Hopslam Monday!

I've never seen more anticipation for a cask tapping at the Brick Store. The bar was packed, all eyes glued on that little silver can. Pictures snapping, smiles gleaming. Bell's Brewing has landed in Decatur, and the energy in the pub was very festive.

Oberon and Special Double Cream Stout were on tap, but the real star was the rare cask of Hopslam. The bottled version is one of my most loved double IPAs, and I was very curious to taste the cask version.

The firkin was tapped at 4 on the dot and kicked around 6:30. I found the cask version of Hopslam just delightful. Of course it didn't have the carbonation bite, but the flavor was packed full of pine and grapefruit hop flavor rounded out with chewy bitterness. As the glass warmed, the honey flavor poked her head out unlike the bottled version where the honey flavor was on the front end. Cannot wait for a keg of FRESH Hopslam to come out next January/February.

Look for Bell's this week at The Grange Public House, Thinking Man Tavern, and of course the ole BSP.

Twain's Springfest & The Return of XL DIPA

From Twain's facebook page:

Springfest- A Benefit for the Atlanta Community Food Bank
Saturday May 16th- 1pm-11pm
All proceeds from this show will be donated to the Atlanta Food Bank. There will be 2 stages, 1 indoor and one outdoor, so there will always be a band playing. There will be food and drink specials and the event is taking place at a brew pub with Pool tables, shuffleboard tables, and darts.Tickets are $10 and all proceeds got to The Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Our line-up of awesome music goes like this:
outside:
1:30pm-2:15pm: The Trailer Park Swingers
2:45 pm – 3:30pm: Rocksploitation
4:00 pm- 4:45 pm: The Brain Box
5:15pm- 6:00pm : The Mystery Men
6:30pm-7:15pm : Balloonaut
7:45 pm- 8:30pm: Tag Team
9:00 pm-9:45 pm: Grinder Nova

inside:
2:15-2:45pm: Dave Ellington
3:30-4:15pm: Spanky and The Love Handles
4:45-5:15pm: Kevin McFoy Dunn
6:00-6:30 pm: Old Custer
7:15-7:45 pm: Abby Wren
8:30-9:00pm: Swingset
10:00-?: Getaway Car


And while you are there, grab a glass or 7 of XL Double IPA! Jordan whipped up another batch this year that is chock full of Simcoe & Amarillo hops.

For Whom the Bell's Toll

Bell's Brewery comes a ringin' to Decatur next week! Brick Store Pub will be tapping a super limited cask of HopSlam and a keg of Special Double Cream Stout on Monday May 18 around 5pm.

HopSlam, which is released yearly in January/February, gets an A score on BeerAdvocate with over 1200 reviews. I am really looking forward to the cask version of this bad boy.

At this time, Brick Store Dave ain't too sure what they will carry full time from Bell's, but I'll keep you posted.