NXNW Zombie Dragon (with Mango) IPA

Yesterday, i pretty much wrapped up the Oktoberfest season by taking my family to the Oktoberfest celebration over at North By Northwest Brewing Company in Austin.  Beers were consumed, pretzels eaten, bouncy houses bounced in, and polka music listened to.  So what better way to write up the experience than by ignoring their traditional German beverages for something a little juicier.  The brewer's Zombie Dragon IPA is a big and juicy wonder, a 7.4% ABV concoction that's big on citrus and pine but easy on the bitterness.  You'd think that would be enough or everyone, but then they went and added a whole mess of mangos to the mix to create something superbly delicious.  Pouring a hazy, gold with a white head, the beer smells of mango, tropical fruit, and citrus with some hints of spice and pine.  The flavor is full of...you guessed it...mango, along with notes of grapefruit, spice, and grain.  And it still packs that 7.4% ABV punch.  This may be my favorite brew from NXNW, and i hope it becomes a mainstay.

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Save The World Jonah's Relief Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Currently, i'm trying to imbibe all of the pumpkin ale i can get my grubby little hands on that i possibly can, as once we make our way into November, their numbers drastically dwindle.  And aside from the regulars i generally partake in, a handful of newer brews have popped up onto my radar to wonderful success.  One of the most recent (for me at least) is the Jonah's Relief Imperial Pumpkin Ale from Save The World Brewery out in Marble Falls, TX.  This tasty, 8.2% ABV brew pours an amber-ish gold with a white, quickly dissipating head.  Aromas of pumpkin, pumpkin spices, malt, and some subtle other fruit notes are prevalent, with the flavor being a lovely mix of said pumpkin spice notes along with some caramel and fruit, all with a slightly dry finish.  Good stuff.  I have yet to try anything less than excellent from these guys, so i think a day trip out to their taproom may be on order soon.

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Untitled Art Neapolitan Stout

A collaborative effort from the folks of Wisconsin's Untitled Art and California's Bottle Logic, the Neapolitan Stout is a sweet and syrupy mouthful.  The 11% ABV brew pours a dark black with a light brown and beige head.  Aromas of malt, chocolate, toffee, coffee, strawberry, and molasses are evident, while those same notes mesh together with some subtle hints of licorice and booze in the beer's complex flavor.  It's heavy and feels like it's coating your esophagus on the way down, like nature's best medicine.  A late night brew for sure, but worthy of the high price tag.

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Infamous Oktoberfest

In the age old debate between Oktoberfests and pumpkin ales, i tend to fall on the side of the latter.  That being said, i love a good Oktoberfest brew just as much as the next guy.  Austin's Infamous Brewing, home to a couple of my favorite local beers, recently released their 2018 Oktoberfest, and the 6% ABV Märzen style brew pours a light malty brown with a white head, smelling of malt and sugar.  The beer is slightly sweet, but not overly so, is an easily drinkable festival brew, and a fine take on the style.  Prost!

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8th Wonder Dome Faux'm

We are quickly approaching some MLB playoff action, and while football has always been my sport of choice, there's just something about Fall baseball that feels so right.  So why not start drinking a brew that would be the perfect companion at the ballpark?  Houston's 8th Wonder Brewery has just the concoction you need.  Their Dome Faux'm Cream Ale is a pre-prohibition throwback beer, a crisp and easy drinking beverage for any sporting event...or just sitting around at home in the backyard or whatever.  Pouring gold with a thick and foamy white head, the 5.2% ABV beer smells of grains, grass, malt, and spicy hops.  Light and drinkable, the flavor is a good and balanced mix of malt and hops with just the tangiest bit of bite.  I imagine they'll be drinking a lot of these in Houston is the Astros can repeat this year.

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Whitestone Keyboard Gangsta West Coast Hazy IPA

Taking a short break from pumpkin ales and Oktoberfests to enjoy a hazy dream from Whitestone Brewery.  A fusion of styles (West Coast and hazy/juicy), the Keyboard Gangsta West Coast Hazy IPA pours a fuzzy, hazy (naturally) gold and smells of citrus, tropical fruit, hops, and florals.  The full-bodied, 6.5% ABV brew mixes those same citrus, fruit, hop, and floral notes into a wonderful and tasty beverage that ends with a lingering bitterness.  Good, good stuff, and a nice switch off from my usual Autumnal beer choices.

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The Brewer's Table Idée Fixe Dark Lager

The wife and i celebrated our 10th anniversary last week, and to mark the occasion, we spent the day without kids eating and drinking and watching giant shark movies around Austin.  One place we'd been meaning to check out and finally had the opportunity to do so was The Brewer's Table, a restaurant/gastro-pub/brewpub on Austin's east side.  While sitting at the bar, i tried the brewer's Idée Fixe, a dark lager that was malty and crisp and delicious.  The beer pours dark brown (almost black) with a white head and smelled of malt, oats, lemon, and tea.  The flavor as described by the brewer is that of a summer English breakfast which really isn't far off.  The lemon and tea notes mixed well with the malt and grains meshing together in a more medium bodied brew that felt both complex and easily drinkable.  I'm going to have to get back there soon, with kids or no.

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