Beer Review: East End Blackstrap Stout

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: 6.2 percent

Appearance: This stout was a very shadowy black color. Almost the same shade of coffee grounds with some flashes of dark brown. It also boasted a dark beige head which foamed up to a height of approximately half of an inch. It had just a smidgeon of staying power. Once it did cave in, there was a brown wall of foamy head stuck to the inside rim of the glass.

Smell: I was able to pick up strong hints of both cocoa and molasses. The chocolate did seem to drown out the molasses a bit.

Taste: This was a very smooth beer. The cocoa was dominant once again, but the molasses did act as a supportive compliment. Also, there was plenty of roasted notes on the back before the finish. Some coffee grounds were a huge part of that roasted flavor before everything went down. Hop interference was minimal as it should be in heavy stouts.

Overall Rating: 

This is one of the better stouts you'll find brewed here in the Pittsburgh area. It's called Backstrap Stout after the molasses which holds the namesake used in the brewing process. It's for that reason that I found one single flaw in this. I wanted to notice a bit more molasses! Still a great beer. I'm just picky in some ways. If it's in the title, my mind starts to expect more of it than anything else. It was present, and I do love dark beers with molasses.

Getting Closer - I mentione some number of weeks ago that I intended on changing up how I depict and review brews that I've tried on this blog. I still had to use up the photographs and beers that I've already taken notes on. I'm getting closer to exhausting that backlog of beers. Within a few weeks I should start to roll them out on here. Expect some different angles for the pictures. Maybe even a classic song lyric or movie quote that goes with said brews.

Monday Rant (On a Tuesday): More of This

As most of you know, I'm an ardent supporter or corn in craft beer. I don't view adjuncts as these unworthy ingredients in beer. I think if done well adjuncts like corn and rice in a beer can catch on. The only problem is that there aren't many in the craft beer community.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that East End Brewing just outside of Pittsburgh was planning on putting a Cream Ale on tap at the brewery location in Larimer. I finally got a hold of some of said Cream Ale and must admit that it's fantastic. Sweet, but not too sweet. Nice and malty. Perfect if you're worn out and/or thirsty. This gets the job done.

It doesn't look like the strongest beer in the world, but it doesn't have to be that way to get the job done. These types of brews need to catch on. Especially in the Pittsburgh market. Maybe the East End offering can be the one to ignite the flame?

I sure as hell  will do my best to spread the word about how good this beer is with an ingredient(s) that are usually frowned upon. I also think it's worth mentioning once again that East End is making a habit out of using corn in beer and thus making me happy. Corn was also used in the Pennsyltucky Uncommon special brew that was released during the 2013 edition of Pittsburgh Craft Beer week.

Monday Rant: Taproom Eavesdropping

Trust me. The title I've chosen for this post will probably not go in the direction that you might expect it to. Some people out there have a notion that eavesdropping should be considered bad or rude. I'm quite the opposite. I love eavesdropping mostly based upon the fact that I'm good at it. I can pick up conversations from half-way across a bar or office. Not much gets past me. Like my uncle I'm quite astute.

A growler of this, please.

To stop "Rambling On" as the famous prophet Robert Plant once said I'll quickly get to the point of what this post intends. I stopped up at East End Brewing  yesterday afternoon to fill up my two growlers and nab a bottle of the elusive Toaster Imperial Stout. As it usually works out when people go there, the brewery can't legally sell you a pint of beer in the taproom. Still, you can try a few sample glasses worth of whichever brews you very well choose (I promised that I'd work the phrase "very well" into my personal vocabulary).

Sometimes the people that work there talk to some of the visitors/customers that come in. That's a good think. I've met some cool people at breweries. I overheard, or eavesdropped to fit in with the title I chose, a conversation about a beer East End intends on releasing in the taproom within the next week or two. The two words that grabbed my attention? Cream Ale.

I haven't came across many Cream Ales in the Pittsburgh area let alone the craft world. Those two worlds excite me. Why do they excite me? Because of adjuncts. I know many of you hate it, but adjuncts in beer are once again the subject of yet another rant on this blog.

I also rudely picked up another word in the conversation I was listening to - corn. Possibly one of my favorite beer adjuncts. East End has been one of the leaders in the area with using corn in beer. A case could also be made for Straub in St. Mary's. I'd argue that it's close enough to Pittsburgh.

To put it simply, I might be making a trip to East End for a second week in a row if I catch wind of this Cream Ale tapping at the brewery. You can bet the farm that I'll be back on here being an internet tough guy arguing that corn in beer is a good thing.

Holy Thursday: From the Source

"Where is thine ale concocted from?"

You know what? For being "snobby" "geeky" and "bratty" about my beer and the vessels in which I consume it out of over the last few years, I have also become lazy in a few aspects. Lazy in what department? That would be getting my beer in growlers.

I have three growlers on my current premises. That only gets me beer from two establishments - Blue Dust and East End Brewing. I have two growlers from East End. That's actually pretty sad for someone that prides himself on trying a lot of different styles and brews as well as boasting about the local beer around Pittsburgh.

I mean just think about what I've been missing here. Roundabout Brewery just opened up in Lawrenceville. Full Pint and Rivertowne are just a 20 minute drive or so from where I am. All three of which fill growlers. Yea, I can find some of their brews on draft at some pub around the city, but there's just something about going to the source and bringing a fresh growler back to enjoy in the comfort of home.

Here's to getting out there and exploring more than I used to.

Holy Thursday: Preaching to the Masses

I remember distinctly where I was when I began writing the weekly Monday Rant posts on this blog. I was in Slippery Rock University's Bailey Library complaining about malt beverages such as Mike's Hard Lemonade. Here I am two years later and I still write it for pretty much every Monday morning. It's the Monday Quarterback of the beer world. I've experimented with a couple series of posts with intentions of doing them weekly, monthly etc. Unfortunately they never caught on.

Last week, I began a simple post with some for of a biblical-sounding quote that I churned up out of thin air. I thought it entertainment enough to do it for this one, too. As I cracked a smirk I decided to try and make a weekly post called Holy Thursday. I can have some idiotic quote I made up. It can also symbolize my poor attendance at mass. Holy Thursday is actually one of the holy days in the Catholic Church. It remembers the Last Supper the week of the Easter celebration. If you have any better-sounding ideas than Holy Thursday just let me know. I'm not totally committed, but would prefer it to be some religious or medieval undertones. Alright, enough blabbering. Let's roll.

"If thou dost well as an orator, thine ale shall flow." - Nobody

I've always wondered the world would be like if we saw a hefty dose of advertisements and ad campaigns from some of out favorite craft breweries. After all, we get enough from the major brewing companies whose product we've become bored with fro the most part. You know the ads I mean. If you don't, just watch the Super Bowl next Sunday.

I'm fairly sure the disparity (at least in my area) could be due to finances. The craft market just doesn't bring in as much as the big ones do. Still, craft breweries are bringing in a fair share of money. They continue to grow.

If craft breweries haven't taken any foothold in the form of television or radio advertisement they definitely have in the form of social media. Interacting on a personal level with customers and fans. I mean just take a look at some of the breweries you follow. They retweet cool pictures we take. Most are punctual in terms of getting back with responses to inquiries. One of the best here in Pittsburgh is East End Brewing. Take a look.

Working on that. But it's on draft now.RT @SteveOldrati: when are Smokestack Heritage Porter bottles going to be available at the brewery?
— Scott at EastEnd (@EastEndBrewing) January 19, 2014

And @HerzMuses too! MT @hoyle13: Nice @TribLIVE article on growlers http://t.co/UoFTPegeP0 cc: @Houghspgh @ArsenalCider @AllSaintsCraft #fb
— Scott at EastEnd (@EastEndBrewing) January 16, 2014

There's plenty more where that came from. I'd link or screen cap something to one of the major brewer Twitter accounts, but I just peaked at the Budweiser one and there's nothing. No questions answered. No retweets of anything. No interactions with any other breweries. No personality at all. The craft breweries might not ever catch the majors in terms of financials, but they've sure got them on the battlefield that is the web.

Beer Review: East End Farmhouse Pourganic Pale Ale

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: N/A

Appearance: This East End offering was a very crisp-looking straw gold and had one of the slightest hazes in the body. Very translucent, but it was there to provide some visual thickness. The head was very thick and fluffy, but it didn't look too compact. It wasn't a very dense foam. Very bubbly. Still, the lacing that was left inside the glass was thick and sticky. With the amount of bubbles, I didn't notice much carbonation in the body of this brew.

Smell: Initially, the aroma of this beer was very sweet and a little boozy. I also noticed some yeast character along with straw, grain, banana and clove. Very complex and layered.

Taste: The sweetness and grain flavors combined for a nice punch up front. Mid-way, the banana and clove added some spice to the overall flavor. It was quite a zing. There was a slight bitter hop bite on the finish that was also complimented by the clove. The spiciness of the beer provided for the sizzling texture with the lack of carbonation bubbles in the body. That more than made up for it. The alcohol content peaked through and bathed by throat on a warm finish.

Overall Rating: 

I didn't take the ABV of this beer upon buying a growler of it, but I recall the number being in the neighborhood of 7.4 percent. This was an excellent drink. It tasted so good that I finished the entire growler in one sitting. Many interesting and tasty layers. Some nice spicy zest, too.

Beer Review: East End Fat Gary Nut Brown

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: 3.7 percent

Appearance: East End Fat Gary pours a deep and thick looking brown. Initially, it appeared to have some weight and thickness to it.  The head was more of a lighter tan and was thick, creamy and sticky. It also caked easily to the inside of the glass. This led to some very above-average lacing as I continued on with the drink.

Smell: I was able to pick up tons of caramel malt and toffee when I first smelled this. Other notes of the malt bill that I noticed were sweet chocolate and something roasty. I was happy to find as little of a hop presence as possible as is usually the case with brown ales. I also tabbed hints of coffee, but wasn't 100 percent sure.

Taste: The toffee and caramel were the main culprits of the sweeter profile in this. The darker flavors such as the chocolate and roasted malt took over mid-way back and each sip was punctuated by the beer's nutty profile at this stage of the sip. The finish is a little more hoppy that I expected, but nowhere near making a big deal.

Overall Rating: 

This is one of my favorite Pittsburgh beers. It looks like it's thick and strong, but plays very light despite featuring many dark and sweet flavors. This isn't overly-hopped and is very sessionable. Few beers can be enjoyed in warmer seasons. This is one of them. I'd prefer minimal hop interference. Again, it wasn't a big deal for me with this one.

The Six Pack Project: Western Pennsylvania

About a month or two ago, I noticed Justin of his cleverly-named Brew Review Blog participating in a beer blog collaboration project called the Six Pack Project. The idea is the brainchild of Bryan of This is Why I'm Drunk. The objective is to get beer bloggers across America and maybe even the world to help spread word about some of the local beers that seem to best represent our unique beer cultures.

Here are the rules, according to Bryan.

1. Pick a six-pack of beers that best represents your state and/or state’s beer culture.
2. Beer must be made in your state, but “gypsy” brewers are acceptable, so long as that beer is brewed with an in-state brewery and sold in your state.
3. Any size bottle or can is acceptable to include.
4. Current seasonal offerings are fine, but try to keep selections to year-round brews as much as possible. No out-of-season brews preferred.

Now, four of the six I narrowed down are either pretty close to Pittsburgh or definitely on the western side of Pennsylvania. Of the two remaining, one hails from the central sector of the state while the other is much farther east. I felt it important to have the concentration of my selections favoring the Pittsburgh area since the aforementioned Justin has already done some of Pennsylvania for this project. Also, these beers are in no particular order or ranking.

White Lightning by Full Pint Brewing Company - North Versailles, Pa.

If you paid any attention to last year's Great American Beer Festival you might have noticed that this beer earned a silver medal. It's tart and citrusy. It has a lovely aroma of coriander and spice, which both contribute to a spicy finish. Hops are easy, but provide a kiss of bitterness to compliment the tart and fruity aspects of the brew. It has a vivid straw color and creamy white head. The 5.5 percent ABV doesn't interfere at all. Tastes quite sessionable even though some might not consider it as such.This is quite an easy get when you get a chance to cruise through a couple bottle shops here in Pittsburgh. The brewers at Full Pint pretty much threw everything they had into starting this brewery. They sort of represent the hard-working people around Pittsburgh. This is arguably the brewery's best offering, in my opinion.

Monkey Boy Hefeweizen by East End Brewing Company - Pittsburgh, Pa.

Of the brews that hail from Pittsburgh, this is the one that's closest to my heart. This is quite lighter on the ABV scale at 4.8 percent. The remarkable thing about this beer is that it's a nice foggy hefeweizen that tastes like a banana, but there isn't any actual banana used in the brewing process. Some creativity with the yeast strain unlocks such a flavor in this beer. This beer also seems special in terms of how craft beer has grown over the years. Some time ago, beer tasting like this might have been considered spoiled and tossed out. Now it's considered great beer! East End can only be found on taps around town, from growlers at the brewery and in a growler shop downtown.

Sunshine Pils by Troegs Brewing Company - Hershey, Pa.

Moving away from Pittsburgh for a second we have a nice German Pilsner that's crisp and hoppy. If you've had this before you already know those two facets because it says it on the case and bottle! Not only does it have a nice dosing of tasty hop flavor that plays well with the rest of the beer, it features a few citrusy undertones you don't come across in many pilsners. It's light in ABV at 4.5 percent, always well-carbonated to add some nice texture and represents the many German/Dutch communities that dot the central part of the state. This is a seasonal offering, but is still available at certain locations. Especially bottle shops. The brewery in Hershey has some in the tasting room the last time I checked.

Wynona's Big Brown Ale by Voodoo Brewing Company - Meadville, Pa.

This is the booziest of the bunch that I selected with an ABV of 7.4 percent, but you can trust me in saying that it's not a bad thing at all. I was on a real brown ale kick a few weeks ago and found a bottle of this in a cooler at a nearby shop. I was pleased with my choice. There's a lot of cocoa in this to the point where you feel like you're eating spoonfuls of Nestle Quik mix like you did as a kid. Some darker flavors like toffee and roasted malt take over on the finish. This is one creative beer. Meadville is quite north of Pittsburgh and is a much more spacial place than the city is. Voodoo is known for concocting some adventurous beer. Just as adventurous as it is when driving the back roads of northwest Pennsylvania.

RT Lager by Rivertowne Brewing - Murrysville, Pa.

I sometimes thing that lager gets a bad wrap nowadays and are though of as being boring. This beer is far from boring. This is a beautiful red lager that comes in at 5.4 percent ABV. Not only do the Cascade hops used in the brewing process provide some bite, but so does the malt bill that's used. It's crisp and has a nice bubbly texture. That's if you like carbonation. I tend to enjoy it. Just as Pittsburgh is a classic town, this beer is also classic. It's not flashy, but tastes great. Just like the Super Bowl champion Steelers teams of the 1970's, this beer tastes gritty and still comes through. (If you don't get the reference, the 1970's Steelers ran the ball and grinded it out. Lager is considered boring, but this is a fantastic beer) Rivertowne just recently started canning it's beer. This is now becoming readily available. I purchased a case for myself not too long ago.

Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce by Yards Brewing - Philadelphia, Pa.

Weighing in at an even five percent ABV is one third of the infamous Ales of the Revolution series by Yards.  This beer is based on Benjamin Franklin's personal spruce ale recipe. After all, what better Pennsylvania historical figure to have a beer after than Franklin? He's one of only two non-presidents that are on American currency! This beer has an attractive beige head in contrast to the deep brown body. The sweet profile and tang of the molasses used in the brewing process play very well off of each other. The booze is slightly present in this beer, but only in a warming sensation that warms your throat as it goes down.

The other Six Packs for this month:

• Ed from Dogs of Beer for Delaware
• Jeremy from SubBeerbia for Illinois
• Heather from HeatherVandy.com and the Honest Pint did Massachusetts
• Mark via Bryan's blog did Michigan
• Chris from I Think About Beer did Belgium

You can also read other Six Pack's at the Six Pack Project Archives.

Better Than That

I got an email yesterday morning from a reporter/blogger with the Lebanon Daily News in the central part of Pennsylvania who was taking a survey of the top beers brewed here in Pennsylvania. apparently Zymurgy magazine published the Brewers Association's top-50 beers and only one Pennsylvania beer found its way on to the list.

That lone Pennsylvania beer you ask? It was Troegs Nugget Nectar. Part of me isn't surprised that it was that beer, but what does surprise me is that only one Pennsylvania beer made it. I thought we did a lot better here in this state with our beer. Either that or I'm just biased since I live here.

The survey that's being taken of what it looks to be several beer writers and bloggers throughout the state of Pennsylvania and asks for our top ten beers brewed here in the state.

Speaking of geographical biases, there's no doubt that I'll throw in the local Monkey Boy from East End Brewing. The problem is that when a beer is pretty much only available here in the Pittsburgh area like Monkey Boy is, those closer to the other side of Pennsylvania most likely haven't had it.

Off the top of my head I think my list will even out in terms of West vs. East. I've always spoken highly of Yards brewing in Philadelphia. I'm pretty sure at least three of its beers will make my list. I've had my fair share of unhappiness when having one of the Victory Brewing Golden Monkey. Still, part of me feels this should make a Pennsylvania top-10 list. Now, to only find the time to get started with this next project.

Monday Rant: Chunnel

I'm at the point of driving within Pittsburgh that I avoid I-376 and the Squirrel Hill Tunnel at all costs. Especially on weekend when one lane or more are closed due to renovations. Hell with that. If you live in the area that I do, you'll notice the backups that occur throughout Squirrel Hill and the Homestead areas. That's due to people using the back roads to get to the parkway.

You wouldn't think that any of this has anything to do with craft beer, but for me it does. When I go to East End Brewing in Larimer to get my growlers refilled it's usually on weekends and I go through Homestead and into Squirrel Hill to get there.

The backups due to the tunnel closures have been harming my ability to consume some fine ales from East End. I realize that this is a somewhat selfish rant, but I've had enough of PennDot's inconveniences in my life. The trek through Squirrel Hill was already loaded with abnormal traffic patterns. This just enhances all of it.

I miss my favorite local beer in Monkey Boy. I want to be able to try the new Lord Nordsberry Belgian Ale. I want all of this, but without the hassle of sitting in traffic. Yay Pittsburgh.

Brewsylvania

Nothing stirs intense debate within the blogosphere like a top-whatever list. An article via CNN this week ranked the top eight beer cities in the United States. I must admit that I thought I'd see Pittsburgh on there. Unfortunately I didn't, but Philadelphia did make the list.

Almost a year ago I wrote something about how this side of Pennsylvania knew how to drink and the Philadelphia side knew how to eat. I remember a few people close to the Philly area not being too happy about that. Maybe things have changed on my end.

I certainly have my favorite beers and brewing companies here in Pittsburgh. East End Brewing always has an awesome selection. Full Pint Brewing Company in North Versailles has an interesting group of people at the brewery and has an awesome lineup as well. Is there a neater brewery in Pittsburgh to have a great beer and an awesome meal than Church Brew Works in Lawrenceville?

Despite my obvious bias, I've grown closer to a few beers/breweries from Philadelphia. One of my favorite breweries in all of Pennsylvania has been Troegs in Hershey. I must admit that Yards Brewing in Philadelphia has quickly climbed my charts. That has been evident in my musings on this blog on multiple occasions.

Even Mr. Penn would be proud.

The thought of Philadelphia Pale Ale makes my mouth water. Can I speak about the the Ales of the Revolution any more without people thinking I'm in love with them? The Love Stout is something I'm curious about trying. Still, I'm not yet sure my tongue is ready for a oyster stout (at least it's an oyster stout according to a friend that visited the brewery).

I honestly don't have a problem with the list. Maybe I'm just sparking some debate? I think both cities do an amazing job in terms of craft beer. Keep brewing and drinking, Pennsylvania. I still have one request. I want a beer with William Penn on the label.

Beer Review: East End Witte

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: 4.6 percent

Appearance: East End's Witte pours a pale straw gold that's just a bit subdued. The head of the brew was an intense white color. It's hazy in the body and appears to have a thickness to it. It had some tough retention and sticky lacing as it gave way and caved inward. I looked closer and was able to notice a dabble of carbonation bubbles here and there.

Smell: This beer smelled sweet, spicy and citrusy. I also detected a hint of grassiness. There was also layers of yeast and wheat. I might be crazy, but when I smell those two ingredients I detect an appetizing sourness/tanginess in beers.

Taste: This beer had a helping of tangy citrus on the front of my tongue. On the back, it was a tad malty and yeasty. It was very crisp. Seemed excellent for spring or summer porch drinking. The finish consisted of some sweet, but sour lemongrass and a little hop kick. In my opinion, the lemongrass pulls everything together.

Overall Rating: 

The big addition for this year's East End Witte was the lemongrass. I think that ingredient tied everything else in this brew together.  I really enjoyed this one. It has delicate flavor. It's almost intricate. It's sweet, but still sour. This is definitely on the lemon witbier side as opposed to being an orange. If I could have one thing better, it'd be just a bit more presence of the lemon.

My Old Pennsyltucky Home

If you were able to try the three collaboration brews during last year's Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week, there's no doubt that you're looking forward to the ones that are being anticipated for this year's celebration. Craft Pittsburgh Magazine's Twitter account tweeted a photograph of the tap handles for this year's brews.

Tap markers for this year's #PCBW collaboration brews: twitter.com/CraftPittsburg…
— Craft Pittsburgh Mag (@CraftPittsburgh) April 10, 2013

I honestly didn't even remember that some local breweries and home brewers would once again be working together to produce another set of beers. The tweet reminded my of this facet of Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week and prompted me to actually head to the event website to read as much as I can about the beers.

Two of these brews caught my eye and sparked a little interest. First was Fear of a Black Walnut which has a few brewers working on it from North Country Brewing in Slippery Rock. This brew is going to be a smoked walnut oatmeal stout. I always have to take an interest with anything North Country does. After all, I did go to school there. The second was Pennsyl-tucky Uncommon which is labeled as a PA Swankey/Kentucky Common on the event website. Scott Smith of East End Brewing is apparently playing a big role in that project. I am on a roll with drinking some of East End's stuff lately. So, I'll definitely be trying to get some of this very uncommon brew.

What the Hell is Kentucky Common?

Reading the beer styles on the photograph in the original tweet caused me to immediately start looking as to what Kentucky Uncommon actually is/was. Honestly, the best thing I found was the Wikipedia entry. The only thing it really says is that it was traditionally a dark beer.

The second question you're probably asking is about the PA Swankey style that was noted on the tap handle and the event website. What I do know is that North Country brewed something called Keystone Swankey and it was a California Common (i.e. steam beer). In essence, I'm not really sure what this beer is supposed to be. Still, I'm interested in finally finding out and trying it for myself.

A Good Place to Hang During PCBW

I did the same last year and I'll do the same this time around. I always try to give a shout out to my favorite craft pub, Blue Dust near the Waterfront shopping complex. Stop in on April 25 for a double-dosage of craft tasting. Bell's and Troegs will be there. Some awesome flights will be available. On April 27, Founders Brewing will be there for a tasting and some sort of brunch event. I'm told that All Day IPA will be featured. I'm not sure when the Founders brunch starts, but the Troegs/Bells one starts at 7 p.m.

Beer Review: East End Chocolate Covered Cherry

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: I can't find anything official online, but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that it was 5.2 percent at the brewery.

Appearance: East End's Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout pours a very dark brown (very similar to chocolate, but who knew?) and has a ruby hue to it elsewhere throughout the body. The body also had a thick appearance to it. Stout lovers describe this look as "chewy" and this brew definitely had that. The head is an attractive beige and is very soft and frothy. There was enough retention for some lacing, but it all faded away fairly quick.

Smell: I was able to pick up some roasty and nutty aromas. These were two scents I wasn't expecting out of this. The ones I assumed I'd come across were the chocolate and the tartness of cherries. It really smelled like I had just cracked open a cordial cherry. So, my mouth did water at this point.

Taste: Once again I'll play on the cordial cherry thing. If there was such a thing as a cordial cherry in liquid form, this is it. It tasted nice and dark, It was also roasty from the darker malts. I can't forget about the sweetness of the chocolate and the tart cherries. Those two flavors made this beer. They meld well together as the beer warms. The sweetness was a tad too much for me much later in the drink, though.

Overall Rating: 

I think was brewed by East End once back in 2011 and again this past winter. If there's any left at the brewery location, grab a growler of it if you can before it's gone. If not, I hope it's back next year! This brew was really well done. It was as close to a cordial cherry candy as anything in this world can be without actually taking on that form. As really sweet candy tends to do with me, the sweetness in this did overwhelm me towards the end. That wasn't by a big margin, though.

Flowing Locally

I'm sure that many of us that live here in the Pittsburgh area are proud of the local breweries that offer some outstanding stuff on the market. I'm certainly not the most accomplished in terms of trying as many beers as I can, but there are a few beers that are brewed locally that I always find myself coming back to. It's kind of like that first love of your life. Alright, maybe I'm exaggerating. We still have some great stuff to drink around here. Here are the two I enjoy the most.

East End Monkey Boy

Whenever I get to a Pittsburgh bar, this is one of the first beer's I look for on a tap list. If I see it, I almost always grab a pint of it. Recently, I've started frequenting the new East End Brewing Company digs in Larimer to grab a growler or two of it. Unfortunately, you won't find cases or six packs of this beer. So, keep on the lookout in bars. You can also get the aforementioned growlers at the brewery location and at its growler shop in the Strip.

This is an awesome hefeweizen that's a hazy gold with a  foamy white head. It's nice and spicy and tastes like banana. It also has a very sessionable ABV at 4.8 percent. According to its brewer, this beer doesn't actually have banana in it. That just adds to the luster of this beer. Not only is this my favorite beer brewed in Pittsburgh, it's one of my all-time favorites.

Rivertowne Hala Kahiki Pineapple 

I keep telling you that I really enjoy fruit beers. Pineapple is an unlikely fruit that's used in beer. At least I haven't come across many that use pineapple. This beer also has an ABV of 4.8 percent and goes down nice and smooth.

This beer is somewhat spicy, but it its own unique way. There's a decent hop presence too. Oh and the fruitiness of the pineapple is fantastic. Rivertowne recently just started canning this beer. So, it's very accessible. I'm glad I got myself a case.

There are many more where these came from. We can't forget about other beers such as Rumplepilsen and White Lightning (which recently won a GABF award) from Full Pint as well as Pious Monk Dunkel from Church Brew Works.

Beer Review: East End Snow Melt

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: Seven percent

Appearance: East End Snow Melt pours a deep shade of brown, but has plenty of red highlights elsewhere throughout the body. The glass I poured was crowned with an almost two inch head. It was a light beige color, faded away just a tad and left a ton of sticky lacing. The head was strong enough that an above-average layer stayed atop the brew for the majority of the drink. If you have any hair on your upper-lip be prepared to wipe some foam off!

Smell: Some might feel warmer just by getting a sniff of this brew. It's very roasty in the aroma. There was a few other dark flavors that seemed to come off as toffee and chocolate. I also picked up a slight pine scent from the hops in this.

Taste: I got a great amount of roasted malt on my tongue. Everything else in this beer complimented that initial flavor. The dark flavors were an excellent pairing with the malt. The chocolate and toffee seemed to be there. I also picked up some hints of sweet caramel. There was a somewhat strong finish in the bitter department from the hops, but not enough to make me shy away from it. The seven percent ABV was noticeable on the tongue. It nipped at me a bit and was enough to provide a warming sensation on the way down. After all, this is called Snow Melt.

Overall Rating: 

If you really enjoy winter beers this is a great local brew to get your hands on during the colder months. The Spring Equinox is coming up next week. so, I thought now was a fitting time to review this one. I was happy that this beer didn't taste like it was saturated with spices. Such is the case in most winter brews. The ABV was a bit more noticeable than I usually like, but that's just my palette. Something like that would keep me from having multiple of these in the same evening. On the other hand, this brewery has a hefeweizen that I can have many of in a single night.