Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter

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My good friend Chris stopped at Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville, North Carolina and got me a gift. Or, rather, six gifts. Here’s one:

Baltic Porter, from The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

(They aren’t currently listing this beer on their website, so it was tough to find a blurb about it.)

[D]eep, rich and velvety soft. A full blooded roasty character is balanced by complex alcohol notes. Strong (9% alcohol by volume) yet unfailingly subtle, this special brew warrants sipping and savoring.

It pours a deep, opaque brown, with only a little fizzy light brown head. I get some chocolate in the aroma, and maybe a little caramel. Some…licorice? Mouthfeel is rich and smooth, with only a little alcohol heat. The flavor is as big as the aroma. That is one hearty beer. I wish I had a fireplace and a club chair. I’d have that again.

Craft beer in Japan

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CNN’s Eatocracy blog has an interesting post up about the craft beer scene in Japan, with a focus on Coedo Brewery.

Earthquakes and blackouts aside, it hasn’t been easy for Coedo, founded in 1997 by boss [Shigeharu] Asagiri’s father-in-law. It wasn’t until prohibitive laws against small commercial breweries were repealed in 1994 that a microbrew scene in Japan could emerge.

Even since then, breaking the chokehold the big four Japanese brewers – Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo – have on the domestic and international beer market has been a challenge. What Coedo produce in a year is the equivalent to what just one of the big boys produce in a day.

The taxman in Japan still takes around $2.50 on every liter of beer brewed there, which has led to the big breweries creating cheaper “beer-like” drinks (alcoholic and often additive-rich) and further diluting the market among a local population more familiar with types of sake than varieties of beer.

“For most (Japanese) people, beer is just beer, no one orders it by name; it’s no fun, but it should be,” says Asagiri. “Beer is exciting!”

Eatocracy: Craft beer from the Land of the Rising Sun

(tip o’ the hat to Max)

Help get a Mississippi brewery started

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Mississippi is one of those “voids” in the craft beer scene. There are some pretty archaic and draconian laws there.

I recently got a missive from Chip Jones, one of a group of folks who are trying to bring a viable craft brewery to Jackson, Mississippi. Here, I’ll let Chip tell his story:

Lucky Town Brewing Company is a new planned brewery in Mississippi, and although there is no brewery within 150 miles of Jackson, the craft beer community here is thriving. As many of you know, Mississippi suffers from some of the strictest beer legislation in the country, which is one reason why there is only one production brewery located in Mississippi currently. Since the laws do not allow for many to bring their beer to Mississippi, we at Lucky Town intend to give the local craft beer enthusiasts a broader choice.

Lucky Town recently launched a Kickstarter project, and our goal is to raise at least $20,000 to help cover some of our up front costs such as license fees, insurance costs, keg expenses, and ingredients costs among others. We raised over $6,000 in the first 10 days, and with the support we have locally we feel confident that we can reach our goal. We need your help to reach those who haven’t heard our story yet – please help us spread the word.

You can find our Kickstarter page here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/luckytownbrew/lucky-town-brewing-company-be-bold-rediscover-beer

So, how about it? Got a couple of bucks to spare to help the thirsty beer fans in Mississippi?

Kujo

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My friends at Flying Dog announced the availability of this puppy a month ago, but I haven’t seen it until now. (All due to my charming wife. Thanks, dear!) Of course, I did happen to have it at the brewery before they gave it a name, and again while they were test marketing it in bottles.

After today’s thrilling New York Giants playoff victory over the top-seeded Green Bay Packers, I figured I should celebrate.

They say:

Kujo is the savage spawn of two brewing worlds – coffee and beer – colliding. But in that collision, there’s a balance between rich and roasted stout characteristics and the deep, dark coffee notes. The result is an 8.9% ABV brew made with locally-roasted coffee from Black Dog Coffee out of Summit Point, West Virginia.

It is nearly as dark as burnt motor oil, with a thick, medium-brown head. The coffee is obvious in the aroma, with a bit of that dark-roasted malt underneath. Creamy and roasty both. At 8.9% ABV this isn’t something to quaff in large quantities, but this is definitely becoming a new favorite of mine.

Flying Dog Kujo

Great Divide 17th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA

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I love my wife. She buys me interesting things like this.

They say:

Based on our award-winning beer, Denver Pale Ale, this copper-hued treat is a celebration of everything Great Divide does best. Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop of earthy, floral English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla.

Nice copper color; not much head. A good bit of pine in the aroma, with a bit of that vanilla. That’s got some nice bite. I like this.

Happy New Year!

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Wow, is it really the end of another year? Where has the time gone?

My kids have grown. A lot. It’s the first full year of my wife working as a nurse (nights). And I’ve had three changes to my day job this year. So, so busy.

I should slow down and enjoy some beer.

We’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: For better or worse, New Year’s Eve has become a “drinking” holiday. Indulge, but don’t overdo it. And be safe; there are plenty of other overindulgers out there.

All of us at Hop Talk wish you and yours a very Happy New Year and a Prosperous 2012.

Cheers!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

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Merry!

Happy!

Whatever it is you’re celebrating, I hope you’re with people you love. If you’re sharing good beer while you’re doing it, so much the better.

We wish you all the joys of the season!

Taps and a Love Story

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I’ve been living half my life in Rochester NY since I started at a new company a couple of months ago. (and I will use that as an excuse for the lack of podcasts… Al can say the same) While out there I’ve been looking for a pub with some good taps and I have found many. This is a photo of the taps at MacGregor’s in Henrietta. Just check out their beer list.

Especially attractive is their selection of vintage and seasonal specialties like the 2009 Southern Tier Krampus and the 2011 Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA (being cellared for consumption at a later date…).

Equally attractive were these two 20-something year old girls that grabbed a pub shelf nearby. Both tall and dressed well, one was a red head and the other a brunette. No one ran over to serve them (which just confused me) but after a bit they went to the bar and returned with a couple of tall 24oz coppered colored ales each with a thick head of foam on them. Then, the red head took out her phone and took a photo of her beer… that’s when I feel in love ;)

Cheers everyone and enjoy the holidays!