radler

KC Bier Company, Kansas City, MO

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2019-02-28 19.27.05

I recently completed the Cicerone German Beer Styles Course and I felt like KC Bier Company in Kansas City was a perfect setting and set of example beers of the major German styles.  Wish I had been able to do my studying here – i would have passed sooner.

2019-02-28 18.57.17

I pretty much tried them all.  Dunkel is rich. Hefeweizen is refreshing.  Helles and Pils are crisp. Radler – wish it was spring and I’d just come in from a long bike ride.  Maibock – yes – I feel like a monk during lent with only Maibock and no food.  And, Winterbock, warming, cozy.  Ausgezeichnet!  I think my high school German teacher would approve of that.  One of the few words I remember.

My friend, Ashton, tipped me off to this place and I’m so glad he did.  I only had one night in Kansas City and I really enjoyed the beers here and wish I had more time to hang out.

Beach Haus Brewery, Belmar, NJ

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I stopped in at Beach Haus Brewery in Belmar, New Jersey.  For being a beach brewery  they have a real breadth of beer styles including “darker, heavier” styles I would most commonly associate with winter and cold weather.  And, these styles are available year round.  Parade Day Irish Coffee Stout is a delicious coffee stout.  I was very impressed with the easy-drinking Grapefruit Radler.  The Strawberry Radler was tasty but felt more like a wine cooler.  The beer I enjoyed the most, and perhaps their best beer, was the High Side Blonde Ale.  It was fresh, complex, easy drinking and delicious.  I liked it so much that I bought a six-pack to bring home to enjoy later.

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte, NC

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2015-04-27 18.11.16     2015-04-27 17.56.21

I stopped in at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The atmosphere is German bierhall and biergarten.  It’s a great place.  I tried a flight of beers.  The Fat Boy Baltic Porter was just as I had hoped.  Smooth, malty, caramelly. The Copper Amber Ale is a great mix of malty smoothness and a little bite.  I was pleasantly surprised with the Hornet’s Nest Hefeweizen.  This was crisp and enjoyable.  Finally, the Radler, a mix of Captain Jack Pilsner and Sprite (lemon soda) reminded me of the Radler I had in Munich decades ago.  Delicious!

2015-04-27 17.57.26     2015-04-27 17.54.37