Panhandle Beer Forum

Lazy Magnolia's "Ginger Jaque"

2012-04-10T19:55:00.011-05:00

It seems like Jeremy recently learned the meaning of the word "quit," and until he gets his mojo back, he's asked me to guest blog for him. I don't posses his in-depth knowledge of all things beer, so hopefully he'll start back soon. In the meantime, he brought me a half gallon growler of Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company's "Ginger Jaque," to get me going. (Also, he asked me to watch his dog for a week, so if you ever see Jeremy heading your way with a growler of beer, you might not want to get too excited.)

But let's get to the beer. First off, the growler featured a hot, red head pirate lady on the front, and she had quite a front herself. So I was already pretty won over. Who doesn't like boobs, right Jeremy? Anyway, the Ginger Jaque poured nicely, with a warm amber color and not too much head. I thought it had a nice, smooth flavor, though I didn't notice any ginger flavor, which led me to believe that the brewer might have been a ginger, or something. However, when I shared a little with my friend William later, he wondered aloud after a few sips, "What's that smell? It smells like something from my backyard, but not the dog shit. Dandelion? No, it's ginger. We keep that by the back door." So I guess you can taste the ginger if you're more sensitive to it.

I'm just guessing, but I'd guess the alcohol content on it is pretty low. Certainly, there wasn't much of an alcoholy flavor, and I wasn't feeling much of a buzz after a few pints. Overall, I'd call it a pleasant beer, and I'd definitely drink it again.

Looking over other blog reviews (after writing the above), I note that the alcohol content is listed at a respectable %5, and many reviewers felt the ginger flavor was overpowering. The discrepancy probably comes from the fact that I'm more of a man than the other reviewers, and also part pirate. So, if you feel you could make it as a pirate, or at least grow a beard, I say give Ginger Jaque a try!

-- Dave

Best Ever Letter Ever Written to a Lawyer

2012-01-23T17:44:00.003-06:00

I was told that I needed to do another post on this here Beer Blog. I'm not gonna name any names, but lets just say he sometimes goes by Dave, maybe.

I thought I would share some blog love. Here is a letter I found that is pretty darn funny. You wanna read it? If yes, just click HERE.

Christmas is around the corner!

2011-12-15T17:22:00.004-06:00

Well ladies and gentlemen, Christmas is almost here and I decided to look back into the archives and repost one of my previously posted articles. This one was written a couple of years ago, but didn't make it into any publications. It's ok, nothing award winning. Unless you want to give me a trophy.

Enjoy.

Christmas Ale
By: Jeremy Myers

This time last year, I was reading an article in a magazine about Christmas ales. The story told of a man named Fernando in a far away country that did not have the luxuries of buying beer at a store. At the beginning of December, he and his friends would brew their own beers using recipes their fathers taught them. Only using ingredients found locally, they would each brew their special recipe and bottle them in old soft drink bottles.

Christmas Ales are nothing new and have been on the market for several decades. Whether you are into locally brewed beer or exotic imported beer, there is a Christmas Ale for you. Some breweries that are known for their hoppy beer typically will carry the hoppy flavors into their Christmas Ale. But most Christmas Ales have a malty character and have some spice added to the mix.

Spices have been a part of brewing for centuries and still have a great impact on brewing today. Usually, spices that are used in Christmas Ales are cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, coriander or a combination of them all. Many breweries use spices to show they have distinct flavor that cannot be duplicated and to show that they use ingredients indigenous to their area. There is nothing wrong with that, I actually support these breweries for using locally grown ingredients and I wish more breweries would follow this practice.

One of the most famous beers known for their Christmas Ales is Anchor Brewing Company. This year marks the 35th anniversary of their Christmas beer. While the recipe differs every year, it has become one of the beers everyone looks forward to tasting. This year, their beer has the same dark malt character, but with a sweet licorice taste. It is actually very interesting. Another famous ale on the market is Sierra Nevada’s ‘Celebration Ale’. This is one of those breweries that is known for creating hoppy beers and carries this into their seasonal beer. This beer pours relatively light but will have a very strong overwhelming hop aroma that will immediately tell you there are a ton of hops in it. I like this beer, but some will argue it is more of an acquired taste.

Besides American Craft beer, there are a few other countries that make festive ales. If you search around town you will find a couple of Belgian selections on the shelves. One in particular is Scaldis Noel. This beer is new to me, but has climbed into the top ten of all time. It has a very well rounded malt character and you will taste hints of caramel and vanilla. Another great Christmas Belgian beer is St. Bernardus Christmas Ale. This is a classic Abbey Style Ale spiced with some of the traditional Christmas spices.

This time of year is a great time to venture out of the normal routines that bind us all year. Whether you are celebrating with some friends or relaxing after a long hard day of shopping, a Christmas Ale is available at your local store. Sometimes we take for granted that beer is full of history and culture and dates back thousands of years. History that surrounds us every day and cultures that teach us who we are.

As for Fernando and his friends, they gather every Christmas night with their homemade ales to celebrate another year of friendship. They share memories, sing songs and enjoy the season that is meant for fellowship.

That sounds like Christmas to me.

Merry Christmas!

Yeti

2011-11-10T18:38:00.004-06:00

It's this time of year that I am able to slow down. The temperatures start to drop, the days get shorter and I am able to do more blogging. Yesterday, I was hanging with the Beach Brewers gang at Wine World and grabbed four pack of Great Divide's Yeti Imperial Stout.
Needless to say, this is one of those nights when you really want something malty and smooth. At 9.5% ABV, this stout has a very balanced malt bill. With a big roasty character that fades into some rich caramel and toffee notes, this beer will hit the spot of any beer drinker on a nice chilly night. The flavors don't stop with the malts. This beer finishes with a really nice hop character. Weighing in at 75 IBUs, you can really taste the hops in the end.

Yeti is a very complex but well balanced beer. I will go on to say that this is one of the best Imperial Stouts out there.

Enjoy

Pensacola Bay Brewery

2011-10-17T19:17:00.011-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was driving down I-10 near Pensacola and I had the bright idea of stopping at the new brewery. So, I pulled out the GPS and punched in the destination and away I went. As I found my exit, I found that I was just a couple minutes away. I was downtown in no time, but I noticed that traffic had gotten a little heavy. The lady on the GPS told me to take the next left, but there was a police car blocking the street. So, I went down to the next block, same thing. Turns out I decided to visit the brewery during the Pensacola Seafood Festival.

That's right, one of the largest festivals in Pensacola. After finding a nice parking lot and paying five bucks to park in that parking lot, I started my hike to the brewery. I got about half way there and found some freshly stone ground grits, you can't find those just anywhere you know. After a few more minutes, I was there! Located in the middle of Pensacola's Historic Downtown, is Pensacola Bay Brewery. Believe it or not, Pensacola Bay Brewery is the ONLY distributing brewery in the panhandle. There are a couple of great brewpubs in the panhandle, but you can't just go to the nearest beer store and grab their beer. Pensacola Bay you can.
After taking a quick look around I decided to grab a pint. Here is a little photo of their DeLuna Extra Pale Ale. Chiming in a 23 IBUs this refreshing pale ale will not disappoint. It is less than 5% and has a nice earthy citrus hop character. I totally recommend it to anyone.
And they sale growlers. I couldn't come back to Panama City empty handed. I grabbed a gallon of their Lighthouse Porter. A little more boozie, weighing in at 6.9%, but you really couldn't tell. This well balanced porter is probably one of the best American porters I've had in a while. I have also seen and tasted more of their beers in the Panama City area. I have seen the Lil Napoleon IPA and Riptide Amber. And I would recommend both to anyone because all of their beers are very well balanced and full of flavor.

So, if you are in the area or see any Pensacola Bay Brewery around, I say grab a pint.

You won't be disappointed!

Octoberfest is Here, again!

2011-09-27T16:39:00.006-05:00

Once again, boys and girls, Octoberfest is among us. This weekend Downtown Panama City is having thier annual Octoberfest. You will find German sausage tents, beer tents and ECHO. Yes, the Emerald Coasters Homebrew Organinzation will be having their homebrew tasting. On tap will be a couple of Pale Ales, a sparkling mead and my Funky Oktoberfest gone wild. It is a Saison style beer that was fermented using wild Florida Yeast.

Anyways, come on by the booth and say hello to me and Dave and try a homerew. Also, if you want to read more about Octoberfest click here. This is my article that ran in the News Herald a couple of years ago.

2011 Emeral Coast Beer Festival

2011-09-21T16:09:00.014-05:00

Hey everybody! I recently went to the Emerald Coast Beer Festival, in Pensacola, FL. It is usually held in September of every year and this will be the third year I have gone. This is my beer festival. I really only go to one a year and this is it. They have representatives from breweries all across the southeast and beyond. I counted over thirty breweries or brewpubs, eleven homebrew clubs and four distributors. This is good because usually when you go to a beer tasting or small festival, you will only see distributors and well, they don't really know much about what they sell.

Anyway, let's get started.

When the gates opened at 6 o'clock, I had a great idea. Instead of going straight to the tasting booths, we headed into and indoor area that "rookies" would only find later. We tasted a couple of brews in there and were surprised to find that this area was a scheduled stop for the Mcguire's Pipe Band.
Mcguire's Pub is a cool place to get a burger or a steak with a great beer.
Here is Gary from the Destin Mcguire's. Gary is a cool dude that knows a lot about making beer. So, if you are in Destin and want to ask a bunch of really weird questions, go see Gary. And I'm sure he appreciates me saying that.

And on to the festival...

Here's Ken from the Hoppy Homebrewers of South Mississippi

Mike from Emerald Coasters Homebrew Organization, Panama City Beach, FL

LA LagersMobile, AL
Now, some of you are saying, "Mobile Alabama isn't in LA"! Oh, but it is...LA means "Lower Alabama". I'm from LA, so I'm tired of hearing it.

Here's a dude with his kid from Terrapin Brewing, Athens, GA.
It was bring your kid to a beerfest week here on the Emerald Coast.

Here's my buddy Derrel from Chattahoochee Brewing, Phenix City, AL. He is opening his brewpub soon in Phenix City, so if you are in the area, stop by. This year, I tried his pale ale and porter. Last year he had a pilsner that was out of this world.
I tried four times to get a photo without his arm in the way of the banner.

Southern Tier Brewing, NY
Check out this guy...

Highland Brewing Company, Asheville, NC

NOLA Brewing, New Orlears, LA (and that's Louisiana).
I will tell you, they had a lemon/basil wheat beer that was Awesome. I don't drink a lot of flavored beers, but the basil and lemon went well with the wheat style.

And I suppose that just about does it for this year's festival. We had a great time and look forward to next year.

-Later

The Dogfather

2011-08-19T17:42:00.009-05:00

Howdy everybody, I would like to introduce a new beer. If you remember several months ago, I received a couple of bottles of Sneaky Pete from a friend. Well, Sneaky Pete is brewed by Laughing Dog Brewery , but brewed specially for KYSELA PERE ET FILS, LTD.

While I was searching for information about Sneaky Pete, I started reading about an Imperial Stout called "The Dogfather". I was over in Jacksonville a few months ago and of course I had to check out the local beer store. I found The Dogfather and I had to pay my respects.

We popped open this beer one afternoon and sipped it while we did an afternoon brew. It was a couple of months ago, so I am referring to my notes to describe it.
Split it up three ways and got three different opinions. I personally thought it lacked body, but had good flavors. My buddy Tony just down right hated it. And the wifey, thought it was a great beer and wanted more, but we can't get it in our area.

It poured dark, almost black with no head. The first sip was different because it was a bit complex. Tastes of chocolate, dark fruits, licorice, molasses and roasted malts all combined into one were a bit overwhelming. This beer was a was not terrible, but wasn't the caliber I would have expected. As far as I remember, it finished pretty clean. I would buy this one again, but drink it in a different setting.

Stay tuned, there are more beer tastings to come.

I Promise.

Solaris Beer Dinner Recap

2011-05-04T17:33:00.005-05:00

Well the dinner has come and gone and it was a blast! My lovely bride and I arrived at the boat and it was a nice 72 degrees out and the water was beautiful. We grabbed a beer and struck up a conversation with folks at our table.
As you can see, the menu was elegant and everything was described well. The dinner started soon after we departed. Before we sat down, I got a chance to chat with Billy from 30A Brewing Company. He basically confirmed the launch date, which is still expected later this year. But he also told me that they will introduce not only kegs, but cans as well. I for one am a HUGE fan of this idea. The beer they intend to brew will be the type of beer you will want to take to the beach or take to a Bar-B-Que, so being that their beer is in cans makes it easier to pack in and out. This is a great idea and I am all for it. I promise to find out more about 30A, but for now, let's stick to the dinner.
As we munched our way through the night, I really liked the unique recipes of Chef Huckaby. Photoed here was the Country Fried Veal Cutlet with mashed potatoes and amber ale eye gravy. I have to say this was my favorite portion of the night. Pardon the amateur photography, but this dish was beautiful and really hit the spot. Paired with it was 30A's Amber Ale. To be honest, it really reminded me of Newcastle. It had a nice chocolate malt forward balanced with a nice earthy hop finish. Most of the beers that night were very balanced.

Also while we were dining, Hank ,the brewmaster, came by to see how everything was going and he told me a little background of their IPA. It's called South Coast IPA. They were wanting to create their own "style" of IPA, the "South Coast style". I'm sure everyone has heard of the east and west coast style IPAs in the world. If not, then you need to do some research. But I really liked the IPA. Hank said that the IPA I was drinking was a little different from the IPA they will be making in the future. I tasted a citrusy IPA with earthy hop notes and it finished fairly crisp. Again, very balanced from start to finish. I think I was really seeing a trend with their beers. Balanced throughout, earthy hop characters and the type of beers you could grab a sixer of and hang out with others. I can't wait to for more!

One last mention. The Tennessee Firearms.
These guys were fun to watch. They were playing some of my favorite bluegrass tunes and cracking jokes between songs. I sat by the band for a couple of songs and was entertained. They can be found up and down 30A playing at local pubs and such. I suggest finding them sometime.

Well, that pretty much sums up the Beer Dinner Cruise. If SunQuest Cruises does another beer dinner cruise, I will try to let you know. As of now, I know there is a Bourbon Cruise lined up, but I'm not sure when it is? My buddy Dave might want to go on that cruise. Dave likes Bourbon!
Bye all!

Craft Beer Dinner Cruise is Thursday

2011-04-26T17:10:00.003-05:00

Everyone please remember that the Craft Beer Dinner Cruise is this Thursday. When you call to make your reservations, tell the person that you heard about the beer dinner from this blog and they might let you sit next to me. Maybe? All joking aside, call 850.650.2519 to make your reservations and I'll see you on the water!

-J

Craft Beer Dinner Cruise next week!

2011-04-20T16:21:00.010-05:00

Hello again,

I know, some of you are saying, "Jeremy, it hasn't been a month! Why are you posting on your blog?" Well, I am now a really good beer blogger again. And I have something really exciting to share.

If you read the title, I'm sure you did, there is a Craft Beer Dinner Cruise coming very soon to a dock near you. If you have never heard of a "beer dinner" don't worry because it's not a dinner that just consists of beer. These dinners are designed to pair specialty beers with very exquisite cuisine. Meaning good beer and good food in one sitting.

This isn't just any beer dinner. This dinner will take place on the dinner cruise yacht 'Solaris' and will set sail just before sunset.
After the yacht sets sail, the crew will start serving their guests with the "beer friendly menu" prepared by Chef James Huckaby. Chef Huckaby came to the gulf coast from Birmingham, AL. Paired with the world class dinner will be some of the newest beer to hit the panhandle. For those you you who have been itching to find a very local brewery, waiting will soon be a thing of the past. There is a new brewery on the horizon and they are donating the beer for the dinner. The brews of the night have been specially formulated by Brewmaster Hank Standridge, of 30A Brewing Company. Hank has several years of beer formulating experience and has studied at some of the best brewing institutes in the world. Now, have I gotten your attention? If you click on the poster, you can get a good look at what will be the actual menu. I for one am really interested in the Quail paired with the IPA.
But as for the new brewery popping up in our area, I think it is about time and I will post more about it when they get a little closer to opening. They have set a late fall/winter opening, so there will be more info to come on 30A Brewing. But as for now, if you want to taste their beer, come to the dinner. One last mention. While you are enjoying your beer and dinner the original sounds of the Tennessee Firearms will be performing. I have been listening to them while I write this and I have to say that they really capture some of the old bluegrass sounds that modern bluegrass bands just don't get. They really remind me of some of the old Bill Monroe stuff that nobody tries to recreate.

Well, I can't wait. I am eager to taste the fine foods of Chef Huckaby paired with some real craft beer all while watching the sunset on some of the most beautiful waters on Earth.

Now, you are wondering where when and all of that good stuff, well here you go.

Where: Baytowne Marina in the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
When: April 28, 2011
Boarding starts at 6:30pm, ship sets sail at 7:00pm
Cost and how to make reservations (which are required): $59, contact for the Craft Beer Dinner, please call 850.650.2519

See ya there!

Waiting to meet the "Southern Gentleman".

2011-04-17T15:08:00.009-05:00

Hello boys and girls,

Sorry I have been such a bad blogger again, but I have been a busy little bee. I have been traveling around the wonderful south again and seeing new wonderful beer things. Well, a few weeks ago, I made my way back over to Mississippi for the golf tournament that I went to last year. If you don't remember that trip or didn't read about it (and/or want to) click here and you can do so. But while I was over there, I stopped by Lazy Magnolia to say hello again and to join their tour. While touring around with Leslie and a couple of other folks, I was able to ask a few stupid questions and was also able to pick up a couple brewing tips along the way. If you are ever in the area on a Saturday, I suggest stopping for a tour. It is free and fun, and we all like to have Fun!

After the tour I was on my way out and I noticed these things sitting all by themselves just minding their own business. So, of course I had to ask what was in them.
I was told that the Tennessee Whiskey Barrels held Southern Pecan, which is my favorite beer that Lazy Magnolia makes. Of course I couldn't just say "ok" and leave on that note. So, I asked more stupid questions, like when would it be out of the barrels and into my fridge and would I be able to find it in my local market? I was told that the beer in the barrels would be blended, kegged and shipped out to select accounts starting in a few months. So, it's not going to be in my fridge, because they are not bottling it. Now, this is going to be a one time deal. This isn't a beer that they will be making all of the time. Once it hits the taps, that's it.

You might be asking yourself, what's the big deal with beer in the barrels? Why not just go drink whiskey? Or... Why not just go add whiskey to the beer? First off, adding whiskey to beer is illegal. Breweries can NOT add distilled beverages to their beer. Second, when you age beer in a whiskey barrel, you are developing a very unusual and complex beer that nearly can't be replicated. So, this is more of a delicacy. In my past experiences with whiskey barrel aged beers, the barrel adds some whiskey flavors without the harshness of whiskey. And the oak sometimes adds a little vanilla flavor that will make the beer much more complex. I think the nutty maltiness of Southern Pecan will blend nicely with the barrel flavors. And the beer will be appropriately named "Southern Gentleman".

Anyway, I can't wait!

So, my advice to you is... If you want some, go to your local beer bar, favorite restaurant or where ever you like to drink your fresh local craft beer and ask them to start hounding the distributors.

That's my report and I'm sticking to it!

Later

Modus Hoperandi out of a Mason jar

2011-03-15T15:55:00.009-05:00

You know what I like? Drinking beer from a Mason jar. I don't know who the Mason person is, but I like Mason jars. They are cheap, clear and just down right fun! For those of you who have been reading my blog for long, you might remember my post when I visited Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, CA. If not click here and you will see my very first cask experience poured in a Mason jar.

Anyways, here is my current beer in a Mason jar. This is a little brew I picked up in Colorado when I was there about a month and a half ago. I bought a sixer of these because I knew they would fly well in my bag and not get broken. So, I guess this post is REALLY not about Mason jars, but canned beer being drank from a Mason jar. Man, I'm a redneck. Well, I am from Alabama. What can I say? Ok, let's get down to it. I did not try this beer in Colorado. I just grabbed this little brew from Ska Brewing because (1) it was in a can,(2) I had never had it before and (3) it is somewhat local (Durango, CO). But I have to say, it is delicious!

It pours a tad bit dark for an IPA into my lovely Mason jar, but that's ok because it's out of a can. The color tells me that there might be a nice malty backbone to this IPA, which I like. You can really smell the citrusy hop character and you really taste what you smell. The hop flavors are citrusy with apple flavors and there is a really nice malty backbone that I really like. It finishes smooth and clean with no real bitterness at the end. Might have something to do with it being out of a can?

The next time I'm up in Coloradoland skiing or whatever, I am going to grab another sixer of this for my Mason jar. Because I am now all out and my Mason jar is lonely.

-Later

Sneaky Pete: Coming in March!

2011-02-25T15:02:00.008-06:00

I was contacted by one of my friends that lives in Virgina and I was asked if I knew of anyone that did beer reviews. Of course I couldn't let this opportunity slip away, so here is my very first free beer review!

As mentioned, my friend sent me this beer with hopes of getting the word out about it. The only thing, it's not going to be available in the Florida Panhandle. But not to say it might not cross your path.

Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA is the name and it was brewed jointly by Laughing Dog Brewery in Sandpoint, ID and Kysela Père et Fils, LTD.This is an interesting concept to me. Laughing Dog brewed the beer exclusively for the distributor. I think that is a great partnership and I think there should be more cooperation between breweries and distributors. It seems sometimes there are walls between breweries and distributors. But enough about the where the beer came from. Let's get to the beer.

This is an Imperial IPA, which is usually an interesting taste. This is basically an American hybrid, if you will. This is an IPA, which is an English oriented style, with an American twist. What makes it Imperial? More alcohol! More hops! More of everything! An Imperial IPA is basically an IPA on steroids.
When I poured this beer, I knew it wasn't going to be a normal beer. This was a beer on steroids. As you can see in the picture, this beer is amber in color almost a fine ruby color. I think it's gorgeous. When you first smell this beer, you automatically can tell it's a malty beer. You can immediately smell the rye malts. After tasting, you can really pick up the five different hops. Reading the list of hops used in this beer, It appears that Simcoe is the dominate hop in the profile, which would explain the pine and citrus characters. I was sent two bottles, so I shared one with my buddy Tony. We both agreed that it finishes a little hot, but it is a 10%er. Meaning it's got room to grow.

I would be interested into seeing how this beer ages. Call me crazy, but I'm one of those that likes to see how some beers age and I think this one would mellow out very nicely with a few months on it.

I think Laughing Dog did a fine job brewing this beer and I hope I get a chance to try more of their beers, especially "The Dogfather" Imperial Stout. I could picture me drinking that one while sitting is a leather chair eating a nice big plate of pasta.

And thanks agian to Kysela for giving me a chance to taste and write about this beer.

Breckenridge

2011-02-09T15:51:00.007-06:00

Greetings from wonderful Breckenridge,CO! For those of you who don't who, I married a wonderful woman this past Saturday and now we are in Colorado doing some skiing.

Breckenridge is a cool little town. You can walk everywhere and the lifts are just minutes away. We skied today, which was our first day. We didn't have any problems with altitude sickness, but I could tell that moving fast wasn't a good idea because I lost my breath easy.

But this is a beer blog, not a altitude sickness blog, so let's get to the beer. After dealing with -10 - 2 degree temperatures all day and sliding around on my head in the snow, it's time for a beer! I am now sitting on the couch with my feet on the coffee table drinking a Vanilla Porter from Breckenridge Brewery.
This beer pours a brown to dark brown with a light tan head. Not much head, which indicates it's lightly carbonated. As mentioned before the altitude will do weird things to a human. And I have noticed that heavily carbonated beers, such as pale ales, will give you a fizzy coating on your tongue. It's weird! I was drinking a local Pale Ale yesterday at a Mexican joint and it just had this weird fizzy thing going on. I guess I will need to adapt? Sorry for the rant, but you had to know why I like the low carbonation of this beer.

The next interesting thing about this beer is the vanilla. Sometimes vanilla can overpower a beer to the point that it is ALL vanilla, but this one is not. It is balanced very well.

When you first smell this beer, you don't smell a ton of vanilla, well I don't. I smell roasted malts that also have a toasted character to it, with a hint of vanilla. The taste is the same way. I get a huge toffee/caramel front with a vanilla finish. Does any of that make sense?

Oh well, I have finished my brew and my bride is waking up from her nap. So, I guess it's time for Happy Hour at the Mexican joint again!

Later

First Colorado Beer Score!

2011-02-08T11:09:00.003-06:00

It's Spring! kinda.

2011-01-19T18:08:00.004-06:00

Well, I walked into my local grocery (Publix) and saw a really nice surprise. Boston Brewing Company just released their Spring release of Noble Pils.
You might be wondering what the meaning behind Noble Pils means. I thought the same thing, so I read the bottle. This beer is brewed with the Five Noble hops found from the oldest hop regions. Which are:Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz, and Hersbrucker. What makes these hops so noble? I guess if Jim Koch says they are noble, then they are.

But the name tells me a bit more. It describes this beer perfectly. This is a traditional German/Czech style beer, Pilsner, with a little manipulation. It has more hops than normal to give it a distinct hop profile.

It is a light refreshing beer that has nice floral/citrus smell. The taste is clean crisp and the hop character is balanced. It finishes a little sticky or has a syrupy aftertaste, but that is the only problem I can find with the drinkability.

Anyway, if you see it, grab a sixer. That might help the super cold weather go away.

Shades at the Loop

2011-01-05T15:52:00.007-06:00

I guess it's been a while since my last review, so I thought I would shake it up a bit. Instead of posting a review of some beer that I've had and telling you about how good it is, I thought I might highlight one of my local beer establishments.

Shades at the Loop is a small little restaurant with a great beer selection. They usually don't have anything too over the top, but they really take care of their taps.
Meaning that their beers are always fresh, never out of date or foul tasting. Another great attribute about this place is their food. They have a great menu with lots of great seafood and munchie type entrees. Shade's is located on the corner of Hwy 98 and 30A. So, if you are headed to or from the great 30A scene, Shades is where you should stop for that refreshing FRESH IPA.

If and when you actually stop by to see them, keep and eye out for my friend Dave, he totally gives this place two thumbs up!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T12:00:00.004-06:00

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Does anyone have a special Christmas beer they have stashed or want to tell us about?

I have an '07 St. Bernardus that is about to burn a hole in my cellar. So, I think it will be the lucky beer this year.

Merry Christmas!

I am a Craft Beer Drinker!

2010-11-10T15:51:00.008-06:00

Watch it in full screen and towards the end, check out the "no look" pour!

-Enjoy

Cigar City Brewing is here!

2010-11-05T15:55:00.008-05:00

Cigar City Jai Alai IPA has been found on beer shelves in Panama City Beach. This brewery is one of the newest in the state and they put out some good stuff. Stop by your local store and ask for it by name. If they don't have it in stock, ask them to order it. You will not be disappointed.

This IPA is more of the kinds you read about in books. At 7.5%, it has room for lots of flavor and body.The citrus and pine hop character balance very well with the toasty maltyness and finishes with a slight bitterness. Overall this is an awesome IPA. I have been told that more is to come from Cigar City Brewing in the area. They are going to start with their year round brews and add specialty beer in the mix later. Maybe I can find a keg of their Oatmeal Brown ale for my kegerator?

-Later

Recap: Lazy Magnolia Firkin

2010-11-03T17:07:00.005-05:00

Allow me to introduce the beer pump. This thing was specially designed just for pumping beer out of a keg with out the use of a CO2 tank. The reason is that the firkin is naturally carbonated and you are drinking the beer in the purest state.
More than one person has labeled me as a purest, so of course I have to own a beer pump. I picked this little instrument up from a friend that was stationed in Europe about a decade ago and he bought a couple of pumps. One night, we were at a beer gathering chatting about beer stuff and he said he would consider selling one of his beer pumps. So I bought it and now it is pumping beer. I'm glad it can be used for it's purpose.

And now let me introduce the Firkin! This firkin is from Lazy Magnolia Brewery, Kiln, MS. The wonderful folks at Lazy Magnolia filled and primed this firkin for Wine World's special event.
After tapping the firkin, I got a chance to play with my beer pump. This was the first time using it, so learning the best way to fill a pint was fun.

The firkin was filled with a mild IPA. The carbonation level was low as it should be. I'm not sure if this was one of their regular brewed beers with a twist or if this was a special little recipe that they did for this firkin. But this IPA was a citrusy IPA with not a lot of body, but it was a fun beer.

As I mentioned, I will be on the ball more often from now on with the blog. Don't give up on The Panhandle Beer Forum just yet!

I'm still here

2010-11-02T11:59:00.002-05:00

I know I have turned into the worst Beer Blogger on the face of the Earth, but I will make it up to you. I have lots of updates and photos to share... just be patient.

Thanks

Lazy Magnolia Firkin

2010-10-04T17:12:00.005-05:00

Wine World in PCB will be tapping a Lazy Magnolia firkin this Wednesday night at 6PM.

There's that word again, firkin! For those who are not aware as to why this is a big deal, cask conditioned ales are the next step in beer. I'm sure most of you are familiar with how bottled conditioned beers work. These beers are bottled with an extra splash of sugar and the leftover yeast naturally carbonates the beer, in the bottle. Which creates a creamy smooth great tasting beer.

Now, imagine this process in a keg!

The wonderful brewers at Lazy Magnolia filled a firkin of their beer and conditioned it just for this event.

So, at 6PM Wednesday, October 6, come on by Wine World in the Publix shopping center on Back Beach Rd. You will not be disappointed!!!!

Announcement

2010-10-03T18:02:00.002-05:00

This is an announcement to announce that I will be making an announcement tomorrow. But, if you are reading this tomorrow, the announcement will be announced today.

Stay tuned...

...for the announcement.