasting our time. Either way, we want to here from you.

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

I really like this beer. Many beer geeks love it. This is happy news for all of us. The low down from BA:

Tuesday, September 28th is National Drink Beer Day! As if you didn't already have reason to raise a pint, GUINNESS(r) Irish Stout is proud to announce its U.S. launch of GUINNESS(r) Foreign Extra Stout (FES) on October 1st. The fullest in flavor of the GUINNESS brand variants, GUINNESS FES is carbonated unlike the nitrogenated GUINNESS Draught with which most Americans are familiar. The specialty beer is 7.5% ABV and possesses strong, roasted aromas followed by a unique bittersweet taste. Foreign Extra Stout is already a favorite of many around the world, making up 45% of GUINNESS sales globally, and is sure to be a favorite of beer aficionados here in the U.S.

## Fact Sheet GUINNESS® Foreign Extra Stout (FES)

Product Description: GUINNESS® Foreign Extra Stout (FES) is brewed with the highest hop rate of all the GUINNESS® variants. The generous hop additions express fully the beers distinctive character and flavor while also prolonging shelf life in warmer climates, as hops are the best natural preservative for beer. GUINNESS FES is uniquely different from GUINNESS Draught both in taste profile, color and ritual.

Taste
Profile: Big, full‐bodied flavor with enormous complexity and character. Strong, roasted aromas followed by a unique bittersweet taste

Appearance
Deep Brown

Dispense
Carbonated (GUINNESS Draught nitrogenated)

Ingredients
Malt, Roast Barley, Hops, Yeast, Water

ABV
7.5%

Serve
In a GUINNESS goblet or chilled straight from the bottle; one‐part pour at a 45 degree
angle

Five step ritual
Chill, Release, Pour, Toast, Enjoy

Tasting Notes
The sensation of GUINNESS Foreign Extra Stout astonishes and activates the palate with the taste buds immediately ignited by a deep, rich sweetness of the malted barley. The strong caramel, coffee‐like character of the roasted barley and the calm impact of the fragrant hops give an aromatic and sensual effect. The finish is perhaps the most important part of the GUINNESS taste experience ensuring these distinct sensations linger in your mouth longer for you to enjoy.
Suggested Retail Price: 4‐pack @ $9.49

History
Brewed for more than two centuries, GUINNESS FES dates back to 1801. Known as West India Porter until the mid nineteenth century, FES was an export beer brewed with extra hops, giving the beer a more intense flavor and higher alcohol strength. The extra hops also acts as a natural preservative for beer, allowing it to survive long journeys overseas.

GUINNESS FES was exported to the U.S. beginning in 1817, but was discontinued in 1920 due to prohibition. The specialty stout will make its return to the U.S. market in October 2010.

http://www.guinness.com

Lew Bryson has a quick review of it for you.

BeerTownAustin/Craft Austin Bike Pub Crawl

This is happening. Obviously, it will be the CAN'T MISS event of Austin Beer Week. More details to follow, but go to BA and let us know if you are attending.

GA(ustin)BFed

Well it's come and gone. I'll have more to show and tell later about Saturday's festivities. I'll say this now: It was fun.

Interneters have a lot to say here and here.

Live Oak Liberation @ Whole Foods Tomorrow

From BA:

Beer social this friday!
Live Oak Liberation will be on tap. It will also be available for our sun set movie on the plaza later that evening.

Come get drunk and shop, or watch a free movie with some nice cheap beer on tap!

Live Oak Liberation Returning to Taps

I saw this somewhere last week on twitter. But I saw it on BA this morning and jogged my memory. Had a few pints of this when I first came to town and then it disappeared. I liked it. More than their IPA, that is for sure (hater alert!).

And so it begins

What's it gonna be........

Epicly Vertical

Matt graciously had a few of us knuckleheads out to his home for a Stone Vertical Epic tasting. It was a tasty good time. Thanks Matt.

We had 03.03.03 - 09.09.09.

My favorites were 03, 04, 08 and 09.

As usual, fellow advocates brought along some interesting selections to try between Epics. A couple standouts for me:

DR9 Day, Part Dos

BeerAdvocate Reviews

Rate Beer Reviews

Liquid Austin Review

Brooklyn On Sale!

More Brooklyn Brewery info. From BA Forums:

To pay homage to Garrett Oliver being in Austin this weekend:

On Friday and Saturday (10/16 and 10/17)

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - $5.99
Brooklyn Local 1 and Local 2 - $6.99+

This is more what I was referring to when I mentioned "your wallets would appreciate it", I was not attempting to sling any mud at The Whip-In.

Good at all Spec's in Austin, Round Rock and Bastrop...

Damn, that is a deal! I won't be here this weekend. Anyone want to volunteer to pickup me up some??

DR8 Ratings

They are starting to roll in. Via Rate Beer. No BeerAdvocate ratings yet.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/saint-arnold-divine-reserve-8/103643/
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/337/?sort=nameA

Shelton Bros in Texas

From the BA Forums:

Most of you probably don't know me, but I work for Shelton Brothers Importers, and just moved to Fort Worth from Madison, WI (and Chicago, before that). As most of you are probably aware, the exorbitant licensing fees and unique labeling requirements in TX limit what we're able to bring in to the state, but nonetheless, we are making a few strides. With that, the following are scheduled to hit our distributor's warehouse sometime in the next several days:

Mikkeller It's Alive (750ml)
Mikkeller Monk's Brew (750ml)
Mikkeller Big Worse Barley Wine (375ml)
Slaapmutske Tripel Nightcap (750ml)
Ridgeway Foreign Export Stout (500ml)
Ridgeway IPA (500ml)
Ridgeway Bad King John (500ml)
Kapuziner Weissbier (500ml)
Kulmbacher Eisbock (330ml 6-packs)
Kulmbacher Edelherb Pils (5L mini-kegs)
Kulmbacher Moenchshof Schwarzbier (5L mini-kegs)

These are all being distributed statewide by Mexcor, who seems pretty serious about jumping into the craft beer business.

For detailed information on any of the beers, please visit our site at www.sheltonbrothers.com.

On the next order, which we hope will follow quickly, we'll also be looking to add some kegs, and then we'll be introducing a few more beers, including the various holiday beers from these breweries, over the course of the next several months. Eventually, we hope to add a few more breweries from our portfolio, as well, but first we need to be reasonably sure that the combination of the interest level in the market and the availability of the beers in question is going to justify the annual cost.

Any questions, please feel free to email me directly at ron@sheltonbrothers.com.

Cheers,
Ron Extract

www.sheltonbrothers.com
www.beeradvocate.com

Check

Thanks Dave!

ACBF

The American Craft Beer Fest is this weekend in Boston. I'm jealous. It seems like a good time.

Luckily, or unluckily, you can follow the action on Twitter, sort of.

May BA Tasting

Yesterday we had our monthly BeerAdvocate meetup/tasting. Some tasty brews were sampled. To me Boulevard's Bourbon Barrel Quad was the standout. Maybe not, but I think that is what I remember. Also, we had three beers from Tampa's Cigar City Brewing. The IPA was fantastic.

Another beautiful day, another beautiful beer.

I skipped the monthly Austin BA tasting for I had projects around the homestead to complete. Never fear, I took a time out to have a tasting of my own though.

"BA Select"

Remember this.

Well, the results are in and thequeue from Francisco won with the name "Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right BA Select"

Sam Calagione, Bryan Selders and the Alström Bros. recently sampled the new collaboration brew and posted their tasting notes.

Sounds interesting, but I am not losing sleep over not trying it.

Austin BA Tastin - FEB 09

Yesterday was the Austin BA monthly tasting. The List:

Oude Gueze Vielle Oud Beersel
Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale
Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit Saison Ale
Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Swiss Ale de Garde 2007
Capital Brewing Autumnal Fire Doppelbock
Avery Fourteen
Pisgah Valdez Stout
Marin Star Brew Triple Wheat Ale
Ommegang Ommegeddon
Laurelwood Moose and Squirrel RIS
HaandBryggeriet Haandbakk
Bell's Expedition Stout RIS
Allagash/DeProef Signature Les Deux Brasseurs
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Amber
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabeza batch 342
Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale
Dogfish Head Red & White early 2008
Freetail Exxxtra Pale Ale(my contribution)
Hemel Nieuw Ligt
Avery The Czar RIS 2004
Alaska Barleywine 2007
Deschutes The Abyss 2008
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra 2007
Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine 2007
Lagunitas Lumpy Gravy
Weyerbacher Blasphemy barrel-aged Quad
smuttynose ipa

Wow! It's cool trying all these beers, but truthfully it can be a bit much. Most of them seem to blur together in my mind. Hmm, I wonder why. There were a few that stood out to me: Alaska Barleywine 2007, Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale and Laurelwood Moose and Squirrel RIS.

PS - I am not complaining. And I will be there next month.

DR8

Itching for Divine Reserve 8 yet? Me too. So are a lot of other people:
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/1682547