2007 Brass City Brewfest
This past Saturday was the 2nd Annual Brass City Brewfest. I was worried that it was going to be a soggy affair as the remnants of Humberto swept through the area Friday night and early Saturday morning bringing much needed rain. But the sun came out around noon and we had a beautiful day, albeit on the cool side with mid-60 temps. Irregardless, it was a great day to drink beer.
Apparently there was a bigger crowd this year than last year. I wasn't sure, but everyone else I went with seemed certain. And since many of the vendors ran out of beer early, some before 4PM (the event started at 1) and almost all by the time the brewfest officially ended at 5.
My wife and I brought our Ten Penny Ale plastic glasses that we acquired earlier in the year at the Connecticut Craft Brewers Festival. It beats drinking out of those tiny cups and it means less garbage so why not? As such, we decided to start the day off right with a mug full of Ten Penny Ale from Olde Burnside. I still haven't made any progress in getting the beer guy at the liquor store I frequent to carry them. Of course it would be alot easier if they sold the stuff in something besides growlers. Until that changes, brewfests will continue to be the only time that I get to drink this excellent scottish ale. And they're quite happy to fill up a mug sporting their logo.
(UPDATE: The beer guy said that he's been trying to get the Olde Burnside brews but the distributor keeps claiming that they don't have any.)
John, a big Brooklyn Brewery fan, sampled their Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen Weiss. It's a collaboration with a German brewer who shockingly enough was willing to try something new (Change is bad among the German brewers). It's a dry hopped wheat but it's nothing like a Hefeweizen or a Dunkelweizen. It wasn't overly hoppy. I found the citrus taste to be a bit overpowering, as if the esters got out of hand. White Ale and Belgian Ale lovers might want to check this out.
Speaking of Belgian Beer, there was a whole tent devoted to Belgian Beer. Admission to that ten was an extra $10. Not being a fan, and quite content with the selection in the four other tents and two vans, I passed. Bob and Adam went for it though. They were quite happy they did. They emerged with some green apple concoction that I have to admit was quite good.
John made one more recommendation that day and it was to check out the Polish beer. I spotted the Zwyiec Porter and went for it. Unfortunately, the dude waited on me instead of the cute blonde and he was a wise ass. "It's 9.5%. Are you sure you can handle it?" I gave him a look that said, "I've been drinking beer longer than you've been alive buddy." But all I said was, "I can handle it." Fucker gave me a meager three sips (no exaggeration). It was really good and I didn't get that imperial porter kick either. I didn't go back, though I should have.
The Single Track Copper Ale from Boulder Beer Company was good. It was a refreshing medium-bodied beer. The guy gave me enough that I could head over to the food tent for a cup of some excellent chili.
Lagunitas is an expensive brewer from California. I never buy their beer because it usually runs $10/six pack. Sierra Nevada's not much closer but even they're a buck or two cheaper. For a buck more I can usually get a 12 pack of Red Hook so why bother, right? So, I decided to try them out to see if I was missing anything. I had the Sirius Strong Cream Ale. It was ok, definitely not worth the extra money.
Rogue is a line of brews that I don't buy. I don't know why. I had their Mocha Porter and it was good and chocolatey. I need to start buying them.
Bob tried Berkshire Brewing's Coffeehouse Porter and really liked it. I asked him if it tasted like coffee and since he said it did I had to pass. Coffee makes me gag. Seriously. I get my caffeine elsewhere. So I went with their Oktoberfest. It was good.
When my wife and I lived in Norwalk, we used to go to the John Harvard's Brew House restaurant in Westport quite a bit. Alas, it closed and the closest one is in Manchester. For a chain, they make some pretty good beer. I was hoping to try their new Scotch Ale but it was all gone. I settled for the Oktoberfest but wasn't disappointed.
After one attends a few brewfests, you start seeing alot of the same brewers. I try to use these occasions to try new brews that I either don't get regularly or are just unavailable. Besides the Polish beer, this year's highlight was the Hartford Better Beer company. They were generous on the samples ("How much do you want?" "As much as you're willing to share.") so I really got a good taste. They have two brews right now: the Arch Amber Ale and the Praying Mantis Porter. The Amber Ale was a well balanced, medium-bodied ale that I could've drank all day. Well, I could've drank the Porter all day too. Smooth and rich with hints of chocolate, yet they didn't overdo the sweetness at all. I've got another brewer I need to nag the beer guy at the liquor store about.
(UPDATE: Beer guy said that he's already planning on having the Praying Mantis Porter in stock late Fall. He had the Arch Amber Ale in the store but it took 5 months to sell 3 cases. I guessed I missed it. Can't blame him for not wanting to continue carrying it. That's way too slow.)
We ended the day with a Maudite from Unibroue. This is an ale that my wife and I have enjoyed for some time. We first had it at the Vermont Brewfest many years ago (pre-kids). Unfortunately, it hadn't been sitting in the cooler long enough so it was a bit on the ambient temperature side. Still, it's a savory brew which I hope to properly review here sometime.
All in all, a very good day to be alive.
\_/
DED
Apparently there was a bigger crowd this year than last year. I wasn't sure, but everyone else I went with seemed certain. And since many of the vendors ran out of beer early, some before 4PM (the event started at 1) and almost all by the time the brewfest officially ended at 5.
My wife and I brought our Ten Penny Ale plastic glasses that we acquired earlier in the year at the Connecticut Craft Brewers Festival. It beats drinking out of those tiny cups and it means less garbage so why not? As such, we decided to start the day off right with a mug full of Ten Penny Ale from Olde Burnside. I still haven't made any progress in getting the beer guy at the liquor store I frequent to carry them. Of course it would be alot easier if they sold the stuff in something besides growlers. Until that changes, brewfests will continue to be the only time that I get to drink this excellent scottish ale. And they're quite happy to fill up a mug sporting their logo.
(UPDATE: The beer guy said that he's been trying to get the Olde Burnside brews but the distributor keeps claiming that they don't have any.)
John, a big Brooklyn Brewery fan, sampled their Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen Weiss. It's a collaboration with a German brewer who shockingly enough was willing to try something new (Change is bad among the German brewers). It's a dry hopped wheat but it's nothing like a Hefeweizen or a Dunkelweizen. It wasn't overly hoppy. I found the citrus taste to be a bit overpowering, as if the esters got out of hand. White Ale and Belgian Ale lovers might want to check this out.
Speaking of Belgian Beer, there was a whole tent devoted to Belgian Beer. Admission to that ten was an extra $10. Not being a fan, and quite content with the selection in the four other tents and two vans, I passed. Bob and Adam went for it though. They were quite happy they did. They emerged with some green apple concoction that I have to admit was quite good.
John made one more recommendation that day and it was to check out the Polish beer. I spotted the Zwyiec Porter and went for it. Unfortunately, the dude waited on me instead of the cute blonde and he was a wise ass. "It's 9.5%. Are you sure you can handle it?" I gave him a look that said, "I've been drinking beer longer than you've been alive buddy." But all I said was, "I can handle it." Fucker gave me a meager three sips (no exaggeration). It was really good and I didn't get that imperial porter kick either. I didn't go back, though I should have.
The Single Track Copper Ale from Boulder Beer Company was good. It was a refreshing medium-bodied beer. The guy gave me enough that I could head over to the food tent for a cup of some excellent chili.
Lagunitas is an expensive brewer from California. I never buy their beer because it usually runs $10/six pack. Sierra Nevada's not much closer but even they're a buck or two cheaper. For a buck more I can usually get a 12 pack of Red Hook so why bother, right? So, I decided to try them out to see if I was missing anything. I had the Sirius Strong Cream Ale. It was ok, definitely not worth the extra money.
Rogue is a line of brews that I don't buy. I don't know why. I had their Mocha Porter and it was good and chocolatey. I need to start buying them.
Bob tried Berkshire Brewing's Coffeehouse Porter and really liked it. I asked him if it tasted like coffee and since he said it did I had to pass. Coffee makes me gag. Seriously. I get my caffeine elsewhere. So I went with their Oktoberfest. It was good.
When my wife and I lived in Norwalk, we used to go to the John Harvard's Brew House restaurant in Westport quite a bit. Alas, it closed and the closest one is in Manchester. For a chain, they make some pretty good beer. I was hoping to try their new Scotch Ale but it was all gone. I settled for the Oktoberfest but wasn't disappointed.
After one attends a few brewfests, you start seeing alot of the same brewers. I try to use these occasions to try new brews that I either don't get regularly or are just unavailable. Besides the Polish beer, this year's highlight was the Hartford Better Beer company. They were generous on the samples ("How much do you want?" "As much as you're willing to share.") so I really got a good taste. They have two brews right now: the Arch Amber Ale and the Praying Mantis Porter. The Amber Ale was a well balanced, medium-bodied ale that I could've drank all day. Well, I could've drank the Porter all day too. Smooth and rich with hints of chocolate, yet they didn't overdo the sweetness at all. I've got another brewer I need to nag the beer guy at the liquor store about.
(UPDATE: Beer guy said that he's already planning on having the Praying Mantis Porter in stock late Fall. He had the Arch Amber Ale in the store but it took 5 months to sell 3 cases. I guessed I missed it. Can't blame him for not wanting to continue carrying it. That's way too slow.)
We ended the day with a Maudite from Unibroue. This is an ale that my wife and I have enjoyed for some time. We first had it at the Vermont Brewfest many years ago (pre-kids). Unfortunately, it hadn't been sitting in the cooler long enough so it was a bit on the ambient temperature side. Still, it's a savory brew which I hope to properly review here sometime.
All in all, a very good day to be alive.
\_/
DED
Labels: beer
posted by DED at 10:23 PM
2 Comments:
Hi ded,
I must confess that I have never even heard of any of those brews. I do like drinking beer in cool weather though. Of course what I usually drink would probably be considered swill by your standards. Nevertheless, it sounds like a fun outing.
Well, I hadn't heard of some of them myself. Just spreading the word.
And yes, it was a fun outing indeed.
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