So, how was your weekend?
Mine involved numerous new breweries and went very well, thanks for
asking. It actually started on Friday when the demands of research
required that I attend the official opening of
Liability Brewing Co.,
which I did along with a large percentage of GVille's craft beer loving
community. Everyone had a great time trying new beers and no one got
their clothes dirty.
Then came Saturday.
Cornelius, NC, is
located about 15 minutes north of Charlotte, very near Lake Norman. It
also happens to be the home of three breweries all of which were visited
for the first time by me and a small crew of the usual suspects.
D9 Brewing Company
is well known for several beers, including Hakuna Matata Tropical IPA.
But for me it's known as the first sour beer I came to enjoy, Whiskers
on Kittens; my first step on the path that led me to appreciate that
style. This day I had tasters of Discord, a Sour with Concord Grapes
(very tasty), and Brewer's Day Off, a cuke infused Gose, very refreshing
on the palate. No one in the group had anything but positive comments
about all the beers we tried.
Next stop and just up the road a mile or so, was
Ass Clown Brewing Company, one of the principal reasons we made the trip. I've had their beer in cans, usually from
Greenville Beer Exchange,
but one of our group, Bob Muller had been there before and was so taken
with their beers that he intended (and did) propose marriage (and I
have the photo to prove it). As the menu board shows, many good choices
but I limited my self to four tasters, including the kettle sour Don't
Wine, Pucker Up; Negative Image Ale, made with blackberries and peaches;
and both IPAs, the Ass Clown and Orange Citrus. The group tasted nearly
everything (and using up all the taster glasses) with pleased
expressions all around. Oh, Bob never got a response to his proposal,
despite buying several 4-packs and a t-shirt, which was just as well, as
he proved to be rather fickle, immediately heading for the nearest
brewery around.
Which turned out to be
Eleven Lakes Brewing,
literally a half block down the street. They had been below our radar
prior to this but I am glad we found them, all the beers we tried were
well made and solid versions of the styles. See the menu board photo
below to see the variety. The stand out beers for me (and we tried most,
if not all of them) were the Orange Is The New Pale pale ale, the
Apricot Habenero Blonde which had a perfect balance of fruit and heat,
something that can be very elusive with pepper beers; and of course,
Teri's Berry Ale, a raspberry wheat pale named for Teri Lippy,
owner/general manager (a very friendly lady who visited our table to
answer questions). Ray Hutchinson, Brewmaster, was very busy in the back
room preparing a yeast pitch so I didn't have an opportunity to talk
with him. If I had I would have congratulated him on his skills and
informed him of our group's appreciation for his efforts.
So,
that leaves Sunday. Sort of a day off, a hankering for a hamburger for
lunch kind of day which I satisfied at the GB&D food truck, just
behind the Aviary at
Birds Fly South Ale Project.
Easily one of the best burgers in town and a perfect pairing with
Apologize Less, BFS' a double dry-hopped IPA. Yep, I love my job.
Some photographic proof of our adventures:
