I stopped in at Tahoe Mountain Brewing Company in Truckee, California and enjoyed the Sour Ritual which is a very tasty sour beer. I also tasted the bourbon barrel aged beer which was very smooth. And I really liked the Hop Dragon Double IPA, one of the best IPA’s I’ve ever had. I really enjoyed the area and would love to return and spend some more time.
I stopped for lunch at Scotty’s Brewhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Buffalo Breath Chicken Salad was really good. The chicken was lightly breaded yet very spicy – pow! The salad was a very filling portion. I tasted the Centennial Martyr Double IPA which was really delicious – rich and tasty. So, technically the beers are from Thr3e Wise Men and Scotty’s Brewhouse is all part of the same larger company. While I was there, the manager, Dave, stopped by and chatted a bit about the local beer scene which was great fun.
I stopped in at the Mill Valley Beerworks in Mill Valley, California and tasted a few of their beers. Manzanita is a red ale with a smoky flavor almost like barbeque. I really enjoyed this beer. The New IPA tasted like grapefruit to me which is one of the reasons like I like IPA so much. Great beer. The Villager IPA was more mild with understated hops characteristics. Finally, Lobos was a double IPA that was strong and rich, dark and heavy, malty and hoppy. This was a complex beer that I saved for last and am glad I did. Mill Valley Beerworks is a really neat place. I would have enjoyed staying for a meal which I’m sure would have been fabulous but I needed to move on.
Every so often along my travels a brewery opens up during non-business hours just for me. During this trip, the brewer at Cahaba Brewing Company in Birmingham, Alabama opened up just for me so I could taste their beer. He also stopped his work for a while and spoke with me about the beers and the company and their plans. What a great time. Then I tried the beers. The Oka Uba IPA was great to drink, not too hoppy and easy to enjoy. I also tried the India Pale Lager. That’s the first of it’s kind I’ve ever had. It was full-bodied; heavier than ale. Very good. And finally I tried the Fraxinus Maximus Double IPA which was crisp, strong and rich. A big shout out to Cahaba Brewing Company for letting me stop by during non-business hours.
I was with a Good Friend when I stopped in at Good People Brewing Company in Birmingham, Alabama. In fact, my friend had just treated me to a gourmet lunch and had given me a grand tour of Birmingham. I guess that’s what they mean by Good People. We concluded our time together at the brewery and I enjoyed a flight, tasting a number of beers. I started with the Bearded Lady American Wheat Ale which was the best wheat beer I’ve ever had. I typically stay away from this style because wheat beers are not my preference. But, this one had a hoppy flavor to it and I enjoyed it. From there I moved on to the Pale Ale which was smooth with a slight hoppiness to it that I also enjoyed. Next was the IPA which is a great go-t0 IPA; flavorful but not too hoppy. I then tried the Brown Ale which was smooth but not too sweet or too malty. And, finally I tried the Coffee Oatmeal Stout which had a rich coffee flavor. In the past I had also had Snake Handler Double IPA, thanks to my friend, and this is also excellent – very hoppy. In short, I enjoy all of these beers and would consider Birmingham as a possible relocation place in the future ;~) The brewery is a really cool industrial/warehouse space. Old extra-large electric wire spools are used for tables. The bar is an huge circle. And, our bartender was a really nice guy who was very informative.
I stopped at the Spring House Brewing Company in Lancaster, PA for lunch with my brother. We had a great time. He enjoyed the BLT and I enjoyed the Buffalo Chicken Salad. I tried a flight of their beers which were all enjoyable. Notable were Beyond the Gates Double IPA which was a very flavorful IPA and Big Gruesome Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout which is just what it says. I felt like a kid again. Who would have thought of peanut butter in beer? It works.
I stopped in at the Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick Maryland with my daughter for a tour. We had a great time together learning about the entire brewing process. Sharing this interest of mine with her has been a joy. The tour was informative and quirky but would you expect anything less from Flying Dog? The tour guide had numerous jokes and snide remarks to accompany the serious stuff. And, of course, the tour concluded with tastings. You know I had Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA, Snake Dog IPA and The Truth Double IPA. All great IPA’s that I enjoy regularly. I also had The Fear Imperial Pumpkin Ale and Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout which were great. I would have tried everything on tap if they would have let me. Of course, I took some beer home including In-Heat Wheat Hefeweizen which was a gift for a family member. As with many craft breweries, Flying Dog doesn’t take themselves too seriously. Check this out…
I Stop For Hops 