tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59834329744123614502024-02-08T13:55:09.331-05:00Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting SocietyFredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-18023892979839076752010-02-13T06:16:00.000-05:002010-02-13T06:16:56.803-05:00FeBREWary is Barleywine MonthThe FeBREWary meeting will be held <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1266059344_2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">on Saturday</span> the 20th. This is one week later than usual, due to the Blue-Gray Brewerianna Show 11-13 Feb.<br />
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The Beer Style of the Month (BSTOM) will be Barleywine, with a vertical of Bigfoot graciously offered by Robert Fondren.<br />
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In addition, the meeting will be held at Lyle Brown's house. Lyle is celebrating his 50th Birthday! We will have burgers on the grill after the meeting, and there is no specific end time projected for this event.<br />
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Please send Lyle a note if you will be attending, so he can send you his address and directions. We will not be publishing that on the internet!<br />
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<a href="mailto:beerking1@verizon.net"><i>Email Lyle</i></a>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-78294506902124738612009-10-10T19:03:00.002-04:002009-10-12T10:17:57.420-04:00Date / Style of November MeetingThe next FABTS meeting will be held at Kybecca on November 14th, 2009. The style for November is Brown Ales. Looking forward to it.Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-34269330846598733172009-10-10T19:02:00.000-04:002009-10-10T19:02:23.662-04:00October FABTS MeetingThis month's FABTS meeting was held at Kybecca today. The style of the month was Harvest Ales. During the meeting we sampled the following beers. <br />
<ul><li>Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale (Michelob)</li>
<li>Otter Creek Oktoberfest Autumn Ale</li>
<li>Smuttynose Pumpkin</li>
<li>Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale</li>
<li>Cottonwood Pumpkin</li>
<li>Popperinge Hommel (hop harvest!)</li>
<li>Southern Tier Pumking - imperial pumpkin</li>
<li>Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale</li>
<li>Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale</li>
<li>Clipper City Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet "The Great Pumpkin" Imperial Pumpkin Ale</li>
<li>Fordham Close Encounter Harvest Ale</li>
<li>Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout</li>
<li>Arcadia Ales Jaw-Jacker (ale with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg added)</li>
<li>Founder's Harvest Ale</li>
<li>Weyerbacher AutumnFest Ale</li>
<li>Mendocino Autumn Lager (only noticed as I type that is states "Märzen style")</li>
<li>Great Divide Hibernation Ale (old ale – not specifically labeled a harvest beer, but hibernation prep is certainly autumnal in nature)</li>
<li>Lupulus, an amber from Brasserie Les 3 Fourquets (7.5%)</li>
</ul><br />
I think the two winners in the group were the Popperinge Hommel and the Clipper City. Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-60713324201322992352009-04-12T09:49:00.002-04:002009-04-12T09:58:41.092-04:00April FABTS MeetingApril was our 4th installment of Big Beers. I think we finally finished all the Strong beers. We also had a special toast at 2pm to coincide with the CAMRA Cask Ale Week. A reporter and photographer were there from the Free Lance Star to document the World Record attempt. Check out the status of the world record toast <a href="http://www.caskaleweek.co.uk/">here</a>. We toasted with Lyle's Trafalgar Premium Bitter. A great session beer he plans to brew at The Pub.<br />
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After the toast we sampled a total of 19 beers. Here's the list and a few tasting notes. <br />
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Moa Original Lager (New Zealand’s native Moa is the only beer to be fermented in the bottle, like French champagne. This was a donation from Chad.)<br />
Dogfish Head Fort '06<br />
Dogfish Head Fort '07 <br />
N'ice Chouffe <span id="lw_1239541926_0">Christmas Ale<br />
</span><span id="lw_1239541926_1" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">Weyerbacher</span> Fireside Ale<br />
Troegs Flying Mouflan (This was a donation from Edwin at Virginia Wine Experience)<br />
Unibroue Edition 2005<br />
Bell's <span id="lw_1239541926_2">Hell Hath No Fury</span><br />
Lost Abbey The Gift of the Maji Bier de Gaarde<br />
Lyle's homebrew with bret Vinnification<br />
Lyle's Flanders Red<br />
Avery Brabant Barrel-aged Wild Ale<br />
Avery Collaboration Not Litigation '08<br />
<span id="lw_1239541926_3" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">Maredsous</span> Dubbel<br />
Dogfis Head Immortal Ale<br />
Sonoran Brewing 100<br />
Jimbo's Saison homebrew<br />
Green Flash Le' Freak<br />
Holy Mackerel Special Golden Ale<br />
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We're finally finished with the Strong Beers. Next month's meeting is scheduled for May 9th and the Styles for the month are Maibocks, Trippels and Golden Trippels.Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-26283585333388855032009-03-15T08:47:00.000-04:002009-03-15T08:47:04.521-04:00March FABTS MeetingThe March FABTS meeting is this Saturday, March 21st at Kybecca on Plank Road. We are on our 3rd installment of Big Beers. The January meeting focused on the Dark Big Beers. Think Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot or North Coast Russian Imperial Stout. The February Big Beers meeting had lighter and hoppier big beers; barley wines mostly. Our 3rd installment will be whatever Big Beers we have left over. The partial list of beers we have so far is below.<br />
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2x 12oz <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1237119483_0" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer;">Sierra Nevada</span> Torpedo (7.2%)<br />
2x 12oz Starr Hill The Gift (Hellerbock - 6.5%)<br />
2x 12oz <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1237119483_1" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">Dogfish Head</span> 90 Minute Imperial IPA (9%)<br />
2x 12oz Victory St. Victorious Doppelbock (8.5%)<br />
2x 12oz Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA (8.50%)<br />
1x 750ml Brasserie Artisinale de Rulles Biere de Gaume Tripel (8.4%)<br />
1x 750ml Dogfish Head Fort 2006 (17%)<br />
1x 750ml Dogfish Head Fort 2007 (17%)Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-32064902879273595672008-12-30T19:09:00.001-05:002008-12-30T19:09:09.060-05:00Capital Ale House this weekOn New Years Day at 5pm, Capital Ale House will be tapping two very special, limited edition kegs from Dogfish Head Brewery!<br /><br />Dogfish Head World Wide Stout - 18.8% ABV for $10.50. <br /><br />Dogfish Head Fort Delaware - 18% ABV for $10.50. (The world's strongest fruit {raspberry} beer.)<br /><br />On Sunday, January 4th, CAH is hosting a Bell's Beer & Cheese Tasting. 5 Bells beers and 5 cheeses for $10.00 per person. <br /><br />Next weeks Steal-the-Glass night (January 6th) is featuring Bells Brewery. They are going to have Bells Amber, Best Brown and Cherry Stout. Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-43979866043917108782008-11-30T11:10:00.002-05:002008-11-30T11:52:09.179-05:00FABTS December Meeting and Homework<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The December FABTS meeting is scheduled for December 13 at 1:30pm. Lyle and Robyn Brown have cordially invited us to their house for the meeting. The style of the month is obviously Christmas / Hanukkah / Winter beers. I know we'll have a few multi-year verticals (Mad Elf, Weyerbacher, Rouge's Santa's Private Reserve) and other great seasonal beers from this year. The plan is for this meeting to be a small Christmas meal, with food. Dave F said he would be willing to do a turkey breast. Everyone attending should plan on bringing something to snack on. I'm looking forward to it!<br /><br />For security reasons, Lyle does not want to post his address. Anyone interested in attending the December FABTS meeting please send an email to the <a href="mailto://fabts@googlegroups.com">FABTS email list</a> or leave a comment to this post and we'll make sure you get the address and directions.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />As I was reading Dave Turley's blog, <a href="http://www.musingsoverapint.com/">Musings Over a Pint</a>, he ran across and article from the website </span><a href="http://www.artofdrink.com/2008/11/100-drinks-before-you-die.php">Art of Drink.</a> Entitled <em>Imbibers One Hundred</em>, the author has compiled a list of 100 drinks that he believes everyone should try, at least once. He writes:<br /><blockquote>Remember, this is just a list of things you should try, not the "best of the world" list. The list is about contrast and variation of flavour. I’m sure a few scotch addict’s, vodkaphiles and beeroholics will recommend a particular brand, but in most cases, this list is style specific, instead of brand specific. But please feel free to make recommendations.</blockquote>I thought it would be fun for all of us to play along and discuss this on the message board and at the meeting. I've got 47. <br /><br />Instructions:<br />1) Copy this list into your blog, with instructions.<br />2) Bold all the drinks you’ve imbibed.<br />3) Cross out any items that you won’t touch<br />4) Post a comment at <a href="http://www.artofdrink.com/2008/11/100-drinks-before-you-die.php">Art of Drink</a> and link to your results.<br />OR<br />If you don’t have a blog, just email the list of one's you've tried to the FABTS mailing list and post the number in the comments section.<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">List of Drinks You Must Try Before You Expire.</span><br /></span><ol><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Manhattan Cocktail</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Kopi Luwak (Weasle Coffee)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">French / Swiss Absinthe</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rootbeer</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gin Martini</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sauternes</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Whole Milk</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tequila (100% Agave)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">XO Cognac</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Espresso</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Spring Water (directly from the spring)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gin & Tonic</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mead</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Westvleteren 12 (Yellow Cap) Trappist Ale</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chateau d’Yquem</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Budweiser</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Maraschino Liqueur</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mojito</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Orgeat</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Grand Marnier</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mai Tai (original)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ice Wine (Canadian)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Red Bull</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Bubble Tea</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tokaji</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chicory</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Islay Scotch</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pusser’s Navy Rum</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fernet Branca</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fresh Pressed Apple Cider</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Bourbon</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Australian Shiraz</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Buckley’s Cough Syrup</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Orange Bitters</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Margarita (classic recipe)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Molasses & Milk</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chimay Blue</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Wine of Pines (Tepache)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Green Tea</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Daiginjo Sake</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chai Tea</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Vodka (chilled, straight)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Coca-Cola</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Zombie (Beachcomber recipe)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Barley Wine</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Brewed Choclate (Xocolatl)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pisco Sour</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Lemonade</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Speyside Single Malt</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Champagne (Vintage)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rosé (French)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Bellini</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Caipirinha</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">White Zinfandel (Blush)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Coconut Water</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cerveza</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cafe au Lait</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ice Tea</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pedro Ximenez Sherry</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Vintage Port</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hot Chocolate</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">German Riesling</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pina Colada</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">El Dorado 15 Year Rum</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chartreuse</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Greek Wine</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Negroni</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Jägermeister</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chicha</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Guiness</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rhum Agricole</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Palm Wine</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Soju</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ceylon Tea (High Grown)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Belgian Lambic</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mongolian Airag</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Doogh, Lassi or Ayran</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sugarcane Juice</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ramos Gin Fizz</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Singapore Sling</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mint Julep</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Old Fashioned</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Perique</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Jenever (Holland Gin)</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Chocolate Milkshake</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Traditional Italian Barolo</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pulque</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Natural Sparkling Water</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cuban Rum</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Asti Spumante</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Irish Whiskey</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Château Margaux</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Two Buck Chuck</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Screech</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Akvavit</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rye Whisky</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">German Weissbier</span></li><li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Daiquiri (classic)</span></li></ol>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-87800564538493652232008-11-30T08:50:00.004-05:002008-11-30T10:45:20.566-05:00Big FABTS update... Finally recovered from the Mead meeting in August.<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >It's been a while since the website was updated. After the August Mead meeting at <a href="http://www.kybecca.com/">Kybecca</a> (and the two days it took to recover), we had an Octoberfest beers meeting at <a href="http://www.virginiawineexperience.com/">Virginia Wine Experience</a> in September. I really liked the setup Edwin Wyant has upstairs for the tasting, it's like a cool little pub / bar scene. Nice and cozy. Lyle brought the last of his winning Sam Adams Long Shot First Place beer, Bamberg Hellerbock. We also had beers from Penn Brewing, Left Hand, Mendocino, Ayinger, Victory, Hacker-Pschorr, Starr Hill, Bethesda Rock Bottom, Sam Adams and Paulaner.<br /><br />Our October meeting was held at Kybecca and the style of the month was Harvest beers. This was the first meeting I hadn't made in a while, so I don't have that much in the way of details. The members that were there enjoyed Dogfish Head Midas Touch, Redhook Late Harvest Ale, Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale and numerous Pumpkin Ales from Saranac, Cottonwood, Wild Goose, and Weyerbacher.<br /><br />Lyle kept on his winning ways in October. His Rauch Heller-Bock, brewed with Star Hill Brewing for the Pro-Am competition at GABF, won a Silver Medal!! We have been treated to this beer numerous times at our meetings and everyone agrees it's a great beer. It would go perfect with any smoked-meats or barbeque. Lyle also won Best of Show at the Valhalla Mead Competition!<br /><br />The Fredericksburg beer scene also got a great new hangout. The <a href="http://www.capitalalehouse.com/index.php">Capital Ale House</a> finally opened <a href="http://www.capitalalehouse.com/locations/fredericksburg.php">downtown</a> at 917 Caroline Street. It features an 80 ft. ice bar, a cold case at celler temperature down in the basement for public viewing, a private dining room and a place to hang out in the back to play games and darts. They print out their vast beer menu every Friday. There are 62 beers on Tap and 300 in the bottle. Monday nights are $1.00 hamburger / $1.50 cheeseburger night, Tuesday night is "Steal the Glass" night. There's a featured brewery and when you order their beer you can take home the logo glass. Wednesday night is Two for One Wings night. And finally, on Sunday for brunch it's American Micro day when the best of their domestic drafts goes for $3.00/pint until 5:00pm. The place has been packed since it opened. I hope it stays that way and they have great success. The FABTS group christened the place on Friday November 7, when Lyle's GABF Silver Medal beer, Smoke Out, was tapped.<br /><br />Aaron Zaccagnino, aka Zacc, posted a great summary of the Fredericksburg Brewing Insiders (FBI) of their National Teach a friend to Home Brew Day at Blue and Gray Brewing Company. They had a respectable turn out; about 30 folks were interested in the displays and had loads of questions. Pat did a fabulous job with "Sample" table. He had bowls of the various grains that people could taste with information cards for them, and bowls of hops for people to smell to broaden their sensory appreciation. Outside the Brewery they made 6 gallons of wort for an American Blond Ale and had hot dogs for those who stuck around to watch them brew. Roxbury Farms and Garden had a great display of all things available for the beginner home brewer. They even had Kenny Hunter of Coffer Roasters of Fredericksburg Gourmet Coffee who had set up with samples as well. Sounds like they had a great time. If you're interested in brewing, in addition to FABTS, please look into attending an FBI meeting and visit their website at <a href="http://www.fredhomebrew.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.Fredhomebrew.org</a>.<br /><br />The November FABTS meeting featured beers that you would serve at Thanksgiving. This would included anything that goes well with the traditional foods of the day. Of course, there was much emphasis on turkey, but we didn't forget the pumpkin pie, stuffing, cranberries, mincemeat, and all the trimmings. There were a lot of Belgian-style Saisons and Biere de Gardes, as well as Tripels.<br /><br />Phew! Lots of stuff happened since August. The one consistent thing I will leave you with is that all of us should do our best to support our local beer establisments and I will try to be better about keeping up with the posts.</span>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-69692726318877463162008-08-03T06:36:00.000-04:002008-08-03T07:14:06.016-04:00August FABTS Meeting - MeadsOur August meeting is fast approaching. The style of the month is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mead">Mead</a>. Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage made of honey, water, and yeast. It's also the oldest fermented alcoholic beverage. I don't know about you, but everytime I think about mead I envision being in 10th grade and having to read Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Mead is the perfect drink for Renaissance festivals to get in the mood. The <a href="http://www.bjcp.org/">BJCP</a> has a great <a href="http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/mead.html">introduction to mead</a> for those like me that are not as familiar with this drink.<br />
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We will be meeting next Saturday, August 9th, at <a href="http://www.kybecca.com/">Kybecca</a> on Plank Rd. We will have at least 3 home brewed meads from our members plus some commercial examples. I made my first stop at <a href="http://statelineliquors.com/beer/beer.htm">State Line Liquors</a> in Maryland and I finally know why everyone raves about that place. They have the best beer selection I've seen. I picked up a local Maryland meadery's offering. I suggest you take the few minutes to stop by if you're traveling up or down I-95 between Delaware and Maryland.<br />
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Here's the list of meads so far for our meeting:<br />
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<strong><em>Commercial</em></strong><br />
Medieval Mead (<a href="http://www.linganore-wine.com/">Berrywine Plantation</a> - Mt. Airy, MD) - James Russ<br />
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<strong><em>Homebrews</em></strong><br />
Lyle Brown - 2 meads<br />
Joe GherloneFredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-24514303873698112452008-07-14T19:28:00.002-04:002008-07-14T19:58:10.202-04:00Beers of the July FABTS MeetingI couldn't think of a better way to show our patriotic side than drinking all types of American ales. We had a great assortment of beers. Thanks to Kybecca for hosting and donating the Anchor Steam and Coney Island Swordswallower and all the members that donated beers. (If I missed your donation, let me know.)<br />
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I picked out a few of what I thought were the group's favorites during the meeting and put them in an online poll. So be sure to vote in our July poll prior to our August 9th meeting.<br />
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<br />
<font size="4">American Ales</font> <br />
<ul>
<li>Kona Wailua Wheat</li>
<li>Legend Golden Ale</li>
<li>Fiddler's Green Blond Ale</li>
<li>Bosmo's Imperial Cream Ale - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Alaskan Winter (Spruce) Ale - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Avery Ellie's Brown Ale - David Turley</li>
<li>Williamsburg AleWorks "400" Ale - James Russ</li>
<li>Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Anchor Steam Beer - Kybecca</li>
<li>Coney Island Sword Swallower - Kybecca</li>
<li>Boston Beer LongShot Grape Pale Ale - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Bluegrass Brewing American Pale Ale</li>
<li>Left Hand Jackman's American Pale Ale</li>
<li>Butternuts Porkslap Pale Ale - Scott Fisher</li>
<li>Butternuts Snapperhead IPA - Scott Fisher</li>
<li>Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale</li>
<li>Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale</li>
<li>Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale</li>
<li>Port Brewing Hop 15 - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Bell's Two Hearted Ale - David Turley</li>
<li>Victory HopDevil </li>
<li>Southern Tier Hoppe - James Russ</li>
<li>Moylan's Hopsickle - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Alaskan Barley Wine - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Old Dominion Millennium Ale - David Turley</li>
<li>Bell's Kalamazoo Stout - David Turley</li>
<li>Alaskan Smoked Porter - Joe Gherlone</li>
</ul>
<font size="4"><strong>Homebrews</strong></font><br />
<ul>
<li>Applewood Smoked Honey Pumpkin Ale - Dave Frederickson</li>
<li>English Spoken Here" English IPA - Joe Gherlone</li>
<li>Radiant Copper IPA - Joe Gherlone </li>
</ul>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-63987754918659815502008-06-28T22:07:00.001-04:002008-06-28T22:42:21.460-04:00July FABTS Meeting Style of the Month - American Ales<div style="border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-bottom: medium none;"><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/SGb2V1vMYkI/AAAAAAAAANU/GhFP9aAj8Vs/s1600-h/usflag.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; border-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em; border-bottom: 0px; background-color: transparent; cssfloat: left;"><img ja="true" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/SGb2V1vMYkI/AAAAAAAAANU/-HptBoUs2yg/s320-R/usflag.png" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; cssfloat: ;" /></a>July is American Beer Month (for obvious reasons), so the style will be American Ales. This includes American Pale Ales, American Ambers, American IPA, even American-style Barleywines and American Wheat beers! Below are the <a href="http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.html">BJCP</a> ale styles with "American" in the style name along with their commercial examples.</div>
<div style="border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-bottom: medium none;"></div>
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<strong>6. LIGHT HYBRID BEER</strong><br />
<em>D. American Wheat or Rye</em><br />
Commercial Examples: Bell's Oberon, Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen, Three Floyds Gumballhead, Pyramid Hefe-Weizen, Widmer Hefeweizen, Sierra Nevada Unfiltered Wheat Beer, Anchor Summer Beer, Redhook Sunrye, Real Ale Full Moon Pale Rye, Anderson Valley High Rollers Wheat Beer, O'Hanlon's Original Rye Beer <br />
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<strong>10. AMERICAN ALE</strong><br />
<em>A. American Pale Ale</em><br />
Commercial Examples: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Stone Pale Ale, Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale, Bear Republic XP Pale Ale, Anderson Valley Poleeko Gold Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, Full Sail Pale Ale, Three Floyds X-Tra Pale Ale, Firestone Pale Ale, Left Hand Brewing Jackman's Pale Ale, Pyramid Pale Ale<br />
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<em>B. American Amber Ale</em><br />
Commercial Examples: North Coast Red Seal Ale, Tröegs HopBack Amber Ale, Deschutes Cinder Cone Red, Pyramid Broken Rake, St. Rogue Red Ale, Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale, Lagunitas Censored Ale, Avery Redpoint Ale, McNeill's Firehouse Amber Ale, Mendocino Red Tail Ale, Bell's Amber, Hoptown Paint the Town Red<br />
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C. American Brown Ale<br />
Commercial Examples: Bell's Best Brown, Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale, Big Sky Moose Drool Brown Ale, North Coast Acme Brown, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Lost Coast Downtown Brown, Left Hand Deep Cover Brown Ale, Great Lakes Cleveland Brown Ale, Avery Ellie's Brown Ale<br />
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<strong>13. STOUT</strong><br />
<em>E. American Stout</em><br />
Commercial Examples: Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, Sierra Nevada Stout, North Coast Old No. 38, Bar Harbor Cadillac Mountain Stout, Avery Out of Bounds Stout, Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout, Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout, Three Floyds Black Sun Stout, Bell's Kalamazoo Stout, Mendocino Black Hawk Stout<br />
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<strong>14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)</strong><br />
<em>B. American IPA</em><br />
Commercial Examples: Bell's Two-Hearted Ale, AleSmith IPA, Russian River Blind Pig IPA, Stone IPA, Three Floyds Alpha King, Great Divide Titan IPA, Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, Victory Hop Devil, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Anderson Valley Hop Ottin', Dogfish Head 60-minute IPA, Founder's Centennial IPA, Anchor Liberty Ale, Harpoon IPA, Avery IPA, Mendocino White Hawk Select IPA <br />
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<strong>19. STRONG ALE</strong><br />
<em>C. American Barleywine</em><br />
Commercial Examples: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Great Divide Old Ruffian, Victory Old Horizontal, Rogue Old Crustacean, Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale, Anchor Old Foghorn, Three Floyds Behemoth, Stone Old Guardian, Bridgeport Old Knucklehead, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Lagunitas Olde GnarleyWine, Smuttynose Barleywine, Flying Dog Horn Dog, Brooklyn Monster Ale, Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, Old Dominion Millennium, Left Hand WiddershinsFredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-63553261961088664052008-06-28T07:38:00.000-04:002008-06-28T19:27:36.576-04:00June FABTS MeetingWe beat the heat on Saturday, 6/14/08 at Kybecca, with a few "Summer Beers!" So, what are summer beers? Lighter, crisper, and typically lower in alcohol so you can drink 'em all afternoon and stay upright. The best summer beers are custom-tailored for warmer weather. From wheat beers and fruit beers to summer ales and brisk lagers, we tasted a lot of what's out there.
Beer list from the meeting. Sorry, I forgot to get who donated what.
<ul><li>Blue and Gray Classic Lager</li><li>Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale </li><li>Blue and Gray Virginia Hefeweizen</li><li>Rogue MOM Hefeweizen</li><li>Brooklyn Summer Ale</li><li>Saranac Pomegranate Wheat</li><li>Smuttynose Summer Weizen</li><li>Magic Hat Circus Boy</li><li>New Holland Zoomer Wit</li><li>Mendocino Summer Ale</li><li>Dogfish Head Festina Pêche </li><li>Southern Tier Hop Sun</li><li>Brooklyn Summer Ale</li><li>Tröegs Sunshine Pils </li><li>Old Dominion Beach House Golden Pilsener</li><li>Clipper City Red Sky At Night</li><li>Brasserie de Blaugies Saison De L'Epeautre</li></ul>Somehow, Sierra Nevada Summerfest was conspicuously missing (I left it in my beer fridge...)Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-77677254213855060272008-03-01T08:18:00.006-05:002008-03-08T12:01:36.455-05:00March FABTS MeetingThe March FABTS meeting will be on March 8th at 1:30PM at Bangkok Boulevard. The style for March is BJCP category English Pale Ale. Specifically, sub-categories 8A (Standard / Ordinary Bitter), 8B (Special / Best / Premium Bitter), and 8C (Extra Special / Strong Bitter). Below are the Overall Impressions and Commercial Examples from the BJCP style guide. I will update the FABTS beers when I hear what people are brining. As always, any style of homebrew is welcome and appreciated.<br /><br /><br /><a name="_Toc180319662"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>8. ENGLISH PALE ALE</strong></span></a><br /><br /><a name="_Toc180319663"><strong>8A. Standard/Ordinary Bitter</strong></a><br /><strong><em>Overall Impression:</em></strong> Low gravity, low alcohol levels and low carbonation make this an easy-drinking beer. Some examples can be more malt balanced, but this should not override the overall bitter impression. Drinkability is a critical component of the style; emphasis is still on the bittering hop addition as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping seen in American ales.<br /><strong><em>Commercial Examples:</em></strong> Fuller's Chiswick Bitter, Adnams Bitter, Young's Bitter, Greene King IPA, Oakham Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (JHB), Brains Bitter, Tetley’s Original Bitter, Brakspear Bitter, Boddington's Pub Draught<br /><br /><strong>FABTS Beers: </strong><br />2 15oz Tetleys Bitter (widget in can) (Kevin B.)<br /><br /><br /><a name="_Toc180319664"><strong>8B. Special/Best/Premium Bitter</strong></a><br /><strong><em>Overall Impression:</em></strong> A flavorful, yet refreshing, session beer. Some examples can be more malt balanced, but this should not override the overall bitter impression. Drinkability is a critical component of the style; emphasis is still on the bittering hop addition as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping seen in American ales.<br /><em><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong></em> Fuller's London Pride, Coniston Bluebird Bitter, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Adnams SSB, Young’s Special, Shepherd Neame Masterbrew Bitter, Greene King Ruddles County Bitter, RCH Pitchfork Rebellious Bitter, Brains SA, Black Sheep Best Bitter, Goose Island Honkers Ale, Rogue Younger’s Special Bitter<br /><br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br />2 15oz Ruddles County (Kevin B.)<br />1x 12oz Fuller's London Pride (Rob A.)<br />1x 19oz Bluebird Bitter (Kybecca)<br /><br /><br /><a name="_Toc180319665"><strong>8C. Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)</strong></a><br /><em><strong>Overall Impression:</strong></em> An average-strength to moderately-strong English ale. The balance may be fairly even between malt and hops to somewhat bitter. Drinkability is a critical component of the style; emphasis is still on the bittering hop addition as opposed to the aggressive middle and late hopping seen in American ales. A rather broad style that allows for considerable interpretation by the brewer.<br /><em><strong>Commercial Examples: </strong></em>Fullers ESB, Adnams Broadside, Shepherd Neame Bishop's Finger, Young’s Ram Rod, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Pale Ale, Bass Ale, Whitbread Pale Ale, Shepherd Neame Spitfire, Marston’s Pedigree, Black Sheep Ale, Vintage Henley, Mordue Workie Ticket, Morland Old Speckled Hen, Greene King Abbot Ale, Bateman's XXXB, Gale’s Hordean Special Bitter (HSB), Ushers 1824 Particular Ale, Hopback Summer Lightning, Great Lakes Moondog Ale, Shipyard Old Thumper, Alaskan ESB, Geary’s Pale Ale, Cooperstown Old Slugger, Anderson Valley Boont ESB, Avery 14’er ESB, Redhook ESB<br /><br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br />2 15oz Old Speckled Hen (widget in can) (Kevin B.)<br />1x 12oz Old Speckled Hen (bottle) (Rob A.)<br />2X Welsh ESB 16oz (Lyle B.)<br />2X Fullers ESB 16oz (Lyle B.)<br />2X Bass 12oz (Lyle B.)<br />2X Sierra Nevada ESB 12oz (Lyle B.)<br />2X Whitbread 12oz (Lyle B.)<br />2X Fullers 1845 16oz (Lyle B.)<br />2x 15oz Greene King Abbot Ale (widget in can) (Rob A. and Scott F.)<br />1x 15oz Black Sheep Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale (Rob A.)<br />2x 12oz Lakefront (from Milwaukee) ESB (Scott F.)<br /><div>2x 12oz Coopers Pale Ale (Kybecca)</div><div></div>1x 15oz Greene King Olde Suffolk English Ale (<em>Old Ale</em>) (Rob A.)<br />Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale (Joe G.)<br />Redhook Copper Hook and/or ESB (Joe G.)Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-22287857178760721982008-01-20T07:14:00.002-05:002008-07-03T13:53:07.065-04:00February FABTS Meeting - Strong AlesThe February FABTS meeting will be on February 9th at 1:30PM at Kybecca. The style for February is BJCP category Strong Ale. Specifically, sub-categories 19A (Old Ale), 19B (English Barleywine), 19C (American Barleywine), and one in the Scottish and Irish Ale category, subcategory 9E (Strong Scotch Ale). Below are the Overall Impressions and Commercial Examples from the BJCP style guide. I will update the FABTS beers when I hear what people are brining.<br /><br />As always, any style of homebrew is welcome and appreciated.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Strong Ales</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>19A Old Ale</em></strong></span><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong> An ale of significant alcoholic strength, bigger than strong bitters and brown porters, though usually not as strong or rich as barleywine. Usually tilted toward a sweeter, maltier balance. “It should be a warming beer of the type that is best drunk in half pints by a warm fire on a cold winter’s night” – Michael Jackson.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong> Gale’s Prize Old Ale, Burton Bridge Olde Expensive, Marston Owd Roger, J.W. Lees Moonraker, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, Fuller’s Vintage Ale, Harvey’s Elizabethan Ale, Theakston Old Peculier (peculiar at OG 1.057), Young's Winter Warmer, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome, Fuller’s 1845, Fuller’s Old Winter Ale, Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Hudson Valley Old Man Ale, Cooperstown Pride of Milford Special Ale, Coniston Old Man Ale, North Coast Old Stock Ale<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>19B English Barleywine</em></strong></span><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong> The richest and strongest of the English Ales. A showcase of malty richness and complex, intense flavors. The character of these ales can change significantly over time; both young and old versions should be appreciated for what they are. The malt profile can vary widely; not all examples will have all possible flavors or aromas.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong> Thomas Hardy’s Ale, Burton Bridge Thomas Sykes Old Ale, Robinson’s Old Tom, J.W. Lee’s Vintage Harvest Ale, Fuller’s Golden Pride, Young’s Old Nick (unusual in its 7.2% ABV), Whitbread Gold Label, Lakefront Beer Line, Heavyweight Old Salty<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>19C American Barleywine</em></strong></span><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong> A well-hopped American interpretation of the richest and strongest of the English ales. The hop character should be evident throughout, but does not have to be unbalanced. The alcohol strength and hop bitterness often combine to leave a very long finish.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples: </strong>Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Rogue Old Crustacean, Anchor Old Foghorn, Victory Old Horizontal, Brooklyn Monster Ale, Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine, Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale, Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, Three Floyds Behemoth, Old Dominion Millennium, Stone Old Guardian, Bridgeport Old Knucklehead, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Left Hand Widdershins<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em>9E Strong Scotch Ale</em></strong></span><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong> Rich, malty and usually sweet, which can be suggestive of a dessert. Complex secondary malt flavors prevent a one-dimensional impression. Strength and maltiness can vary.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong> Traquair House Ale, Orkney Skull Splitter, McEwan's Scotch Ale, MacAndrew's Scotch Ale, Belhaven Wee Heavy, Broughton Old Jock, Scotch du Silly, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale, Founders Dirty Bastard<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-88859806358489261062008-01-12T08:13:00.000-05:002008-01-12T08:48:13.100-05:00January FABTS Meeting - StoutsThe January FABTS meeting is today, January 12th, at 1:30pm at Bangkok Boulevard in Central Park. The style of the month is Stouts.<br /><br />For the benefit of the students in the BJCP class, this month's beer list is categorized by BJCP Style Guide. Categories for the individual beers were determined by Beer Advocate. I've included the Overall Impression and Commercial Examples from the style guide.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>13. Stouts</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>13A. Dry Stout</strong><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong><br />A very dark, roasty, bitter, creamy ale.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong><br />Guinness Draught Stout (also canned), Murphy's Stout, Beamish Stout, O’Hara’s Celtic Stout, Dorothy Goodbody’s Wholesome Stout, Orkney Dragonhead Stout, Brooklyn Dry Stout, Old Dominion Stout, Goose Island Dublin Stout, Arbor Brewing Faricy Fest Irish Stout<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:<br /></strong>2x 12 oz bottle Guinness Draught Stout - Lyle Brown<br />2x 12 oz bottle Beamish Stout - Lyle Brown<br />2x 12 oz bottle Murphy's Stout- Lyle Brown<br />2x 12 oz bottle O'hara's Celtic Stout - David Turley<br />2x 12 oz bottle Lakefront Brewing Snake Chaser Irish Style Stout - James Russ<br />1x 12 oz bottle Shipyard Brewing Bluefin Stout - James Russ<br />2x 12 oz bottle Dominion Oak Barrel Stout - David Turley<br /><br /><strong>13B. Sweet Stout</strong><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong><br />A very dark, sweet, full-bodied, slightly roasty ale. Often tastes like sweetened espresso.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong><br />Mackeson's XXX Stout, Watney's Cream Stout, St. Peter’s Cream Stout, Marston’s Oyster Stout, Samuel Adams Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:<br /></strong>2x 12 oz bottle Mackeson Triple XXX Stout - Joe Gherlone<br />2x 14.9 oz can Young's Double Chocolate Stout (actual chocolate in it) - Joe Gherlone<br />2x 12 oz bottle Lancaster Milk Stout - David Turley<br /><br /><strong>13C. Oatmeal Stout</strong><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong><br /> A very dark, full-bodied, roasty, malty ale with acomplementary oatmeal flavor.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong><br />Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, Young's Oatmeal Stout, Maclay’s Oat Malt Stout, Broughton Kinmount Willie Oatmeal Stout, Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout, McAuslan Oatmeal Stout, McNeill’s Oatmeal Stout, Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br />1x 18.7 oz bottle Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout - Joe Gherlone<br />2x 12 oz bottle Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout - James Russ<br />Growler Vintage 50 Oatmeal Stout (maybe) - Chuck Triplett<br /><br /><strong>13D. Foreign Extra Stout</strong><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong><br />A very dark, moderately strong, roasty ale. Tropical varieties can be quite sweet, while export versions can be drier and fairly robust.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong><br />Lion Stout (Sri Lanka), ABC Stout, Dragon Stout, Royal Extra “The Lion Stout” (Trinidad), Jamaica Stout, Guinness Extra Stout (bottled US product), Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (bottled, not sold in the US), Coopers Best Extra Stout, Freeminer Deep Shaft Stout, Sheaf Stout, Bell’s Double Cream Stout<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:<br /></strong>2x 12 oz bottle Guinness Extra Stout - Lyle Brown<br /><br /><strong>13E. American Stout</strong><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong><br />A hoppy, bitter, strongly roasted Foreign-style Stout (of the export variety).<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong><br />Sierra Nevada Stout, North Coast Old No. 38, Avery Out of Bounds Stout, Three Floyds Black Sun Stout, Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout, Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, Mendocino Black Hawk Stout<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:<br /></strong>2x 12 oz bottle Mendocino Black Hawk Stout - David Turley<br />2x 12 oz bottle Bell's Kalamazoo Stout - David Turley<br />2x 12 oz bottle Dogfish Head Chicory Stout - Dave Fredrickson<br /><br /><strong>13F. Russian Imperial Stout</strong><br /><strong>Overall Impression:</strong><br />An intensely flavored, big, dark ale. Roasty, fruity, and bittersweet, with a noticeable alcohol presence. Dark fruit flavors meld with roasty, burnt, or almost tar-like sensations. Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play.<br /><strong>Commercial Examples:</strong><br />Samuel Smith Imperial Stout, Courage Imperial Stout, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Rogue Imperial Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, Victory Storm King, Bell’s Expedition Stout, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Thirsty Dog Siberian Night, Stone Imperial Stout, Avery The Czar, Founders Imperial Stout, Newport Beach John Wayne Imperial Stout, Great Lakes Blackout Stout<br /><strong>FABTS Beers:</strong><br />2x 12 oz bottle Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 07-08 (no actual chocolate in it) - Joe Gherlone<br />2x 12 oz bottle Bell's Java Stout - Scott Fisher<br /><br /><br /><strong>Homebrew</strong><br />Pretty Heavy Pale Ale - Dave Fredrickson<br />Smoked Pumpkin Ale - Dave FredricksonFredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-10028240851126109732007-12-06T12:09:00.000-05:002007-12-06T12:55:05.851-05:00Musings Over a Pint - Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown AleLocal beer-drinker and FABTS member David Turley maintains a craft beer blog called <a href="http://vadavid.blogspot.com/">Musings Over a Pint</a>. I thought his article yesterday regarding a beer for our first snow was great and got me in the mood for a pint or two. The leadoff paragraph is below...<br /><br />=================================<br /><br />We had our first snow fall of the season today. Nothing substantial, the ground covering didn't last the day, but it looked pretty none-the-less. In addition, the temperature is expected to be in the low 20's tonight. Seemed an apropos time to try out the <a href="http://tommyknocker.com/ourBeer.html">Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale</a> I picked up last week. <a href="http://vadavid.blogspot.com/2007/12/beer-for-first-snow-tommyknocker.html">...read more</a>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-5659207743073860992007-12-06T08:40:00.000-05:002008-01-26T07:48:43.059-05:00Typical FABTS MeetingHere's a typical FABTS meeting, especially when Dave Fredrickson attends.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140846777555664626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/R1f06CTqvvI/AAAAAAAAAKs/IvnM411PvPA/s400/FABTS+Logo.jpg" border="0" />Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-8156628174519857252007-12-06T08:24:00.000-05:002007-12-06T13:09:53.754-05:00December FABTS Meeting Beer List (Update 1)The December FABTS meeting is coming up on December 8, 2007 at Kybecca. We have quite a list of beers going already. If you have anything to add, please let us know.<br /><br />Lyle Brown<br />===================<br />Hook Norton 12 Days (<a href="http://www.hooknortonbrewery.co.uk/beers_home.html">Hook Norton Brewing Co.</a> - Oxon, UK)<br />Jenlain Noël (<a href="http://www.duyck.com/indexuk.php">Brasserie Duyck</a> - Jenlain, France)<br />Fantome Speciale Noël (<a href="http://www.fantome.be/">Brasserie Fantôme</a> - Le Village de SOY, Belgium)<br />Oppigårds Winter Ale (<a href="http://www.oppigards.com/">Oppigårds Bryggeri</a> - Hedemora, Sweden)<br />Nøgne-Ø Winter Ale (<a href="http://www.nogne-o.com/">Nøgne-Ø Brewing Co.</a> - Grimstad, Norway)<br />Corsendonk Christmas Beer (<a href="http://corsendonk.apluz.be/">Brouwerij Corsendonk</a> - Purnode-Yvoir, Belgium)<br /><br />Dave Frederickson<br />===================<br />Mad Elf Holiday Ale (<a href="http://www.troegs.com/">Troeg's Brewing Co.</a> - Harrisburg, PA)<br /><br />James Russ<br />===================<br />Pursuit of Happiness Winter Warmer (<a href="http://www.cpbrewing.com/">Clay Pipe Brewing Co.</a> - Frederick, MD)<br />K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale (<a href="http://www.flyingdogales.com/">Flying Dog Brewery</a> - Denver, CO & Frederick, MD)<br />Bad Elf Winter's Ale (<a href="http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/beerProfile.asp?BeerID=111">Ridgeway Brewing Co.</a> - Oxfordshire, UK)<br />Santa's Butt Winter Porter (<a href="http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/beerProfile.asp?BeerID=152">Ridgeway Brewing Co.</a> - Oxfordshire, UK)<br />Scaldis Noël (<a href="http://www.br-dubuisson.com/">The Dubuisson Brewery </a>- Pipaix, Belgium)<br />Smuttynose Winter Ale (<a href="http://www.smuttynose.com/">Smuttynose Brewing Co.</a> - Portsmouth, NH)<br />Roxy Rolles Winter Amber Seasonale (<a href="http://www.magichat.net/">Magic Hat Brewing Co.</a> - South Burlington, VT)<br />Odd Notion '07 (<a href="http://www.magichat.net/">Magic Hat Brewing Co.</a> - South Burlington, VT)<br />Santa's Private Reserve Ale (<a href="http://www.rogue.com/">Rogue Brewing Co.</a> - Newport, OR)<br />Celebration Ale (<a href="http://www.sierranevada.com/">Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.</a> - Chico, CA)<br />Abita Christmas Ale (<a href="http://www.abita.com/brew/xmasale.html">Abita Brewing Co.</a> - Abita Springs, LA)<br />Heavy Seas Winter Storm "Category 5 Ale" (<a href="http://www.clippercitybeer.com/home/beers_heavyseas.htm">Clipper City Brewing Co.</a> - Baltimore, MD)<br />Delirium Noël (<a href="http://www.delirium.be/">Brouwerij Huyghe</a> - Melle, Belgium)<br />'06 Samichlaus Bier (<a href="http://www.schloss-eggenberg.at/">Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg</a> - Vorchdorf, Austria)<br /><br />Scott Fisher<br />===================<br />Stoudt's Winter Ale (<a href="http://www.stoudtsbeer.com/">Stoudt’s Brewing Co.</a> – Adamstown , PA )<br />Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout (<a href="http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/beerProfile.asp?BeerID=151">Ridgeway Brewing</a> – Oxfordshire , UK )<br /><br />Rob Abbott<br />===================<br />1996 Samichlaus Bier (Brauerei Hürlimann AG -- Zurich, Switzerland)<br /><br /><strong>*NOTE*</strong> - Hürlimann discontinued production of Samichlaus in 1996 when it was taken over by the Feldschlösschen Brewery. In the following years, many people clamoured for it and finally, in 2000, it returned, this time produced by <a href="http://www.schloss-eggenberg.at/site/en_srt_samichlaus.asp?id=87">Schloss Eggenberg</a>.Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-43774998839347004152007-10-27T22:37:00.000-04:002007-11-30T22:53:27.633-05:00October Meeting Notes - by Kevin Brown1. Wiessen Brau<br />Or meadow brew as in the meadow in which Oktoberfest is held (supposedly also originally held) after many complaints from locals for a lighter more easily drunk beer some of the brewery’s have started to brew Wiessen Brau instead.<br /><br />2. Höfbrau München (HB) - Donated by Kybecca<br />Joe - “Smell the aroma carefully. Sharp and pungent then immediately behind that, something like concord grapes, sweet like taste, Saaz.”<br />Dave - “Like a Heineken Plus.”<br />Joe - “That’s what Heineken is take the to the lowest common denominator and you get Heineken.”<br />Dave - “eh… I'm an ale guy.”<br /><br />3. Weihenstaphaner Festbier<br />Hallertauer - more malt sweeter<br /><br />4. Saranac Oktoberfest<br />Honey in the nose, toatsy and thin<br /><br />5. Lancaster Oktoberfest<br />Diacetyl - Diacetyl is a product of yeast more so in lagers and the way you get rid of it is bring the temperature up to 60°F for two days and the yeast will consume a lot of the diacetyl.<br /><br />6. Mendocino Oktoberfest<br />Very dry, like the way it pours, nice crowned head<br /><br />7. Dominion Oktoberfest<br />Little old, roasted barley is obviously used to bring up the colour<br /><br />8. Legend Oktoberfest - Donated by Kybecca<br />Dave - “I note something about diacytel, its got ass right in the middle of it."<br />Kevin - “When diacytel is really strong like this it kind of reminds me of strawberries and cream, like the fake flavour used in processed food."<br /><br />9. Blue and Grey Oktoberfest<br />It's an old bottle when fresh this years was amazing, but this was a disappointment.<br /><br />10. Stoudt’s Oktoberfest<br />It's decocted (take the thickest part of the mash and boil it and throw it back into the kettle, this converts a portion of the sugars to malliard browning reactions.<br />Dave - "Man that’s good shit."<br /><br />11. Dogfish Head Dogtoberfest<br />Very nice, honey<br /><br />12. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest<br />All Hallertauer, identifiable as the Märzen<br /><br />13. Paulaner<br />The malty cousin of Hacker-Pschorr with very similar flavours.<br />Joe - “Very nice.”<br /><br />14. Spaten Oktoberfest<br /><br />15. Clipper City Balto MärzHon<br />Acetalaldehyde (green apple) and a lot of acetone.<br />Dave - “Asselaldahyde, Assetlyahyde!"<br /><br />16. Bell ’s Oktoberfest<br />Lyle “2nd best made in America. I say 2nd because Victory Festbier is first.”<br /><br />17. Victory Festbier<br />Toast not roast. It got a gold in Vienna category.<br />The depth there... that’s the decocotion. It gives such a depth that it shows dramatically the significance of decoction.<br /><br />** Other discussions **<br />Schneider und Sohn is the first non-Royal brewery allowed to brew wheat beers as before only royalty could brew with wheat, (Hopfen Weiss by Brooklynn and Schneider, but its for a very specific tongue you either love or hate it, very hoppy and very phenolic.)<br /><br />Biergarten in Portsmouth has Eisbock on tap (the Aventinus Eisbock is where they take their weizenbock and freeze it removing the ice from the beer thus concentrating the flavor and alc % )<br /><br />There are three main stays for supplies: B3 or Beer Beer and More Beer (<a href="http://www.morebeer.com/">www.morebeer.com</a>), <a href="http://www.williamsbrewing.com/">www.Williamsbrewing.com</a>, and Homebrew USA (this one is for those events “oops I brew tomorrow and I need this”). A few others such as Northern Brewer and My Local Homebrew Shop (in DC 7 corners).Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-40735241904238988122007-09-30T08:36:00.000-04:002007-11-07T10:41:06.852-05:005th Annual Blue & Gray Octoberfest<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-U7qhLjPI/AAAAAAAAAH0/xFloXxcxkec/s1600-h/IMG_1309.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115971454462823666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-U7qhLjPI/AAAAAAAAAH0/xFloXxcxkec/s200/IMG_1309.JPG" border="0" /></a> On Saturday September 29<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span>, Blue and Gray Brewing Company of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Fredericksburg</span>, VA held their 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> annual <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Octoberfest</span>. And while the Bowman Center in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Fredericksburg</span> can't match the atmosphere of "die <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Wiesn</span>" in Munich, it was a great gathering.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div></div><div>The historical background: the first Oktoberfest was held in the year 1810 in honor of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage to Princess Therese <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">von</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Sachsen</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Hildburghausen</span>. The festivities began on October 12, 1810 and ended on October 17<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">th</span> with a horse race. </div><div></div><br /><div>In the following years, the celebrations were repeated and, later, the festival was prolonged and moved forward into September. By moving the festivities up, it allowed for better weather conditions. Because the September nights were warmer, the visitors were able to enjoy the gardens outside the tents and the stroll over “die <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Wiesen</span>” or the fields much longer without feeling chilly. Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this tradition continues into present times. <a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-WRahLjUI/AAAAAAAAAIc/EGFqPWkgZ-c/s1600-h/IMG_1308.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115972927636606274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-WRahLjUI/AAAAAAAAAIc/EGFqPWkgZ-c/s200/IMG_1308.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div> </div><div>The Blue and Gray <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Octoberfest</span> started the first year I moved to the region, 2002. Some of the mainstays have been at the festival since the beginning. Beer, Brats and Bavarian music. The beers this year were all of the normal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Fredericksburg</span> Brewing Company line of beers, Fred Red, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Falmouth</span> American Pale Ale, the Classic Lager and Stonewall Stout. I sampled the American Pale Ale. The hop character hits you right away with this beer. I think it's a little overpowering. The Fred Red has a malty sweetness and little hop flavor. I talked with some of the brewers there and they say that they make a 50/50, Half <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Falmouth</span>, half Fred Red to balance out the flavor.<br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-VcqhLjRI/AAAAAAAAAIE/WGaAAxMWanw/s1600-h/IMG_1310.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115972021398506770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-VcqhLjRI/AAAAAAAAAIE/WGaAAxMWanw/s200/IMG_1310.JPG" border="0" /></a>They had a little bit of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Hefeweizen</span> left but that was tapped out in the first half hour. The other two specialty beers were a Baron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">von</span> Steuben Oktoberfest lager and a Temporary Insanity Imperial Stout. The Oktoberfest was brewed back in February and has been <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">lagering</span> since then. It has a dark amber color and c<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">aramel</span> malty flavor. As it warmed up I noticed hints of chestnuts. The beer drinks as smooth as milk with the bitterness hitting your tongue at the end. A very good Fest.<br /></div><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-Wq6hLjVI/AAAAAAAAAIk/tclQExS8z64/s1600-h/IMG_1311.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115973365723270482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-Wq6hLjVI/AAAAAAAAAIk/tclQExS8z64/s200/IMG_1311.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Temporary Insanity Imperial Stout poured an opaque black with a tan head. The beer was medium-bodied and its <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">mouth feel</span> was a little thin for the style. But the beer had a great <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">taste</span> of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Due to its 11% <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">ABV</span> you felt every swallow of beer on its way to the stomach. Very nice.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-V5ahLjTI/AAAAAAAAAIU/kYrZktuL8Ng/s1600-h/IMG_1322.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115972515319745842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Rv-V5ahLjTI/AAAAAAAAAIU/kYrZktuL8Ng/s200/IMG_1322.JPG" border="0" /></a>The entertainment provided was what you expect at Oktoberfest. German band "The Low N Brows" provided enough polka and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">waltzes</span> for the crowd to get into the groove and played the "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Ein</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Prosit</span>" German drinking song enough to get the author thoroughly buzzed in the few hours we were there. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Spotsylvania</span> Sheriff's K-9 Department also put on a demonstration of their tracking abilities. I knew I had had enough when I started heckling a cop. Cut me off! </div><br /><div></div><div></div><div>The crowd at the festival was very jovial and was still having a good time when I left. Congratulations to the Blue and Gray Brewing Company for putting on a great Oktoberfest. </div></div></div></div></div>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-54678467262513399532007-09-16T08:30:00.000-04:002007-09-16T10:30:47.339-04:00BMWs and Craft Brewing<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru06xinwnpI/AAAAAAAAAHc/ZpqiJ1iJgmk/s1600-h/Final_2007_sm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110805774916951698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 644px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 166px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="111" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru06xinwnpI/AAAAAAAAAHc/ZpqiJ1iJgmk/s400/Final_2007_sm.jpg" width="531" border="0" /></a>Every labor day BMW hosts a homecoming for the Z3 and Z4 cars that were built in their plant in Greenville / Spartanburg, SC. The 2007 BMW Homecoming was BMW's 11th year of doing this and the first year Angela and I went. There were over 600 Z3's and Z4's at the reunion. On Saturday morning they take a panoramic picture of all of them in from of the very plant where they were created. It was an awesome experience. <a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru02NSnwniI/AAAAAAAAAGk/RiU_jvaswIU/s1600-h/BRBC2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110800754100182562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 188px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 139px" height="149" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru02NSnwniI/AAAAAAAAAGk/RiU_jvaswIU/s320/BRBC2.jpg" width="191" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />During the weekend we had a chance to visit the local brewpub, The <a href="http://www.blueridgebrewing.com/">Blue Ridge Brewing Company</a>. Prior to 1995, in South Carolina you could not legally open a brew pub. Then, Bob Hiller lobbied the state and won. In 1995, the Blue Ridge Brewing Company officially opened its doors for business. All of their beers are brewed on site by brewmaster Jay Simpson.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div align="justify"><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru00TCnwncI/AAAAAAAAAF0/hMXPRirC27Y/s1600-h/mini-123Riverfalls3.jpg"></a><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru02hSnwnjI/AAAAAAAAAGs/l73OSFb5hiI/s1600-h/mini-123Riverfalls3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110801097697566258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru02hSnwnjI/AAAAAAAAAGs/l73OSFb5hiI/s320/mini-123Riverfalls3.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Blue Ridge Brewing company is located in Downtown Greenville. We found downtown Greenville to be very nice, very clean, and appealing. Tree-lined streets and a river running through downtown with a waterfall. The Blue Ridge Brewing Company fits in very well; a nice atmosphere inside with outside sidewalk seating in summer.</div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru00finwndI/AAAAAAAAAF8/Hl8bVJyTb8o/s1600-h/brbc+cppa.gif"></a></div><div><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru08MSnwnrI/AAAAAAAAAHs/38dwefvAmTA/s1600-h/brbc+cppa.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110807333990080178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru08MSnwnrI/AAAAAAAAAHs/38dwefvAmTA/s400/brbc+cppa.gif" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div>Angela and I enjoyed the outside weather and settled in to sample a few b<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru00rinwneI/AAAAAAAAAGE/lb0j7UZ8Czc/s1600-h/brbc+kba.gif"></a>eers. I started with their Colonel Paris Pale Ale and Angela had their Kurli Blonde Ale. You got to love a Pale Ale with a great Cascade nose. As this was a warm day, the Pale Ale went down too fast. The Kurli Blonde was an American-style wheat beer. Another one that was easily drinkable on a warm day.<br /></div><div></div><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru08DCnwnqI/AAAAAAAAAHk/m0bI47iQW4w/s1600-h/brbc+bacipa.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110807175076290210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 117px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 94px" height="132" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/Ru08DCnwnqI/AAAAAAAAAHk/m0bI47iQW4w/s400/brbc+bacipa.gif" width="146" border="0" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>For a snack Angela and I had the Southwestern Quesadilla. It was loaded with Smoked Chicken, Black Beans, Roasted Peppers, Cilantro, Onions, Artichoke Hearts, and Cheese. To wash it down I had their Double Ball and Chain High Gravity IPA. From their menu it states that this beer is overflowing with Chinook, Cascade, Amarillo and Centennial hops. At 110 IBU and 10% abv, it was a perfect match to the spicy quesadilla.<br /></div><div></div><div> </div><div>After we finished the quesadilla I had room for one more. I decided to try their Rye Patch Pale Ale. There was definite rye character in the nose, but a different mixture of hops were used as compared to the Colonel Paris Pale Ale. This beer finished a little more dry than that 0ne as well. This was their new seasonal that they had just tapped less than a week earlier. We just missed out on their Hurricane Hefe Weizen.<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>The other beers they had on tap were the Rainbow Trout ESB and their Total Eclipse Stout. I wasn't expecting much but was pleaseantly surprised with the quality of the beers at Blue Ridge Brewing Company. They also offer us these rules to live by.<br /></div><br /><div>- James</div><div></div><br /><div>Rules to Live By:</div><br /><ul><li>In all things, practice moderation. Except with regard to beer, ale, and whiskey.</li><li>Be kind to animals, children, the elderly, and anyone or anything else that can fetch you a pint.</li><li>If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Better yet, trade the damn lemons for some barley and yeast and brew yourself some ale.</li><li>Silence is golden, but ale is goldener.</li><li>Patience is a virtue. Remember this when letting the pint settle.</li><li>The truth shall set you free. This does not apply when the question is "How many pints have you had?"</li><li>Never use profanity. Except when the^%$#@&! damn pub has closed.</li><li>Never leave a pint undrained; It gives the glass low self-esteem.</li><li>Always choose your words carefully, especially if you're slurring. </li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-87445314930048144212007-08-26T11:53:00.000-04:002007-08-26T12:04:35.081-04:003rd Annual Shockoe Craft Beer Festival<div><div><div><div><div><div>Angela and I went to the 3rd annual Shockoe Craft Beer Festival on Friday night. After a stressful week for both of us, going and having beers with hundreds of strangers seemed like something that would help our moods. It did!<br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGijLRhqtI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Troiqi1Au0E/s1600-h/IMG_1188.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103038577992903378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGijLRhqtI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Troiqi1Au0E/s200/IMG_1188.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We decided against driving back from the festival and got a room at the Marriott in Richmond. It’s located about 5 blocks away from the festival location – walking / stumbling distance. The beer fest was held in Kanawha Plaza in downtown Richmond. Admission to the event was $15 for one day/$25 for two. We opted for one day’s worth of fun. Along with the admission you received a 6 ounce plastic pilsner tasting glass as well as 5 tasting tickets. Additional tickets were $1 apiece. The location of the event was great for the size of the crowd on Friday night. It was fairly intimate and not long lines to wait for beer. I kept telling Angela that come Saturday, I assumed the place would be a madhouse.<br /><br /><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGiTbRhqsI/AAAAAAAAAE8/PJsAX62Luik/s1600-h/IMG_1181.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103038307409963714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGiTbRhqsI/AAAAAAAAAE8/PJsAX62Luik/s200/IMG_1181.JPG" border="0" /></a>I’ve been to numerous beer festivals in California when I lived out there and I’ve been to a couple of the Old Dominion festivals. So, I knew what to expect. Angela had never been to beer fest before and was surprised that it was outdoors. The beer selection didn’t disappoint. There were 25 -30 brewery tents each pouring 2 or more of their offerings. A lot of the brewers were also pouring kegs from other breweries as well. The best thing about going to beer fest with someone is that you can taste two separate beers at each tent. That way you get half as hammered as you would be if you tried to taste all of the different beers. Angela and I went through about $40 worth of drink tickets. <a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGi1rRhquI/AAAAAAAAAFM/_l_CEGPzlQg/s1600-h/IMG_1185.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103038895820483298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGi1rRhquI/AAAAAAAAAFM/_l_CEGPzlQg/s200/IMG_1185.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We started the day with Troegs Hopback Amber and Dreamweaver Wheat as we perused the park. The Hopback Amber was malty and has a flowery nose. The Dreamweaver Wheat was spicy with clove notes. It’s funny how each tent nearly had the same types of beers. Most had a Pale Ale and either a Wheat or IPA. So, For Pale Ales, by far my favorite was Bluegrass American Pale Ale by Bluegrass Brewing Company in Louisville, Kentucky. There were a ton of wheats and I thought the best one was Richmond’s own Legend Brewing’s Hefeweisen. It had an intense aroma of bananas, cloves, and pepper. The initial flavor is sharp and tart, yielding to a little malty sweetness in the middle. It was very refreshing on a hot afternoon.<br /><br />For the IPAs it was a tie between my favorite regional brewer out here Delaware’s Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA and the Double Simcoe IPA from Weyerbacher Brewing Co. in Pennsylvania. I was disappointed in Dogfish Head’s Festina Peche. This was supposed to be a peach-flavored Berliner-Weisse. To me the peach flavor was totally overcome by the tartness and sourness of the beer. Maybe it’s just not my style. The other notable beers from the day were Clipper City’s Uber Pils. Angela and I went back for this one 3 times.<br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGje7RhqvI/AAAAAAAAAFU/_wTfkejK-GI/s1600-h/IMG_1199.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103039604490087154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGje7RhqvI/AAAAAAAAAFU/_wTfkejK-GI/s200/IMG_1199.JPG" border="0" /></a>There were a few food vendors there that had BBQ, brats, and Mediterranean fare. Angela and I had the BBQ from ExtraBilly’s Smokehouse and Brewery. It was very good. Haley Scion of Richmond was one of the sponsors and gave out the most schwag. We got tshirts, sweatshirts and coffee mugs. They also had free pizza. Angel specifically enjoyed one token received from Flying Dog Brewery. She thought she was picking up some matches and it turned out to hide a condom. The other good schwag was from Oskar Blues Brewery. Free coozies, stickers, and m<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGju7RhqwI/AAAAAAAAAFc/JayAkRnBgyE/s1600-h/IMG_1197.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103039879367994114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGju7RhqwI/AAAAAAAAAFc/JayAkRnBgyE/s200/IMG_1197.JPG" border="0" /></a>ug holder necklaces.<br /><br />As the night wore on Angela and I settled down to listen to the live music. It was mostly Bluegrass which neither of us like. The first act was the Shockoe Bottom Boys, then Billy Ray Hatley and the Showdogs finishing with Jackass Flatts who were the most talented of the bunch.<br /><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGj_LRhqxI/AAAAAAAAAFk/XO81iXgUYt0/s1600-h/IMG_1192.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103040158540868370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RtGj_LRhqxI/AAAAAAAAAFk/XO81iXgUYt0/s200/IMG_1192.JPG" border="0" /></a>We decided to walk back to the Marriott after the festival completed at 10pm. While the walk to the site was no problem, we didn’t realize that the walk back was all up hill. Sweat was pouring off our backs by the time we made it back to the room. We were never so appreciative of air conditioning. We had a great time and are looking forward to next year’s. Let’s plan now for a FABTS trip. </div></div></div></div></div></div>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-39142196037820779292007-08-18T05:51:00.001-04:002008-07-03T13:40:20.764-04:00Beer Radio<p align="center"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RsbQpbRhqeI/AAAAAAAAACc/vsmVxdzT_Gk/s1600-h/beer+radio.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099993038158146018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_Zfr_42FYQ-Q/RsbQpbRhqeI/AAAAAAAAACc/vsmVxdzT_Gk/s400/beer+radio.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>I am a big Howard Stern fan. So when he moved his show to Sirius satellite radio, I had to make the decision to either pay or not for the show. I've been a subscriber since December 2005 and while I still listen to Howard, what I found is the rest of Sirius is great. No commercial music channels are great!<br /><br />I heard there's a show on Saturday afternoon dedicated to beer. It's supposed to be on Sirius Channel 147 from 4-6pm. Here's the description of the show from their <a href="http://www.beerradio.com/">website</a>. I will try and check it out today and report here with a review of the show.<br /><br />NOTE: The <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=110501436">podcast</a> for the show is available in iTunes, but the last show they have on there is from <a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=110501436&s=143441&i=15786354">April 28th</a>. Hopefully, the show is still on. I'll let you know.<br /><br />=================<br /><br /><strong>Welcome to Beer Radio!</strong><br /><a href="http://www.usbdt.com/"></a><br />Cheers! Raise your glass high for Beer Radio, the official radio program of the <a href="http://www.usbdt.com/?referral=BigJamesKahuna">United States Beer Drinking Team</a>! As the only internationally broadcast radio program dedicated to the "sister and brotherhood of beer" we bring a frothy episode of Beer Radio to you live every Saturday in the USA and Canada as well as streaming and podcast around the world over the Internet.<br /><br />Each week we bring brew to you. As the first "all beer; all the time" show dedicated to your best beer on your best day with your best buddies, we talk about all everything you want to hear including Beer Radio host talk with Ray "Redstar" Hoffman and Tim "Beerman" Gallagher talking about their great beer week, Beer Radio news and lifestyle report with "Chicago Bill" Krejci, Beer and fitness report with former U.S. Navy Seal, Stew Smith, "America's Beer Authority", Gary Monterosso with the Beer Radio Draft Report, "Beer Adventurer" Alex Wolf reporting from the land of sky blue water, "Beer Evangelist" and former "Beer Drinker of the Year", John Marioni reporting from Beer Land in America's great northwest ...... and a lot more.<br /><br />You can call into Beer Radio live each Saturday from 4-6PM eastern time @ 866-USBDT-Beer (866-872-3823) and let's talk beer!Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-62900907167778995762007-08-12T08:42:00.000-04:002007-08-12T09:28:54.958-04:00Drinking Appreciation TV ShowsAt the August FABTS meeting we briefly discussed a few TV shows that focus on the appreciation of drinking adult beverages. The shows are <em>Three Sheets, Beer Nutz</em> and <em>Uncorked with Billy Merritt</em>. The shows are on the HDTV MOJO network. MOJO is available on Comcast Spotsylvania/Stafford channel 774 and Cox Communications channel 710.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mojohd.com/mojoseries/threesheets/"><em>Three Sheets</em></a> is an international drinking tour with comedian Zane Lamprey who takes you around the world to master the local drinking customs. The show is funny while being informative. I have seen shows about Tequilas, Rums, Champagne and Irish beer. There was a great show recently about Sake'.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mojohd.com/search/?search=beer+nutz"><em>Beer Nutz</em></a> limits itself to US beer travel. While this show should appeal to our group, it's the most uninteresting of the three. The best thing about this show is that they go to various different places in the US and highlight the brewpubs and microbreweries of the area. The worst part of the show is that they give the various brewers/drinkers/places a rating. The rating system which they use to give people and places from 1 to 5 "kegs". For some reason, MOJO does not have a home page for the show but doing a search on their site brings up an episode list. I've linked to it above.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mojohd.com/mojoseries/uncorked/"><em>Uncorked with Billy Merritt</em></a> is about a beer guy trying to make the leap to wine snob. The good thing about this show is that he's willing to ask the dumb question so you don't have to. Sometimes the hosts acts a little stupid, which gets a little annoying, but you end up learning from his feigned ignorance.Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5983432974412361450.post-62637818506681527232007-08-11T07:16:00.000-04:002007-08-11T07:43:12.002-04:00August FABTS MeetingAugust is non-barley month at the FABTS meeting. We will also have the owner of Blacksnake Meadery here as guest speaker, plus may have an additional, surprise guest. Here's the list of the different beverages.<br /><br />Sake:<br /><ul><li>5 different sakes </li><li>Sparkling Dessert Sake</li></ul><br />Cider:<br /><ul><li>Piore Granit - A Perry made from pears grown on 300 year old legacy trees, in Normandy, France by Eric Bordelet.</li><li>Sydre Argelette - Another Eric Bordelet Perry made by the same company from 100 year old trees. </li><li>Cidre Doux - An apple cider from Eric Bordelet from legacy apple trees.</li><li>Aspall Dry English "draft" cider</li><li>Normandy Cider</li></ul><br />Mead:<br /><ul><li>2 different Hilltop Berryfarm Rockfish River Cyser (one sweet, one dry) (VA)</li><li>Redstone Juniper Mead (CO)</li><li>Redstone Blackraspberry mead (CO)</li><li>Redstone Cinnamon Vanilla Mead (CO)</li><li>Iqhilika South African Bird's Eye Chile Mead (SA)</li><li>Misty Mtn Wildfower and Ginger mead (VA)</li><li>Misty Mtn traditional mead (VA)</li><li>White Winter Cyser (WI)</li><li>Chouchen Oak Aged mead (Brittany, France)</li><li>Polish Mead</li><li>Carrolls Mead (Washingtonville. NY) </li></ul>Fredericksburg Area Brewing and Tasting Societyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06691597021104135366noreply@blogger.com0