Flying Dog Supertramp

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.

As we near our 300th post, I would like to announce that we've had something working in the background that will be our 300th post. We may enjoy it more than you, but you will most likely read it, as you ARE loyal readers, right? And no, Spotify, it is not the Nordstrom Field Guide Remix, fuck off with your ads. I'd rather spend money on beer than spend money on your ad-free shite. 

Each time Flying Dog releases a new brew to the Ohio market, I feel like a kid on Christmas. I start doing a little dance and sing "I got new doggies, I got new doggies." Make fun of me if you want, things that excite me are few and far between now with the realization of turning 30 and the fact I've been in factory work for 8 years... Jesus shit, no wonder I drink. 

After tonight, I add another Flying Dog bottle to my already impressive collection. Complete side note, if anyone has any empty bottles of Kerberos, Heller Hound, or other older/not distributed to Ohio selections that would look good in my collection, please email me at behindthetap@gmail.com, we'll work something out.

Not only does the label appeal to me (Ralph Steadman is a fantastic artist), but I do enjoy tart cherries as well. So, let's see how, on a clean palate, this 4.6% ABV Tart Cherry Ale ranks among the rest of the Pack.

The color is beautiful, a light orange with some pink tones. Decent looking carbonation with a white, one-finger head that lingers around. The aroma on this is almost like a red wine; complex, heavy, dark stone fruit.... huh. I wouldn't expect a nose like this out of a 4.6% brew. The flavor of interesting. It starts off drinking like a kolsch (smooth, light bodied, memories of summer on a porch pop in your head), then this flips the script with some light cherry flavor that starts building, gaining intensity. That's when you notice the slight sour notes that are gaining momentum. The sour notes eventually meet some sweetness from an almost biscuit-tasting malt to join harmoniously on your tongue, joining the cherry in shimmying and shaking down your throat. Slightly mouth puckering and phlegm inducing from the sour, ending in a "hey, I just ate some cherry pie" finish. The initial couple breaths afterword make this seem boozy, like a 15-16% wine. This is such a unique beast. This is a summertime brew that I look forward to enjoying during pool parties and corn hole tournaments at our friends' house. 

4/5 caps

-Nathan-

Oh hell, he wasn't joking about the Nordstrom Field Guide Remix on Spotify. It was the first ad after I had started listening to some Depeche Mode. Note, I had made it through precisely the intro to a live album, and this crap interrupts me. No, music isn't the most important accessory this season; I'm more of one to build an outfit around a song or artist, but thank you for your concern, Nordstrom. Damn you for your fine shoe selection. And by "build an outfit" I really mean select a brewery t-shirt to pair with jeans and Chucks. Motherhood and working in a brewery and homebrew supply store have really dulled my fashion sense, or at least made shopping for new clothes less appealing.

Nathan described the beer quite well. It's lovely faint pink color is beautiful. The aroma is quite complex, although I would not compare it to a red wine (I am thinking he was referring to the complexity and layers of flavors in this). There is a yeasty prominence in the nose that is delightful, along with notes of cracker and then the cherry pops in to say hello, like an old acquaintance whose face you cannot quite place. This starts off tasting more like a cherry soda than a beer for me, then a tart note takes over, and lends itself to the underpinnings of cracker-y malts and that yeasty note making a reappearance. It is rather light in body and leaves bubbles reminiscent of champagne in my mouth. Hmmmm, I wonder if I will be as giddy as I am on champagne at the end of this glass?  

Overall, this is a rather refreshing beer. Like Nathan, I look forward to enjoying this all spring long.

4.1/5 caps 

Cheese Pairing: A lovely fresh chevre

Food Pairing: I would love to see this blended with cherries in a sauce atop some of Nathan's cheesecake. Or in a fresh, beered-up version of a Black Forest Cake.

Music Pairing: "Breakfast in America" by Supertramp. It may be too obvious, but we couldn't resist. 

TRiNiTY Brewing Super Juice Solution

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.
  
In case you have been living under a rock in Columbus, Ohio, TRiNiTY. Brewing is the new kid in town. An esteemed and much-lauded brewery out of Colorado Springs, we are very excited to have them here. We haven't made it out to any of the launch parties -- yet! We do plan to hit at least a couple over the weekend. You know, kid and work schedule bullshit that comprise our daily lives. If you make it out to one and happen to snap a pic with Saison Man himself, Captain of the Pirate Ship at TRiNiTY, load it to your favorite social media site using the tag #selfieswithSaisonMan. Because why the hell not??? 

So there I stood, gazing upon the TRiNiTY selection at my favorite bottle shop, having decided to make one last stop on the way home to get my kid from school. I hadn't enjoyed any of the offerings at this particular location, although I loved both the Chilly Waters and Elektrick Cucumbahh. And by "loved", I mean that I fucking crushed so hard on both of those beers, as different as they are. Both are excellent examples of their respective styles, and with such funky yet understated yeast that perfectly complemented each beer. I ended up selecting the Super Juice Solution, well, because we are avowed hopheads and love our IPAs. If you have been following us for any amount of time, you should recall that Nathan has created a deity solely to glorify hops, Hopsus. 

So, this Super Juice Solution intrigues me greatly. I have enjoyed the couple of sour IPAs I have had. This one is aged on Lactobacillus delbrueckii (you might know it better as yogurt bacteria), which should lend a lovely pucker to the mouth. Insert Jamie Lee Curtis discussing her regularity here. This is a lovely pale orange color, with about a half inch of tightly laced white head. There are some yeast rafts of sediment floating throughout my portion, which is not surprising. The aroma on this is fanfuckingtastic. Floral and tropical hops (think a lot of ruby grapefruit) meld with a sharp contrast of sour apple in the nose. Drinking it, notes of peach, ruby grapefruit, passionfruit, pineapple, mango, and yes, barnyard come in to play. I expected the barnyard to lend more of an offensive flavor than I am getting from this; instead, it is faint and complementary. All of the flavors complement each other rather nicely. It is an especially juicy IPA, with no pine or bitter grapefruit to it at all. Hell, I bet this would be a killer IPA without the lacto and barnyard, but with it, it is elevated to a whole other level of interesting. The body on this is moderately thin, which doesn't surprise me, considering it is rather sessionable at 4.1% ABV. That being said, it's not nearly as thin or watery as so many session IPAs tend to be. Carbonation on this was moderately high, also about what should be expected, without being a bottle bomb. 

Overall, this is rather well done. I am looking forward to trying Red Swingline, which is another sour IPA from TRiNiTY, and the entire Swingline series. As well as anything else I can get my hands on from them. Hell yes. Oh, and do yourself a favor. In case you didn't know, absolutely do NOT pour this (or any beer from TRiNiTY) into a Boston shaker pint glass. Not only will you incur the wrath of Jason, but worse, you stand to lose out on the beautiful aromas that are present in this beer (and most other beers). 

4.75/5 caps

-Jennie

We enjoyed the Elektrick Cucumbahh with the guys from Zaftig last night. Zaftig makes BIG beers, but this saison was interesting. General consensus was interesting- unlike anything else on the market. The nose is not what the flavor reveals. The nose is off-putting for some (myself included), but the flavor was a fresh burst of Summertime memories with fresh, crisp cucumbers, slight esters that lent themselves perfectly to the flavor concoction that was the Elektrick Cucumbahh.That was my first TRiNiTY brew. Tonight, I delve into a half bottle of Super Juice Solution. 

This has had time to warm a little while Jennie spilled her fangirl all over the blog (and I vegged out to Trailer Park Boys). A long day doing factory work deserves beer. This past week and a half has not been easy. Fucking end of month, fucking end of fiscal quarter. It's a day like this that makes me appreciative of the craft beer industry; letting me temporarily forget the sheer hell that I inflict on myself, reaping the rewards of flavor after enduring a gauntlet of mental and physical agony day in and day out. I've been looking forward to this since Jennie sent me a text that we were reviewing this tonight. Today was exceptionally rough, but not to bore you, don't ever work in a factory. Please make me that promise. I'm not yet 30, but I'm in constant pain. Learn from my mistakes.

I seem to have deterred, venting about the disdain I have for my job. I seem to be forgetting about my 'fun' job: reviewing beer in a sheer Gonzo style. Then I get sidetracked by Spotify fucking with my music selection with ads (I'm too cheap to get "Spotify Premium"). Go fuck yourself stamps.com ad, I'm trying to veg out to music.

I'm a dick. I'm an asshole, a stuck-in-my-ways douche. I poured my half into a shaker pint. I can't leave my time-tested ways of my Flying Dog glass, though. She and I have all kinds of memories together (Oh, all the brews she's released into my mouth). Judge me if you want, I'll suffer the wrath of Saison Man when I meet him. Regardless, this is what I'm doing.

This, as previously mentioned, has warmed up. It's a hazy pale orange/golden color with still some head sticking around, reminding me to drink this instead of being Dicky Fucking Betts and rambling (the WORST Allman Brothers Band song if you catch the reference, Duane-era was the best). The aroma on this is a heavenly paradise of freshly-cut grapefruit, tropical fruits and sour apple (as previously mentioned by She-Who-FanGirls). The aroma hasn't changed from Jennie's depiction of it. Time for the true test, the flavor. The initial sip is interesting. Peach, Mango, and Tropical fruits take a forefront while a weird, dank yeast flavor dances in the background. They play well together. Jennie described it as barnyard, I don't get barnyard, as much as, well.... Fuck, I can't really say (for the safety of the kids)... Working on a farm growing up, I can say it's not barnyardy. The flavors blend well with the slight puckering, phlegm-inducing sour notes that gives memories of housing on Shock Tarts and War Heads until my tongue was bleeding. This drinks smooth until the sour note kicks in, then it is almost "Chewy?" (reference to The Simpsons episode where Homer becomes a food critic and is consulting the dog for descriptions).

This is my second TRiNiTY brew, I'm looking forward to trying more. They are interesting to my palate. They are something off the radar, so-to speak, from my norm. I've done due diligence in training my taste buds to pick out malt and hops, but this is a whole other realm. 

4.6/5 Caps

-Nathan-

Food pairing: I totally want to use this beer in a citrusy vinaigrette toss with some fresh spring greens.
Cheese pairing: Butterkasse
Music pairing:   Frank Turner "Wanderlust" (hint)

Behind the Tap Presents: Jason Yester of Trinity Brewing

Photo credit: Trinity Brewing

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.

"Behind the Tap Presents:" will be a series of interviews with various brewers, musicians, and other wonderful people within this glorious industry. 

Last year, it seemed, every time we turned around, Trinity Brewing of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was bestowed with another award. Trinity produces all things saison and the company is also extremely environmentally focused. We had the opportunity to interview Jason Yester, self-proclaimed Captain of the Pirate Ship at Trinity (also known as founder, owner, president, and head brewer). Jason has always fascinated us; he is a masterful artist of yeast, and has a pretty unique view of the world at large and brewing in particular. He was very kind and generous to take time out of his insanely busy schedule to respond to our questions while releasing his beers to New York City this week. While Trinity's beers started appearing on Columbus, Ohio, shelves this week, the release parties are scheduled for next week (schedule below).

Behind The Tap: Why Columbus? I mean, we know we are the 16th largest city in the country and our beer scene rocks, but most of the rest of the country lumps us in with flyover country. You recently released beers to Seattle, which has a decent beer scene, too. What drew your attention to our corner of the universe?

Jason Yester: I honestly don't look at a city and think about the beer scene too much when I look towards new territory.  I will be honest in stating that my personal career is rooted in science, however I feel like our beers have evolved past science and into an approach with more conviction towards a creative culinary approach.  What specifically attracted me towards Columbus is how well rooted the food scene is, specifically the farm-to-table dedication of the city... I was impressed to say the least. 

BTT: What did the pint glass do to you? You started #killthepintglass.

Jason: The 'shaker pint glass' has compromised beers for much too long already, and I refuse to be graceful in this response!  I don't think I've ever seen a wine poured into a 'shaker pint,' nor have I ever heard anyone complain about wine served in a stemmed glass...  beer is just as complex of a drink.  As a sincere brewer, we work extremely hard on every level of creating beer in a very real artistic direction.  Pouring all of that effort into a 'shaker pint' compromises the beer immediately: head retention, presentation, and loss of aromatics.  There are such better ways to experience a beer, and using the proper glass is a completion of that journey.

BTT: One thing we often hear about larger breweries is that consistency is key if you want to make it big. What do you do to ensure consistency within each batch?

Jason: Past the theme of a recipe, we pay almost no attention to consistency, Trinity is by heart a 'Saison' brewer, we specifically rely more specifically on 'live performance' from our brewers and their inherent talents rather than replication of a product.  Because of that approach, each time we brew a beer there are a large amount of factors we have to be flexible with.  We use a blend of at least 3 different yeasts for each of our beers, and as we re-crop the flavor definitely changes... We are also at the mercy of fresh harvests, which sometimes provide more than we need, or less than we need.  Those harvests can also vary in flavor dramatically from season to season, and we just have to roll with it and make a beer.  What you receive in a bottle of Trinity beer is true 'Live performance,' from folks who pay an unrealistic level of attention to raw materials, because we like that challenge.

BTT: Trinity Brewing is releasing a limited number of beers to Columbus. We'd love to hear the thought process that went into which beers to send here. Do you have any anecdotes to share about the beers coming to Ohio distribution?

Jason: We've opened up the choice for our distributor, 17th Star, to carry very small allocations of most of our line up.  Our company model is low volume/wide distribution ..... and when the beer is gone, it's GONE ;).  Several of the beers in our portfolio are only brewed once a year.  My goal is to send 4-5 shipments annually to C bus.

BTT: What do you say to a potential customer who has never had a saison or a sour beer? Worse, what do you say to the person who doesn't love sour beers?

Jason: I normally ask them what their favorite beer is to drink, then I like to place a similar beer we make in front of them and gently blow their mind.

BTT: Which beer drove you over the ledge and made you Saison Man?

Jason: I am not sure it can account a single beer for that ledge ... there are many factors past beer that lead into being a Saison brewer.  I've personally sold a good amount of art work, done thesis work in microbiology, grown organic gardens for 15+ years .... etc etc.... I know, it's all boring .... but, Saison is a life experience not just a beer.

BTT: We love to pair beers with music and food and cheese. Your thoughts on what would go best with each of the beers being released in Cbus? (And/or favorite brew day music?)

Jason: Man ... that is a huuuugggge conversation.  Some of our beers go best with a light flaky white fish like fluke, the cucumber saison goes best with west coast oysters, I love to pair our Black Saison Regal with chocolate cayenne mousse... sometimes I even like to pair our beers with foods only for texture matchings... there are nearly endless possibilities, and that's what makes our culinary approach towards crafting beers so much fun!

BTT: What is your favorite Columbus- or Ohio-produced beer you have had so far?

Jason: Every beer I've had from Hoof Hearted has been much past expectations, and I'd even extend to say 'exceptional.'  I haven't met the folks making the beer there, but they have a lot to be proud of :).  I've only had one beer from Rockmill, their 'straight' Saison, and it was literally shocking!

BTT: Care to give us a technical breakdown on how brettanomyces differs from saccharomyces cerevisiae?

Jason: Let's make it this as simple as possible.... the post fermentation treatment of Brettanomyces steers each strain in different directions metabolically.  Those pathways allow for serious funky changes with age.  Saccharomyces yeast flavors are mostly set after fermentation, an aged beer brewed with this yeast will only become more smooth and not specifically increase in yeast flavor.

BTT: No, for real. People want to taste and smell horse blanket and feet in a beer?

Jason: Of course!  Have you ever had a Pont l’Eveque or a Roquefort cheese? Before the advent of refrigeration, fermented foods were one of the most common ways to preserve food for long term storage.  As these foods aged, some of the flavors which only develop 'with time,' became delicacies and sought after.  Returning to more ancient yeasts/techniques in beer we should expect the same, and celebrate the effort to create the rare flavors. 

BTT: You have been brewing for a long time... unless we read your bio wrong, about the time you were legal to drink. What drove you to say to yourself, "I can make this better than anyone else?"

Jason: I did begin to brew professionally when I was 18 years old, and I've loved it .... It seems that I find another reason to love it every day too!  I wouldn't say I try to brew beer better than anyone, I think my position in this craft is to create change and inspire both drinkers/brewers artistically.

BTT:  Do you have an opinion on "brewpies"? You know, the chicks that just want to hook up with brewers, no matter that you have been a in a committed relationship for years?

Jason: These kind of ladies exist?  Hmmm.. I guess I haven't been paying attention ?

BTT: What would it take to have a beer together when you are in town? We know Dancing Kevin and we have some pretty stellar stalking capabilities.

Jason: Haha, it's pretty easy ... meet up with me at one of our launch events :)  ... here's a list:

Yellow Brick Pizza March 24

taps start at 4 we show up at 6

House Beer March 25
7:00

The Crest March 26
5:00

Growl on High March 27
7:00

Weiland's March 28
3-5

Hales Ales
7:00

BTT: Hockey or football? There is only one correct answer. (Not really. We like both.)

Jason: Football of course!! Go #PFM !!! ... I do like a double hotdog with a tall Yuengling at Bluejackets games though :) 

People at Beer Festivals Drinking Game

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.

Beer Festival Season is upon us.

After attending a few beer festivals (be it the annual major megafest in your state or the limited release whale party or the little local suburban tinyfest), you start to notice different types of people that are always there. Print this list and take it with you to the next big event. If you collect them all, consider yourself a seasoned veteran of the beer festival circuit (and drink an entire pint). Just don't hate us in the morning.


1) Cowboy Hat Guy

Now, while it's fashionable to wear a hat, most festival-goers stick to ball caps or military style. But not this guy. He's proudly rocking his cowboy hat as if the beer festival was a Nashville country bar. Drink one if you spot This Guy. Drink two if he's rocking assless chaps to go along with the hat.

2) The Bored Girlfriend

She has no interest in his beer geek lifestyle. She can't stand the smell or taste of beer. She's here because her friends bailed on her (Thanks, Becky). You'll be able to point her out in an instant- She looks bored and is constantly on her favorite social media site instead of taking in the sights, sounds, and tastes that her boyfriend is loving every minute of. Drink one for each Bored Girlfriend you spot. Give her a 5 ounce sample if she fakes an interest in what the boyfriend is saying and drink one with her.

3) The Mustachioed Menace

He's proud of his facial fur. He spends more time shaping and sculpting his 'stache than a teen spends getting ready for prom. And just like the teen, he's pretty sure his pristine facial pubes are getting getting him laid tonight. Well done on sharing info about which brand of mustache wax used to EVERY booth. Make him use a festival ticket to buy you a drink if you spot this guy in all his mustache wax glory.

4) The Craft Beer/Festival Noob

While I do applaud your effort on wanting to sample each and every beer from every vendor/brewery, don't throw a temper tantrum like a 3-year-old when "the one you were wanting to try all day" ran out an hour ago. If you really wanted to try it, you would have made this your first stop. If you have a 3-year-old, drink 3, one for each year. You've earned it. If you spot This Guy, grab one of his festival tickets and leave him empty-handed.

5) The "Type" Drinker

You know them. "I only drink IPAs, he only drinks dark beers." They both give you condescending looks when you describe a hoppy strong ale that drinks like an IPA despite being a dark color, appealing to both. There is no pleasing these bastards, by the way. The IPA you're pouring/drinking will never measure up to Pliny (which they've never had) and the dark beer isn't as good as Guinness. Drink two if you get them to try something out of their comfort zone.

6) The Know-It-All

There's no point in describing a beer to them, they already know everything about it. They haven't done research, they just know. They'll sometimes correct you on the ingredients and flavors they give off, no matter how wrong they are. You: "This is continuously hopped with Citra which gives it..." Them (interrupting): "No, actually. This is Hallertau-Mittelfruh, which is grown exclusively in the summer in the mountainous region in New Los Angeles, New Zealand. I can taste it."... Sigh...  Drink until you forget the conversation you had with this infuriating idiot.

 7) The "Brewpie"

A groupie of brewers. She came to the festival alone, but her hopes are not leaving alone. There are around 20-60 breweries at the event, each one having brewers and reps working.  Odds look good for her. She has done the research; she knows who the brewmaster is at each brewery, and she knows whether or not he is single. Most likely not wearing panties, she skips over any brewery owned or operated by a woman or corporation. She'll put on the charm, she'll bat her eyelashes, she'll give a little wiggle. She knows what she's doing, it's not her first time at the rodeo (unlike "Cowboy Hat Guy"). If you are available and work at a brewery, take her home. If not, buy her a drink and tell her you work at a brewery.

8) The Talker

They liked your beer. They were told by their friend that they need to try the beer. They were hesitant at first, as it's not normally a style they like, but their friend hasn't steered them wrong yet, and by golly, their friend was right again. They tell your their life story while holding up a line of thirsty people behind them. Drink three if they hate the beer you steered them to. Match their drinks just to shut them the hell up.

9) The Unfortunate Bastard

You can watch him in line. He's smiling and enjoying himself. Then BAM, his face changes to a morose, dismal look from seeing his ex with her new guy walk past him. He had a list of beers he wanted to try, scratch that. Now he just wants to get shitty drunk. I feel for him. If you're working a festival, give this guy an extra pour (and take an extra drink for yourself). If you aren't working a festival and happen across this poor bastard, drink three apiece. He's earned it.

10) The Good Times Guy

Usually mid-to-late 40's, he's shit faced and doesn't care who he bumps into. He'll try and dance with them. He'll be first in the karaoke lineup, just after he has had one too many and he's going to butcher "Sweet Home Alabama". Fuck it, it's a festival, right? He'll try and get selfies with any attractive lady. Hell, by closing time, they don't even have to be attractive. His Hawaiian shirt lets you know he IS the life of the party. Often spotted with the Wayne to his Garth. Party on, bruh. Run as far away as possible as quickly as you can and give him a high-five across the venue. Then drink three because you made it out alive. Then duck and run, and drink one more for good measure.

11) Intellectual Rednecks

They're dressed like Larry The Cable Guy impersonators; overweight with cut-off flannels exposing their hairy arms, bearded, camo ball caps. They look like they don't know anything other than Natty or Busch. DO NOT LET THIS STEREOTYPE DETER YOU! These are some of the most knowledgeable and well-spoken people at the festival. Much more knowledgeable than those condescending Hipsters, who give sideways glances to these guys as if to say "What are you doing at OUR festival?" I like these guys. Drink one with these guys. Take an extra drink if they actually work at a brewery. Chances are you won't need to do this because they will have offered you something amazing, but drink one with these guys anyway, their choice.

12) The Frat Boy Type

They roam in hordes, bro. They aren't at the festival to appreciate good beer, no, they're there to pound brews with their bros and hit on chicks. Doesn't matter what beer, doesn't matter what chick. You'll know them from the gaggle of douchebags who are all dressed the same. Drink one when you see them. Take an extra drink if they hit on you, take two if you are a guy.

13) The Beer Elitist

Paid for the VIP experience, refuses to drink anything offered because they aren't 'whales' or 100% Brett. They glide past many booths, scathingly looking down their noses, as they haven't heard of the up-and-coming breweries. Any brewery that isn't on RateBeer or Beer Advocate's top 10 or that didn't have a glowing write-up with a much-anticipated opening isn't good enough for them. Drink two if you get them to drink a "commoner" beer. Drink four if you get them to stop at the quick-refill stations for one.

14) The Hipster

You know the person. Sporting skinny jeans, a flannel, Chuck Taylors, black horn-rimmed glasses, and (if a guy) a plethora of facial hair, ever-so-carefully groomed. May overlap with the Mustachioed Menace. Technically, they may cross-breed with most other types on the list, but this one. This guy had the 2008 barleywine from X brewery in 2007. Probably listening to some obscure band on Spotify and not listening to you, spewing wisdom of the various brews available. Drawn to the PBR booth like a mosquito to a bug zapper between limited release cask beers. Choose target friend to give a drink for each hipster spotted. Take it back if they are a brewer.

Food pairing: Pretzels on a necklace
Music pairing: "Sweet Home Alabama," as belted out by Good Times Guy
Cheese pairing: Nacho cheese on the bland-ass nachos sold at the food court
 

The Alchemist Heady Topper

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.

Call me Ishmael. I dare you. We are back with a vengeance, and oh, how we have missed you! If one is to make a comeback after a two-month absence, one might as well go big or go home. It doesn't get much bigger than this, right? Tonight we bring you the esteemed, the highly sought, the deservedly highly rated Heady Topper from the Alchemist in Vermont. This beer has been called the best beer in the world. The world!

If you aren't familiar with Heady Topper, it is a double IPA made in Waterbury, Vermont. Currently The Alchemist is undergoing an expansion, so this beer is even harder than normal to obtain. It is distributed according to a very strict release schedule in Vermont only, and most places sell out of Heady within hours. No, we haven't been to Vermont lately. A pilot friend picked some up on a recent trip there and was kind enough to share it with me. It comes in a 16-ounce can, and you are encouraged to drink it straight from the can, which I fully intend to do. I did pour a little out for photographic purposes, just for you and well, because its color is utterly gorgeous.

We have talked about it long enough. I need this in my life right now, so let's just get to it. The color of this is the most beautiful pale color I have seen in a DIPA. It pours a beautiful pale orange with a little chill haze when you pour it straight from the fridge. As mine has warmed while typing this so far, it has developed into a gorgeous pale straw color that is pretty translucent. If I didn't know what I was about to drink, I would guess a pilsner (and oh, how delightfully wrong I would be!). Confession: this isn't my first Heady Topper. Oops. Sorry. There was a finger or so of fluffy white head atop this as I poured a bit, but it dissipated immediately. The aroma on this is amazing (OK, that's another reason I poured a little bit into a glass, so that I could get a better idea of the aroma). Mango, papaya, passionfruit, grapefruit, a hint of pine all waft past my nose and lure said schnozz into the beer. I've licked worse things off my nose. Taking a sip, each of those are present in the taste, along with a lovely light cracker note that serves as a reminder that this is no session IPA. This is a wonderfully complex IPA, with each sip delivering a different layer of delight. The exotic fruits, the citrus, the pine, the utter deliciousness all come in waves across the tongue. There is very little, if any, perceived bitterness, not at all what many averse to IPAs would expect. It's also not overly sweet, like so many DIPAs tend to be. The body on this is perfectly balanced, not too heavy, not too light. This tastes like superior craftsmanship in every sip. This might be the best DIPA I have ever had.

When we first had the opportunity to have this, we put it next to Fat Head's Hop Juju and Bell's Hopslam, my favorite beer. Heady Topper was head and shoulders above both. We recently brewed a DIPA for a competition, and I shot the moon on it. I wanted it to be better than Pliny the Elder or Heady. I think it's better than Pliny, and we will see how it stands up to Heady. I don't expect it to be quite as good as Heady, but we will see.

5/5 caps

-Jennie

As Jennie eloquently said, WE'RE BACK BABY! To let you loyal readers know what has been happening, well, Porn Maker 5000 (former computer) totally shit on us. We've been looking for a computer that screams out to us, but nothing has yet. We're temporarily borrowing our neighbors' XP-based computer, trying not to use it too much (only things we've downloaded have been 3-4 pictures, OpenOffice and Google Chrome browser). Not our computer, not ours to put 4 ½ months of music on. Countless hours of work and homebrewing has consumed our time.

Enough about us, you don't care about our banter. You care about the beer and what our opinions are on it.

I pulled this out of the fridge about 10 minutes ago to let it warm up. I, too, am going to drink straight from the can on this. I'm also doing a palate cleanser of Burger after an IPA, a hoppy red ale and dinner of corned beef.

Why drink from the can? Well, the giant letters at the top of the can tell you to. What else does the can tell you?

“Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale. This beer is not intended to be the biggest or most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate. Tremendous amounts of American hops will creep up on you, and leave you with a dense hoppy finish in your mouth.

So drinkable, it's scary.

Sometimes I wish I could crawl right into the can. Freshness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience.

Why do I recommend that you drink it from the can?

Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, hop experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom- leave them in the can while pouring. This beer is perishable, and at its best when it is young, fresh and hazy.

Keep it cold, but not ice cold.

Drink this beer immediately, we are always making more.

John Kimmich

The Alchemist

Waterbury, Vermont

DON'T BE A D-BAG, RECYCLE THIS CAN!”

Yes. I enjoy reading the text on bottles and cans. I picked up this habit from the delightfully humorous text on the labels of Flying Dog (but if I delve deep into my psyche, it probably stems from reading the 'flavor text' at the bottom of Magic: The Gathering cards. Yes, I enjoyed the game, don't judge).

Ok, that killed time and allowed this to warm up. As I crack it open, I'm entranced by citrus, tropical fruit, and faint hints of pine in my olfactory senses while my auditory senses are being blasted by Frank Turner's “I Am Disappeared” through the ear buds. We are electric pulses, yes indeed, Frank, but right now, my nose feels like it was just plugged into a light socket. The enjoyable onslaught of hop aroma makes me forget all of life's worries. WHY IS THERE NOT A CANDLE THAT SMELLS LIKE THIS?!?!?!?!

As this gently slides down my throat (HA! That's what she said), the hop oils start taking a stranglehold on my tongue, pummeling it with a fantastic array of tropical fruit (mango, passionfruit, faint lychee), grapefruit and a tinge of pine. This isn't bitter in the least, no, my friend; just fantastic flavors blasting your taste buds and coating your tongue in a awesome resin. The resin leaves a slight stickiness, reminding you your tongue was just Hiroshima'd with hops. The alcohol of 8% really isn't noticed while sipping on this delectable brew. Holy Hopsus. This is fan-fucking-tastic.

5/5 caps

-Nathan-

Food pairing: Corned beef (biff as my dude J-Doles calls it). And cabbage, bitches. Because we're Irish-American and Jennie can't wait until Tuesday.

Music pairing: Cherubs singing

Cheese pairing: Mango habanero cheddar

Bell's Venus

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.

Here we are, the official first blog of 2015. So far, this year is shaping up to be light-years better than last year. And we're still in early days. We hope that this new year has brought you endless happiness and abundance. It's a frigid night here in Central Ohio, so time to hibernate and drink some damn good beer. Brr. Brrrr. Beer. Mmmmm. Beer.

Tonight we delve into Bell's Planet Series. Apparently Larry listened to Gustav Holst's The Planets, a classical composition written between 1914 and 1916 as an homage to the planets as we knew them at that time. The composition was a nod to the astrological correspondences of each planet, as opposed to the astronomical views, so there is a bit of mythology that also goes along with each piece. Little known fact: I used to play the oboe -- rather well, natch, and I vaguely recall playing this collection in a symphony performance. Yep, you have officially met my inner nerd. So, Larry had this blaring on his iPod one day, and was inspired to brew a series of beers to accompany each piece. Fucking brilliant. Let's see here: I enjoy classical music which stems from playing in a symphony, I have witchy tendencies and relate often to astrological events, and I enjoy craft beer. I can't go wrong with this series.

We did enjoy the Mars: The Bringer of War, back when it was released in early August, only we didn't review it because of fucking sad life circumstances. It was an imperial IPA, which Bell's does quite well. I recall it being not quite as good as the Oracle, but it was still a pretty good IIPA. Interesting (at least to me) fact: Part of Mars: The Bringer of War piece was used in the opening of my all-time favorite song, Diamond Head's "Am I Evil". Huh. Venus: The Bringer of Peace was released next, in October. It is an ale brewed with apricot juice, cardamom, and vanilla beans. Ummmm, OK. A little different sounding, and I closely followed my friends' opinions of this beer. The response wasn't great, so I tackle this with a little trepidation. Many of them drain-poured it. Yikes. But hey, I don't mind apricot, cardamom, or vanilla beans. I'm just not sure how they will play out in a single beer.

This poured a beautiful light- to medium-golden color, crystal clear, with a little bit of white head. The nose on this is quite interesting. Scents of apricot and cardamom for certain are present, along with some crackery notes, and there is something I cannot quite identify. Vague tropical fruits, a hint of vanilla are both present. I'm intrigued by this and wondering why all the haters are hating on this. Taking a sip, it's... strange. It starts out as pure apricot nectar and a hearkening back to Christmas mornings of my youth, when my parents would serve some yummy coffee cake or ham and cheese casserole with a glass of apricot nectar while opening presents. Then the vanilla kicks in with a vengeance. It's almost overpowering, like a candle, yet you can tell it is straight-up vanilla bean. This is why I am wary of vanilla beans used in beer, people! Yet, the apricot and vanilla play well together for a minute. Then, once that little interlude is complete and the vanilla comes in to overpower everything, this ends with a sweet, citrusy, almost lemony finish. The cardamom is more prevalent in the aroma and takes a back seat during the taste. Certainly not a drain-pour for me, as I have required every last bit of mine to fully examine it. This is a medium-bodied golden ale that tends to be sweet and then tart.

While I have had many better beers from Bell's, this isn't as terrible as many people felt. Then again, we let this one get some age to it, so it might have developed somewhat in the bottle. I am definitely feeling the 7.5% ABV. I don't know that I could drink an entire six-pack of this, but one was enough to entice me to engage with the moon on this bitingly cold night, even if it is through a window.

3.8/5 caps

-Jennie

So, fucking computer's acting up. It decides to freeze up on a constant basis. It's a miracle we're able to do this review in under 3 hours with our interruptions (read: changing music tracks and thinking about wording while rebooting this POS). New Year, New Computer. RIP Porn Maker 5000, you've served your purpose for 5 years as a refurbished Vista-based gateway to the world. Next computer will be named something like Beer Maker 6000. Don't question the names, just understand I don't like "Bob's computer" as a name for a computer.

So, as we are into the Planet Series (up next is Mercury), it would be a good time to point out that Ohio is colder than Mars today.

This has had time to warm while Jennie beautifully wrote and demonically cursed at the computer. At this point, any head that was once there has lost all body and remains a thin film of it's prior glory. This is a crystal clear medium-golden color with no real noticeable bubbles at this point. The aroma on this is interesting. It's apricot heavy with a faint hint of cardamom. I'm not picking up much else in the nose. The flavor on this is a roller coaster ride of a whole array of flavors blasting the taste buds with a variety of different ends of the spectrum all at once. Wow. Let me try and pick this apart. Apricot still taking lead through the front and middle with vanilla and citrus playing second fiddle, but growing as the flavor reaches the back end. The cardamom really doesn't shine through like it does in the nose (note- this is also 2 hours into warming up). There's a tart note toward the back that reminds me of lemonade tartness, bringing the citrus notes toward the front, but yet still blending well with the vanilla. I just now read Jennie's review thoroughly while rocking out to Slipknot to signify the ending of the hellish work week with the mind-numbing mandatory plant wide meeting of blah blah blah blah try and stay awake through this for four solid hours while you know your work load is piling up blah blah blah.... Regardless, reading Jennie's review, the flavor profile doesn't seem to change at all from being colder to room temp.

I agree that this isn't a drink a sixer in a night beer, but it is such a unique beer that you should try it if you have an opportunity. I know it was a limited release, limited distribution, but people hold onto bottles. Go find a friend.

3.8/5 Caps

-Nathan-


Food pairing: Vanilla bean ice cream
Cheese pairing: a good ol' classic Provolone (not smoked, because you gave that shit up for your New Year's Resolution)
Music pairing: Well, this one kind of pairs itself, since it was based on a killer classical orchestration. Give Holst's "Venus" a listen while drinking this. And if you are really that opposed to classical music, well then, go listen to some Neil Young and "Harvest Moon".

Behind The Tap's Top Ten Beers of 2014

Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. You can also follow us on Untappd with our names of @jenniek and @guitaristshad.

Enjoy this review with Frank Turner & Jon Snodgrass "Happy New Year"

As we draw to the close of another year (thank goodness it's almost here!), we bring you our favorite beers that we drank this year. There were quite a few great brews to choose from, but these were the ones that stand out in our memories. Also, because we let the blog lapse for so long while my father's health was declining, there will be a significant amount of honorable mentions that were enjoyed and yet not reviewed.

Jennie's Favorites of 2014 (in no particular order):

Fat Heads Hop Juju
The mere, distant memory of this beer has me salivating for spring, when I will run all over Columbus in search of this. That chase will be well worth the effort in order to obtain this elixir of the gods.

Bell's Black Note Stout
This beer is as elusive as the Hop Juju, if not more so. An annual release that is a bourbon-barrel aged imperial stout, it reminds me exactly why Bell's is my favorite brewery. Boozy yet not too much with the bourbon, deep and dark with beautiful roasted and chocolate notes. I'm looking forward to having this again soon.

Jackie O's Paw Paw Wheat
While not a new beer in 2014, it was new to us, and so good that it earned a spot here. It's almost wine-like in its composition, delicious and bubbly and everything you would expect from a brewery with a cult following. And yes, I enjoyed it even more than Oil of Aphrodite, Dark Apparition, and barrel-aged Wood Burner (which, to be fair, was the most exquisite smoked beer I have had). This is light, refreshing, and quite possibly the best wheat beer I have ever had.

Toppling Goliath PseudoSue
A magnificent pale ale from a remote location in Iowa, Toppling Goliath has knocked it out of the park with PseudoSue. No wonder this beer is a hot commodity on the trade market. Any beer that causes Nathan and I to discuss divorce and him to get a job with Toppling Goliath in order to sleep in the stockroom must be worthy of a solid spot on our year-end list. (We didn't review Assassin, but we did have the good fortune to taste some of that deliciousness. It is every bit worthy of being on this list, as well, if only I had taken better notes!)

Weasel Boy Barrel-Aged Anastasia
Another offering from a fantastic stout night back in February, this beer was better-priced than most of the other "whales" we enjoyed, and if possible, even better tasting than most. I recall it being quite silky and with just the right amount of bourbon against a fantastic stout base. No wonder it has been awarded so many medals in the major competitions. I look forward to having this again very soon, especially if it means heading out to Weasel Boy (who also makes a mean rye beer, Wolverine).

Nathan's Favorites of 2014 (in no particular order)

Zaftig ZBS
A newer brewery in Columbus (opened in January) that puts out stellar beer. This is their BA Stout, and when it's available, it goes fast. This is a tap-room only release, so follow them on Facebook and Twitter to find out when it will be released (along with their other limited batches). This was- need I repeat it- KBS Killer.

Homestead Artists Series Vol II: Time (The Revelator)
You don't think with us being the founders, nay, discoverers of Hopsus that this would be a stout heavy list, did you? It's pretty balanced this year though- 4 stouts, 4 IPAs 1 pale ale and 1 wheat. Regardless, this locally made IPA was stellar enough to still long for this 11 months after first consumption.

Deschutes Chasin' Freshies
A juicy grapefruit, pine, and tropical hop bomb with an amazing aroma. We just started getting distribution of Deschutes this year and I look forward to trying more of the selections.

Flying Dog Kujo
Another fine selection from our epic stout night at World of Beer. One of my favorite beers of all time (ssssshhhhh! Don't tell the hops!). An amazing coffee stout that's 8.9% and tastes like a fresh cup of joe. This beer is what gave us the nickname Keg Killers a few years back.

Barley's Bourbon Meyer Buckeye Stout
A peanut butter chocolate stout that's bourbon barrel aged.... Let that sink in while your breathing increases and heart rate raises... Bourbon Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout... It's available from time to time at Barley's Ale House. Follow them on Facebook to find out when those releases are.

Honorable Mentions (reviewed):
While narrowing down the 50-some-odd brews we reviewed this year, some just couldn't make the cut to the final 10. These are great beers and you should go find them.

Founders KBS 
Schlafly Tasmanian IPA 
Seventh Son Humulus Nimbus
Bell's Hopslam (draft-- because it is such a different beer on tap than in the bottle, different enough to still qualify for Jennie's favorite beer.)
Fat Heads Hop Stalker

Honorable Mentions (not reviewed):
We are sorry to these breweries that with the year we had (read: death, death, death, depression) we did not have the opportunity to fully review your beers. We did, however, enjoy them and thought enough of them to give them an honorable mention.

NoDa Hop, Drop, and Roll
Yup, hops. Copious amounts of hops. We obtained this from a friend/fellow beer writer after her visit to North Carolina. We should have thoroughly reviewed this as we thoroughly enjoyed this. Hopefully, soon, we'll obtain more and give it te proper Behind the Tap treatment.

Homebrew: Peter Schroder's Fired Up Angel (Eximius Brewing)
A beautiful stout with vanilla and scorpion peppers. I have often joked that the scorpion peppers must have been handled by angels, because their presence is so smooth and subtle. There is a lot going on in this beer, but between the silky mouthfeel and the hint of heat set against a beautiful stout, this beer still rings closely in my tastebuds' memories. If I am still talking about it a month after drinking it, it is certainly good enough to be a commercial brew. Actually, let's take that further: I would put this up against any commercial brew and it would outshine them. I had the honor of entering this into a competition for Peter, and the unanimous mutter around the table and in every conversation head since is that this is the best use of pepper ever in a beer. The beer took second place in the competition, but man oh man, I wish I could put this on my list of beers actually reviewed for the year, because if it wasn't my favorite beer of the year, it was right up there.