Fat Heads Brewery & Saloon

Had the chance to check out Fat Heads Brewery & Saloon in North Olmsted, Ohio. This place is known for blueberry ale, but they have a lot more to offer. Hope you enjoy our pictures and comments. 

Head Trip-Belgian Style Tripel. 9.5% abv.

Starlight Lager--an excellent example of a German lager, nothing crazy here, just tasty!

Love the signage!

Udderly S"moo"th Milk Stout--very good flavors, just wish it was a nitro to give it the creaminess of other milk stouts. 

Menu!

Delicious wings!

Goggle Fogger Hefe-Weizen--Another great example of the style, could drink this all night. Vanilla and banana flavors with a hint of clove. 

Cuyahoga burger--Burger topped with pulled pork, onions, jalepenos, and who knows what else. Fantastic! Also, the fries are excellent, especially in the ranch dip. 

Fat Heads creative beer logos can be found all over the place. 

Overall, a great place! Awesome beer and delicious food. However, this place is no secret, it was packed! Be sure to get there early on the weekends, especially if you have a big group of friends (the best way to enjoy a place like this).

Stay Classy!

-Captain Z

Victory Brewing Company - V 12

V 12—Per the bottle it is liquid luxury, my lips agree. This beer is recommended to be aged for up to 5 years, but I couldn’t wait that long. My particular beer was bottled on August 10^th, 2012, the day before I got married oddly enough.

It should be noted that V 12 comes in a 750ml bottle, the same as your standard bottle of wine. Also, coming in at 12 abv, drinking a bottle of this really is like drinking a bottle of wine. Beer drinkers often consume pint after pint of beer, creating a mental perspective that beer should be consumed in larger quantities. Change your state of mind for V 12. Pour it into a smaller glass, admire the amber color and rich aroma of fruit and nuts. Sip it. Enjoy the many subtle flavors this beer has to offer, see if you can taste the cherry, fig and clove undertones and enjoy the sweet, dessert quality the beer has to offer.

Don’t pour it in a big glass and gulp it all down (in all fairness, this is what I did) or you will find yourself falling asleep 10 minutes later when the 12 abv hits you (also, what happened to me). Learn from my mistake, enjoy this beer slowly, and share it with a friend!

Also, I love that this comes in a corked bottle like champagne. Just don’t take an eye out when you open it.

Stay Classy!

-Captain Z

Anderson Valley Brewing Company - Brother David's Triple Abbey Style Ale

I had a special moment while picking out this beer.  I nearly passed it up because its label was so plain, but it turned out its simplicity is what caught my eye.  That might not make sense.

I realize the background for this picture is a little dark, but that's only because one of our lights had burned out and it is 10:30pm.  Nevertheless, you can see it's beautiful, reddish-brown/medium amber color.  This was an incredibly crisp, smooth beer with a refreshingly unique, mild, bitter, hoppy taste.  That's a lot of adjectives, but there's a lot goin on here.  It's almost strange in the sense that it is unique but familiar.  That might not make any sense either.

Their website describes it best.  "Brother David’s Triple features a bright, dry fragrance, with aroma overtones of malt, fruit, and freshly mown fields.  A 10% ABV ale, it is balanced by a rich malt backbone, spicy hops, and fruity yeast esters.  Surprisingly light bodied, the brewers add candy sugar during the brewing process to add alcohol and a medium-high carbonation."  (www.avbc.com)

The bottle even says "it's bound to raise your spirits."  Considering the quality of the taste, 10% ABV, and the surprise of finding yet another interesting monk-beer, I can definitely say my spirits were raised. 

This beer is fun, and not disappointing in the slightest bit.  My only complaint is that I got a little excited when I purchased it, and consequently did not refrigerate it long enough before indulging.

I've always been an Ale fan.  Now one especially for this triple ale; the trifecta of ales.  Brother David knows his stuff.  Try it.

Always Thirsty,

-Thirsteve

Thanksgiving Beer Pairings

Biggest question this holiday season besides who to invite to dinner, is what beer to serve with the meal. Thanksgiving is probably the most confusing holiday when it comes to beer. In October it’s time for Oktoberfest, then in December, sip on your favorite Christmas Ale. But what do you drink in November? When it comes time for Thanksgiving, all of the Oktoberfest beers are gone from store shelves and you can’t start celebrating the Christmas season until you have trampled down some old ladies and little kids at Wal-Mart on Black Friday.

If you are going to make it through spending an entire day with your family, you can’t expect to make it through without a few beers. So until a brewery comes out with a Thanksgiving Ale or Thanksgivingfest, the Brews Brothers are here to help you answer the age old question, what beer to serve at Thanksgiving.

For the lover of stout beer: North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin. This beer is enough for a Thanksgiving feast in and of itself. It will fill your mouth with flavor, your heart with warmth and might just give you the ability to withstand your cousin’s annoying boyfriend. 

  

For the trite: Sam Adams Boston Lager. It’s Thanksgiving, this is probably as close to what the pilgrim’s drank as you can get. And this balanced lager tastes awesome with turkey.

For your friend who “doesn't really like beer”: Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider. Yea, it might not be beer but this apple cider has just the right amount of sweet tartness to balance grandma’s pumpkin pie. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal, but remember, it's not complete without a brew!

Stay Thirsty, Stay Classy,

-Captain Z & Thirsteve

Save-On - Tobacco & Beverage

My current favorite place in this world is Save-On - Tobacco & Beverage.  It was brought to my attention through a good friend a couple months ago.  Soon after that, they received a promotion to "Best Friend."  Save-On used to be a 7 Eleven, so it's not too shiny on the outside.  However, it is now the sweetest beer store I've ever been to.  It must have also been a Mentor Beverage at one time, because that is what shows up on Google Street View.  I apologize I was unable to get the refrigerated beer (which I was standing right in front of) in the picture. I was trying to be covert..

They have over 3,000 beers, the most chill women working there, a walk-in beer fridge, and the option to mix-and-match a six pack, all while remaining competitively priced.  They mostly carry domestic beer, but they have a decent selection of imports.  I wish I was there right now.  The only problem is I think there might just be one Save-On, and it's at 7411 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, Ohio, 44060.  So if you aren't around that area, you are probably out of luck. 

I stop by this store every once in a while to grab new stuff to review, and it seems every time I am there, they are inviting me to a beer tasting.  I'm not sure how often they hold these events, but it is just another unique selling proposition of this store.

I don't splash around in the kiddie pool of watered down beer.  I cannonball into the deep end of 3,000 quality beers at Save-On.  Check it out.

Always Thirsty,

-Thirsteve

Oktoberfest--Yuengling

Besides the leaves changing and perfectly cool temperatures, Oktoberfest beer is without a doubt one of the best things about fall. Perhaps it’s my German heritage, but something about a perfectly balanced Oktoberfest beer just makes me giddy.

This Yuengling seasonal does not disappoint! It starts out slightly sweet, and finishes with bready warmth that lingers to a refreshing hop aftertaste. The carbonation compliments the flavors perfectly to fill your mouth with German happiness. Pair this Oktoberfest with the wiener schnitzel of your choice and find yourself back in the Deutsches Reich.

While I can’t comment on the smell of this beer, because along with Oktoberfest, the fall brings my allergies, I have a feeling that it probably smells like Germany in October. .

Wenn du glücklich bist, trinken Bier. Prost!

-Captain Z

Pumking - Southern Tier Brewing Company

ALL HAIL TO THE PUMPKIN KING

It's Fall, the season of Halloween and pumpkin flavored everything.

Aside from being one of Southern Tier's best beers (and all their beers are quality), Pumking most likely one of the best pumpkin beers on the market.  It tastes like spiced, cinnamon, pumpkin pie.  Simply delicious.  It would pair nicely with Thanksgiving dinner, or even stand alone as a dessert.  It is that good.

I was so excited to find it at my favorite beer store (Save-On) that I splurged and got the $3.99 Southern Tier Pumking glass.  It says Southern Tier on the other side so yes, I can use it year-round.

This imperial pumpkin ale doesn't mess around, having an 8.6% ABV and plenty to smell and taste.  Its rich, cloudy, dark orange color even looks delicious.  The only real downside is it's kind of pricey.  Well, coming from someone on a poor man's budget, it's kind of pricey.  I could only find the 22oz bottles which were $8.99 each, otherwise I would have easily grabbed a 6-pack of these.  It's well worth trying at least once while it's in season.

My only advice is when you finally buy this beer (and I know you will), do not share.  Christmas is the season of giving.  So trust me when I say you can wait a couple months to be generous.  I bought two of these 22oz bottles when I went, and gave one to my brother.  I drank the Pumking from this picture yesterday, and I can honestly say I have never wanted another pumpkin beer more in my life than right now.  But I don't have another one because I had to be Mr. Philanthropist two months early.

Try this beer; heed my warning; great minds drink alike.
Long Live The King.

Always Thirsty,

-Thirsteve