Bad Timing
I’ve talked before how I have bad timing. So I have to leave early tomorrow morning for Maine and am heading to St Louis tomorrow. I’m busy packing for the next 5 days and was scatterbrained and anxious, and freakin STONE BREWING decides to call for a phone interview for an assistant brewer position. Fuck. I was awful. I was unprepared and rambling and sounding very hurried. Fuck. I’m thinking there goes that job.
An IPA a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Beer #81
Pinnacles IPA (Broadway Brewing Co)
Wish this wasn’t so on the fly. Packing and leaving for Maine for 5 days for two of my best friends’ wedding!
Also wish I hadn’t waited a week to drink this out of the growler. I’m a busy man!
The carbonation is gone, but it remains a very tasty, albeit not outstanding American IPA.
An IPA a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Beer #80
Hard Time IPA (Prison Brews)
Willamette, Glacier, and Cascade hops. Interesting mix. Not an interesting beer. Prison Brews is alright if you’re passing through, but they don’t make exceptional beer. Oh well, I guess another growler added to the collection?
An IPA a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Beer #79
Rat Tail IPA (2nd Shift Brewing Co)
It’s been over a month since I’ve done one of these! I need to get on it, not the least because I have a fridge full of beer.
So this is a brewery in New Haven, Missouri that I only just found out about a couple weeks ago. I was in St. Louis last weekend for a buddy’s bachelor party and on the way back home I decided to take the scenic route and stop by for a few beers. I ended up randomly at a Wine and Art festival before finally making it to 2nd Shift. I’ll tell you what, the man knows how to make a good IPA.
This one was out of a growler, still had a very nice head to it even though I’ve had the growler for 5 days and have cracked into it a bit already. Very nice lacing retained on the (American Homebrewers Association) glass.
Brewmaster Steve Crider (who is just a swell dude to talk to and have show you around his brewery) apparently loves the same American hop varieties I do, because his beers just explode with citrus rind and floral aroma. A very pronounced pineapple aroma as well.
As far as taste goes….this is an immaculate IPA. Citrus, heavy floral, pineapple, pine, with a lasting bitterness on the palate which is just delightful.
This is seriously a good IPA if I haven’t made that clear yet. If you’re in the Missouri area, start looking for and asking your local alcohol purveyor to get 2nd Shift beer (I’m pretty sure he’s going to be starting distribution soon). Or better yet, head out to New Haven on a weekend and say hi; it’s beautiful area and a very nice facility.
The Bad Apple
I got this bottle of 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s The Bad Apple semi-dry cider when I was in Corvallis, Oregon. Broke it open a few days ago. Whew. It is DELICIOUS. Also perfectly dry. Not exceptionally dry like an apfelwein but with only a hint of apple sweetness. Perfect. Also, after a glass of this 10.5% ABV cider, things got a little funny.
Urban Chestnut Brewing Co
left to right:
Schnicklefritz Weissbier, Hopfen, STLIPA, Old Tjikko Spruce beer
I wish I had been able to stay here longer and try more of their many beers on tap, but it was getting late and I needed to drive. The beers were ok, and I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of styles (I was under the impression they only did German styles).
Six Row Brewing Co
Argh, again, I should have written these things down.
Top row, left to right:
Extra Pale Ale, Double IPA, Strong Porter, The Whale
Bottom row, left to right:
Cream Ale, Killer Whale, Hefeweizen, Centennial Rye
Pretty good beers, probably my second favorite place of the day.
Square One Brewery and Distillery
Next I went to Square One Brewery and Distillery. I needed to play it cool so I didn’t get a chance to try any of the spirits. In fact, I apparently forgot to write anything down so I don’t even recall what I had.
I know I had a Bavarian Weizen, Park Avenue Pale Ale, IPA, Pilsner, Stout, and Imperial IPA. Beyond these I have no idea. I’ll take better notes next time.
The beer was ok.
