(Above: I enjoyed the Wexford with some Irish Stout cheese and some parmesan cheese crisp) Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale (Nitro Draught) Suffolk, England | King Greene 14.9oz Can, 5% ABV Each year I try to celebrate St. Patty’s Day with some green beer. I had heard of folks drinking green beer but during a visit to St. Paul, MIN, to cover what was supposed to be the last appearance of Robin and Linda Williams on A Prarie Home Companion on March 14, 1987 before Garrison Keillor was going to quit and take off for Denmark with his new wife. (They managed to appear one more time plus Keillor was back in the saddle so to speak just a few years later but without the wife). The St. Paul paper had a story on a local brewer who was canning green beer for the upcoming St. Patty’s Day. The odds…
The Beer Brothers actually sat at the Fire Pot Saturday night instead of gathering across the Interweb by means of “The Zoom.” It was good for all of them to be together. Dan has had his COVID shots so he was in the middle. This week we went live with the new BottleReport site and felt like celebrating. Beer Brother Dan was learning how to use Instagram much to the other brothers laughter. He had no clue as to what was going on and thought he could upload a long video. He was wrong. Guess 30 seconds is all he gets. But he couldn’t even do that right. They burned thru a crowler of Bell’s Hopslam Double IPA as they pontificated before they realized that nothing posted live on Instagram. So they punted and settled for just recording on the iPhone and sort it out later. Looks like YouTube is…
The guys used to spread around the same brews so they could all drink the same thing. Unfortunately one of the spouses wanted their fridges back so our shared brews have come home to roost and we each try something different. Beer Brother Mark touched his German Wisconsin roots with Ayinger Hefeweisen out of Bavaria, Beer Brother Dan enjoyed Legal Remedy’s Plea Bargain Pecan and Brett mixed some Coca-Cola with Benchmark Bourbon.
R oger says “There are 20 wine producing regions and more than 2,000 grape varietals – enough to please any palate! Some regions are very well known, and many others are well worth discovering. Italian wines are well-loved for their diverse styles, protection of indigenous varieties, fantastic food pairings and their remarkable value.” So this weekend they are having an Italian tasting. The lineup: La Marca Prosecco: $11.99 Tommasi Pinot Grigio: $14.99 Garesio Barbera Nizza: $33.99 Tommasi “Ripasso”: 25.99 Leone de Castris Medaglione: $15.99 Campo alle Comete Cabernet Sauvignon: $26.99 Where: Cork & Flame Wine Market, 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463 When: Friday, Jan. 17, 2019 and Saturday, Jan. 18, 2019, 5-7 PM. Cost: $20
P at Templeton will be presenting a “unique selection of wines” from different regions of France according to this week’s newsletter. Where: Cork & Flame Wine Market, 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463 When: Friday, Dec. 27, 2019 and Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, 5-7 PM. Cost: TBD
T his is BottleReport’s favorite beer festival. Tickets are on sale for the 12th Annual World Beer Festival Columbia is scheduled for February 22, 2020. It will be held once again at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds. This is a fantastic venue for this event. They are offering discounts for multiple ticket purchases and a ticket level called “Beer Enthusiast” which gets you in 15 minutes early. There are designated driver tickets as well as Uber rides available afterwards. The VIP tickets usually sell out in advance. 30+ breweries, 200+ beers, UNLIMITED TASTINGS. • The South Carolina State Fairgrounds offer world-class amenities and will prove the perfect space for the ninth annual World Beer Festival Columbia.” • Excellent presentations– participate in seminars lead by beer experts and get your tickets for a cheese & beer pairing seminar! • VIP tickets include 1 hour early entry–reserved seating area, catered food, a…
C ork & Flame’s newsletter this week says “Paso Robles Wine Country is centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California’s Central Coast. As California’s fastest growing wine region and largest geographic appellation! With a greater day-to-night temperature swing than any other appellation in California, distinct microclimates, diverse soils and a long growing season, Paso Robles is a unique wine region blessed with optimal growing conditions for producing premium and ultra-premium wines.” The all “Paso Robles”weekend line-up will be: Justin Sauvignon Blanc: $12.99 True Myth Chardonnay: $14.99 J. Lohr Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir: $15.99 Pessimist Red Blend: $24.99 J Lohr “Pure Paso”: $24.99 Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon: $43.99 Where: Cork & Flame , 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463 When: Friday, Aug 23, 2019 and Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, 5-7 PM. Cost: $20
C ork & Flame is continuing their Single Country tasting series. This week they will visit Chile. Here’s your chance to try the Lost Grape as well as the same varietals some people think only grow in California. Chile has a natural climate that makes it difficult for the bugs to thrive that plaque other wine regions as well as no phylloxera that devastated Europe in the late 19th Century (thus the Lost Grape: Carmenere). Here is their weekend line-up: Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc Casillero del Diablo Summer Rose Casaa del Bosque Pinot Noir Casillero del Diablo Red Blend Casillero del Diablo Carmenere Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon $12 for the flight of 6 wines. Where: Cork & Flame , 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463 When: Friday, July 19, 2019 and Saturday, July 20, 2019, 5-7 PM. Cost: $12
C ork & Flame is continuing their single country tastings but this time they will focus on one region. This week’s newsletter says “France’s Alsace wine region seems a world apart from the rest of France. Alsace sits on the verge of France, with a culture, architecture, and cuisine uniquely its own. Alsace’s wines are also unique. The grape varieties that grow there, for the most part, don’t grow elsewhere in France.” The lineup: Jean-Baptiste Adam Cremant Brut Rose: $26.99 Kuentz-Bas Riesling: $18.99 Jean-Baptiste Adam Gervurtztraminer: $27.99 Kuentz-Bas Pinot Gris: $21.99 Vin D’Alsace Albert Seltz Pinot Auxerrois Blanc: $18.99 Kuentz-Bas Pinot Noir: $19.99 $20 for the total flight. Where: Cork & Flame , 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463 When: Friday, July 12, 2019 and Saturday, July 13, 2019, 5-7 PM. Cost: $20
T he Cork & Flame newsletter this week says: “New Zealand’s maritime climate provides New Zealand vineyards with extended, clear and strong sunshine hours and cool nightly sea breezes.The cooling temperatures provide a long, slow ripening period resulting in flavour growth while still holding a fresh acidity that make New Zealand wine so unique.” So they are having a New Zealand tasting this weekend. Mt. Beautiful Riesling:$18.99 Mt. Beautiful Pinot Gris:$16.99 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc:$14.99 Oyster Bay Chardonnay:$14.99 Black CottagePinot Noir: $19.99 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir:$18.99 This weeks flight will be $15 This weeks flight will be $15 Where: Cork & Flame , 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463 When: Friday, June 21, 2019 and Saturday, June 22, 2019, 5-7 PM. Cost: $15