Samuel Adams Longshot Double IPA

Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA:

This home-grown recipe from Mike McDole of California has a pretty serious hoppy kick. With 7 varieties of American hops addes, this blend has a very definite grapefruit juice thing going on. Extremely floral and pleasantly bitter, this Longshot has a lot going for it. The body is a solid medium with a decent malt base. I'm figuring there's some wheat in there somewhere too, since this light-colored IPA is cloudy and tongue-teasing.

I can't help but compare this brew to some others I've had: Longshot Double IPA reminds me a little bit of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA (only not quite as rich) and Victory Hop Wallop (only ot quite as bitter). All three have an alcohol content of about 9% and all three are capable of satisfying a hop-head's desires. Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA is definitely worth a try.

Citizens, let me know if you might have more colorful descriptions or more accurate comparisons. Keep in mind that I've placed this particular beer in some pretty rare company so let me know what you think.

Representation: .95
Accessibility: .89
Style: .925
Personal Preference: .90

Total: 3.665 Flags

Flying Fish Exit 11 (Presidential Brief)

What: Flying Fish Exit 11
Where: PJ's Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: July 15, 2009, 10:02PM
What-have-you: Flying fish exit 11 is da bom-diggity. Wheaty and smooth yet a bit tart to quench the thirst. Lotsa hops but not to be confused with an IPA. Freakin' awesome!

From the Flying Fish website: "Exit 11 is an American-style wheat beer brewed with English ale yeast and three Pacific Northwest hops, Columbus, Palisade and Amarillo. It is brewed with 50% Belgian pale malt and 50% white wheat, and is an ideal summer thirst quencher, with its bouquet of tangerines and apricots." (http://www.exitseries.com/exits/exit11.php)

Read a review of Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale
Read a review of Flying Fish Imperial Espresso Porter

Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat

Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat Beer. This review begins with an admission of guilt. Being an amateur cartoonist, I could not help but pick up a six pack of Long Trail's Blackbeary Wheat due to its funny and well-done label art depicting a cartoon bear (in glasses) on the verge of being pumelled by his wife with a rolling pin as he steals a blackberry (blackbeary) pie. I am guilty of being wooed by beer artwork, but I vow never to judge a beer by its cover. A long sniff into the bottle and a first swig reveal a pretty recognizable but timid taste of blackberry. Swigs 2 through 6 and you can taste the blackberry only as a finish. Pay attention as you swallow, you can taste it right there on the back of your tongue. What this beer scores low in style, it makes up for in accessibility. Its a fruit flavored beer I don't feel pressured to float an actual piece of fruit in, and I welcome a second and third bottle. On the neck label, Long Trail writes that the beer is "finished with a hint of Blackberries in the kettle," and that is what you get, a hint. Not too much, just enough, which makes this drinkable, and a novel summer beer to take to parties or just to admire and laugh at the label. Kitschy? Maybe, but smooth, not overpowering, and good enough to go back for more.

Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat

Representation: .8
Accessibility: .9
Style: .7
Personal Preference:.8

Total: 3.2 Flags

Pour-a-Palooza

The first annual Pour-a-Palooza presented by the Pour House in Westmont, NJ was a hoot and a holler, a blast and a half, an unmitigated success! Everyone present seemed to share in a spirit of community and appreciation for the guest of honor: beer. The Pour House folks who worked their butts off all deserve a "hats off" salute. The staff all worked very hard to make the event fun and safe, but a few names must be mentioned: Thank you, Bob and Jacky for putting the pieces in place. Thanks to Jake for bringing in all the great breweries and beers (and special thanks to Jake for supplying Ferment Nation with our own tent!!). Thanks also to Kurt for keeping us involved and for working his butt off all day, keeping our beer cold. Looking forward to Kurt-a-Palooza!!

Some other shout-outs go to Chris from Hunterdon (the exotic sample king), Andy from Flying Fish (good sport, taking a turn in the Dunk Tank), Vicki and Kelly (for holding down the inside bar), and the Ferment Nation Cabinet (for just doing you).

The beers were so varied and plentiful that it's tough to give full reviews of all those little samples. I will, however, run down some standouts from my perspective:

Weyerbacher: Frighteningly smooth heavy hitter Merry Monks is always appreciated but never necessary. Fourteenth Anniversary Wheat Wine Ale is big and beautiful, different yet not off-putting. It's sweety and wheaty and 11.8%. Holy crap.

Flying Fish: Summer offerings couldn't be more appropriate with Extra Pale Ale and Farmhouse Summer Ale providing tasty relief from the delicous danger mentioned above. Sooooo drinkable.

Yards: ESA is unbelievable. Thomas Jefferson's Tavern Ale is also unbelievable. Try to believe it, I dare you.

Stone: Cali-Belgique is really good but I'm not coming up with words right now. I'll have to sit down with one or two and concentrate on the verbage. It's awesome, though, make no mistake.

Dear Citizens, we here at the Presidential Offices look forward to South Jersey's next event (Rumor has it that an Oktoberfest of sorts may be in the works!). Please be advised that in the upcoming week or so, some citizen reviews will be appearing on the blog: that's our way of saying a special thank you to everyone who came and visited us at Pour-a-Palooza this past weekend. Jack and Cheryl, we love you guys extra much because of how seriously you were taking the beers and the reviewing process. And sorry, Erin, but the Stone event in Wildwood has already passed : (

Anyhow, enjoy the accompanying slide show of all the cool pics. If you have any of your own that you would like to see on the site, please email them to us ASAP. And be on the lookout for those citizen reviews!

Thanks Again,

El Presidente

Dogfish Head Burton Baton (Presidential Brief)

What: Dogfish Head Burton Baton 10%abv
Where: The Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: July 7, 2009, 11:48PM
What-have-you: Like 9O Minute IPA with a touch of Raison aged in a cask of magical wine.

Read a review of Burton Baton (in bottle)

Read a review of Raison D'Etre

--From the office of the VP

Manayunk Brewing Co.'s California Dreamin' Imperial IPA (Presidential Brief)

What: Manayunk Brewing Company's California Dreamin' Imperial IPA
Where: Manayunk Brewing Company (Manayunk, PA)
When: July 8, 2009, 10:36PM
What-have-you: Damn good IPA. Not exactly imperial according to my specs but hoppy n malty.

--From the office of the VP

New Ferment National Gear

Check out the new T-Shirt exclusively made for the Pour-A-Palooza event happening Saturday July 18th at PJ's Pour House in Westmont, NJ!

Show up to Pour-A-Palooza wearing one of these shirts and receive extra special secret swag from El Presidente himself!

Lagunitas 'Lil Sumpn' IPA (Presidential Brief)

Here at the Ferment Nation, we are trying to keep up with El Presidente's busy schedule. So, we are introducing a new kind of mini-review, entitled appropriately enough, "The Presidential Brief." Think of it as a tasty telegram, a pourable postcard, just a taste of a taste. Have a look below, and feel free to e-mail El Presidente your own report from the field. Maybe it will make it into the Presidential Brief.

What: Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale 7.7abv
Where: PJ's Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: June 8, 2009, 11:17PM
What-have-you: 'Lil Sumpn' is light and dry tasty! Floral hop aroma grapefruity lovely. Drinkable 4 sure.

Also from Lagunitas, see a review of Lagunitas Brown Shugga'

--From the office of the VP

Happy 4th of July!

So what does El Presidente bring to a Fourth of July Barbecue? After a heated internal debate, Stoudts American Pale Ale and Troegs Sunshine Pils were the winners. Here's why:

My first selection was the Stoudts American Pale Ale. This pale ale is flavorful and crisp and just a little bold. It's guaranteed to complement just about anything you could possibly put on the grill. Besides that, the packaging is the perfect for the Independence Day holiday, proudly sporting the Red, White, and Blue.

Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won... Here's to America's colors -- the colors that never run. May the Wings of Liberty never lose a feather.

Next selection: Troegs Sunshine Pils. This pilsner is easy-drinking but not at all wimpy. Boasting plenty of taste, Troegs Sunshine Pils is the perfect upgrade to the shiny cans of stuff that coolers all across America contain at this very moment. And that sunshine on the label... I don't know if I can trust him but he looks great on this beautiful sunny day.

Just so you know, there are plenty of other choices that you may want to investigate on your way to the celebration. These are some of the other brews that almost made it to the Presidential BBQ: Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale; Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale; Victory Prima Pils; Victory Hop Devil; Anchor Summer Beer; Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager; Sam Adams Summer Ale.

Enjoy your 4th of July celebration responsibly and be sure to watch the obligatory video footage of the little manequin boy getting his hands blown off by illegal fireworks. I know my Independence Day wouldn't be the same without it.

Pourapalooza

[CLICK HERE FOR POUR-A-PALOOZA 2010 Detials!]

Greetings, Citizens!

El Presidente here to let you know about an upcoming event that has everyone here at the Orval Office bubbling with excitement. South Jersey is about to rock a BEER FESTIVAL within walking distance of the PATCO rail system. This fine event is known as POUR-A-PALOOZA (or Pourapalooza ... if you're not into the whole hyphenation thing).

Presented by The Pour House in Westmont, NJ, this tented event will go on rain or shine on Saturday, July 18th from Noon til 4 pm and will play host to a virtual who's who of local breweries as well as a few guests from farther out of town. Among the dignitaries in attendance:

Victory, Flying Fish, Otter Creek, Sly Fox, Stoudts, River Horse, Konrad, Left Hand, Hunterdon, Troegs, Yards, Harpoon, New Castle, Southampton, Red Hook, and Weyerbacher. Not a bad guest list, eh?

We here at the Presidential Offices are anxiously awaiting the event. In fact, your own El Presidente will be attending the festivities with special giveaway items for the citizenry of the Ferment Nation! As our guests you will be given the motive, opportunity, and means to conduct your own reviews of the beverages you sample on the POUR-A-PALOOZA fairgrounds. Submitting reviews at the festival not only increases your chances of winning FREE Fermentnation swag but also puts you in the running to be published on our blog and our website! Citizen reviews are on their way!

After personally experiencing the festive atmosphere of the Victory Beer Dinner, I cannot wait for the POUR-A-PALOOZA to get rolling. The Pour House is a quality outfit run by people who care about beer and beer drinkers. This event promises to deliver every penny's worth of excitement ($25 advance tix include a food voucher but $30 door tix do not) with live bands inside and craft brews flowing indoors and out!

Come visit me at the Ferment Nation's Diplomatic Outpost on Saturday, July 18th 2009. POUR-A-PALOOZA will be held on the grounds of The Pour House: 124 Haddon Ave, Westmont, NJ [see a map]. See you there!