Stone & NOFX Punk in Drublic Hoppy Lager

At the grocery store the other day, strolling through the beer aisle, searching for something tasty for the weekend, and i was juggling a handful of different brews, all the while the inner '90s teenager within my brain screaming at me to get the NOFX beer.  So, i got the NOFX beer, and true to form from the longstanding Stone Brewing, it did not disappoint.  The Stone & NOFX Punk in Drublic Hoppy Lager, named for the punk band's 1994 album of the same name, pours a crystal clear gold with a foamy white head.  Aromas of grass and bread prevail with some herbal hints and maybe some pine notes in the mix as well, while the flavor of this 5.8% ABV brew is akin to something like a strong pilsner, a mesh of bready malt, spicy hops, and a hint of citrus all with a crisp and bitter finish.  This is an awesome spring brew, and i'm looking forward to cracking open a few more of these in the near future.

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And watch the old video for NOFX's "Leave it Alone" below.

Tupps Full Grown Man Imperial Stout

I've been writing this beer blog for a few years now, so i've had hundreds of different brews come into my home and onto my palette, my weekly jaunts to grocery stores and bottle shops becoming quests for something new.  The sheer number of craft breweries opening around the country has made that quest pretty simple, but i've got to hand it to you guys that make sample 6 and 12-packs of your wonderful wares.  Tupps Brewery (whom i just wrote about a couple weeks ago) provided me with one such sample pack, and my very favorite of the bunch is the Full Grown Man Imperial Stout, an 11.2% ABV malty beast that is as smooth and drinkable as they come.  Pouring black with a brownish head, the brew smells of malts, hints of cocoa and molasses, and an overall roastiness.  Notes of dark fruit, malt, caramel, chocolate, and a kind of boozy earthiness round out the beer's flavor with a ever so slight sweetness throughout that makes the beer so smooth.  Enjoy one after dinner.

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NXNW Zombie Dragon East Coast IPA

It seems everybody's getting in on the canning thing these days, and i think it's delightful, my grocery store's beer isle filled with all kinds of tasty brews that were formerly only available in taprooms, restaurants, and bars across the city.  One of the latest comes from North By Northwest, the longstanding restaurant and brewery in northwest Austin.  Zombie Dragon, an East Coast IPA originally brewed last year to celebrate the joint's 18 year anniversary, now appears to be a mainstay, and i happily procured myself of six pack to drink at home.  The 7.4% ABV brew pours a hazy gold with nice, white head and smells of fruit, citrus, spice, and bread, with just a little hint of funk on the nose.  The flavor is a mix of pine,citrus, and juice that stays pretty balanced with some not overly bitter hop notes.  The sweet and the bitter play very well together creating a great IPA, and further cementing my growing adulation of East Coast haziness.  Get some now.

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Tupps Northbound 75 Fire-Roasted Poblano Pale Ale

Last week i extolled on the virtues of brewing beer with added fruit...and there was much rejoicing.  This week we'll see what other kind of stuff you can throw in there, which brings us to the Northbound 75, a 6% ABV pale ale made with fire-roasted poblano peppers from Tupps Brewery out of McKinney, Texas.  Pepper beers are interesting to say the least, and it's really easy for things to go all kinds of wrong very quickly.  But i've got to hand it to the brewers, as they have crafted a well balanced pale ale and all that that style entails with just the right amount spicy and smoky notes.  The beer pours a dark gold, almost amber color with a white, frothy head.  The aroma of poblano peppers is immediately evident, mixed with notes of hops, biscuit-y malt, and maybe some slight herbal or floral hints.  As for the taste, those poblano peppers again are first and foremost, though never overpowering.  The spice is mild, letting the actual pepper flavor sink in, combined with pepper, smoke, and some hoppy bitterness on the end to round it all out.  I'm going to be honest, i was surprised i liked this as much as i did, and while it's certainly not for everyone, it's at least worth a shot from any of you more adventurous drinkers out there.

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Shannon Blackberry Crystal Wheat

Spring is here.  Summer's on the way.  And i guess that means that i'm going to start sampling more beer with fruit in it.  I've never been much of a traditionalist as far as beer goes, having actually brewed a loquat wheat ale myself using the fruit from the tree in my backyard, so i'm all for this.  Shannon Brewing, up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, seems to be all for it too, the seasonal offering for the upcoming hot days of summer being their Blackberry Crystal Wheat, a 6.2% ABV wheat beer brewed with...you guessed it...blackberries.  The beer pours pinkish gold, with a light purple tint to the frothy head and smells of wheat and fruit with some bread notes in the mix.  Dry and crisp, the brew has light notes of wheat, malt, banana, citrus, and yeast...with plenty of blackberry too.  All in all, it's a pretty easy drinking beer that pairs its sweet and bitter sides evenly.  Bring on the summer.

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