Brewdog Review

Welcome back to the ramblings of this mutt on beer.



About 2 weeks ago I managed to get my paws on some "Brewdog" beers. I was so excited that I almost peed on the floor. They seem to be all the rage right now for all the beer tasters. Also a plus, it is amazing how they can brew these beers and get such high alcohol levels in their beer. To a homebrewer like myself, it just blows my mind. This Craft Brewery out of Scotland is doing all sorts of things that the big breweries don't even think about trying.

I decided to get my pack of tasters together, to try these beverages. Rothy, Jay, Boozer X, and I all had some mixed reviews. So this was another one of those tastings that show you that every ones' taste is different. I have a total of six of their beers, but I did review one that I had on tap, which was "Tokyo", but they changed the labeling and the beer slightly on on the bottle version called "Tokio*". I don't know if it counts as a new review, but it is still being put in this blog. Also one is a collaboration with Mikkeller Brewery.

5 A.M. Saint. Poured a dark rich amber with a slightly off white head. We all got a little citrus, malt, and as Jay said some grassy smell, from when it was poured. The mouth feel was a little light and thin, but refreshing. The taste was a little earthy, sweet toffee taste, followed by citrus and hop flavors in the middle and continues to the finish of the beer. I enjoyed this beer, because it was something different from all the beers I have been tasting lately. Everyone else really said that if it was in the fridge they'd drink it, but they would not spend the money to get it. I would put this with a Vegetarian type of meal like, a Lentil Stew and Curry Rice.

Punk IPA. Poured a golden yellow with an off white head. The smell had hints of grapefruit, grass, citrus, and little sweet malt. Mouth feel was a medium body and finished a little dry. The taste was well balanced between the malt and hop flavors. The caramel malt sweetness hit your tongue first then comes the citrus hop flavor, and cares on to the finish of the taste. The bitterness hangs on long after you down it. Boozer X pointed out that he got a little bit of spiciness on the back end. All I could taste was the hops at the end. If your a "Hop Head" you would enjoy this. To pair this I would have to go with something with a strong flavor, but with some savory meat flavor. Ah, a Rabbit Stew with tap roots or a Bacon Wrapped Rabbits Leg. I know it sounds weird but I have had both, so don't make faces until you try it.

Rip Tide. Poured a dark brown with some orange hints when light pasted threw the curves of the glass, and had a thin tan head. The only things we smelled was some coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt. The mouth feel had a medium feel with a bit more carbonation then what I would have liked. The taste was sweet roasted malt, coffee, and a bit of hop bitterness on the back end. I really wasn't sure what to think of this beer, other than interesting. To pair this up with some food, I would put it with some good old fashion Fish and Chips.

Paradox Islay. This was a little bit of a downer for me. It poured a dark brown almost black with a little brown head to it. The smell had an odd old leather, smoke, whiskey, and could smell the alcohol. The mouth feel was light, smooth and dry. The taste was straight up burnt malt, whiskey or scotch, and old grass. Rothy commented by saying it tasted like "Bug Spray". Now I am not a whiskey drinker, but I think if you were you'd like this. Food pairings for this I could not say, but if I ventured to guess, some smokey cheeses and maybe a nice cigar after it.

Tokio*. It poured a black coffee color this a dark tan head. The nose on this was of a slight vanilla, with a touch of coffee, some rich malt, some chocolate or mocha flavors, and some fruitiness. The mouth fell was a creamy medium fell, was not as hot like when I had it on draft. I didn't pick up to much of the oak flavor, but I did get the caramel, malt, some dark dried fruit, brown sugar, and a little bit of a sherry taste. This is a sipping beer. I should have not chose it for my first beer because I had to ask for a glass of water to go with it. Just like the other review I would pair this with "Ice Cream", because I think a scoop of vanilla would be fabulous with it. Everyone enjoyed this one. I did give the other one a"7", because I think it tasted better from the keg.

Devine Rebel a collaboration beer by Mikkeller Brewery and Brewdog. Poured a dark reddish nut brown with a thin ring of a white head. The smell had a strong whisky smell, some wood, some malt, and alcohol. The mouth feel was a little syrupy and creamy. The taste was sweet up front with dark malt flavors, some brown sugar, and caramel. As it warmed in your mouth, you got some heat from the alcohol. It finish with some dark fruity flavors like plums, but really just sweetness of dried fruit. This would make a great winter warmer beer. I would have to not pair this with any food, I think this is a great beer to have when your could and you want to sit and warm up by a fire.

Check out the websites for more about these breweries!

http://www.brewdog.com/

http://www.mikkeller.dk/

I've also noticed between other reviews I've read on these beers, there seems to be a bit of differences in the bottle batches. So I might have to try some of these again in the future just to see if I got some that where a little off. Well I hope you enjoyed this, and always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!!"

"Mug Shot Winners!"

Hey Everybody!!!

Well the "Mug Shot" Contest went over well, I think. I will be holding a single contest every month. Not sure if I'll keep it to the "Mug Shot" theme, but I think it will be close to it. I'm feeling a little generous, so everyone who didn't win but their picture made it into the last blog will receive a $25 Visa Check card. So onto our Big Prize Winner!!!!

Melissa!!!

She wins the Big Prize:

1 Big Ole Oktoberfest Mug
5 piece Sake set. (I love Sake all most as much as I like beer).
1 Of my Personal Stock Of "Super Bowl Cigars"
$50 Visa Gift Card

$50 bucks should be enough to fill that mug with a great beer a couple of times!!!

And now Boozer X and I choose our Favorite Fan Photo:

Jeremy!!!!!

Jeremy wins the

Favorite Fan Prize:

1 Gordon Scotch Ale Glass
2 Cigars from my personal stock.
$25 Visa Gift Card

Out of all the pictures this made me giggle. WHAT? I guy can't giggle because someone else is pretending to be a water cooler, or a water cooler filled with beer. Hey now, that's not a bad idea. Never mind, we call those taps. Plus if the water coolers at work were filled with beer it would be an awesome job, but not that much work would get done.

So once again thanks to everyone who sent in a picture! Be sure to watch out for my next contest. As always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!!"

Vote For Your Favorite "MUG SHOT"

Once again, Welcome!

Well I received some great "Mug Shots" for all of you to vote on. I had to narrow it down to five instead of seven, because of certain reasons I won't get into. I was also surprised that women out numbered the men. That really confused the hell out of me. Anyways, here are the "Mug Shots" you'll be voting on.

THE GIRLS TEAM!!!!!!!





THE GUYS TEAM!!!!



No more votes! You can check the results. 117 votes all together!

So place you votes by selecting one name and clicking the vote button. As always, "BE WELL AND DRINK WELL!!"

Abbaye. A Good Day!

Welcome Back.

To start this one off, you should know that this was going to be a review about The Standard Tap in Philadelphia, Pa. A place I always wanted to go, but never got around to it. Once again it will be held off for another time, due to the fact that they open up at 4 pm, and I was there around lunch time. So I decided to go to the next place on my list, The Druid's Keep. That was a no go, because just like The Standard Tap, they don't open until 4pm. As fate would have it, Abbaye was next on my list. In all honesty I'm glad it was. I really liked this place.
FaceBook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Philadelphia-PA/The-Abbaye/51059792141?v=wall

Abbaye is off of North 3rd Street. A corner style pub, with cafe seating along the side of the building. The inside has a long "L" shaped bar, with table seating along the walls. I was greeted by "FLIP"or maybe "PHLIP" (didn't ask for the spelling), he was the bartender. He is one of those cool Philly bartenders that I talk about. He knows his beer, menu, and great with the chit chat. A large crowd of people for lunch. I would have to guess they were all locals from the area with a few visitors like me from out of town.

It was lunch time and I didn't get a chance to eat breakfast, so needless to say I was hungry for some grub. As I took a gander at the chalk board of

"Today's Specials", one item stood out from the rest. Apricot Bourbon BBQ Tofu, with Grilled Squash and Wild Rice. Now I love Tofu so it was an easy choice. Hey! Don't look at me like that. Tofu really doesn't have much of a taste, but it does take in the flavors of what it's cook in, so BBQ Tofu has to be really good.

When the plate arrived, it's presentation was very simple and elegant. It smelled wonderful. I could pick up the tomatoes and apricots in the sauce, along with pepper on the grilled squash. Then I could get the hint of nuttiness from the rice. With fork and knife in hand, I went to town. The Tofu was how I liked it. A stiff solid cake, with the texture of cutting into a steak. First bite, was like an orgy of flavors in my mouth. The Bourbon hit first, then the tomato, the spices hit next, and finished up with the sweetness of apricot. I was a happy camper.

Next I went onto the grilled squash and wild rice. The squash was seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Really brought out the flavor of the squash. It was grilled to perfection. Slightly soft, but with a little snap to the chew. The wild rice had a little give to the bite, and had a nutty flavor. It even tasted better when some of the BBQ sauce was mixed in.

I was full. It was a very good meal. I also had some very good beers to go with my meal as well. they both stoud up well to the meal.

Weyerbacher's Merry Monks by Weyerbacher Brewery Easton, Pa. This poured a cloudy gold color with a thin white head. Fruits, yeast, and sweet malt was on the nose as I smelled it. Mouth feel was a medium body with good carbonation, and a slight heat from the alcohol. The taste was extremely fruity, with the malt sweetness in the front,some tang in the middle, and finished up with some hop flavor and fruits on the back end. Finishes up nice and smooth. This went very well with my meal. Another food pairing for this would be Grilled Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries.

Website: http://weyerbacher.com/

Hand Pumped Yards ESA from Yards Brewing Company Philadelphia, Pa. Poured a cloudy reddish brown with a light tan head. Smelled of caramel, toffee, sweet malt, and bready. The mouth feel was smooth, medium body, with a slight carbonation. The taste was amazing to say the least. I love malty beers. Caramel, toffee, a little biscuit malt, some hazelnut, some vanilla, and a hint of fruit and hops. The reason that this did not get a "7" is because it would not last in my fridge. It was really amazing. The reason I didn't get another one while I was there is because I had plenty of work to do that day, and one more would have turned to many more.

Website: http://www.yardsbrewing.com/

Abbaye is a place to go for great food and awesome beer, if your in the city. Also would make a great "Date Night" place.

Also don't forget the "Mug Shot" picture contest runs until August 20, 2010 for picture submissions to win some cool Glassware and cash. Good luck to you all and as always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!!"

Rock Bottom Brewery

Hey Everybody!

Finally catching up on my back log of reviews. I still have plenty of beer reviews to go, but I want to finish these last few place reviews.

The past Monday Boozer X, Jay, Rothy, Phill, and I went to Rock Bottom in King of Prussia. Website: http://www.rockbottom.com/king-prussia. It is a chain Brew Pub based in Louisville, CO. Located next to the Sears store in the King of Prussia Mall, tucked away in the corner. Trust me it was a little hard to find. Boozer X and I drove passed it 3 times before we found it.

Rock Bottom seems to be the place where all the workers from the mall and local restaurants seem to go after their shifts. It seems like it could be a pretty lively place, but not that Monday. I know that will change when football season starts up again. The only thing that got me is where do there employees from this bar go to hang out when their shifts are done?

It is pretty much what you expect of any chain place. Crap on the walls, booth seating, huge bar, and a ton of lights on a dimmer switch. The service was okay, but it seemed they were under maned. Now I will say I'm a little harsh in my description of the place, but it is easier for you to imagine what this place looks like. Just don't hold this image I have painted in your mind against this place. I'm just a little jaded because I love the local corner pub look when I'm out for a few beers with my friends.

So we ordered up some appetizers and a round of beers. We had some good conversations about nothing, while we waited. Phill had ordered mainly everything. Soft pretzels with a jalapeno cheese sauce, which wasn't bad, but I would have preferred a spicy ground mustard. A platter of Nacho chips with everything on it. An order of Macaroni and cheese for himself. I ordered the Roasted Red Pepper Humus with pita slices, carrots, and snap peas. The humus was good, but as most people know it's not really hard to mess it up. What got me though was how fresh the carrots and snap peas tasted.

So I will say my overall experience was nice, and I will give this place another try in the near future before I pass judgement on it. For now I'll say you want to try some good craft beers after you have been shopping at the mall, this is the place to cool your heels. So lets get to those beer reviews, shall we? Note that all the beers are made in house and you can purchase growlers to take home with you.

King's Wit with an ABV. or 5.4%. A seasonal summer wheat beer. It poured a cloudy gold color with a white head. The nose had hints of orange and wheat malt. Mouth fell was light and finished up crisp. The taste had hints of Citrus, coriander, and light earthy tones. This would be a perfect beer for some outdoor grilling. Simple to the point and real could go with pretty much everything.

Munich Gold Lager with a ABV. of 5.4%. A German Style lager. Poured a clear golden brown with a white head. Sweet malt and a little bit of a earthy hops is what I got smelled in the aroma. The mouth feel was clean, crisp. Was a bit hoppy up front, the bitter hit on the middle, then finished up nice and clean and dry. The taste at first was earthy hop, then balanced with the rich malt. I really didn't pick up to much other flavors. All in all, a great dinner beer to go with finger foods, or even a nice steak.

Penn's Curse Amber Ale with, you guessed it, an ABV. of 5.4%. Poured a clear reddish brown with a white creamy head. Smelled of roasted malt, some caramel, and some hops. The mouth feel was a light to a medium feel. The sweet caramel malt hits you first, then hops hit you in the middle. The roasted malt and some the bitter gets you on the back end. I would have to pair this up against the soft pretzel and jalapeno cheese.

The coolest thing about this brew pub chain is that the brew masters at each place have some leeway into making some seasonal beer for their respected local communities. I know that the ratings for all the beers are a "5", that wasn't a mistake. They all were great beers, and they tasted great. The Abbaye in Philadelphia blog coming up next, is one of my personal favorites thus far in the search for the best corner pub/cafe in Philadelphia. Also don't forget the "Mug Shot" picture contest runs until August 20, 2010 for picture submissions to win some cool Glassware and cash. Good luck to you all and as always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!!"

Prohibition Tap Room

Welcome back.

Last Friday I went to look for the "Prohibition Tap Room", for lunch. We'll just say it should have been a 5 minute trip from where I was delivering. It ended up taking me about 20 minutes. I just love the gerrymandered streets in Philadelphia. Anyways, this is one of those "Philly Insider" types of places. But in all actuality it's really just a great local bar with some of the best beer and food around. Website: http://www.theprohibitiontaproom.com/.

I took the photo from their FaceBook page because it was a lot better then the one I had. The outside of the building is really simple with just a simple "BAR" sign to let you know it's a bar. Don't think that it's just any corner bar. Like the saying goes, "Don't judge a book by it's cover". It's all a part of it's mystic. Once inside, the wood working alone is extremely beautiful. The "Fanged" bar seats about 24, and there is about 8 tables with chairs and bench seating along the wall. The wait staff is polite, talkative, and I will also say very easy on the eyes.

Julianna was the name of my bartender. What can I say, I was a little smitten. What I mean to say is that, how can I not like a women that loves beer, a strong intellect, and is not afraid to speak her mind. I wrote the above mentioned comments to state a point. The reasons that you go to a bar is because of the connection you have with a place. One of the major points to having a successful bar is having a great staff. This place has it in spades.

So before I get to the beer reviews, and the real reason I came to this place was to get some lunch. I asked Julianna what I should choose, and before I could say anything else she told me that I should try the burger. So I did. A burger with Jack BBQ sauce, Cheddar cheese, onion, lettuce, and what I didn't hear was grilled mushrooms. I really don't care for most mushrooms, but I wasn't going to hold it against the burger. It also came with really thin shredded french fries.

I was a little leery with my first bite because of the mushrooms. Juilianna offered to send it back to the kitchen to have them make me another burger, but I wasn't going to "puss out" because of mushrooms. WOW! Is all that came to mind. The tang from the BBQ sauce hits you first, then its sweet tomato flavor. Then the rich Cheddar cheese, the crunch of the lettuce, and finally the rich juicy meat of the burger. And those mushrooms that I was so worried about, added a slight bit of earthiness to balance the flavor. A well constructed burger. I moved onto the crispy fries and the pickle. Now most people would say that the fries are a little salty all by themselves, but what they don't realize is the way they mix with the taste of the burger and the beer, to bring out a more intense flavor. The pickle was a nice finish to the layers of flavors and textures in this meal. It was truly a great lunch. With 3 beers and the meal, my bill was under $30. So a good price for a fantastic meal.

Now onto the beers. Note that the picture on the Planet Porter is almost empty. I was enjoying myself here so much I forgot to take the picture before drinking it. OOPS!

Sapient Trip Ale from Dark Horse Brewery Co. The color was a cloudy deep orange. The nose of this was sweet malt, some orange, and a hint of that Belgian funk. The mouth fell was a little fizzy and light to medium body. The taste was a little earthy, some orange flavors, coriander, and a nice bitter on the hump of the taste. This is a nice beer to have just a beer to enjoy. I would put this beer up against something really hearty. like good stew or Sliced Grilled Lamb over a Micro Green Salad with a Lemon/Mint Vinaigrette.

Website: http://www.darkhorsebrewery.com/

Hand Pulled Hoppy Lil Hudson made in house at Prohibition Tap Room. It was named after the owner's daughter. I love beers with a story to them. The smell was extremely hoppy, like grass and grapefruit. The mouth feel was creamy and smooth. The taste was hoppy all around. Also some hints of citrus, grass, earthy notes, and a nice even bitter. The hop bitter hangs around for a bit after drinking. If you like hoppy beers this is a must try. I did learn this beer is constantly evolving by the changing of the finishing hops. I love a place that is always experimenting with their beer. I was drinking this with the above mentioned burger and it went perfect with it.

Planet Porter by Boulder Beer Co. It had a roasted malt and chocolate hints in the smell. The mouth feel was creamy smooth, little carbonation, and a medium body. The taste was of roasted malts, a little earthy, some chocolate in the background, and no heat at all from the alcohol. The bitter hits you on the back end and finishes really nice. Another one of those beers I'd like to make a "Beer Float" out of. A good beer to use in a chocolate porter cake or meat pie. Food pairing for this is pretty much anything. A nice Blackened Steak and a Baked Potato.

Website: http://www.boulderbeer.com/

If you ever get around to visiting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this is a must see. A place for that nice lunch, night out, or just for the beer. So I hope you enjoyed this review. In my next review I visit "Rock Bottom in King of Prussia". As always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!"

Mug Shot Contest

Hello once again!


After my couple weeks of vacation and family issues, I'm back. To start out the month, I decided to hold a contest. Before I get to that I want to Thank "Jess and Jeremy" from "We Took The Bait". Their website: http://www.wetookthebait.com/. I've known Jess and Jeremy for a long time. They started a blog about those "As Seen On TV" products. They try them out so you don't have to. They also hold contests to win some of their stuff they test. Plus Jeremy's writing style is a little quirky and super funny. It is always a pleasure to read. Of course I think Jess is the one that does all the work testing the stuff out. They are the ones that gave me the idea for this contest.


I won one of the contests they held and got a nice Stein out of it. Although this was not the first piece of drink ware I received from them. Yo see, I was in their wedding. To the right you'll see the mug I recieved for being an usher and next to it is the mug I won from the contest they held. I think they are trying to encourage my alcoholism. Just Kidding. I love glassware!

To the left is my own personal pint glass I use all the time. What can I say, "Polish Pride, Baby!" Anyways, being that I write a beer blog, I figured that I should give away some glassware for fellow Beer Enthusiasts. So below I've set up the rules for this contest.

"MUG SHOT CONTEST RULES & INFO!!"

You need to send a picture of yourself with your favorite Beer drinking vessel. One per person please. Be creative, but just note that nude pictures will not be excepted. I would love to see you ladies sporting nothing but a beer mug, but then I would also get the guy that's wearing a sweater under his T-shirt, so that's why they will not be excepted. A simple example is the picture of me holding two of my favorite beer steins.

The pictures will then be narrowed down to the "TOP 7" by Boozer X and I. From there, I will open the voting to all of you. The one with the most votes wins the Big Prize. There is also will be one that Boozer X and I will pick for our "Favorite Fan Prize".

Also you must be at least 21 years old to participate.

Big Prize:

1 Big Ole Oktoberfest Mug
5 piece Sake set. (I love Sake all most as much as I like beer).
1 Of my Personal Stock Of "Super Bowl Cigars"
**Just Added** $50 Visa Gift Card

Favorite Fan Prize:

1 Gordon Scotch Ale Glass
2 Cigars from my personal stock.
**Just Added** $25 Visa Gift Card

Send all pictures along with your name or Handle, age(which will not be posted), E-mail address (also not posted), and a short summary about the picture to SirDDawg@gmail.com by August 20, 2010. "Top 7" will be posted on August 22, 2010, and voting will begin on August 23, 2010 and end on the August 26, 2010. Winners will be posted on August 28, 2010. You will receive an E-mail from me asking for the address you want the prize to be sent.

All Pictures will be posted on the FaceBook Page as well as the blog.

So Good luck to you all and as always "Be Well, and Drink Well!!"