Reflections on the “Beer Summit”

So I guess most everybody has heard about the recent meeting that President Obama had with Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley, and Joe Biden over some beer to talk through matters after a perhaps un-needed arrest and some poorly chosen words said on various counts.

Now, President Obama has said that he wants this little event to not be a distraction for us—that the real topic for America right now is health care. I totally agree. The media needs to be talking about the desperate situation so many Americans are in who don’t have adequate health care—those choosing between groceries and medicine, those who are getting shafted by their insurance companies, those who are costing the taxpayers millions and billions because they have no option of affordable preventative health care and end up at the ER getting emergency treatment for stuff that could have been easily managed. Truly, health care is a topic worthy of our attention and something we MUST get figured out soon for the good of us all.

BUT…

When the President of the United States of America has a get together to talk with some folks, and he does it over beer… how could we not take just a moment to reflect on the event? So, if you don’t mind indulging me for just a minute…

The Beer Choices

I must say I appreciate the investigative journalists that have brought us each man’s choice for his beer. I find a person’s choice of beer can sometimes tell us something about that person.

Professor Gates — Sam Adams Light
One of the ad campaigns for Sam Adams includes the slogan, “Sam Adams, always a good choice.” Now I can’t say that I’m a huge Sam Adams beer fan. I’ve had some of their beers that I liked, and some that I couldn’t stand. But I will say that they have a great variety of beers in their line up. I will also say that they have beers with a lot of flavor. For a “macro-micro” they seem to have a lot of integrity to them. As a matter of fact, if I went to a bar that had Bud products, Miller products, PBR, and Sam Adams as the choices on tap, I’m going Sam Adams all the way. No question. So, though it wouldn’t have been the first beer to come to mind for me, I’m thinking all in all it’s a respectable choice.

Sgt. Crowley– Blue Moon (Belgain Ale, I assume, as opposed to their White Ale)
Hmmmm. Interesting. Look, I don’t know anything about Sgt. Crowley. He may or may not have arrested Professor Gates prematurely, or possibly was throwing his authority around. I wasn’t there, I don’t know. What I do know is that him choosing a Blue Moon shows some level of refinement in his beer drinking. Whenever I’m on the road at a restaurant and I am asking what’s on tap, the mention of Blue Moon gets my attention and I think, “OK, this place just went up a notch.”

If you haven’t had it, Blue Moon is a very nice beer. It is full bodied and has a lot of taste. It’s rich and smooth with a good bit of sweetness. It’s made in a Belgian style. In fact, my father in law says it tastes like you are drinking a Belgian waffle! Not too bad of a description, actually! But the thing that impresses me the most about Sgt. Crowley’s decision is that (according to the press picture) it appears he drank the beer with a slice of orange. For those unfamiliar with Blue Moon, this is the “preferred” way to drink this particular brand of beer. When I first heard about the orange slice-Blue Moon thing, I figured it was just a gimmick to make the beer stand out. Kinda like Corona and lime. But, I’ve discovered that the orange actually works well with a Blue Moon. I’m thinking it is the citrus that balances the sweetness of the beer. It may have some similar qualities as the practice of putting lemon in a Heffe (which is the only way to drink a Heffe, by the way).

All this is to say, solid choice, Sgt. Crowley. And whether it was you or the White House staff that put the orange slice in the Blue Moon, it was a very nice touch.

Joe Biden– Buckler Non-Alcoholic Beer
OK, so I can’t say that I know anything at all about non-alcohol beers. Never tried one. In fact, perhaps I should try one so I can have an opinion about their tastes and similarity to “with-alcohol” beer. What I can say is that I’m impressed that Joe Biden, regardless of whatever reason a NA beer was appropriate for him, chose to still have a beer with the other three. He could have had a soda or something else, but that might have been a little awkward. So I’m glad that there are NA beers out there for just such an occasion as this.

Barack Obama– Bud Light
Um… Excuse me… did I hear that right? A Bud Light? Really? Uh… hmmm.

Look, no disrespect, Mr. President. In fact, I have a lot of respect for you. I voted for you. I even helped a little with your campaign. I went to a number of your rallies. I have a lot of admiration for many of your positions on things. But… Bud Light… really?

I mean, if I was the President of the United States, I tell you what I would do. Right next to the White House Movie Theatre, I would have them put in a tap room. It would be a long bar with kegs of the best micro-brew beer the USA has to offer, as well as a few brews from around the world. I would enjoy a huge variety of different fabulous beers over the course of my term, each perfectly matched with my meals or snacks. I would have the hospitality staff at the White House keep me informed of the back story on each beer I drank—where it’s from, what it has in it, even what that brewer was going for in the creation of that beer. Why would I do this? Because I am the President… because I have the ability to sample and admire the finest beers America can muster. So, Mr. President… please…a Bud Light? Really?

OK. I have a theory. You see, I believe that Barack Obama is a smart man. He is an enlightened guy. The things that he studies, he makes good decisions on. He is known for being rational and making informed, progressive choices. You can see it in the way he ran his campaign. You can read it in the positions he has on the issues listed on his campaign website. And when it comes to American culture stuff, he also has made some great choices. He chose UNC to go all the way in the NCAA Tournament. (Which… of course… THEY DID! Go Heels!) When he came to Asheville to prep for a debate, he got barbecue from 12 Bones, arguably the best place in town. When he was followed around for a couple of days by NBC, and he went out to pick up burgers for the White House Staff, he went to Five Guys– another smart, informed, progressive choice. Therefore, I believe that stuff he knows about, he makes good decisions about.

So my theory is that President Obama simply doesn’t know about all the great choices of beer that are out there. If he had exposure to more of these choices, perhaps a beer briefing or something, he would then have the tools he needs to rise up to a more informed and more progressive position when it comes to beer. (Mr. President, I’m more than happy to serve on your Beer Briefing Committee, should you deem me worthy of such an honor.)

One last thing. I have to give the President props for getting these guys together over a beer to talk things through. What a great model of how to work out our differences. Believe it or not, choosing to have these guys talk over a beer is a carefully nuanced selection. Think about it. If they got together over a bottle of Scotch, it would seem like they could only work through their issues if they got hammered. If they met over lemonade, they would have come off looking like woosies. But they met over beer. It’s relaxed. It’s manly. It’s moderate. It’s down right American.

It reminds me of the founding fathers of our country who met over pints of ale in Williamsburg and Charlottesville, VA and Boston and Philadelphia. They discussed things like the need to shake off the tyranny of the English monarchy. They came up with things like the Boston Tea Party and the Declaration of Independence. They hammered out their differences and worked through compromises to the Constitution. This country was in many ways founded over pints of beer!

So, way to go, President Obama. Way to model people “coming together” over our nation’s best beverage.

Now, back to health care.

Wait! I have an idea! Let’s get you and some strategic leaders of congress together over a couple beers and y’all can hammer this thing out!

And Mr. President, this time can I perhaps interest you in something from one of our fine Asheville breweries? After all, we are “Beer City USA.”

Beer, Baseball, and Blessings

There are certain moments in life when you have to pause and recognize just how good you’ve got it. Yesterday evening was one of those times for me. You see, last night my wife, my son, and I all went to an Asheville Tourists baseball game at McCormick Field. For those unfamiliar, Asheville is home to the single A farm team of the Colorado Rockies, the Asheville Tourists. It was a beautiful evening– slightly cool and no rain in sight (for a change). We managed to get there early enough to get both close parking and great seats “parked” right behind home plate.

Admittedly, I’m not a huge baseball fan. I can’t tell you stats on any of the players, and in a trivia game I’m a guaranteed first round elimination. And I am not saying that the Tourists are an amazing team. They have up years and down years, and this season has been pretty mixed for them so far. But I have to tell you, I LOVE Tourists games. I’ve been to other parks, minor and major. But over the last several years, while in any other ballpark, I have secretly (or sometimes boisterously) wanted to be back in Asheville at McCormick Field. Why? I’ll tell you why…

It’s the friendliness.
In Asheville there is a slogan… Altitude Effects Attitude. A lot of folks from Asheville tend to be more friendly and relaxed than the rest of the world. Oh there’s the occasional grump or the guy that takes himself too seriously, but all in all I’ll take it over any other place I’ve lived.

It’s the Hometown Feel.
Often when I go to a Tourists game it’s quite the family atmosphere. On any given night we are running into other people we know. On particularly crowded nights you will find lots of folks hanging out on the concourse by the concession stands, talking with friends like they were at a social instead of a ballgame.

But most of all… IT’S THE BEER!!!
The Asheville Tourists organization was smart enough and savvy enough to recognize what a great micro beer scene Asheville has, and they have brought a lot of that great beer inside the stadium! So every time I go to a game, it’s like getting a little beer sampler experience at the same time. Add onto that the fact that they are selling Hickory Nut Gap hotdogs (a small local pork company) and you have a near guaranteed great evening!

So, picture me sitting with the family, behind home plate, on a beautiful clear evening, watching the game, munching on roasted peanuts and a superior hotdog, and enjoying the following beverages:

Asheville Amber (by Asheville Brewing Company)
It’s a wonderful “middle” beer, with a nice auburn color and lots of flavor. It has a great medium texture and a well balanced taste– not too sweet and not too bitter. It’s plenty rich, but not overly complex. I can’t ID all the flavors going on in there, but I can tell you it’s the kind of beer that you can enjoy glass after glass and never get tired of it. Incidentally, I noticed that the tap for this beer has a baseball diamond on it. It may be that the good folks at ABC decided to brew this beer especially for distribution at Tourists games. If so, they are to be congratulated. It’s a beer that lives up to the name “Asheville Amber.”

Payne’s Pale Ale (Wedge Brewing Company)
Wedge is one of the newer brewers in Asheville, but they are not “rookies” by a long shot. They are reputed to have very experienced folks making their beers, and their pale ale is proof in the pudding. It’s, of course, on the lighter side, but with great full scale taste. It has a dense texture for a pale, even leaning toward a wheat or even a Heffe. The part I enjoy most is the nice lemony finish. On a warm summer day, this is a great beer to watch baseball with.

They have several other great local breweries represented at the stadium. If my memory serves me correctly, they include:

French Broad Brewery
Wee Heavy-er (a Scottish beer. Strong and rich. My Father in Law’s fave)
Rye Hopper (If you are into the specialty beers, you may really like this one)
13 Rebels (A great “medium to dark” beer. My friend Bruce is a big fan.)

Green Man IPA
It’s one of the house beers of local brew pub, Jack of the Wood.

Highland Gaelic Ale
It’s considered the flagship brewery of Asheville and the most popular beer of their line. How could it not be here!

You will also find other microbrews available like Magic Hat and Sweetwater. They have Dos Equis, and, of course, they have Bud- (yaaawwn)-weiser.

Last thing, a hot new event going on this year is the “Baseball and Beers” event at McCormick Field on Sat. Aug. 22 from 4-8pm. It will include tastings of over 30 beers and several bands playing. You can check it out at www.theashevilletourists.com. You can bet I’m going to be there! Gimmie a holler if you want to come too!

So, all in all, Asheville Tourists Baseball gives a whole new meaning to, “Take me out to the ball game…”

More Winter Warmer– it’s about expectations

Greetings, everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to get another post out. Here’s a couple more reviews from the Asheville Winter Warmer. The theme here is that I find my “expectations” for a beer directly effect my judgements about it. As I think about it, a lot of life is like that. The expectations you have going into an experience frames your response to the experience. I’m blessed that with all these great micro brews in Asheville, my expectations get to be set high! I hope you enjoy the reviews.

Heinzelmannchen

They are an upstart brewery in Sylva, NC which is about 45 min. west of Asheville. They were at the last Winter Warmer, but I never got a chance to try them out. So I was excited to give them a taste this year. I read up on them after the warmer and they are reputed to specialize in “alt” beers, which is of the style of the warmer areas of Germany. The beer tends to be a fresh tasting and a little lighter in consistency.

Gnutty Gnome
I wasn’t particularly impressed, but I think part of it was that I couldn’t get a sense of what category of beer it was. It was dark in color, but not thick enough to be a stout or a porter. Not much hoppiness to it, but definitely had a nutty flavor. It reminded me of some imported ales from the UK that I’ve had.

Hefeweizen
Unless I overlooked one, this was the only Hefe among the 40 or so beers at the event. I was excited at the prospect of trying it, because I’m partial to Hefes and thought it would help balance the day among all the stouts and pilsners and others. It was a beer with some taste, but was a little bitter for me. I also found it a bit watery and thin as a Hefeweizen. (I admit that I prefer my Hefes so unfiltered that it almost has the consistency of orange juice)

So, the lesson for me, and perhaps for my other beer tasters out there, is that it helps to read up on the brewer to get a sense of what they are going for.
For more info about Heinzelmannchen, check out www.yourgnometownbrewery.com

Wedge
Wedge is one of the newest breweries in Asheville, located in the river arts district. They were rotating a few different beers through the event. I got to try two of them…

Dopplebock
Its of the old style of German Bock beers. Nice dark color, smooth and drinkable, but I found it just a little thin and I was hoping for a little more punch.

Payne’s Pale
It was hoppy, smooth, light, with a wonderful lemony finish. To me it tasted like a hefe-weisen, but less dense. I always appreciate a brewery that has a lighter category of beer that leans richer, rather than to categorize a beer as thick and rich and have it come off weak.

It’s been said that they have great brewers and staff down at Wedge, so I look forward to heading down there soon for a full tasting. For more info about Wedge, check out www.wedgebrewing.com

Winter Warmer Part 3

Here’s another installment of the Wonderfulness that’s Winter Warmer!

Foothills Brewery
These guys are out of Winston-Salem, NC. We are fortunate enough to have some of their brews floating around some of the watering holes of Asheville. For instance I had a pint of their People’s Porter when I was at Barley’s recently. It’s a fantastic and complex beer. Really tasty. They had People’s Porter at this event, and my father in law very much enjoyed trying it! But in my quest to try as many new beers as possible, I managed to by-pass it (but with a tear in my eye).

Torch Pilsner
What a great beer! It starts off with a wonderful aroma of vanilla that you catch as the glass comes close. It has a nice golden color that gives you a hint of the richness you are about to enjoy. It’s very smooth and very drinkable, yet quite rich and full for a pilsner. The best part to me is the little bit of lemon in the finish. Now that’s a high class beer! Way to go, y’all!

2009 Winter Warmer: Part 2

So here is the next installment of my experience of the 2009 Winter Warmer. Today I feature one of the lesser known treasures of WNC beers…

Appalachian Craft Brewery
I think these folks may be one of the best kept secrets of the local brew scene here. They are based out of Fletcher, NC (just south of Asheville). Up to this point I had not seen a lot of their beers around town at pubs and restaurants. But I did some research on their website and found out it was simply because the places where their beer is happens to be places I don’t frequent. I hope that in the future I will keep finding their taps in new local watering holes, because they really have some great beers.

Copperhead Amber
OK, so I broke my pledge to myself for this event on this beer. I said going in that I was not going to taste anything I had already tried before, but I had to make an exception for this beer, which should tell you something about my regard for it. I just love this beer. I love ambers as a category because it is a nice middle of the road beer—rich, but not too filling. This amber is a great example of its kind. It has a great auburn color, and the smell of it is like a beautiful autumn day. (I know it sounds cheesy, but I swear it is true!) It is hoppy and smooth; full, yet still bright. The best part to me is that there is a very slight coppery flavor finish to it. Now you would think that a copper taste would be a detriment, I mean who wants to taste metal! But is completely delightful! I’m glad I “cheated” and got a taste of it again this year. Truly, I could drink this beer all night.  

To learn more about Appalachian Craft Brewery, visit www.acbrewery.com

Winter Warmer 2009! (Part 1)

“And they were all gathered in one place…”

In the 2nd Chapter of Acts it describes the Pentecost festival where Jews of all varieties and from all over the world were gathered in one place celebrating their common connection of faith. Last week I attended the 2nd annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival here in Asheville, NC. It was a wonderful event featuring beers from all over the great state of North Carolina and beyond. Whether you are a “pilsner person” or a “porter person,” a “stout snob” or a “amber advocate,” there was something for everyone at this gathering of craft brews.

Last year I enjoyed going to the first one, which was held at The Garage, a great little venue located adjacent to the French Broad Brewing Company. There were several wonderful brewers there last year, including all the local favorites. I took my father in law with me for the experience. (Craft beer is one of the things he and I love to bond over!) We had a fabulous time and enjoyed the plethora of beer, the bands, and the barbecue dinner that came with the cost of admission!

This year’s Winter Warmer was even bigger! It was held in the Haywood Park Hotel, in their Grand Ballroom behind the Bier Garden. All the local brewers were back, along with some new folks both from this area and well beyond. There were about 16 brewing companies present, and I’m guessing over 40 beers on tap! Now that’s a party! Other highlights included a delicious barbecue meal catered by Luella’s and great music by Brushfire Stankgrass and Woody Wood. Needless to say, Jim and I had another great time!!

As I started putting my notes together, it became obvious that putting it all in one blog post would end up being a small online novel. So I’ve decided to describe the beers that I had at the Winter Warmer in episodes, reviewing one brewery each time. So keep checking the blog from time to time and you will eventually get the full report. Also, I must come clean about my “self imposed rules” going into this year’s winter warmer.

1. With so many breweries and beers to sample, I pledged to myself not to taste beers I have already tried before. (In the end I’m a bit of a light-weight. I knew I had to pace myself and be choosy!) 

Therefore I offer my apologies to Asheville Brewing Company and Green Man, who are both big favorites of mine, along with Catawba. (You can see my thoughts on Green Man in my December post.)

2. Give priority to the locals first, then if you can go to the ones brewed outside the area.

So, now that we are done with the preamble, here’s my first review…

Pisgah Brewing Company
These good folks are based out of Black Mountain, NC, and I give them lots of props for their craftsmanship and variety in their beer selection, along with their commitment to creating all organic beers. They had several beers out for this event. I didn’t get to try all of them, but got to a couple.

Valdez Stout

They had two stouts at the Warmer. One was their “regular” stout and one was their Valdez Stout, which they told me was made with coffee from Dynamite Roasters, also located in Black Mountain. Let me just say… HOLY COW! This beer is about as intense of a beer as I have ever had in my life. You can smell the coffee in it from about 6 inches under your nose. As a stout should be, it is very dark in color and thick in consistency. Now, some “coffee stouts” have a hint of coffee taste to it, other ones have a strong coffee flavor. This beer unapologetically hollers “COFFEE!”. We’re talking espresso with alcohol mixed in. It takes boldness to create this beer! I’m very glad I tried it, and I know that this beer will have some avid fans. As for me personally, I think a whole pint of it just might give me the jitters.

Red Devil

In talking to other friends at the Winter Warmer, I heard that I had to try this beer. It’s a wheat beer with tons of cherries jammed into the mix. Now I have to say, I have had very poor experiences with “fruity beers.” Most of the time I find that the fruit flavor ends up totally overpowering the beer and makes it too sweet and tasting artificial. But this beer has convinced me that it is possible to have a fruit flavored beer that’s done with integrity. It had a nice medium body to it—thick enough to be taken seriously but thin enough to keep it palatable. It was hearty and tasty, with a lot of cherry flavor, but in a very natural and pleasant way. Good job, y’all. You have opened the eyes of a skeptic.

Green Man is the Man!

There are certain places that are special.  Asheville, NC is one of those places.  It’s filled with some of the best beers anywhere.  And one of the treasures of Asheville is a great place called Jack of the Wood.  It’s a non-smoking brewpub with good grub, wonderful atmosphere, and great beer.  Over Christmas vacation some family and I went to “Jack” for an evening of live music and beer.  Kellin Watson was the act.  (A great indie singer out of Black Mountain that you can check out at www.kellinwatson.com.)  As for the beer, they keep a number of great taps, including several from their house brew, Green Man.  I had a sampler that did not disappoint.  Here’s the low down:

Green Man Gold:  A lighter beer, of course, but filled with taste.  Great stuff.  When you’re hanging around downtown Asheville on a hot summer afternoon, this is the beer to choose

Green Man Pale Ale:  Usually I’m not much for pale ales, because I often find them to be flat and lacking in flavor.  But this pale was really nice.  Good flavor, and a nice light-amber color. 

Green Man IPA:  Again, I usually frown at IPAs because many times it seems that the spices that are typically used end up overpowering the beer.  This IPA definitely tasted true to its genre, but it wasn’t over spiced.  I give compliments to the brewmaster for a well balanced beer. 

Green Man ESB:  The name ESB is for Extra Special Bitter.  This one lives up to its title– it’s extra special and extra bitter.  This beer makes you sit up and take notice.  It’s got a lot of bite, yet also with flavor.  I don’t think I’d be up for spending an evening downing pints of it.  It’s more of a session beer that way.  But I will say it is quite memorable and a high quality ale.

Green Man Porter:  Is it just me, or are there a shortage of porters in the world?  When I go outside of Asheville I seem to find that there are very many less brewers out there making porters– people just skip from ambers or heffes straight to a stout.  It’s a shame, because I think porters are one of the best beer types out there.  It is thick enough to have weight and gravity to it, and yet light enough to not feel totally filled up after one pint.  Another great thing about porters is their ability to hold a lot of depth and a mixture of great flavors.  This porter was wonderful.  It was smokey, yet smooth.  It tasted nice and earthy but had just a little bit of sweetness to it to make it very drinkable.  (It was so good that my father in law had two.) 

Overall Verdict:  A great set of beers.  Asheville is becoming a competitive micro-brew market, but Green Man is more than holding their own.  Add in a great music line up, which they seem to keep, and you have a “must hit” place when you are in Ashe-vegas.  Keep up the great work, y’all! 

For more info about Jack of the Wood or their Green Man beers, go to Jackofthewood.com

Peace Out,

Bill

Presbyterians Cruisin’ for Brews in the Crescent City

Last week some Presbyterian friends and I were in New Orleans for a gathering of youth workers.  (Get that?  A bunch of youth workers loose in New Orleans without youth!)  So, what did I do?  I looked for local microbrews!  It seems there is only one local brew pub, Crescent City Brew House.  So we checked it out.  Here’s the low down…

Crescent City Brewhouse

527 Decatur Ave.

New Orleans, LA

 

The Setting

A wonderful relatively high end restaurant on the edge of the French Quarter.  Beautiful classic ambiance, with lots of stained wood and high ceilings.  As we walked in a great jazz band was playing. 

 

The Beer

It’s a true “brew pub” in that they were serving lots of great food and the only beers they had were their house brews.  The selection was fairly limited—only 5.  But the samplers were good sized taster glasses—I’m guessing 6oz. 

 

Pilsner

It was crisp and hoppy the way a good pilsner should be.  It was, of course, light.  But I was pleasantly surprised that it was not weak and lacking in taste the way that some pilsners can be.  I noticed a slight Caribbean taste at the finish.  It would make a great refreshing beer on a hot summer afternoon in the Big Easy. 

 

Red Stallion

This beer was marketed on their restaurant paraphernalia as their signature beer.  As someone who loves a good middle of the road amber I had high expectations.  It was crisp, but seemed a bit watered down for a red beer.  Fairly hoppy and had little to no finish.  After my first taste I was wondering where the stallion was.

 

Weiss

The next beer was their Heffeweissen.  Now we’re getting somewhere!  A heffe is usually unfiltered, but this was one of the most unfiltered beers I have tasted.  It was yellow and cloudy as it should be, but was so unfiltered it had a real texture in the mouth feel.  I tried it “straight” first and it had a really good bite to it—nice and bold.  Then I added some lemon (in classic heffe fashion) and it balanced out the beer perfectly to a great level of drinkability.  I highly recommend it. 

 

Octoberfest

Then came their seasonal beer, and Octoberfest.  Wow.  Now that’s a great beer.  All the others were pretty straight forward and simple in their design.  This beer was complex and robust.  It was relatively dark in color, but still very much a mid-range beer in terms of density.  It had wonderful tones of chocolate and coffee that jumped out.  Even in its boldness, it was very pleasant and not overbearing.  Wow.  Well done. 

 

Black Forest

The last beer was their Black Forest.  Now with a name like Black Forest, I’m expecting something dark, rich, along the lines of a porter or maybe even a stout.  In that respect I was a bit underwhelmed.  However, this beer is not without its virtues.  It’s very smooth with a nice smoky finish.  It had a bright mouth feel and was hoppy and crisp for a beer of that dark a color. 

 

The Winner?

Clearly the Octoberfest.  Yet, I give the Heffeweissen high marks and hail it as a model of what a great Heffe should be.

 

What’s in a Name?

Upon the end of my evening there, it occurred to me that expectations are everything.  Not a single one of these beers is a “bad beer.”  Far from it.  But when you put a name on a beer it sets up certain expectations among people who know beer.  If they had called their Red Stallion a “Pale Ale” I would have been pretty pleased with it and remarked that it had a lot of flavor for a pale beer.  But when the beer is named “Red Stallion” and market it as your signature beer, you are implying that it is strong, bold, and unique.  Likewise I think the Black Forest beer should actually be marketed as their amber or as a bock.  Then I would have received it as unique and clever to give a middle beer such a smoky flavor yet keep it so drinkable and light. 

 

Overall, I’d say that it was a great evening of beer.  For what appears to be the only truly local brew house in New Orleans, I’d say they are doing the city proud. 

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