Beer Wars!

King Kona Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

From NXNW Twitter Feed:

Look for King Kona Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout soon. Mouth Full!! Should be on later tonight or tomorrow. Limited release. Yum.

Mouth full. The name. And hopefully the beer.

Sticky Icky

Double Bastard Ale is, reportedly, now (almost) available (draft) in Houston. I am not the biggest fan of Stone's beers. I can appreciate them. But the whole macho (hoptasm) marketing thing is a bit off-putting. I know, I am a weenie. Maybe I am just not worthy. Still I look forward to having the option available here in Austin.

DRAFT Magazine: Craft beer market growing like hops plant on steroids

There might be something to this craft beer thing. According to the Brewers Association...

Please excuse the lack of posts. This weekend was beautiful, beer drinking weather for sure. We picnicked in Zilker park and pondered the possibilities of opening a beer garden in the park, a la Hirschgarten. Who would I contact about that? You know what, just take that idea and run with it.

Twitter Tasting: Stouts

Another Twitter Taste LIVE event. This time around they are doing Stouts, featuring Rogue and Samuel Smith:

Join The Beer Babe (US) and Simon from Reluctant Scooper (UK) as we taste some great stouts from both the US & UK!

We will be tasting these Stouts:

Rogue
Rogue Shakespeare Stout - "Ebony in color with a rich creamy head, earthy flavor and a mellow, chocolate finish."
Rogue Chocolate Stout - "Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. The mellow flavor of oats, chocolate malts and real chocolate are balanced perfectly with the right amount of hops for a bitter-sweet finish."

Samuel Smith
Samuel Smith Imperial Stout- "Rich, flavorful, deep chocolate color, scented and roasted barley nose. Complexity of malt, hops, alcohol and yeast."
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout-"Almost opaque, with an unusually silky texture and complex, medium-dry velvet palate. Bittersweet finish."

Even though I had my complaints last time, I am planning on participating in this tasting. That is, if I am back at the casa in time. I have a previous engagement that may run long. I have never had the two Rogue stouts and I love the two S. Smith stouts, so it would be worth my "precious" time.

"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.

Thirsty Thursday #20

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.2%

A solid addition to Sierra Nevada’s year round lineup. Definitely a West Coast IPA, with all that entails. Reminiscent Lagunitas IPA or Racer 5. From the brewery:

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale is a big American IPA; bold, assertive and full of flavor and aromas highlighting the complex citrus, pine and herbal character of whole-cone American hops.

Austin folks, I know Specs, Grape Vine and Hyde Park Market ($9.99) currently have six packs available. Enjoy.

Awesomeness?

New "Kid Rock Beer." Let's hope it's as good as his music.

Man the Torpedoes!

From GrapeVineJames:

FYI: Torpedo just showed up in the Austin Grape Vine Market

UPDATE from SpecsBEERMAN:

Sierra Nevada Torpedo in Austin!!!

It just hit today!!! Should be available in all stores soon. Available now at the Spec's on Brodie!!!

New Ginger Man

The new location is shaping up quite nicely. Big L shaped bar. The main bar area seems like it will be chopped up a bit. Have you been to Fado, sort of like that.

Pils(e)ners

Trumer Pilsner now available in Austin. I just had some at the Flying Saucer. Is this new to TX? According to this - no, it has been here since 2007. But I have never seen it, or heard of it in Austin until now. Paul, have you had this up in yr area for awhile now? I did about a minute of googleing and thought it would be so much easier to just pose the question to you.

This was the first time I've had it. It's good. A helluva lot better than Live Oak's. Oh man, people around here rave about their pilsner, but I just can not stand it. Don't get me wrong I love Live Oak, just not their Pils, or their IPA. Everything else, spot on! My favorite domestic pilsner available here is definitely Victory's Prima Pils. I think Trumer just put me on a lager kick...

FIRST EVER SAINT ARNOLD AUSTIN SCAVENGER HUNT & PUB CRAWL

From Saint Arnold:

FIRST EVER SAINT ARNOLD AUSTIN SCAVENGER HUNT & PUB CRAWL
Here is how it works:

Watch the video that we have posted in the places below. The video will show specific objects with which you need to take a picture of yourself (i.e., have both you and the object in the same photo). All of the objects are in Austin establishments where you can find good beer, and enjoying a Saint Arnold while on your quest may bring you enlightenment! Once you have found all of the objects and taken the required photos, you may either upload the photos to any of a number of photo-sharing websites (flickr, shutterfly, photobucket etc.) and send the link to Lennie, our marketing guru at lennie@saintarnold.com or print the photos and get them to us at the brewery.
The deadline for us to receive the photos is Sunday, February 22 at 11:59 PM. Make sure you include your name, email address and phone number. Only one person per photo so if a group of you are doing it, you each need to take individual pictures of yourselves with the objects.

All correct and complete entries will be sent an invitation for that person to attend a private party in Austin to be announced at the end of the hunt, where we will draw a name and award that person a home kegerator (provided by kegerators.com).

So here are the videos:

http://www.saintarnold.com/blog/index.html
or You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzSq9PzHSuo

If you have any questions, please contact Lennie at
lennie@saintarnold.com. Good luck!

Thirsty Thursday #19

Old Chub
by Oskar Blues, Lyons, CO
Style: Scottish Ale (per BeerAdvocate); Scotch Ale (per Rate Beer)
ABV: 8%

Why has it been so long since having this beer. It really is one of my all time favorite beers. I can't find consensus on what style this beer exactly is. I proclaim it a Wee Heavy, but that's mainly because I like saying wee. No matter where you put it in the style spectrum, there is no denying it's delicious darkness. At 8% it'll sneak up on yah, so watch it.

Brooklyn Local 2

Local 2 set to release in March. I will always have a fondess in my heart for Brooklyn Brewery. I love that they are now available here. I hope this one makes it as well.

Draught House and (512) on NPR

Thanks to sirnoze from BA for pointing this out today. Anyone hear it live?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100528810

Freetail Brewing Visit - Stream of Consciousness

Went to San Antonio this past weekend. Thank God for Freetail. It made all of the shopping we did worth it. Whilst there I had the Exxtra Pale, La Muerta, Porter and IPA. They were all pretty solid brews. La Muerta was a bit week for an Imperial Stout, but still quite good. The food was good as well. We split a salad and a pizza. The atmosphere was a bit lacking. Big and open. Loud. Lots of televisions. If you go to San Antonio you must stop in to Freetail. The beers I had were much better than the beers I remember having at Blue Star.

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.

Having a baby is pretty expensive. Thank God for registries.

Our registries:

Target:
http://www.target.com/registry/baby/3H803CL3U2RA6

Babies r Us:
http://www.toysrus.com/ControllerServlet?target=viewDetails&operation=authenticate_user&registryNumber=58687355&from=registrySearch


I also started a registry at amazon for our little bundle of joy. There's not really a lot of things on there yet. Well, actually there is just one (see below). Who would like to step up and buy this for us? A happy father is a good father.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/baby/3NCWBNZVHSGRP

All Gone

I finished my last DR6. Sad I know. But I think they were going downhill. I feel they peeked at about six months. It was wonderful about two months ago. Hoppy with a smooth butterscotch finish. The balance has been out of whack since then. Still, I wish I had a few more.

Best Logo in TX?

UPDATE from Larry: Thanks, but the kudos should go to The MAD House's designer, Luke.

Kudos (who says kudos...so lame) to Larry McIntosh. This logo rocks. He's posted some other logos for Freetail as well. Check em out.

Q: What do you when you got nothing to blog about?

A: Hot chick with beer.





It seems to work well in so many other venues. I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Monday Specials Around Town

Draught House - $2.75 Porters and Stouts.
Gingerman - Logo Pint Night starting at 6 PM! Buy the beer, keep the glass (until we run out).
NXNW - Cask Nite, 7:30pm – 8:30pm - PyJingo Pale Ale.
Flying Saucer - $2.75 for most pints.
Little Woodrows - $2.50 Texas Beers open until close.
Billy’s on Burnet - Happiest Hour, $1.50 Domestic Pints, $2.00 Mid Pints, $2.75 Premium Pints.

What am I missing? Let me know.

Another New Beer

Starr Hill from Virginia. The Draught House has the stout on tap.