Hops & Grain Alt-eration Ale

So many local beers to try.  I swear it's like they multiply daily.  Looking for some good German-style brew to quench the thirst during these long summer months?  Look no further than the Alt-eration Ale from Austin's Hops & Grain Brewery.  It's a really crisp and malty brew, bitter in all the right ways, and it just tastes classic (for lack of a better term).  Think about when you were a teenager, and you had this preconceived notion of what beer was supposed to taste like.  A notion that would then be shattered after shot-gunning your first can of Keystone Light.  And you thought, "Hmm, this wasn't what i was expecting, but at least it gets me drunk."  Remember that?  Well, had we been exposed to the Alt-eration instead, our notions and expectations would have been met.  And it would have been wonderful.  This is beer.  Well done.

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Jester King Mad Meg Farmhouse Provision Ale

I swear, half the fun of drinking a beer from Austin's Jester King Brewery is the awesome label art (see Black Metal Stout).  Another, at least for their latest edition, the Mad Meg Farmhouse Provision Ale, is the stellar alcohol content, in this case, a whopping 9.5% ABV.  The name "Mad Meg" comes from Flemish folklore.  She was a peasant woman who lead an army of fellow women to pillage hell.  That's awesome.  As far as the taste goes, it's got a traditional feel of spicy hops and some humbling malts to settle the whole thing together.  But be warned, this beer tastes strong...because it is.  And it's oh so lovely.

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Widmer Brothers Kill Devil Brown Ale

Every now and then, i try a new beer that lets me know from the get go, that it will knock me on my ass if i'm not careful.  And so we have the 9.5% ABV Kill Devil Brown Ale, the 6th limited edition beer in the Widmer Brothers Brewery's Reserve series.  It's got that dark roasted flavor and aroma that you get from aging beer in a barrel, and almost feels like you're drinking a sweet, light, carbonated Scotch.  This is a good thing.  It's a tasty beer.  Now, normally, i try to shy away from the direct description given by the brewer, but this time around, reading that was what made me try this beer...

"Kill Devil Brown Ale's flavor come from the use of ingredients traditionally used by Caribbean distillers. Sweet Barbados and Blackstrap Molasses provide touches of toasted sugar, black licorice and blackened toffee while the palm sugars invite notes of subtle sweetness. As the beer conditions in Puerto Rican rum barrels, the vanilla and subtle oak flavors and aromas develop and integrate with the Calypso hops' soft tropical and stone fruit aromas."

I could never have said it better myself.  As far as food pairings go, i wouldn't do it.  This is a sipping beer that's meant to be enjoyed all on its own.  Apparently they know what they're doing in Oregon.

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Franconia Dunkel

Ah, German style beer.  Ah, German style dark beer...and from Texas of course.  We're certainly known for our German brews around these parts (even in the northern parts of the state).  Enter Franconia Brewing Company from McKinney, Texas, and their delicious Dunkel.  It's a dark ("dunkel") brewed lager using an awesome blend of different German malts as well as the obligatory spicy hops for kick.  The beer goes down pretty smooth, as it's fairly sweet, and ends with some light cocoa flavors at the bottom of the brew.  There is a bit of a tangy aftertaste, akin to what you'd get after drinking a Newcastle Brown Ale, but the Dunkel is lighter and feels more like spring time.  It would probably go great with a burger.

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Circle Brewing Company and the Wryteous Rye-Wheat I.P.A. - A Special Report

 Although we try to limit ourselves to trying only one new beer a week (we're not alcoholics after all, just alcohol-enthusiasts), the time and opportunity occasionally presents itself to imbibe a new brew.  Brewery tours and open houses pretty much beg for this.  And thus, we went and visited Austin's own Circle Brewing Company and their first open house to celebrate the release of their latest creation, the Wryteous Rye-Wheat I.P.A.  And...it was fantastic.  Unlike the majority of I.P.A.'s that i've tried, this one was not overly bitter.  Sure, the hops and bitter flavors were there, but they were combined with a sweetness that reminded me more of a summer pale ale, or at times, even a light Hefewiesen.  It was perfect for the heat of the early afternoon, and i might add, that it went great with the hot dog i ate out there (The Evil Wiener).  So, congratulations Circle Brewing, you've just created my new favorite beer!  I look forward to drinking many of them in the near future.

Rows and rows of kegs...nice.

And that is the refreshing and delicious elixir of the gods below...

Circle Brewing Wryteous Rye-Wheat IPA

 And there's some goofball with his new found love...

Shocked and amazed at how good it is.

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Southern Star Bombshell Blonde Ale

Texas brews...Texas brews...so many Texas brews.  I love it.  We recently tried the Bombshell Blonde Ale from Houston's Southern Star Brewery, a lovely version of a classic style beer.  The hops are mild and not too bitter, and the beer's got a really good malt flavor going for it, where you get an almost sweet taste at the end, and is a smooth drink from start to finish.  Probably too smooth, as it's a cinch to down one after the other.  All in all, this a great summer time beer, perfect to enjoy in the middle of the day in the sunshine.  (I won't tell your boss.)

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