Extended Pints http://www.extendedpints.com Drink. Eat. Live. Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:09:32 +0000 en hourly 1 Victory Hop Wallop http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2012/01/victory-hop-wallop/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2012/01/victory-hop-wallop/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:09:32 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2633 Continue reading »]]>

When people are coming over, I always try to have something for them to try, the all important Christmas meal is no different. This year I decided to get something I’ve had before and something new. The one I had never tried was  The Hop Wallop from Victory Brewing.  The Wallop is a double IPA and that style alone is a little scary for me. I am not a hop head and usually these beers are nothing more than hop juice. I have never been let down by Victory before so while this was uncharted waters for me, it was still a fairly safe bet.

I poured the beer into a tulip glass and the first thing I noticed was the beautiful cloud like fluffy head. The color was a slightly hazy light copper and it looked great in the glass.  It had a BIG hop scent backed up by a strong citrus aroma. Time for the first sip. Woah! Wallop is right, this is hops, hops and more hops. The flavor ends with a nice bitter character. This is a beer that bites you back and is not shy about what it is or what it is trying to do.

Halfway through the glass the flavor is getting more intense rather than less, which is surprising. There is a slight sugary, sweet flavor creeping in a bit, but it is still all flower power here. If you are not a hop head I don’t think I can safely recommend this to you. If however, you are an adventurous beer drinker like me, then you have to try this one. It is kind of a given that all you hop heads have to have this a couple of times.  The hops are starting to get me in the back of the throat and sticking there. Each successive sip continues pounding away on my taste buds.

I am enjoying this beer in the same way I enjoy super hot buffalo wings. It begs me to keep going but challenges me every step of the way.  Another solid offering from the folks at Victory.

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2012/01/victory-hop-wallop/feed/ 0 Deal Alert : Sly Fox Brewery http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/12/deal-alert-sly-fox-brewery/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/12/deal-alert-sly-fox-brewery/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:28:39 +0000 aurablue http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2642 Continue reading »]]>

I have always been a big fan of getting a great bargain, so when I came across this incredible deal, I naturally wanted to pass it along. Sly Fox Brewhouse and Eatery, in Phoenixville is offering a great deal via Groupon. For $25, you get a pub meal for four (up to a $74 value), which includes two appetizers or buckets and four sandwiches, burgers, or flatbread pizzas. Granted the beer is not included but with this deal you can afford a round or three for everyone plus a cab ride home.

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/12/deal-alert-sly-fox-brewery/feed/ 0 Brewfest on the Battleship http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/09/brewfest-on-the-battleship/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/09/brewfest-on-the-battleship/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:18:49 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2593 Continue reading »]]>

My father, a veteran of the U.S. Airforce, contacted me about this festival and I must admit the idea of a beer fest on a battleship was intriguing.  Good Beer, historic location and spending a day with my father did indeed sound like a good time, so off we went.

Our day started nice and early as we decided to do the tour before the festival. We arrived at the Battleship New Jersey and were given our safety briefing and then off we went.  While I am not by any means a history or military buff the sense of pride, honor and history aboard the ship can not be undersold.  The sheer size and scope of everything onboard, except the bunks, was amazing. The fact that the ship was originally built in the 1940′s made it even more amazing. It was a great way to start a day and if you even think you are interested, you owe it to yourself to head on down. (Battleship New Jersey)

When we finish the tour, we come up the stairs from the mess hall and are brought right up on deck, in front of the beer fest. With tasting cups in hand, we head in to take a look around. We are first greeted by WMGK’s prize wheel and just beyond that is a sizeable pumpkin tap in the back right, so we head on over to investigate. The tap handle belonged to Harpoon’s UFO Pumpkin. We kindly asked for our sample and made our way back to the middle of the tent to taste.  The smell was amazing and the taste was even better. This beer was the standard that the rest of the fest would have to measure up to.  While there were some good beers to be had, Riverhorse Hipp-0-Lantern, Longtrail Harvest and the Saranac Pumpkin just to name a few, none of them passed the Harpoon offering as best in show.

The fall shows are always my favorite because you get the best mix of beers. You get the autumn style beers, the pumpkin beers, the oktoberfest beers as well as the year round offerings to keep the tasting fresh. The crew at the battleship New Jersey and WMGK put on a really good festival and if either of them decide to do it again you should make plans to attend.

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/09/brewfest-on-the-battleship/feed/ 0 Craft beer as a lifestyle http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/craft-beer-as-a-lifestyle/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/craft-beer-as-a-lifestyle/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:23:31 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2582 Continue reading »]]>

If you are reading this, odds are you really love craft beer or you really love me. Either way, I hope this will be of interest.  Like most of you who blog, tweet, facebook and G+ about craft beer, you probably have a regular 9-5 that pays the bills and the rest is just because you care about your hobby (craft beer) enough to become involved in the community. I can’t blame you, as craft beer people are some of the best people to be associated with. They are engaged, welcoming and all around good people.  The passion that is displayed about and by the people who make and enjoy craft beer is amazing, however I find myself in a balancing act. I am a husband and a father of two wonderful children (7, 4), who make it challenging at times to be as big a part of the community as I would want to be.  I don’t often go out to visit the bars where events take place and I only go to about 1 of every 4 events that I want to. I want to still be a present father and an engaged husband to my wife and I find that a delicate balancing act at times.

I don’t want my kids to be with a babysitter every weekend, so I forgo some of my passions for the betterment of the rest of my life. Sure there will be times I look longingly at the latest beers on tap from some of my local bars and feel like I missed out when all of my fellow beer folks are engaged with a brewer at a local tasting, but I feel like I am making the right choice. Most of my tastings come from a trip to my local store (usually Cranbury Buy Rite) where I purchase the latest brews to sample and enjoy them at home. I wonder if I am the only one who walks this fine line of hobby and life.

I am an avid golfer as well, and have come to grips with the fact that although I might want to golf more, twice a month works best for all facets of my life, my wallet included. That bi-weekly engagement during the summer months, where I go out to the course, usually with my father and a couple of my brothers has proven to be enough to keep my appetite fed. I have yet to find that balance with craft beer. I have yet to find the right amount of life’s indulgence to keep me from feeling, well, like I am half assing it.

This was started as a way to help me get involved in the community more and without a doubt it has.  I have met and talked to some wonderful people in the past 11 months and I wouldn’t change it at all. It has also though made me realize that maybe my conviction as a father and husband and my desire to be present in their everyday life is what might hold me back.

So I ask all of you out there, parents, non parents, married folks and you single people how do you balance it? How do you manage to stay in the know in the craft beer community while still balancing the rest of your life?

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/craft-beer-as-a-lifestyle/feed/ 1 Ellicotville Mow Master http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/ellicotville-mow-master/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/ellicotville-mow-master/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:54:58 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2538 Continue reading »]]>

Usually when it comes time to get the new beer for review, I generally have an idea of what beer to get or at the very least the style or brewery. This week I walked into Cranbury Buy Rite with no preconceived notions as to what I wanted. I went in looking to “find” something. I first went over to the taps. While all good beers, nothing was jumping out at me as something I wanted to review so off to the bottles I went. While walking around, Kristian came over, we casually started talking and then I asked the question “What are your new bottles?” We were off and around the store faster then you can say Rumple..whateveritis. I had my bounty in hand when we were walking back and he stopped dead and said “Oh man have you had this yet?” one of my favorite phrases. He picked up the Ellicotville Mow Master, brewed and bottled by Southern Tier and sold me on it.

I poured the Ultra Pale Ale into my glass and the first thought that I had was “fizzy yellow water”. The color reminds me of the Macro beer I try to stay away from. The smell however was a different story. There was a hoppy freshness and almost tangerine sweetness to it. The flavor was very muted and there was nothing jumping out at me, yet strangely I kept wanting to go back.  The hops produce a nice citrusy flavor resulting in a light and crisp beer sip after sip.  There was a time not too long ago, I could see myself not enjoying this Ellicotville offering. It simply tastes and smells of beer. I can see this beer going very well on a lawn tractor as depicted on the label as it is very thirst quenching. I am a fan of this beer in the same way that most are fans of professional basketball, casual and fleeting.

ranking 2.5
]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/ellicotville-mow-master/feed/ 2 And now for something completely different. http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/and-now-for-something-completely-different/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/and-now-for-something-completely-different/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:41:24 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2532 Continue reading »]]>

Well not completely different as it still involves beer. This time rather then purchasing it, we brewed it! My father and three of my brothers gathered at my house last Thursday to finally brew our own beer.  We had wanted to do this for a rather long time but never did anything about it. All that changed 2 weeks ago when on the Ladies of Craft Beer site I saw a great deal offered through Northern Brewer for their Deluxe Starter Kit. At roughly 180 bucks for the kit abd two starter recipes, the deal was too good to pass up and the order was placed. Not bad considering it would net us 4 cases of beer and we get to keep the kit to brew some more. The days went by and Tom Petty had it right, “The waiting is the hardest part.”

The Glorious boxes taken from my cell phone

Delivery day finally came and I was so excited to get it that I went outside and met the FedEx delivery guy at his truck and carried the boxes into my house.  I was shocked at how many boxes there were (4) and by some of the sizes of them. I took a cell phone pic and sent it on to the rest of my group. Within the minute I had 3 replies of other excited folks ready to get this started.  We settled on Thursday at 8 to meet up.

In my excitement to get going, I reached out for some advice, to two members of the craft beer community. The well versed home brewers, Billy Broas of the Home Brew Academy and Steve Gitlin from The Brew World Order were great in providing me not only with tips prior and during, but encouragement as well. I can’t thank them enough. The sheer amount of knowledge they shared with me was amazing and I went in to this feeling much more prepared then I thought.

8 o’clock had finally arrived and after watching the short video included with every Northern Brewer Kit, we set off on starting our batch. Everything we needed was laid out on my dining room table and we carefully put aside what would not be needed on brewing day. You could feel the excitement level continuing to rise as we all realized it was about to begin. Off we went.

I filled the brew pot with the 2.5 gallons of “high quality h20″ (Said in my best Bobby Boucher), while Andrew and Justin started putting the delicious smelling caramel malts into the cheese cloth. We met at the stove and the steeping began.  I don’t think any of us went further then 5-6 feet away from that water as it was going, instead we stared and smelled in amazement.  After 20 minutes, my father and Justin started pouring the malt extract into the pot as I began to stir. Finding a steady rhythm to my stirring, we all realized that we were slightly dancing to the sound of the spoon on the bottom of the pan as it moved around, making our wonderful elixir come alive.

Once we achieved a boil we poured in our first batch of hops, but not before we all took a big whiff of the fabulous smell that was the bag of Cascade. We set the timer and proceeded to begin our sanitization process. I have to admit, this was the part that scared me the most.  I was thinking we would all have to wear lab coats and surgical masks to get this right, boy was I wrong.  This was a nice easy process, made even easier with the included sanitizer in our kit. Now that everything was sanitized, we just had to wait for the timer to run out.

The microwave timer went off and it was time to add the last pack of hops. Just like before, we all took in the smell one last time.  My father stirred them in as the rest of us anxiously awaited the clock winding down. An audible 5..4..3..2..1 came out of my kitchen.  Justin moved the wort over to the sink and we started the chilling process. I pre froze a couple of travel mugs with water and dumped them in to the sink as it was filling to help.  We all took turns sticking our noses over the slight gap at the top of the pot, marveling at how great the smell was, some of us getting to close and singeing some nose hairs. The aroma was awesome and only served to heighten our expectations on what this final beer would taste like.

Now this is the worst time of the entire process. It felt like 6 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 18 hours, 24 minutes and 9 seconds before the wort was cooled enough to put it in the fermenter. In all actuality it was about 45 minutes to an hour. We poured the now cooled wort into the funnel on top of the carboy, combined it with 2 gallons of water already in, mixed it around and topped it off with more water, to 5 gallons.  The yeast was put in, the bung and airlock were placed and our hard work was put down in the basement right around midnight.

There it sits, in the basement, almost torturing me with the aroma of each CO2 bubble that creeps through the airlock. Secondary fermentation is a mere 10 days away at the time of this writing and I can’t wait for that either.  This first recipe was the American Amber Ale and soon after we will be brewing the Mild Ale all of which will be coming with us on vacation. I think it’s safe to say that we all had a great time doing it and the bug has officially bitten at least me.  I am already talking about buying another carboy so I can get another batch started! The smart thing would be to wait until this one is ready to drink before I do that, but when have I ever said I was smart?

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/07/and-now-for-something-completely-different/feed/ 12 Sam Adams Longshot 23 http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/sam-adams-longshot-23/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/sam-adams-longshot-23/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:10:14 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2517 Continue reading »]]>

Boston Beer Company, better known as Sam Adams, has been offering homebrewers a chance to get their beer produced by one of the largest craft beer companies in the U.S. The thrill the lucky winners feel, has to be amazing. Imagine going into your local bottle shop and seeing your face on a package from Sam Adams. I saw it in the store and knew that I had to try what Jim Koch and company deemed the best of the best.

Blackened Hops by Rodney Kibsey from Illinois

The color screams stout but one whiff of this one and you will immediately know this is a BIPA. The flavor is rather complex with a nice roasted malt and citrusy hop balance coming out to play. The flavor is very complete and the finish of the beer leaves both the malt finish of a stout and the hop finish of an IPA battling for center stage. The Blackened hops is a rather thick beer and leaves you puzzled a bit with the strong hoppy flavor. This is a very good beer, with a good flavor profile I wouldn’t mind having as a regular offering.

ranking 4

Friar Hop Ale by Richard Roper from Georgia

This beer fills the glass with a nice golden copper color capped by a 2 finger bone white head. The smell is pure sweet Belgian style ale with no noticeable hop presence. This aroma is a little misleading though, as there is a solid hop bite to the taste. That hop flavor makes way for the traditional sugary sweetness, and hints of coriander round out the taste. The 9.0% abv is starting to shown it’s hand with the alcohol flavor starting to come out just under halfway through the glass. The hop flavor is not your traditional citrusy or piney hops, instead you get the bite without the brightness normally associated with it. This beer has a very fall feel to it, perfect for sitting outside relaxing while enjoying the color of the changing season. I have to confess, this isn’t really my style but I appreciate the time and effort that went into brewing it.

ranking 3

Honey B’s Lavender Ale by Caitlan Declercq from California

I was most looking forward to trying this one, as it sounded like a very unique beer. It pours a Golden Honey Color and has a very “full” aroma, containing floral hints, sweetness and even a slight hint of licorice. The first thought after my initial sip is, interesting. The lavender and honey come right out and get you. The finish has a nice, albeit understated, hop flavor. The lavender flavor begins to dominate and I am not sure this is a good thing, the beer feels out of balance. I want more malt or honey flavor to balance out the taste a bit more. I continue to drink, and about three quarters of the way through, the honey jumps out at me and greatly increases my enjoyment. If they can find a way to keep the honey flavor more prominent all the way through this would be a great beer. As it stands now, it was only average for me.

ranking 3

I really appreciate what Boston Beer Co. is doing for the craft beer community as a whole and home brewers in particular with the Longshot series. While I did not love any of the beers they were good enough to make me look forward to next years winners.

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/sam-adams-longshot-23/feed/ 0 Beer Gear : Homebrew Starter kits from Northern Brewer http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/beer-gear-homebrew-starter-kits-from-northern-brewer/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/beer-gear-homebrew-starter-kits-from-northern-brewer/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:24:00 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2511 Continue reading »]]>

The Ladies of Craft Beer have a couple of good deals going with Northern Brewer for starter kits to get you into homebrewing.

Use the code “LOCB11″ for 10% of any starter kit

-or-

Order before July 4th and get 25% off the Deluxe starter kit by using the code “BrewFreedom”

These are great kits from a respected homebrew shop to get you started.

]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/beer-gear-homebrew-starter-kits-from-northern-brewer/feed/ 0 Boulder Beer Co Hoopla http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/boulder-beer-co-hoopla/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/boulder-beer-co-hoopla/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:03:36 +0000 Rick http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2498 Continue reading »]]>

To say I was hyped to try the Hoopla by boulder would be an understatement. There was plenty of fanfare around this release and it  definitely built my excitement for a new beer from our friends at Boulder Beer Co. I managed to get my hands on a bomber of this from Cranbury Buy Rite. I was upset with myself for not grabbing two, since I had to wait to taste it till my photographer came over, a day later.

The Hoopla pours a nice golden color that really screams BEER, with a nice fluffy off white head that quickly dissipates. There is a slight fruit smell to this pale ale, along with a nice malt scent and a slight hop hint. Upon taking the first sip, those scents are confirmed in the flavor. There is a berry like quality, followed up with a nice hop/malt balance. This is a really crisp and bright beer that is aptly named because Andrew and I found ourselves saying “hoopla” a lot during the tasting and photo shoot. The flavor is upfront without being in your face, a very well balanced beer. The joy we are having tasting this beer is balanced in the background with my wife and kids fighting over the television, our solution? More Hoopla!! The label says “magic happened this year in Boulder…” and I couldn’t agree more.

Hip Hip Hooray!

ranking 4.5
]]> http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/boulder-beer-co-hoopla/feed/ 0 Cranbury Beer Fest Recap http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/cranbury-beer-fest-recap/ http://www.extendedpints.com/index.php/2011/06/cranbury-beer-fest-recap/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:56:22 +0000 aurablue http://www.extendedpints.com/?p=2445 Continue reading »]]>

What a great time, granted we may be partial to our hometown party, but when so many things are done right at a festival it would truly be a disservice if we didn’t tout their success. The thing we enjoyed most were the patrons.  This group of avid beer drinkers were a thoroughly enjoyable group of people. Everyone certainly had their fair share of drink but it felt more like a family party than your typical beer fest. The random dancing, the pop up conversations between total strangers and the general summer party vibe made it a fantastic time for all. We did not meet one person who had anything negative to say, and we know from experience that adding beer and heat together, tends to come with some cranky participants. Not here. Everyone remained smiling and happy, and most stayed for the majority of the event.

The bands were also great. The musical line up was geared to every type of beer drinker. From the jazz to rock, there was a style to suit all and the chill vibe the music added really helped make the chicken line a little more bearable.  We are talking about farm fresh chicken, cooked on an ever turning spit and coated in delicious Portuguese BBQ sauce. It is not the beer talking when I say that the chicken, provided by Dey Farms, in Cranbury was the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten. I am already wanting to plan a family get together large enough to warrant the catering by this family who can cook up a mean bird!

An outdoor bash just isn’t the same without great beer and it was definitely flowing in Cranbury on Saturday. The variety was incredible and everyone found something that they loved, including me, the non-beer drinker. Tundrabeary by Tommy Knocker was so good I even finished two glasses. This may not sound like much but considering I have never finished a beer, it is saying a lot. Another surprise hit was 21st Amendment’s Hell or High Watermelon.  Not only did the lightweights like me love the taste, but many of the avid beer drinkers, who normally pass on the fruity beers, gave it a thumbs up. We had an overwhelming response to the mobile application and according to our numbers participants ranked a beer 1157 times! The overall winner with a perfect score was the Ballast Point Victory at Sea, which was a surprise to have this late in the season. Others in the top 10 included: Stone ruination IPA, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Southern Tier Mokah, Firestone Walker Double Jack, New Jersey Beer Co 1787 Abbey Single, The aforementioned Tundrabeary from Tommy Knocker, Victory Whirlwind, Founders Red Rye P.A. and Stone Arrogant Bastard. We hope the mobile site helped you enjoy the fest a little more.

It was a fantastic time and as parents of young children, responsibility is key for us. Thank you to Tu Amigo for providing discounted cab fares to all of the participants. It was great to see so many people take advantage of this great service. We always encourage responsible drinking and appreciate that so many of you obviously feel the same.

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