#ResilienceIPA Quest Brewing

Eric Boice tasting #ResilienceIPA for the first time at Quest Brewing Company’s early keg release. A very special time for all of us.

Looking on is Kyle Paxton, Jared Tuttle, both among Greenville's top brewers.


Cheers.

#Resilience Brewing in Greenville

#Resillience IPA brewing at Quest Brewing Company with many of Greenville’s best brewers. All to aid the #Campfire Relief Fund and the support organizations that are helping people in need.
Swamp Rabbit Brewery and Taproom Liability Brewing Co. Brewery 85, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant The Eighth State Brewing Company Tetrad Brewing Co. Birds Fly South Ale Project Sierra Nevada Mills River Fireforge Crafted Beer Ponderosa Farm Brewing

Cheers to all and thanks for helping the #Campfire victims.
 

Habitat Brewing Taproom in Asheville Finally Visited

Reporting back on my research mission to Asheville and Habitat Brewing Tavern and Commons.

I'm pleased to relate that the group liked all the beers on tap (and we did have them all) which is the goal of all these research trips. Check the menu photo to see all that were offered.

After the requisite tasting flights, I realized that brewmaster Matt Addis certainly has a way with pumpkin beers. The Pumpkin Ale was so surprisingly good, it should set the standard for the style. A confident malt structure with the most balanced blend of spicing that I've tasted in years. Matt confided to the group that he uses a judicious spice blend with some extra addition of cinnamon sticks. This is a properly spiced ale, easy to drink and is not a pumpkin pie.

Did I mention the Pumpkin Gose? 

Overall I'm very glad that we finally discovered Habitat, which has been around almost two years, and promise to pay more attention to the area west of I-240 which doesn't get the attention the other parts of Asheville receive. Oh, and they don't distribute, so visiting the taproom is essential.

Some photos of folks enjoying the beer and a conversation with Matt:

Cheers!

Winter Warmer Coming to FireForge Brewing

Stopped by for some Ponderosa Farms eggs... decided to have a beer (since I’m here) and there was Brian Cendrowski up to his elbows in wild persimmons. I think there’s a special Winter Warmer Auld (Old) Ale in our future.

Cheers!

GABF 2018 - SC Breweries Set Record

 List of this year's winners showing how well South Carolina breweries did:



https://thefullpint.com/beer-news/2018-great-american-beer-festival-winners-list/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20Thefullpintcom%20%28thefullpint.com%20-%20Beer%20News%2C%20Reviews%20and%20Event%20Coverage%29

Serious Fun At Zillicoah Brewing's Session Fest

Last Saturday, August 25, was the date for Zillicoah Brewing's Session Fest, featuring 20 beers and ciders, all under 5.5%. Never made it through all of them but couple were standouts: Faith Healer IPA from Homeplace Brewing; and Glam from New Anthem, Wilmington, NC.

Some photos from the day, which included axe throwing and water tank dumping. Cheers!

A Beery Busy Weekend

So, how was your weekend?
Mine involved numerous new breweries and went very well, thanks for asking. It actually started on Friday when the demands of research required that I attend the official opening of Liability Brewing Co., which I did along with a large percentage of GVille's craft beer loving community. Everyone had a great time trying new beers and no one got their clothes dirty.

Then came Saturday.
Cornelius, NC, is located about 15 minutes north of Charlotte, very near Lake Norman. It also happens to be the home of three breweries all of which were visited for the first time by me and a small crew of the usual suspects.
D9 Brewing Company is well known for several beers, including Hakuna Matata Tropical IPA. But for me it's known as the first sour beer I came to enjoy, Whiskers on Kittens; my first step on the path that led me to appreciate that style. This day I had tasters of Discord, a Sour with Concord Grapes (very tasty), and Brewer's Day Off, a cuke infused Gose, very refreshing on the palate. No one in the group had anything but positive comments about all the beers we tried.

Next stop and just up the road a mile or so, was Ass Clown Brewing Company, one of the principal reasons we made the trip. I've had their beer in cans, usually from Greenville Beer Exchange, but one of our group, Bob Muller had been there before and was so taken with their beers that he intended (and did) propose marriage (and I have the photo to prove it). As the menu board shows, many good choices but I limited my self to four tasters, including the kettle sour Don't Wine, Pucker Up; Negative Image Ale, made with blackberries and peaches; and both IPAs, the Ass Clown and Orange Citrus. The group tasted nearly everything (and using up all the taster glasses) with pleased expressions all around. Oh, Bob never got a response to his proposal, despite buying several 4-packs and a t-shirt, which was just as well, as he proved to be rather fickle, immediately heading for the nearest brewery around.
Which turned out to be Eleven Lakes Brewing, literally a half block down the street. They had been below our radar prior to this but I am glad we found them, all the beers we tried were well made and solid versions of the styles. See the menu board photo below to see the variety. The stand out beers for me (and we tried most, if not all of them) were the Orange Is The New Pale pale ale, the Apricot Habenero Blonde which had a perfect balance of fruit and heat, something that can be very elusive with pepper beers; and of course, Teri's Berry Ale, a raspberry wheat pale named for Teri Lippy, owner/general manager (a very friendly lady who visited our table to answer questions). Ray Hutchinson, Brewmaster, was very busy in the back room preparing a yeast pitch so I didn't have an opportunity to talk with him. If I had I would have congratulated him on his skills and informed him of our group's appreciation for his efforts.

So, that leaves Sunday. Sort of a day off, a hankering for a hamburger for lunch kind of day which I satisfied at the GB&D food truck, just behind the Aviary at Birds Fly South Ale Project. Easily one of the best burgers in town and a perfect pairing with Apologize Less, BFS' a double dry-hopped IPA. Yep, I love my job.
Some photographic proof of our adventures:

New Groove Brewery Celebrates One Year!!

The only thing I like better than birthday parties are birthday parties at a brewery!! Here's some pix of like minded folks:

 http://newgroovebrew.com/