Rugged One

^It was the Green Flash Brandy Barrel Aged Barleywine. And Kim won't mind at all that you didn't post any pics of her. She hates when I do it! I'm glad that you and Ray and Lauren were able to meet up with us. We had a lot of fun hanging with you guys!

^Allright, Hop Trip! Well it's been a while, but I'm hoping to get caught up over the next couple of weeks. I still need to share some Oktoberfest beer pics, I'll save the Pumpkin Ale pics for the week before thanksgiving, and I still need to post the pics from a couple of Pumpkin Ale fest that we were at around Halloween. We'll start out with something local though to get me back into the swing of things... And then finish up with the first of what will be many mugs of their cask Susquehanna Stout. Good stuff! The first order of business is to naturally fill it up with some of their seasonal Pennypacker Porter, probably one of my favorites that they offer here. Complete with a new look and a new name! ...well it's time for him to finally hit the road and come on home with me, because we've got a new mug in town! Remember my old mug from last year...? Another quick drive down the street brings up to another favorite local haunt, the Harrisburg location of the Appalachian Brewing Company. It's been a while since I've posted any pics from here! Naturally, I had to pick up a case for both Derek and I. Good thing to, because it sold out early the next afternoon. And you gotta love the new cooler, stocked for the first time now with the Scratch beers too. This cooler is seriously like a dream come true at this place that opens up all kinds of possibilities. Kim got herself a sample and really enjoyed it as well. Lots of espresso and roasted coffee notes in this but the oatmeal adds some needed silky tones to the flavor and body. ....and it just happens to be the BRAND NEW Scratch #15. A Double Espresso Oatmeal Stout that just went on sale that day. This was brewed with a special espresso blend by a local roaster chain. I'm not sure if I'm smiling because this was very good or because I'm actually drinking a pint at Troegs. Hmmmm...there seems to be something new added to the Scratch sign up there... Last Friday, Kim picked me up from work and then basically down the street to everyone's favorite local brewery, Troegs. Why you may ask?

Alright, time for some more beer pics! October is always an exciting time of the month for beer, with not only all kinds of Oktoberfest beers making the rounds but also a style that's starting to basically become the American version of that style, the Pumpkin Ale. Everybody seems to brew one now every Fall but luckily we don't live too far from (IMHO) thee best out there. And I finish up with a warming goblet of Organic Tripel. This is similar to their Stealth Tripel but with naturally all organic ingredients. A good closer for this visit! Look for more Pumpkin Ale pics coming soon... They even had a pumpkin inspired special this week. A pumpkin seed pesto over Fusilli pasta. Very nice! Luckily the tasty Fall seasonals don't end there. Here is some Market St. Fest, their take on the Marzen style. This was a good one too. Lots of sweetness, bread, and a crisp hop profile that lends balance. Tasty! Kim shows off her glass as well. This is just some great stuff that crams in pumpkin, spices, a bready tasting crust, and the topper is that they serve it on nitro, so that is feels just like eating a piece of pumpkin pie with whip cream on it. Yeah, it's the return of their annual Fall treat, The World's Greatest Pumpkin Ale! (My name for it anyway). As you can see, the lineup is locked, stocked, and ready to rock with a pretty full selection to choose from. What's that I spy over on the left side? Let me give you a hint... Back at the SGB for the third time this month but as far as we're concerned, this the visit that matters most...

I thought that I'd thrown up a couple pics of some of the more hoppy offerings that I've checked out recently. And boy, this actually lived up to the hype. Pretty much the quintessential West Coast IPA with huge note of pine, grapefruit, and a grainy malt backbone. Freaking fantastic stuff! Finally, Derek made an impromptu trip over to the house last night, so we split something that I had received via a trade just that day. The #27 rated beer over at BA. The Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. This was brewed purely with locally grown hops and was quite awesome! There was a total all-around herbal feel to the taste and smell that reminded me of something else a little "homegrown" if you know what I mean. Great IPA! Although this is in a SGB growler, it's actually a fill from somewhere not too far away. The Homegrown IPA from the Elk Creek Cafe & Aleworks. This one was a little surprising. More earthy than I thought it would be and a touch watery in the feel. Overall something just felt a little "off" with it. Up next, another Oregon staple. The Bridgeport IPA. Anyway, this was a very solid IPA. Lots of good pine and citrus notes. A bottle of India Pelican Ale from the Pelican Pub & Brewery in Oregon. Didn't Justin do a BTR from this place? Fresh, hoppy, and quite drinkable. Did you expect anything less from Victory? Derek grabbed me a growler of the Victory Harvest Ale on a recent trip to the brewery since I couldn't make it to the Fall Fest last month.

Wow, looks like it's time to start posting again! Last Friday, they tapped their Pumpkin Ale over at the Iron Hill in Lancaster and invited the area Muggers to come on out and give it a try. Who are we to say no? November 22nd. We'll be there. Good stuff too. Lots of yeast, spice, and citrus with a pretty nice tartness to it. The man himself, Paul Rutherford, came out to pour us Saison samples from a hand bottled jeroboam. For round # 2 I go with the cask Pumpkin while Derek tries a 10 oz of their new Bourbon Porter. Since we're here, I've got to go with my stand-by pesto chicken and artichoke pizza. ....while Kim shows you what it actually looks like since you can't see it in our mugs! Yeah, it's Pumpkin Ale time. This was a pretty darn tasty one too! Pretty even mix of pumpkin and spices. I enjoy the draft version while Derek enjoys the cask one... One thing I love about these Mugger events is that they keep a few tables reserved in the bar area for us. Back at Iron Hill on a beautiful October Friday evening.

This past weekend was PPP of course but it was also a continuation of another annual tradition that's now in it's 3rd year. The Pre-PPP visit to the SGB on the way to Knoebels. Derek and Nicole were naturally there with us but as a bonus this year, both Jeff and Deuane were able to stop by as well for a couple as they were each passing through the area. Afterwards it was on to PPP and the Covered Bridge Fest, where we of course had to get some pumpkin rice pudding. Yum! Jeff and I then go for our own goblets of the Peche Saison. This stuff was seriously awesome. Juicy fresh peachs, tartness, and a bit of yeasty funk to liven things up. Great stuff! In the meantime, I try the new Hotshot Pils (infused with spicy pepper notes) while Jeff has the Marketfest Marzen, and Deuane their regular IPA. Of course the big hit of the day was the new Peche Saison, another tremendous fruit beer form these guys that Derek & Kim show off here. Nicole wonders whey the heck she didn't get one! As you can see, they actually had some cool new stuff on tap. Back at the SGB for the first time in a while and needless to say, the place was PACKED! Turns out it was Homecoming at nearby Susquehanna U. Luckily Derek & Nicole were there right at opening and secured us the BIG table.

Since we weren't going to be able to see Derek on his birthday today, we had him come over last night and treated him to a little pre-birthday hanging out. We busted out some cool beers, had some tasty eats, and watched some High Def goodness. All in all, I think he had a good time. Happy 29th Dude! And we're happy to report that it's held up just fine! Lots of deep chocolate, coffee, dark fruits, and roasted malts with a nice tingle of smokiness to it that reminded us a bit of a gunpowder smell. Really nice stuff from COAST! Why is it so rare? Because they only bottled 4 cases (48 bottles total) of it. This was their first bottling project, so the brewer suggested that people not sit on these too long as they didn't know how the carbonation was going to hold up. So let's give it a try! Finally, I bust out a real rarity to end the night. From the rather newish COAST Brewing in Charleston, SC, it's a bottle of Blackbeered Imperial Stout. And because we didn't get to see it together in the theater, we had to fire up the newly released Iron Man Blu-Ray DVD on the home theater. Pizza time! Not just any pizza will do though. It's Derek's favorite Barbecue Chicken Pizza from Ledo Pizza down near Baltimore. We've had some other Midnight Sun Alaskan offerings before and these guys just don't disappoint when it comes to bringing the West Coast awesomeness. The Cascade hops in this smelled like a pine forest and were well balanced by some sticky caramel sweetness. Nice! Something cool from the West was up next. A bottle of Midnight Sun Sockeye Red IPA. Wow! This was a coffee lovers dream here. It just smelled and tasted like freshly ground dark roasted coffee beans. Definitely one of the better Coffee Stouts we've had. First up, something from the great beer state of Wisconsin. Sitting just outside the Top 100 over at BA, it's the Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout.

It's been a while since I've done a BTR but hopefully I'll get more up here in the future. So last Friday, with the day off from work, Kim and I were supposed to make a stop at the SGB and then go up to a concert at the Bloomsburg Fair. Well unfortunately, they canceled the concert the night before, so we now had some free time to check out something else. We decided to make the most of it and make our way up to two areas that we haven't visited in a while. Naturally I had to get a few to go! Thanks for reading and look for an SGB update after the weekend. And here's something new from the last time we visited. A To-Go fridge stocked with bottled Bullfrog beer! They actually started this back in June and have been putting out some crazy stuff. The bottles are a bit pricey but it's all quality. I also gave the new Saison Noire a try. It was tasty but a touch too heavy for my taste. And more root beer for Kim! Including the freshly tapped McMinn's Hop Harvest Ale. Tasty stuff! Not quite as much on tap as we've seen on other trips but still some quality stuff. Being a Friday night, the place was naturally rocking. One more stop before we head home and of course, it's got to be a stop at The Bullfrog. Another place that got criminally undervisited by us this year. All in all, we had a great time here and look forward to coming back for more growler fills in the future. What's nice about them being a production brewery is that they are allowed to pour up to 12 oz samples. And they sure do! Here I try their Square Feet Wheat, a hoppy Wheat Ale. They had 4 beers on to try with a 5th (Steel Drivin' Stout) coming on next week. They also naturally have a really nice sized tasting room called affectionately, the "Horde Room". The brewery itself has had a lot of history, serving as both a car dealership and food bank, among other things. Brewer Mike Hiller is originally from the area but he cut his brewing teeth down at Legend Brewing Company in Richmond, VA. He and his wife (who was our hostess for this visit) relocated back here to Williamsport and are trying their hand at the production brewery thing. After fleeing town because of the approaching weekend football crowd, it was off to Williamsport, PA, a place we haven't been to since last December! Our first stop is a newish brewery that opened late last year. The Barvarian Barbarian. We had tried some of their wares at the Harrisburg Brewers Fest and were really looking forward to checking the place out. And with two choices on the hand pumps at all times, I've got to finish up with a snifter of their cask Old Fugget Barleywine. This was an English style with a firm maltiness and some good warmth to it. And I think that this is our first visit where they have had their own root beer on. Kim, of course, was most pleased. I honestly think that of all our local brewpubs, this place might have thee best menu and food. Lots of variety and quality items, like this cup of Chile cooked with their Black Mo Irish Stout. Kim get's some beer of her own and grabs a half pint of their Oktoberfest. Decent stuff with bready malt sweetness and German Noble hops for balance. Never fear though, they haven't left their local hop heads hang'n. Just tapped the day before, this is their new Slab Cabin IPA. It uses the same Amarillo and Chinook hops of the Double D but half the amount to keep prices in check. This was really tasty too! Good stuff as usual on the board but something seems to be missing. Double D, their staple hoppy offering has had to be temporarily retired the because the required hops have just gotten to be too expensive. Back at Otto's in State College for the first time in like 6 months. We really need to get up here more often as we like this brewpub more and more every time we come up.

Happy First Day of Fall everyone! I haven't been around here in the thread lately but I'm hoping to post a little more regularly now that it's time for all kinds of delicious Fall beer offerings. And with Oktoberfest kicking off in Munich on Saturday, it's definitely that time of the year for some tasty Oktoberfest/Marzens to be had. And the Trogner Bros. have done very well by this style. Bready toasted grains and caramel sweetness that are well balanced by a touch of spicy Noble hops. Very tasty and hugely quaffable. Well done Troegs! We'll kick things off with something REAL local. Like down the street from where I work. It's the lucky #13 offering from the Troegs Scratch Series. A 4.9% Oktoberfest.

Thanks for coming out and hanging with us Chuck! Count me in as also being impressed with the way that BGE has continued to grow this event. I wish that we had another free weekend this fall, as we'd love to come down again and see it's doing a little later in the season. Considering that this was just opening weekend, I thought that they did a very nice job with the event.

Been pretty quiet in here the last few days. Thought that I'd break the silence and show off a couple of the more exclusive Bell's brews that have come out so far this year. WhoooooWheeeee!!! They definitely didn't skip the Bourbon in this guy! Fortunately the cherry tartness and chocolate of the Cherry Stout could still be tasted underneath all that booze. Finally, another brewery exclusive, a Bourbon Barrel Aged version of their Cherry Stout. The rumor is that this is just a repackaged version of their Amber Ale. Well, it's a pretty pedestrian effort either way. Up next is another exclusive to just Michigan. The 2008 Big Porch Ale. A tribute to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and it's ginormous front porch, which is one of the biggest in the world. Huge pine and grapefruit dominate in this hop bomb of a DIPA but it definitely wore it's 11% ABV out there on its sleeve. First up, the Big Head San Diego Style Ale. Larry Bell's answer to the "egos" of those Southern California brewers.

^^^Sweet action Bubba! I can't wait to try some of those canned offerings! So as Derek has all ready posted our Sunday adventures, I'll put up what we did on Saturday evening. It had been awhile since we all got together so we thought that we'd have Derek & Nicole come over for a party. But this wasn't just any old party... This was a Pizza "Port" Party! And was it good? Just take a look at those smiles. Thanks for reading. And finally, since the last couple of beers all ready tasted like dessert, I decide to put the cherry on top (literally) with a bottle of New Glarus Belgian Red for us all to split. Mmmmm...this was tasty. Very, very roasty mix of chocolate, caramel, coffee, and burnt malts. And to think that this was made from the leftover crap of the Serpent's Stout. Just shows how fantastic the Stout was! We slum on down to just a regular Port Brewing offering for a bit, but luckily this was a good one. The Moon Lit Sessions Lager, a German Style Schwarzbier that is brewed using the second runnings of the Serpent's Stout. And lead us not unto temptation...but please deliver some more of this fantastic Belgian Style Stout to us! And with an awesome taste of chocolate, molasses, dark fruits, roasted malts, and coffee, who can blame us! Once again, the Lost Abbey comes through with a cool looking label. But we're not done yet! Yet more Lost Abbey awesomeness! This time something a little sweeter (and darker) in the form a bottle of Serpent's Stout. Nicole and Derek say "Pizza Good!!!" Of course it wouldn't be a Pizza Party without some pizza and as usual, Kim out did herself! And once again, a very tasty offering for a Saison. Lots of fruits, tartness, bready malts, grassy hops, and loads of other barnyard character. Up next, another Lost Abby offering. Carnevale, a Saison. And this was very good. Especially the aroma! Delicious notes of bread, spice, grass, honey, and yeast had us feeling the burn! And this probably has thee most disturbing labels of the Lost Abbey offerings to boot! Nothing says drinking like watching souls getting roasted in the fires of hell! We start out with one of the newer offerings from the Lost Abbey. Inferno, a Belgian Strong Pale Ale that is brewed in the same style as other devilish offerings like Duvel & Lucifer.

^ You are correct Chuck, it is Sinestro and he's actually become a big part of the Green Lantern universe again over the last year or so. OK, now I'M getting too geeky for my own good! Anyway, it's cool to see members of the Legion of Doom roaming around the Six Flags parks. Awesome TR as usual Ted. I wish I had known that you guys were in the area this past weekend. Kim and I probably could have come out and met up for a bit.

Well with the Discovery Channel airing their annual Shark Week marathon last week, I thought that I should have an appropriate theme for the beers that I would be drinking while watching it. Hence, intermingled between episodes of Myth Busters and shows about shark attacks, I bring you... STOUT WEEK! This definitely isn't for the faint of heart but, my oh my, is is tasty! Big notes of chocolate, coffee, and dark fruits intermingle with some definite Belgian yeast character. That huge ABV is definitely there but it never seems to become stinging. Great stuff and I'm looking forward to lying a few of these down in the cellar. Finally, another anniversary beer was also recently released. The Weyerbacher 13. After the last few of their anniversary releases that I had trouble getting down with, they've finally unleashed something that I can get on board with. A 13%+ beast of a Belgian Style Imperial Stout. But hey, he can talk as much as he wants when a beer is this tasty. Think burnt chocolate chip cookie that drinks like a champ! ...and the usual diatribe from Greg Koch on the back. This one was even more long winded than normal! Awesome anniversary logo as usual from Stone... Up next is one that I can't believe no one has posted yet, despite being out for the last few weeks. The Stone 12th Anniversary. A Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. ...but this was a lot better. Rich chocolate notes (even if they seemed a bit artificial) and roasted malts underneath made for a nice dessert beer that Kim had no problem helping me with. A beer built for 2 is our next order of business, in the form of a bottle of Ft. Collins Double Chocolate Stout. Now I've never been big on their regular Chocolate Stout offering... And to top things off, the beer is infected. Yeah! It's really a shame too, since this seemed rather nice underneath all the disgustingly sour bacteria notes. This place cracks me up. Their labels look like they were printed off on an ink jet printer in someone's basement. Oh wait, they probably were! Next, we've got some good ole' Midwestern RIS goodness courtesty of Oscar the Grouch and his buddies at Kuhnhenn. The Road Rash Russian Imperial Stout. Dark beers are their specialty at Duck Rabbit and this guy is no different. Tons of chocolate sweetness that is balanced out by some very prominent dark fruit tartness. We'll start off with something from down south in North Cakalaki. The Rapid Duck RIS from the Duck Rabbit Brewery.

Thought that I'd put up some pics from this past weekend. Starting out Friday after work and ending up on Sunday. And this was very good! Lots of resinous pine bitterness were in there but it was all about the sweetness with this guy. Tons of honey and malts notes and some of the juiciest citrus character I've tasted in a long time. This reminded me a lot of Bell's Hopslam, which is definitely a good thing! Finally, all day Sunday, I got into my Captain Lawrence growler of goodness. The Captain's Reserve Double IPA. They have great burgers here too, as I'm about to devour mine and wash it down with a glass of Victory Braumeister Pils. This is one of the few beer bars were we like the food as much as the beer. The wings here are some of our favorite anywhere. Lots of different choices and very crispy. Perfect! Lots of hoppy goodness on for Summer. I went with a Founder's Centennial IPA. Very fresh and tasty on tap. On the way home, we decided to take a detour and head to someplace that we haven't been in forever. Union Jacks! And it was good to see them pimping out the decent NJ offerings (as little as there is though). All in all, this place was definitely up there for me and we'll definitely be back again! ...but it was the GINORMOUS wall of Imports that made me crap my pants. It actually started a few feet behind where I was taking this pic and was just loaded with all kinds of harder to get stuff. Fantastic! The wall of American craft singles was tremendous... C'mon! They've got their "Best of BA" shelf for crying out loud! I wouldn't normally include this many pics of beer store but man, this placed ROCKED! On the way home, we made a pit stop at what is widely considered to be a Top 3 beer store on the East Coast. The Oak Tree Buy Rite in South Plainfield, NJ. And Kim shows what all of the hype is about. Cuvee de Castleton. It's an American Wild Ale that's fermented with grapes, than aged in Oak, and infused with Brett. They were giving out samples and it was delicious! After you paid, you went in and picked up your bottles. ...so we said "Heck, since we waited in the growler line, we might as well get a growler!" They had both a cash and credit line once they opened. We were closest to the credit line, so we waited in that one. Unfortunately it was also the line for growler fills and took a bit longer... Saturday saw us take a road trip up north of New York City to Pleasantville, home of Captain Lawrence brewing. Every couple of months they have a bottle release and this is their biggest of the year! This was about a 1/2 before they opened and allready a pretty good sized crowd has formed. I then finished up with some pizza at dinner and a mug of their West Coast Wheat (while getting attacked by Ffej!) They also had a Mugger exclusive on tap. A Bourbon Aged Tripel that while loaded with Bourbon notes, also kept a lot of Tripel character, and stayed pretty quaffable for a 10% beer. ...and we got to meet the brewer, Paul Rutherford. He was a real friendly guy and a pleasure to talk too. He was previously the assistant brewer at the North Wales location and this gig is his first as a Head Brewer. He's doing a hell of a job so far. ...plus you get a up close tour of their brewing system (quite photogenic as you can see)... Because it's there first Mugger Appreciation and "Meet the Brewer" night ! This was pretty nice too. Reserved seating and free eats... Our next stop brings us back to Iron Hill Lancaster. But what would we be doing here on a random Friday night? And of course Christmas in July wouldn't be complete without a taste of some Mad Elf. Holding up very well I might add! And the rest of the crew is definitely down with the Troegs as well. ...and lots of Troegs beers were on special. Kim and I can't resist a $3 pint of Sunshine Pils on draft. Tasty! Lot's of Christmas decorations were up... ...it's time for the annual Troegs Christmas in July celebration! We're back at the Elephant & Castle and being July 25th, that can only mean one thing...

Great pics as usual Justin. And you even got me a shot of the roller rink at Oaks. Awesome! Maybe we'll finally get out there next year. Oh, and yes, those pics are BACT approved.

Lots of good activity in the beer thread lately. Including Bubba brewing again? Awesome! Well these pics are about 2 weeks overdue but I figured that I'd put them up anyway. Over the week of July 4th we headed down to our old stomping grounds of Myrtle Beach for some beer and new coasters and them up to the Charlotte area to hang with friends. Enjoy... And I finish up with a 10 oz of the Seeing Double DIPA. Tasty stuff! Thanks for reading. I love the food here. Lots of unique stuff on the menu like this buffalo burger. It was a decent effort but nothing spectacular. Like their Hurricane Hefe... Lots of good stuff on as usual including some summer styles... Nice and empty on a Sunday morning. Just the way we like it! Speaking of Foothills we decided to make that our "requisite beer stop" on the way home. It's looking good in the summer too with its snazzy outdoor seating. Currently sitting at #43 on the Best of BA, this is definitely a solid RIS with tons of coffee and roasted bitterness but surprisingly not a ton of chocolate. And please no jokes about Greg and I sharing some Sexual Chocolate. We've all ready heard em'! They only sold 500 of these at the release and kept a few more back for special occasions. And you gotta love the label! Back at Greg's we get into one of the bottles of Foothill's Sexual Chocolate that we bought back in February at it's release party at the brewpub. This was a real surprise too. Lots of chocolate, roasted malts, and dark fruits. And it's all organic to boot! Btw, can you tell that I was out boating earlier in the day? Yeesh... Greg and I decide to split a bottle of Eel River Raven's Eye Imperial Stout. What's that I see up there...? While they predominantly sell wine here, the owners are trying very hard to make this into one of the better beer destinations in the area. They have a pretty extensive list of cold beer you can choose or you can buy something special off the shelf for take out. They'll also throw it into the chiller for a few minutes so that you can enjoy it there. It's got a pretty comfy vibe and a nice sized tasting bar. My buddy Greg wanted to show us a new wine/beer bar that opened up earlier this year near this house. Appropriately enough it's called the Grapevine. After this visit, I think I've got a new #1! Holy crap does this thing let loose! I had this thing snapping all over the place for the single best ride that I've ever had on a set of these. And I don't even ride the flyers that much! Of course the real treat at this park now is the Phantom Flyers, which were relocated here in 2005. When I visited in 06, this was a solid #2 before the Knoebels Flyers. And we can't live without the Bat-Wing! Whey don't more inverts have these? What a fantastic element! Luckily one of our favorite B&Ms didn't get saddled with an completely craptastic name. We can live with Afterburn. After a couple of days at the beach, we made our way back up towards the Charlotte area to hang with some friends. Of course a stop a Carowinds was in order. We hadn't been here in 2 years, so we were interested in seeing how the CF changes had come along. They also really need to drop the admission price or offer an evening discount. Most people are out on the beach during the day and just aren't going to pay that much for some evening entertainment. The place was pretty empty on the Wednesday before the 4th, which isn't a good thing. Hopefully they can figure things out so that this visit for us wont' be our last. For the most part we liked the park. It shows a lot of potential but also seems to have some work to do as well. Led Zeppelin is the best ride here with some fantastic Orlando worthy theming. Unfortunately, it sometimes feels though like they put more effort into the gift shops and selling merch than they did the overall guest experience. It's hard to believe that they first started talking about this park when we still lived down here in SC. We're glad to finally be able to check it out! We finally got to check out the new Hard Rock Park. Ah well, at the least the happy hour priced bar food is cheap and tasty. I guess they should just stick to the light and refreshing beers, like the Amber Waves Red Ale that Kim is drinking. It's hard to argue with $2.50 drafts here during happy hour, even if the price went up 50 cents for the first time in like 10 years. I start out with an old fav, the Raspberry Wheat. While not tasting like very much anymore, at least it was quite refreshing. I also tried their darkest brews available, a Nut Brown and Porter, and neither was very flavorfull. As you can see, the board doesn't look that different from our last trip here back in November. Lots of light-weight stuff to appease the tourists. Back to Myrtle Beach and our old drinking grounds of the Liberty Steakhouse & Brewery at Broadway at the Beach.

On Saturday Kim and I headed up to Harrisburg for the 5th Annual Harrisburg Brewers Fest. Fortunately, unlike last year, we hit the first session this year and were glad that we did. It was a lot less crowded with a friendlier vibe and not as many drunk frat boys running around. We are also happy to report that the lineup for this seems to keep getting better and better with a real nice variety of PA breweries coming out and showing off their wares. It really did feel like one of the preeminent beer festivals in the state right now (and it should be!). They do a real nice job of taking care of the breweries at this fest and making sure that the money goes to a good cause, so I guess that the word is spreading based on the representation we saw. On with the pics... And then as a bonus on this trip, I get to pick up my official Mugger shirt. Nice! Thanks for reading. Welcome back Major Hops! Probably the hoppiest offering they have, I'd like to see it on a little more often. I was glad to see an old favorite was back on... Afterwards, we headed over to the ABC for a late lunch. ...as his band Herbie hit the stage to entertain the crowd to close out the first session. We end the fest chilling out with samples and watching Jeff pound the skins... Naturally, guess who the most unfriendly D-Bags of the fest were? I'm especially glad that the Church got to come, as I got to try some of their delicious Coconut Stout. It was really good to see that some Western PA breweries could make it out as well (sadly no East End though, Scott still won't come farther east than State College). Legacy was pouring their brand new Fat Boy Amber Lager for the crowds. It was nice to Iron Hill of Lancaster coming out for their first HBF. A shot of all the breweries lined up down Third St. We were really impressed at the quality lineup of PA Breweries that showed up for this thing. Makes me proud to live in such a beer rich state. Troegs itself had a nice lineup available to sample, including some Nugget Nectar that was still sitting around. I felt that it was actually getting a little alcoholic at this point. We ran into Jeff & Brandi and hung out with them for a bit. Jeff couldn't drink too much during this session, as he was going to be part of the entertainment in a little while. They brought a couple of their brews including their new Weldsplatter IPA, a nicely done IPA in the English style. Come on! You've got to love any brewery that brings a giant battle ax to a beer fest! Another new brewery on the scene is the Bavarian Barbarian Brewing that just opened earlier this year up in Williamsport. They had their 2 summer seasonals on. Their Whitehorse Whit beer and their Lovitz Lager (pictured here) which was a Lager with a real subtle flavor of water melon. Very nice and refreshing! Our first stop was a brand new brewery on the PA scene. Roy Pitz Brewing out of Chambersburg, PA. I'm really anxious to get over one Saturday and check out their operation, as I actually spent my formative years growing up in Chambersburg, and I really want to help these guys out. Kim shows off your little sampling mug. It may not be as nice as some others we've seen but at least, being made of plastic, people can't break them in the streets. They really do a nice job of getting everyone in a timely manner. Someone walks by as you wait in line and checks your ID and ticket with stamps. All you have to do then is get checked over as you enter and given your commemorative sampler. It's mid June, which can only mean one thing. Time for the 5th Annual Harrisburg Brewer's Fest, hosted by Troegs and benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of PA. Located right in the heart of downtown (and only a block or so from where I work).

^ Well I'm glad you got those pics sorted out Kev cuz that was a freak'n sweet BTR. I'm glad to see that you FINALLY made it to RR! Oh, and where's the pics of Natalie at... I know that I haven't posted much of anything in the past month or so but I'm hoping to get back in here once in a while when I've got something cool to share. I thought that I'd start out by sharing some pics of a recent visit, with our friends Jeff & Brandi, to a relatively new brewpub on the PA scene. Located not far from State College, the addition of this has now made the "Golden Triangle" of Otto's, Bullfrog, and Selin's Grove into the "Golden Quadrangle" of mid-state brewpub awesomeness. A final shot of a local band setting up for that Saturday evenings show. Do you get the theme here? Local, local local! The brewpub that makes nice with the local community, usually sticks around for a while. We can't wait to come back! I barely remembered to snap a picture of the Double Rainbow IPA. This was more in the English style with a more subtle hop bitterness that crept up on you. ...while I get ready to enjoy my locally raised burger (and yes I ordered well done, that's why it looks like a hockey puck). Kim gets all excited over the hand cut sweet potato fries... Their menu here is more on the healthy side of things, using fresh, honest, locally produced meats and produce. I stay dark and check out one of the their most popular beers here, the Poe Paddy Porter. Needless to say, it was quite awesome with full, robust flavors and a creamy body. Tasty! ...while Jeff and Brandi try the newly tapped Colyer Kolsch. Kim gets into some Elk Creek Copper Ale, which was jam packed with caramel and toffee notes... I start out with the Big Trout Stout on nitro, which was quite full flavored and quaffable. Shot of the tap board. As you can see, they don't really shy away from any styles, having a nice, varied selection of light and dark beers. Including those served via nitro and a beer engine. The bar isn't huge but has a nice vibe as well. That's the assistant brewer there working the hand pump. The atmosphere here is very inviting and warm, giving off the vibe of a cafe crossed with an art studio, as they have lots of local stuff hanging on the walls. Located at the corner of the only traffic light in the small town of Milheim, it's PA's latest brewpub, the Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks.

Hey man, I gave you almost a full week to go yourself and post after we did but you never did it. Not my fault. Anyway, it's only fitting that the person who did the first ever BTR from Victory, should also do the first one from the new place. Friday night after work found us heading up North for a little dinner... And I unfortunatley had to kiss probably my last glass of the Kriek away before it's gone. But I won't be complaining if it's still on during our next visit! The food here is always great with different specials every week. On this visit, it was the Pad Thai made with tofu. Very tasty! You've always got to get ya' some of the IPA when it's on (which is a lot more now than it used to be). Hand's down the best in PA and one of best I've ever had period. Our dinner companions Jeff & Brandi enjoy the new Organic Pils and Phoenix Kriek as well. Kim, she settled down with a half pint of the Phoenix Kriek, which we still couldn't believe was still on. Luckily there's lots on tap to help raise our spirits. We're back at the Grove on this rainy and dreary Friday evening. I finish up with the just on Wilder's Hefe. It's always good to see this on, as you know that summer is soon on its way.

^Great pics Bubba. Keep em' coming! I'm finally getting around to posting these. So last Friday, Kim and I both had the day off. With the newly refurbished Victory having just opened 2 days before, we knew that a trip to the Philly burbs was definitely in order. ...with watching game 1 between the Flyers and Penguins. Well we all know how that ended but they are at least winning game 4 as I type this. Go Flyers! It was naturally a little herbal with some subtle hop bitterness and went well... Lots of good stuff on but I decided to go with their latest Project IPA varietal. The Fuggles IPA. They also had a ton of merch that the other location doesn't having because (after I talked to the merch manager) it turns out that because they are each run as separate business, they can order and sell their own stuff. That's good because I really liked the stuff they had here more! ...including a game room. Pretty cool! This is the only pic I took of the interior but this location is quite different then the one in Phoenixville. While that one has more of a pub feel, this one was a lot more spacious with a ton of room... We still had some time to kill in the day, so we decided to seek out a new to us place. The "other" Sly Fox location in nearby Royersford. This is the location where they do all the bottling and canning of the Sly Fox products. We couldn't help but laugh at how it seamlessly meshes into the Dollar Bargains store next door. Finally, one more pic of their new automated growler filler. Unfortunately I didn't get to see it in action but it sure does look impressive. We'll finish this visit with a couple more shots of the bar, including all of those glorious taps! If they can keep this many on at all times, I think that we'll be visiting a lot more than we used too. It was quite tasty with a crisp hop bite and dry feel. I next went with their special Tettnanger Tettnang Braumeister Pils which was specially brewed for the Craft Brewers Conference last month. ...including their brand new Wilddevil, which is the Hop Devil IPA that's been infused with Brett. It was OK, the IPA still really shined through with the Brett only adding some mild tartness. The beer menu has fantastic descriptions of each beer as well... As you can see, they pulled out all the stops with the grand re-opening taplist, including a whopping 5 on cask, which will be a regular thing. Awesome! Kim shows off the swanky new food and beer menus. This is where the old entrance now takes you, to the new game area. Around the corner is the newly refurbished bathrooms and the gift shot which are the about the only things that are still in the same spot. This is where we sat at and it filled up almost immediately after we sat down. Does it look familiar? It's where the old bar used to be. They have lots of these brass brew tank tops as decorative theming scattered throughout. I must say that they do add a nice touch. Here's a shot of their new cafeteria style seating "Fest Haus" inspired dining room. They are going to use this for additional seating (and they needed it on this night) and for their beer dinners. I miss the old bar but this new one looks pretty kick ass too! I'm looking forward to many more pints here. ...and you go inside...and things look a lot different! There used to be a bottling line and bags of malt in here! And it's been even longer since we've been back to Victory and uh...something looks different... Of course I've got to get me some of the newly tapped Czech Mate Pils they just put on. It was OK. I was expecting a little more hops for a Czech style Pils though. You know a trip to Rock Bottom isn't complete without a gigantic plate of nachos. ...including their April release, the Hop Bomb. I can't believe that this stuff is still on tap! It's a bit unbalanced towards the hop end but for a Hop Head like me, that's never really a problem! Lot's of good stuff on tap as always... But first, we're finally back at the King of Prussia Rock Bottom after a 2 month absence.

Time for some catch up! Being May and the month of American Craft Beer Week, I'm once again trying to knock some of the Best of BA beers off my list. Would they live up to their rankings? Let's find out... As for the beer, yes that is a look of complete happiness on my face! The Brett is this was magical, being fairly prominent up front at first but as it warmed, actually melded with the sour fruits in the background to give it a taste unlike a sweet tart or apple Jolly Rancher (complete with a slight sugary sweetness in the back). Wow! What a fantastic beer! Definitely one of the best out there in my opinion. And there she is in all of her glory! This was such a great looking beer with an effervescent carbonation that wouldn't quit for quite some time. ...and put it in one of the Russian River special barrel-aged tulip glasses that we added to our order. When the cork itself has directions, you best follow them... Here's the back of the bottle to tell you a little bit more about it. So much time and effort goes into these Russian River barrel-aged beers, that they really can be considered works of art. All the way up at #23 (and probably rising) it's the Russian River Beatification. And finally on Thursday, a little something special from our recent Nor Cal order. Trust me folks, you can't fake that smile! This is just the epitome of a West Coast IPA. Tones of pine, grapefruit, and big malt sweetness to even thing out. Like it says on the back of the bottle, this is indeed awesome! On Wednesday, it was a return visit to one of my favorite IPAs out there and #37 on the list, Alesmith IPA. Beyond the absolutely huge Bourbon notes in this, the rest is pretty darn good too. Char, smoke, coffee, even some chocolate all lie underneath and I think that the awesome thickness of this guy's body is right up there Darklord and Expedition Stout. Very nice! ...and boy can you tell! Whooooweeee! I've never had a beer burn my eyeballs before! The best of BA continued the rest of the week with some more top 40 hits. On Monday, it was a bottle of #25. Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout. This is their Stout that is aged in Bourbon barrels for 100 days... And Wow! This was something! Lots of different notes from char to tobacco, to coffee to candied sugars. The barrel aging of this was what was really nice though, with notes of bourbon, vanilla, and oak that were very well integrated with the rest of the flavors but without being overly harsh. After we finished the Deadly Sins, thanks to Deuane, I then kicked off the month with my first Top 100 beer. Coming in at #31, it the latest Anniversary release from Firestone Walker Brewing, Firestone 11. After the success of their 2006 10th Anniversary release, Firestone 10, they went back again and created another meticulous blend of barrel aged styles to create another masterpiece. I'm not going to post individual pics of each one but we all had our different favorites with mine being Sloth, a Belgian Style Imperial Stout that tasted like Kate the Great's younger brother. Very nice! Bonus points to anyone that can tell me the signifigance of the order that we enjoyed them in (from left to right in the pic above). Last Saturday, Deuane & Carolyn came over to help partake in something special that I had gotten earlier in the year via a trade with a BA in Alaska. Throughout 2007, Midnight Sun Brewing released their "7 Deadly Sins of Beer" series, with a lot of extreme styles based on the 7 Deadly Sins ranging from a Triple IPA to various Belgian styles to even some Barrel Aged/Brett infused varieties.

Wow, I can't believe that someone finally makes a post about Ninja Warrior and I missed it. We've been watching the shows now for well over a year, since a fellow member of BACT turned us on to it. Yeah, it sucks that G4 is trying to block all of the spoilers. You used to be able to watch the tournamant results on Youtube right after they aired in Japan. It kind of makes my location make sense now. I firmly believe that Toshihiro Takeda, along with President Abraham Lincoln and the Nature Boy Rick Flair are the 3 greatest men to have walked the earth.

Another beer last night courtesty of Bubba... Oh my! And speaking of Kev, looked what showed up on my doorstep yesterday afternoon. A little something that he helped pass along our way. What could be in there...? This was pretty tasty although the hope bitterness was more subtle, instead of being biting. It did have amazing drinkibility for a 7% beer though. I'd have drank another if I had one. From the Drake's Brewing Company in San Leandro, CA (how far is that from you Bubba?), it's their Drake's IPA.

Good job on that mega section of the update Derek. I know that took you a lot of time. Yes, we made it back from Dark Lord Day safe and sound, a few pounds and cases of beer heavier. While I still have plenty of other beer to drink before I want to get into any of the new stuff that we bought out there, there is one beer that I've been wanting to try more of since we first tasted it at this years EBF. As for the beer itself, its a bit of a mixed bag. It's a big, beefy, and boozy mix of pine, spice, thick malts and alcohol that imparts an almost medicinal feel as it warms, which I'm not a huge fan of. Kind of disappointing until I realized that this beer is almost 14%. It literally drinks more like it's in the 8-10% range and that is very impressive. Well done Dark Horse. Well done indeed... You don't normally see wax topped 12 oz bottles but Dark Horse goes all out with these guys. Unfortunately, they are also a pain-in-the-balls to get off! A close up of Mr. Scary Tree Monster Guy on the label. Or maybe it's Treebeard from the Lord of the Rings? I don't know... Straight from Michigan and Dark Horse Brewing, it's their Double Crooked Tree. This is naturally a jacked up Imperial version of their staple Crooked Tree IPA.