Keeping with our Vermont content for the week, it wouldn’t be right to not highlight one of the most talked about IPA’s of 2012 thus far – Heady Topper from The Alchemist in Waterbury, Vermont. Array
PORT BREWING MONGO IPA
Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey are still the hot topic of discussion in the New Jersey craft beer scene. Beer bars and local bottle shops have their shelves and draft lines flowing with some the best hand-crafted brews on the market. We recently shared our coverage of their kick-off party at Mohawk House last week  and now it’s time to dive into some of these beers on their own. We are big fans of the West Coast Style IPA’s here at IDGB and thought it would be proper to start with Port Brewing’s Mongo – a Double IPA that is sure to please any hop head looking for a flavorful brew. Continue reading “PORT BREWING MONGO IPA”
LAGUNITAS SUCKS
The holidays are almost over and with the New Year just a few days away, we realized we still have a ton of holiday brews and winter seasonals that have yet to be mentioned. One of those beers comes to us from Lagunitas – a little brew they call Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale. Of course Lagunitas does not suck, and while some of my friends thought this was a publicity stunt to get more people to buy their beer, I assure you that this is not the case. Continue reading “LAGUNITAS SUCKS”
SMUTTYNOSE FLASH MOB
I attended a gathering at Two Boots restaurant in Grand Central Terminal yesterday for a Smuttynose flash mob. Pat Fondiller (NY Field Sales Manager of Smuttynose) organized this gig so that craft beer lovers could gather, have a great IPA, and then dispose of the bottle properly in honor of Earth Day.
The IPA of choice for the event was none other than the Finest Kind. A great year round brew, the Smuttynose IPA is fresh, crisp, and hoppy – one of the most refreshing IPA’s I have ever had, and quite frankly I think it’s the best on the East Coast.
Pat picked up this sweet tub to hold the beers.
A receptacle with Pat’s home made-sign for disposing of the bottles.
They were already cold but we threw them on ice anyway.
A midst the mob were employees of the craft beer industry. I briefly became acquainted with Jen from Schmaltz Brewing Company and her friend – his name however escapes me at the moment.
Two Boots has pizzas named after certain characters from television and film, including The Newman and Mr. Pink. The list goes on, but one that stood out for me was The Dude. This pizza is a cajun bacon cheeseburger pie with tasso ham, ground beef, cheddar and mozzarella. It sounded delicious but Pat ordered something else for us.
I remember him mentioning meat, bacon, and fresh garlic, it was banging! Crisp thick crust and fresh ingredients. Definitely some of the best slices I have had in the city.
Doing my part and getting rid of the glass bottle. Such a sweet label.
We came, we drank, we recycled – and made an awesome video. I can’t think of a better way to promote Earth Day and drink some ice cold Smuttynose at the same time. Thanks to Pat Fondiller for bringing us out and thanks to everyone that showed up for the flash mob. It was a great event and I hope to do more in the future.
We are going to try and do a little more video around these parts and today is the first one! I took a trip to NYC and hit the Two Boots restaurant at Grand Central Terminal for a Smuttynose flash mob. We gathered here to celebrate earth day and drink the best East Coast IPA ever! Aside from a $41 bill at one of New York’s finest parking garages it was an awesome day meeting some new people and drinking some great Smuttynose. Thanks to Pat Fondiller for bringing me out to capture the moment and share it with the rest of you. I will be following up with another post with some pictures I took with my new SLR.
-Brian
NEW BELGIUM LIPS OF FAITH
New Belgium Brewing is the third biggest craft brewery in the country. They’re better known for beers like Fat Tire and Sunshine, which are both pretty solid considering the quantity produced. But what I’m really into is their series called The Lips of Faith. Right now they have a total of 9 different beers that are part of the series. Each beer tends to be somewhat unique with the use of exotic spices, barrel aging, and the addition of souring agents. I highly recommend getting your hands on some if you can. Continue reading “NEW BELGIUM LIPS OF FAITH”