 It was just six months ago in November that Waxhaw residents voted in favor of malt beverage and mixed drinks in Waxhaw’s restaurants. Chief among the referendums’ many advocates were Mark and Patte Kennedy, owners of SouthSiders Deli. SouthSiders has experienced quite a bit of change in the six months since the referendum passed.
For starters, the establishment has changed names. They are now “SouthSiders Public House” — you may know a public house better as a pub. SouthSiders Public House still turns out all of the delicious sandwiches and hot dogs that SouthSiders Deli was known for, but now you can wash down these provisions with a variety of macro- and micro-brewed beers. The pub has installed two taps that currently pour Guinness and Blue Moon — once his distributors merge, Kennedy plans to offer New Belgium’s Fat Tire and Harp on draft as well. For craft beer drinkers, these might be old hat; but for Waxhaw residents that might not be accustomed to craft beers, these beers are perfect gateway beers to the many different styles available in the craft beer world.
Mark Kennedy says the response thus far has been overwhelming, and that almost every patron is happy to grab a beer in Waxhaw. He stresses that though SouthSiders’ name has changed, the pub’s mission has not.
“We’ve always been a family place and will continue to be so,” Kennedy said. “Our intent, like our food, will be to offer something a little out of the ordinary. A good quality craft beer for a reasonable price. A place where people can meet their friends with their kids and not worry about anything getting out of hand.”
Thus far, the Kennedys have carried beers that were requested, or that they enjoyed in the past. As such, SouthSiders’ beer menu changes frequently. From 7-11 p.m. this Saturday, April 24, SouthSiders Public House will host a beer tasting wherein pub-goers can sample and discuss a variety of beers. And while these beers might be new to Waxhaw bars or restaurants, the historic downtown location they’ll be sampled in is far from it.
“My main goal is to have folks rediscover downtown Waxhaw,” Kennedy said.
Below you’ll find the beers that will be available at the tasting, which can also be found at SouthSiders Facebook Page and the SouthSiders website, www.southsiderswaxhaw.com.
Blowing Rock High country Ale of North Carolina
http://www.boonebrewing.com/
Highland Gaelic Ale of North Carolina
http://www.highlandbrewing.com/
Terrapin Rye Pale Ale of Athens Georgia
http://www.terrapinbeer.com/
Abita – Purle Haze Wheat from Louisiana
http://www.abita.com/
Dixie – Lager from Louisiana
http://distinguished-brands.com/beer/dixie/
Flying dog Pale Ale from Maryland
http://www.flyingdogales.com/
Brooklyn Brown From NY
http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/
Victory Prima Pilsner from PA
http://www.victorybeer.com/
 Dogfish Head Squall IPA The journey to becoming a hophead is not taken overnight, as I’m sure many of you will attest. When I tried my first IPA, I struggled just to choke it down and was baffled to learn that it was the brewery’s most popular beer. Now granted, this is before I really got into craft beer in general, but I never thought I would be able to appreciate IPAs or other hoppy beers.
In the coming months, I became a little more adventuresome with beer, but I still strayed far from any brew bearing those three dreaded letters. At the local World Market, I’d build mix six-packs that usually consisted of maltier beers, like stouts and porters. But as I started to read up on craft beer a bit more online, I continued to come across the many praises of IPAs and double IPAs. I couldn’t imagine twice as much of that horrible hoppy, bitter flavor, but as an aspiring beer nerd I decided to try an imperial IPA I’d been hearing quite a bit about — the Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA.
I decided to try the beer after mowing the grass one day (I know: Dogfish Head Lawnmower would be far more appropriate). I was blown away. The hoppiness was there, of course, but it was balanced by a wonderful malt character. I loved the citrusy, piney quality that the hops provided. My tastes, it would seem, were changing.
From that point on, I continued to seek out IPAs and double IPAs, but only last week did I pick the Dogfish Head 90-minute IPA back up. I enjoyed it, but the beer seemed very different than I had remembered. It was almost malt-forward. I don’t know if my tastes have changed or the beer has, but I’ve seen others lament the hoppiness of the 90-minute (and yes, it was a relatively fresh bottle).
This is how I came to seek out the Dogfish Head Squall IPA, which is a version of the 90-minute that is bottle conditioned and unfiltered, but more importantly dry-hopped with ”Palisade, Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade, CTZ and Willamette hops.”
I found that I got last year’s batch (bottled 02/09), as this year’s is not yet out. I hoped that the hop character was still pungent, and a quick smell of the beer after pouring it into my nonic pint revealed that it was. The beer had a wonderfully floral nose, with a bit of citrus and pine in there as well. The taste was more of the same, with a nice toasted malt quality that bordered on milk chocolate as the beer warmed that really complemented the floral note of the hops. As a result of the sweet, toasted malts, Dogfish Head Squall is not a very bitter IPA — but the hops are, of course, what this beer is all about.
(At this point my wife tasted the beer, made a “Bleh!” face, and said, “What is that taste?” She’s just now embarking on her hop journey.)
Like the regular 90-minute, this is a very drinkable beer with a medium mouthfeel. It gives the Chicory Stout a run for its money as my favorite Dogfish Head offering. Now I want to taste it fresh, and hopefully when the beer is released next month I’ll be able to do so. In the meantime, I would encourage any hophead to pick an aged bottle up — I think you’ll enjoy it. There are several boxes full at Total Wine and More in Matthews.
Also, if anyone is curious here are all of the Dogfish Head 2010 releases.
Though I’ve only recently started writing about beer, I’ve been writing for several years. Sometimes I write for work, and sometimes I write for pleasure (though not as often as I want or should). I wonder how many beer writers or beer bloggers have come to write about beer in the same way – are you a writer turned beer lover, or a beer lover turned writer?
If you are the former, I would love to know what else you guys and gals write. Essays, fiction, non-fiction, screenplays, sonnets, mock heroics?
I enjoy writing and reading fiction, but I’ve really not written much fiction lately. More often than not these days, I’m toiling with screenplays. A couple years ago, I wrote a short zombie film that did well at various film circuits, and soon I’ll revisit a comedy screenplay that I’ve been sitting on for quite some time. I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a memoir, though I’m not sure anyone would care to read it.
So tell me folks, what else besides beer do you like to write about?
 Wolaver's Alta Gracia Coffee Porter A theory: many beer drinkers don’t like the taste of beer. A similar theory: many coffee drinkers don’t like the taste of coffee.
Let me explain, before I’m labeled a beer and coffee snob. Both beer and coffee contain very strong, unique tastes that — for most people — must be acquired. I know of no one who has fallen in love with beer after first sip, nor do I know of anyone who has yelled out “Eureka!” after trying their first taste of black coffee. No, instead I think people ween themselves on to each libation. Many beer drinkers start out drinking any of the light lagers from the “big three,” which are brewed with adjunct grains (think corn and rice) that greatly diminish the flavor, yet aid in “drinkability” (stop me if you’ve heard that term somewhere before). Coffee drinkers, similarly, choose to dilute the taste of coffee with countless creams and sugars. We like coffee — provided there’s not too much coffee flavor overpowering the sugary, milky goodness.
I’ve seen these two tastes meet in many beers that tout themselves as “coffee beers,” yet leave true fans of coffee wanting. My most recent experience involved the Kona Pipeline Porter. I had heard great things about this beer and, being a fan of Kona coffee, thought I had found what might be a new favorite. And don’t get me wrong — this was a very smooth and enjoyable beer, but I was left wondering where all that coffee flavor was. I could taste the coffee, sure, but it was very subtle and tasted more of coffee with half-and-half than a nice roasted flavor. Nevertheless, this is a good porter, and I might have been pleasantly surprised had they not labeled it as a coffee porter.
I expected more subdued coffee tastes when I picked up Wolaver’s Alta Gracia Coffee Porter, which is an organic beer that uses organic vanilla beans and coffee from Alta Gracia, a small farm in the Dominican Republic. The addition of the vanilla beans especially led me to believe I was in for another sweet coffee beer. The aroma of this beer, however, told me otherwise. This beer has more of a coffee aroma than many stouts, and certainly any coffee porter I’ve had. The taste in many ways is not unlike a stout — it has a distinct espresso quality, with virtually no hop bitterness. There is a wonderful roastiness to this porter that, again, I’ve only experienced in stouts. But with little hop bitterness and a nice medium body, this is a well-balanced beer that is easy-drinking without compromising its coffee characteristic.
The Wolaver’s Alta Gracia Coffee Porter (brewed by Otter Creek) and the Kona Pipeline Porter share the same B+ rating on Beer Advocate, but I can’t help but think that the Alta Gracia Coffee Porter would win out if it were as heavily distributed as the Kona.
Or perhaps I’m being a bit more of a coffee snob than a beer snob today — how do you guys take your coffee, and do you find any similarities in the coffee beers you enjoy?
After trying a few lackluster brown ales, I almost concluded that the style just wasn’t for me. Then I had a brown ale which showed me just how delicious and satisfying a well-crafted one could be — Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale.
This beer hails from the Samuel Smith Old Brewery in North Yorkshire, England, and the bottle came via a friend at work who feels a special connection with this brewery because his ancestors are from the same area. The beer poured a very dark brown into my nonic pint glass, with just slivers of copper shining through when held to the light. The smell is dominated by a sweet maltiness. I didn’t get as much of a nut aroma as the name might imply. It’s strange, but I get just a bit of a grape soda smell. I always said Newcastle Brown Ale had this same artificial grape odor. I thought I was mad until a friend told me, without my mentioning it, that he thought Newcastle tasted like grape soda. So take all this for what it is worth.
The taste is more of the same, with a nice, sweet malty taste that goes down incredibly smooth. The finish leaves me wanting more. There is even an ever-so-slight buttery taste — it’s pleasant, not diacetyl. Countering all of the nutty maltiness is just the right amount of hop bitterness.
If my experience with brown ales — and specifically English brown ales — weren’t so limited, I might be quick to say that this is a world-class example of the style, and the benchmark that others in the style should be held to. But since I haven’t had enough brown ales to make that claim, I’ll just seek out a few more good ones in hopes of finding more that can compare to this one.
Anyone got any recommendations?
The morning after St. Patrick’s Day, most people — hungover from countless pints of the black stuff (and perhaps the green stuff) — will not want to so much as think about beer. Do not count Charlotte residents as among those beleaguered masses.
At midnight on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day ends and Charlotte Craft Beer Week 2010 officially begins. The celebration is actually closer to two weeks than one — for 11 days, the Queen City will play host to 28 beer-related events.
The Charlotte Craft Beer Week kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 18 at Rock Bottom Brewery downtown (brewers, distributors and folks from other participating establishments are allowed in an hour prior). The “week” ends at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 28 with a pig pickin’ at the Common House.
There are 26 beer events in Charlotte in the 11 days between the opening and closing ceremonies of what promises to be the best week of beer for Charlotte residents in quite some time. Some of the events include visits by big name breweries, beer dinners or brunches, concerts, beer tastings, a beer school and even a “Freak Fest.” You would be remiss if you didn’t check out at least one of these amazing events.
I’ve added all of the events to the Charlotte Beer Events tab at the top of the page. In addition to the Charlotte Craft Beer Week events, I’m going to do my best to make this calendar the source for all things beer in Charlotte, NC and the surrounding areas. If you know of a beer event that is not listed, I’d love to know about it.
Likewise, if there are any questions you have about the events, please check out the Charlotte Craft Beer Week web site, where you can find a little more information on the events as well as participating breweries.
“Best beer bargains” is such a subjective phrase, since both value and taste are relative. For one drinker, a $5.99 six-pack is a bargain, while another might be happy to pay the same price for a 22 oz. bomber of good beer. A balance has to be struck between the price of a beer and the enjoyment it brings the drinker — in short, we’re talking about a beer’s value or worth.
Of course, when we talk about bargain beers we naturally think of cheaper beers — or at least I do. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not talking about the cheapest of the cheap, but usually a cheaper beer that rivals much more expensive beers in taste. A beer of value.
So, without further delay, here are my best beer bargains. Drop me a comment and let me know what yours are — I’m curious how “valued” these beers are by readers in different parts of the country, especially since prices will vary geographically.
Trader Joe’s Stockyard Oatmeal Stout – I would gladly pay $7.99 for a six-pack of Goose Island Oatmeal Stout, so I’m even more happy to pay $5.99 for it under the name of the Trader Joe’s Stockyard Oatmeal Stout. A dollar a beer for a beer with all of the rich, roasted characteristics of a much more expensive stout.
Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale – Like the oatmeal stout, this one is not brewed by Trader Joe’s. Instead, it is a private-labeled offering from Unibroue, which is apparent to anyone who has tasted the Belgian-style ales that the Canadian brewery puts out. This one is right up there with their other offerings. At $4.99 a 750 ml bottle, it’s worth buying a few to enjoy now, and a few to enjoy later.
Josephs Brau Dunkelweizen (Trader Joe’s) – This isn’t the most complex beer out there, but it’s a good, solid example of a style that often gets overlooked. A bottle of this yeasty deliciousness costs just four quarters, and it’s actually brewed by Gordon Biersch.
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout– Old Rasputin is well known in the craft beer world as one of the best Russian imperial stouts out there, and rightly so. This is one of my favorite beers, regardless of its price. I do, however, think we take the price for granted sometimes. Few are the imperial stouts that can be had for $8.00 a four-pack (by comparison, I paid almost twice that much for Oskar Blues Ten FIDY a few weeks ago).
Sierra Nevada Torpedo and Celebration – Sierra Nevada Celebration is a seasonal beer, but when it’s in stock Harris Teeter will often sell 12-packs for $13.99. $1.16 a bottle for one of the more eagerly-anticipated IPA releases year in and out. Sierra Nevada Torpedo was also a seasonal beer at one point, but can now be had year-round and at the same price. They are both well-crafted IPAs that are cheap enough to be a “house beer.”
Heavy Seas Peg Leg and Loose Cannon– So I said few Russian imperial stouts can compete with Old Rasputin in regards to price, and that’s true. The Heavy Seas Peg Leg by Clipper City Brewery doesn’t have the boldness or complexity I love in Rasputin, but I feel its price reflects that. The Lowes Foods I shop at sells this for $10.99 a sixer, which isn’t a bad price. It’s also available in the $8.99 mix-sixer section though, which makes it a much better bargain (yes, there’s a label for it and everything). Right at $1.50 for an imperial stout that tastes great and improves with age? Yes please, matey. The Heavy Seas Loose Cannon, an IPA also known as HOP3 Ale, is an even better example of its style — it’s a very drinkable IPA that finishes clean.
Were he alive today, George Washington would turn 278-years old tomorrow. Most might celebrate this monumental occasion with a nice champagne they acquired a few decades prior, but there is little doubt our nation’s first president would reach his ancient hand toward a pint of porter — American porter, of course.
We know of Washington’s love for porter from a letter he sent to the Marquis de Lafayette, in which he wrote: “I use no porter or cheese in my family, but such as is made in America; both these articles may now be purchased of an excellent quality.” And we also know of one porter he held in high regard, that of Robert Hair of Philadelphia. Washington wrote to Clement Biddle in 1788 asking him to send a gross (that’s 12 dozen) of Hair’s “best bottled Porter.” In 1790, Washington would have his secretary Tobias Leer write to Philadelphia asking for the same porter on his behalf. Fire destroyed Hair’s brewery in November of that same year, leading Washington to write that he was sorry “on public as well as private accts., to hear of Mr. Hares loss.”
Were he alive today, George Washington would probably still lament the loss of Hair’s brewery — that is, until he discovered Yards Brewing Company of Philadelphia, which sits a few blocks away from where Hair brewed Washington’s favorite porter centuries ago. Yards followed one of Washington’s own recipes — homebrewing was the norm in those days — to produce General Washington’s Tavern Porter.
Fortunately, there are more quality porters being brewed in this country now than there ever have been, but none are as fit to be raised in tribute to the father of our country than the Yards General Washington’s Tavern Porter. So tomorrow, raise a glass to one of America’s favorite styles and to one of that style’s most revered advocates — happy birthday, Mr. President.
Today is Ash Wednesday, and if Twitter is any indication of the Zeitgeist (and I think it is) a lot of people are giving up beer for Lent. What someone gives up for Lent is very much a personal decision, but before giving up beer for 40 days, you should know one thing: “Liquida non frangunt ieiunium.” Or in English, “Liquids do not break the fast.”
Beer not only doesn’t break the fast, but for medieval monks it helped maintain the fast. During their strict fasting period, monks brewed higher-gravity beers that provided the calories and nutrients necessary to sustain them when food would not. The monks had to create a beer that could sustain them like a food without technically being considered a food — is it any wonder beer is often referred to as “liquid bread”? It is interesting to think that many of the Trappist beers that we craft beer lovers crave might not be around had the monks not brewed them out of necessity.
Today, the Aecht Schlenkerla Lentbeer, also known as the Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier, is served only between Ash Wednesday and Easter. This smoked beer (or Rauchbier) is also one of the 16 wonderful beers currently on tap at Vintner Wine Market in Charlotte. Don’t let the name fool you — the Vintner Wine Market is more than just a wine store. It is one of the finest beer destinations in the Queen City, and Charlotte beer enthusiasts owe it to themselves to check it out. They have just doubled the amount of draft beers available (from eight to 16), and many of these beers are limited or fairly hard to come by.
What one gives up for Lent is a very personal decision, and I do understand that the whole point is to give up something that is not easily parted with. But wouldn’t it be a shame to give up beer during the only forty-day stretch the smoked Fastenbier is available?
Oh, and if you want to know the secret mystery beer at Vintner, drop me a line (I cannot guarantee this mystery beer is still available).
This Valentine’s Day, many are searching for that special bottle of red or white with which to wash down countless chocolate-covered strawberries, boxes of chocolates, and those little candy hearts adorned with too-cute sayings. Yes, wine may seem like the natural choice, but why not choose a beer you really love on this, the most amorous day of the year?
For most people, beer probably isn’t as romantic a beverage as wine. And yet a good beer can pair as well or even better with the types of decadent treats typically consumed on Valentine’s Day, adding to the experience in a way that many wines cannot.
Because of their complementary flavors, “chocolate beers” pair well with chocolate desserts without overpowering them. Stouts and porters are the most popular chocolate beers, and with good reason — often the malt used in these beers is enough to provide a beer with chocolate flavors (though many beers, including some of the ones below, do indeed contain additional chocolate).
If you’ve yet to try a chocolate beer, then consider popping open one or more of these bottles this Valentine’s Day. Serve them alongside a nice chocolate dessert, or drink them as a dessert in their own right.
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout: This beer seems as much milkshake as milk stout (it is delightful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream floating atop it). There is very little hop bitterness in this beer — just a very smooth milk chocolate taste. If you can find it, opt for the nitro-can of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, which contributes greatly to the beer’s creamy mouthfeel.
Rogue Chocolate Stout: The Rogue’s Chocolate Stout has a lighter mouthfeel than the Young’s, but contends with the Double Chocolate Stout in regards to chocolate flavor. The chocolate notes in the Rogue, however, are more of the bitter variety. There are some notes of coffee in this Chocolate Stout, but make no mistake, this beer is all about the chocolate.
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout: With an ABV of more than 10 percent, the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout makes the perfect night cap. This Russian imperial stout is more smooth and easily imbibed than many in the style, though the booze is fairly noticeable if these beers aren’t aged. At $7.99 a four-pack (prices vary), however, it’s worth drinking two on this Valentine’s Day and setting the other two aside for next year — if you have such self-control.
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout: The name “Chocolate Indulgence Stout” is a bit of a misnomer here, in more than one way. First, the chocolate taste is hardly an indulgence. It is quite subtle, at least compared to the chocolate beers above. Secondly, the beer is not a stout at all, but a Belgian dark ale.
The subtle chocolate notes of this beer give way to other tastes associated with Belgian beers, such as dark fruits and a distinct breadiness from the yeast. This beer has far less of a chocolate flavor than the other beers in this list, but it may be all the more complex for it. The Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout would complement many chocolates or chocolate desserts without overpowering them.
*Please note that although Valentine’s Day has come and gone, you don’t need a special day to celebrate such wonderful beer with your sweetheart. The truth of the matter is I wasn’t able to get this, the blog’s first post, up before the big day. Of course, the beers above are still very much worth seeking out, and still worth pairing with chocolates and enjoyed with your significant other.
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