Cameron Stokes’s Blog

I’m a beer lover.  I don’t hide it, I don’t deny it, I think and talk way too much about beer.  The other night I had a dream that our Scotch ale (currently in the fermenter) turned out to be the best beer ever.  One of the many upsides to this obsession is that friends and family know how much I love beer and help feed my obsession.  Case in point…just this week I received two special deliveries!

The first delivery was from a friend who just returned from California.

California Delivery

From left to right: Brew Free or Die IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery, Hitachino Nest White Ale and Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale from Kiuchi Brewery, and Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing Company.

The next delivery came by way of my Grandmother from North Carolina.  There’s a great little beer store in her town and she’s recently started going and asking the owner about beers that I might like.

North Carolina Delivery

From left to right again: Fourteen Ale from Wyerbacher, Celebrator Doppelbock from Ayinger Bier, Dragon’s Milk from New Holland Brewing Company, Urthel Samaranth from De Leyerth Brouwerijen, and Samichlaus from Castle Brewery Eggenberg.

Some of these I could likely find in Georgia but don’t think I’ve seen any of them before.  I’m fairly certain I could find the Hitachino Nest beers locally but I know for a fact 21st Amendment and Russian River do not distribute to Georgia, though I hear 21st Amendment will be starting soon.  I can’t wait to try each of these beers but am most excited about Dragon’s Milk, Pliny the Elder, and Fourteen Ale.

In other beer news, I’ve posted photos of the Winter Beer Carnival Rhonda and I attend last weekend; it was a blast!  Photos are here.

This past week has been a great beer week.  Last Tuesday we had dinner at the Westside location 5 Seasons Brewing Company and enjoyed their beer sampler along with some great food.  Each of their beers was delicious, especially their IPA.  This was only the second time I’ve been to 5 Seasons; the first being at the Prado location where Kevin McNerney brews, of Sweetwater fame.

Last weekend we made our way down to Tampa for the ACC Championship Game (go Tech!) and made sure to take advantage of the beers available in Florida and Tampa specifically that we can’t get in Georgia.  Friday night, we grabbed dinner at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company and had great beers and great food.  Again I got their beer sampler which included each of their year-round beers and a cask-conditioned Moosekiller Barleywine; all very delicious.  I highly recommend Tampa Bay Brewing Company; in addition to the beer and food, the service was excellent.  Before the game on Saturday we stopped by a Total Wine and stocked up on the infamous Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA as well as Dogfish Head’s Shelter Pale Ale, Raison d’Extra, Fort, and Theobroma, Cigar City Brewing’s General Zhukov’s Imperial Stout and Improvisacion Ale, and Lazy Magnolia’s Southern Pecan and Indian Summer.  I’ve since tried a 120 Minute IPA but haven’t made it to the others yet.  I had to reorganize the beer fridge in order to fit everything.  Here’s the full score from Florida:

Score from Florida

Back in Georgia, Terrapin has released their Hopsecutioner IPA.  I am a total hophead and this beer does not disappoint.  I’m actually quite proud of myself as this is the first beer I’ve successfully identified a hop in the beer by taste alone.  A couple weeks ago I had Rogue’s Yellow Snow IPA and remarked how different the hop profile was from a typical IPA.  I can taste the same hop in the Hopsecutioner: Amarillo.  I’ve yet to make a homebrew using this hop, but this has moved up the list on things to try.  I love the flavor of this hop.

If only more weeks could be like this…

I’ve tried some delicious new beers recently and my list of favorite breweries has grown, specifically Stone Brewing Co., Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery, and New Belgium.  A recent post on Blogfish, the Dogfish Head blog, answered the question of where Dogfish Head conceived their name and since I’ve always been curious about some of the other breweries and their names, I decided to do some research.  Here’s what I came up with:

• Atlanta Brewing Company - Obvious…
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Named after the a cove behind founder Sam Calagione’s parents’ home in Maine; suggested to Sam by his father. [1]
• Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery - Named after an illustration in Philosophical Investigations by Ludwig Wittgenstein, a throwback to head brewer Paul Philippon’s previous life as a philosophy teacher. [2]
• Flying Dog Brewery - Named after a painting the founder, George Stranahan, saw in Pakistan while attempting to climb K2 in the Himalayas. [3]
• Left Hand Brewing Company - Named after Chief Niwot, a tribal leader of the Southern Arapaho people in Colorado; Niwot is the Arapaho word for left hand.
• New Belgium Brewing Company - Presumably after head brewer Jeff Lebesch’s bike rides through Europe. [4]
• Stone Brewing Co. - A quick email to the brewery told me Stone was chosen to elicit thoughts of “old school European architecture, strength, simplicity and craftsmanship…the opposite of the plastic and aluminum culture which (regrettably) dominates the beer drinking world of today.”
• Sweetwater Brewing Company - Presumably named after Sweetwater Creek in west Atlanta near their original brewery.
• Terrapin Beer Company - Named after the Grateful Dead album Terrapin Station, a favorite of founders Brian “Spike” Buckowski and John Cochran. [5]

This gets me thinking…if I were to start a brewery what would I name it?

I can’t remember when I first had or heard of Fat Tire, all I know is its been a rare delicacy in my years as a beer drinker.  Not so anymore, New Beligum Brewing Company has finally come to Georgia.

Over the years I’ve only been been able to have New Belgium beers by importing through friends coming into town or taking trips myself, and that’s been few and far between.  I went so far as to email the company last year asking when they would be expanding their distribution area.  Not too long after, my prayers were answered as I read on Fred’s Beer Page that New Belgium was on its way and as of this week Fat Tire, Mothership Wit, and 1554 are now available in 22 oz “bomber” bottles.

I picked up a Fat Tire and Mothership Wit on the way home.  I was particular excited about the Mothership Wit as I had never had it before; it did not disappoint.

New Belgium Brewing Company Beers

The special shout-out to Georgia made it that much more special, “1st (Legal) Distribution Commemorative: Georgia on My Ride.”

Georgia on My Ride

Terrapin Beer Company recently brewed a special beer for Taco Mac for their 30th anniversary.  It’s named 30 Strong.  The name needs no explanation once you see the ingredient list and alcohol percentage.  Terrapin had the beer on tap at their 7th anniversary party last month, but unfortunately I didn’t know about it when I was there so didn’t get to have any.  When I heard Taco Mac was going to have it yesterday I made sure to be there.  I even called ahead to ask when the keg would be tapped.

All in all, it’s a good beer.  I won’t pretend to be able to describe or identify the various flavors or subtleties of the beer but it’s very enjoyable.  Fred, the Beverage Director for Taco Mac (a position I would kill for), describes it as a “very drinkable, high gravity beer” over at Fred’s Beer Page.  Very drinkable is true, my boss joined us at Taco Mac and was surprised when I told him it was high gravity after he had just finished a glass of it.  Given this, I have to say I was expecting more from the beer.  With 30 ingredients I was hoping for a more exotic beer than what I had.  It has nothing on Terrapin’s Gamma Ray, which has found a place in Terrapin’s Monster Beer Tour.  This I am excited about.

Here’s the description and ingredient list from from Terrapin’s site:

The Terrapin “30 Strong” is a high gravity (8.8% ABV) Ale. Brewed with 30 different ingredients and aged on American oak spirals, the “30 Strong” will leave your palate begging for more. This fun little experiment has really opened my eyes to a new style of brewing. I call it kitchen sink brewing! Hope you enjoy! Spike

Malt

• 2-row
• Flaked barley
• Wheat
• Rye
• Acidulated
• Caramel Piuls
• Vienna
• Munich I
• Munich II
• Honey malt
• Victory
• Special Roast
• Crystal 65′L
• Crystal 85′L
• Chocolate Rye
• Chocolate Malt
• DH Carafu I
• Black Malt
• Roasted Barley

Hops

• Columbus
• Centennial
• Amarillo
• Simcoe
• E.K.G.
• Cascade
• Magnum
• Glacier

Other

• Water
• Yeast
• Oak Spirals

I like that Spike calls it “kitchen sink brewing.”  It reminds me of my “pantry stew” which is basically whatever beans, veggies, spices, etc. that I can find in the pantry all tossed together indiscriminately.