Food & Beer Friday :: Frosty local.

I realized I really haven't chosen many local brews for you.  While many of you may not be NC locals, our state is saturated with breweries and more are continually popping up!  Today's beer comes from a cool brewery right outside of Raleigh.

Fullsteam Brewery is a pretty cool spot in Durham, NC.  I knew I had to have this beer since we've had the first round of really cold weather we've had in a while over the past two weeks.  First Frost is a winter ale brewed with persimmons.  I'm not sure about you, but I had no clue what persimmons were. Apparently, they are the "fruit of the gods" that have natural notes of cinnamon and apricots.  Fullsteam collected North Carolina persimmons, before the "first frost," to brew this beer.

The color of this beer is a beautiful dark amber.  At 10 percent alcohol and in a big bottle, I had high expectations for this beer.  The final result: too sweet.  The fruit sugars likely amp up the alcohol content, but they also rack up the sweet flavor.  It's definitely more malty than hoppy.  I drank a decent amount of this beer (split with D who also agreed it was too sweet), but I wouldn't buy it again.  It's not the same kind of sweetness that you get from a stout (like this one)...almost a bitter sweetness if that makes sense?  Do I hate that I tried this beer?  No way!

From NC and interested in other Fullsteam beers?  I'd recommend the Summer Basil and the Working Man's Lunch.

Food & Beer Friday :: Winter themed.

I took quite the break from Food & Beer Friday but that doesn't mean I haven't been drinking!  Since winter is seemingly just getting in full swing this week (um, they're predicting some snow here tonight), it's only fitting that I mention a winter lager.

Uinta Yard Sale is a pretty popular beer during this time of year.  It was sold out at Tasty Beverage when I checked just last week (lucky for me I "know people.") It's only distributed December through March.  Maybe people are tired of all the heavy beers that come with the winter season.  Maybe this is just one of those "fad" beers.  Maybe people were just drinking a lot in the month of December.  Whatever the case, I was happy to be able to snag a bottle of this to try.

Overall, there is nothing too special about the Yard Sale.  In my opinion, it was a pretty run of the mill lager.  The amber color gives it a little something extra than a warmer season lager.  The beer is by no means bad, and I would have no problem drinking plenty of it.  There was just nothing that made it jump out to me.  If your palate is very advanced, you may get some caramel and vanilla notes.  There's no chance I loved this as much as my favorite winter beer so far this season, but it was certainly easy to drink!  One thing I do love about this beer: the name.  Yard Sale is apparently the term used when a skiier falls down a slope and loses his/her gear (which in turn the gear is strewn across the mountain).

Have you found a favorite winter beer?

Cheers!

Food & Beer Friday :: Peanut butter & beer.

While I'm off in Mexico, I thought I'd leave you with a delectable beer to enjoy for your holidays.  I was thrilled when Niki tweeted me about this beer!

You read that right!  This Terrapin Liquid Bliss is a chocolate peanut butter porter!  Whoa!  Terrapin holds a special place in my heart being that we are from Athens, and D has a very special affiliation with the company.  When we were last in Georgia for Thanksgiving, I was able to try this beer for the first time in its freshest form.  On tap at the brewery.

On my initial tasting, this beer was all I ever wanted and more.  The aroma is all about peanut butter.  This delicious aroma definitely adds to the amazing flavors of the beer itself.  The beer is chocolately & not overwhelming.  One important factor: do not get this confused with a stout!  It is not supposed to be thick & creamy.  Porters are much thinner.  Terrapin believes that the porter based better supports the bold peanut butter & chocolate flavors.  I think it makes the beer much more drinkable (read: easy to put down quite a few) whereas stouts can often be too big to drink more than one at a time.

Terrapin's Side Project beers are a line of "experimental" beers that have never been brewed before and in theory are one-time releases.  In reality, a few of the Side Project beers have been put into Terrapin's regular rotation (once upon a time, Gamma Ray, and currently Pumpkinfest, amongst others).  This experimental beer was specially brewed with two types of peanuts: peanut butter and boiled green peanuts (boiled at the brewery!).  Add in cocoa nibs for the chocolate flavor, and it's perfection.

After being able to have Liquid Bliss on draft in a few spots in Raleigh, I'm still in love.  I honestly think this is the beginning of a rivalry between the Bliss & Wake N Bake for my number one favorite beer.  I feel like I detect a bit of a difference in flavors between the bottled version and draft version of this brew.  D says draft is always better, so try it on draft if you are so lucky (not sure how far north kegs are distributed, but I know it's available in some parts of Virginia).  If the best you can do is a bottle, just fucking do it.  I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.  I plan to drink as much of this beer as I can get my little hands on!

Cheers!

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What beers will get you through the holidays?
Have a happy holiday my friends!  D and I will be on the road practically through the 31st, but I have some really awesome things on the horizon.  I can't wait to share my holiday DIYs, Mexico pictures (assuming the world doesn't end ;)), 2012 recaps (what an amazing year for me), and BIG resolutions for 2013.

Food & Beer Friday :: Merry Christmas to me.

I have been waiting for so long to taste and debut this beer!  It's no secret that this brewery is one of my favorites from California, so I just had to get my hands on this beauty!

I have the worst memory, but I vaguely remember the tour guide mentioning the Anchor Christmas Ale.  Not only does the label have a cool story but so does the beer!  Anchor's website does a beautiful job of describing everything, and I would encourage you to use the link above to click over and read the story.  Basically, the "secret" to their top secret beer is that they change the Christmas tree on the label every year.  New year, new tree.  They're been brewing this tasty beverage since 1975.

As for taste and flavor, I like it!  The hops are definitely prevalent, but the subtle spices come through at the end for me.  Since the malts and hops are secret, I can't really tell you much about that.  The aroma really just reminds me of Christmas.  As I don't have quite the refined palate, I can't exactly put my finger on what the smells and flavors are.  The color is a dark brown, and you can see the thick creamy head.  I certainly get a bitter aftertaste from the hops.  I wish I got a bit more of a malty end note.  I am dying to try this beer on draft; however I don't know if kegs of it are even sold here in NC.  While the alcohol is only 5.5%, this isn't a beer I just want to down.  I let it mellow out & just sipped on it for a while.  This is a holiday brew that feels like a special treat.

Anchor recommends letting the beer age to really let the flavors mellow.  Lucky for me, D is awesome and scored these bad boys.

While I am scared stoked about the huge bottles, I am most excited that we get to compare last year's Christmas ale to this year's!  Even more lucky for me, D and his advanced palate can help me decipher the different flavors and really analyze both beers.

Cheers!

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Have you tried previous years of the Anchor Christmas Ale?? Now that the holidays are approaching, what awesome holiday brews have you tried?!

Food & Beer Friday :: A holiday beer!

I"m switching it up this week with a quick blurb and basic pictures.  December is getting the best of me.  I've got an endless to-do list that I am constantly adding to. Nonetheless, I couldn't disappoint with the winter beers this month!  Hope you find a new beer to try for brightening your holiday spirit!

At 5% alcohol, Shiner Holiday Cheer is definitely an easy drinking beer!  Personally it was my least favorite winter beer so far, although this could be blamed on the fact that it is not necessarily just an "ale."  Shiner characterizes this beer as a Bavarian dark wheat.  Wheat beers are way different than your typical spicy winter brew.  I would have never guessed this dark wheat is brewed with peaches and and roasted pecans.  I had no problem drinking the beer, but it wasn't what I had imagined.  This drink is super light (and definitely not as dark in color as my picture makes it seem...it's actually a lighter amber).  I would have preferred to try this beer in the fall when I'm not obsessing over stouts & spiced flavors.

Cheers!

Have you picked up any favorite winter beers so far?

Food & Beer Friday :: A winter ale.

Even though the weather here in North Carolina is unpredictable as ever (high 60s-70s this weekend after low 50s this week), I'm still focusing on seasonal winter beers.  I haven't showcased a local NC brew recently, and it was past due!

I liked the Cold Mountain way more than I was anticipating!  Sorry Boston friends, I enjoyed it more than the Winter Warmer.  I could certainly taste the hops, and I enjoyed having them to balance the spices.  Highland Brewing (located in Asheville for you North Carolinians) says that the spices vary from year to year depending on available, best quality ingredients.  Think vanilla & hazelnut!  Fun fact: This beer is named after an actual NC mountain peak!  I enjoyed this beer so much that I really want to go out and get a six-pack!  Now if only I had that fireplace to curl up beside...

I paired this beer with a left over black bean burger on a bed of greens topped with guac & an easy fried egg!  That's my kind of comfort food (and drink)!

CHEERS!

Food & Beer Friday :: Winter Warmer.

Considering it is officially post-Thanksgiving, I consider it winter and holiday time!  Food & Beer Friday is following suit.  I'll be featuring lots of winter beers throughout the remainder of 2012 (um, how crazy is it that we are almost into 2013...well if the world doesn't end :)).  In honor of some of my favorite Boston blogger ladies (hello, Alex & Anna!), I'm starting with a native Boston brew.

Harpoon's Winter Warmer just may rival some pumpkin beers with it's spicy aroma!  You can definitely  smell the cinnamon and nutmeg before you even take a sip of the beer.  Fun fact: Harpoon has been brewing this beer since 1988, and it's their first-ever seasonal beer.

Honestly, there is not a lot going on in this beer.  D wasn't the biggest fan; he thought it was lacking in body.  I have to agree.  It really is a typical ale with spices.  Do I like it?  Sure!  As the label displays, this beer is going to get in in the holiday spirit!  The aromatic spices are going to dominate your nose and taste buds.  Don't worry about hops; there are no bitter hop flavors in this one!  This is an easy-to-drink beer that would be perfect for sipping on by the first at your holiday lunch.

If you're in the Boston area, go meet up with those awesome Boston bloggers and enjoy this beer straight from the source!

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