Tales of ales from the heart of Ohio to the ends of the Earth
Nick Dekker has been writing about food, travel, and occasionally beer, for nearly two decades. His blog site, Breakfast with Nick, is a wealth of knowledge and the definitive guide to the best breakfast spots in Central Ohio. He is also a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, home of Founders Brewing, so it comes as... Continue Reading →
As the days get short and the mercury drops, the popularity of strong, dark beers waxes. What better time to break out that bottle of barrel aged imperial stout that’s been quietly aging in your cellar. A perfect time for the long awaited next installment of my Ohio vs the World series, a sporadic feature... Continue Reading →
Those of you keeping track will have noticed that I missed a couple of weeks in the Sunday Stout Soliloquy series. Perhaps you thought it was over because the series was only supposed to run until the end of winter, and the optimist in me would like to think that winter is behind us. In... Continue Reading →
Scotland is a little too far north to be ideal for growing hops. So Scottish beers are generally more lightly hopped, and hence maltier, than their English cousins. They come in various distinctions depending on their alcohol content, the strongest being called a Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy. In his book "Tasting Beer" Randy Mosher... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
One of the things that beer geeks pay attention to are special releases of highly sought after beers. There are various styles of beer that are released seasonally, like pumpkin beers or Christmas beers, but here I’m talking about something at an entirely different level. There are some beers that once they hit the... Continue Reading →
