Monday, July 25, 2016

Last Stand BPA

Continuing in the recent tradition of Austin area breweries popping up all over the place, and my ignorance of said breweries until i happen upon their wares at the grocery store, over the weekend i tried the delicious BPA (Belgian Pale Ale) from Last Stand Brewing.  Pouring a beautiful gold with a bubbly white head, the beer smells lightly of fruit and spice, with hints of banana in particular.  The flavor is initially, subtly sweet, with a mild alcohol undercurrent on the back end, and a lovely mix of fruit and bitter hops to round the whole thing out.  And as far as an 8.9% ABV brew goes, this one is quite refreshing, a great summer evening beer to sip outside as the sun slowly sets.

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Monday, July 18, 2016

Kentucky Peach Barrel Wheat Ale

Very often when i'm shopping for beer, either at the grocery store, or a corner store, or liquor store, or just a place that specializes in craft brews, i'll encounter a brewery rep giving out samples of their wares.  This is always a good thing, and every so often, i'll be swayed to take some home with me.  Such was the case on Saturday at Hamricks Market in Cedar Park, Texas, when i was won over by the Kentucky Peach Barrel Wheat Ale from Alltech Lexington Brewing, a delicious wheat beer brewed with peaches and then aged in bourbon barrels.  Pouring a crisp golden hue with a white and bubbly head, the beer certainly lives up to its namesake, the peach aromas being at the forefront, along with some hints of bread, spice, and bourbon.  The flavor is very similar to the smell, an earthy mix of bread, peach, oak, and bourbon...and somehow it works.  And it proved to be a lovely 8% ABV libation to wind down with on a Saturday night.

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Monday, July 11, 2016

Liberty Lunch IPA

I moved to Austin in the summer of 1997, and thus am fortunate enough to have fond memories of the now defunct music venue Liberty Lunch.  The place was fun, awesome, and so quintessentially Austin, that of course it was forced to shut down in July of 1999 to make way for development (i.e. condos and upscale retail).  In those two years i was able to see amazing shows from Blur, Sunny Day Real Estate, and more, the venue cementing itself as a hallowed landmark for those who remember it (see also Raul's Club, the original Emo's, the original Antone's, and so on).  I sure miss it.  And apparently i'm not alone.  The folks over at Independence Brewery here in Austin just released a new IPA named after the beloved club, with its can artwork paying homage, the most recent in a series of Austin-themed cans from the brewer.  And it's tasty too.  The beer pours amber with a nice off-white head, and smells of citrus and pine.  An easily drinkable IPA, flavors of pine and tropical citrus combine well with hints of honey and some earthier spices to make a crisp, delicious, 5.5% ABV brew that just slides off that palate.  Yum.

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Monday, July 4, 2016

Galveston Island Brewing Causeway Kolsch

I make it a point to try and hit up a brewery pretty much everywhere i go.  Doing the whole family trip thing last week, i was able to spend a little bit of time at Galveston Island Brewing on the Texas coast.  The place was laid back, the taproom nice and friendly, some playground equipment outside by their patio area, and a family style bathroom (my wife was stoked about that one)...and the beer was pretty decent too.  After a flight of various brews, and being that it was a hot and humid summer day, i went back for more of the Causeway Kolsch (that's the one on the left).  The beer poured a light gold with some subtle aromas of malts and spices, and was light and refreshing, neither the malts nor the spices from the German hops overstating anything.  All in all, a very easy drinker and perfect for the beach.

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