Monday Rant: Very Jazzy

I was at Stone Villa Winery yesterday for yet another family venture. I distinctly recall the last time I was at Stone Villa by the way I felt the following morning. I wasn't in position to drive during the last visit which enabled me to take a few liberties in the wine I tried. This time I was doing much of the driving and had to remain in control.

A couple family members enjoy following a local jazz quartet and Stone Villa is one of the places in which they frequently play. This explains why we go to the winery on multiple occasions. 

While sitting on the winery's patio I recognized a few jazz standards that I enjoy listening to and thought to myself how I'd really love it if I was doing the very same thing at a local brewery. Luckily, we have a really cool place here in Pittsburgh that has jazz nights on Sundays in James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy.

I really want to make it back to James Street on these nights. It's really been a while. The last time I was there doing a jazz report for a college class. We're coming up on it being two years/ James Street has both jazz and great beer covered as it features a ton of local craft offerings.

I know I'm probably going out on a limb here, but I'd love to see a little more jazz infusion around town. It would be cool to hear some more Take Five by Dave Brubeck and slower versions of Traffic's The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys like I did yesterday at the winery.

I want to get out to the new Rivertowne brewery to see the set-up out that way. Penn Brewery on the North Shore has an excellent beer garden for some jazz concerts. Hell, I'd even come down to James Street to meet you on a Jazz night as I don't know any people that are as interested in Jazz as I am (I'm very far from an expert, though).

Beer Review: Penn Pumpkin Roll Ale

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Six percent

Appearance: This beer poured a dark and shiny shade of copper. The head was thin, white and a little fizzy. It also wasn't able to stick around for any amount of time. Not much was left after the head was gone. I was pretty much face-to-face with the copper body after this happened. Remarkably, there were still many beady trails of bubbles slowly rising upwards despite the lack of head above.

Smell: Amazingly, this smelled like a sweet pumpkin dessert. Big surprise, right? There was plenty of spicy cinnamon with few pumpkin undertones. This brew also featured a scent of prevalent creaminess. Had to be the lactose sugar that was used in the brewing process.

Taste: There was a little kiss of cinnamon on the front of my tongue along with some sweet caramel malt. The generous use of hops, as we usually get in Penn Brewery's offerings, took over from then on before the lactose sugar provided for a rich and creamy finish. The cream flavor also lingered in the aftertaste. The beady bubble trails made for a rich and interesting texture that was felt at the perfect time: when the hops and cream kicked in.

Overall Rating: 

I really anticipated this brew once I heard it was in the works. Still, I hated that it came out in the middle of July. I love when beer reminds me of food. I love holiday desserts. Penn knocked it out of the park with Nut Roll Ale last year and made another winner this time. The lactose sugar that was used makes the beer, in my opinion. The beer looked a tad weak to start, but in the end it wasn't really needed to provide that touch of creaminess some beers provide later in the drink.

Monday Rant: Frozen Pumpkins?

Into the stockpile it goes.

Somehow we all knew it was going to happen. After all, our favorite seasonal brews seem to appear earlier and earlier each year. I'm just going to warn you now that this is going to be the paragraph of callbacks. I certainly know I've harped for almost two years about the seasonals hitting shelves on an earlier basis. I recall writing something proposing some kind of craft beer paradox in which seasonal beers end up coming out so early that the release dates are months out of season (i.e. fall beers being released in the spring).

In that very post, I linked to a report of Penn Brewery planning on releasing one of the first pumpkin beers this summer. The month of the release? July. Well the week has come and gone. Amidst one of the hottest heat waves of the 2013 calendar year, Pumpkin Roll Ale has hit the shelves of our beer distributors.

I honestly don't know where a brewery can get pumpkins to have a pumpkin ale come out this early. Did they have a surplus of them last year and freeze the pumpkin meat? That's the only feasible thing I can come up with in my rage.

I told myself all week long that this past weekend was the one in which I wouldn't drink or buy any more beer. As if I didn't need more anyways. In great fear of this pumpkin beer being stripped from the shelves with ultra beer geek speed, I caved and got myself a case on Saturday. Oh, how shameful it is.

I wasn't thrilled at the thought of beers in a can. Slowly, but surely I've grown on that. Canned beer is easily stackable and takes up less room in a fridge. I think we're close to having all of us getting used to beer out of season. Maybe even to the point where we demand these beers year-round instead of this absurdity. One thing we are close to is a certainty. We now have pumpkin beer in July. Which brewer dares to be the first to do it in June? The clock is ticking.

Much of the Maibock

Over the past few weeks I've had chances to try two of the local maibocks. A while ago a growler full of Straub Maibock fell into my hands by chance. Over this past weekend I ordered a glass of Penn Brewery's Penndemonium Maibock while on one of my Blue Dust excursions.

I think that both brews were diverse in nature given the way the style of beer is. Maibocks are traditionally a spring beer, tend to be a bit darker than bocks  and have a hop character that's a bit more noticeable.

The two local ones I tried were at two ends of the spectrum, though. Straub's was really strong. The hop bitterness was intense as was the alcohol presence. It was a bit of a struggle. On the other hand, the Penndemonium was subtle and pleasant. There was a sweet maltiness that was present and mixed well with the above-average hop bitterness. It was just right.

One could make the argument that the Penndemonium might not fit under the Maibock category due to it's lighter hop content. Don't forget who's writing this, though. You know how I am when it comes to that. While I'm talking about Penn Brewery.

You might remember an older post about the new Summer Berry Weiss they brought out. I also found myself a bit of that. The wheat presence was very strong and provided that backbone that reminds me of a well-baked pie crust. Oh yea, and there was some tasty berries.

Monday Rant: Seasonal Beer Paradox

I've delved into this subject way too many times while writing this series of posts. I understand the economical facets as to why seasonal beers keep coming out earlier each year. I also understand that distributors and wholesalers don't want to sit on the beer and risk having it go bad. If you're in the restaurant business, that's pretty much the same thing as just having food sitting in the freeze. Just money down the tubes.

I finally partook in the weekly festivities at Pipers Pub on Carson Street this past Thursday that the local online beer community usually attends. While meeting and talking with some of the people there this subject came up once again.



According to a post via Beer Pulse, Penn Brewery is to release its new Pumpkin Roll Ale sometime this July. Is this a sign that most of the other pumpkin beers will be out at some point in July as well? Also, will this pertain to the other times of the year that seasonal brews appear?

If I remember correctly, most of the fall beers were out before my birthday in August last year. Is it just me or are we starting to see a trend of beers coming out earlier and earlier each year? You can only have an earlier release each year so many times before you get to the point when the beer hits the market a season (or maybe two) before it's actually intended.

It just boggles me to think about it. Think of it as the earth's magnetic poles slowly reversing. The more you know.

Red, Red Raspberry

Yea, I really enjoy fruity beers. Deal with it. With all of the fruit beer's I've attempted to seek out over the years, there's one local one that I haven't got my hands on yet. How could I have been so forgetful? Penn Brewery on the North Side plans to bottle this year's batch of Summer Berry Weiss some time this week, according to the brewery's Facebook page.

This almost makes me want to compile a small list of my favorite fruity brews that are brewed here in the Pittsburgh area. Lucky for you, before I do that I want to have tried this Berry Weiss first.

In my experience, I find beers with fruit used as a slight adjunct to be just about equal in taste to ales using fruit as one of the main ingredient. Sometimes fruit goes wonderfully with a well-crafted witbier or hefeweizen. Some have an awesome citrus zing. Others have something sweeter like a strawberry or apricot wheat. In some cases you have something that's pretty straight-forward like a blueberry ale (sometimes my favorite).

This Summery Berry Weiss seems to take on the persona of the witbier spectrum. Yeah, I know some out there are snickering since it says "Weiss" on the bottle.  I've had Leinenkugel's Berry Weiss (yea I know it's owned by the evil empire) and it tasted more like a wine cooler. These beers can sometimes go either way. Well, here's to getting my hands on a few pints or bottles of this stuff! I'm hoping to delve into quite a few fruit beers as spring begins to make its way here.

Beer Review: Penn Nut Roll Ale

Serving Type: Draft

ABV: 5.5 percent

Appearance: Penn Brewery's Nut Roll Ale has a body that's golden brown in color. The head of the beer was white and somewhat thin. This serving was out of a growler. So, the second glass I had featured a more prominent head, but still with weak retention. There was also plenty of carbonation. The odd thing was the bubbles didn't rise towards the crown of the glass. They grouped on the side of it.

Smell: If you ever go to a family function around this time of the year and come across a nut roll you'll know exactly what I mean. It had an aroma of sweetness, yet it was roasty and nutty. There was a lot of sugar, cinnamon and toffee, but there was also a hint of caramel malt and nuts to spice things up.

Taste: A few things that I didn't pick up in the aroma were the presence of nutmeg and vanilla. Well, they came across fairly well on the tongue. These two were needed to bring this beer together. The cinnamon added some extra zing on the finish and added that winter warmer essence you look forward too in these seasonal beers. It was really close to actually tasting like a nut roll.

Overall Rating: 

I'm not so sure you can classify this brew as a winter ale, as its tastes and aromas are more in resemblance of a brown ale. Yet, it still is a good drink for the holidays. Especially for those of us that enjoy this dessert with our families. This is definitely one of those beers that falls under my "Pie Theory." Which reminds me. I really need to write a post explaining that a bit more.

Monday Rant: Don't Be Stubborn

This week's edition of the Monday Rant segment is pretty much a dissection of myself and my own thoughts and feelings towards beer. Especially those beers most of us appreciate when we start to get out our sweaters and sweat pants for the cold winter months.

I've been overly loud when it comes to voicing my appreciation for the winter warmers and by that I mean I've voiced my disdain for them. Maybe it's just because I've had too many warmers that have been too spiced-up and overly strong for my palette. Over the years, I've noticed that quite a few of them seem eerily similar to each other in aroma and taste. It's rare that I find one that stands out. Don't get me wrong. There are good winter ales out there to be consumed. I just don't notice a lot of them.

To make a long story short, I came across one of those rare stand-outs this past weekend. I acquired a growler full of Penn Brewery's Nut Roll Ale and my world was rocked.

The name of the beer was almost enough to sway me into trying it. I love nut roll and enjoy having a few slices of one every year around Christmas. It's pretty much a staple on the tables of my family's holiday socials and in many other households around Pittsburgh. If you're not up-to-speed on the nut roll thing, then you can learn all about it by reading some of its Wikipedia entry.

This beer had a wonderful aroma of cinnamon and a smooth nutty taste that lingered as it warmed. I can't forget about its slight honey essence, too. Such a fantastic drink. Such an amazing start to the winter warmer season for me. I'm actually excited to come a cross a few new ones as more continue to hit the shelves of our local distributors.

There's only one request I have. There needs to be a winter ale named/themed after one of the great Christmas classics that appear on television (If there isn't one already). If there is, I want to get my hands on it.
  

That Time of the Year

Yes, I've become frustrated at such an early opportunity to consume the fine adult beverages that are pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers even though it's still August. Now, that I've discovered news from a local Pittsburgh brewery, I'm much happier that it's closer to the actual time of year to enjoy such brews.

Penn Brewery has finally released information pertaining to its annual Oktoberfest celebration. The party takes place on the weekends of September 21-23 and 28-30.

The tap list has also increase from the usual four beers that are sold (Oktoberfest, Dark, Weizen and Gold). Penn is now adding Harvest Rye IPA, Kaiser Pils, Allegheney Pale Ale and Overlook IPA, according to Penn's website.

Penn's Oktoberfest is one of the places where the world of craft beer became a huge part of my life. I try to attend one of the weekends every year. I love the fact that the beers you purchase are sold in milk jugs. There's just something about it.

It's also one of the best Oktoberfest celebrations you can find in Pittsburgh that are close to that of the original in Munich.

Monday Rant: Pumpkin Ales and Oktoberfests - Stock Up

I've already sounded off about the earliness of the fall seasonal beers being on the shelves at this point in the summer. It's pretty much a broken system. Brewers are making the product and distributors can't afford to sit on the supply or simply don't have the space in storage. I get it. I'm over it.

I still love my pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers. So, as I took a stroll through a local distributor towards the end of last week I came across the establishment's entire wall of seasonal brews.

There were plenty of pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers. Enough to last a lifetime. It was at this moment that I decided to make my first purchases of the fall season. After all, it'll most likely all be gone within the next month or so.

I picked up a case of each Saranac's Pumpkin Ale and Great Lakes' Oktoberfest. I really wanted to try the Saranac last fall, but couldn't find any. I've always heard good things about Great Lakes' Oktoberfest. It came down to that and Penn Brewery's Oktoberfest. I figured I'd be having plenty when I'm actually at Penn's Oktoberfest celebration in September.

My dad also pitched in and acquired a case of Yuengling's Oktoberfest (yet another I couldn't find last year) and decided to invest $90 in a case of the infamous Southern Tier Pumking. We've already indulged in the almighty Puca and tucked away the rest of the bottles until it gets a little closer to October.

Since pay day is this week, I'm planning on purchasing yet another case of pumpkin ale before everyone else buys it all up. Maybe some Shipyard Pumpkinhead or Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale? Have to stock up now!

Beer Review: Penn Brewery Kaiser Pils

Serving Type: Draft

ABV: Five percent

Appearance: The most dominating visual aspect of Penn's Kaiser Pils was the very bubbly, white head. It was in direct contrast to a golden, but still fairly pale and clear body. The body also featured a decent amount of carbonation.

Smell: This beer had a strong aroma of bread and German hops. It also featured a slight aroma of a floral sweetness that I wasn't expecting nor do I expect in pilsners I've come to love.

Taste: The strength of the beer's aroma didn't translate as well as I had thought in terms of the taste. It came off as fairly weak. The bread/biscuit taste didn't attack the back of my tongue like most pilsners do. The floral sweetness that I detected also seemed to interfere with the typical taste you'd expect with this style of beer.

Overall Rating: 

I was looking forward to trying this beer, but was a bit disappointed. The beer's flavor seemed a bit weak and seemed to have a conflict of flavors that didn't fit my taste, albeit an interesting one. If given the choice between regular Penn Pilsner and this, I'd definitely go with the regular version. This beer just ventured to far from the path of what I feel a pilsner should be. Give me the biscuit and hops.

Monday Rant: Craft Tidal Wave at PNC Park

I've ranted and raved about the post-game happy hour special at PNC Park's Hall of Fame Club over the past few summers. It was this past Saturday night after the Pirates 5-1 victory over the Miami (will always be Florida to me) Marlins that I noticed the plethora of craft beers available to happy hour participants.

I remember when I first started joining in on the $2.50 per-brew fun in the Hall of Fame Club a few summers back. That was when there was just Yuengling and Miller Lite on tap and a small variety of bottle such as Magic Hat No. 9 and Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA making up the selection.

I felt like I was in a town's only local pub, but it wasn't the best selection in the world. Besides, when it's $2.50 for each beer in the house and you can snag yourself a few good crafts, you do so.

From then up until this past weekend I've noticed a tidal wave of craft brews being sold, not only throughout the park, but in the Hall of Fame Club as well.

Earlier this year, the Hall of Fame Club boasted the addition of a few local crafts which included Penn Brewery's Pilsner, Kaiser Pils and Penn Dark. As of Saturday night, you can find many of Penn Brewery's beers and more.

East End Fat Gary was on tap as well as Church Brew Works Pious Monk Dunkel, which is one of my favorite beers. The Hall of Fame Club has even ventured as far as Colorado to bring in Boulder's Sweaty Betty Blonde. Not far from that was Lagunitas IPA.

I've also noticed numerous advertisements for local brewing establishments and restaurants such as Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh and Rivertowne throughout the stadium's concourse. It looks like PNC Park is starting to embrace the craft movement around Pittsburgh and it can only be a positive thing.

Some of you might have come across this piece via Examiner.com about other craft offerings around the park, including the new Budweiser Bowtie Bar.

Beer Review: PCBW Home Opener Kolsch

Serving Type: Draft

ABV: N/A

Appearance: Home Opener has a hazy, yellow body with a plethora of carbonation. The haziness gives the effect that this beer might have some heaviness to it despite its color.The head is very foamy and frothy.

Smell: The initial smell is very sweet and malty. Some hints of grassiness sneak their way in behind that. Some citrus scent makes it something pleasant to smell on a decently hot day.

Taste: Home Opener is mostly a sweet and citrus-like beer. The beer also features some hoppiness on the finish, which adds something bitter to the adventurous flavor. This is a great beer for after doing some yard work. A good thirst-quencher.

Overall Rating: 

This is one of the Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week collaboration beers that were brewed in time for the city's week-long celebration of local beers. Brewers from Rock Bottom Brewery at the Waterfront and from Penn Brewery collaborated to make this wonderful concoction. This is an awesome beer when it's hot outside or if you're really looking for something to beat the thirst.

Penn Brewery's Oktoberfest Overtakes Pittsburgh's North Side

Pittsburgh's North Side has been pretty active the past two weekends. Aside from from Heinz Field and PNC Park booming, one could have left a Steelers or Pirates game and strolled on up to Vinial Street where Penn Brewery was holding its annual Oktoberfest celebration on Sept. 16-18 and 23-25.

The Beer-Snobbing Begins

I'm just a 23-year-old that still lives in the Pittsburgh area. Since I've been of legal age, I haven't been interested in anything more than I have with beer. I know what you're thinking. Yeah, he's just some young, college punk that goes out every Thursday night and indulges on pitcher after pitcher of the cheapest beer he can find.

That's far from the truth. If my my elders taught me anything, it was to have an excellent taste when it comes to the beer I drink. I tend to frown upon others my age when it comes to their taste in the holiest of refreshments. That staunch view is why I decided to name this blog as I did.

I'm a beer snob. Even playing the role of poor college student hasn't hindered this taste of mine. I still have always made a point to still spend the extra buck for a tasty craft brew. It's always worth it in my book.

With this blog, I plan to give my opinions on beers (and foods) I've tried and get a chance to try along the way. I plan to pass on news and other important happenings in the beer world, as well as recapping beer-related events and adventures I embark on. The first of those is already in the works, as I visited Penn Brewery on the North Side this past weekend for their Oktoberfest celebration. To the right is just a taste, no pun intended, of what's to come with that post.

I also intend on writing about interesting brew pubs and microbreweries I come across here in Western Pa. In the future I also plan to make a beer rankings list that I will try to keep up-to-date as much as possible. I obviously haven't tried every beer in the world and I've only been of legal age for just over two years, so I can promise you that your favorite beer might not be on said rankings immediately, but I'm certainly open for suggestions!

The blog is obviously still under construction, so if you do come back and find things to be a little different don't be alarmed.

I do have a Twitter account which can be found in the sidebar right on this blog. Please give me a follow. I obviously talk beer and food and enjoy talking about my local Pittsburgh sports teams as well.

Maybe one day we'll meet in your local drinking tavern! Cheers!