Small Gloat

Austin Monthly included Austin Beer Guide in October's HOT LIST! I think it's fitting we are in the "Beauty" Issue. I've never seen a more beautiful group of dudes.

More real blogging later. I promise.

TCBF - Special Brew Tapping Schedule

Tomorrow is the big day. The Texas Craft Brewers Festival! There will be plenty of beer to be had, but below is the limited, SPECIAL beer list and tapping times. Plan accordingly:

1:00 pm
Ranger Creek Brett-Barrel La Bestia Aimable
(Belgian-style dark strong ale)-Aged for 6 months in oak with 3 strains of Brettanomyces sp. giving characteristics of leather, fig, oak, tobacco, cherry, and subtle earthy horse blanket. 9.4%

1:30 pm
(512) Pale - Dry hopped with Apollo - cask-conditioned firkin - 5.8% ABV

2:00 pm
Real Ale Empire- IPA aged in American oak wine barrels for seven months - ABV 6.6%

2:30 pm
Jester King Black Metal Imperial Stout (whiskey/oak)
Pitch black with huge notes of chocolate, roast, coffee, burnt malt and alcohol balanced by aggressive hop bitterness. Cask-conditioned firkin with oak cubes soaked in Tennessee whiskey. 10.4% ABV

3:00 pm
Live Oak Wet Hop Oaktoberfest - cask-conditioned firkin - 5.8% ABV

3:30 pm
St. Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11 - Double IPA - cask-conditioned firkin - 8.9% ABV

4:00 pm
Austin Beerworks Mr. Falcon - Yipee, Ki, Yay. cask-conditioned firkin - 5.9% ABV

4:30 pm
Real Ale Morgul Ale- Another recent addition to the Mysterium Verum line. Our Porter (sans coffee) aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels for 7 months - ABV 5.6%

5:00 pm
(512) Double IPA - cask-conditioned firkin - 9% ABV

5:30 pm
Jester King Wytchmaker Rye IPA (whiskey/oak) -Wytchmaker Rye IPA cask-conditioned firkin with oak cubes soaked in Tennessee whiskey - 7.0% ABV

Euro Beer #20: Westvleteren 12

In the fall of 2007 my wife and I traveled through Europe for 10 weeks. We ate a lot of food and drank of a lot of beer (and wine). Not enough food, not enough beer. Still tripping around in Brussels:



Beer has come a long way (even since 2007). Westvleteren 12 was back then, and even now mostly, considered the best beer in the world. I bought one in Brussels. I should have bought more. But again, we were still being cheap; it was still early in our trip.



We drank it at our host's apartment. It was good. The photo, not so good.

Here is some other stuff we did the following day:



Coffee and croissants at Gusti D'Italia. It was quite pleasant until a delivery truck came up and idled by us for 5 minutes. That was not so pleasant.



Then we went walking in the forest. I was the tour guide.



On our walk we scarfed some of our Pierre Marcolini chocolates (do not click this link unless you want an insane web experience). So fancy.



Then Oups for soups. This place is awesome. Definitely go here if you are ever in Brussels.



My soup. I got a big bowl. Sofia got two small bowls. I win.

Cheap Beer at CM

You know the deal. It's your favorite local beer deal. This seems to pop up more and more. But it probably doesn't. Go stock up.

BEER SALE!

10% Off Beer Purchases $5.00-$9.99
20% Off Beer Purchases $10.00-$24.99
25% Off Beer Purchases $25 and Up

Brewtopia at Central Market: WESTGATE

As promised, below are the Brewtopia events happening at the Westgate Central Market:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Breckenridge Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Todd Usry, Brew Master
Cost: Free

Thursday, September 15, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Woodchuck Cider, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

Pyramid & Magic Hat Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

Boston Beer Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Friday, September 16, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Real Ale Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Saturday, September 17, 2011
1 – 4 p.m. Brewery Ommegang, Sampling in the Beer Department
Representative
Cost: Free

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative Cost: Free

Sunday, September 18, 2011
1 – 4 p.m. Rahr & Sons Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Fritz Rahr, Owner and Brew Master
Cost: Free

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. New Belgium Brewing, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Wednesday, September 21, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Lagunitas Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

Thursday, September 22, 2011
4 – 6 p.m. Alamo Beer Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Eugene Simor, Founder and Owner
Cost: Free

4 – 7 p.m. Original Sin Cider, Sampling in the Beer Department
Gidon Coll, Owner
Cost: Free

Friday, September 23, 2011
4 – 6 p.m. Brooklyn Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

4 – 7 p.m. Original Sin Cider, Sampling in the Beer Department
Gidon Coll, Owner
Cost: Free

Saturday, September 24, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Harpoon Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Napa Smith Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Don Barkley, Brew Master
Cost: Free

Monday, September 26, 2011
1 – 4 p.m. Real Ale Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Brad Farbstein, Owner and Brew Master
Cost: Free

Brewtopia 2011: NORTH LAMAR

Brewtopia is back at Central Market, well it will be next week. September 14-27. Nothing mind melting for beer nerds, but some solid events lined up. Obviously geared towards the average CM shopper. Duh. Still, worth checking out. Below are the events happening at the North Lamar location. Get yr calender out and make your plans. I'll post Westgate events later:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Woodchuck Cider, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

Pyramid & Magic Hat Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

Thursday, September 15, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Breckenridge Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Todd Usry, Brew Master
Cost: Free

Boston Beer Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Friday, September 16, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. North Coast Brewing Company, Beer & Cheese pairing in the Beer Department
Tom Allen, Founder and Vice President
Cost: Free

6:30 – 9 p.m. A Night in Germany: Featuring Traditional Recipes Paired with Beers and Ales, Cooking Class in the Cooking School
Cindy Haenel, CM Cooking School Instructor
Cost: $45

Saturday, September 17, 2011
1 – 4 p.m. Rahr & Sons Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Fritz Rahr, Owner and Brew Master
Cost: Free

Sunday, September 18, 2011
1 – 4 p.m. Brewery Ommegang, Sampling in the Beer Department
Representative
Cost: Free

Mendocino & Butte Creek Brewing, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Smoke & Beer, Cooking Class in the Cooking School
Amanda Wright, CM Cooking School Instructor
Jeremy Wright, Grillmaster
Cost: $50


Monday, September 19, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. New Belgium Brewing, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Terence Sullivan, Brew Master
Cost: Free

Wednesday, September 21, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Lagunitas Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

Thursday, September 22, 2011
4 – 6 p.m. Brooklyn Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Regional Representative
Cost: Free

4 – 7 p.m. Original Sin Cider, Sampling in the Beer Department
Gidon Coll, Owner
Cost: Free

Friday, September 23, 2011
4 – 7 p.m. Harpoon Brewery, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Local Representative
Cost: Free

6:30 – 9 p.m. Easy Indian Favorites Paired with Ales & Beers, Cooking Class in the Cooking School
Chaya Rao, Vegetarian Chef & Food Blogger
Cost: $50

Saturday, September 24, 2011
1 – 4 p.m. Real Ale Brewing Company, Sampling in the Beer Department
Brad Farbstein, Owner and Brew Master
Cost: Free

6:30 – 9 p.m. Brewtopia with Real Ale, Cooking Class in the Cooking School
Scot Loranc, CM Cooking School Instructor
Cost: $50

Monday, September 26, 2011
6:30 – 9 p.m. Cooking with Beer, Cooking Class in the Cooking School
Christina Lee and Amanda Wright, CM Cooking School Instructors
Cost: $45

GABF Pep Rally

I'm going to the Great American Beer Festival at the end of this month. To get the masses excited, we have been running a series of short interviews over at Austin Beer Guide. We are calling it GABF Pep Rally. Check it out. More to come throughout the month.