Do your civic duty vote and enjoy craft beer

Beerjobber.com http://www.beerjobber.com/ has been running an election of their own to see which candidate, Obama or Mitt (Nobama) Romney. Brewed for the 47%, Blue Point Brewing Company http://www.bluepointbrewing.com/’s Entitlement Porter is the way to go for Obama fans. It’s based on the official White House homebrew recipe and uses a mix of munich, pale, crystal, black, and chocolate malts combined with Chinook and Crystal hops to make a rich yet balanced finish according to Beerjobber (sold out before I could get my hands on some).

For the Mitt Camp, the Nobama Brew from Huebert Brewing<http://www.huebertbrewing.com/>is a wheat beer “infused with Patriotism and Freedom”. Made in Oklahoma, Nobama brews can still be purchased starting at $9.95 per 22oz bottle through beerjobber.com.

The Terrapin Beer Company http://terrapinbeer.com/ out of Athens, GA, recently decided to bring back a classic in honor of the election. Terrapin has brewed up a batch of their All-American Imperial Pilsner (AAIP), an 8.6% German style Pilsner with 80 IBU’s. The original was released in 2005 and was retired shortly thereafter with the intent to bring it back for this year’s elections.

On the back of the AAIP, Terrapin is allowing their drinkers to vote on which other beer they should bring out of retirement for 2013, so hop on over to their site to get in on the action.

The White House Honey Ale (recipe link<http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/01/ale-chief-white-house-beer-recipe>) is the first alcohol brewed or distilled on the White House grounds according to Sam Kass, the White House Assistant Chef and the Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives. I guess you can’t just go out and buy this one, but if you feel up to the challenge you should definitely start a batch in your garage.

“The White House knew what they were doing when they brewed this beer. It’s approachable enough to serve to casual beer enthusiasts but flavorful enough to be interesting to those of us who know what we want our beer to taste like,” says Gary Dzen of Boston.com.

Before you go to the polls, sit back and enjoy a politically (or otherwise) inspired brew while you mull over your decision. You can’t complain if you don’t vote. *

Delicious!

To the beer! Cottonwood Endo IPA is pretty good. Perfect for sitting around chatting with friends or just reading the latest edition of BeerAdvocate, which rated this one an 82/100. The Alstrom Brothers, creators of BeerAdvocate, actually rated it an exceptional 91, so it’s getting good ratings from most people.

The Endo IPA has a red look to it and has a nice out-of-the-bottle head on it. The smell is floral and citrusy, though not too strong. The taste is a nice hoppy, malty blend that finishes with a good amount of bitterness. At 66 IBU, it’s a bitter beer, but it’s not overwhelming.

The mouthfeel is light to medium body with good carbonation. I’ve read several reviews of it and the mouthfeel seems to vary a lot from bottle to bottle, but the several bottles that I poured were all nicely carbonated with small bubbles in the head.

Foothills Brewing has recently started pumping out beers under a few names, including Foothills, Cottonwood Ales, and Carolina Blonde. There’s an interesting story behind the Cottonwood and Carolina Blonde labels, which I’ll try to keep balanced and bubbly: The Carolina Beer Company decided that energy drinks were the way to go (silly moppets), so they sold the two labels to Foothill Brewing (shrewd, dude).

Foothills Brewing

It’s a good beer and it’s easy to get your hands on some around Charleston. The next time you’re in the mood for something new, swing by your local shop and pick up a six-pack. If you really dig it, let us know.

-Article originally posted to CharlestonGirt.com by Peter Preston, CBC organizer and member

Brew crew event tentatively scheduled for 2015.  Take I-26 northwest for 4 1/2 hours and you’re there!

Check out the press release from New Belgium for additional information
http://beerpulse.com/2012/04/new-belgium-announces-asheville-as-location-for-second-brewery/

New Belgium brewery coming to Asheville, NC, a reasonable day trip from the Low Country

1. Are you in the Lowcountry?
2. Do you love Craft beer and Good Times?
3. Fancy a festival with 6 live bands?

If you gave a resounding and unanimous YES for all three, the upcoming Lowcountry Beer Festival is your bag.  Charleston City Paper has a quick write up on it here.

It will be held Sunday, April 1, 2012 from 12pm until 6pm, tickets for buffet and brew is $25!

From the article: “The fest will showcase several local breweries and businesses including Westbrook, Holy City, Palmetto, Frothy Beard, New South, Heirloom, Eat This!, Event DRS, Ice Box, Boone Hall Farms, Grow Food Carolina, Awendaw Green, and House of Brews.”

Are you interested or attending?

Got directed this article (1) about Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, mastermind and passionate force behind the Mikkeller beer line out of Denmark.  From a beer business perspective he’ s taking a unique approach.  He has outsourced all elements of the business from brewing/inventory/distributing/selling save the element of creation.

He created 94 new recipes last year in addition to all the repeats that have been successful.  I haven’t heard of Mikkeler, but I want to know more.  A quick jaunt over to rate beer (here!)(2) shows this guy is cranking out extremely high rated beers, one after another!

Have you heard of any of these delicious treats?  Have you had one?!  Hit me on the comments and let me know.  Check out the business website (3) for more details. Cheers

LINKS:

(1) http://www.good.is/post/makin-it-denmark-s-quirky-brewmaster/

 (2) http://www.ratebeer.com/brewers//mikkeller/5675/

(3) http://www.mikkeller.dk/index.php?id=6&land=1

Brewvival is absolutely the premier craft beer event in the lowcountry.  The lines were long to get in (again), so you want to get there early (well before the gates open at noon).  You would have thought I would have learned that lesson last year, but you’d be wrong.  Three double rows of brewers, I’d say there were probably were 50 great beers, and 200 good beers there.  Weather was great, smoked a very good Montecristo #2 that I’ve been saving for such an event with an old friend of mine.

ABV: 9.8% IBU’s: 99

I had several favorites, but the most memorable was probably an opulent and incredibly complex Imperial Stout called Mexican Coffee Cake from Westbrook, its brewed with vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa nibs, espresso, and habanero chilis.  Barrel-Aged Monck’s Revenge from Terrapin was another favorite - a bright, over-hopped belgian style IPA that had a gorgeous peaty nose almost reminiscent of Lagavulin single-malt scotch.

All told, if you weren’t there – you must not like beer…

Great date or good time and for $89 a sick deal.  Equipment typically runs about $100 for a starter kit, so you’re walking out the door on top even if you stay 5 minutes.

The deal runs through March 7.  If you got the buzz, grab it up!

http://www.livingsocial.com/cities/107/deals/270732-three-hour-beer-brewing-class-with-a-take-home-kit

Sweet Intro to HomeBrew Deal

The delicious double-IPA, has a amber/honey color with a subtle head.  Its bouquet is extremely hoppy, almost floral.  If you have ever wondered why people smell their beer, this beer is a great intro to understanding the practice.  It smells soooo GOOD!

This is likely accomplished through the complicated ingredients and brewing process Bell’s puts this amazing nectar through.  From the Bell’s site:

Starting with six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops, Bell’s Hopslam Ale possesses the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell’s repertoire.

It’s taste matches its smell one for one.  I actually found myself sipping incredibly slowly to maximize the experience.  An absolute solid experience.

It took me 4 stores and 3 days to find it, but I finally located it at Earthfare in Windermere.  I perused the beer selection, (which by the way is pretty extensive and eclectic there).  I had to ask for the Hopslam, the girl disappeared in the back and returned with the prize.

I was told that only people that ask for Hopslam get it, and even then its max 2 per visitor.  you might still be able to find it there.  If not keep an eye out for it next year.  It goes fast!

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in historic Charleston! Stroll with our group through the historic streets while we regale you with unusual – but true – stories of the city’s past. Be entertained by your 18th Century dressed historian/guide, as you hear tales of early drinking habits, Prohibition-era criminals, and other historical oddities of which even locals seldom speak. Guests of appropriate age will have the opportunity to enjoy libations at several (3 to 5) of Charleston’s most historic taverns. Tour lasts approximately 3 hours. Ticket does not cover your food and drink expenses.

WHEN: Saturday, March 17, 2PM – 5PM

WHERE: Meet at Washington Square Park (78 Broad Street) by 1:45PM

RESERVATIONS: Online (www.PubStroll.com) or call (843)345-9714

TICKETS: $16.00 online (www.PubStroll.com) or $18.00 in person.

NOTE: This is an event open to all and not an official Charleston BrewCrew Event.

The Charles Towne Pub Stroll tour has taken it to the next level by officially affiliating with Charleston Brew Crew.  Visitors and tourists that happen upon the pub strolls website pubstroll.com will have an opportunity to link to Charleston Brew Crew.

CBC got props

Give it a look ‘n’ see.  Special thanks to the folks at The Charles Towne Pub Stroll.