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

Corona Light

This beer is controversial, at least to me. As a lover of craft beer, I am not supposed to like it. I am supposed to think it’s crappy, pee water, undrinkable garbage. But, I don’t think those things.

Why should I hate this beer:

It’s a light beer, which is, in general, frowned upon. I mean, a real man (or lady) who cares about their beer isn’t worried about calories right? Be a man! Drink something with flavor, not this beer that is bland, with no notable characteristics. Plus it’s mass produced and marketed from one of the big beer companies, not crafted in a special batch from some small town brewery with a creative name and label. Plus it’s relatively cheap, if a beer is going to be perceived as good, you better not be able to get a 12 pack for less than 15.99, and Corona Light is like 11.99.

Why I don’t hate this beer:

I don’t always want a beer that is going to bash me over the head with hops or be so sickly malty sweet that it takes me an hour to gulp down. Corona light is pretty refreshing when the weather is hot, and at 99 calories I can drink a few without feeling guilty. Which, let’s be honest, there is a reason that flabby sack hanging off the abdominal region is called a BEER belly. Plus, throw a lime in a Corona Light and you are basically getting a serving of fruit, right?

Well, the weather is cooling down, so I am going to be drinking Oktoberfest beers; but when next summer rolls around again and it’s 91 degrees you’ll be looking for a refreshment. What will you do?

Stay Classy,

-Captain Z

Monk's Blood - 21st Amendment Brewery

I found another Giant Eagle treasure, and it didn't come from the bakery section.  It's called Monk's Blood.  It sounded like a strange, religious, horror movie in a drink so I figured it was worth a try.  It's a "Belgian style dark ale brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, oak chips and dried figs."  I couldn't get home fast enough to try it.

It was a very different taste, but for $9 for 4 cans I expected a bit more.  Harvesting a monk's blood must be difficult work, because that's the only explanation I can think of to justify that price.  It's not like it came in bottles or anything fancy. 

It poured sort of a dark "blood red" color which was pretty cool.  It was hard to see that though without holding it up to the light, which is why we chose to take the picture outside.  It was still sort of hard to see its true blood color in the picture, so we made an effort to get the American flag in the background.  The bitter, malty taste was similar to the Dragon's Milk, but not quite as enjoyable.  It was also quite earthy, like you could almost taste the oak chips and dried figs.  Mixed with the blood color and dark ale taste it was like a bloody forest potpourri beer.

There were some things I enjoyed about this besides the marketing.  For instance, its 8.3% ABV was something else.  It also tasted fine, I just don't see myself paying that price for 4 cans again.  I didn't like, however, that it changed my spit to an alarmingly dark khaki color.

Always thirsty,

-Thirsteve

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When the Brews Brothers get beer, we don't play around. And we always remember our orange juice for Vitamin C.

Beer Gelato--The Sweet Spot

This one isn’t exactly a beer review, but it is close enough. If you are as un-cultured as I am, you probably don’t know what gelato is, so let me break it down for you. Gelato, or gelati is the Italian word for ice cream (thank you Wikipedia). In reality, gelato is not ice cream, it’s fancy ice cream—less creamy, more sweet and icy, but still delicious. You may be wondering, other than the fact that gelato is a tasty treat, why are you reading about it on a beer blog? Well, because you can get it beer flavored.

In Lakewood, Ohio The Sweet Spot offers a range of different gelati, all made with ingredients that would make an organic loving hippie drop their peace flag and hop in the VW bus to get some gelato. Not to mention the vegan sorbets for those who don’t appreciate a good animal by-product. Personally, I didn’t care about all that and was on a mission to sample the beer flavored varieties.

The Sweet Spot is always changing their flavors, so you don’t know what you will find when you get there. Thankfully, I was able to get a double scoop of their Beeramisu and Cheesecake IPA. From what I understand they also have a lager-based gelato which is supposed to be excellent and a tasty white ale gelato which I was able to sample.

The Beeramisu was excellent, a combination of beer and tiramisu. This gelato was sweet, but subtle with an after taste that lingered of the porter-style beer used in the recipe. The Cheesecake IPA was the most genius combination. Cheesecake is a distinctive dessert flavor, combined with one of the most loved and hated of craft beers, the IPA. The Sweet Spot did a good job of balancing the two extreme flavors, however, I hope they get a liquor license so I can get a scoop of this with a pint of Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA.

Now to the question you are all wondering, can you get a buzz off of this sweet treat? Probably not, but if you like it as much as I did, you’ll want to eat enough of it to find out. Check out The Sweet Spot.

Stay Classy,

--Captain Z

 

http://www.thesweetspotcleveland.com/

Railbender Ale--Erie Brewing Company

Erie Brewing Company

 Railbender Ale (AKA the "Train Beer") is a Scottish Ale from Erie Pennsylvania. 

It poured a rich orange/red/amber color.  It had a pleasantly light, earthy, nutty smell.  The head was unique: white, looked thick, but tasted thin.

Choo Choo

This was a solid choice, something a little different.  Railbender Ale has a smooth, crisp taste.  It was like biting into a freshly picked beerfruit.  I would describe it as a nice breakfast beer. 

It's a real beer at 6.8% ABV. 

Be warned, it was pretty carbonated.  I let the train beer sit in my mouth a few seconds and it almost burnt my tongue.  Its taste was enjoyable, but not amazing, and was like a mix between Molson XXX and Leffe Blonde.

Some Scottish Ale pairings are roasted meats, sausages, or Mexican dishes.  I can make peanut butter toast.  So I made peanut butter toast on wheat bread.  It went well with the Railbender Ale's fruity taste. 

Don't seriously have beer for breakfast though.

Stay Thirsty,

-Thirsteve

Red Oak Amber Lager--Red Oak Brewery

Smooth. Everyone told me this beer would be smooth. From personal experience let me say, if someone tells you a beer is smooth, they are probably referring to how easy it is to drink—a lack of any bite, bitterness, sweetness or other overwhelming flavor that may slow your consumption down. When they tell you a beer is smooth that does not mean it makes a good lubricant or facial lotion. I am glad we have cleared that up, because putting this beer on your face will make you break out in acne.

Now I can say with no risk of misunderstanding: this beer is smooth! It comes from a little brewery in Greensboro, North Carolina that takes pride in this brew and how smooth it is. If you find yourself in that part of the country, check it out! This Amber Lager is crisp and refreshing. Not overly carbonated, the subtle earthy flavors make this beer an excellent beer for after (or while) mowing the lawn.

Two things should be noted about this beer:

1.       It is not life changing. This beer is good, but I would not go out of my way to get it. Think of this lager like an advanced Yuengling Lager. Clearly a higher quality, craft-brewed beer, but Red Oak is not trying to change the world here, just making a yummy lager.

2.       Don’t wait to drink this beer. I had a few bottles of the Amber Lager special delivered for me. I drank one right away and saved the others for another day. Don’t. Drink all your bottles within a week of getting them. Because Red Oak Brewery strives to follow the law of purity, they aren’t adding anything to give it a longer shelf-life so if you wait too long, this beer tastes like a rotten grape. I don’t know anybody that likes rotten grapes, but if you do, you are a sick, sick person.

If you are in North Carolina, buy this beer. Then drink it, quickly, and don’t use it as lotion (no matter how smooth people tell you it is).

Stay Classy,

-Captain Z

Oberon - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

We recently had a brief change in weather here in Northeastern Ohio, giving us just a taste of summer.  But thanks to our bipolar weather, who knows how long it will be until it officially feels like summer. 

That means it's getting to be summer ale season.  Bell's Brewery brings us their Oberon Ale, "an American wheat ale with the color and scent of a summer afternoon."

You cannot judge a beer by its bottle.  Oberon may look like it was designed for hippies, but the taste is worth the seasonal wait.   

It has a refreshing citrus-like smell that is complemented by its perfectly balanced taste.  There is nothing particularly overpowering about this beer, making it a very refreshing, enjoyable summer ale.  The cloudy orange color comes from being a wheat beer, so don't let that alarm you.

Definitely try this one.  Preferably when it is warm outside.  Consuming this summer ale before official summer weather arrives may put your body in a state of confusion.  It has been scientifically proven that the typical human body, like most other bodies, can tell when it is warm or cold outside.  Your body naturally sync's with the Earth as it changes seasons, much like your phone syncs to other electronic devices via Bluetooth.  The Earth sends signals to your season-receptors, causing very specific chemical reactions involving hormones and such. 

This process starts at the time of puberty.  Before puberty, you most likely enjoyed playing in the snow as a child.  But post-puberty, as an adult, your body develops a hatred for shoveling snow and causes seasonal grumpiness.  Enjoying a summertime drink in non-summertime weather can be dangerous, sending false signals to your season-receptors.  It's like brewing coffee using Red Bull instead of water.  Yeah you might want to see what would happen, but you don't do it because you are a responsible adult.

I tried Oberon one brief summer-feeling weekend.  It wasn't really summer yet, leading to lasting, confusing effects.  The next day I shoveled the driveway in a winter jacket when it was 80°F outside. 

I am not a weather doctor, nor a human-alcohol-consumption doctor, but you can trust my professional opinion in the sense that this is best enjoyed under the sun.

Drink responsibly and stay thirsty,

-Thirsteve

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Henry’s Helles Bock—Front Street Brewery

Located in Wilmington, North Carolina; Front Street Brewery is an awesome little microbrewery and restaurant with some excellent beer. It has been about a year since I have been there, but my brew-loving father was kind enough to bring me a growler after his recent trip.

I wish I could have gotten a better picture of this beer. For some reason, we couldn't get a good shot of it in the beer studio--just not a photogenic beer I suppose. It doesn’t pour much of a head, but right after you pour, hold it up to the light and see the bubbles swirl to the top like liquid gold; it’s pretty cool.

Flavor-wise, this was one of the most unique beers I have tried in a while. The amber-gold color fools you into thinking you are about to have a regular German lager. The scent is the first sign you are in for something special, the Pilsner malt being pronounced.  Take a sip and you are hit with German hops, light carbonation and a flowery, clean finish. After two rounds you get hit with the other plus of this beer, it’s 7.4 ABV!    

Moral of the story, if you are near Wilmington, check out this microbrewery, grab a pint or two or three of Henry Helles Bock. Tell them the Brews Brothers sent you and ask for the discount. While they currently do not offer a Brews Brothers discount, maybe you’ll get a waitress who doesn’t know any better.  

Stay Classy,

-Captain Z                                                                                   

Leffe Blonde--Abbaye de Leffe S.A.--Belgium

Leffe Blond is a Belgian Pale Ale, coming to us from the Abbaye de Leffe S.A. in Belgium.
It is slightly above average with a 6.6% ABV.  That and the bright, golden color are great, and not much else.

We have always had on our blog, "The Beer Review.  Providing beer reviews, one sip at a time."
With its dynamic taste, Leffe Blond actually needs to be reviewed with a similar approach.

First sip:  Wow, nice.  This is something different.

Sips 2-4:  Not bad.

Sips 5-9:  This is definitely something different..

Sips 10-end of bottle:  I have 5 more bottles of this..??

I would describe the taste as somewhat fruity, thin, and unique.  It also has a refreshing smell.  That may sound strange but it does smell better than it tastes.  Honestly, the first half of the bottle was enjoyable, and I am glad I tried it.

"Deliciously soft and subtle." Agreed, for the first couple sips.  The end of the bottle is more like "Dreadfully rough and brutal."  Also, by then, I was only concerned with trying not to get the foil from the neck of the bottle caught in my teeth fillings.  It was much easier to drink out of the glass.

"Belgium's classic abbey ale is best served in its own chalice-shaped glass, accentuating the ale's aroma and creating the perfect head."  I have tried this in a chalice-enough shaped glass, and I can safely say it is marginally less disappointing than drinking out of the bottle.

Their website declares that it is an "elegant and refreshing beer, which is especially tasty with a meal or while out on the town with friends."  Wrong.  I have had this beer with and without food, and I can safely say that I would not attempt to drink it in public.

Honestly, I only tried this because my girlfriend is left handed and also blonde.  If you like pale-ale's then you may want to check this out.  Otherwise, there is better out there.

Stay thirsty,
-Thirsteve

Black Rat Imperial Stout--Cellar Rats Brewery

Has anyone tried this one? Looks interesting!

Blue Moon--Spring Blonde Wheat Ale

Yes, that is a picture of Blue Moon’s Spring Blonde Wheat Ale in the trash. Why you ask? Because it is garbage. I like to do positive beer reviews, because that means I just drank a beer that I like. Unfortunately, this review will not be positive.

Due to some unseasonably warm weather, I thought I would make some beermosas. For those of you who have not tried a beermosa, I would highly recommend it as a summer beer cocktail. Just put about ¼ cup of orange juice in the bottom of your beer glass and pour in your favorite Belgian White Ale. Surprisingly good.

I purchased the Blue Moon Spring Mix pack, seeing as all of the beers already had some sort of orange in them and were variants of the original Blue Moon Belgian White, I thought they would be perfect for some more adventurous beermosas. (My advice after trying them, just stick with a classic Belgian White Ale).

Since the beermosas were less than successful, I decided to try the Spring Blonde Wheat Ale on its own. Honestly, I could barely tell the difference between it and a Butt Light, oops I mean a Bud Light (Freudian slip?). Maybe my expectations were too high, but I will never again buy this carbonated beer flavored water. Speaking of carbonation, it was probably the only saving grace of this beer, the crispy fizz helping me to get it down.

I paid 14.99 for this twelve pack. For an extra dollar or two, I could have gotten a twelve pack from one of my favorite local brewers, The Great Lakes Brewing Company. Or, for about four dollars less I could have gotten a twelve pack of Yuengling, which although cheaper, tastes much better than this Blue Moon.

I guess Blue Moon is an appropriate name for this brewery, because you should only buy their beer once in a blue moon.

Stay Classy,

-Captain Z

Wells and Young's Double Chocolate Stout

There's nothing better than family.  Unless that family has beer, and especially if they share with you.

This one in particular was a gift.  A delicious, refreshing gift.

Chocolate isn't just for breakfast anymore, now it's in beer.  Wells and Youngs Brewing Co. brings us their Double Chocolate Stout from Bedford, England.  It is impressively dark, pretty much opaque.  It is the perfect combination of dark chocolate and a dark beer. 

The Double Chocolate Stout  is not overly sweet, and complemented by its thick, rich, foamy head.  It's very smooth and creamy and honestly as drinkable and enjoyable as a chocolate milkshake.  I also enjoy its pleasant aroma of chocolate and the roasty, coffee aftertaste. 

"Chocolate malt & real dark chocolate are combined with Young's award-winning rich dark ale to craft a satisfyingly indulgent, but never overly sweet experience.  Pure Luxury." - myth confirmed.

It has an ever relaxing enjoyable taste to help you clear your mind.  It's cheaper than seeing a shrink, and you don't need an appointment.

Indulge in the most luxurious beer I have ever tasted. 

Stay thirsty,

-Thirsteve