Cigar City Jai Alai IPA

A couple of years ago, i ventured southeast to Tampa Bay, Florida to meet up with an old friend of mine on a quick weekend excursion of football.  While we were there we hit up a local brewery that was walking distance from our hotel (a kind of ghetto HoJo), and in doing so discovered one of the best breweries i've ever been to.  Seriously.  Tampa Bay, Florida is home to one of the best breweries in the country.  We couldn't believe it either.  But it is fact, and i will forever more be a cheerleader for Cigar City Brewing and all of their wonderful beers.  Anyway, i kind of assumed it was going to be awhile before i was able to sample their wares again, but lo and behold, 2018 brings a distribution deal that lands Cigar City right here in Central Texas.  Offerings are scarce for the moment, but i will admit that i did a little dance of joy when i came across the Jai Alai IPA at my local grocery store.  Named for an old sport of Spanish origin, the beer pours a crisp, transparent gold with a frothy white head.  Aromas of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit abound, also making their presence in the flavor of the beer, along with plenty of hop notes and some back end bitterness.  All in all, a very solid 7.5% ABV IPA, and i hope just the first in a long line of brews to make their into Texas.

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Whitestone Quadrivium Series #1

I've been meaning to write about this brew for a while now, but for some reason kept getting sidetracked or distracted the last few weeks.  So today's the day...and it's probably not even available anymore.  Anyway, back at the start of the new year, i was fortunate enough to score a bottle of Whitestone Brewery's Quadrivium Series #1 (of 4) from the taproom in Cedar Park.  The beer is a 10% ABV Belgian Quad aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels...and it's fantastic.  Pouring a dark brown color with some amber hints and a white head, the brew smells of malt, molasses, oak, and bourbon.  The flavor is a lovely mix of brown sugar, caramel, malt, and some notes of booze, but much smoother than anticipated.  A perfect beer for the end of winter.  I wish i had bought more.  In the meantime, i should probably get myself back there to get bottle #2.  Great job Whitestone.

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Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel #19

Still trying to sneak in the more holiday-esque brews before springtime really gets up and running, so here's the absolutely wonderful Bishop's Barrel #19 from Saint Arnold.  This lovely 8.9% ABV concoction takes the brewer's Christmas Ale as the base, and then ages it in Chardonnay barrels with added cherries and three different strains of brettanomyces.  Pouring a kind of ruby gold, the beer smells of fruit and yeast, with some definite funky notes, and an overall tartness.  Said tartness is also prevalent in the flavor, a mix of sweet and tart cherries, Chardonnay, oak, spices, and the ever present brett, all in a medium bodied brew.  Top notch.

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Christie The American Blonde Ale

I've been gradually attempting to sample all of the newer breweries popping up around the Austin area, not always an easy feat when you've got two young kiddos, but i'm starting to get to them one by one.  Austin's Hi-Sign Brewing is one i've been meaning to get to for a little while now, and with their canned product recently discovered at our grocery store, and our 2-year old's birthday party last Saturday, the time was nigh to give them a go.  What?  There are adults at these things too.  Anyway, Christie The American Blonde Ale was a great first taste to go on.  The beer pours golden and smells of light malts and notes of spice and herbs.  The 5.6% ABV brew hits cold and smooth, a touch of sweet that ends on a slightly peppery finish, and ridiculously easy to drink.  Christie would be a great addition to any gathering, 2-year-olds or not.  I'm looking forward to drinking this one in the spring.

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