Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster

Last Monday I was schlepping my kids and running errands during the God-awful heatwave we experienced here in Jersey, and all I could think about was cracking open an ice-cold, delicious beer when I got home. Luckily, I had picked up a few from my LBS (Local Booze Store) the day before. I was in a hoppy sort of mood (as opposed to my usual maltiness), so once I was safely back inside my glorious central air conditioning I grabbed a Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster.

Oh. My. Goodness.

With an ABV of 9.1 and an IBU of 80, it is a luscious heavy-hitter for hopheads. It was 104 degrees that day with a real-feel of 108. I pictured myself standing under a waterfall of this heavenly hoppy-ness.
Or is it hoppy heavenliness?
Anyway, this beer is truly a monster of unfiltered, Imperial India Pale Ale deliciousness. I give it a GBF (Gab Buzz Factor) of 7. I was happy almost instantly!

If you're a hophead like me, try this beer immediately! No excuses! If you don't, I will send this child to your house with a bellyful of Skittles...

Blah ha ha!!

Cheers!
~G~

Brooklyn Lager...I think I Love you!

Brooklyn Lager - Brooklyn Brewery

5.2% ABV

I have been eyeing this catchy green label for quite some time and finally took the plunge.  I had the fantastic Brooklyn Brown Ale back in the spring for the Springfest at the Blue Monkey so I wanted to see if Brooklyn Brewery had another winner in a bottle.  Well, to put it gently, YES...THEY...DO!!!  This American Amber Ale had my taste buds rejoicing!!!  It was smooth, malty, and it had a nice caramel malt finish. 

The Brooklyn Lager is both the flagship beer and an award winner for Brooklyn Brewery.  To achieve this winner the brewery enhances the flavors by "dry-hopping".  I just laughed out loud as I typed that too!     Dry-hopping is the centuries-old practice of steeping the beer with fresh hops as it goes through a long and cold maturation. Dry-hopping is widely used in British beers, and Brooklyn Brewery uses it to make a their Viennese-style beer into an American original.

I was so impressed with this beer and after a long hot week, it was a perfect ending.  Brooklyn Lager can be purchased just about anywhere and is priced very well.  I also saw Brooklyn Brewery had a mixed case to sample their different beers.  I have had two so far and have NOT been disappointed! 

If you do want to get a taste of Brooklyn but not drive far give this lager a whirl!  Give me a shout if you do, we would love to hear from you!

Cheers!

K

Iron Hill 2-year Anniversary

Anvil Ale 5.1% ABV

Iron Hill Brewery

2 Year Anniversary Celebration

It started out as a usual Saturday afternoon, but low and behold Iron Hill Brewery was in full swing at noon!  They were celebrating their two year anniversary! To celebrate this momentous day they were offering tours, raffles, free appetizers to Mug Club Members, and special releases. Oh, happy day!

I first saw they had my favorite, an oldie but goodie...Winter Warmer!  They called it “Christmas in July”, a bourbon-aged version of our Winter Warmer.  It was almost as good as I remembered!  In the winter, Iron Hill would rim the glass with a simple syrup and a mix of cinnamon and sugar, which in my opinion made it PERFECT!  Today they omitted the glass dressing, but the beer was on spot!  

Winter Warmer, a dark ale aged in used Bourbon barrels for four months! 8.0% APV

Next my hubs, Rob (the hop-lover that I am not) tried the Anvil Ale. (Pictured Above)

It was light in color, but it tasted like flowers!  The description in the menu was...

A medium -bodied, copper-colored,  English-style best bitter with a noticeable malt flavor. Finishes with hop bitterness and floral hop flavor.  It was $6.00 for 16 oz and at a 5.1% APV.

I did not like it at all, but Rob ordered not one but two glasses.  If you like hops, order this little number!

 Right before I was finishing my beer I spied Chris LaPierre, who is Iron Hill's Master Brewer in Maple Shade and I asked him for a tour of the brewery. He not only was extremely nice, he was also very knowledgeable.  He came over to our table and took my family for a tour.  He explained the process from start to finish and even had barley for us to see and sample.

After the tour I was ready to try another beer. I asked out server to try the Cannibal. The description was light in color and medium-bodied but complex in flavor. Unique Belgian yeast imparts notes of spice and tropical fruit. It was $5.25 for 12oz and packed a 7.5% ABV.  I again, a hop hater, did not like it.  It was not terrible but not what I would sit and drink.  I voiced my opinion to the server and she recommended the Hefeweizen. 

Hefeweizen  4.8% APV

Immediately after receiving the sample I noticed the color was a little cloudier and the aroma was more appealing to me. It was crisp and refreshing with a hint of citrus. The description in the menu was a traditional unfiltered Bavarian Wheat beer, light and effervescent. It starts off with a refreshing tangy-ness and finishes with a distant yeast character of banana and clove.  I personally did not pick up clove or the banana, but got the citrus flavor.  It was on my likey list for sure.  It was reasonably prices at $6.00 for 16oz.

Overall the trip to Iron Hill Brewery was, as always, a pleasure.  If you are ever in the mood for eclectic food and distinct craft brews, stop in for a spell.  They have several locations and an informative website too. I promise you will not be disappointed!

Cheers!

K

Kicking Back at Sharrott Winery

(by Gab)

Sharrott Winery  in Blue Anchor, NJ, is home to 14 different wines, several of which have won international awards. We ventured out there last Saturday evening for their weekly live music event.

Of all of the wines we sampled, the Just Peachy Sangria was a favorite.

Made from their Riesling, it is very refreshing and not overly sweet like some other sangrias I've had. This is the wine to pick up if you plan on entertaining this summer. Cases are selling like gangbusters and this will only be around for a few more weeks!

If you prefer a more dry white, I highly reccommend the Pinot Grigio, Unoaked Chardonnay, and Vidal Blanc (my current favorite).

If you are a bigger fan of reds, you have got to try Trio.  A rich and velvety blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this is a wine that walks in boots. Perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, and a wonderful choice for a summer barbeque.

As much as I adore the wine, it is not the only reason why I love visting this beautiful place. There is a peacefulness here that blurs the chaos of living in the New Jersey suburbs. It is a place where I can bring my girls and watch them play under the huge, gorgeous sky while I sip my favorite wines and visit with my family and friends.

The winery is not just a business to the Sharrotts, it is a dream they have realized through years of hard work and planning. That dream and their livelihood are now in danger (as well as the 40 other New Jersey wineries). Their fate lies in the hands of the Assembly, who failed to vote on S-2782, a bill passed by the Senate that will continue to allow wineries to open off-site tasting rooms to sell their wines, sell directly to retail outlets and ship directly to customers. This issue is best summarized in the words of Danielle Sharrott:

"A court case was filed in 2003 prompted by a California wine group that sued the state of NJ, alleging that the laws at the time were not constitutional because NJ wineries were allowed to 1) sell directly to customers in the tasting rooms, 2) Distribute to outlets (like you may have seen in local restaurants that are BYOB but can sell wine by the bottle from a specific winery), 3) Directly distribute to liquor stores, and 4) at the time could ship within NJ where wineries outside of NJ did not have these privileges within NJ.  Well...in 2010, the judge agreed and ruled that the laws are unconstitutional.  The judge is expected to deliver remedies as early as August. 
On July 1st we were very excited to learn that the state Senate passed Senator Sweeney's bill S-2782 which restores all of the rights at risk mentioned above, but the assembly bill A-3831 backed by Assemblyman Cryan which was amended to match S-2782 in an attempt to get legislation passed to save the wineries, was stripped back to it original form and continues to be blocked in the assembly.  The liquor lobby is working hard and has successfully been able to get Cryan and company to block this legislation.

Without this legislation, the NJ wineries are at great risk.  Without the ability to sell directly to customers (in the tasting room, at festivals, etc) and to self-distribute to local liquor stores, nearly all of the wineries in the state will need to lock their doors as most are too small to be forced to work through distributors.  This is the grim reality we are facing with the Senate and Assembly now in recess and not expected to return until after the judge has decided on a remedy.In spite of research that shows that less than 1% of the liquor stores/distributors business comes from small wineries and that shipping in the other states has not had an adverse affect on them, the liquor lobby continues to propagate the false information that this will be damaging to them.  In addition, they argue that opening up shipping will lead to alcohol getting into the hands of minors, which is again an unfounded claim.  Companies like UPS are not allowed to drop packages on doorsteps, they MUST leave it with someone with a valid ID showing that they are at least 21 years of age."


I can only imagine how frustrating and infuriating it must be for the Sharrotts to be hanging in limbo with their future resting in someone else's hands. You can check out Uncork NJ for links to numerous articles written regarding this issue, as well as supporting research.

This is the perfect place to sit outside and soak in the golden hour of a summer's evening with your favorite people, enjoying live music and award-winning wines as the sun sets over Sharrott Winery. We can only hope that the sun won't be going down on this beautiful place forever.