Alright, that may be a little crude. Last week I went to my first brew day. Now, I have enjoyed good beer for a long time, and I’ve had a rough idea on the processes. I had just never actually had a hand in making the deliciousness that I enjoy so much. My buddy Scott over at Burton Brewhouse (http://burtonbrewhouse.blogspot.com/) has been trying to get me over there for awhile now and due to conflicting schedules it just hadn’t happened. I digress. The plan was to make a pair of beers if we had sufficient time, first up was an Amber brewed with Amarillo hops.

At this stage the beer is beginning to look a lot more like beer. Very sweet taste though, and not a lot of body.We would fix that though.

This part was the easy part. Just sitting back, drinking some brews while making new. You know, because you have to replenish what you consume.

When I construct my first brewing setup, this is one area that I plan to engineer a little differently. There is a lot of room for improvement on the efficiency part. I am already devising how to run a couple of coils with a pump to circulate the water. Or, I might just cheap out and get a plate cooler.

I don’t know how you would brew beer without a truck bed. It just comes in so handy when you are running a budget homebrew setup.

The wit that we brewed went just as smoothly as the amber. Same steps, but more beer consumption and less pictures. After seeing this whole process first hand I have decided that I am going to start off slow and begin with a big pot on the stove, an all grain setup, and probably one gallon batches. I always have to be trying something new so the smaller batches will allow for me to experiment significantly more.

After a week, the fermentation is still going well, the croizen is falling out and we plan to bottle here in a couple more weeks. I am hoping they turn out well enough to share and enjoy more than just a learning experience.

Yet another delicious beer for this afternoon. Another beer that I have been sitting on for awhile, Ovila Saison. The Ovila project is one that is excellent. Without being too verbose, it is a collaboration between Sierra Nevada and some monks at the New Clairvaux Abbey. This saison is an excellent representative of the style. Spicy pepper notes, almost a candied ginger flavor in the middle, and an overly yeasty fruit finish. Unfortunately Sierra Nevada doesn’t have as much on the series on their website as they used to. In short, William Randolph Hearst, purchased an Abbey from Spain and had it shipped to California, brick, by lonesome brick. A chunk of proceeds from this beer help to fund the restoration of this landmark. Definitely check this out if you can find one. I however have been aging mine for nigh on two years, if not slightly longer.

So here I am, an afternoon with no immediately looming deadlines for a change. I decided that it was time to sit back, relax, read my Wall Street Journal and have a coffee…. porter. Harpoons El Triunfo to be precise. I’ve been holding on to this for a few weeks now. I heard about it from a customer of mine at work one evening. I was certainly intrigued. I left directly from work to drive to Specs to pick a couple up. So, as I was saying, I’ve been sitting on this for a couple of weeks, just waiting for a chance to try it. I am not quite sure if I am blown away with it, or if it met my expectations. As I am sitting here drinking it, the profile is altering itself as it warms up. It has an excellent aroma (5/5), a well roasted, strong, almost bitter coffee flavor (4/5), but the body on this brew is a little bit light… Then again, I am a diehard Russian Imperial fan. Everything is light in comparison. It does however lace very well for a beer that is only 6%. The beer is excellent, and by now hard to find. I know I have a few more bottles at the store, and one more in my aging closet, but it is certainly worth snagging if you get the chance. I am adding points to this brew with every sip, especially as it comes down to room temperature.

Prosit!

Well, we survived! It is now December 23rd and I hope that whilst y’all were enjoying your stashes of prime beverages that you left some for the new year. I know that I was having a hard time deciding what I wanted to indulge in out of my aging cellar. Sooo many choices, and what seemed to be impending doom. I decided that I would just crack open a DFH Pangaea. It proved to be a solid choice. The crystallized ginger added a very nice complexity to the ale. I’m glad that I had it, but I don’t believe that I’d get another.

Probably one of the best beers that I had in preparation of the Mayan prediction was the Stone Enjoy By. THAT was an excellent IPA. The closest to Pliny the Elder that I have found… since well Pliny the Elder. Pineapple, fresh hops, pungent aromas of sweet citrus. Overall amazing. Unfortunately… I only had one to enjoy. No sense in aging it either as it was best enjoyed fresh (Like Pliny).

What all beers did you have set aside for 12-21-12? What do you have lined up for Christmas?

I am trying to decide what I am going to be taking with me to drink during the bowl games, there are just so many excellent choices. Last night upon the recommendation of a customer of mine I picked up a Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Coffee Porter. I snagged the last pair of bottles that I could find at Specs, I figure one for enjoyment now, and one to be aged / shared with friends later.

Another excellent beer that I had this past week was the Real Ale Brewers Cut #2 Black Quad. Excellent, nice and malty, full bodied, and not overly sweet. I was very impressed, and I love most of Real Ales product line, but this just went above and beyond.

Merry Christmas y’all!

Last night some buddies of mine all got together and we had a tasting event. Present were thirteen distinct, rare(ish) beers. This is going to be a lengthy post so, you may just want to crack a (55-63 degree) brew and sit down.

1. Le Merle – North Coast Brewing Co.
2. Le Feuillien Triple – Brasserie St-Feuillien #37 Triple Beer Advocate
3. Small Batch #1 – Ranger Creek San Antonio
4. Ranger Creek #2 – Ranger Creek San Antonio
5. Pliny The Elder – Russian River Brewing #19 on Rate Beer #6 Beer Advocate
6. Fullers Vintage Ale 2010 – Fuller, Smith, & Turner
7. 10 Commandments – The Lost Abbey
8. Big Worse – Mikkeller
9. Sucaba (Abacus) – Firestone Walker Brewing Co #49 Beer Advocate
10. Top Sail Bourbon Barrel Porter
11. The Abyss 2011 – Deschutes Brewing #29 Rate Beer #13 Beer Advocate
12. Speedway Stout – Alesmith Brewing Co. #6 on Rate Beer #63 Beer Advocate
13. Whiskey Weasel Rodeo – Jester King Brewery #45 Stout Beer Advocate

I could go on and find the ratings for everything we drank, but rest assured, this was not a commonplace tasting. I’ll start at the top and work from there.

1. Le Merle Solid Saison, true to the style and enjoyable. I’m not a huge saison guy, but this was good.

2. Again, I am not a huge Belgian guy, but this Triple was excellent. It managed a 98 on Rate Beer if that tells you anything about it. A nice strong, aromatic triple, floral notes, and a fruit flavor.

3. Ranger Creek #1. Thankfully they acknowledge their wax issue. This beer was probably spoiled by the wax. It was supposed to be an oatmeal pale ale, an anniversary homage to one of their first releases. However, in practice, this brew was unfortunately disappointing. The odor of the wax (even once removed from the bottle before we pulled the crown) was just too much. It was almost a sour, but not quite. I’d really like to have this brew from a cask and give it an honest shot.

4. Ranger Creek #2. THEY FIXED THE WAX ISSUE! This brew was solid. Very nice smokey flavor resulting from the fruit wood that they used to smoke their malts. Excellent saison, medium body, nice fruit notes. One of the better smokey aspects that I’ve ever sampled.

5. Pliny The Elder. This double IPA is a three peat world champion. This brew is everything I wanted, and more. I had always heard about Pliny, but wowzers. Wonderful aromas (I wanted to bottle it and sell it as cologne) I always wondered why the name Pliny so I set out to do some reseach (Read: Google / Wikipedia). Pliny was the first known individual to write about hops! (Fitting for a double IPA). He died in a volcanic accident while attempting to rescue some individuals. Any man that notes hops, and dies saving mankind… he’s a good fella in my book. My next trip to Cali I will be bringing back some of this brew. It is not meant to be aged so unfortunately, unless I move to California it’s not a daily brew to drink. This is rated the #6th best bottled beer… and you can buy it for $4.99 a bottle. Talk about value. Wonderful pineapple notes, I’ve had a LOT of IPAs, but never one that exhibited pineapple. It was very refreshing with the four types of hops used.

6. Fullers Vintage. I do love some Fullers. Whether it is their London Porter, ESB, or now their vintage ale. This brew house puts out some exceptional beer. This one was the 2010 vintage and was rather delightful. I would have liked to see how the flavor and body develops after another year or two, but I wasn’t going to turn down the chance to drink a beer that comes in its own box.

7. The Lost Abbey. The Ten Commandments.This was the first Lost Abbey brew that I’ve ever had, and boy oh boy do I want some more. This ale had notes of raisins, honey, and….. rosemary. An odd combination if you think about it, but melded together it was very pleasing to the palate. The rosemary hit first, a wonderful aroma as well as tingling in the mouth feel. Then you have the full flavor of the raisins. Wonderfully alcoholic raisins, bold, sweet, and a touch of acidity. Then the honey smooths everything. It feels as though the rosemary chips at the wall of your palate, the raisins come busting through the front door, then it is all encompassed in a flood of honey that flows in like lava. Truly wonderful. I would get this beer again, and again. It is not an every day beer, but certainly one that I’d love to have on hand for this cold winter nights.

8. Big Worse – Mikkeller. I am a big fan of Mikkeller. I like his collaborations, I like what he’s done with the guys over at , etc. This barley wine is no exception. Very well put together, true to style. Enjoyable.

9. Firestone Walker Sucaba. This was one of my favorites, if not my favorite brew from last night. Great barley wine, luscious and full bodied. Very smooth as well, I’ve never had a barley wine as smooth as this one, even my five year aged Sisyphus wasn’t this well rounded. I can certainly see why this beer is rated in the top tier. I am not on a quest to find their reserve series of this brew. I am sold on this brewery after one beer, and that is saying a lot.

10. Full Sail Bourbon Barrel Imperial Porter. This brew is the one I was most excited to try (outside of Pliny). An imperial porter, aged in bourbon barrels (at the suggestion of the head distiller from The Macallen). Fig notes, whisky flavor, and the whiteness of the oak. It was good, don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it didn’t have the robust full body that I was hoping for. In all honesty, I was judging it to be an imperial stout instead of a porter, and that is what inevitably led to my disappointment. However, for a porter it was great. This is another beer that was drank prematurely. Being an imperial style, and only released in February of this year, I should have aged it another two years or so to further allow the alcohol to do its work, but in the end it was still rather enjoyable, and I imagine those of you aging this beer will not be disappointed.

11.The Abyss 2011 Vintage. Rated a perfect 100 on rate beer. I’d concur. This imperial stout, damn. The molasses, licorice, touch of sweetness, full bodied, and it pours black as the night with no moon. If perfection was a beer, this would be it’s right hand. There is an elite category in my mind for imperial stouts and this is right up there with the best of them. If I was able to have any beer, in any quantity, this would be it. It is the embodiment of what makes the perfect beer in my mind…. this is after it has only aged a year. I have a bottle from 2010 that I am still aging, as well as a pair from 2011. I hope to find a 2012 here in the next couple of weeks. Having this beer I feel rockets you into an exclusive club. This is the Ferrari of beers. Rich, luscious, holy moley, I cannot overemphasize this beer enough. If you ever have the chance, this is a MUST INDULGE!

12. Alesmith Speedway Stout. How do you follow The Abyss with anything? You have a Alesmith Speedway Stout. Ranked one of the best Imperial Stouts by Rate Beer. Coffee, lush chocolate, and 12% alc. I however disagree with the #1 moniker. While this stout was excellent, it didn’t excite me like the Abyss or the Bourbon Barrel Weasel Rodeo. The speedway stout was good, but I found it a little dry. Not like a cabernet dry, but something was drying. I suspect that they used a very dark roasted coffee which would pull the moisture out of the caramel malts and cause a drying mouth feel. It was still excellent, and very enjoyable, but I’ve had imperial stouts that appealed more to my palate.

13. Jester King Whiskey Barrel Weasel Rodeo. Alrighty, lets talk about Weasel Rodeo. Jester King has done some fun things with this beer. The original Weasel Rodeo (note batch #2, not the initial) has Kopi Luwak coffee ($200lb), and lots of it. The Weasel Rodeo is the most expensive beer ever released in Texas (by a Texas craft brewer). Dang near $18 a bottle, for a 750ml. Now, if you are sitting on this beer… KEEP SITTING. This beer needs time to develop natural carbonation. I had one that had been aging a couple of months, and it didn’t have enough carbonation yet, and this has been a common note against the brew. Everyone that I have talked to who bought this bottle has complained about the lack of carbonation. I hear that it IS getting better with time though, so just be aware. If you find it on draft, please indulge! It is an excellent stout, Kopi Luwak adds a nice lushness, and the chipotle peppers have a warmth to them that is great. Cool beer with a warming sensation when it hits your throat. I havn’t had a beer that warms the whole mouth like this outside of Theobroma. However, the bourbon barrel of this beer…. the whisky weasel rodeo… May be Mikkellers finest collaboration with Jester King yet. Oaky, and the bourbon shines through the oatmeal stout. The coffee flavor was mild, and unlike the Speedway it didn’t give a dry mouth feel. Solid brew, worth trying, but I wouldn’t drop $20 on it when I could have an Abyss.

All in all it was a grand tasting and as you can now see, we had some excellent brews present. Stay tuned for news of more tastings (We are going to try and have 4-5 a year). If you want to be apart of events like these drop me a line (Blake@Beerwithblake.com). If you have recommendations of brews for me to try, or anything that you want my opinion on, feel free to let me know and I will accommodate it.

This evening I have a beer from the holy land. This brewery is pretty dang cool. Their whole story is amazing, and without the help of a good buddy of mine John Emerick I would have never known about them. You see, Shapiro is a brewery founded to be the best craft brewery in Israel. The best that I can make out (Since I can’t yet read Hebrew) is that a pair of brothers came to America, fell in love with craft beer and decided to take it back to Israel. Starting in their own kitchen with the barest of utensils, they now have one of the most advanced breweries in the world. I am currently indulging in their Pale Ale. It is a solid brew. I am cherishing this because it was brought back to me from Jerusalem, with all of the care John could muster. It even arrived with a customized A&M yamaka or kippah if you prefer. The ale itself is good, a hint of citrus, light body, and not overly hopped. It also weighs in at five percent ABV. I really wish I could detail more about this brewerys history, but again, without being able to read Hebrew, it is difficult.

I do have one more of these Shapiro brews, one made with actual Jack Daniels from what I have gathered. I am rather intrigued to try that one.

Bet your last shekel that I will be trying every Shapiro brew that I can get my hands on.

And it sure is rather delicious. A dark ale, malty and sweet, but not to the extremes. It poured an excellent head, has a medium-bold flavor, and weighs in at a modest 9% ABV. I’ll be honest, I havn’t had a lot of Unibrou’s products., but I have always enjoyed them when I did. Their Maudite was phenomenal, their Grande Reserve was tasty and delicious, their Trois Pistoles is no different. This brewery knows what they are doing (and they do charge a premium for it, but it is worth it). We just so happen to have it on sale this week at work so I managed to drop $33 on two beers and a pizza…. (The pizza was $6.99).

I would recommend getting this brew, especially if you can find it at a local HEB this week on sale. It set me back somewhere in the neighborhood of $9, but for the size, complexity and ABV is well worth it. Now, will it go well with my pizza? I’m not sure just yet, but I figure that it can only add to the flavor.

This beer is unique it its own way, whilst it poured a hefty head and dark carmel / mocha color, it has a medium-midweight mouth feel. Impressive for a beer of this size. This is a beer that I would probably share with friends, and I would even venture that your girlfriend would like it too. It doesn’t assault any of your senses, no hoppy kick, no overly malty feel, and most importantly nothing like anything that you ever drank out of a keg at a college party.

Check this one out y’all, I mean it.

Well, Five Stars nonetheless. Maybe not perfect golden rings. In fact.. Maybe not even four gold rings. Sam Adams, Longshot Five Crown Imperial Stout. A brew that they produced on account of Joe Formaneks homebrew recipe. Now Joe has been brewing this Russian Imperial Stout for fifteen years, He has the bugs ironed out. The beer itself is a solid Russian Imperial, but with a hop kick. It is intriguing. It weighs in at a solid 8.9 ABV and has an intriguing flavor. The feel is one of a third quadrant. that is to say between a medium and full body. The flavor is mellow, albeit not crisp. The stout flavor is very complex and the hops only add to that cacophony. The head on this brew laced very well, and it persevered throughout my indulgence . I love Russian Imperials, I really do. , well, I thought I had reviewed more Russian Imperials than I could actually find in my notes. I will have to write up some of the other wonderful brews that I have tried.

Anyways, long story shot, I love a good Russian Imperial Stout, whether it is Real Ale’s 15th Anniversary stout (which I can no longer find), or Outer Darkness by Squatters, or Courage, or any other number of excellent Russian Imperials that are out there.

This Sam Adams though let me down, not because it isn’t a solid brew (it is, and I would snag it if you can manage to find it) but because the hops I feel contaminate the style. I thoroughly enjoy a good IPA, I just don’t feel that Russian Imperials should be mixed with IPAs. However, my feelings on the matter aside, it is a good brew.

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @BeerWithBlake, and Facebook (probably the best way to stay up to date with the beers that I am drinking every day).

That sounds Spanish enough doesn’t it? This evening as I sit here studying for my statistics exam (in other words it’s a beer break) I decided to pop the top on a Spanish lager that I’ve had sitting here for a little while. It is called Alhambra Negra, a little searching shows that it is one of about seven brews from the Alhambra brewery in Spain. The brewery has been around since 1925 so they have had time to get their batches fixed. This beer is pretty decent. Not wholly remarkable or world shattering, but a solid choice. It has a malty flavor, light to medium body, and is easy to drink. It weighs in at a respectable 5.4% ABV and has a clean finish. I wouldn’t go out and buy a six pack, but it is a refreshing change from the slew of IPAs and Hefe’s that I have been drinking lately. I’d say get yourself a bottle and enjoy.

Prosit!

Courage: Imperial Russian Stout. This stout is pretty dang tasty. The brewery only makes it once a year, and I have had this fella aging for quite some time now. It was bottled in May of ’11 so it has had a nice chunk of time to age and mellow. The flavor is smooth, espresso like, with a hint of dark chocolate. You can feel a slight tingle from the 10% ABV. It was originally brewed in 1795 for Catherine the great, the Czaress (is that a word) that she was. If you can find it (I got mine at Specs) I would highly recommend it. Well worth the money.

4012 years. That is a LONG time. I mean, we are talking before the Romans, before the Greeks, this was a LONG time ago. (2000 B.C). What does this have to do with anything? Well, age is a number, and 4012 is the number of years that Fraoch has been in the making. We will quickly revisit one of my favorite breweries . This brewery is amazing, mainly because of what they are still doing today with old world recipes (, ) Any brewery that resurrects old recipes and continues to brew them true to form is a brewery that I can stand behind. Well, the Williams brothers are at it again. This time with heather. This beer has notable floral accents, and a light golden pour. It weighs in at a light 5.0% and does not overpower the palate by any means. I would recommend this beer to say that you have tried it, but to be perfectly candid, there are far too many beers in the world to concern yourself too much with buying this fellow in bulk. Try it for what it is and to garner appreciate for old world recipes, but don’t expect this one to rock your world. I found it mellow and enjoyable, but I can’t say that I would go out and buy another one.

Fall is my favorite season. It means football, cooler temperatures (kind of a big deal here in Texas) and marzens. I do love me a good marzen. But, I am not here today to talk about marzens. I am here to talk about the perfect embodiment of fall into a 12oz bottle. It is no secret that I do love Dogfish Head. However, I am ALWAYS skeptical of a pumpkin beer, even from them. I have had countless pumpkin beers and am continually let down (save for St. Arnolds Pumpkinator, that was heavenly). I heard that Punkin’ Ale (Dogfish Head) was coming to Texas, albeit in a very limited, small batch. (180 cases for the thirty million of us Texans) Well, my current employer managed to acquire 20/180 cases set for distribution to this state.

Lets just say I am not in any way disappointed. This beer is phenomenal. The label says that it is a full bodied brown ale, I say that it is perfection in a bottle. This beer fully embodies Fall. A wonderful aroma, an amazing flavor, it is not overpowering on the pumpkin flavor, nor is it understated. The spices are adequate, albeit not overly done (think wassail compared to cider).

I’ll have to go back and buy some more, this beer will be great for the duration of the Fall and well into December when I can begin drinking eggnog with nutmeg.

I highly recommend you check this baby out.

Picture courtesy of Travis Whitlock

Well, there is a wide assortment of beer in America. There are some phenomenal craft breweries as well. Unfortunately, what makes these craft brews so special is their limited distribution. Myself, I can’t get enough of Dogfish Head. Sure, it is one of the more well known craft brews, surely they produce thousands of barrels every year… but some of their beer I just can’t get down here in Texas, and frankly, it sucks. I would love to find their Chicory Stout, Peche, and numerous other brews that they have elsewhere. But, on the other hand, I have some brews here in Texas that folks in the northeast can’t get their grubby paws on. One reason that I love being out here in the Brazos Valley is that I am so close to excellent breweries such as Real Ale, 512, Independence, Southern Star, and New Republic just to name a few. What is your favorite local brew spot and why? I’d love to hear your stories.

So, I got to thinking the other day, is there any better style of beer than an IPA to enjoy while eating pizza? I really don’t think that there is. IPAs contain such a bold flavor that it balances extremely well with the cheesy goodness of a pepperoni pizza. Personally, I believe there are different IPAs for different occasions. For example: I wouldn’t drink a Dogfish 60 with pizza, but you better believe that I would indulge in an Avery IPA or Sierra Nevada for just a basic pizza. Now, for a gourmet pizza, I would find an IPA that is a little more up to the task, such as a Real Ale Lost Gold. Something with more hops and a higher bitterness. Thoughts? Comments?

Sitting here after a long day at work, I decided to try a beer that I’ve had sitting for awhile. Belgo, by New Belgium Brewing. It is a Belgian take on an Indian Pale Ale, and franky, quite tasty. I have had several Belgian IPAs in the past, but this one sticks out for a couple of reasons. One, it is a true representation of the style. It has the sweetness of a Belgian wheat, but it will kick you in the teeth like any good IPA should. All in all I am rather impressed by this little brew.

Prosit.

I was going to come up with a creative title, but honestly, the Madison River Brewing Co. does a just fine job. This mellow ale is dangerously smooth. Certainly a good beer to offer your non-craft drinking friends. Very smooth, a touch of honey, and honestly, the rye is very subtle. In the past I have not been a huge fan of rye based brews, but this one is very subdued. Perfect after a long (in my case ten hour) day at work. Prosit!

Shiner released a new beer this past week. Now… If you didn’t know, I am a Shiner fanboy. I live for Shiner. I don’t really care if you don’t like it, I do. Shiner has been my introduction into beer. You better believe that it was the Spoetzl brewery that I visited first. I named my dog Kosmos. It was my collection of Shiner Bock bottles that is the foundation for this very site. I have a 3′x5′ Shiner flag that hangs on my wall. I “might” be a fanatic.

So, every time that I hear Shiner is releasing / has released a new brew… YOu can bet your bottom drinkin’ dollar that I am going to search it out, and find it. I will scour the markets, annoy the owners at my local beer joints, and well… find the beer. So, that is what I did this past Saturday when I heard that Wild Hare was coming out. I heard rumors that it wouldn’t be out until 2/3/12, so when I saw one of my friends had acquired this brew before then I was in shock. I had to have one for my own. I found a six pack in Kyle, Tx and naturally brought it home. I let it chill for a little bit as it is a little jaunt from Kyle back to here, and I still had some more driving to do at that point so I couldn’t “quite” indulge in the beer as soon as I got it home.

However, upon opening it… wow. It is phenomenal. Absolutely stunning. An amazing example of how a Pale Ale should taste. Especially one that has Shiner on the label. Now, it is not very “pale” it pours a rich amber color and has a sweet malt flavor, a nice touch of hops, and full, well balanced flavor, albeit more sweet than bitter. I imagine this beer will go very well with barbecue, or a hamburger. At least that is how I intend to pair it this weekend.

Now, there is a 103 on the label of the beer, does that mean that it is this years offering from shiner for their commemoration series? I for one believe that it does. It is surely worthy of the enumeration. Hopefully we will see more new beers from Shiner this year as winter here in Texas is nearly over.

Go ye therefore and find this brew and purchase it, and indulge in all of its glory.

A good buddy of mine informed me one afternoon that while he did graduate from Full Sail University, it was not the same Full Sail as the brewing company. Sad day. However, not a sad beer. Todays amber is an excellent brew, made with care from a brewery literally the exact opposite side of the country as Full Sail University. Full Sail (Brewing) is in Hood River Oregon, where the university is in Florida. Anyways, I continue on full steam… I mean sail ahead.

This beer has been awarded twelve medals from the World Beer Championships, so don’t just trust my word on it, this truly is an excellent beer and worthy of checking out. Another cool factoid about the brewery is that it is owned, by the employees… all forty seven of them. It is a small time operation that can produce big taste (as evidenced by the medals it is always winning).

Red is a very intriguing color. One of the prime colors, it is bright, vibrant, attention getting. My neighbor growing up had a 1966 Mustang in cherry red. Gorgeous car. A buddy of mine now has a 2011 Camaro Convertible in Victory Red. Another gorgeous automobile. Today however I want to talk about a red beer. You can read my full thoughts here http://www.beerwithblake.com/?s=la+rossa. An Italian beer, brewed since 1859 Birra Moretti. Their La Rossa is an excellent example of a beer that is great to drink with pizzas, pastas, all sorts of Italian fare. Not overpowering, not too light a nearly perfect beer for mealtime.

These guys are also great on social media, weekly contests, random factoids, and they will interact with you on a daily basis. Also, their free swag is pretty great (As I look at my Birra Moretti football). So, without rambling on, read my previous review of this beer, and then go find one to enjoy for yourself.

Three hundred and forty one more days to go!

Today is my brother Taylors 22nd Birthday, and to celebrate, since I can’t be there with him in D/FW… I will choose a beer that we both enjoy, and that is nearly as Texan as we are. Today, I present my steadfast, my failsafe, my alltime favorite, and the beer that began it all. Shiner Bock. My first brewery tour was of Spoetzl years ago, a pilgrimage for myself and my buddy Michael. A great day that I would relive again and again. Many of my friends have made the trek since that day, and everyone loves it. In fact, in typing this I want to plan another trip down there.

Shiner Bock is possibly not the best beer ever made, but dammit, it really and truly is. A bock that has been crafted in Texas since 1909. Older than any of us still drinking it. The brewmaster for which the brewery is named was a man named Kosmos Spoetzl, the same man after which I named my Border Collie Kosmos.

Enjoy, on this 25th day of January, an ice cold Shiner.

For your viewing pleasure, I have a pair of old/er bottles from my collection to share.