2010 October | KegWorks (4)

Archive for October, 2010

Want to Win a $100 KegWorks Gift Card?

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

Better get to sending us a postcard (or as many as you like) soon! The contest only runs through October 31, 2010 and already we’re seeing more and more postcards everyday!

Remember, each postcard you send counts as an entry to win the $100 gift card and if any postcard qualifies as Traveled the Farthest, Most Entertaining Written Message or Cheesiest Tourist Attraction, you’ll win a Beer Geek Pint Glass Set!

So far the postcard that’s traveled the farthest came to us from Valencia, Spain. We’ve got quite a few with cheesy tourist attractions and funny quotes – we’ll have to pore over them with copious amounts of beer to make final decisions, I’m sure.

Get full contest details here, including our address.

Cheers and good luck!

TAGS [ CONTEST | CONTESTS | POSTCARD PROMOTION | KEGWORKS | GIFT CARD ]

Posted in Announcements, Rants and Raves | No Comments »

A Cheerwine Sweepstakes You Don’t Want To Miss

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

Most of us hadn’t ever heard of Cheerwine Cherry Soda before we started selling it. Little did we know it’s freaking delicious and one or two sips will cause you to fall in love.

Their products are great and their brand is definitely a little bit out there – but that’s half of the fun.

They’re all about leisure, so they’re running a Long Live Leisure Sweepstakes and giving away what they’ve dubbed "the chillest ride in the universe" – a retro-fitted, stylized 1977 Cheerwine Volkswagen Bus featuring custom upholstered sofa and love seats, GPS navigation, thumping stereo system, X-Box 360, LCD flat screen TV, refrigerator, custom 9-foot surfboard and roof rack.

Tell me that wouldn’t be a sweet vehicle to take tailgating? You too can enter the sweepstakes at cheerwinesweepstakes.com. Good luck!

TAGS [ CHEERWINE | SWEEPSTAKES | CONTEST | VOLKSWAGON BUS ]

Posted in Announcements, Random Cool Stuff | No Comments »

Punk Craft Beer Collaboration: 3 Floyds and BrewDog

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

A new barleywine brainchild is brewing between Three Floyds and BrewDog named… ready for this?

Bitch Please.

I can’t help but let that roll off my tongue with more than a bit of attitude.

BrewDog & Three Floyds: Bitch Please

According to BrewDog’s monthly newsletter, the barleywine weighs in at 10% ABV and is brewed with New Zealand hops, shortbread, Scottish Highland toffee and peated malt from Islay (an island off of the coast of Scotland).

They’re doing a twisted version of barrel aging with some of this brew too (hoping for more info on that soon). I’m interested in tasting how it all turns out. Really interested. Wonder if it’ll be available in my neck of the woods once it’s distributed…

Posted in Announcements, Random Cool Stuff, Rants and Raves | 2 Comments »

The Blue Monk – Buffalo’s First Belgian Beer Bar

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

Blue Monk Buffalo I’m usually not a fan of being overwhelmed, however when I’m checking out a draft list that’s overflowing with deliciously rare options and can’t decide what I’d like to drink first, being overwhelmed is a wonderful thing.

As it turns out our hometown’s first (and only) Belgian beer bar, The Blue Monk, has 30 taps and reasonable prices. This could be dangerous.

The brand new bar opened its doors Friday night, however I didn’t have a chance to check it out until Sunday. I walked in not quite sure what to expect and I must admit, I was immediately impressed.

The crowd was a perfect blend of young professionals, hipsters and obvious beer nerds and the place looks great! The classy yet eclectic décor reflects their good taste in beer and the ambiance is everything you’d expect from a finer drinking establishment.

Blue Monk Buffalo

In college one of my closest friends used to play music at Merlin’s, The Blue Monks predecessor. To say that Merlin’s was a "hole" could be the understatement of the century. I once got within 5 feet of the men’s bathroom and was hit so hard by the awful urine stench entrenched in the floors and the walls that I had to go outside until the nausea passed. I’m quite certain that it wasn’t cheap or easy to transform the building but I am very glad that they did.

Blue Monk Buffalo

The draft board lists of 30 impressive selections, including brews from Unibroue, Ommegang, Chimay, Ayinger, Delirium, Great Lakes, North Coast, Dogfish Head, Affligem, Strubbe and more. The bottled list is incredible too but I opted to save that for another day so I wouldn't miss out on the opportunity to have the Victory-Stone-Dogfish Head collaboration beer Saison Du Buff on draft. It quickly took the top spot on my list of favorite farmhouse ales. I couldn't pass up the Chimay White or Delirium Tremens either, so I had to try them before I left.

Blue Monk Buffalo

They used the right glassware, the waitresses knew their stuff and I didn't empty out my bank account. I may have discovered my new favorite hangout. Rumor has it there will be a full menu soon but the drinks alone are enough to keep me coming back. After just one visit, I can confidently say that this bar is just exactly what Buffalo beer lovers were thirsty for.

Check out our buddy Deron’s review, including the complete draft and bottle lists.

TAGS [ CRAFT BEER | BELGIAN BEER | BEER BARS | CRAFT BEER BARS | BLUE MONK BUFFALO ]

Posted in Rants and Raves | No Comments »

Great Divide Brewing Co. Rumble: An Oak Aged IPA

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

Great Divide Rumble

I am no stranger to brews aged in oak barrels, but my experience with them up to this point has been mostly with stouts and porters. When I popped by my local beer and bourbon boutique (they have more than that but those are usually what’s on my shopping list) I came upon Great Divide Rumble IPA, an oak aged India Pale Ale. This was a new offering from Great Divide that I hadn’t yet run into, so I gladly picked up a sixer for some research.

Great Divide Rumble

Every beer I’ve ever had from Great Divide Brewing Co. was a beer I thoroughly enjoyed, especially their Titan IPA. This oak aged India Pale Ale is no exception.

Appearance: Copper gold and completely transparent with two fingers of fluffy head. Even though the height of the head disappears rather quickly, a steady film remains long after it’s poured.

Aroma: Caramel sweetness is the first noticeable scent, followed by a nice citrusy hop aroma and a bit of … pineapple? Yep. That’s pineapple there in the nose. Interesting!

Taste: Heavy in the piney and citrusy hops, yet balanced, just like a good American IPA should be. There is a hint of that caramel sweetness I noticed in the nose, presumably from the aging. Nice desiccation in the back of my throat after each sip, along with a good dose of spiciness.

Mouthfeel: One of the smoother IPAs I’ve had, which I expected from the aging process. Rumble is medium-bodied with a fair amount of carbonation. I like that it’s not over-carbonated—each sip is smoother than the last as it warms up a bit—but honestly, there is more carbonation than I expected, being aged and all (not that that’s a bad thing).

Overall: The alcohol is really well hidden here for a 7.1% ABV beer, making it a great session beer (at least in my opinion). This is an IPA I can see myself picking up again.

TAGS [ BEER REVIEWS | GREAT DIVIDE BREWING CO | RUMBLE | IPA | OAK AGED IPA ]

Posted in Beer Reviews | 1 Comment »

Trick or Treating Yourself to Sangria

Monday, October 4th, 2010

The Holiday times are almost upon us. The light crunching of the leaves underfoot, the ridiculous Halloween decorations spewing out on all of my neighbors’ lawns… the impending knowledge that if I don’t finish up that last little project on the house outside, I will be working in bitter sub-zero weather soon to finish it… Also it is the time of reuniting with old friends, hosting dinners, going to parties, having holiday celebrations… and receiving terrible bottles of wine. You know who is going to bring them. The relatives who just know you’re going to love this $5.00 bottle that they found in this quaint grocery store, the friend who hasn’t graduated from drinking out of the boxes… It’s going to be terrible. However, there is a solution that isn’t often explored in the wintertime. Sangria!

Image credit: Gulf Gourmet

Sangria can easily mask most terrible wines and make a delightful holiday drink as well. You can even "recycle" the terrible wines that the previous guests brought and dump them into what can become a delightful drinking experience.

The fun thing that I have discovered is that you don’t necessarily have to stick to a traditional recipe, you can be as creative as your liquor cabinet allows. In fact, let me know if you have "discovered" any new combinations from necessity or creativity. Here are a couple of interesting ones that I have tried. It usually helps to let it sit overnight to let the fruit soak in the liquor, but it can be ready to drink in as short of a time as right after you make it. Enjoy!

Traditional Sangria Recipe

1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 medium apple; pared, cored and sliced
1 c pitted cherries
1 c pineapple chunks
¾ c brandy
1 bottle dry red wine (750ml)
1 bottle Regatta Ginger Beer (12oz)
1 c orange juice

Dump all ingredients into a pitcher, refrigerate and enjoy!

Exotic Coconut Rum Sangria

2 navel oranges, thinly sliced
2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 limes, thinly sliced
1 pear, cored and chopped
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1 c strawberries, sliced
1 can pineapple chunks in juice (20oz)
½ c white sugar
½ c Fee Brothers Triple Sec Syrup
1 c white rum
1/3 c coconut rum
2 c orange juice
2 bottles dry red wine (750ml ea)
6 oz frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
¼ c lemon juice
2 tbsp lime juice
1 bottle Regatta Ginger Beer (12oz)

Toss everything into an apparatus large enough to hold it all, refrigerate and enjoy!

TAGS [ SANGRIA | SANGRIA RECIPES | COCKTAIL RECIPES | DRINK RECIPES ]

Posted in Drink Recipes | 2 Comments »

4 Pines Stout: Australian for Space Beer

Friday, October 1st, 2010

Unlike Japan’s Space Beer that was named so for being made from grain grown on the International Space Station, the Aussie version is referred to as "space beer" because it’s being brewed specifically to be consumed in space. [smh.com.au]

Image credit: Sydney Morning Herald

4 Pines Brewery has teamed up with Saber Astronautics Australia to create a beer that will one day be the brew of choice, once space tourism becomes a regular pastime.

What exactly makes a beer space-certified? For starters, it’s got to be packed with flavor. According to the Sydney Morning Herald article, your tongue swells in zero- and low-gravity, so you lose a lot of natural ability to taste. Brewers have made their 4 Pines Stout full-bodied with tons of flavor, in hopes of beating this phenomenon and cutting through the insensitivity.

They’ve also changed properties in the beer to help counter "wet burps," which are common in space. Apparently, gravity separates liquid from air here on Earth, so when we burp, we only burp air. This is not the case in space. I’m unsure as to what the brewery is doing to offset this issue, but they’re ready to start testing in a low-gravity environment in November.

I guess this news just goes to show that, just like it has for thousands of years, beer will be a constant companion to humanity, whether on Earth or off in space.

Cheers to beer and innovation!

TAGS [ SPACE BEER | 4 PINES STOUT | CRAFT BEER ]

Posted in Random Cool Stuff, Rants and Raves | No Comments »

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Archive for October, 2010

Want to Win a $100 KegWorks Gift Card?

A Cheerwine Sweepstakes You Don’t Want To Miss

Punk Craft Beer Collaboration: 3 Floyds and BrewDog

The Blue Monk – Buffalo’s First Belgian Beer Bar

Great Divide Brewing Co. Rumble: An Oak Aged IPA

Trick or Treating Yourself to Sangria

Traditional Sangria Recipe

Exotic Coconut Rum Sangria

4 Pines Stout: Australian for Space Beer

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