Beer-a-Day #304 
Our IPA is a strong, full bodied ale with intense hop character and deep golden color. Multiple kettle hop additions and generous dry hopping contribute to the powerful yet smooth and fragrant hop character of this beer.
Pale gold in color. Hop aroma is soft and floral, but the hops really come through in the taste. Big and fragrant but not overpowering. This does not taste like it is 10% ABV.
Beer-a-Day #303 
Deep, nearly opaque amber color with a good inch of creamy-looking head. Piney and resiny aromas, with a bit of vanilla I think. Nice, big hoppy flavor with a little bit of sweetness in the finish.
Oh, I’m worthy brother.
Beer-a-Day #302 
The Extra Pale Ale is a new addition to the Wild Goose family of English-inspired ales. The XPA’s nose has herbal-like undertones of citrus and pine. A refreshing light to medium-bodied ale with a balanced malt sweetness and spicy, citrus hop character. A clean, crisp finish makes for a great session ale for people who prefer maltier styles.
Five percent may be a bit high for a session beer, but I am glad that Flying Dog kept around the Wild Goose line.
Pretty light amber and clear; head is fizzy and drops fairly quickly. I get some floral and earthy aromas. Flavor is light with a pleasant bitterness without being a tongue-stripper. I could see having a bunch of this, especially at a barbecue.
Wild Goose XPA: Extra Pale Ale
Beer-a-Day #301 
This hearty, mahogany colored ale is brewed to evoke the dark, full-bodied ales that were a favorite of dockworkers and warehousemen (hence the name “Porter”) in 19th century London. It is a good bet that when Dickens’ Mr. Pickwick sat down for a pint, he would have been drinking an ale much like our Robust Porter. This is a smooth and very drinkable beer, characterized by its well-balanced malt and hops, plus subtle notes of coffee and chocolate.
It’s the color of coffee with a chocolate head. Nice roasty coffee aroma with a bit of chocolate, as promised. Body is lighter than I expected, but it’s still darn good.
Beer-a-Day #300
JavaHead Stout contains a blend of locally roasted espresso and Kenyan coffee beans by St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA.
JavaHead’s recipe is based off of our original oatmeal stout. After the boil, the hot wort passes through our hopback vessel on it’s way to fermentation. Packed full of whole leaf hops and a bed of ground coffee beans, the hopback vessel is similar to using a huge French press, intensifying the coffee nose and releasing subtle hints of coffee flavor. The result is a lush oatmeal mouthfeel balanced with cocoa, roast and subtle coffee flavors.
Three. Hundred. Beers.
Wow.
I honestly wasn’t sure I’d get this far. And, frankly, I’m glad to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I need something special to celebrate with. I probably should be having a beer made with coffee this late in the evening, but what the hell.
Dark and dark, with a thick, creamy head. Coffee and resiny hops in the aroma. Nice and smooth with that nice coffee bitterness. Boy, that’s good.
Yay me.
Beer-a-Day #299
…Yeti Imperial Stout’s sophisticated sibling. They may be from the same clan, but they have entirely different personalities. Oak aging gives a subtle vanilla character, rounding out Yeti’s intense roastiness and huge hoppy nature. Who says you can’t tame a Yeti? (9.5% ABV)
Pours as dark and thick as used engine oil; the head looks like a chocolate milkshake. Lots of nice roastiness with some vanilla in the aroma. You can really taste the oak. That’s some good stuff.
Beer-a-Day #298
By far the biggest dog in the yard… Horn Dog Barley Wine is a dark and malty English-style Barely Wine that is aged for a minimum of three months before being packaged. Like a fine wine, this beer will only get better with age when stored at optimum conditions.
According to the label, this is VINTAGE0811. November, 2008 I assume? Well, then. It should be nicely aged.
Golden brown and an almost syrupy texture. Aroma reminds me of spicy dried fruit. Some vanilla in the taste and more of that dried fruit.
You know, I didn’t used to like barley wines; they were just too thick for me. But I’ve come around to liking them. This is simply delicious.
Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale
Beer-a-Day #297
Ichabod combines malted barley and real pumpkin with cinnamon and nutmeg in a delicious and inviting brew. A rewarding complement to many dishes, Ichabod pairs well with autumnal foods such as poultry and root vegetables. After dinner, try it with your favorite dessert!
Pale gold and clear. Cinnamon is quite pronounced in the aroma. Light flavor and spicy. Interesting.
Chili and beer (not to be confused with chili beer) is an awesome combination. This pairing is one of my all time favorites. I have many chili recipes but my standard is a favorite of everyone in the family and it is the easy to make.
Chili con Carne
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium to large onion
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (about 1 lb.) tomatoes
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
About 4 cups cooked dark red kidney beans, plus ½ cooking liquid; or 1 large can (1 lb. 11 oz.) kidney beans, not drained
2-4 green onions
1 small avocado
cheddar cheese
1 lime
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat; add onion and cook until soft. Add beef and cook, stirring, until meat is brown and crumbly. Spoon off excess oil (only if the meat wasn’t lean enough -I like to use 90%-95% lean meat and just leave the juices). Stir in tomatoes and their liquid and break up with spoon, salt, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. In a blender or food processors, whirl a third of the beans until smooth, adding their liquid as needed; stir into meat mixture. Then add whole beans, along with any remaining liquid, to meat. Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Garnish with green onion, avocado, cheese and lime wedge.
You can add tomato juice if too thick, or add some cornmeal if too thin. I often double this and play with the spices.
Many beer styles seem to get along with chili. Use can have a stout, a porter, a pale, even a brown or a bock. I suggest your favorite. In the case I am having a Green Flash West Coast IPA.
To make it even better, just add a football game. (Also checkout one from Al)
Beer-a-Day #296
This is, perhaps, the quintessential Märzen.
Not quite as orange as Americanized versions of the style, clear, with a nice off-white head. Mild aroma with some roastiness. Malty, of course, with caramel and a hint of the hops. Good stuff. Now I’m craving bratwurst and sauerkraut.
