Tag: beer

Challenge accepted!

Posted on by — 2 Comments

I have been taunting my hoppy colleague, Tim for quite some time about the ‘overuse’ of hops (particularly in American brews).  Playing devil’s advocate, I’ve compared their use with the excessive use of oak in the wine world.  My suggestion wasn’t merely a simple taunt.  I was (and remain) curious over the role of hops in brew, particularly in American ones and how they compare with the use of oak in wine.  Some may find it silly to compare the two, but I really don’t think so.

Now just a little about myself for you brew folks… Continue reading Challenge accepted!

Oktoberfest September 17th!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

September 17th, 1-5pm

The famous Colonial Spirits Oktoberfest celebration is coming up on Saturday, September 17th.  This year we’ll celebrate the kick-off of the actual Oktoberfest in Germany on the same day (they start on the 17th at 12am)!

There will be dozens of O-fest and Pumpkin beers to try.  As well as free food – delicious snacks from our favorite deli, GermanDeli.com AND live music from the Schwarze Schafe Band!

The Oktoberfest/Pumpkin beer season is extremely short but there are so many good choices.  What should you stock up on? Find out when we have all of them open for sampling at our big event.

Beers we can’t get.

Posted on by — 3 Comments

It seems to me that the average beer consumer is decidedly more experienced than other consumers of alcoholic beverages.  I’d like to think that beer enthusiasts possess a sense of adventure that drives them to try as many new beers as possible.  Logic tells me that this level of experience is also supported by the simple fact that beer lends itself, due to accessibility, variety, ease of consumption and price, to easy experimentation.  One does not really consider drinking a quick bottle of wine at the bar on the way home from work.  The liver stamina required to support the exploration of multiple wines or liquors isn’t available to many of us, not to mention that it is likely to be prohibitively expensive.  Certainly there are ways to explore and enjoy wine, such as visiting a beautiful wine region like Sonoma County.  I am mainly referring to more of the daily approach to consuming – purchasing from your favorite purveyor of libations.  Beer, in its glorious variety, is readily available at stores and bars and there is little to stand in the way of simply having a beer.  This means that enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike can quite easily discover the world of beer.  From that, I have interesting conversations about beer with people almost every day. Continue reading Beers we can’t get.

What season is it?

Posted on by — 3 Comments

I think everyone has heard me gripe about the beer industry and its rush to change the seasons so I’ll keep it short this time.  If you haven’t seen the new seasonal packages yet you will.  Pumpkin beers and Oktoberfest beers are pouring in.  When is Oktoberfest? September 18th – October 3rd.  When is the first day of fall? September 23rd.  When did the first pumpkin beer hit stores in a rush to curtail our already short New England summer (an industry move rivaled only by fashion)? July 28th.  Ok – enough.  We all know that beer companies are in a never ending rush to get the next season started.  I suppose that a well made beer of any style is enjoyable at any time of year so get ready to enjoy some fresh brews. Continue reading What season is it?

Session Time…

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Nothing quite inspires a good session like a hot day.  Whether it’s post lawn mowing or just enjoying the afternoon the thirst provoked by the hot sun needs to be satisfied and beer can really hit the spot.  With beer shelves packed, top to bottom, with tasty libations how do you really choose what to treat your taste buds with when thirst and volume are diving the urge? More importantly, how do you choose when the shelves are packed, top to bottom, with today’s best offerings of high abv, intensely flavored brew? Flavor is so important and your sunny afternoon just will not be as satisfying as it could be without a beer that meets your standards.  Complicating matters, it is not just your standards that must be met, but the importance of not sipping yourself into a stupor when blue skies and summer temperatures are beckoning you to continue sipping throughout the evening. Continue reading Session Time…

What are Hops and why are they so delicious?

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Hops are the female flower clusters of a hop species, and are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor.  Hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine.  Hops were cultivated on a continuing basis around the 8th or 9th century AD in Bohemian gardens in the Hallertau district of Bavaria and other parts of Europe.  However, the first documented use of hops in beer as a bittering agent is from the eleventh century. Continue reading What are Hops and why are they so delicious?