TROEGS NUGGET NECTAR

American Amber/Red Ale | 7.50% ABV

Once again Troegs Nugget Nectar hits the shelf for another season. If you have yet to try this beer you need to run to the nearest beer shop that carries this beauty.

Pours a very amber/red color with a fluffy tan head with loads of lacing and retention. The nose is loaded with hops, hops and more hops. Although, it is well balanced with hints of sweet caramel malt as well. This balancing act flows right to the palate leaving your taste buds cheering for more. The balance on this beer in my opinion is the beauty to Nugget Nectar, not to mention the abundant fresh hop aroma. May be a tad high in alcohol to be considered a session beer, but for me, it's perfect for sessioning.

This beer is a pairing monster, goes so well with so much. The malts link so well with many types of grilled meats while the hops slice the fats and heavy umami flavors. Any hop head must hoard loads of Nugget Nectar in their cellar.


Pairing suggestions:

Sweet BBQ Ribs, Steak, Burgers, Roasted Chicken, Pizza....


beer + food = Barleydine


Beer reviewed by LEP Himself

PINKUS ORGANIC MUNSTER ALT ALE

Altbier | 5.10% ABV

Very clear and rich golden color with a nice white head and loads of lacing. The aroma is clearly hops, noble for that matter yet also laced with hints of honey and floral aromas. A slight malt aroma follows the hops and leads straight into the flavor. Very smooth and low key hop flavor which is not as sharp on the palate as a Pilsner. Malts are very forward in the body and flavor and mask the hops very well. Nice light mouthfeel with a very quick finish. This is a great sessionable beer or perfect to accompany dinner.


Pairing suggestions:

BBQ Ribs, Mexican, Sausages, mild cheeses


beer + food = Barleydine


Beer reviewed by Uncle Barley Josh

SLY FOX ROUTE 113 IPA

American IPA | 7.00% ABV

Pours a gorgeous amber color with a tall white head and slight lacing on the glass. Loaded with pine and citrus notes in the nose that follow straight into the flavor, leaving a slightly long finish. There is a hint of malt on the backside. Biscuit and bread notes accentuated with a tad of malt sweetness. Very nice balance to this beer making it very easy to drink. Excellent rendition of an easy drinking East Coast IPA. Look for it this year in cans, I can't wait for that.


Pairing suggestion:

Buffalo Wings, Mexican, cheeseburger, steak


beer + food = Barleydine

Beer reviewed by LEP

BRECKENRIDGE MIGHTY BROWN ALE

American Brown Ale | 7.50% ABV

Pours a very deep brown almost mahogany color with a nice tan head that gently laced the glass. The nose is all malt, loaded with caramel and a slight aroma of coffee. These malt characteristics follow straight into the flavor. The medium bodied mouthfeel leads nicely into the abundant caramel flavor which finishes with the slightest bit of coffee and intense hop flavor. This Brown certainly pushes the boundaries of the style and is very easy to drink.


Pairing notes:

I whipped up a staple in me and my wife's diet, chicken quesadillas. Breck's Mighty Brown was fantastic with the spicy dish. All that malt that I spoke of that is so forward in the nose and most importantly the flavor calmed the heat very well. The malt sweetness contrasted the salsa and all the chipolte powder that I loaded on the chicken. A plus with the Mighty Brown were the hops, which are generally not a characteristic of Brown Ales. The hops weren't enough to overpower the malt and intensify the spices, but they did a very nice job cutting all the heavy umami flavors as well as the avacado. This is the first time that I've contrasted a Mexican dishes, usually I like the intensity of the spices that the hops cause. I must say though, this was quite delightful. Definitely a great pairing for those that can't handle the heat.


beer + food = Barleydine


Beer reviewed by Uncle Barley Josh

SWEETWATER DANK TANK WET DREAM

American Amber/Red Ale | 7.50% ABV

A - Clear copper with an inch and a half of foamy off-white head that lingers for a long time. Lots of lacing.

S - Piney hops with a little bit of slightly sour orange zest. Some toasted malt and caramel as well. Hint of something almost soapy though that brings it down from a 4.

T - Nice juicy piney hops with a hint of sweetness. Reasonably malty backbone with some biscuits and a hint of toffee. Pretty good, but not amazing.

M - Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, but with a little slick oiliness to it that's not entirely pleasant.

D - Started out high, but after I got through most of a pint, I wasn't ready to chug the rest of the bottle.


Pairing Suggestions: pizza, burger, seafood


beer + food = Barleydine


Beer reviewed by Tiklmelmo @ BeerAdvocate

ATLANTA RED BRICK DOUBLE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PORTER

American Porter | 7.70% ABV

What is the difference between a Stout and a Porter? There's a very fine line that each style walks. It all boils down to the amount and types of malts used to make each style. The variations in the amount and use of certain malts will impart different flavors. Take a Stout for instance, they possess more coffee, chocolate and caramel flavors than a Porter and that is all derived from what malts are used. Aside from those three flavors there really is much of a difference between a Porter and a Stout.

A little history of the Stout takes us way back to Old Europe and the establishment of Guinness. At that time Guinness was actually named a Porter and rightly so. When Guinness began to export to the Americas their beer was relabeled as Stout Porter and eventually lost the Porter part of it's name. Given the light mouthfeel and the absence of coffee flavors I would personally be more prone to calling Guinness Stout a Porter, but that's a whole other discussion.

Atlanta Brewing Co. put a delightful spin on the traditional Porter by applying several adjunct ingredients usually added to Stouts. With the base of a Porter they've added chocolate and oatmeal which will impart characteristics usually associated with a Stout. Red Brick Double Chocolate Oatmeal Porter is a refreshing and drinkable dark beer. With a moderate body and low hop bitterness the majority of flavor is the sweetness of the malt. The chocolate notes add a delightful flavor, while the oatmeal gives the beer a silky smooth mouthfeel. Given this beer does not posses the coffee notes like a Stout gives it the ability to pair with foods that a Stout can't touch.

When I took the first sip I initially thought desert, but isn't that what everyone usually thinks when they hear oatmeal and chocolate. The further I made it through the bottle I started thinking Mole sauce. The Mexican sauce made with chocolate and hot spices. I could see this beer standing up nicely with a hot, spicy Mexican dish. The chocolate would link well with the spice while all the malt tames the spice. It would definitely be interesting and something I'm going to test. Overall, very good and drinkable Porter with endless pairing opportunities.


Pairing Suggestions: Yes! You can do desert. For more excitement try a hot and spicy Mexican dish.


beer + food = Barleydine


Beer reviewed by Lep Himself

STONE SUBLIMELY SELF RIGHTEOUS

Black IPA/ American Strong Ale | 8.70% ABV

What would be your initial reaction to a Black IPA? Are you curious or confused? A real debate has spawned on Beer Advocate recently on the idea of Black IPA's. Some seem to think that they deserve their own style category, while others find the notion completely ridiculous. Regardless of what side of the fence your on with the name one can't dispute the awesomeness of these beers.

Beer Advocate categorizes Sublimely Self Righteous as an American Strong Ale which in my opinion is a very accurate description of the beer. I just can't understand how one can categorize a beer under a title that includes "black" and "pale" in the name. It's much like Dogfish Head naming 120 Minute IPA a Double IPA. You'd need one a hell of a shoe horn to ram it into that category. But I digress.

Like I've mentioned, there is no dispute on the flavors of these Black IPA's. Very dark, medium bodied beers with a slight bitterness from malts and loads of hops. The high bitterness masks the alcohol rather nicely making them rather easy to drink.

The unique blending of styles in Black IPA's makes them a great pairing beer. My opinion may be somewhat swayed given I'm a fan of hoppy beers. Although the balance of malt and hops makes them perfect for savory and possibly sweet dishes. My first experience with pairing a Black IPA was with bacon, cheddar, chipolte sliders. The malts linked so well with the caramelized meats while the hops marched in and tamed all the heavy umami flavors. Chipolte mayo garnished the burgers and added a very delightful zing which was slightly intensified by the hops. While also being tamed slightly by the malts further into the finish. Given all the pairings I've done, this seems to be the most versatile food friendly beer yet.

My preference for pairing is to contrast the beer and food. I'm not much of a fan of having chocolate in my beer and also in my food, they seem to cancel one another. With that said, I could easily see Sublimely Self Righteous linking rather nicely with deserts. Now, in order to properly pair something that is bitter you must have over the top sweet. Think along the lines of those super chocolate triple fudge cakes you can get at some chain restaurants. You'd have the lightest bit of malt to link the beer to the food, but most importantly all the sweet would be contrasted so well with the hops. It's all theory at the moment, but I will certainly give it a try.


beer + food = Barleydine


Beer reviewed by Uncle Barley Josh