02.08.10

Behind the scenes: Monday

Posted in Fermentation Lounge at 8:21 pm by scott

We did a series about a year ago where we went through a full week in what goes on at Fermentation behind the scenes.  It was pretty popular, so I thought that it was worth revisiting.

Monday is usually a somewhat mellow day, but we had some fallout from a burst pipe over the weekend.  One of the outside pipes was stumbled into on Saturday night and subsequently broke, creating a geyser on All Saints St.

Actual photo of All Saints St

The two pressing issues where making sure that the pipe was 100% fixed and coming up with a solution that will prevent this from happening in the future.  Generally, at any given time, there is always some unforeseen problem like this.  Last week’s big issue was the Case of the Missing Trash Compactor Key.  Go figure.

Normally, Monday is about getting in our first big beer order of the week.  About half of our beer comes from a distributor in Tampa who only delivers to Tallahassee once per week, so we have to be sure to get this order completely right.  Today we were fortunate enough to secure their very last keg of Lagunitas Olde Gnarlywine, so we have decided to completely go with a Lagunitas theme this week.  We ordered four different kegs of their beer: Gnarlywine, Dogtown Pale, IPA, and Pils.

The distribution system is pretty weird; it’s a bunch of leftover, post-Prohibition laws.  One of the basics is that a brewery’s products may only be sold by a single distributor per county.  So today our Tampa distributor let us know that they were no longer going to carry Ace Cider Company because it was being taken over by a distributor based out of Jacksonville.   Not a huge deal except that when a brewery shifts distributors there can sometimes be a 1 or 2 month gap in the availability of the product.  Ace Joker is one of our favorite ciders and the thought of it being gone that makes us very sad inside.  So we ordered a LOT of it.  Like, a whole lot of it.  Hopefully any potential availability problems will be circumvented by our abundance of inventory.

We also ordered a few of the beers that will be on the menu for the Valentine’s Day Cookie & Beer Pairing.  More details on the planning of that to come later in the week.

02.04.10

Make mine smutty

Posted in Beer, On Tap at 9:34 pm by scott

We love Smuttynose.  Operating out of New Hampshire since 1994, they have a solid lineup of beers and periodic specials released through their Big Beer Series.  Three of their core beers (Finest Kind IPA, Old Brown Dog, and Robust Porter) have become Fermentation mainstays and cycle through our draft lineup periodically.  This week we thought we would go on a Smuttynose binge and bring all three in at the same time.  Be sure to stop by make yours a Smutty.

Big thanks to Magic Hat founder Alan Newman (and everyone from Magic Hat who came by!) for spending some time in the lounge tonight.  If you happened to swing by this afternoon, then you got a chance to meet some truly cool people who are passionate about beer.

Here is what’s on tap as of Thursday night:

  • Dogfish 60 Minute IPA - Quite possibly the gold standard of American IPAs..
  • Dogfish Olde School Barley Wine - Malty, strong, and massice.
  • Lion Stout - Borderline imperial stout from Sri Lanka.
  • Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat - We can’t get enough of it.
  • Magic Hat #9 - The not quite pale ale, with hints of apricot.
  • Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA - Moderate body and nice floral hops.
  • Smuttynose Robust Porter - Big roasted malt taste with hints of coffee.
  • Strongbow - The classic English cider.
  • Weihenstephan Dunkel Weisse - Dark and wheaty.
  • Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier - Light and wheaty.
  • Wolaver’s Brown Ale - Slightly nutty with a light body.

In the cooler we have kegs of:

  • Avery IPA - Nice balanced IPA from our friends in Boulder.
  • Brooklyn Lager - Somewhat malty body (for a lager), but still easy to drink.
  • Delirium Tremens - One of our all time favorite Belgian tripels.
  • Fuller’s London Porter - A dark porter in the classic English style/
  • Kronenbourg - Delicious French lager that we can’t get enough of.
  • Oskar Blue’s Dale’s Pale Ale - Our all time favorite pale ale.  Nicely hoppy.
  • Sam Adams Noble Pils - Light and crisp with a nice presence from the noble hops.
  • Sierra Nevada Celebration - A very sessionable IPA from our friends at Sierra Nevada.
  • Smuttynose Old Brown Dog - Delicious brown ale, well balanced and smooth.
  • Young’s Double Chocolate - Ready to go on the nitrogen tap, and perfect with ice cream.

Hope to see you this weekend!

01.28.10

Say it with me: Weihenstephan

Posted in Beer, Fermentation Lounge, On Tap at 8:04 pm by scott

Weihenstephan is arguably the oldest brewery in the world.  It’s current brewing license was awarded in 1040 and the abbey has been producing beer since 768.  It’s lager is called Weihenstphan Original and has a legitimate claim to pioneering that style in its modern incarnation.  We rotate the lager in and out of the draft lineup, but it was extra popular last week.  It was so popular that we decided to bring in a few Weihenstephan beers on draft this week: Original (the lager), Hefeweissbier (Fermentation’s all time favorite wheat beer), and the Dunel Weisse (dark wheat.)  BTW, you can pronounce it y-hen-stef-an or vie-hen-stef-an, or just ask for the one with the crazy German name.  We will know what you mean.

This Valentine’s Day we are having cookies and beer!  Get 5 cookies from Bacon N Bakin paired up with samples of 5 tasty beers.

Magic Hat is looking to stop by for Fat Tuesday, February 16, to hand out goodies.  We should have lots of Mardi Gras festivities going on that night, so look for more details soon.

February’s glass giveaway is the ultra cool Aventinus glass, and will be on Wednesday February 17.  We got a ton of glasses in stock, so hopefully the giveaway will last a while.  Coincidentally, that is also St. Practice Day.

Here is the beer that is on tap as of Thursday night:

  • Abita Root Beer - Non-alcoholic root beer from our neighbors in Louisiana.
  • Coney Island Sword Swallower - One part lager and one part IPA.  Winds up with the bitterness of an IPA with the crisp finish of a lager.  Tasty.
  • Great Divide Hercules Double IPA - Strong and imposing IPA.  Lives up to its name.
  • Koestritzer Schwarzbier - Between a lager and a stout, with the best characteristics of both.
  • North Coast Old Rapsutin - A big imperial stout served through the nitrogen.
  • North Coast Scrimshaw Pils - American pilsner with a bit of a hop bite on the finish.
  • Spaten Optimator - One of the classic doppelbocks.
  • Unibroue Blanche de Chambly - Nicely balanced witbier from our friends in Canada.
  • Unibroue Ephemere - Sour apples without being a cider.  A house favorite.
  • Weihenstephan Original - Mmmm tastes 1,000 years old!
  • Woodchuck Pear Cider - It’s cider that tastes like pears.

I know, that’s only 11.  Our beer is delivered cool enough to preserve the beer, but not cold enough to serve.  We got a lot delivered today and it isn’t quite cold enough to serve yet.  It may be on within a few hours though.  Here’s what is lurking in the cooler:

  • Abita Select Amber - Part of a limited release from Abita.  We are going to try to pull their special Select beers into rotation.
  • Dogfish 60 Minute IPA - Quite possibly the gold standard of American IPAs.
  • Dogfish Chicory Stout - A seasonal release from Dogfish.  Mix it with 60 Minute to make a Dogfish Black & Tan.
  • Dogfish Olde School Barley Wine - We were saving this for a barley wine night that keeps getting delayed.  So we MAY tap this one this weekend.  It’s strong as hell.
  • Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan - Delicious brown ale from Mississippi.
  • Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat - We brought it back again this week.  It’s so good!
  • Strongbow - The classic English cider.
  • Weihenstephan Dunkel Weisse - Dark and wheaty.
  • Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier - Light and wheaty.
  • Wolaver’s Brown Ale - Slightly nutty with a light body.

Cheers!

01.21.10

Smokey the beer

Posted in Fermentation Lounge, On Tap at 11:36 pm by scott

We are very happy to have a keg of Weyerbacher Fireside Ale this week.  This is a smoke beer, which is a very, very unique style.  Think of a distinct smokey flavor like you find in either a smoked gouda cheese, or meat that has been slow cooking all day long.  Smoke beers tend to be either a love it or hate it thing with most people, but if you haven’t tried one then I highly recommend giving it a go just to see where your palate lands.

This Sunday we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the most influential cartoon of all time with shorts from the first season of the Rocky and Bullwinkle show!   Including Rocky and Bullwinkle adventures, Sherman and Mister Peabody and of course Fractured Fairy Tales.  Please join us as we celebrate one of our all time most beloved cartoons.

Ok, on tap as of Thursday night:

  • Abita Root Beer - Non-alcoholic root beer from our neighbors in Louisiana.
  • Bell’s Hopslam - Amazing double IPA is nearly gone.
  • Blackthorn Dry Cider - Nice apple tartness in this English cider.
  • Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout - An all time Fermentation favorite.
  • North Coast Old Rapsutin - A big imperial stout served through the nitrogen.
  • Ommegang Hennepin - A saison from New York done in the classic Belgian style.
  • Piraat - Belgian golden ale with hints of tropical fruit.
  • Rogue Dead Guy - Light, refreshing, and doesn’t taste like a corpse.
  • Rogue Hazelnut Brown - Sort of tastes like having a piece of cake in a glass.
  • Sierra Nevada Celebration - Delicious seasonal IPA.
  • Spaten Optimator - One of the classic doppelbocks.
  • Unibroue Blanche de Chambly - Nicely balanced witbier from our friends in Canada.

In the cooler we have kegs of:

  • Bell’s Two Hearted - Deliciously hoppy IPA.
  • Koestritzer Scwarzbier - Between a lager and a stout, with the best characteristics of both.
  • Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat - Way too long since it has been on tap.  A fruit beer that doesn’t taste artificial.
  • Tilburg’s Dutch Brown - Trevor’s favorite beer.
  • Unirboue Ephemere - Sour apples without being a cider.  A house favorite.
  • Weihenstephan Original - Almost literally the original lager.  It has been around for nearly 1,000 years.
  • Weyerbacher Fireside - Perhaps I mentioned this?
  • Woodchuck Pear Cider - Because we love it so.

01.14.10

Hopslam, Duvel glasses, and St. Practice Day

Posted in Fermentation Lounge, On Tap at 5:28 pm by scott

We just got word that Bell’s Hopslam has made its way to our distributor’s warehouse, and we will picking it up tomorrow.  If you haven’t had it before, Hopslam is a massive double IPA from Bell’s that has just a touch of honey add to cut the bitterness.  Just an amazing beer.

We are also pleased to have the newest offering from Shmaltz brewing on tap this week: Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner.  Shmaltz is one of our favorite breweries and we are absolutely pleased to be one of the first places offering their new beer.

Sunday, January 17, is the first of two St. Practice Days.  Drink some green beer or some Murphy’s Irish Stout and get ready for the rapidly approaching St. Patrick’s Day.

Thanks to everyone who came out and made Elvis’ birthday such an incredibly fun event.  This Tuesday, January 19, we will be celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday with some spooky readings and, of course, Rogue Dead Guy Ale.

Wednesday, January 20, we will be giving away a Duvel glass with any purchase of the incredibly taste Duvel Belgian ale.  The beer and the glass are both personal favorites of ours, so we are pretty excited about it.

We are also in the process of putting a barley wine tasting night together and are looking for feedback for any ones in particular that you may like to see on the list.  More details to come once we, you know, actually figure out the details.

In other news, the Tallahassee Rollergirls are taking donations to shave their heads in support of Danger S, who has stage 4 cervical cancer.  You can sponsor them here.

Here is what is on tap as of Thursday:

  • Anderson Valley Hop Ottin - Nicely hopped IPA making its return.
  • Blackthorn Dry Cider - Nice apple tartness in this English cider.
  • Boulder Sweaty Betty - One of our favorite American style wheat beers is finally back.
  • Clipper City Loose Cannon - How long has it been since we had this?  Too long.  Great IPA with a balanced malt body.
  • North Coast Old Rapsutin - A big imperial stout served through the nitrogen.
  • Ommegang Hennepin - A saison from New York done in the classic Belgian style.
  • Piraat - Belgian golden ale with hints of tropical fruit.
  • Rogue Juniper Pale Ale - Slightly hoppy pale ale infused with juniper berries.
  • Sierra Nevada Celebration - Delicious seasonal IPA.
  • Smuttynose Old Brown Dog - Incredibly smooth brown ale.
  • Smuttynose Robust Porter - Nice roasted coffee makes for a perfect cold weather beer.
  • St. Bernardus ABT 12 - One of our favorite Belgian quads making its long awaited return.

In the cooler we have kegs of:

  • Abita Root Beer - Root beer returns!
  • Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner - We are anxious to try this one.
  • Lost Coast 8 Ball Stout - An all time Fermentation favorite.
  • Rogue Hazelnut Brown - Sort of tastes like having a piece of cake in a glass.
  • Unibroue Blanche de Chambly - Nicely balanced witbier from our friends in Canada.

01.08.10

The big seven five

Posted in On Tap at 12:36 am by scott

We love Elvis.  We celebrate the man’s entire catalog.  Friday, January 8 marks his 75th birthday and we are celebrating Blue Hawaii style.  We will be handing out leis, watching the Blue Hawaii concert, and drinking something that we call Hawaiian Banana Sandwich Beer - a mix of Well’s Banana Bread Beer and Kona Pipeline Porter.  A beer worthy of the King himself!

Thanks to everyone who came out at the last minute for Bell’s night on Tuesday!  That event came together on short notice and we had a great time.  Extra thanks to Cindy from Bell’s Brewery who quietly bought a number of beers for everyone throughout the night.  Our next glassware giveaway is scheduled for Wednesday, January 20 and will be the famous Duvel glass.

We did a big shakeup on the bottle menu this week.  The new year seemed to be a good time to start shifting things around, and thirteen new beers hit the menu this week.  The seasonals are running low, and so is the Dogfish barley wine, so be sure to try them before they are gone.  Moved a little beyond the American craft beer scene this week, with a few Belgians, some German beers, and an English IPA.  Leffe Blonde is off the menu because InBev has stopped importing it.  It may appear intermittently over the next little while as the distributors consolidate their final stocks, but this is going to be gone from the US for the time being.

Here is the draft lineup as of Thursday night:

  • Ace Joker Cider - Our absolute favorite cider.
  • Avery IPA - Sessionable IPA with a nice hop balance.
  • Bell’s Oberon - Fantastic light American wheat beer.
  • Boulder Sweaty Betty - One of our favorite American style wheat beers is finally back.
  • Magic Hat #9 - Light apricots, rainbows, and unicorns.
  • North Coast Pranqster - A Belgian golden ale with light coriander spice.
  • Old Speckled Hen - On the nitro tap, so this English-style bitter has a nice creamy body.
  • Piraat - Belgian golden ale with hints of tropical fruit.
  • Rogue Juniper Pale Ale - Slightly hoppy pale ale infused with juniper berries.
  • Sprecher Orange Dream - Taking the root beer spot, this is a creamy orange soda.
  • Stone Smoked Porter - Smoking barley with peat adds depth to this delicious porter.
  • Terrapin Wake N Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout - Another amazing coffee stout from Terrapin.  Off the charts delicious.  We have a very limited quantity of it, so try some before Rachel drinks it all.

In the cooler we have kegs of:

  • Anderson Valley Hop Ottin - Nicely hopped IPA making its return.
  • Clipper City Loose Cannon - How long has it been since we had this?  Too long.  Great IPA with a balanced malt body.
  • Kona Pipeline Porter - Perhaps we shall mix it with Well’s Banana Bread.
  • Murphy’s Irish Stout - A classic dry Irish stout.
  • Ommegang Hennepin - A saison from New York done in the classic Belgian style.
  • Smuttynose Old Brown Dog - Incredibly smooth brown ale.
  • Smuttynose Robust Porter - Nice roasted coffee makes for a perfect cold weather beer.
  • St. Bernardus ABT 12 - One of our favorite Belgian quads making its long awaited return.
  • Unibroue Blanche de Chambly - Nicely balanced witbier from our friends in Canada.

We don’t care if it is cold outside because we love hanging out with friends and drinking beer.  Cheers.

01.04.10

New Year’s recap, and a few plans

Posted in Fermentation Lounge at 1:25 am by scott

Happy New Year!  Thanks to everyone who came out to help ring in 2010 with us.  If you didn’t make it out, here were some of the highlights (most pictures by Leslie Mille):

Photo by Mike Reino

We cracked open the first of our two bottles of Sam Adams Utopias at 5:00 and gave away a Fermentation Lounge shot glass with each pour.  The beer was fantastic.  It had a rich sweetness without being cloying, and a brandy-like warming without tasting strongly like alcohol.  Utopias pushes the boundaries of beer and it is fun to taste those kinds of possibilities.  We will do the second bottle some time in the coming months, so stay tuned.

Fire poi and the amazing fire hula hoop were in full effect.  If you haven’t seen this at the lounge before, stop by on a Thursday evening where it is becoming a regular practice.

The big beer!  We popped the cork on our 9 liter bottle of St. Feuillien just before 11:00.  It was a delicious Belgian tripel with a light body and good spicy flavors from the yeast.  This is almost certain to become a New Year’s tradition with us.

We already have one New Year’s tradition in place: dropping the glowing ball at midnight.  There was some frantic last minute prep (the ball wasn’t completely ready until about 4:30 that day), but everything came together and the ball descended in its glorious splendor.  We are still cleaning up the silly string.

2010 is already shaping up to be a fun year.  January looks like this:

  • Celebrate Elvis’ 75th birthday this Friday, January 8.  Elvis will be on screen all night and we will be going with a Blue Hawaii theme for the evening.  It’s the perfect night to wear big sunglasses and sideburns, or just a killer Hawaiian shirt.  We are also going to be celebrating the birthday of our good friend Mina!  Mina is one of the coolest and absolutely nicest people we know, so come one out and spread some birthday cheer with us.
  • Your chance to be all literary is here.  On January 19, we celebrate the birthday of Edgar Allen Poe with live readings every hour and some specials on Rogue Dead Guy.  Our good friends from Ahinga Press return on January 18, and Apalachee Quarterly will be here for a reading on January 30.
  • This month’s glassware giveaway night is tentatively January 20.  We are planning on doing the third Wednesday of each month as the night, though this can sometimes change (like in December, when we had two brewery reps come through).  As soon as the beer and glasses are in our possession, we will have the final details announced.
  • Lotsa music coming your way.  The bluegrass sounds of The Stoned and Lonesome String Band will be here on January 5 and again on January 25.  This month’s Irish Music Gathering will be on January 11, and look for some jazz on January 12 and 26.

Doing a bit of an overhaul with the bottle menu, so look for it to change fairly significantly over this month.  And I promise, there will be doppelbocks.

2010 is going to be a fun year.

12.30.09

What to drink on New Year’s Eve?

Posted in On Tap at 11:52 pm by scott

So New Year’s Eve is nearly upon us, and it is one of those nights where maybe you want to drink something a little special.  We have a few wonderful choices for your consideration (in no particular order):

  • Old Rasputin 12th Anniversary - Old Rasputin aged in bourbon barrels, available for the first time ever outside the brewery.  Very limited quantities.
  • Fraoch 20th Anniversary - Only one bottle left of this beer that was made in the traditional Scottish style of using heather flowers instead of hops, and then aged in whiskey barrels.
  • Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada Life & Limb - A limited edition collaboration beer from two amazing breweries.
  • Sam Adams Utopias - One of the strongest beers in the world, and you get a commemorative shot glass to take home.  We will crack the bottle at 5:00.
  • Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence - Part Belgian and part stout, with a delicious result.
  • St. Feuillien - We open the big bottle at 11:00!
  • Cakebread Chardonnay - See what all the fuss is about.
  • Vinaceous Divine Light Verhello - Light and easy drinking with a crisp tartness.

Here’s the tap list as of Wednesday night:

  • Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout - Smooth, delicious, and perfect for the season.
  • Black Sheep Holy Grail - Light bodied copper ale with notes of sweetness.
  • Highland Gaelic Ale - Delicious amber ale from North Carolina.
  • Kona Pipeline Porter - Because you can’t get enough.
  • Okocim OK - One of our all time favorite lagers is back on tap.
  • Old Speckled Hen - On the nitro tap, so this English-style bitter has a nice creamy body.
  • Oskar Blues Mama’s Lil Yella Pils - Crisp with just the right touch of Czech hops.
  • Piraat - Belgian golden ale with hints of tropical fruit.
  • Sierra Nevada Bigfoot - Incredibly drinkable barley wine, somewhat strongly hopped for the style.
  • Sprecher Orange Dream - Taking the root beer spot, this is a creamy orange soda.
  • Stone Ruination - Double IPA from Stone with a massive hop punch.
  • Stone Smoked Porter - Smoking barley with peat adds depth to this delicious porter.

In the cooler we have kegs of:

  • Avery IPA - Sessionable IPA with a nice hop balance.
  • Boulder Sweaty Betty - One of our favorite American style wheat beers is finally back.
  • Magic Hat #9 - Light apricots, rainbows, and unicorns.
  • Murphy’s Irish Stout - A classic dry Irish stout.
  • North Coast Pranqster - A Belgian golden ale with light coriander spice.
  • Unibroue Blanche de Chambly - Nicely balanced witbier from our friends in Canada.

Happy New Year everyone!

12.29.09

No Regrets Christmas

Posted in Fermentation Lounge at 3:35 pm by scott

Didn’t get what you wanted for Christmas?  Aunt Clara never can get right.  But all is not lost, as you can donate your unwanted presents for a good cause.  Spread the Love will be on hand this Saturday, January 2nd starting at 5:00 to accept your unwanted presents that will be auctioned off (or returned if you have the receipt) on January 30.  Proceeds go to help Tallahassee Rollergirl Danger S in her ongoing battle against stage 4 cervical cancer.  Read more about her here.

Can’t make it out on Saturday?  Drop something off with us early and will take care of it for you.

12.26.09

So this is the new year…

Posted in Holiday, On Tap at 2:43 pm by scott

Photo by Phil Sears

New Year’s Eve is rapidly approaching, and that means that it will soon be time for the Second Annual Fermentation Lounge Ball Drop.  Wooo!  Ring in the new year with us and spend some time making innuendo-filled jokes about balls.  There is no better way to kick off 2010.  In addition to the ball drop will be opening the first of our two bottles of Sam Adams Utopias.  The Utopias will be served as 1oz pour in a commemorative Fermentation Lounge shot glass that you get to keep.  Also, we have a ridiculously huge bottle of St. Feuillien Triple to serve:

Jina not included.

Utopias will be available when we open on the 31st, at 5:00.  We will pop the cork on the St. Feuillien around 11:00, and the ball drop will be at midnight.  In the meantime, we have some tasty treats on tap:

  • Bell’s Amber - Medium bodied coppery ale.
  • Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout - Smooth, delicious, and perfect for the season.
  • Black Sheep Holy Grail - Light bodied copper ale with notes of sweetness.
  • Kona Pipeline Porter - Because you can’t get enough.
  • North Coast Acme Pale Ale - Light bodied and very slightly hopped.  A great beer if you are new to hops or pale/IPAs.
  • Okocim OK - One of our all time favorite lagers is back on tap.
  • Old Speckled Hen - On the nitro tap, so this English-style bitter has a nice creamy body.
  • Piraat - Belgian golden ale with hints of tropical fruit.
  • Sierra Nevada Bigfoot - Incredibly drinkable barley wine, somewhat strongly hopped for the style.
  • Sprecher Orange Dream - Taking the root beer spot, this is a creamy orange soda.
  • Stone Ruination - Double IPA from Stone with a massive hop punch.
  • Woodchuck Amber Cider - Traditional apple cider from our Vermont.

In the cooler we have kegs of:

  • Highland Gaelic Ale - Delicious amber ale from North Carolina.
  • Oskar Blues Mama’s Lil Yella Pils - Crisp with just the right touch of Czech hops.
  • Stone Smoked Porter - Smoking barley with peat adds depth to this delicious porter.

Cheers!

« Previous entries