Goodbye Azul, Hello Raging Taco!

Here's a sneak peak of the new Raging Taco, the adjoining room of the Raging Burrito. Formerly called Azul, this uniquely shaped room got a tremendous face lift with custom- made tables & chairs along with a huge 52" HDTV on the wall. I spoke with owner Scott Herman recently who said that a few new tacos will be added to the menu very soon. So far, RT is open on the weekends as extra seating for Raging Burrito and like Azul, is a great space for private parties, meeting, and fundraisers.

During the Holiday Season, there are some great drink specials going on. $2.95 Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster, Sierra Celebration Ale & Pale Ale. Also, $2.95 1800 silver tequila shots and $4 Jagers.

Raging Burrito/Raging Taco 141 Sycamore Street (on the Square) www.ragingburrito.com

Twain's Late Autumn Beer Dinner

Last night was the annual Fall beer dinner @ Twain's, and boy was it a tasty one! Here's how it went down:

Starter
Grilled Shrimp, fresh basil beurre blanc with Roma tomato and herb tartlets paired with Cask conditioned Temperate Temperance Mild Ale

Where to start...what an opening blast of flavor! The shrimp was grilled perfectly and I could have drank a glass of the beurre blanc...just delicious. The acid punch of the tartlets worked great with the cask ale. Temperate Temperance was just subtle enough to allow the juicy flavor of the dish shine. A pale ale/ESB/IPA would have been too much here. Excellent pairing.

Next
Gingerbread Brown Ale w/ Pumpkin soup topped with savory gingerbread croutons.

Typically, I am not a huge soup fan especially when paired with a nice ale. So this course was a nice surprise. Earthly, roasty, peppery pumpkin soup contrasted nicely with the floating gingerbread crouton. There was a nice caramelized, brown sugar sweetness to the crouton. Kelly commented that most pumpkin soups use cream, and how nice this soup was without any cream. Very savory, but not too heavy. The Gingerbread Brown Ale was a nice compliment, matching the pepper in the soup with crisp, somewhat piney hops. Ginger in the ale and ginger in the soup worked very well without overdosing on ginger.


Main Course
XL Double IPA w/ Thai Tenderloin with tomato chutney and pomme frites --- Beef tenderloin rubbed with Thai chiles and szechwaun peppercorns, charred and served over tomato chutney.

Onto the meat & potatoes portion of the evening. This plate was so gorgeous that I had to just snap a shot of her. Brewmaster Jordan said this was the 2nd batch of XL DIPA and hot damn is it good. And since IPA/DIPA is my favorite style of beer, this was the course I was most excited for. Once again, this course was perfectly matched with the hand-crafted ale. There was a good crust ring on the beef, with the spices perfectly blended in creating a sort of "delayed spiciness." The tomato chutney had the sweetness to counter-balance the spice rub. The sharp, piney hops in the XL just danced all over the beef. And the shoe-string thick frites were fun to pick up and eat.

Dessert
Nitro Coffee Stout w/ Apple Pecan Fritters with Brown Sugar Vanilla ice cream --- Whole Empire apples cored and filled with butter and pecans, wrapped in pastry and baked to a golden brown. Served with a scoop of Jake's Brown Sugar Vanilla Ice cream.

This work-of-art was demolished in 4.2 minutes. I loved that fact that a Empire apple was used and not a tart Granny Smith. Layer, after layer of yummy goodness. The Nitro Coffee Stout has a strong coffee flavor, yet carried a nice creaminess from the nitrogen.

I've been lucky to attend a dozen or so beer dinners over the years, and last night is way high on my list. 4 courses, $40 bucks just can't be beat. I couldn't resist grabbing another XL for dessert #2 at the bar. Around that time, the Dave Ellington Organ Trio had just started their 1st number but we had to leave. Dave plays the famous Hammond B-3 organ which has such a funky, deep nasty sound to it, kinda like the thai tenderloin from earlier. They play every Wednesday, so I'll be back.

Oktoberfest is hier!

Contrary to popular belief, THE Oktoberfest festival in Munich begins in late September. This year, the two week festival begins Saturday September 20 and runs through October 5.
The most authentic annual Oktoberfest celebration around here takes place annually at the Brick Store Pub. Saturday October 4 is the date this year and I have heard that up to 5 different Oktoberfest-style biers will be flowing into those 1 liter mugs! Throw in some lederhosen, boot chugging, and delicious wurst & cheeses, this is a can't miss event. Some of the lads pictured above will be pumping up the crowd with German song around Noon, so get there early.

Here in the greater Decatur area, there is a lot of beer hoppenings going on over the next month.

Great Decatur Beer Festival- Almost Sold-Out!
You can now only buy tickets on-line for this event on Saturday October 18. Kingsized, Donna Hopkins, and American Bang will be on-stage throughout the day which will be a nice change from the speed metal band from last year, Thorn of Donkey.

Twain's news!

Brewmaster Jordan has whipped up one tasty double IPA simply named XL...get some while you can!
Twain's has also been offering free Jazz on Tuesday's to wipe out those early week blues.
Lastly, a tasty beer dinner is set for September 24th, for a very reasonable $40. To see the menu, go to the bar of click here


Arrogant Bastard Arriving this Monday!

Taco Mac- Midtown is the launching pad for the arrival of Stone Brewing
into the Georgia market. Take a look at this draft list for 9/22:
Stone Pale Ale, Stone IPA,
Smoked Porter, Arrogant Bastard Ale,
OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale, Ruination IPA,
Levitation Ale, 2006 Double Bastard Ale,
2007 Old Guardian Barleywine, 2007 Imperial Russian Stout,
08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale, and
the 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout!


For more details on the kick-off party, check here





Now Open- The Grange Public House

The Grange Public House is now open on 426 West Ponce de Leon Ave, in the former Angel spot by the Decatur post office. I have read good things about this Irish pub, and the draft list looks pretty good (for an Irish bar)

Finishing up...

There is a new beer festival called Hotoberfest hoppening on Saturday October 4th in Glenwood Park.

And I have been meaning to check out Little 5 Points newest beer pub, The Porter. There was a nice review in the AJC last week, and hopefully some fresh hop breath can be blown through L5P now...

Under The Brick Store Pub

Sweetwater Motor Boat Ale

Motor Boat is the latest 'Catch & Release' offering from Sweetwater. This will be an "Imperial ESB- style ale," weighing in around 8% ABV. The Sweetwater Marketing Team has their hands deep in the motorboat tool box, but I got this bit of info:
Release Date- Mid August
6-packs and draft only

What a Gold Mine!

Brick Store Pub's 11th Anniversary

Starting June 14th, Brick Store Pub will be celebrating it's 11 years in business with 11 days filled with rare and one-off kegs. "Our little neighborhood pub" is still little & cozy, despite many accolades of late including landing on Forbes list of "Best American Beer Bars.

According to Brick Store Dave, some of the beers below were made just for this anniversary. And hell...I've never even heard of most of these! I am hoping the Allagash Rosa has something to do with Russian River Brewing in Santa ROSA, CA. Looks like I picked a bad month to just drink cranberry juice...

Chef Eric will be whipping up some daily food specials, with taps being tapped daily @ 3pm

Saturday 6/14- J.W. Lees Lagavulin wooden pin cask (2001)
Regenboog 't Smisje Guido
Sunday 6/15- Harviestoun Ginger lime
Regenboog 't Smisje Catherine the Great
Monday 6/16- Highland Brewing (Summit Dry Hopped) Kashmir IPA
Tuesday 6/17- Terrapin Southern Fried Brown Ale (Oak aged brown ale w/muscadine grapes)
Wednesday 6/18- Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Thursday 6/19- Oskar Blues Chubbourbon (Old Chub aged in bourbon barrels)
Allagash Rosa (tripel aged 1.5 yrs in oak barrels then blended with brettanomyces )
Friday 6/20- Victory Wild Devil (Victory HopDevil IPA w/ brettanomyces )
Strubbe Double Tripel
Saturday 6/21- Harviestoun Ola Dubh 30 yr
Alvinne Balthazar
Sunday 6/22- Avery Brewing Co. Uber Svine (dbl dry hopped hog heaven)
Regenboog 't Smisje Kerst (aged in J.W. Lees Calvados barrels)
Monday 6/23- Sweetwater Brewing Road Trip Dry-Hopped Firkin
Tuesday 6/24- Heavy Seas (Clipper City) Hang Ten Dopplebock
Allagash Rosa

Terrapin India Brown Ale- All Bottled Up

Here is a sneak peak of the Terrapin IBA label, which should hit the shelves sometime in June. This beer has been around for over a year now, on draft only. This hoppy brown ale has been graded A- on beeradvocate.com and it is mighty tasty, I might add. The IBA will be Terrapin's third year round offering, joining the Rye Pale Ale & Golden Ale.

And lookout for a Wheat Bier & Wheat Wine sometime this Summer from Spike & Co.

Epic BeerAdvocate Tasting

An insane amount of bottles were shared amongst BeerAdvocates this past Saturday at the Brick Store Pub. Many thanks to Steve & Greg for locking down the Belgian Bar from Noon until 4:20. Thirty thirsty beer fans came in from Alabama and South Carolina, including Dan & Joseph who rolled in @ 11:30am from Columbia. And as a treat for the early birds, I popped the newly released Lost Abbey Angel's Share, aged in bourbon barrels.


Here's the breakdown:

Lost Abbey Angel's Share (bourbon barrel 2008), Devotion, Avant Garde, Carnivale, Red Barn
Port Shark Attack double red
Surly Darkness, Surlyfest
FFF Dark Lord, Alpha Klaus

Foothills Sexual Chocolate
Deschutes The Abyss
Rogue Imperial Stout 2004, Old Crustacean 2001, Shakespeare Stout
New Holland Dragon's Milk, Night tripper
Bluegrass Brewing Jefferson's Reserve
Fuchen Alt
Harpoon Barleywine
Growler of Twain's Tripel
Highland Imperial Kashmir Pale, Tasgall Ale
Westvleteren 8
Flying Dog Gonzo
DFH World Wide Stout 2004 & 2007, 120 Minute IPA, Burton Baton
Troegs Troegenator Dopplebock, Nugget Nectar
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Lazy Magnolia Souther Pecan
Southern Tier Gemini, JahVA Imperial Stout, Unearthly, Oat
Sam Adam's Utopias 2007
Avery Samael's, Mephistopheles
Smuttynose Wheat Wine
Pilgrim's Dole Wheat Wine
Bell's Batch 8000, Two Hearted Ale, Expedition Stout, Amber Ale
Pisgah Cosmos
Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws
Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA
Green Flash Imperial IPA
Saint Arnold Christmas ale
Stone 8th Anniversary, Double Bastard, Oaked Bastard, Imperial Russian Stout, IPA
Alesmith Wee Heavy, Speedway Stout, YuleSmith (blue)
Alaskan Barleywine
Boulder hazed and Infused
Hoegaarden Verboden Vrucht
Duck-Rabbit Barleywine
Harveistoun Ola Dubh 16
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Coast Blackbeerd, Hop Art
Unibroue Terrible
Sisyphus 2007
Founders Backwoods Bastard
New Glarus Raspberry Tart
French Broad Wee Heaviest
Weyerbacher Heresy
Mikkeller Black
Four + Brewing Monkshine

Chocolate Cheese Filled Pub of Dogfish Duck Rabbit

Valentine's Day comes 2 days early to Brick Store Pub, with 2 tasty events.

First, the Belgian Bar will host a special Dogfish Head Brewing event
featuring 5 rare beers, 3 courses of cheese and 2 of chocolate.
The delightful Red & White will be one of the 5 beers. Here's are some notes from dogfish.com:

A big, belgian-style Wit brewed with coriander and orange peel and fermented with Pinot Noir juice. After fermentation a fraction of the batch is aged in Oregon Pinot Noir barrels, and another fraction is aged on oak staves.

Pass the chocolate for this one, please.

And expect 1 special surprise brew from Dogfish Head...
Tuesday February 12, 6pm.



Lastly, I am super pleased to welcome the entrance of yet another quality craft brewery into the Atlanta market: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery from North Carolina. I have been enjoying bootlegged bottles for a few years now from places like Asheville & Wilmington, NC. BSP will be rolling out the red carpet for Duck-Rabbit Tuesday afternoon 2/12. This is what BS Dave had to say:



Tuesday Feb. 12, the Duck Rabbit Brewing Co. will introduce their beers to the Atlanta market with a special tapping of all 4 seasonal offerings at once. This is a 1st for Duck Rabbit and should be a fantastic way to introduce this respected Farmville N.C. brewery to the state of Georgia. On hand will be owner & brewmaster Paul Philippon to answer any questions about his seasonal beers as well as year-round beers. On tap will include the Barley wine, Rabid Duck Russian Imperial Stout, Wee Heavy Scotch Ale & the almighty Baltic Porter!

These 4 will be tapped around lunchtime.

Cheers

Sierra Bigfoot Sightings?

Where is my favorite Barleywine on the planet? Typically, the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot is released early January. Well, it looks like Sierra is shaking up things a little. They have released a new seasonal ESB (Early Spring Beer) first. Here's a snippet of the official press release from Sierra:

On January 1, 2008 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.—a pioneer of America’s ale renaissance—released its new spring seasonal ESB – Early Spring Beer to market. The company, which just celebrated its 27th year with the release of its fall seasonal Anniversary Ale, decided to brew their interpretation of England’s classic Extra Special Bitter style.

From all accounts from folks on BeerAdvocate, several sightings of Bigfoot have been seen around North Carolina. Hopefully, he'll come down to the Atlanta area before month's end.

On related Bigfoot note, recently had a vertical tasting of 2005, 2006 and 2007 Bigfoot. The 2005 was simply sublime, very aged tasting with the signature hop flavor still strong. 2006 was good as well, and noticeably opaque in appearance. My pal Old Man Winter commented that this year they experimented with some extra fermentation, which I will try to confirm. Lastly, the 2007 was still young and sharp, just the way I like my Bigfoot.

Oh, and the 2008 Bigfoot will mark Sierra's 25th edition of this famous Barleywine:







Cheers!

UPDATE FRI 1/25- Both Green's locations now have both Bigfoot and ESB.

Cold Beer, Fast Women

Looks like I have followed through on 2 New Year's resolutions now. And the other one does not involve this moose.

I created this blog to provide me with an outlet to jot down beer thoughts & happenings in my hometown of Decatur and Intown Atlanta.

As a young lad in the Summer of 1997, I first discovered wonderful craft beer while working in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Local Snake River Brewing's Zonker Stout on tap and Oregon's Deschutes Black Butte Porter in the bottle pulled me in for good. And a spontaneous 11 hour trip to Portland for the Oregon Brewer's Festival just intensified this new found obsession.

Back to January 2008, and it's pouring snow in Decatur. I think this calls for something tasty in a few hours.

Cheers

PS- I once saw the title above on a bumper sticker in Idaho, and thought it would be a cool introduction. You can be the judge of that.