Today is the release of Founder’s Nemesis 2010 here in NYC and it seems that every good beer bar is chomping at the bit to release their keg. While the rest of the country seems to have seen a nice supply of bottles early, this is our first taste of their Anniversary brew and things are doubly exiciting as Founders is relatively new to the New York Area. “The 2010 release of Nemesis is best described by our brewing team as “a dark barley wine that pours black with a subtle mahogany hue. Brewed with 5 malts and no shortage of hops for a pleasantly bitter booming flavor. Roasty and toasty with a multitude of tastes that melts on your tongue.”

So the question is asked… Where will you drink your Nemesis? Below is a handy guide to release events in and around NYC today. Cheers!

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DeCicco’s Food Market (Ardsley) – 21 Center St, Ardsley, NY, 12:00pm
Growler Fills and Bottles

4th Avenue Pub – 76 4th Ave bet Bergan and Wyckof St, Brooklyn, 3:00pm
Also pouring: Black Biscuit

Rattle N Hum – 14 E 33rd off Madison Ave, 4:00pm

Hop Devil Grill – 129 St Marks Place, 4:00pm
Also pouring: Centennial IPA, Reds Rye and Allagash Fluxus!

The Good Life – 1039 Park Blvd, Massapequa Park, NY, 4:00pm
Also pouring: Founder’s Canadian Breakfast Stout

Puck Fair – 298 Lafayette St off Houston St, 6:00pm

George Keeley – 485 Amsterdam Ave, 6:00pm
Also pouring: Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Curmudgeon, Pale Ale, Centennial IPA, Porter, Red’s Rye PA

The Double Windsor – 210 Prospect Park West at 16th St, Brooklyn, 7:00pm
Also pouring: Curmudgeon, Red’s Rye PA, Centennial IPA, Porter

Birdsall House – Peekskill, NY, 7:00pm
Also pouring: Centennial IPA, Porter, Curmudgeon

Sunswick 35-35 – 35-02 35th St,, Astoria, 7:00pm
Also pouring: Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Red’s Rye PA, Pale Ale

The Gate – 321 5th Ave at 3rd St, Brooklyn, 7:00pm
Also pouring: Cerise, Pale Ale, Porter, Devil Dancer, Cetennial IPA, Red’s Rye PA (Cask)

Last month, boutique distilleries around the globe descended upon Manhattan’s Touch nightclub for the NYC Indy Spirits Expo, a celebration of boutique spirits brands. This was a great opportunity for hundres of cocktail enthusients, store and bar owners to meet distillers, brand owners, importers and, of course, taste some of the finest spirits the world around.

Now, I’m a big cocktail fan but it seems that stronger beverages get little love here on IDrunkThat. I often look at all of these spirits brands as big, far off corporations that offer little incentive for me to set fingers to keyboard. But the Indy Spirits Expo completely negated that preconception and provided a crash course in the spirits revolution. What interested me most about these distilleries was how similar their story was to that of the craft beer brewer. These were bootstrapping individual risking house and home to break new ground in the world of spirits and, since personal distilling is highly illegal, doing it without the amateur experience of homebrewing. From milk-based vodka from Vermont to carbon-negative rums from California, these individuals were shedding the stalwart practices of traditional distilling left and right.

As with all liquor-based events, I immediately gravitated towards brown spirits. The first clear standout for me was New York’s own Tuthilltown Spirits’ Hudson Whisky Four Grain. Blended from corn, rye, wheat and malted barley, this bourbon uses a unique process of retaining its slurry through the entire first distillation for a unique, grassy, earthen flavor. Another clear winner was the much-anticipated Whisky Pig rye from Shoreham, Vermont. Whisky Pig is a new venture from David Pickerell who served as master distiller at Maker’s Mark for more than a decade. This was a huge rye with lots of vanilla, orange peel and spice notes but without the usually grainy flavors of rye. This is an easy rye to love and one that non-rye drinkers can feel comfortable with

But it wasn’t all whiskys at the Indy Spirits Expo. Everywhere you turned someone was breaking ground. Philadelphia’s Blue Coat Gin, for example, was distilled using organic juniper berries, American citrus peels and assorted other botanicals. The result was an herbaceous, woodsy character that was surprisingly soft on the palate and will quickly become a new favorite for the gin and tonic drinker. Also notable was the Vermont Spirits Gold. Distilled from first running of maple sap, this unique vodka had wonderful caramel undertones which will marry perfectly with white russians and other rich cocktails (as will there Vermont Spirits White, a lactose based vodka.)

As with all events, a few items were a miss, a few items were just okay and the tasting palate was in poor shape by the end of the evening. But overall, the Indy Spirits Expo presented a stellar line-up of next-level spirits. I’d recommend an event like this to any cocktail lover looking to get out of their comfort zone and learn a little more about the source of their spirits.

If you are looking for any of these bottles, most of them can be picked up from event sponsor, DrinkUpNY.com and big thanks to Mutineer Magazine for inspiring (and organizing) my attendance.

Click here for more photos from the Indy Spirits Expo

Tags: american ipa, Brewmaster's Reserve.

Last weekend (okay two weeks ago) I got a chance to hit the left coast for a few days and attend the Mammoth Blues and Brews festival in Mammoth Lakes, California. It’s a real treat to attend these event outside of the East Coast area as it offers a chance to explore new, exciting brews that the locals often take for granted. Blues and Brews delivered on this and more with top notch music, great food and – of course – some excellent beers.

Held in a fenced off, shaded lot some 8000+ feet above sea level, beer and blues lovers lined up hours in advanced to get into the festival, get their prime lawn chair spots, and post up early on lines for world renowned breweries such as Russian River, Lost Abbey/Pizza Port, Ballast Point and The Bruery. Over 60 breweries attended in total to round out world class blues that included Los Lonely Boys and a bevy of local food providers.

What stood out most about the festival – aside from the amazing back drop of the Sierra Nevada mountains – was the overall quality of the event. Many of the breweries offered four or five different lines to taste rather than the traditional festival duo and while big name breweries definitely drew lines, great beer was never more than an arms-length away. Even the longest wait was only a few minutes unlike New York’s Brewfest a few month’s back. Finally, it’s worth noting that the Mammoth Lakes residents were awesome, accommodating and some of the nicest people I’ve had a chance to share a drink with in a long time.

Standout brews from the festival clearly were the limited, time-released pours that all seemed to happen concurrently. From about 2:30 onwards it was a mad dash to try some amazing, limited beers. It all started with Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River popping two of the biggest Supplication bottles I have ever seen. The sour, funky treat did not disappoint and quickly turned the Mammoth Blues and Brews Festival from your standard fare into a standout affair. From there it was a mad dash over to Ballast Point or some Barrel Aged Sea Monster which is a beast of stout with tons of coffee, chocolate and black currant flavors.

Following Ballast Point it was a short walk over to Firestone Walker to try some of their fabled Parabola; another serious barrel aged stout. This one went like wildfire and I could not discern much from my 1 oz. pour although the crowds loved it. Rounding out the damn-good-beer marathon was a trip over to The Bruery for ultra-rare 100% Brett Termented Autumn Maple. The Autumn Maple is already a spicy, complicated fall beer and the addition of wild yeast resulted in a cacophony of funky, earthy, vegetative, spiced flavors. It could take days to discern all the layers of flavor here and it I wish I had some to take home for proper review rather than this spur-of-the-moment taste on my already-destroyed palate. From what I could gather from all the big flavors, though, is that this is definitely one to hunt down. Other notable offerings were the Port Brewing Revelations, a citrus-twisted tripel, and the new Sierra Nevada Tumbler, a slightly smokey malt beer which was a refreshing departure for the brewery.

Click here for more photos Mammoth Blues and Brews 2010

Like all good beer festivals, the party did not stop just because the taps did and Mammoth Blues and Brews continued with meaty treats (a giant smoked turkey leg) and after-hours beers with in the company of the Sudwerk Brewery boys and the ladies of Port Brewing. A few hundred good people of Mammoth Lakes also joined it. It was great to see everyone out in good spirits even after the gates closed as brewery often pack up and head home right after last call. Overall, this is one of the best beer festivals I attended all year and – if Jet Blue can keep those flight prices down – I’m sure to return in 2011.

The New York craft beer community was out in full force once again to celebrate the latest release of the Brooklyn Brewery’s Brewmasters Series; Detonation Ale. A serious hop monster, with a walloping 10.2% ABV, Detonation Ale takes no pity on your palate from start to finish. But oh, what sweet, sweet punishment it is from one of the tastiest IPAs I’ve run across in a long time

Detonation Ale is the big brother of a local Brooklyn Brewery favorite, Blast. It pours a rich orange color, holds a good amount of caramel sweetness, and hits with a punch of seven different hop varietals. The Amarillo and Sorachi Ace hops really come forward for a brew with a bit more citrus and a lot more complexity than the Blast. I found myself comparing it a bit with Founders Devil Dancer – in both character and intensity – which is good company to be in. Overall, this is another stellar brew from the team over at Brooklyn Brewery and definitely ranks as one of the best IPAs on the East Coast.

Brooklyn Detonation Ale is mighty tasty. It probably even gives you fresher breath And whiter teeth, but we can’t prove that part. Nor can we support the claim that it concentrates the mind on life’s better aspects. However, we can guarantee that it’s terrific with pork tacos, Thai food, Indian dishes, burgers, and sharp cheeses. So have yourself some Brooklyn Detonation Ale – after all, isn’t it about time you blew up?” – Garrett Oliver

Changing pace from their usual in-house release events, Brooklyn took the Detonation out to The Audubon Center at The Boathouse in Prospect Park. Despite an early rain, hundreds of New Yorkers arrive with good spirits and eager palates. The event did not disappoint as Detonation, Brooklyn Weiss, Local 1, Local 2, Brooklyn Lager and Sorachi Ace all poured in abundance. Tasty treats were provided by Brooklyn’s own The Meat Hook, Dumpling School and Ovenly. Needless to say, they did not last long. Overall it was another great Brooklyn Brewery release party and I am sure we will all be anxiously awaiting the next one. Look for Detonation to hit the finer taps of the greater NYC area shortly (sorry, no bottles).

Click here for more photos from the Brooklyn Brewery Detonation Release Event

Beer Stats:
Malts: British floor malted Maris Otter, German pilsner malt, British crystal malt
Other sugars: First pressing Demerara sugar, Mauritius
Hops: Willamette, Amarillo, Palisade, Sorachi Ace, Simcoe, Cascade and East Kent Golding
O.G.: 21.5 Plato
ABV: 10.2%
(More info at brooklynbrewery.com)

Tags: american ipa, Brewmaster's Reserve.

TUESDAY 3/16 – NATIONAL BUZZARD DAY IPA EVENT

Why you should go
Because, yes, National Buzzard Day is a real holiday and what better way to celebrate than by drinking 18 different IPAs. Oh, did I mention the complimentary buzzard meat and beer bread! Hello, obscure beer event of the week

What you should drink
Local brewer Kelso debut their Kelso IPA tonight. Be the first to check it out. Ithica Flower Power is quite tasty as well.

Where
Spring Lounge – 48 Spring St at Mulberry St

Tap List
Draught – Kelso IPA (the first ever!), Avery IPA, Bear Republic Racer 5, Elysian Immortal IPA, Flying Dog Snake Dog, Goose Island IPA, Ithaca Flower Power, & Stone Ruination

Bottles – Ballast Point Big Eye, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Great Divide Titan, Green Flash West Coast IPA, Lagunitas Maximus, Left Hand Warrior, Smuttynose Big A IPA, Victory Hop Devil

Can – Oscar Blues Gordon

Gravity keg – Weyerbacher Hops Infusion

ALSO TUESDAY – ANNE SAXELBY BEER AND CHEESE PAIRING

Why you should go
Anne Saxelby, “New York City’s local champion of American artisanal cheeses,” knows a thing or two about fine curds. Match that with Jimmy’s fantastic beer knowledge and you’ve got a crash course in flavor combinations. And at 3 beer and cheese pairings for $10, this is a no brainer.

Where
Jimmy’s No 43 – 43 East 7th St

WEDNESDAY 3/17 – MIKKELLER SINGLE HOP BLAST

Why you should go
Rather than spend your St. Paddy’s day slugging green bud lights with the masses, The Blind Tiger offers up the ultimate in hop education. This event is primarily focus on the Mikkeller Single Hop brews, with a few other treats thrown in…

Where
The Blind Tiger – 281 Bleecker St.

Tap List
Mikkeller Amarillo Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Tomahawk Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Chinook Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller East Kent Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Nugget Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper
Mikkeller Cream Ale
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast
Mikkeller Imperial Pils

ALSO WEDNESDAY – ST PADDY’S DAY RATTLE N HUM STYLE

Why you should go
Yes, this will be a madhouse but if you are gonna to the Paddy’s Day proper then there is no better place than with the Rattle crew. Featuring Irish craft beer and Irish-American style Craft beer all week! Celebrate before and after the parade, with bag-pipers, drink specials, Corned Beef ‘N’ Cabbage and all the O’Hara’s Irish Stout and Jameson you can imagine.

Where
Rattle N Hum – 14 East 33rd Street Between 5th and Madison

THURSDAY 3/18 – VINTAGE BEER NIGHT

Why you should go
If there’s one event you make it to this week then this is it. Barcade open their cellars wide with a selection of rare vintage barrels. If this is anything like the Sixpoint event, you may want to be there at 6pm to get the good stuff.

What you should drink
I thought I swore off Russian Imperial Stouts for the season last week but Southampton’s is not to be missed. A rare barrel of Smuttynose Oak Aged Big A IPA is also making a welcomed appearance

Tap List
2004 Avery Hog Heaven – 9.2% ABV – Barleywine
2005 Flying Dog Gonzo – 9.2% – Imperial Porter
2007 Avery the Czar – 11.0% – Imperial Stout
2007 Chelsea Imperial Mild – 10.9% – Barleywine
2007 Sly Fox Ichor – 10.0% – Belgian style Quadruple
2007 Southampton Russian Imperial Stout – 10.2% – Imperial Stout
2007 Weyerbacher Blasphemy – 11.8% – Belgian Quadruple
2008 Dogfish Head Raison D’etre – 8.0% – beet sugars and raisins!
2008 He Brew Jewbelation 12 – 12.0% – Strong Ale
2009 Smuttynose Oak Aged Big A IPA – 9.2% – barrel aged Imperial IPA

Where
Barcade – 388 Union Avenue, Williamsburg

Style: Brown Ale
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: unknown
Availability: limited release, draft only
Pairing: caramelized pork chops, wash-rind cheese, vanilla ice cream, cheeescake

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Last night, New York received another great opportunity to visit the Brooklyn Brewery for the invite-only release of Dark Matter, their latest in the Brewmaster’s Reserve series. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver was on hand along along with a laundry list of the city’s finest pub owners, food editors and beer bloggers. Once again, the tap room flowed with some of brewery’s best drafts: Cookie Jar Porter, Monster ‘09, Blast, Black Chocolate Stout ‘09, Pilsner and more. The Bedford Cheese Shop and The Meat Hook were on hand to supply a nice meat and cheese compliment Dark Matter’s vanilla-oaked, sweet palate of flavors.

Appearance: The Dark Matter pours a deep, dusty brown with reddish undertones and a very fine ecru head. On draft, the beer shows only a slight carbonation but a nice lacing develops with a minor swirl signifying a well crafted brew.

Smell: A massive vanilla-oak barrel aroma hits the nose upfront with lingering hints of dark stone fruits. Raisins, prunes, and black currant are all here along with notes of sweet bourbon.

Taste: There’s an explosion of contrast in the Dark Matter’s flavor palate. Upfront, this beer is delicate with slightly bitter, wooden hints and vanilla notes. Quickly, however, a massive rush of barrel-aged flavors envelope the palate. All of the character of the nose is here — especially the bourbon and raisin ones — mingling with lots of sweet burnt caramel and chocolate malt.

Mouthfeel: A very delicate carbonation hits the tongue at first but finishes with a strong, syrupy coating of the mouth.

Drinkability: This is surprisingly drinkable for such a sweet beer with such rich flavors. Paired with a hearty meal, a few Dark Matters will go down without a second thought. But this beer can also be approached on its own during the last few cold nights of late winter.

Overall: Dark Matter is a strong edition to the Brooklyn Brewery’s Brewmasters Series. While their flagship barrel-aged offering, the Black Ops, is often sought out by Imperial Stout lovers worldwide, it is also one that is best served after a year in the bottle. Dark Matter, however, carries all the richness and complexity of Black Ops in a much more accessible, ready-to-drink brew with a lower ABV. This beer is also a great introduction to barrel-aging for those unfamiliar with the technique. Poorly crafted oak-aged beers can be abrasive and overpowering but the flavors here are balanced and very approachable for even an uninitiated palate. As a solid standby, it will pair nicely with meat-centric dinners and tangy/creamy desserts alike. Overall, Dark Matter is another fine offering from the Brooklyn Brewery.

Brewing Note:
Malt: British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Wheat, Belgian Aromatic, Roasted Barley
Hops: Willamette, Cascade, U.S. Fuggle
Yeast: Brooklyn House Ale
Barreling: Four months in a blend of bourbon and rye barrels of differing ages
OG: 18 deg. Plato
ABV: 7.5%

Official Release:

Cosmologists tell us that the universe was made by a massive explosion called the Big Bang. And in this Big Bang was created a material called “dark matter”, which accounts for 95% of the mass of the universe and actually binds the universe together. Well, that sounds pretty heavy. But it’s theoretical. Here in Brooklyn, our cosmology is a bit different.

In the beginning, there was Black Ops. Or perhaps not. Beer does have its mysteries. Anyhow, they say that back in 2007, a small amount of Dark Matter was created alongside Black Ops, but very few people had an opportunity to taste it. The Brooklyn Brewing Team decided that this shortage was unfortunate – plenty of Dark Matter for themselves, but not enough to share with all their friends. So last autumn they decided to recreate Dark Matter and open up the Brooklyn Barrel Room to a wider world. Brooklyn Dark Matter is a robust brown ale aged for four months in bourbon and rye whiskey barrels. Some barrels previously held Black Ops, some hosted The Manhattan Project, others came straight from the distilleries as soon as the whiskey was decanted. We’ve blended these barrels to create a beer full of caramel and chocolate flavors heightened by vanilla-like oak notes and hints of the barrels’ previous tenants. The result is a smooth, rich beer that really loves food, from fried or roasted chicken to char-grilled steak, barbecue, pork chops and even monkfish. And on some chilly evening in late winter, or perhaps the first warm night of spring, we hope that you may be tempted to believe that Dark Matter really does bind the universe together.

– Garrett Oliver

Tags: Brewmaster's Reserve, Brooklyn Brewery, New York beers, porter.

TUESDAY 3/02 – SOUR BEER NIGHT

Why you should go
Get a crash course in the wonders of lactic acid, Brettanomyces and all the other bacterial goodies that make sour beer so delicious. For a mere $10 you can try selections from the Shelton Brothers portfolio including Jolly Pumpkin and Cantillon

Where
Jimmy’s No 43 – 43 E 7th St

THURSDAY 3/04 – KEEGAN ALES AND FIRE ISLAND BREWING COMPANY NIGHT

Why you should go
Fresh selections from Fire Island and Keegans. F.I. president will be on hand to answer questions.

What you should drink
Keegan’s Super Kitty is an amazing American Strong Ale based on the Hurricane Kitty recipie. The recipe is then stepped up with 100lbs of local NY State honey, oak chops and lots of hops. This guy is rare so get him while you can

Where
David Copperfields – 1394 York Ave at 74th St

ALSO THURSDAY – PRETTY THINGS BEER AND ALE TASTING

Why you should go
Dann Paquette is one of a new breed of gypsy brews who travel around the country and create their concoctions at other breweries. Most of their line will be on tap tonight – Jack D’or, Baby Tree & St, Botolph’s – along with some rare bottle of the 10% London Mild. OHh, and free pomme frites at 6pm

Where
Burp Castle – 41 E 7th St.

SATURDAY 03/06 – DIVE BAR HOMEBREWERS CHALLANGE

Why you should go
Local homebrewers bring their big guns (in 5 gallon batches) to this uptown pub to claim the crown and with the coveted prize… having your beer brewed by Chatham Brewing and served on tap! Drop $15 for some food and a chance to try and vote for the best brew.

Where
Dive Bar – 732 Amerstdam Ave at 96th St

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 3/06 & 3/07 – SPLIT THEY BROOKLYN SKULL XI

Why you should go
Mug’s annual Barleywine/Strong Ale Festival is one of my favorite festivals of the year. Over two days they will pour some 40 amazing high gravity beers. Admission is free and its pay as you go. Not to be missed!

What you should drink
Where to start? Brewdog Paradox Cask, Mikkeller Double Bock, Keegans Super Kitty, Ithica Ten, Brewdog Tokyo, Life and Limb… I can go on all day.

Tap List
Saturday March 6th

Gravity Cask: Brewdog Paradox 10% Whiskey Aged Imperial Stout
Otter Creek QVH 12% American Strong Ale
St. Somewhere Lectio Divina 8.00% Belgian IPA
Pennichuck Pompier 12.5% Barleywine
Ithica Ten 10.5% American Strong
Sam Adams Dobblebock 9.5%
Weyerbacher Old Heathen Imperial Stout 2008 8.0%
Harpoon Quad 12.0% Quadruple
Wintercoat Cockney Imperial Stout 2007 8.4%
Goose Island Brown Goose 9% Old Ale
Ramstein Eisbock 11.5%
Speakeasy Old Godfather Reserve 10%
Mikkeller Double Bock 11.0%
Slyfox Black Raspberry Reserve 8.00 %
Spring house Two Front Teeth 9.75% Saison
Philadelphia Shackamaximum 10.00% Imperia Stout
Two Brothers Hop Juice 9.9% Double IPA
Yards Old Bart 9.0% English Barleywine
Keegans Super Kitty 12.0% American Strong Ale
Souther Tier Backburner 10.0% Barleywine
Sixpoint Express 2008 11.3% quadruple
Lefthand Widdershins 10% Barleywine
Chelsea Imperial Mild Oak Aged 10.9% barleywine
Nogne O #100 Barleywine 10.0% Barleywine

Sunday March 7th

Gravity Cask Heavy Seas Below Decks Barleywine with Oak
Bluepoint Old Howling Bastard
Smutty Barleywine 2007 10,9% Barleywine
Victory Old Horizontal 11.0% Barleywine
Lagunitas Sumpin Extra 8.7% Imperial IPA
Sierra Bigfoot 2005 9.6% Barleywine
Greenflash Palate Wrecker 9.0% Imperial IPA
Cigar City Marshal Zhukovs Imperial Stout 11.5
Dicks Brewing Company Barleywine 10.0% Barleywine
Kuhnenns 4th Dementia
Life and Limb 10.2%
Brewdog Tokyo 18.2% Imperial Stout
Dock Street Prisoner From Hell 10% Belgian Strong ale
Northcoast Old Stock Ale 12.5% Old Ale
Spring House Kerpunk 8.1% Imperial Chocolate Stout
Voodoo Grand Met 10% Biere De Garde
Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale 8% English Strong Ale
Weyerbacher Blasphemy 2007 11.8% Quad
Souther Tier Imperial Mokah 11.0% Imperial stout
21st Amendment Monks Blood 8.3% Quad
Brooklyn Monster 2006 11.8% Barleywine
Heavy Seas Siren Noire 8.0% Imperial Chocolate Stout
Allagash Odyssey 10.0% Belgian Strong Ale

Where
Mugs Ale House – 125 Bedford Ave, Williamsburg

New York’s Craft Beer community was at it again this week as brewmaster Greg Hall took over 30+ lines at Bleecker St’s Blind Tiger Ale House for a very impressive Goose Island night. Greg brought a collection of rare brews, seasonal offerings and brew pub exclusives to the event, showcasing both the breath of his operation as well as a glimpse into the future of the Brewery.

While Blind Tiger Events can be a tight squeeze, we managed to find a good spot near the bar and run through a bevy of petite half-pours. From lambics to wheats to an array of IPAs and imperial stouts, each beer showed a unique complexity. Personal standouts for the night included the Pepe Nero, a black saison that combined the hearty body and drinkability of a black IPA but backed with more caramel hints and peppercorn spice rather than hoppiness. It’s Fulton Wood polar opposite, the White City was also quite nice. An imperial white, the White City held a strong even body along with lots of herbal hints of rosemary and time and a bit of citrus. This is an awesome beer for food pairing.

And finally, the night capped off with the much hyped Goose Island Night Stalker, in incredibly complex Imperial Stout based on their famed Bourbon County Stout. Here, however, the oak aging is traded for a massive amount of dry hopping which results in a complicated mixture of earthy bitterness, chocolate and heavy malt notes. This beer is best to be hunted down, sipped and savored.

Also noted by our crew was the Goose Island IPA served on Nitro which gave it a delicious smooth, creamy appeal as well as their biscuit-y Brew 4000 (described as tasting like the scent of a brewery) and the Midway IPA, a halfway point between an Imperial IPA and a traditional IPA. The only noted miss of the night was the Lex, a sweet lambic which – to me – aligned more with a Lindeman’s Framboise than a traditional lambic and I missed some of the complex funk and tartness.

Tags: Blind Tiger, goose island.

TUESDAY 2/23 – SIXPOINT  5TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING

Why you should go
Sixpoint will be running all 10 taps at this Park Slope beer-haven with pints at $5-$7. This is a great chance to taste the breath of their brewing skills while munching on one of Bierkraft’s awesome sandwiches.

Where
Bierkraft – 191 Fifth Ave between Berkeley Pl and Union St, Park Slope

Tap List
Gorilla Warfare 2010
Bengali Tiger
Sweet Action
Righteous
Otis
Brownstone
Mason’s Black Wheat
Diesel Stout
Double Sweet Action
Whiskey barrel-aged Diesel Stout

ALSO TUESDAY - SOUTHERN TIER NIGHT

Why you should go
New York brewery South Tier makes some top notch, high octane ales. Bar Great Harry do some of the friendliest tastings in the city with $4 beers early and free cheese and meat. Plus you can bring in your own food to counter the effects of these delicious brews

What you should drink
Choklat Imperial Stout is one of my favorite chocolate stouts and worth a try. Also, this is the first time I have seen Oak-aged Unearthly Imperial IPA on tap so grab a glass!

Also

Where
Bar Great Harry – Smith Street and Sackett, Carrol Gardens

Tap List
Choklat Imperial Stout
Backburner Imperial Barley Wine
IPA
Unearthly Imperial IPA
Oak-aged Unearthly Imperial IPA
Gemini Double IPA
Phin and Matt’s Ale

WEDNESDAY, 2/24 – GOOSE ISLAND INVADES THE TIGER

Why you should go
Goose Island is making some of the best, and most diverse beers in America right now. Tonight they invade one of the city’s creme de la creme bars, Blind Tiger, and take over a commanding 33 lines. This is a great chance to taste some Goose Island brews that you’ve never even heard of and will probably never make it to NYC again

Where
Blind Tiger Ale House – 281 Bleecker St at Jones St.

Tap List
Goose Island Hopped Honkers (Cask) – English Bitter
Goose Island Oatmeal Stout (Nitro) – Oatmeal Stout
Goose Island IPA (Nitro) – IPA
Goose Island Honkers – English Bitter
Goose Island IPA
Goose Island 312 – Summer Ale
Goose Island Matilda – Belgian Ale
Goose Island Pere Jacques – Belgian Abbey Ale
Goose Island Bourbon County Brandy Stout – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Mild Winter – American Mild
Goose Island Extra Pale Ale – Pale Ale
Goose Island Robert Burns – Scottish Ale
Goose Island Liquid Inspiration Stout – American Stout
Goose Island Lake Effect Winter Ale – Imp. Red
Goose Island Golden Goose Pilsner
Goose Island Aviator Dopplebock
Goose Island Crop to Cup Rind Grind Stout – Uh, Coffee Stout
Goose Island Lincoln Park Lager – Vienna Lager
Goose Island Midway IPA – IPA
Goose Island Vanilla BCS – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Lolita – Raspberry Belgian Ale
Goose Island Lil’ Smokey – Rauch Bock
Goose Island White City – Imperial Witbier
Goose Island Brew 4000 – Belgian Imperial IPA
Goose Island Night Stalker – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Pepe Nero – Black Saison
Goose Island Blonde Rascal – Belgian Golden Ale
Goose Island Rye County Stout – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Bourbon Lolita – Raspberry Belgian Ale
Goose Island Lex – Raspberry Saison
Goose Island Belgian Double (Cask) – Dubbel
Goose Island Sgt. Peppercorn – Stout



ALSO WEDNESDAY – SIXPOINT  5TH ANNIVERSARY CONTINUES

Why you should go
For one, you get to play Tapper while drinking and how cool is that. For two, Sixpoint will be raiding the taps with 17 lines and casks for you two try. There will be lots of rare and one-off stuff to try so if you are a Sixpoint fan than this is not to be missed

Where
Barcade – Union St. and Powers St

Tap List
Gorilla Warfare 2008
Gorilla Warfare 2010
Gorilla Warfare Cask conditioned with coffee
Bengali Tiger
Sweet Action
Righteous
Otis
Brownstone
Mason’s Black Wheat
Diesel Stout
Double Sweet Action
Hops of Love
Express
Experimental Beer #1
Experimental Beer #2
Experimental Beer #3

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2/27 & 2/28 – THE TRAPPIST SESSIONS

Why you should go
Get a fast-tracked course in Belgian beers tonight as Swift brings a tasting of all the true Trappist (aka made by the monks, not commissioned by them) Belgian ales. You may have had a lot of these before but it is amazing to taste them side by side and notice the subtle differences (note, this is $50 but you get a lot of bang for your buck including crazy tastings, Murray’s cheeses, cured meats and lots of knowledge)

What you should drink
Everything is absolutely amazing but Rochefort 8 and Koningshoeven La Trappe Isid’or are some favorites

Where
Swift Hiberian Lounge – 34 East 4th St bet Lafayette and Bowery

Tasting List
Chimay (Première, Cinq Cents and Grande Réserve)
Orval
Westmalle (Dubbel and Tripel)
Rochefort (6, 8 and 10)
Achel (Bruin and Blond)
Koningshoeven (Quadrupel and La Trappe Isid’or)
Vertical Tasting of Chimay Grande Réserve Vintages (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009)

Tags: bar great harry, barcade, bierkraft, blind tiger ale house, goose island, southern tier, swift.

New York City’s craft beer community was out in full force yesterday as Tampa Bay’s Cigar City Brewery took over a commanding 20+ lines at Rattle N Hum Bar. The young brewery unleashed just about all their known beers from standards such as Jai Alai IPA and Maduro Brown to rare offering from their Humidor and Wood Aged Series.

From the Creamsicle IPA to the Bourbon Barrel Aged Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout, our crew made a valiant effort to try the entire list tap list and even went as far as to “borrow” sips from nearby patrons when available. My personal favorite by far from the evening was Brandy Barrel Winter Warmer, a variation of their Winter Warmer Old Ale aged in apple brandy barrels. The result was a warm and distinguished sipping beer with hints of oak and Calvados on top of a sweet toffee and chocolate malt back and a nice rye body. Combined with a dry finish, there was a level of complexity here found is some of the finest ales I have tried.

Also notable was the Humidor Series Maduro Oatmeal Brown which carried a heavy dose of ashy, cigar box notes from its cedar aging. These flavors notes married nicely with with the toasted chocolate body of Cigar City’s standard Maduro and provided a unique alternative to the abundance of oak aged beers available today. Other table favorites included their roasted, slightly bitter coffee brown, the Cubano Espresso Maduro. As well as the hopped up Flora IPA

Overall, this was an incredibly impressive showing from a brewery that is yet to celebrate its one-year anniversary. It was also a testament to the range of flavors that the Cigar City brewmasters can accomplish by aging and modifying their four base recipies. Unfinished kegs should be on tap for the rest of the week and if you couldn’t make it out to the should-to-shoulder release event then I recommend you swing by soon and give them a try as these beers soon as they will not be returning to New York any time soon.

For more great shots by Sarah, check out her website at www.sarahpostma.com

Tags: cigar city, hoptopia, rattle n hum.