Cherry Stout Tasting
Discount Liquor (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave., discountliquorinc.com) happened to have bottles of both the New Glarus Thumbprint Series Cherry Stout and Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout when I stopped in last weekend. So, of course I had to buy both and try them out. What I found was two distinctly different beers to satisfy distinctly different palates.
The New Glarus was much more sour cherry than stout with a finish that had a hint of chocolate and kind of reminded me of a tart version of Cherry Mash candy – remember those?
Central Waters knows stouts (the standard Bourbon Barrel Stout and the amazing Peruvian Morning are good examples), and I thought the cherry stout was another solid creation. The cherry flavor here is muted and hidden by tastes of coffee and a small bit of bourbon.
The bottom line after completely unscientific research: If you’re a fan of krieks, or prefer a fruitier beer, don’t let the name fool you and go with the New Glarus Cherry Stout. If cherry isn’t really your thing but you’re looking to try something new, try Central Waters. It’s good to have options.
Beer Reviews in Comic Strip Form Thanks to Pints and Panels
Beer reviews are rarely actually “fun” to read. Informative yes, but usually lousy when it comes to entertainment value. The clever Pints and Panels is different. The creation of Connecticut native and current Eugene, Ore., resident Em Sauter literally illustrates in a few comic strip style panels Em’s thoughts while she’s tasting a specific beer. Sauter, who honed her skills at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont (a place that has got to have the coolest promotional material of any school in America), has created one of the most unique approaches to beer reviews I’ve seen. Check it out.
Barley Pop of the Week
With a little bit of fanfare, Deviant Dale’s hit local shelves last week (better get it soon because it might not be around long). The hop bomb of an IPA from Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont, Colo., has some serious hops aroma and flavor. And it comes in a sweet 16-ounce can, which includes some of the lyrics from the Widespread Panic tune “Tallboy” (how appropriate) on the top of the can. “Sippin’ on a tall boy, sippin’ on a tall boy”…indeed.
Quick Taps
I missed Brewers Opening Day last Friday. Thankfully, I also missed the Saturday hangover.
Last week, Governor Walker signed Senate Bill 395, which in essence allows home brewers to remove their beer and wine from the home to share with others.
I’m warning you for the second time, but Milwaukee Beer Week starts on Friday, April 20. In next week’s blog I’ll try (as succinctly as possible) to provide a list of events.
Events Brewing
Friday, April 13: Try New Glarus beers paired with cheese at 7 p.m. at the Wisconsin Cheese Bar (1048 N. Old World Third St., www.wisconsincheesemart.com) Cost is $10 in advance or $12 at the door.
Saturday, April 14: From 1 to 4 p.m. taste wheat beers at Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St.).
Saturday, April 21: I’m letting you know about the Kwak ‘N Roll Bike Pub Crawl a week early so that you can start training for it. The bike ride starts at 2 p.m. at Cafe Hollander (2608 N. Downer Ave.), stops at Cafe Benelux (346 N. Broadway) and ends at Cafe Centraal (2306 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.). Email lcc@lowlandsgroup.com to reserve a spot. If you order a Tripel Karmeliet or Kwak at each stop you get a glass to keep at the end of the crawl (getting it home safely is your responsibility).
Sunday, April 22: I’ll keep with the exercise theme. Accel Fitness Boot Camp is hosting a fitness class from 9 to 10 a.m. at Sprecher Brewery (701 W. Glendale Ave. www.sprecherbrewery.com). And the $25 cost will be donated to Gilda’s Club of Southeastern Wisconsin. Call 964-2739 for more information.
