Sour & Cider at The Community Tap

Community Tap's Sour & Cider Social is now in the Greenville Fabulous Events history books, hope you were able to participate. I'm glad I was able to fit it in to my schedule (another beer event across town required research as well) and was ably rewarded; some very puckery beers were offered up, all very special. In between sampling the array of sours and ciders and gnoshing at the charcuterie table, ran into a bunch of familiar faces; Big Jon from the Bacon Brothers, Shawn and Lindsay from Birds Fly South, Harvin Bedenbaugh from The Den at Lowe's, Ed Creighton from The Wheel, Chris Hooper from the bike trails, Brent Hodgson from Sierra Nevada and many, many others. Obviously, it was a very popular event. As is my wont, I managed a few snaps when my hands were free of beer or cheese. The results follow: Mike Okupinski Anna Evans Okupinski Harvin Bedenbaugh Ed Creighton Chris Hooper Brent Hodgson

Upstate Craft Brewing Co Announces New Co-Brewers

Here it comes again, a Thursday with so many beer enjoyment opportunities. One that is definitely on my calendar is the Upstate Craft Beer Co.'s newest release party, part of their "new brew Thursday" when each week new brewed-on-premises beers will be released, all done by Upstate's new brewing crew.


From their press release:
"Upstate Craft Beer Co is proud to announce a change to its brew team by introducing Travis Logan and Cameron Owen as UCBC’s Co-Brewers. Both brewers have been with UCBC since day one and are excited to be promoted to a head brewing role. Their focus will be on brewing beers with large flavor profiles with a haze forward appearance by using big, juicy hops and untraditional adjuncts." 

This week, two IPAs and a Brown Stout will be offered up on tap:
Citra Reload - Grapefruit Session IPA
No Advance - New England IPA
Worked So Hard, Forgot How To Vacation - Brown Ale w/ Vanilla & Cinnamon


I had a chance to taste the No Advance NE Style IPA as it made it's way to the keg from the fermenter and I was instantly a fan. This will be a big hit and certainly showcase Travis and Cameron's brewing skills. Look for me Thursday, I'll have a pint of this beer in my hand most of the evening.

Cheers!

Yee-Haw Brewery Coming To Greenville

By now, a lot of you have read the Upstate Business Journal's story about Yee-Haw Brewery coming to town later this year. Since I was not familiar with Keys Village, I hustled on down to see the location for myself and to take a few snaps. Link to story below, too.

https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/…/yee-haw-brewing-co-op…/

Stay tuned for more brewery news from good ol' Greenville. Lots of beer news yet to come.
Cheers.

National Beer Day - Drink Up!

Happy National Beer Day to all beer lovers. Be sure to celebrate appropriately!!

Cheers, Prost, Salute, etc.


http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-beer-day-april-7/

Greenville Craft Beer Festival Now History

Perfect Sunday morning for pouring hot chocolate over a bowl of cheerios while keeping toes toasty with trusty space heater and a dazzling wood fire burning on a YouTube video....
Meanwhile, editing pics from yesterday's Greenville Craft Beer Festival. Despite some strong winds rattling the tent popups, and a few lines bottle necked on the warning track, this very popular event, nearly the last of the season, came off splendidly.


I'll have more details and pix in a bit, just need to practice my typing with my mittens on. Here's one sample, tho:

Newest Addition to GVegas' Beer Scene

Considering myself something of a roving ambassador for all things beer related, I hastened down to the newest (and nearest) addition to our beer-enjoying scene, Grateful Brew at 501 South Pleasantburg, couple doors down from the Pita House. I met George Linn, general manager (left in the photo) and Tony Cordova, beerista, for a chat and a sample of some new brews. Their tap lineup today was very impressive, as you can see from the photos. Certainly not the usual suspects, tho I did see some of my top tier faves there.

Still working out some details, but the coffee hours will be appreciated, 6 am, especially when the Technical College is back in session! 

My first-time-ever brewery today was Sugar Creek from the Charlotte area. Had their Raspberry Wit, very refreshing, dry on the palate, noticeable fruit, but restrained. Also had their Pale which is listed as a Belgian style but this one is nearly a hop bomb. Naturally, I loved it. Solid hop presence, medium bodied and easy to drink. I'll be having more of that one for sure. Anyway, I encourage a visit, help them get off to a successful start and I'm confident you'll be grateful to find a new brew you like.
https://www.facebook.com/Grateful-Brew-GVL-868928146537351/

Cheers!!

First Farm to Forge Event: Fabulous Time

Just back from the Inaugural Farm-to-Forge Dinner and Beer Tasting with Fireforge Crafted Beer at Greenbrier Farms. Very memorable affair with consistently good beers, wood fired oven pizzas, lively music from My Girl, My Whiskey and Me, and to top it off, Smores from the fire pit! Since this was the first ever ‪#‎FarmtoForge‬ event, and my first visit to the farm, I wasn't sure what to expect but I can unhesitatingly say that it is one of the best affairs I've attended in recent years and if there's another next year, I'm gonna be there. 

Beers available (all mid-6% abvs) were a Fires of Helles Helles Boch; Napoleon Passion Imperial Florida Weisse, a sour German wheat with lots of passion fruit and pomegranate that was just so deliciously tart; Spirito Santo, a grapefruit and orange IPA that brought out the Pacific Jade hops; and The Fixer, a smoked baltic porter that was perfect with the Smores! 

Great beer, great food and of course, great people, all part of our exemplary craft beer community (Mike Okupinski was there helping pour, taking time away from the The Community Tap). Glad to be a part of it. Some photos to whet your appetite for the next one.... don't miss it!

http://www.greenbrierfarms.com/

Brian and Nicole welcoming crowd, while band tunes up.

Part of the lucky, sold-out crowd.

Kristina Mayberry serving that smoked baltic porter.

Brian announces dinner time in an old school way.

Fresh out of the oven pizzas went fast, but good beer makes waiting just fine.

Line for the pizza. Two ovens kept it moving along nicely.

Now that's fresh pizza!!

Travis tasting one of the FireForge beers, Danny photobombs.

Mike Okupinski took time out from pouring to enjoy some pizza and porter.

S'mores were the dessert, an ideal pairing with the smoked porter.

My Girl, My Whiskey and Me performed their remarkable medley of styles and speeds!

 Cheers!

Barley's 2016 Biggest Little Beer Fest Wrap-up

Well, Barley's Fifth Annual beer fest is now history, joining the ranks of the other four fun times. I think I'll take this opportunity to reflect back on how I experienced the event, talk about the new beers I tried and the new friends I made. Thanks to Drew Moren for his assistance.

Barley's is a great venue, thanks to 3 levels, including The Trappe Door where all the
Belgians hang out. Plus for VIP ticket holders, there is the library room where very special beers are on tap, and you are surrounded by aging rare bottles which can be ordered off their reserve menu.








So, on to the Fest offerings. My usual policy for beer fests is to try beers that I've not previously had (or heard of, even better!) so as is the case here, many brewery names you'd recognize aren't mentioned because I gave priority to the new ones. Here goes:








Creature Comforts Brewing is in Athens, GA., so far I've not been able to visit them but I was able to sample their Tropicalia IPA, their only offering. At 6.5% abv and 65 ibu's it's got a refreshing citrus nose and palette, plenty of hops to tame the sugars and well balanced finish. Quickly became one of my faves. Now, I really need to visit the brewery.


Manlandia 2.0 Brewing, home brewed by Jason, offered up their Mosaic version of the H.I.P.A. which I also enjoyed; very citrusy and solid palette balance. Could easily become a favorite, tho hard to find.

Cismontane Brewing poured their Marea Roja, a sour Flemish Red which was barrel aged. Not overly sour, reddish color, light body. Easy sipper, I'd say.

Holy City has two very limited release beers and it would have been a shame to miss out tasting them so that's why I go to events like this. First was their Kate the Great, a Belgian tripel aged in red wine barrels. If you've had their That's What She Said then you've had the base beer for this one, without the barrel aging. Btw, the beer is named after Kate Brown, the Brewmaster Chris' wife. Brewed originally for their wedding. At 8.8% abv, it's a bit stronger than usually found in that style. Very drinkable.
Their other beer was the Bourbon B/A Collision Stout, an Imperial Stout. Big at 8.5% abv, this winter seasonal will definitely warm whatever is chilling you!

 A brand new brewery for me was DuClaw Brewing, from Maryland. I tried their Hop Continuum #3 Imperial IPA which with 75 ibu, it was my style preference. Another big one, 8.9% abv, is light in color but heavy on hop flavor. I meant to go back for more but ran out of time. HIghly recommended.

I've long been a fan (and many years a neighbor) of Lagunitas Brewing, in Petaluma, CA. They had one of their OneHitter Series, Bitter Oaks available, one that I've not had before. Being a fan of oatmeal adjuncts in general, this one did not disappoint. Described as "This big boozy blonde was brewed with a boatload of oats," on their website, I liked the tartness, very dense head as you might expect. Lagunitas typically doesn't list IBUs but the abv is 10.5%, so you know it's a big hop bomb. Recommended as well.

 A very familiar name, New Belgium (about to open in Asheville, NC) came up with a new favorite of mine, their Citradelic Tangerine IPA. Ok, I know, lots and lots of variations of IPAs these days, but this had citrus in the nose (orange and tangerine) citrus in the body and refreshingly citrusy in the finish, almost like a palette cleanser. The website calls it, "a mystical marriage of Citra hops and tangerine peel..." I called it yummy!!! More!

Winding up my list of favorites (every beer there was a well made, wonderful beer but I could only choose so many) are the offerings from one of my favorite South East Coast breweries, Westbrook from Mt. Pleasant, SC. First up of the two, a bourbon barrel aged version of their Weisse Weisse Baby Berliner Weisse, Whiskey Sour. Lots of wheat as the name reveals, but the sour bourbon flavors elevate this to special status. Only 4% abv, so if I had the time I could drink this one all day long.

Their other beer was equally captivating, a Margarita Gose. Aged in tequila barrels with lots of lime additions, this made me want margaritaville to get here soon! Definitely a summer sipper. Very tart, perhaps a little saltiness but a welcome addition. This may be a limited release but should you see if offered this year, go for it!!

So far, I've not even mentioned the Trappe Door where the Belgians to to play. If you want to see what was available, Barley's website has the list. I had a De Troch Lambic Kriek filled with cherry flavor but enough sour to keep it from being cloying. I also tasted a Petrus Aged Pale by De Brabandere, aged in oak, a very effervescent yet sour pale ale. I owe it to all those Belgian brewers to learn more about their traditional recipes and appreciate them more as well. We are fortunate here in Greenville to have a Belgian-centric pub, with good food as well.

Big festival, lots of choices for craft beer lovers and full of opportunities to learn more. For example, a guy named Mike Smith, here with two friends in the photo, told me to be sure and visit  The Black Cloister brewery if I'm ever in Toledo, Ohio. It could happen!

All in all, a fun festival and I'm already looking forward to next year's fun. And speaking of having fun, here are some more photos of folks doing just that:

So, the first festival of the year is past, now time to look to Asheville and this weekend's Winter Warmer. So many beers, so little time!!!

Cheers.

Tarver says, "see ya next year."