July 7th- What's on Tap and Upcoming Craft Beer Events!

Laura Alberts

Allagash Odyssey

The Bruery Mischief

Coast Boy King Double IPA

Founders Pale Ale

French Broad Gateway Kolsch

Southern Tier Creme Brulee

Westbrook Brewing

Cowboy Meets Farmer (a Belgian style Blonde ale dry hopped with Amarillo)

White Thai

Belgian Pale 

Belgian Pale (with Saison Yeast)

IPA

Charleston Beer Exchange

New Holland Oak Aged Hatter IPA

Westbrook IPA

Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale

Southern Tier Mokah

Palm 

Founders Nemesis 2010

Dogfish Head Festina Peche

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut Down Ale

Coast 32/50 Kolsch

Westbrook White Thai 

Byrd's Beer at The Pig at the IOP Piggly Wiggly (Growler Fills)

New on Tap:

Coast Hop Art

Highland Cat tail Peak

Mellow Mushroom (Mt. Pleasant)

Stone Arrogant Bastard

Widmer Bros. Nelson IPA

Bells Pale Ale

Bells Oberon

Ace Pear Cider

Blue Moon Honey WHeat

Dogfish Head 90 min

Fat Tire

Franziskaner

Guinness

New Belgiasn Trippel

New Belgian Abbey Dubbel

Tilburgs Dutch Brown

Pursuit OF Hoppiness

Yuengling

Stone Sublimely Self Righteous

RJ Rocker Son of a Peach

Lion Stout

Westbrook White Thai

Coronado Islander IPA

Oak Barrel Tavern

Highland Gaelic Ale

Great Divide Denver Pale Ale

Julian Hard Cider

Bear Republic's Racer 5 I.P.A

Victory Prima Pils,

Southern Tier Jah-va Imperial Coffee Stout!

Upcoming Craft Beer Events

July 7th

From 5pm-8pm, Mellow Mushroom in West Ashley will host the New Belgium 20th Anniversary Party with exclusive beers, a tap take-over, birthday cake, and a New Belgium bike Giveaway.  Featured  beers will include: Abbey Grand Cru, Super Cru, Fat Tire, Trippel, Somersault, 1554, and Ranger IPA.

During the anniversary party there will be specials on on New Belgium beers in bottles, on draft, and flights.  Leading up to the anniversary party, Mellow Mushroom Avondale will be giving guests a chance to enter in the New Belgium bike giveaway. For three weeks guests can buy a raffle ticket with each purchase of a New Belgium beer for $1, with 100% of the raffle ticket proceeds going to local nonprofit, Teachers’ Supply Closet. The winner of the custom 2011 new Belgium Bike will be announced at the anniversary party and must be present to win. The anniversary party is free to attend.

July 11th

Blossom will host it's first ever Beer Dinner with Westbrook Brewing on July 11th, at 8pm.  Cost is $40 plus tax/gratuity.  Check out the menu here.  Call (843) 937-4012 ext. 267 for reservations.

July 15th

Total Wine & More Beer Class-"What's Not on Tap: Uncommon, Extraordinary Beer Styles."  "Take an enlightening tour through a flight of lesser known, often harder to find, beer styles. Experience flavors that might surprise you and will definitely help to expand your horizons of the flavor spectrum of beer from around the world."

Class includes beer selections, tasting sheets, take home educational materials, and discounts on the beer presented in class. $15 per class. Class size limited to 30 people.  6:30-8:30pm.

August 5th

Total Wine & More Beer Class-"Beer 101: Get Your Suds On!" "This is what you didn't learn about beer while in school. We'll cover some interesting, good-to-know beer basics while tasting some not-so-basic beers. You tasted those beers back in school; now it is time to get your suds on!"

Class includes beer selections, tasting sheets, take home educational materials, and discounts on the beer presented in class. $15 per class. Class size limited to 30 people.   6:30-8:30pm. 

Currently Drinking: Belgian Saison (homebrew)

Cheers!

Read More

July 2nd-What's on Tap and Upcoming Craft Beer Events!

Westbrook Brewing

Belgian Pale Ale

Belgian Pale Ale (With Saison Yeast)

IPA

White Thai

New Seasonal on CASK-Amarillo Wheat Pale

Taps Brews

Fort Collins Wheat Wine

Avery Summer Love

Skull Coast Scallywag

He'brew Lenny R.I.P.A

Terrapin Monks Revenge 

Dogfish Burton Baton

Dogfish Theobroma

Rougue Double Mocha Porter

Avery 18th Anniversary Rye Saison

Charleston Beer Exchange

*10% off Growler Fills for the holiday weekend*

Coast Hop Art IPA

Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale

Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barleywine

Palm 

Stone Imperial Russian Stout

Dogfish Head Festina Peche

Rodenbach Classic

Allagash White

Harpoon Rich and Dan's Rye IPA (100 Barrel Series #37)

Coast 32/50 Kolsch

Westbrook White Thai (July 2nd-? $8.99 Growler Fills)

Wine Awhile

Left Hand Juju Ginger

Mad Hatter Rye Pale Ale

Coronado Nuttin' Brown

Skull Coast Sea Witch

Bell's Pale Ale

Victory Summer Love

On Deck:

Dogfish Head 90 Minute

Closed For Business

New On Tap! 

Great Divide Denver Pale Ale

Victory Headwaters Pale

Konig Ludwig Hefe

Bear Republic Racer 5

Bells 2 Hearted Ale

Bombardier

They also have a Stillwater Flight (Stateside Saison, Stillwater/Mikkeller Two Gypsies-Our Side, Stillwater/Brewer's Art Debutant, Existent!

Upcoming Craft Beer Events:

July 7th

From 5pm-8pm, Mellow Mushroom in West Ashley will host the New Belgium 20th Anniversary Party with exclusive beers, a tap take-over, birthday cake, and a New Belgium bike Giveaway.  Featured beers will include: Abbey Grand Cru, Super Cru, Fat Tire, Trippel, Somersault, 1554, and Ranger IPA.

During the anniversary party there will be specials on on New Belgium beers in bottles, on draft, and flights.  Leading up to the anniversary party, Mellow Mushroom Avondale will be giving guests a chance to enter in the New Belgium bike giveaway. For three weeks guests can buy a raffle ticket with each purchase of a New Belgium beer for $1, with 100% of the raffle ticket proceeds going to local nonprofit, Teachers’ Supply Closet. The winner of the custom 2011 new Belgium Bike will be announced at the anniversary party and must be present to win. The anniversary party is free to attend.

July 11th

Blossom will host it's first ever Beer Dinner with Westbrook Brewing on July 11th, at 8pm.  Cost is $40 plus tax/gratuity.  Check out the menu here.  Call (843) 937-4012 ext. 267 for reservations.

July 15th

Total Wine & More Beer Class-"What's Not on Tap: Uncommon, Extraordinary Beer Styles."  "Take an enlightening tour through a flight of lesser known, often harder to find, beer styles. Experience flavors that might surprise you and will definitely help to expand your horizons of the flavor spectrum of beer from around the world."

Class includes beer selections, tasting sheets, take home educational materials, and discounts on the beer presented in class. $15 per class. Class size limited to 30 people.  6:30-8:30pm.

August 5th

Total Wine & More Beer Class-"Beer 101: Get Your Suds On!" "This is what you didn't learn about beer while in school. We'll cover some interesting, good-to-know beer basics while tasting some not-so-basic beers. You tasted those beers back in school; now it is time to get your suds on!"

Class includes beer selections, tasting sheets, take home educational materials, and discounts on the beer presented in class. $15 per class. Class size limited to 30 people.   6:30-8:30pm. 

Currently Drinking:  Brown's Brewing Pale Ale

Cheers!

Read More

TAPS Brews Seems Cool!

Although I haven't had the opportunity to get out there yet, TAPS Brews in Summerville seems like a great place to drink a pint or buy some quality craft beer.  Although their website is currently pretty limited, it describes itself as such:

"Taps Brews specializes in ONLY premium craft brews from all over the world. We offer brews by the bottle, pint or growler. If you are looking to expand your beer palate Taps is the place for you."

TAPS Brews also has a facebook profile.  Check it out here!

Check out what they have currently on their growler station (you can also get pints to enjoy in-house).


Dogfish Head Chickory Stout
Sam Adams East-West Kolsch
Sweetwater Road Trip
Foothills Peoples Porter
Terrapin Monks Revenge
Westbrook Citra Rye Pale Ale
Palmetto Extra Pale IPA
Estrella Damm
Left Hand Good JuJu

Not too shabby!!!  Seems like a good reason to take a little drive up to Summerville.   For me, I won't be able to get there for a few weeks as I am on three week vacation in Upstate NY.   If you happen to get out there, please comment your feedback.  Stay tuned for a more detailed blog when I get a chance to see this seemingly cool place for myself. 

Currently Drinking: Coffee (Too early to crack one open)

Cheers!

Read More

Closed For Business....Please Stay Open Forever!!!

Memorial Day weekend, the wifey and I decided to throw one back at Closed For Business Draught Emporium .  If you don't already know, it is located at 453 KingStreet, in downtown Charleston.  This was the wifey's second time at C4B, and my first.  While on our way to the Apple store, the wifey had wanted us to stop in to C4B so that she could show me how awesome this place was.  I certainly did not argue.  In my head, it was definitely Beer Thirty!  Plus, I knew this place had 42 taps of good quality craft beer to choose from and was voted "Best Beer Selection on Tap" by the Charleston City Paper in March 2011.  The wifey knew that this is definitely my kind of place.  When we walked in, I was greeted with a visually appealing restaurant, with a fine selection of beers, and food that smelled damn good.  I am glad Closed For Business was OPEN!   Check out some pics of the place.

With not much intention of eating, we ordered our beers (then got another sniff of the food and decided to look over the brunch menu).  Here is (most of) the beer menu.

What to pick?  What to pick?   We both decided to try different beers from Stevens Point Brewery (Wisconsin brewery).  I went with the Cascade Pale and the wifey went with the Nude Beach (she just liked the name I think).  Both were good, but we decided that mine was the better of the two.   A good solid beer, with a nice hop aroma.  Not as bitter as I was hoping.  I am definitely a hop head.   In regards to the beer menu, I like how they separate the beers into categories such as Light, White/Fruit, Pale, Amber/Brown, and Dark.  This makes it much easier for a guy like me to find the beers that I like and don't like.   On this particular day, beers of note (that I really enjoy a lot) were: Allagash White, Coast Hop Art, Bear Republic Racer 5, Foothills Hoppyum, Stone IPA, Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale, Westbrook Citra Rye Pale Ale, Palmetto Falconer's IPA, Ommegang Rare Vos, Highland Oatmeal Porter, and Ballast Point Sextant.   Many other quality beers as well.  I was highly, highly impressed and can't wait to go back.

On to the food (we couldn't resist ordering something since the food smelled so good).  It was Sunday, so we ordered from the Brunch menu.  I went with a sausage, egg and cheese and the wifey with the French Toast.  Two words for my sausage, egg and cheese.....Freaking Yummy!  The wifey liked her French Toast, but my sausage, egg, and cheese stole the show.  Check it out.

Other things that kick @$$ about C4B, is the fact that you can order 10oz, 16oz, or 1 Liter sized drafts.  On this day, I went for the pint.  But heck, another day I just might feel like bringing out the big guns and downing a pint of some Ommegang Rare Vos or some Ballast Point Sculpin IPA.  Maybe I'll even head over to Bed, Bath & Beyond if I have enough time (hopefully you have seen Old School and get this is a joke).   Also, the beer menu changes on a daily basis so they are always offering new,  great craft beers.

All in all, I loved Closed For Business and hope that it stays Open For Business for a long time.  I certainly plan on coming back very soon and putting down a liter of something delicious to my head.  Maybe even 2 liters!

Have you been to C4B?  What are your thoughts on this place?

Currently Drinking:  Homebrewed Black IPA (not too black, kinda brownish black but tastes pretty good)

Read More

Another Night at the Coleman Public House!

This past friday night, the wifey and I decided we were in the mood for a good burger and some good craft beer.  Although we should be trying new places since we just moved here last year, we can't stop going back to the Coleman Public House.

With a high quality craft beer selection, and the best burger I've ever had, we just can't get enough of this place.  It's only been open for about a year, so you may not have had the chance to make it out to CPH.  If this is the case, I highly recommend that you check it out ASAP!  CPH is located on Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant, just a few minutes over the Ravenal Bridge.   Now on to the beer...

Coleman Public House features a solid 16 beers on draft and 12 bottles.  With such a great selection of drafts, I personally don't even contemplate the selection of bottled beers.  On this night, check out what they had on draft.

With such great selection, I was faced with some difficult choices.  Should I go with something I know that I really like (Old Rasputin, Sweetwater IPA, Westbrook Citra Rye), or take a risk and try something new?  With good craft beer, I always consider this a good problem to have.  I ended up going with the Stoudt's Scarlet Lady for round one and the Great Divide 17th Anniversary  Double IPA for round two.  The wifey went with the Sweetgrass Pale Ale (I was jealous, as I liked this one better than my Scarlet Lady) and then her old reliable Weihenstephan Hefeweizen ( I always love hearing her order this one because she pronounces it different everytime).

                          Round One (Quit looking at my wife, we are talking about the beer here)

Round Two (She is hot, I know)

As stated earlier, I really enjoyed the wifey's Sweetgrass Pale Ale over my choice of Stoudt's Scarlet Lady.   Both were good though.  The highlight of my night (besides being on a date with the wifey) was the Great Divide 17th Anniversary Double IPA.  This beer is based on their Denver Pale Ale recipe.  It's copper hued color is pleasing to the eye, it's malty sweetness coats your tongue, and the earthy, floral English and American hops provide a good balance to this awesome beer that clocks in at 10% abv.  It also has a pronounced oakiness to it, as it has been aged on French and American oak chips.   Overall, a fantastic beer in my opinion.

Now on to the food at CPH.  Everything I've ever seen come out of the kitchen looks fantastic.  I just can't seem to get off the Southern Burger, while the wifey has an affair with the Barnyard Burger.   Her selection has goat cheese on it (which I hate), so I can't attest to how delicious it is.  She also wrote a blog on her site about our recent visit to CPH.  You should check it out, as she is much more witty than I. She also is a better righter (get it righter...writer...ha ha) than I.   Anyway, back to the food.  My Southern Burger has pepperjack cheese, fried green tomato and remoulade, while her Barnyard Burger has goat cheese, oven roasted tomato, fresh spinach, and carmelized onions.  Check em out.

All in all, the CPH is a great place to go for some quality craft beer and quality food.  The beer menu is excellent.  The food is excellent.  The staff is excellent.  They are always very friendly and knowledgable about the beer selection.  Definitely the CPH is gonna stay one of our go-to places in Charleston.   If you haven't yet, be sure to stop in to this watering hole soon.  I think you will definitely be glad you did.

Currently Drinking: Sweetwater IPA
Cheers!!!

Read More

Mellowing out at Mellow Mushroom in Mt. Pleasant!

A few Friday nights back, the wifey (check out her Charleston blog if you'd like) and I decided to go to the Mellow Mushroom in Mt. Pleasant.  We heard that the pizza was pretty good plus we had a Groupon.   I never thought they would have a kick @ss craft beer selection!!!  Luckily for me and the wifey, I was wrong.   Not only does Mellow Mushroom have delicious pizza, come to find out they have 21 quality beers on tap and nearly 100 bottles to choose from.  Pizza and good craft beer ='s Bonus!    Let’s just say the selection was good enough that it took me about 15 minutes to figure out what beer to go with.   This is what I call a good problem to have.  On draft (this particular day), they had Sweetwater Road Trip, Chimay Tripel, Dogfish Head Namaste, Dogfish 90 Minute, Tilburg's Dutch Brown Ale, Terrapin Hopsecutioner, Coast 32/50 Kolsch, and about 12 more.  

Now on to the 100 or so bottles they had to choose from.  Notable bottle selection included beer from: Stone, Houblon Chouffe, Stoutds, Bear Republic, Coronado, Allagash, Chimay, Unibrou, Weyerbacher, Duvel, Avery, Bells, Victory, Lagunitas, Rouge, Highland, Abita, Brooklyn, Great Divide, Samual Smiths, New Belgium, and Pauwel Kwak.  Check out the pics of the bottled beer menu and see for yourself:

  

                                                 

I personally liked how they categorized the bottle menu.  Makes it easy for someone like me (who always takes a long time to decide what beer to order) to make my decision just a tad bit quicker.

I ended up going with Dogfish Head Namaste, followed by a Terrapin Hopsecutioner. 

The wifey went with ??? (honestly don't remember.  My beers were good though!)

Other cool things about Mellow Mushroom in Mt. Pleasant

*Beer Dinners Monthly (Wednesday Nights)

**Happy Hours (Monday-Friday 4pm-7pm  $2 off drafts and bottles)

***Beer Club (Basically rewarded you for drinking a lot of beer...I like where their heads at)

****They fill growlers of anything they have on draft
*****Psychedelic atmosphere reminds of....Oh never mind.  

Currently Drinking: Green Flash IPA Hombrew Clone

Cheers!

Read More

The Pig is King!

The other day the wife read somewhere (possibly The Charleston City Paper) that the IOP Piggly Wiggly had a growler station and an excellent selection of craft beer.  I was surprised for two reasons.  First, I didn't know there was a Piggly Wiggly on IOP (turns out there isn't), and secondly that they had an excellent selection of craft beer.   Well, after a nice little beach day we decided to find this IOP Pig and check out the selection.   As stated earlier, it turned out this particular Pig was not located on IOP, but actually the IOP connector in Mt. Pleasant.   The beer selection being excellent, was actually very true indeed.   We first noticed the 6 tap growler station, which has some high quality selection.  There is even a Facebook Page where they update what they are currently featuring on tap.  Not bad for a Pig!

After scoping out the growler station, we found the section of high quality bombers and sixers.  Some highlights include: Avery, Southern Tier, Ballast Point, The Bruery, Ommegang, Stone, Great Divide and whole kiosks (not sure what else to call them) of Dogfish Head and Rogue.   The wifey and I were pretty impressed.  This Pig was definitely wearing lipstick.  From here on out, I may have to pledge my weekly grocery store visit allegiance to the IOP Pig.

PS  If I wasn't so new to this blogging thing, I would have been smart enough to snap a pic of the Pig's selection.  Hope you can cut me some slack this time.

Read More