Lewe's Castle Brown Ale (Presidential Brief)

What: Lewe's Castle Brown Ale:
Where: The Dandelion, Philadelphia, PA
When: Saturday, January 22nd, 2011.
What-have-you: Smooth, dark, brown, flavorful. Really nice caramel notes but a touch of bitterness to tighten up the finish.

Philadelphia Brewing Co. Shackamaximum Imperial Stout

Philadelphia Brewing Co. Shackamaximum Imperial Stout:

Still in the bottle, this beer definitely has "stoutish" aroma drifting up into my nose.  Not much in the carbonation / head department as I pour the beer into my mini pint glass.  The caramel suds quickly vanish around the edge of the glass.  After the first sip or two, I am already feeling the warming effects of this beer.  Since Philadelphia Brewing Company failed to print the % abv on the bottle (this bugs me), I am left wondering if the taste caught in the back of my throat and on the tip of my tongue as I lick my lips is from the beer's boozy presence of alcohol (what is the abv? I do not know) or perhaps the beer having been aged in French oak.  Perhaps the line on the label "We hope you enjoy sipping on this full bodied stout" (emphasis added) answers my question.  It's the alcohol.

Since I am having a minor issue with the booze flavor of this beer (feel free to write in and disagree), this beer is going to score low in accessibility points as well as representation.  There are plenty of other imperial stouts to choose from on the market, for both the casual drinker as well as the connoisseur.  Style and Personal Preference won't be much higher.  I have had enough stouts and imperial stouts to pretty quickly recognize a favorite, and this is not one of them.

I give the second half of the beer a more rigorous pour into the glass, and the head dissipates rather quickly with no quality lacing left on the glass.  PBC attempts to impart some historical knowledge on the beer label, writing, "In 1682 William Penn signed a treaty with the Native American leaders of the Shackamaxon village, which later became the district of Kensington, where our brewery is located today."  However, this beer, like many of the treaties with the Native American peoples, seems to leave me feeling a bit cheated.  I just hope they didn't lace the bottles with smallpox.  Overall, this beer is okay, but not great.

Philadelphia Brewing Co. Shackamaximum Imperial Stout:

Representation: .70
Accessibility: .70
Style: .75
Personal Preference: .75

Total: 2.9 Flags

Green Flash Le Freak (Presidential Brief)

A little paler than I remember, with more hoppy bitterness. But the triple part pops a little more with every sip. Rich up front and bitter at the finish with a breath of citrus somewhere in the middle.

Yakima Glory: Cask! At the Oyster House

What: Victory Yakima Glory, hand-pumped cask.
Where: The Oyster House, Philadelphia, PA.
When: Saturday, January 22nd, 2011.
What-have-you: Like regular Yakima Glory, only smoother. This zesty brew lends itself nicely to the cask pour, with the bite moving from front to back, meaning: the floral bitterness is nowhere to be seen until the finish. I guess a beer properly brewed is awesome no matter how it's poured.

Robert Burns Day

Sorry about this re-run posting, but it's Robert Burns Day!  Here is a brief overview of some of the Scottish beers we've been reviewing in honor of Robert Burns Week.



And here is a beer from Scotland that did not make our "Beers of Scotland" round-up.  Enjoy!

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Black Ale:

If you don't know my routine by now, I always start off a beer tasting my shoving my nose right in the bottle.  And they say that finding an honest ad man is like finding sober Irishman (very rare indeed), but just like the bottle clearly states, this beer is "chocolately" and "roasty," at least in odor, and there's still "viscous" to judge with this beer, so let's not waste any more time. [READ THE FULL REVIEW]

Heavy Seas Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter

Heavy Seas "Mutiny Fleet" Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter:

This is a hearty porter that has an American stamp on it for certain: Hoppy and funky, this American craft beer tinkers with an age-old recipe and comes up with something groovy.

The aroma carries some caramel and vanilla notes, with a touch of oak, and smells sweeter than it tastes.  The roasted brew is a little bitey, with coffee and hops duking it out for top billing.  Yes, there is a rye presence.  It complements the bitterness and adds a certain dankness to the flavor, lest it "pop" too much from any bright hop flavor that may conflict with the roasted malt.  Sometimes this happens with a "black IPA" or an "India Black Ale" that tries to do too many things at once.  Nah, this rye porter is pretty well-balanced and drinkable if you don't mind beer with flavor!

Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter has a medium body with a creamy mouthfeel, but levels off a bit with a slightly coppery aftertaste that hits the sides and back of the palate after the swallow.  I think it would really settle into my "fave" range if the hops were tuned down just a bit, the body boosted a smidge, and the rye were featured more prominently.  Maybe I just need to find this puppy on hand-pumped cask and get ready for a keel-hauling.

Not to be confused with a rye IPA like Dock Street Rye IPA, (which I enjoyed at the Philly Craft Brew Fest as well as on  tap at McKenzie's) or the "Pimp My Rye" rye wine from the Bull & Bush in Denver, CO (which I tasted at the Beer Bloggers Conference), this rye porter features the porter rather than the rye.  Even so, it is not the traditional English porter, but rather an American variation.  I suppose the only porter that could be even remotely compared to it would be Troegs Dead Reckoning, which has a non-traditional hoppy zip to it.  Either way, if you are a Heavy Seas fan or a porter fan, check it out.

From the label: "Historically, a Letter of Marque was a document that made a Pyrate a legitimate privateer.  Our Letter of Marque makes a home brewer a legitimate professional!"  This calls to mind the Samuel Adams "Longshot" brews and the recent Iron Hill/Barley Legal collaborations that put homebrewers in the spotlight and gave them a chance to use some professional grade brewing equipment, complete with brewmasters' knowledge.  It's a win-win if you ask me.  Actually, win-win-win because I have really enjoyed the results, and Letter of Marque is no exception.

Food Pairing suggestion:  Drink this rye IPA to complement a beef dish or roasted game.  Perhaps accentuate the rye by making it a sandwich on rye bread.  Ooh, ooh... maybe a Reuben  or a grilled Beef Supreme!  That  sounds delicious.



Heavy Seas "Mutiny Fleet" Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter:

Representation:              .875
Accessibility:                  .825
Style:                             .95
Personal Preference:      .93

Total Score:         3.575 Flags

Raison D'etre at The Dandelion

One of my personal favorites! DFH Raison is a magnificent creation; couldn't pass it up. I chose the 10 oz draught so I can check out the cask selections as well. The Dandelion is a Stephen Starr British style pub. Keep you posted...
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Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter (Citizen Review)

What: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Where: Pour House (Westmont, NJ)

When: July 17, 2010

What-have-you: "It reminded me of Iron Hill Brewery's Pig Iron Porter.  Really good smokey taste."

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: .50

Style: .50

Personal Preference: 1.0

Total: 3.0 Flags

Reviewed by Greg J.

You can also read a full review of this great beer right here.

Check it out.

In Blogs We Trust: Life On Tap

Life on Tap:

El Presidente had the good fortune of meeting a ton of really cool people at the Inaugural Beer Bloggers Conference in Boulder, CO this past November.  Of course at an event like this one, all the attendees have at least one common interest: BEER.  And so pretty much anyone could become an instant drinking buddy.  But Dan (on Tap) Fisher and I seemed to hit it off right away.  Aside from being a really nice guy with a very educated palate, Dan (on Tap) is just a really good dude.  Blogging from the heart of NYC, Dan (on Tap) may even be available for a collaborative blogging event sometime in the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia vicinity.  Here are Dan (on Tap)'s own words:


"Inspired by the folks at The Wicked Good Compound, and encouraged by media personality and friend ScottyJ, I decided to tread into The Podosphere on 7/3/2006.  ”Life On Tap” is just that: my life through my eyes (or rather all my senses) and the appreciation of some of my favorite interests: beer, food, wine, and liquor. There are a tremendous amount of experiences that Sheryl The Drunken Clam Girl and I haven’t had, and we look forward to sharing those with you, the listener. Remember: “Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.” "


Hey, it's me again... El Presidente.  Anyway, Life on Tap is an episodic adventure through Dan (on Tap) Fisher's life as a gourmand.  Some of the episodes contain live video reviews, which are short and sharp; the reviews are very informative and receive my recommendation.  So show some love and link up to Life on Tap.  Check it on the website or on Facebook and send us both some feedback.  And look for more sites that are endorsed by yours truly in the upcoming weeks and months.  We the people of the Ferment Nation wish to spread the love and familiarize the citizens with other Blogs We Trust.

Flying Fish Exit 4 (Citizen Review)

What: Flying Fish Exit 4 @ 9.5% abv

Where: Pour House (Westmont, NJ)

When: July 17, 2010

What-Have-You: "HEAVY, but good."

Representation: 1.0

Accessibility: .50

Style Points: 1.0

Personal Preference: .50

Total Score 3.0 Flags

Reviewed by Citizen Bob T.

McKenzie's Brew House

McKenzie's Brew House:

Another stop on the Beercation itinerary was McKenzie's Brew House in Frazer, PA. The Cabinet and I had visited McKenzie's as the anchor of our trip to Jeremiah's Bullfrog and Selin's Grove. Anyplace that brews its own beers and even has some guest taps for other microbrews sounds like a destination of note, don't you think?

McKenzie's has a bright and fun atmosphere. It's wide open and appears to be friendly to large parties and group functions like office happy hours. The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable and actually nerded out with us when they saw us taking notes. Many visitors apparently don't get the idea of a brewpub and ask for some questionable light beers, actually becoming miffed when they find out that no such fare is served. So the beers had come out of the tap just a bit too cold for our liking, but again this fits the requests of many benighted drinkers.

Our experience was good overall, and we got to sample some pretty cool brews like the Pumpkin Special Ale, McKenzie Light Lager, Black Lab Stout, Gringalet, Wicked Will's Pale Ale, Shane's Gold Pilsner, and the Unicorn Amber Ale. No big beers here: the highest abv was the Black Lab Stout, weighing in at 5.7%. The bodies were light but the flavors were jumpin' at just the right clip to kill off a hearty thirst.

The guest tap at McKenzies was the Dock St. Rye IPA. Actually, that was the biggest beer on the menu at 6.8% abv. Even still, it complemented the crisp flavors present in the house beers nicely and is worth seeking out on its own merits.

McKenzie's is worth a look-see, for sure. They even sell growlers so you can take the party home with you. I plan on going back during a different time of year (other than the fall) to take a peek at the other seasonals that McKenzie's has to offer. Check it out for yourself and email us reviews and pictures so we can share them with the Nation! Cheers!

Brewers Association Announces 2012 World Beer Cup® Sponsors

Boulder, CO • January 18, 2011—The Brewers Association announced today that Krones will be the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of the 2012 World Beer Cup. Barth-Haas Group will return as a Partner Sponsor alongside Ball, Sahm, Siemens and Verallia, which have also confirmed as Partner Sponsors. The competition—referred to as "the Olympics of Beer"—has been hosted biannually by the Brewers Association, the U.S.-based trade association, since 1996.

Krones, Barth-Haas Group, Sahm and Siemens supported the World Beer Cup in 2010 as Partner Sponsors. The Brewers Association is pleased to welcome Ball and Verallia to their first World Beer Cup as a Partner Sponsors. Additional sponsors will be announced as they are confirmed in coming months.

"We are honored and delighted to welcome Krones as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2012 World Beer Cup," said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association. "And we are grateful for the ongoing support of Ball, Barth-Haas Group, Sahm, Siemens and Verallia at the Partner level. These companies' commitment to the recognition of excellence in international brewing is applauded."

The 2012 World Beer Cup promises to live up to its reputation as the most prestigious beer competition in the world. An international panel of 179 judges from 26 countries participated in the 2010 event—a 28 percent increase over 2008—and for good reason. The competition's awards philosophy is exacting. Judges do not automatically give awards to the top three entries in a given style category, but instead present a gold, silver and bronze award only when the category contains three excellent examples of the style.

The 2010 World Beer Cup was the largest commercial beer competition at the time, with 3,330 beers entered in 90 beer style categories, from 642 breweries from 44 countries and 47 U.S. states.

World Beer Cup Judging

To ensure the highest level of integrity and expertise in the judging process, World Beer Cup judges are required to have formal sensory training and experience on flavor panels or competitions. They are selected from an extensive list of internationally recognized brewers, consultants, industry suppliers and writers, with many judges drawing on experience in multiple World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival® competitions. The end result is an expert, international judging panel, with some 60 to 65 percent of judges coming from outside of the United States. For the brewers, the judges provide invaluable feedback and critique-positive and negative-available after judging concludes.

Registration for the 2012 World Beer Cup is October 10, 2011 through January 12, 2012.

The judging takes place May 1-2, 2012 in San Diego, California, with the winners announced on May 5, 2012 at the gala awards ceremony and dinner at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego. For more information, please visit WorldBeerCup.org or contact events@brewersassociation.org.

First Ever Colorado Beer Week

First Ever Colorado Beer Week Calendar Now Forming

Sponsorship Opportunities Still Available for

The Best Nine Days and Nights of Beer

Boulder, CO • January 18, 2011—The Brewers Association announced today that Krones will be the exclusive Presenting Sponsor of the 2012 World Beer Cup. Barth-Haas Group will return as a Partner Sponsor alongside Ball, Sahm, Siemens and Verallia, which have also confirmed as Partner Sponsors. The competition—referred to as "the Olympics of Beer"—has been hosted biannually by the Brewers Association, the U.S.-based trade association, since 1996.

Krones, Barth-Haas Group, Sahm and Siemens supported the World Beer Cup in 2010 as Partner Sponsors. The Brewers Association is pleased to welcome Ball and Verallia to their first World Beer Cup as a Partner Sponsors. Additional sponsors will be announced as they are confirmed in coming months.

"We are honored and delighted to welcome Krones as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2012 World Beer Cup," said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association. "And we are grateful for the ongoing support of Ball, Barth-Haas Group, Sahm, Siemens and Verallia at the Partner level. These companies' commitment to the recognition of excellence in international brewing is applauded."

The 2012 World Beer Cup promises to live up to its reputation as the most prestigious beer competition in the world. An international panel of 179 judges from 26 countries participated in the 2010 event—a 28 percent increase over 2008—and for good reason. The competition's awards philosophy is exacting. Judges do not automatically give awards to the top three entries in a given style category, but instead present a gold, silver and bronze award only when the category contains three excellent examples of the style.

The 2010 World Beer Cup was the largest commercial beer competition at the time, with 3,330 beers entered in 90 beer style categories, from 642 breweries from 44 countries and 47 U.S. states.

World Beer Cup Judging

To ensure the highest level of integrity and expertise in the judging process, World Beer Cup judges are required to have formal sensory training and experience on flavor panels or competitions. They are selected from an extensive list of internationally recognized brewers, consultants, industry suppliers and writers, with many judges drawing on experience in multiple World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival® competitions. The end result is an expert, international judging panel, with some 60 to 65 percent of judges coming from outside of the United States.  For the brewers, the judges provide invaluable feedback and critique-positive and negative-available after judging concludes.

Registration for the 2012 World Beer Cup is October 10, 2011 through January 12, 2012.

The judging takes place May 1-2, 2012 in San Diego, California, with the winners announced on May 5, 2012 at the gala awards ceremony and dinner at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego. For more information, please visitWorldBeerCup.org or contact events@brewersassociation.org. 

Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale (Citizen Review)

What: Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale

Where: The Ferment Nation

When: December 1, 2010

What-Have-You: "This beer has what I think is an over-sweet and syrupy smell out of the bottle, but quite a surprise -- smooth, clean taste with just enough maltiness.  I think I like this."

Iron Hill Brewery and Flying Fish

We at The Ferment Nation first heard of this event from our buddies at BeerTapTV.com.
 BeerTapTV breakin' the news to Ferment Nation

Now I suppose we should check it out for ourselves, since it's in our own backyard.


First off, any event is made extra special by the folks who share the beer with you.  Special how-do-ya-dos go out to Sherry (the Ithaca chick) and Tom, whom I see at every geeky beer event in South Jersey/Philadelphia area.  It was a pleasure to meet Steve as well.


My associates Mike and Kelly were there with their friend Anthony (who is looking forward to being a contributor to the Ferment Nation Citizen Reviews, by the way), as was my "industry" insider friend Chris.  A good time was had by all, of course, but mainly because the beer was so good!  Let's go over some of the selections:

Luca Brasi: 
Serious coffee flavor. Perhaps the boldest coffee brew out there that won't make you squish up your face. Bitter but in a coffee kind of way. Mixed it up with Flying Fish Exit 13 to create something wonderful... Makes me regret missing the official 
"Jersey's Finest" collaboration (which includes vanilla beans).

Iron Hill India Black Ale:

Twist on the ipa: floral hops accompanied by a different kind of bitterness... Toasted malt and some coffee notes wrap this IBA up nicely. Dan Weitz from Boulder Beer (beer geek and fellow English major) would approve of this description, noting that there's no such thing as black india PALE ale...

Overall, I really enjoyed the selections from Iron Hill, and the pairings with Flying Fish (mainly the Exit 13 Chocolate Stout and the Grand Cru) that tag-teamed with Iron Hill this time around.  Notable to try from Iron Hill as well is the Orange Truffle brew, which is kinda like an orange truffle candy from Toblerone or the dead bottom of an orange Tootsie Pop (description courtesy of Tom).  Not "fruity" but certainly has an orange tinge to it.  It's a real beer, like a serious porter with a fruity twist.


Thanks to the guys from the Barley Legal Brewclub, who get together every month at Iron Hill.  Their recipes won a contest at Iron Hill and have been presented as the Luca Brasi and the Half-Caff.  Shoutouts go to Tom, Devin, and  Vince.  Check out their website:
http://barleylegal.ning.com/ 

Jersey's Finest Event: Flying Fish/Iron Hill

This is the cask-conditioned Half-Caff, recipe compliments of Jim from the Barley Legal brew club. Amazingly smooth with coffee flavor that soothes but doesn't bite. I'll have several, please!
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Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary Ale (Presidential Brief)

Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary Ale. Smells like a shot of bourbon but has vanilla-oaky flavor... Mild and bold at the same time. Reminds me of Founders Backwoods Bastard.

Check out Firestone's own write-up of 14

Cheese Steak Soup and Troegs Pale Ale (Tastin' The Nation)

Decadent super-cheesey cheese steak soup... accompanied gloriously by a happy, hoppy, dry Pale Ale by Troegs. Definitely a great way to cut through this savory, salty, cheeeeeesey rendition of a liquified Philly favorite.


Check out this cheese steak soup recipe!