EPISODE 37: Brut!

EPISODE 37: 

Brut!

I guess it's a reaction to the craze

That gave us hazy beers all rich with fruit

Which brings a brand new trend in IPAs

A clear dry style that has been christened "Brut"

Like the Champagne from which it draws its name

It's sparkly-effervescent, and so pale

But it's absurdly hopped-up all the same:

This isn't wine, it's India Pale Ale!

How does its Plato number get so low?

And how do all those sugars get erased?

The trick is adding enzymes to the show,

A dose of salivary amylase!

If you crave dry refreshing beer, I think

Brut IPAs are just the thing to drink!

EPISODE 36: "Jesus Brewed This IPA," "Catch a Cannonball," and "Guava Hop Convoy": Three From Old Stove

EPISODE 36:  
"Jesus Brewed This IPA," "Catch a Cannonball," and "Guava Hop Convoy": Three From Old Stove

They say that Jesus brewed this IPA
And if He did, I guess that is just fine
But did He brew, or conjure it the way
That once He transformed water into wine?

Now next I'm going to catch a cannonball 
A big ol' massive double IPA
It hits you in the stomach and you fall
But it's so good you love it all the way

And finally I ride the Hop Convoy
This shipment adds fresh guava to the mix
It's thick and fruity, hazy,  and oh boy --
I want to drink some more to get my fix!

Three IPAs from Old Stove Brewery:
I'll have to visit them more times, I see

EPISODE 35: March Mildness at Machine House Brewery

EPISODE 35: 
March Mildness at Machine House Brewery

Sometimes you want your ales straight from a cask
Hand-pulled, no CO2 nor nitro here! 
Is this request so very much to ask?
Not if Machine House is your source of beer! 

It's an oasis, great to get away
Like candy stores are for a little child
Best Bitter, Golden, Classic IPA...
The one I like the best, though, is the Dark Mild

Low alcohol, low bitterness from hops
But rich in malt, chocolate and caramel
A perfect session beer that never stops - 
It serves that purpose oh so very well! 

March Mildness is a time to celebrate! 
(And these t-shirts and glasses sure are great!) 

EPISODE 34: Hail Hale's!

EPISODE 34: 

Hail Hale's!

Thirty-five years! Where has the time all gone?

I hail thee, Hale's, as Brewing Pioneer

Still going strong, a true phenomenon

The time has come to re-enjoy your beer

My first pint was Palladium Pale Ale

Which dates way back to 1983

But even in THIS year it doesn't fail

It's clean and crisp, a perfect beer for me

I tried their Bill'sner Pilsner, by the way

(I also met the Bill for whom it's named)

And last, a brand new Citrus IPA

A modern classic that will soon be famed

The verdict: One great lager, two great ales

Three reasons to continue to love Hale's

EPISODE 33: Rolling Rock "33"

EPISODE 33:  

"33"

Well, this is Sonnet #33

So that means that the next beer on the dock

Displays that number quite conspicuously

I'm speaking of our old friend Rolling Rock

OK, it's owned by AB InBev now

But dances to that Old Latrobe beat

A legacy they do not disavow.

So what's the deal behind the 33?

Was it when Prohibition hit the curb?

Perhaps the Pittsburgh Steelers' founding year?

Or just the word count of the bottle blurb?

Who cares? It's not like it affects the beer!

So hoist a tall green bottle to the sky

And toast to 33 (but don't ask why)!

EPISODE 32: The Pike Brewing Company's Third Story

EPISODE 32:

The Pike Brewing Company's Third Story

Thee are so many stories 'bout The Pike

Recounting how it rose to brewing glory

And now there is another tale to tell:

A line of beers they've christened “The Third Story”

With six brand new fermenters now online

Head brewer Art now has the proper tools

To craft new brew according to design

That stack up next to their established jewels

First out the gate, a hazy IPA

Then Schwartzbier, and a coffee porter. Each is

A fine achievement, but so far my fave's

Another IPA – this one with peaches!

What next is new from our old friend The Pike?

I'm sure it will be something that I'll like!

EPISODE 31: Triplehorn Brewing Company's “Li'l Vin” Parti-Gyle

EPISODE 31:

Triplehorn Brewing Company's “Li'l Vin” Parti-Gyle

I scanned the list where all the beers were lumped

My eyes beheld an unfamiliar style

“OK,” I said, “You've really got me stumped.

Just what the heck's a freakin' PARTI-GYLE?”

The brewer told me what it meant: He'd dashed

Another smaller beer that was refined

From second runnings of a single mash

In this case, from their “Big Vin” Barleywine

A weaker beer, but not a weaker flavor

Like steeping a strong tea a second time

An amber ale that one can truly savor

With caramel notes that make it taste sublime

I'm glad that I discovered this “small” brew

I'm always up for trying something new!