At last we've come to the final round with Michigan clinging to a 1 point lead. Ohio needs to win in this round to even things up, any other result and Michigan wins. In this final round we have two bourbon barrel aged Scotch Ales. Wulver by Thirsty Dog (Akron, OH) – Thirsty Dog is... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 7 – Bodhi vs. Hopivore
Still digesting Thanksgiving dinner? Nothing like a double hopped IPA to wash away the Pumpkin pie from your palate and shake you out your tryptophan induced slumber. In this round we pair up two variations on the basic IPA style, a double IPA against a wet hopped IPA. Bodhi by Columbus Brewing Co. (Columbus, OH)... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 6 – Holly Jolly vs. 4-Elf
In an unplanned twist the battle of the Christmas Ales hits the internet on Thanksgiving. This is not a subliminal message to go out start your X’mas shopping early, quite the opposite. On this cold wintery day sit back and enjoy some good Winter Warmers while you wait for the afternoon Turkey feast. Let’s meet... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 5 – White Rajah vs. Two Hearted Ale
In round 4 the dark roasted malts were center stage. In round 5 we go to the opposite extreme with two beers where the juicy American hops dominate, completely overshadowing the malts: The Brew Kettle’s White Rajah vs. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. White Rajah by The Brew Kettle (Strongsville, OH) – The Brew Kettle... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 4 – Edmund Fitzgerald vs. Founders Porter
Round four features a titanic matchup between two great beers: Founder’s Porter and what some consider the quintessential Ohio beer, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing. Edmund Fitzgerald by Great Lakes (Cleveland, OH) – For people in the Midwest Great Lakes Brewing doesn’t need an introduction. According to the Brewers Association it is the... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 3 – Wiley Wolverine vs. Red’s Rye PA
In round three we have a battle of two Rye PAs, a hoppy style of beer that is similar to an IPA but with rye added to the malt bill. The rye imparts a spicy twist and helps dry out the finish. If you’re interested to find out more about rye beers check out a... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 2 – Rockmill Saison vs. Bam Biere
In round two we pit two variations on the Belgian Farmhouse Ale style against each other. Let’s start by meeting the contestants. Saison by Rockmill Brewery (Lancaster, OH) – Rockmill is a small brewery located in Lancaster, OH that makes Belgian style ales from organically grown ingredients. In a recent state-by-state guide to craft beer... Continue Reading →
When Less is More, Sixpoint’s Pumkinless Pumpkin Beer
This is a review of Autumnation, a seasonal beer made by Sixpoint Brewery out of Brooklyn, NY. Before I get to the beer itself you'll have to forgive me for going off on a rather long tangent on how I came to buy this beer. I first encountered Autumnation at Savor Growl (my local growler... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Beer Battle Round 1 – Bleeding Buckeye vs. Bell’s Amber Ale
In the opening round we start with two easy drinking Amber Ales. Let’s start by meeting the contestants. Bleeding Buckeye by Elevator Brewing (Columbus, OH) – We start with the most natural beer to represent Ohio State Football—Bleeding Buckeye by Elevator Brewing here in Columbus. Elevator Brewing is located in downtown Columbus in a beautiful... Continue Reading →
Ohio vs. Michigan Battle of the Beers
When late November arrives in Central Ohio one subject dominates the news, and takes center stage in the thoughts and minds of many residents. I’m not referring to Thanksgiving or the ridiculous shopping spectacle that used to occur the day after Thanksgiving, but now lasts longer than Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach of the... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Founders Porter
Tonight I’m reviewing two highly regarded midwest Porters. I just posted a review on Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing, a beer I consider to be the standard against which all Porters should be measured. In this post I review Founders Porter and compare it to Edmund Fitzgerald. Since both Porters are tasty, easy... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing
Tonight I’m reviewing two highly regarded midwest Porters. The first one is a long time favorite of mine and a beer some consider to be the quintessential Ohio beer, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing. Edmund Fitzgerald occupies the #7 slot in the RateBeer.com top 50 Porters in the world. To lend further validity... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Bell’s Amber Ale
Bell’s beer is one of the best known and largest craft breweries in the country. Famous for big beers like Hopslam and Expedition Stout, the Amber Ale is one of their oldest and most conventional offerings. Even though it is available year round and has been brewed since 1985 I’ve never tried this beer. In... Continue Reading →
Beer Tasting at Studio 35
After what seems like a month (but was actually only one week) away I’m glad to be back to blogging about beer. My absence was prompted by a big project at work (a grant deadline) that is behind me now. Fortunately, during my hiatus I was able to partake in some beer related activities. Last... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Summer Pale Ale by Indigo Imp
Tonight I’m drinking Summer Pale Ale by Indigo Imp Brewery, which is located in Cleveland. The interesting thing about Indigo Imp is they use open fermentation for brewing all of their beers. Quoting from their website “With open fermentation, each batch may be influenced by wild yeast in addition to the yeast added by the... Continue Reading →
Columbus Brewery Guide
While no one is going to mistake Columbus for Portland, San Diego or Brussels, the list of breweries in Ohio’s capital city is a rapidly expanding list. Columbus is home to at fifteen different breweries (plus a Gordon Biersch and a Budweiser plant). This guide contains all that you need to know to start your Columbus beer journey.... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Pepe Nero by Goose Island
Tonight I’m reviewing Pepe Nero, one of Goose Island’s Belgian-style beers. I had a sample of Pepe Nero at this summer’s Columbus Beer Festival and made a note at that time to come back and try this beer. I can promise that not all the mental notes I made at the beer festival were still... Continue Reading →
Picks from the Pumpkin Patch
As Halloween comes and goes the pumpkin beers are rapidly giving way to the Christmas beers. As a new beer blogger it seemed my duty to sample a variety of pumpkin beers and offer up my opinions. Back in early October that seemed like a good idea, but after starting the project the appeal of... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Saison Dupont
Saison Dupont is the considered to be the quintessential Saison. Here I review the standard Saison Dupont (the small bottle in the picture above) followed by a review on a dry hopped variation on the standard offering (the large bottle). The yeast used to make Saisons is thought to be related to red wine yeast,... Continue Reading →
Beer Review – Resin by Sixpoint
Beer: Resin Brewery: Six Point Brewery (NY) Style: Double IPA (9.1% ABV) Rating: 7.5 Notes: I’ve got some pretty good beers left over from the IPA challenge a few weeks back that I need to drink before the hops fade. Tonight I’m having a go at Resin by Sixpoint Craft Ales in Brooklyn, which is my... Continue Reading →