Hops and Ska

 I can't believe it's that time of year to pick hops already.  I went out back to check on my plants to see how soon they'd be ready, and they were ready.  It was an odd growing season, and I wasn't expecting much, but to my surprise, they actually grew pretty well again this year.  Now, in years passed, I've picked anywhere from 5-7 pounds, and that wasn't the case this year, but I'm still pretty pleased with the 3 pounds that I ended up with.  Thanks to Tonya (my wife,) and Larry (my father in-law) for helping me pick this year.

This is my end result, 3 pounds bagged up, and into the freezer.  These will come out of the freezer shortly so I can brew an Imperial IPA with them and the other 3 pounds that's still frozen from last year.  I'm told that I will also have 3 pounds of honey and some white grape juice to add to it, so it will be an interesting beer to brew.  As long as I can keep it in the fermenting bucket and not on the floor, it should be good!

 My brother in-law Jared has been telling me to try this Woot Stout, another Stone Brewery collaboration.  He said, it may be his favorite beer of all time.  At $8.99 this 20oz bomber of 13% ABV goodness was a steal.  I can see why Jared likes it so much.  There is so much complexity in every sip.  Rich, thick, roasty and sweet all come into play with this very smooth full bodied stout.  This is a must have beer, and if I see it again, I may have to get another bottle or two

 The past few years, I've had an annual work trip to Kansas City for some Continuing Education classes.  I also meet up with an old friend of mine from my time in the Quad Cities.  This year was no different, except when we get ready to leave the bar after some food and a few beers, he mentions there is a band playing about a block away for free, called Reel Big Fish.  http://www.reel-big-fish.com/

 I've been a fan of them since the mid nineties, and loved them the first time I saw them over 7 years ago.  So how could I pass up seeing Reel Big Fish again?  The answer, is I didn't.  They put on an amazing outdoor show in the rain.  This is the kind of music that makes you want to get up and dance, but since I don't/can't dance, I just bobbed my head enthusiastically and sang along to all of their songs.  As a former trombone player, it's always been a dream of mine to play a few songs on stage with them.  Being about 4 feet from the stage was good enough for me that night.  As luck would have it, we met Derek (bass guitar) and John (trumpet) a few bars later in the evening.  They were both extremely friendly, and as much as I wanted to talk music with them, after a few minutes, we left them alone so they could enjoy the rest of their evening.

So I know this is mainly a beer blog, but other than a few of Boulevard's Tank 7's, the downtown beer scene was pretty forgettable.  Seeing one of my favorite band of all times, now that was truly amazing!

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East Coast Meets Midwest

 Earlier this year, I had the incredible opportunity to get a private tour of Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware by the Brewery Supervisor Dan.  It turns out, Dan is also a fellow Iowan, and recently returned to the Midwest for some family time.  Once again, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Dan, and we took a trip to Toppling Goliath in Decorah for a few beers.

 TG had another busy day at the brew house, but we were lucky enough to meet up with Brewmaster Mike and TG designer, Jon.  I showed incredible strength by not to having my phone out taking pictures of  two brewers from two of the best Craft breweries in the country, and the awesome beers we drank that day.  So, not shown from TG was naughty 90, Sosus, and Morning Latte.  To find out more about these beers, check out their website.  http://www.tgbrews.com/beer.html#list  What I will say is, Naughty 90 was an incredibly well balanced IPA that was barrel aged to perfection, Sosus is a juice like Mosiac hop bomb that is a must have for every beer lover, while Morning Latte very easily could replace my morning coffee.  Thanks again to Dan, Mike, and Jon for taking some time to have a few beers with this beer geek.  I always enjoy learning more about the craft beer business, and getting to know these guys more.  Don't worry Jon, someday soon, my 20 year old Magic the Gathering decks will destroy yours, and show that I'm a geek about more than just beer!

In honor of Dan driving across country just to have a beer with me. Ok, maybe to see family and friends too, I had to prepare with two great brews from Dogfish Head.  http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/index.htm  Above, is Palo Santo Marron, and it may just be my favorite beer of all time.  Weighing in at 12% ABV, this wood aged Brown Ale is thick, rich, roasty, and just plain amazing.

In complete contrast, Festina Peche (shown to the left,) is a 4.5% ABV tart and refreshing Berliner Weisse that is perfect for the hot and humid Iowa summers.  If you can't get to the East Coast, do yourself a favor and find these brews in WI and IL, they are worth it.

This little treasure was picked out by my wife on our Delaware vacation, and I'm so glad she did.  This is a 10% ABV Imperial IPA brewed with honey, and dare I say, every bit as good or even better than Bell's Hopslam.  That may sound like blasphemy coming from the Midwest, but this beer is fantastic.  The other great thing about the beer is the label.  The character on the front looks like a cross between the former wrestler, the Ultimate Warrior, and the Cartoon Muscle Man from Regular Show.  If only we had room to bring back more!!  http://sauconybeer.com/beers/hop-suplex-ale-spring?age-verified=59cbe33dcb

I mentioned this beer in an earlier entry, but it was so good, I thought it deserved a picture and a second mention.  http://www.backpocketbrewing.com/  Cane Blade is another Imperial IPA (anyone sensing a theme) that is thick, sweet, and has perfect balance.  It's extremely smooth, yet has a great malt/hop complexity that keeps me going back for more.  although, at over 8% ABV I may not be going back for more on the same night!
This Imperial IPA rivals some of the big boys, and is a must have.  As you're out shopping in Iowa this weekend, make sure you grab a 4 pack before they are all gone.

It's football time here in Eastern Iowa, and Joseph has begun his 2nd year in youth football.  These guys take their football seriously around here.  Windy, cold, and rainy, who cares?  They practice outside, and these 8-10 year olds are learning some very valuable lessons about hard work, dedication, and teamwork.  Football and Craft beer in Iowa, make me a very happy man.

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The Heat Is On!

 After a long and stressful week at work, and with the arrival of hotter and humid weather, I chose a few good beers to relax and cool off with this weekend.  My first choice was Raygun IPA from Backpocket Brewery http://www.backpocketbrewing.com/  This is a brewery I really need to tour, as I've heard from several people the brew house and taproom are beautiful.  Well guess what?  There beer is pretty good too.  I've been most impressed with my last two offerings from them.  Cane Blade (mentioned in the last entry) and this 7% ABV, Galaxy hopped Raygun IPA.  This is what I look for in an IPA.  Well balanced, great aroma, bitter, but not overpowering, and drinks like a 4% beer.  Cheers to Backpocket!  Featured in this picture in Jawbreaker from Skylanders.  Joseph insisted he was featured this entry!

I picked up this Clementine White Ale on my Spring trip to Delaware, and it seemed like to perfect time to enjoy this brew.  I was right!  This citrus, sweet, white wheat was just what I needed to cool off in the humid weather.  To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this beer, but I was pleasantly surprised.  The citrus was perfectly balanced with the spices, wheat, and Belgian yeast.  This is an easy drinking White Ale that would be perfect on the beach, camping, or just relaxing in the back yard.  

Recently I've seen a few people on the beer boards that have made the trek to the West Coast, and would post all these beers that I've only read about before.  So when I came across Ballast Point's Grapefruit Sculpin at Family Beer and Liquor in East Dubuque, I had to try it.  http://www.familybeer.com/ I'm glad I did.  This was an excellent,  well balanced IPA whose flavors and aroma married perfectly with the citrus of the grapefruit. They did a great job of keeping the grapefruit subtle so it blended perfectly with the citrus of the hops, and showing why this is an award winning IPA.   http://www.ballastpoint.com/
Next time you're in the East Dubuque area, stop into Family Beer and Liquor (the store with the best name) and check out the amazing Craft Beer selection that Tim has amassed for our enjoyment.

Other than making it easier to enjoy some great summer brews, the hot and humid weather has also helped the Jalapeno peppers grow.  I've received two bags of peppers from my brother in-law Jared, and today I put them to good use.  A quick and easy pickling recipe will keep these pickles fresh and delicious all year round.  If only we had a bigger fridge so I could do more!

I'm currently lining up a tour with what may be the Midwest's best brewery, and will post more about that as soon as the details are ironed out.  I also hope to be meeting up with Dan from Dogfish Head Brewery in a few weeks when he makes a trip back to Iowa, so hopefully we can share a few brews together.

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Summer

Summer is in full swing.  So it's time for outside activities, which in our house is mostly going to the pool and playing outside with the dogs.  I haven't had time for fishing this year, but I did make time to go to the Blasen Family Golf Outing a few weeks back.  This is me and my brother in-law Marty enjoying the ride from my nephew Charlie.  Charlie (age 9) was a pretty good driver, and much safer than his older brother Jake (age 11.)  After two holes with Jake driving, I took the wheel to finish up the coarse.  I had a great day with my dad, Marty, and the boys, and was able to catch up with some family I haven't spent much time with lately.  I also enjoyed a Founder's All Day IPA, and a few Blue Moons in the golf cart.  I would've have more of the Founder's, but Casey hogged it all.  Next year, I'll know better get there early!!

What's the best thing to do on the hottest weekend of the year.  Of course the answer is go camping!!  Last weekend we met up with Chad and Annie for a sweaty weekend outdoors (with the occasional trip inside their camper to cool off.)  We enjoyed a few brews by the fire (you know, because it wasn't  hot enough so we really needed to make a fire.)  The stand out brew for me was Cane Blade from Backpocket Brewing.  It's a deceptively smooth double IPA that was very delicious.  I've heard from a reliable source, they will have a new wheat beer and a Quad coming out in the near future.  I was also able to pick up a bottle of their new Raygun IPA on the way home.  I just hope it's as good as the Cane Blade.

Camping at Lake Red Rock, we were only 14 miles away from Knoxville, so it would've been a shame if we didn't check out Peace Tree Brewing.  Luckily for us, the heat gave us a great excuse to go into town, and sit in the air conditioned taproom for a bit.  Pictured to the left is No Coast IPA.  This 7.25% American IPA was just what I needed to cool down.  A mixture of pine and citrus from the hops in the well balanced brew, that was just bitter enough to make it interesting, yet still easily drinkable.

The other beer I had was their Templeton Sidekick, a 6% ABV Kolsch aged in Templeton Rye barrels.  Kolsch is near the bottom of the list of beers I would normally order, but I am a sucker for Templeton Rye Whiskey.  I actually really enjoyed this beer, and you won't hear me say this a lot, but it would've been even better if there was less whiskey flavor to it.  I think maybe mixing the barrel aged beer with the unaged Kolsch, would've made this an even more enjoyable beer.

I also took home a growler of Hop Wrangler, a 6.25% ABV, Belgo-American IPA.  This is the beer that really made me take notice of what Peace Tree was doing years ago.  I have to say, my will power is pretty amazing, as it's still in my fridge.  Come on Friday night!!

After ditching us guys for some ice cream our families met us back and the tap room, and Joseph was able to enjoy his first brewery made rootbeer.  (His hair is getting so long, it went into the rootbeer before he even had a chance to taste it!)  A few minutes later, his uncle Chad made him laugh so hard, he ended up with rootber all over his face.

I was very impressed with the tap room.  They refinished an old industrial building and turned it into a beautiful gathering place.  I would also like to point out, that their service was top notch.  If you're in the Knoxville area, I would highly recommend stopping by for a few beers.  Overall, we had a nice afternoon at the taproom, and after going back out into the heat, we probably should have stayed there longer.  http://www.peacetreebrewing.com/

Arson and Toby playing tug-o-war when we got home (and it cooled down!)

I know, I know, I said I'd review Toppling Goliath's collaboration with Mikkeller.  I didn't forget, here's Nelson Schmelsson shown to the right, along with the new bottle caps from TG.  Wow!  That's it, just wow!  I thought this beer was absolutely amazing!  The powerful hop aroma hits you as soon as you open the bottle, and gets even better as you pour it.  Dank.  Dank is thrown about a lot in beer boards lately, and it really fits this brew.  Dank to me is just another was of saying hoppy goodness.  This beer has plenty of that, and a solid, malty body to go with it.  To be honest, this is one of the best beers I've had all year.  Congrats to Clark, Mike, and the rest of the Hop Patrol at TG, and the guys at Mikkeller for making such a fantastic Double IPA!  http://www.tgbrews.com/
Word on Twitter is that TG will be releasing their Morning Delight in the near future.  This has been another of those elusive TG beers I haven't had yet, but will do my best to get a hold of this year, and of course, write about.  I also hope to have more from TG coming up, so keep checking back.

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I know you're all surprised that I'm starting this entry off with yet another Toppling Goliath beer.  This time I went for the Mosiac hop bomb Pompeii.  It's exactly what I've come to expect in an IPA from TG.  Loads of amazing aroma, good malt body, and loads more of hop flavor with not too much bitterness.  They always do a great job of balancing their IPA's just right so they're incredibly hoppy without being overly bitter.  Another great example of a Midwest IPA.

I've been saving this bottle for over 6 months to split with my brother in-law.  So, when he came over on Father's Day (to bring me the bottle of Pompeii,) I had to open it up.  This has to be one other the better Barley Wines I've ever had.  Another perfectly balanced beer with the thick, sweet malt, and citrus, hoppy bitterness.  Now I wish I would've grabbed a few more bottles when it came out!

You may also notice my son's new Skylander toy holding my Father's Day gift, a new beer bottle opener/magnet.

Lagunitas Sucks!  Great name and even better beer.  This is by far my favorite offering from Lagunitas that I've had so far.  They make very solid IPA's, but most are just a bit too bitter for my taste.  This one I found not quite so bitter, with a ton of citrus hop aroma and flavor that makes it a pretty damn good brew.  https://lagunitas.com/beers/sucks

I haven't had a lot of Mikkeller beer in the past, what I had was always good, but not blow me away good.  To be honest, their high price tag is usually enough to keep me from trying more.  I found this IPA, Better Half, while I was on vacation, and decided to give it a try.  I was very pleased.  It is a solid IPA, with great aroma and flavor, but again, just a bit too bitter on the back end for me.  But still, if it was a bit cheaper, I would have no problem buying a 6 or 12 pack of these for camping.  They also recently brewed a Double IPA with Toppling Goliath called Nelson Schmelson, which will be in my next entry.  I've heard mixed reviews of it, but I'm very excited to try it.

One of my favorite breweries, Single Speed out of Cedar Falls, got together with another good Iowa brewery from Iowa City, Backpocket.  They brewed this magnificent Golden Bock.  This is not a style I would normally buy, but I decided to support my local breweries, and was rewarded for it.  Huge, thick, malty body, with loads of hoppy goodness.  For less than $5, this 7% ABV treasure is an absolute steal.

I'm about 2 weeks out from my last spinal steroid injection, and yet again, no super powers.  Oh well, at least I'm starting to get relief from the back pain again.  Who knows, maybe next time.  Tomorrow is my family's annual golf outing, I'll be riding along in the golf cart enjoying a few brews instead of golfing, so we'll see what makes it into the next entry.  I also hope to be doing a brewery tour or two soon.

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Don't forget: Life's too short to drink bad beer!

Dogfish Head

Sometimes you just need to get away.  One of my favorite spots to go is Rehoboth Beach, DE.  Great beaches, seafood, amazing beer, and lots of things to do with the family.  Every time I go to the East Coast, I have to pick up some Yuengling Lager.  I know some craft beer enthusiast may give me a hard time about that, but you can't beat a Yuengling Lager on a warm summer day at the beach or at home in the back yard.  https://www.yuengling.com/  For the same price as Budweiser, you get a full flavored lager you can actually enjoy.  They are America's oldest brewery for a reason.  They know how to make good beer.

About 12 years ago, I stopped at a brewpub in Rehoboth Beach for lunch with my wife and my sister.  Not being that into craft beer, I ordered the Pale Ale (about the only beer I really liked at the time.) It was fantastic.  I saw a sign for a Punkin Ale, I've never heard of such a thing, so I decided to be adventurous and give it a try.  What I tasted blew my mind, and changed my life forever.  Since that beer, I've been trying all different styles of craft beer, and have been homebrewing for nearly 10 years.  All because we stopped at Dogfish Head for lunch.  http://www.dogfish.com/

The brewery was started by Sam Calagione 20 years ago, and he pushed the limits of what beer could taste like.  One of the things that he was a pioneer in was continuous hopping.  Prior to that  all brewers added the hops at the beginning and the end of the boil, with some adding a third edition in the middle.  Sam used this old electronic football game, and a bucket with holes drilled in it to shake, and drop the hops in throughout to boil.  It may sound silly now, but it was revolutionary at the time.  Now Dogfish Head is famous for their continually hopped IPA's like 60, 90, and 120 Minute IPA. Below, is the original 10 gallon Sabco Brew Magic that Sam used to start the company, which is now the 11th largest Craft Brewery in the country.

One of my favorite brews is the Palo Santo Marron. http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/palo-santo-marron.htm   It's a 12% ABV Brown Ale aged in the tanks seen here.   Some of those tanks are made of Oak to age beers like Burton Baton as well.  By now you may be wondering how I've gotten all these pictures of this amazing brewery?  The answer is Dan Weber.  Dan is a fellow Iowan who worked for Millstream Brewery before leaving for Dogfish Head nearly 4 years ago.  Here's a bit of info in this link.  https://badassbeer.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/dogfish-head-newsletter/
Dan is now the brewery supervisor at Dogfish Head, and with luck, and help from my brother in-law, Chad, I was able to get a private tour of the brewery from him.

Not only was I blown away by the shear size of the brewery, I was also blown away by Dan's generosity.  He took me and my father in-law, Larry around the entire brewery for nearly 2 hours on his afternoon off.  He indulged me lots of pictures and questions.

Dogfish Head is a special place for me, as it sparked my passion for craft beer, I've even received an email from Sam Calagione years ago.  So for Dan to take time out of his day to show me around, it was truly amazing.  Hopefully I'll get to buy him a beer at Single Speed or Toppling Goliath next time he's in Iowa.

Pictured to the left are some of the fermenting tanks.

We also got to sample a few beers prior to our tour.  I enjoyed a Festina Peche, Grateful Dead American Beauty (a new favorite of mine,) 90 Minute IPA, and a Palo Santo Marron.

Pictured to the right are kegs waiting to be shipped out, about 2 weeks supply or so.  We saw them on the way into the bottling facility and I had to grab a couple of photos of all that beer.  Below are about 2 weeks worth of beer bottled and ready to be shipped out.  It was hard not to pull a Scrooge McDuck and dive into all that wonderful beer!

On our tour, Dan showed us brewhouse 1 and 2, the wood room, the fermenters, brite tanks, keg fillers, the warehouse, the bottling line, the laboratory, and more.  This was a day that I won't be forgetting for a very long time.  To be in the mecca of Craft beer was truly awe inspiring.  And, after 2 hours of standing and walking, my legs were shot, so the best thing for us to do, was head back to the beach side condo for some more beer!

In case you didn't know, Dogfish Head also has a distillery.  It had been in the brewpub, but it's growing so much it has a new home at the brewery.  This is the distillery as they're still getting it ready for operation.  Their Honey Brown Rum is ridiculous, and my mother in-law, Ruth is a big fan of their vodka.
http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-spirits/index.htm

After a great week on the beach with my family, it was time for the 19 hour car ride home.  Never a fun thing!  We made it back home safe and sound, and are trying to get back into our regular schedule (also not easy.)  I had to try out my new IPA glass this week.  Dispite being packed into our car like sardines on the drive home, my Dogfish Head IPA glass made it safe too.  Picture is my Triple Double IPA.  After a few weeks in the keg, this brew has come into its own.  This is one of my favorite beer that I've brewed in the past 2 years.

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Cheers!

Is this Beer Heaven?

 With all the amazing beer and brewery choices out there, it gets a little overwhelming when choosing what to have.  Lately, I've decided to stick with the breweries I know and love, and try more of what they have to offer.  This week, I started off with InterGalactic Warrior from Toppling Goliath.  http://www.tgbrews.com/beer.html#igw  All they do is make great beer, and this just helps add to their growing legend.  To be honest, when they first started out, I kind of scoffed at their name and reason behind it.  I thought this tiny brewery in Iowa has no business going after the "big guys."  Boy was I wrong.  Clark and the gang have done nothing but produce amazing beer, and have truly made a name for themselves in the craft beer world.  They've proven they can brew terrific beer, grow at a reasonable pace, and have one of the best marketing plans in the business.  People just can't get enough of them, and with good reason.  Cheers to TG, and another fantastic IPA in IGW.

      Another Iowa brewery that should get more attention is WestOBeer.  This is only the second beer of theirs I've had, and I have really enjoyed each one.  http://westobeer.com/styles/  This is their Smoked Red Ale.  It already had a non believer in me, as I don't particular care for smoked beers or Red Ales.  Again, I was forced to rethink my preconceived notions, as this beer was incredibly enjoyable.  Just a hint of smoke, great malty balance, and very smooth.  I was extremely impressed with this brew.  Now, they just need to start distributing to my side of the state!

 I like to think I make some pretty good beers too, maybe not on the same level as the two mentioned above, but still pretty good.  This is my Triple Double IPA.  Brewed with 3 kinds of hops (Citra, Mosiac, and home grown Nugget,) and sitting at 7% ABV, I'm pretty pleased with the way this beer has turned out.  If I'm nitpicking, I would replace the Mosiac hops with either more Citra or some Galaxy hops the next time.  Other than that, I have enjoyed my first two glasses from the keg.  This beer is very young, and I expect its flavors to round out a bit in the upcoming weeks.

Pictured above is our new Welsh Springer Spaniel puppy Arson, and his new best friend, our Golden Retriever, Toby.  Arson is finally making progress on his potty training, and has really become a part of the family.  We are all so glad he's a part of home, well, maybe the cats aren't.

I have a private tour set up up with on of my favorite breweries in the whole world.  Tune in next time to read all about it!

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Cheers!