What's On Tap? (Ithaca: 3/25/2015)

What's on Tap in Ithaca? Tons of new seasonals with a few rarities...

Ithaca Beer Taproom just launched their 5BBL Imperial Saison, brewed with Grains of Paradise, ginger and orange peel, clocking in at 8.7%.  This week on cask it's Flower Power dry hopped with Galaxy.

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bacchus Red Rye
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Beak & Skiff Cidery - Hopped Cider
• Brasserie D'Achouffe - Mc Chouffe
• Founders KBS 2014 (2015 on deck)
• Founders Black Rye
• Ithaca Beer Java Power
• Ithaca Superstout
• Ommegang Rare Vos
• Ommegang Game of Thrones Valar
• Troegs Nugget Nectar

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• NYS Traditional Pilsner
• Humble  (American Wheat)
• High Step Weizenbock
• Pirate Eye IPA
• Sully's Irish Stout
• Parallaxium (Golden Session)
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Pucker Up (Sour Rye)
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Robust Brown Ale
• Three Heads Brewing The Kind
• Oskar Blues G'Night
• Cortland Brewery Black Widow Russian Imperial Stout

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• Upstate Honey Porter
• Ommegang Glimmer Glass
• Sam Adams Rebel IPA
• Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu
• Ritterguts Gose
• Ithaca Java Power
• Green Flash Soul Style IPA
• Rogue Dead Guy Ale
• Rogue Brutal IPA
• 3 Heads Double Skunk
• Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
• Rogue Irish Style Lager

Gateway:

• Cortland Black Widow Stout
• 3 Heads The Kind
• Wagner Valley Coffee Porter
• Shiner White Wing
• Troegs Cultivator
• Troegs Nugget Nectar
• Harpoon UFO Gingerland
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Ithaca Beer Creeker

Ithaca Ale House

• Abandon Brewing Black Currant Amber
• Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale
• Smithwick's Irish Red Ale
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra
• Harpoon UFO White
• Beak & Skiff Cidery - Hopped Cider
• Stella Artois
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Alpine Beer Company Duet IPA
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Southern Tier Right O' Way IPA
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Southern Tier Goat Boy
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Brambles (Raspberry Wheat Ale)
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish Red)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

The Westy

• Crispin
• Troegs Hop Back
• Allagash White
• Bells Two Hearted
• Ithaca Flower Power
• Brooklyn Lager
• Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
• Three Heads The Kind
• Lagunitas Pils
• Keuka Hoppy Lager
• Bacchus Floras Fate
• (on deck: Great Lakes Chillwave, Upstate XPA, Victory Prima Pils, & more)

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Abandon Porter
• Horseheads Orion Belgian IPA
• Cortland Industrial IPA
• Ithaca Red Rye IPA
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: 3/19/2015)

Let's have a look at What's on Tap? in Ithaca this week!

Ithaca Beer Taproom offer up Beerzebub, Helles beer. It's a golden pale lager on the slightly maltier side with a mild hoppy essence.

• 17!
• Collaboratus (w/ Abandon Brewing)
• Dorian grain
• Cask: Grapefruited Flower Power

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• Parallaxium (Golden Session)
• Belgian Brown
• Ezra Red Ale
• Rauchbier
• Slime IPA
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Sesch Ale (Kolsch)
• Azedo (Sour Mash Ale)
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Robust Brown Ale
• Belgian Brown
• British Envasion
• TB3 (American Pale)
• Stone Enjoy By 
• Three Heads Brewing The Kind
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Smuttynose Brewing - Durty Mudd
• Oskar Blues - G'Knight (Imperial Red)
• Dogfish Head - Aprihop 
• 1911 Cider

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• Upstate Honey Porter
• Ommegang Glimmer Glass
• Wagner Valley Hop Tropic
• Ballast Point Victory at Sea
• Ritterguts Gose
• Ithaca Java Power
• Ballast Point Sculpin
• Rogue Dead Guy Ale
• Rogue Brutal IPA
• 3 Heads Rochestafarian
• Hopshire Near Varna
• Rogue Irish Style Lager

Gateway:

• Cortland Black Widow Stout
• 3 Heads The Kind
• Wagner Valley Coffee Porter
• Shiner White Wing
• Troegs Cultivator
• Troegs Nugget Nectar
• Harpoon UFO Gingerland
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Ithaca Beer Creeker

Ithaca Ale House

• Abandon Brewing Black Currant Amber
• Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale
• Smithwick's Irish Red Ale
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Upstate IPA
• Harp Lager
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Horseheads Chocolate Porter
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Shire Ale
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

The Westy

• Troegs Hop Back
• Uinta Baba 
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Six Point Cream Ale
• Lagunitas Pils
• Bells Kalamazoo
• Bells Two Hearted
• Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
• Original Sin Cider
• PBR
• Bacchus Floras Fate
• Allagash White

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: March 11th, 2015)

Let's have a look at What's on Tap? in Ithaca this week!

Ithaca Beer Taproom launch their 100th 5BBL brew, 'Dorian Grain' an Irish Red in honor of the Irish author, Oscar Wilde in addition to...

• Collaboratus (Amber Saison : Abandon Brewing)
• Green Trail dry hopped w/ experimental hop 07270 (Thurs Cask Night)
• Anniversary 17! -  (Wheat, DIPA w Brettanomyces)
• Daydreamer -  (Kolsch)
• Cranbretty - (100% Brett. fruit beer)
• Embrr (Rye Porter)

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• Parallaxium (Golden Session)
• Belgian Brown
• Ezra Red Ale
• Rauchbier
• Pirate Eye IPA
• Sully Irish Stout
• Sesch Ale (Kolsch)
• Azedo (Sour Mash Ale)
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Robust Brown Ale
• Too Haves, Hole Porter
• British Envasion
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Smuttynose Brewing - Durty Mudd
• Oskar Blues - G'Knight (Imperial Red)
• Dogfish Head - Aprihop 
• 1911 Cider

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• 21st Amendment Back in Black
• Shiner FM966 Farmhouse Ale
• Hopshire The Barley Stone
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Stone Matt's Burning Rosids
• Ithaca Excelsior! 17
• Hopshire Sympathy
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Saranac Chocolate Orange Porter
• Southern Tier Bier De Garde
• Hopshire Near Varna
• Hopshire Hop Onyx

Gateway:

• City Steam Naughty Nurse
• Ithaca Java Power
• Shiner White Wing
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca SuperStout
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Southern Tier 2XPRESSO
• Southern Tier Nitro IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Southern Tier  Goat Boy Weizen Bock

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bell's Hopslam
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Catskill Ball Lightning (Pilsner)
• Dogfish Head BEER Thousand (Imperial Lager)
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Ommegang Glimmerglass (Saison/Farmhouse)
• Ithaca Superstout
• Abandon Brewing Farmhouse IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• South Hill Cider

Ithaca Ale House

• Founders Black Rye
• Smithwick's Irish Red Ale
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Ommegang Glimmerglass
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Upstate IPA
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Shire Ale
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

The Westy

• Lagunitas IPA
• Troegs Hop Back
• Uinta Baba 
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Six Point Cream Ale
• Lagunitas Pils
• Bells Kalamazoo

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#318: The Lost Abbey » Red Poppy Ale 2012 (Flanders Red Ale)

The Lost Abbey » Red Poppy Ale 2012 (Flanders Red Ale) | ABV: 5.5%

I finally found the right evening to crack into this wonderful sour from The Lost Abbey -- the brew that truly launched my feverish interest in sour and wild beers.

Red Poppy starts life at Pizza Port's Dawn Patrol Dark session Brown Ale. After fermentation and during barrel transfer, it's blended with Port Brewing's Amigo Lager. Cherries are added and put through a second fermentation, than aged six months.

The result is a vibrant nose, blooming with bright sour cherry flavor and subtler notes of grape and apple, supported by a transparent nuttiness and soft, earthy funk.

Red Poppy hits the palate with a chewy, decedent, and full-bodied mouthfeel that remains elegant, never dipping into weighted tubbiness. It's puckering, with an expert balance of sour cherry and chocolate.

Further through, a venerable cornucopia of flavors peak through at every turn - lemon pith, grape skin, mineral characteristics, all with a touch of funk, rummy finish, and an afterglow that is sweeter than most sours.

Absolutely a superb beer.

#317: Great Divide Brewing Co. » Barrel Aged Hibernation Ale 2014 (Old Ale)

Great Divide Brewing Co. » Barrel Aged Hibernation Ale 2014 (Old Ale) | ABV: 10.5%

This barrel-aged version of Great Divide's Hibernation Old Ale kicks off with a plethora of chocolate and cocoa aromas, backed with a touch of raisin and rye.

It's curiously juicy on the palate. Wet, dark fruit tartness permeate deep flavors of chocolate and raspberries. This barrel-aged brew is far lighter on it's feet than expected for 10.5% and is quite drinkable, even a touch quenching. Not a stupendous beer, but highly enjoyable, especially for the price.

#316: Bell's Beer » Mercury - The Winged Messenger (Belgian Single)

Bell's Beer » Mercury - The Winged Messenger (Belgian Single) | ABV: 4.8%

Bell's planetary series has been an adventure so far, and we're not even half-way through - from the deftly delicious Mars DIPA to the polarizingly alien Venus... we now find ourselves at Mercury - The Winged Messenger, a subtle 4.8% Belgian Single.

Mercury curiously emits gose-like nose with firm lemon zest, initially leading me to believe there may be some sour tartness heading for the tongue, but instead, my palate met with a lively carbonated, mellow brew.

Subtle savory spice puts the punctuation on an otherwise, clean and clear bear. Light and airy, with a touch of breadiness and delicate, subtle esters.

A good beer, but mild and just a little underwhelming for the price, compared to the usual value of Bell's seasonal and the rest of the planetary adventure thus far.

#315: Goose Island » Bourbon County Stout 2014 (Barrel-Aged Stout)

Goose Island » Bourbon County Stout 2014 (Barrel-Aged Stout) | ABV: 14.2%

Truth be told, there are a handful of hype beers that I legitimately get caught up in. To hell with the AB-InBev ownership... this is a damn good beer. In addition to picking up a four-pack that's slowly dwindling, I was also able to procure a snifter on-tap down at Northstar Bar, a growing favorite spot.

Planting my face firmly in my Delirium snifter, a welcoming paradise of huge coconut, chocolate, and bourbon aromas dance with threads of vanilla and mild coffee beans.

This is honestly my happiness in a glass. It's silky, sticky, and hot with strong notes of burnt sugar and toffee, all wrapped up in smooth whiskey and milk chocolate. This 2014 edition interestingly boasts stronger crème brûlée characteristics than years prior, in this humble enthusiast's opinion.

It's winter 2015 and I'm still in love with Bourbon County Stout.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: March 4th, 2015)

What's on Tap in Ithaca? Lots of new beers from around the U.S. and right here at home, including some one-off collabs and cask variations.

Ithaca Beer Taproom is brewing staff and Abandon Brewing's staff will be present in the taproom to Wednesday, March 4th 5-9PM about local NYS brewing, the collab beer, and craft beer in general, including their now collaborative offering...

• Collaboratus (Amber Saison : Abandon Brewing)
• Flower Power cask dry-hopped with Bravo (Thurs Cask Night)
• Superstout (Nitro Coffe Stout)
• Anniversary 17! -  (Wheat, DIPA w Brettanomyces)
• Red Hot Rosie (Chili Beer)
• Daydreamer -  (Kolsch)
• Cranbretty - (100% Brett. fruit beer)
• Embrr (Rye Porter)

Bandwagon Brew Pub have launched their new Belgian Brown Ale (8.1% ABV) & Doc Rocker Porter (7.4% ABV) with a new IPA, new sour, new Belgian beers and more in the works for next week.

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• 21st Amendment Back in Black
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange
• Hopshire The Barley Stone
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Stone Matt's Burning Rosids
• Ithaca Excelsior! 17
• Bacchus Cyclhops IPA
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Saranac Chocolate Orange Porter
• Southern Tier Where The Helles Summer
• Hopshire Near Varna
• Bellwether Original Hard Cider

Gateway:

• City Steam Naughty Nurse
• Ithaca Java Power
• Shiner White Wing
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca SuperStout
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Southern Tier 2XPRESSO
• Southern Tier Nitro IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Southern Tier  Goat Boy Weizen Bock

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bell's Hopslam
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Catskill Ball Lightning (Pilsner)
• Dogfish Head BEER Thousand (Imperial Lager)
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Ommegang Glimmerglass (Saison/Farmhouse)
• Ithaca Superstout
• Abandon Brewing Farmhouse IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• South Hill Cider

Ithaca Ale House

• Founders Black Rye
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Ommegang Glimmerglass
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Upstate IPA
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Horseheads Rye P.A.
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery will tap a cask of Shire Ale aged with cocoa nibs and espresso beans on Friday. Music and grilled sandwiches will be available during the event. Wednesday 3/4 5-7PM Hopshire will have a tasting at Ithaca Coffee Company on Triphammer.

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Shire Ale
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Abandon Belgian
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Imperial Stout
• Wagner Valley Hop Tropic IPA
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

The Westy

• Lagunitas IPA
• Troegs Hop Back
• Uinta Baba 
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Six Point Cream Ale
• Lagunitas Pils (coming soon)

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#314: Bell's Beer » Hopslam 2015 (DIPA)

(the westy: good for beer; bad for photo lighting)

Bell's Beer » Hopslam 2015 (DIPA) | ABV: 10% | IBUs: 70

Bell's venerable Double India Pale Ale, Hopslam, gleefully permeated far further into Ithaca's beer depths this winter, hitting taps at several locations around town. I grabbed two sixers from Fingerlakes Beverage as last year (Bell's inaugural year distributing to NYS), but needed to experience this lauded brew fresh of the tap.

Hopslam serves up with a deep, translucent amber body, topped with two fingers of fluffy, bright white head. As with bottle pours, it's deeply aromatic, packed with a plethora of citrus rind from Simcoe dry-hopping.

Onto the palate, it's silky hop-heaven. Hot spice of rye and white pepper are deftly balanced with a touch of honey dipped sweetness, making this brew remarkably drinkable. Rich toffee and tropical fruit flavors swirl between citrus rind and pith notes, making this full-bodied brew a growing flavor experience.

Hands down one of my favorite beers, Hopslam was fantastic as always, this draft version boasting a bit sharper bitterness than bottles, making for a slower sipping tasting.

#313: Sixpoint Brewery » HiRes (3xIPA)

Sixpoint Brewery » HiRes (3xIPA) | ABV: 10.5% | IBUs: 115

Having missed the inaugural batch of Hi-Res last year, I grabbed a 4-pack back in January in a restock of the beer fridge, for what's been a bitterly cold winter. In between bouts of sub-zero temperatures, my partner and I have been cozy indoors with regular respites full of wonderful beers.

This massively hopped skinny can from Sixpoint barrels out of the gate with huge aromas of pithy grapefruit and rind, coupled with weighty pine and tropical fruit notes.

Hi-Res packs a tight, bitter punch, that eases off in the initial finish. Sticky pine and hop resin flavors make way for a touch of heat, swiftly moving on to a sweet finish of the liquid, followed by a long, dry, hop-heat remnants on the tongue.

This deep amber brew is rich and packed with non-grapefruit citrus flavors. Under-ripe mango and Gin-like juniper and other herbal characteristics glimmer through the dense hop-cone bitterness and throat heat.

Overall, an enjoyable big-hop brew.

#312: Anchorage Brewing » Whiteout Wit (Witbier)

Anchorage Brewing » Whiteout Wit (Witbier) | ABV: 6.5%

It's next to impossible for me to pass on buying a bottle of Anchorage Brewing beer. In Vermont, I bought one of each release in stock. On my first Let'sPour transaction, I grabbed two of everything. But, back in December in Philly, I painfully passed on picking up a bottle of Whiteout Wit, instead opting for Black Butte XXVI, Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad, and a slew of other non-NYS distributing release, while attempting to stay in budget for the weekend amongst PA's towering craft beer bottle prices.

Amazing enough, upon the return home, there's Whiteout Wit staring back at me at Fingerlakes Beverage. Transaction complete.

Never ones for a simple recipe, this Anchorage witbier is brewed with lemon peel, black peppercorns and coriander, then fermented and aged in French Oak Foudres with wit yeast and Brettanomyces. It's is elegantly paced, with a definitively bright champagne-like nose, threaded with lemon zest, mild Brett funk, and subtle pepper spice aromas.

Onto the palate, it's quite clean, again presenting champagne-like qualities. Dry and zesty flavors dance with minerally and light lemon notes, with a subtly growing funky, tarter underbelly.

Overall, Whiteout Wit a great introduction to Anchorage's line of wild beers and entirely enjoyable. It's not their most adventurous offering, but is a worthwhile clean, light-yet-complex winter offering, just don't overpay.

#311: Southern Tier Brewing » 2xPRESSO (Milk Stout)

Southern Tier Brewing » 2xPRESSO (Double Milk Stout w/ Coffee Beans & Lemon Peels) 
ABV: 7.5% | IBUs: 55

Southern Tier always manage to crank out robust, accessible craft beer at an entirely reasonable price. Their latest seasonal, 2xPRESSO quickly became one of my go-to seasonal favorites this winter.

2xPRESSO is Southern Tiers' 2XStout, brewed with espresso beans & lemon peels. It kicks off with a highly aromatic nose of milk and espresso, with a touch of lemon and clove. Onto the palate it's deep, rich, and creamy with a flicker of bright citrus, finishing dry, packed with roasted malts and pith.

Rich chocolate and coffee flavors swirl with a hint of rye and pepper, adding a hot, brightness to this deep and wonderfully complex brew.