Clown Shoes Vampire Slayer

Today we have the Second Anniversary Ale from the brewery with the big feet - Clown Shoes. This stout is darker than the entrance to Dracula’s tomb with a creamy head the color of a fresh whittled hickory stake. Big aroma on this brew with notes of dark fruit and malts. Deep smokey flavor - hints of raisins, fudge, malts, and roasted coffee. Medium body with minimal carbonation. Boozy finish with lingering notes of semi-sweet fig, black licorice, and charcoal. 

Great Imperial Stout. I loved the smokiness of this brew.  With 10% ABV, this would be a good brew to invite a neighbor over to share. But on second thought, if you only see your neighbor after sunset, it would probably be best to leave them “uninvited”. Might not be a bad idea to start a garlic garden along the fence line as well. One can never be too careful during these troubled times. 

Pairings: During the daylight, beneath a crucifix, with super soaker full of holy water nearby. 

Cheers!!!

Three Floyds Brewing - Zombie Dust

This brew pours a cloudy burnt orange with a healthy finger’s worth of long lasting white head. Big aroma on this pale ale. Strong floral notes with a big citrus presence. The flavor has notes of citrus, peach, and mango with hints of pine spice and malt. The variety of fruit flavors gives this ale some nice tropical flavor notes as well. Zombie Dust has a medium body with a good amount of carbonation. Long finish with lingering notes of ripe orange balanced with a sweet floral bitterness. This brew leaves a slippery coating on the palate, think loose flesh on zombie bones. 

Real enjoyable brew. Very tasty from start to finish. The fruit really develops midway through enjoyment, and the foam cap of the surface lasted till the last sip. At times had a creamy presence.  

Cheers!!!

B. Nektar Necromangocon

Necromangocon is a mango and black pepper mead. It’s recipe was translated from a mysterious book discovered by a group of friends in Ferndale, Michigan. Much like the Book of the Dead from Sam Raimi’s cult classic film The Evil Dead, terrible forces were unleashed, and great consequences followed while trying to contain the conjured spirit.  

This draft style mead pours a clear honey gold color and coats the glass with micro bubbles. Mild sweet aroma with a hint of the advertised mango. First sip. Big mango flavor. The pepper flares on the back of the throat, complimenting the sweetness provided by the mango. A great balance between the two flavors. The finish has a slight tangy tartness that enhances the enjoyment even further on this well rounded beverage. What I really like is the black pepper never intensifies, or becomes dominant. It keeps a nice constant ever so mild heat/ burn presence. This offering from B. Nektar is a deliciously addictive combo of flavors, almost as if my taste buds are being possessed. It’s as if when opening this bottle, I released a spirit that wants to take over....

B. Nektar is awesome. Mead is good for you. Listen to Chin Chin, they know what they’re talking about. Spend all your money on B. Nektar meads...

Seriously folks, this is great stuff. Really good by itself, and delicious with food. Grab a bottle and get possessed!

6%ABV 

Cheers!!!

Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero

Todays brew is a Mexican style chocolate stout from the Mercury Brewing Company. The label features a multi limbed, sombrero wearing, stout drinking, traditionally masked, Mexican Wrestler. Mexico is know for it’s entertaining over the top high flying wrestling. This sport was imortabized in the film Nacho Libre. I’m a sucker for anything with Jack Black, and for chocolate stouts. Uncap, pour, Nachoooooo!!!!!

Chocolate Sombrero pours dark brown with a beautiful light brown head. Sweet spice and malt aroma. Nice dark chocolate flavor, with a developing chili spice bite. The spice itself is not that hot, and just flares on the back of the throat, giving a nice balance to this Imperial Stout. This medium body brew also has hints of vanilla and roasted malts. The ancho chile certainly makes this a unique stout. This brew has a long sweet finish that finally ends with a chalky chocolate mouthfeel. 

A good stout. The chile flare really helps mask the alcohol content (ABV 9%). Great body on this brew, and it certainly captures that mexican chocolate essence. Pour one the next time you are alone in your room and are wearing stretchy pant. It’ll be fun.

Schmaltz HE'BREW Messiah Nut Brown Ale

Schmaltz Brewing Company is known for its HE'BREW Beer, which is widely recognized for its playful study of Jewish, world, and pop cultural. With brews named "Rejewvenator" and Funky Jewbelation, it's easy to get an idea of this brewery's sense of humor, and the spell check nightmares the front office must deal with on a daily basis. Today's Kosher Certified Rabbi approved brew is Messiah Nut Brown Ale. 

Pours cola brown with one finger's worth of wheat bread colored head. Aroma notes of malts. Roasted malt flavor with mild notes of nuts, toffee, and caramel. Medium body and carbonation. Bittersweet finish with a subtle hint of chocolate and lingering nutty notes. 

Overall a pretty good brew. Full bodied flavor and easy drinking.  If you're a fan of brown ales, give He'Brew Messiah a try, Jew'll be glad you did. I know, Adam Sandler ain't got nothing on me. 

L'Chaim!!!

New Holland Farmhouse Hatter

Farmhouse Hatter pours a clear copper with a thin short lived white head. The aroma is a blend of hops, grass, and citrus. First sip - pucker your taste buds beer drinkers, this brew is good deliciously sour. The flavor has tart citrus notes, with some funky farmhouse elements. The clean crisp body gives this brew a refreshing quality.

A long tart finish wraps this up nicely for this IPA followed by lingering hints of malts and spice.

Overall I loved this beer. It's certainly a pallet smacker. If you like pickles, or yellow pepper rings on your pizza, you’d probably enjoy this brew. In fact, this would be a great beer to enjoy with a meal. I’m thinking chicken piccata, heavy on the capers. This brew would act as a great pallet cleanser for the cream sauce, with the capers complimenting, but not over doing, the funky tart flavor.   

New Holland Recommends: Seafood, Fennel, Mushrooms, and Pickled Veggies.  

Chin Chin Warning: Enjoying this brew with pickled veggies may just warp your pallet into another taste bud dimension. 

Cheers!!!

Schlitz Lager - The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous

There’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen one of the vintage ads for Schlitz. Great masterpieces of women bringing their husbands a cold brew after a rough day at the office, or a clown enjoying a frosty mug after a tough day of entertaining children. “If you like beer... you’ll love Schlitz”! There was a time when Schlitz was the most popular beer in the world, and it often teeter tottered with Anheuser Busch as America’s favorite brew. Lets face it, we’re spoiled nowadays. Today’s craft brewers look like scientists in comparison to brewing techniques used during this country's beer loving infancy. Today we have whole aisles worth of choices and styles. Beers from around the corner, or across the seas. Yet back in the good old 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s, the choices weren’t as vast. So lets take a trip down beer loving Americana lane and rediscover the “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous”.

Schlitz pours a pale transparent gold with a good old frothy white head. Lots of micro bubbles sparkle and rise to the foam cap. Schlitz smells like your father’s paper bag full of empties that briefly sat on the counter on a Sunday afternoon. This lager tastes like the bottom half of a plastic pitcher found at any random table during the last song of a wedding reception. The put it short, Schlitz tastes like good times. This light and refreshing brew is a backyard quencher, and it's the perfect reward for a fresh cut lawn. It goes great with hamburgers and hot dogs, and pairs well with overly competitive backyard picnic games. It’s best on a hot day, pulled from a cooler full of ice, and with just a sprinkle of salt. It’s the beer America fell in love with, and the one soldiers looked forward to when heading home. In todays pricey brew market, this affordable lager is damn near two for one in comparison. Sure today’s brews shine, but Schlitz undeniable was a paving stone for the success of today’s modern brews. “When you’re out of beer... You’re out of Schlitz.” 

Cheers!!!