Cape Cod Ginger-- Ginger Original Beer/Ale, Served Cold or Hot...

 

Real Ginger "Ale", or "Beer", Organic, fresh, non ethanol-- all around great new beverage in 5 actual fruit flavors-- you can see an interview with the Massachusetts owner and developer who built the bottle line himself, like a volcano surfing one man show:

See Video:

https://vimeo.com/435160535

In contrast to, say Reed's Ginger Beer, which will blow your face off with the heat of the ginger, this is akin to the Canadian version, mellowed down for polite company-- a kind of new improved "Canada Dry" or old Schweep's was it, which are super sweet, mild.. soda-ish-- and tame by contrast to both Reed's, Jamaica's Award winning Dg Brand Ginger Soda, and this new Cape Cod Ginger, making it a welcome addition to what's on the shelves in the US.

Of course, there's always the Homebrewing for you DYIers-- naturally fermented-- high in natural probiotic version you can try out for yourself, which is as easy as this:

Get fresh Ginger-- peel half of the skin off, but leave some skin.  

Blend it in your Nutrabullet or whatever.  

Save some peel which has the good yeast that will feed on the sugar you'll add to ferment the beverage, man--- Now add to make a mixture of organic cane sugar in a container (Mason jar) with an open lid-- with paper towel or coffee filter over top (to stop insects) and leave it overnight, maybe a few days-- that's called a "Ginger Bug" which will begin the fermenting the Ginger and Sugar mixture.  When you see bubbles, transfer it to a Mason Jar with a lid and seal it. 

It will naturally carbonate.  You'll gave natural "soda" with probiotics, started from the good bacteria from the ginger peel.   

If you add enough sugar or Dextrose (corn sugar), you could generate a beverage with ethanol-- making an actual Ginger Beer beer that could go way beyond feeding your gut microbe with probiotics to getting you bombed on the ethanol... but let's not get crazy for now, okay?

It's kind of ironic to be sampling this great new, if mild take on "Ginger Beer", as I finish a book on the "golden age" of Piracy, 200 years ago, featuring the strong connection between early shipping companies and individuals in Massachusetts who ventured down to the Caribbean's Pirate Republics, defectors who started out as "Privateers" with permission from the British crown to steal and plunder Spanish ships only to be outlawed and left to fend for themselves with a particular set of skills, taking ships and cargo, such as Ginger from where it was grown... by slaves. 

I can envision a Pirate like Captain Morgan, or say, Jonny Depp fresh out of rehab-- clean and sober on the label in a new slick bottle, or can-- like RedBull-- with a tie in to another Pirate movie.  Hell, I may write the owner to put Taurine in it and make a Ginger Energy Drink and White Label it with my own pirate. Hell, I might dress up as the pirate to be on the label!  Wouldn't that be cool?  

Source Brewing, Colt's Neck NJ-- Thought Virus IPA

After last night's Home Brewed Porter Cider, and some Home made wine, and other wines from Napa, we rocked over to Source Brewing in Colt's Neck NJ for liquid lunch that included just snack foods-- you have to bring your own actual food there. 

Nevertheless, pressed for time, we had just one-- I ordered him a Spring Saison, which was light and mild, frothy and a bit clouded but delightful.  He didn't like it-- strickly a pils guy, but I did. 

I also like the Dark humorously named "Thought Virus" IPA they brewed to light up the scenery as you can see in the photos.  Although-- their rap from the website betrays no irony about using the word "Virus" in naming a beer.  On the contrary, there is some narrative about learned helplessness and the principles of brainwashing, all of which went right over and around my head. 

But it was a nice beer-- a bit thin, but smelly and bitter in a great hoppy way.  And the Wit bier looking head on both beers were inspirational.  

According to their website, Thought Virus is brewed with "flaked oats and wheat and double dry hopped with Cashmere, Azacca, and Simcoe.".  

I did not get all or any of the flavor notes they mention on the web-- fruits and pines.  I got a thin mouth feel, floral hops.  I nice Wheat IPA cross training style. 

I wanted to try the Nitro stout and he wanted a lager, but the outdoor service was slow, we were pressed for time, and he had a headache from the Beasty Boys blasting out the back in the yard. 

Source is a great spot with clean equipment (I love to see that) and friendly folks pouring the pours.  Plenty of places to bring food, including the produce heavy supermarket next door with a big deli counter.  

Home Brew Review-- Hopped Porter Cider or "Graf" (Oh bother).

Last night after a long drive to see a close friend who's wife went to a vineyard for a night with her friends, we opened one of my home brewed Hopped Porter Cider bombs (yes, I know, it's what some beer-Sci-Fi-Horror geekanoids are calling "Graf" on the internet (see the link footnote) based on a Stephen King's "Dark Tower", but I like names that include the beer style being mixed with cider to make ghoulish "Graf", that like, literally describe the beverage... here... man). 

Please do volunteer for that conversation after trying to ordering "Graf" at your local Craft Brewery that's blasting heavy metal with the staff that appears to be working for beer rations.  Be sure to explain the part about Dark Tower by Stephen King.*

Nevertheless, this was a "Graf" batch that I made in October after boiling out a 5 gallon pot of malted porter style barley I had laying around for the purpose, and adding several rounds of hops, and dry hopping the whole thing with what I had left with hops I also had lying around for years-- in ziplocks in the fridge. 

The wort was mixed with fresh pressed Apple must from a NY State vineyard.

It was outstanding. It came out much better than I thought, everything about it was why one should take the time, effort and expense to home brew. It was thicker than any cider (and did not give me a headache like EVERY cider), it was just slightly malty, almost imperceptible in fact, it smelled fresh and great, and hoppy but sweet, not cheezy and sour.  It was lingering on the palate in a good way, sightly bitter after the gulp.  The head was clean and lovely.  

Love this stuff-- it's simple to make too.  Boil malted porter for 40 mins, add hops at lower heat for another 15 mins, let cool, add hops on top of the must, and mix in an organic apple cider, which can cool it down enough to reach the 90s... 90F which is when you can add Nottingham yeast as I did, or something similar-- Saison, or even EC1118, a white wine yeast that would not make me mad at you.   Wait 10 days and put in bottles (use PET plastic-- no BPA to keep it really simple, which I did not do-- I bottled mine with American flag caps and the very fancy label you can see in the photo here. 

I only got one photo, because me and my chum were talking, laughing and drinking this and a few wine-- including one I made last October too...  a great mix of 3 grapes I'll post about when I get some photos (he thought it was still too young and acidic).


*See also:

https://youtu.be/KLbRBl6p4Ec

Matthew's Brewing Lake Worth FL *****

Fun spot tucked away near junk yards and auto service centers that probably will not try to confiscate and impound your car if you refuse to get a $850 brake job in order to pass inspection (That's kind of a hiccup about bringing the car to the Sunshine cartel state).  But I digress.  Sorry, when auto mechanics shaked down your 89 year old father it tends to stick with you.  

Nevertheless,  you walk up on a give sunny day, the music is blasting and that lobster truck is on shark tank is sitting out front selling lobster sandwiches made out of The real McCoy-- none of those sea legs with miracle whip from the supermarket. 

The beer machine cask beer is called an "English Dark Mild Ale" today and it's not freezing but well below room temperature (thank you for doing it the American way) It's dark like Pepsi, but not malty, and balanced like production grade beer. Carmel, little chocolate riffs the whole way down.

The head was frothy giant bubbles that disability quickly to flattened mode. 

Aroma?  Nearly bready, but kind of whiskey wood.  ABV--  4.5%.   IBU, just 25, which is just enough to make it take on the stumilus for a liquid PICA rate of intake.  Again-- well done.  

Texture-- feels like my tongue is wearing a light cardigan sweater.   There's a Listerine after taste that I love-- as if after we go those times I wish I could drink Listerine, I finally have an excuse. 

Clearly, Matthews knows what they are doing.  Very clean, week capitalize back room-- tanks are split shine with spotlights on it, the stars of the show.  There is a funny, Pink Floyd The Wall themed mural, my other 4th favorite Floyd. 

I'd say this place is worth a trip from anywhere in Florida based on the beer machine alone.  Real Beer served here!

 

The Pick 4 for $11 are:

Black Mettallic Nitro-- beautiful, dry, frothy, roasted, nearly thick and creamy but cut in 2 by its Ethanol, with an pleasant after taste-- again, like inspiration for another liquid PICA problem. Something tells me these guys are chemists. 

Junk Yard Dog is completely odorless and undetectable as a Serbian Hitman. Brown, malty, NUTMEGish.  Also Beautiful. Marris Otter put to good use.  There's a bourbon finish. Not due how it why, chemistry or casks.  Carmel coated malty texture.  I love it as true to style.  Is like more malt, but grains are not free and it's a god damn pandemic, so, let's keep it 100%.  Thanks guys. 

"Florida Haze", is frightening!  I'm so excited I thought i was going to piss myself for fun. Aroma aroma aroma.  This must have been dry hopped with these 4 thug hops: Galaxy Amarillo, Warrior and Motueka?  Wtf-- in the pandemic?  These guys must own a hop farm in Oregon. I have not even tasted this beer yet and it's at 10 out of 10. 

Haze yellow, the head is as sustainable as organically farmed tilapia.  Taste-- bodyslam.  Hulk Hogan took his vitamins when they made this. Exactly as advertised. What a beer. FU. ABV 7.2%, so I'm done a 3 oz.  IBU?  59, Not lying.  What a beer.  Medicinal really, for the soul.  Bitter, fragrant, flawers and fruit, but taste like a Ritz-Carlton not a crappy gift basket from that company that sends out old carved edible fruit dipped in cheap chocolate.  

"Accelerate"-- another IPA, ABV 6.9%, IBU-- 69, a filthy number to contemplate. The nose is understated-- lurking like love sick stalker after hours outside a strip club. Not really "aromatic" per se, but close... Too close for comfort. Probably not dry hot. Clear unlike the hazy ipas they have on sale. Amber. Bitter as F. Love it. Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo and Centennial, or is I like to call them The four IPA horsemen. 

Bottom line-- this place gives Cigar City, a kick in their crotches. 

Could not agree more

 https://beerandbrewing.com/brew-it-dark-and-hoppy-the-balancing-act/

Adirondack Brewery in Lake George, NY

Let's not mince words-- Adirondack Brewery is a great destination for Beer fans, dead of winter, a very solid selection of world class selections apart from their own brews.  All well balanced, and great counterpoint to the menus of food for about every taste. We had two great beer that inspired this bleery photo shoot-- it seems the Imperial Stouts do come on faster than anticipated. 

New Holland's Dragon's Milk Boubon Barrel Imperial Stout is just an outright iteration of the style, and outstanding winish bourbon at 11% leviathan ABV.  To be sure on second pull, I recall thinking "the Halls have unleased a new circle of hell on Earth with this Bourbon barrel stuff".   

The Petrus Cherry Chocolate Nitro Belgian Quad (8.5%) was a thing to behold, 6 malts, apart from the Cherry and the cocao for that matter, and so our group beheld 3 each, which required a cooling off period before the freeze walk back to our rooms, not feeling the cold much either way. This beer is like a new Yes album, if you will. 

Thick, rich, nitro frothed mouth feel is notable, the exception to 9 of 10 beer out there. The ethanol in these beer was the least interesting element, but these Wine-beers are the trends, and these were both good friends. One wonders if the Cherry juice is fermented with the malt, or added later, like flavoring.

I'd say the New Holland and the Petrus were "Amazing and Delicious", "tasty" and the latest foodie buzzword for extraordinary if enough hadn't been said about them already.  Anyway, they were right. 

Adirondacks Wave IPAs are more than swell-- hazy cold and humid, just they way I love it, featuring various configurations of high Alpha hops-- simcoe, crystal, eureka... the grain bill composed of red wheat and flaked oat. Their beers are indeed "Nice Liquid" as the slogan reads-- their IPAs were fresh with a bite like that North wind coming off the lake, that should not faze you much after one or two with some Stout to follow it up. 

You'll find them here:  https://adkbrewery.com/beer/lgipa/

 

Royal Palm Brewing, Wellington FL

 

Royal Palm Brewing in Wellington is a interesting little nondescript shopping center operation, tucked away next to a resort community, offering strange flavors on what looks like chainsaw furniture.  So the surroundings are casual and fun, and as I'd come to find out, the beers are a bit strange and tropical themed, using native fruits and grains-- from Mexican corn (Millera time), Mango, to Key Lime, to... um.... Gatorade, made from their local, fresh, organic available... Gator-fruit? 

Let's be clear-- this is not Cigar City, and prolly isn't trying to be.  It's Wellington-- Horse themes and Winter Polo are more fitting anyway, not that they draw from the terroir too much anyhow. 

Nevertheless, that IPA was a nice brisk combo of my favorite Hops, that is, basically too much hops, less boiled and bitter than fresh and lovely.  However, the malted leg of that three legged stool was a bit weak for the Jomammy mouth feel. I'd drink that on hot days-- it's light enough to keep you sober like a Pils, but hopped up enough to savor the mad pine flavaz.

I took a nip of everything here, from Peanut Butter porter to a Gartoraide Gose, which was way too far beyond the pale ale for me.  I had to send it back. It really did taste like Gartoraide, brand high carbo loaded sports drink. 

But what's right at Palm Beach is the Key Lime Gose-- absolutely on of the top 3 Gose I've ever had.  I can't say enough about it and should not have to because great is great, and you'll have to experience it yourself.  The lime after shock is everything Corona with a Lime wised it could be, 100s of years after "Limeys" (English Navy) used cheap available high vitamin C limes it to fight off scurvy on and off the high seas on their way to the plantations.  Basically-- it's how the lime got in your beer bottle when you got to college. I can not account for the way an Orange got into your glass of Blue Moon with an interesting historical tid bit-- that was just pure genius meeting pure marketing-- orange flavored soda on tap with guaranteed perception of freshness built right in, floating atop your pull, whether that Bar back sliced Orange was free of all the nitemare sprays and GMO design or safe, Organic, grown in Roundup free to chew zones.  I have not dug too deep to consider if Blue Moon is made with Organic grains, so don't quote me when I say, it strikes me as soda beer, where Palm Beach's Sour Key Lime Gose does not.  They even have a canning machine-- 32oz for $10 clams, as you watch the bartender do it by hand, one at a time.

So basically, if you're within 30 miles of Palm Beach Brewery, it's better to drive over than to just sit in some pub drinking bottles of Diego or BudMillerMolson on soda jerk taps.   It's an comfortable place to get out of the midday sun, with an interesting fun array of attempted innovations, that you can't fault for their trying.  I suggest a 3oz glass before ordering up some of these new flavors. 

The brew tanks that I peeped on the way back to the WC looked clean, neat and orderly, which is a thing in and of itself. 

I can't vouch for the food as I had none.  I think they had burgers and salads, but the Website will correct if I'm wrong: https://www.royalpalmbrewing.com/