Life On Tap

Dan wanted to revisit one of the German representations of the fest styles during Oktoberfest, so Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen it is…PROST!

STYLE: German Oktober Fest-Märzen
ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 25
AVAILABILITY: 330ml Bottles/Draft (Seasonal)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s bottle and website.

Burnt orange/amber in color with a beautiful, fluffy, white head.

Toasted bread, biscuit, and yeasty elements blended with an earthy and spicy hop nose.

Biscuits and crusty bread with a hint of earthy hop to balance.

Clean, crisp, light and dry with a gentle mouthfeel, with stable, soft carbonation gliding across the tongue and palate.

This beer is one of my go-to OG (Original German) fest beers, and in the proper glassware, it can definitely make you want to go drink it in a tent. Obviously, I crave all the usual German beer hall staples with this one. PROST!

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 377: Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen appeared first on Life On Tap.

Picked up while on vacation, Dan cracked All The Leaves Are Golden, a German-style Festbier from a Catskills’ local, Union Street Brewing.

STYLE: German-style Festbier
ABV: 5.1%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Seasonal)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Medium gold in color with a thick, fluffy, white head.

Toasted bread/biscuit leads and is so inviting.

Biscuits and crusty bread with a hint of earthy hop to balance.

Dry, with soft carbonation and light to medium mouthfeel.

This brew helps evoke that autumnal mindset and reminds me of fall activities. Pairing-wise, German beer hall food is what I was craving, so bring on the brats, spaetzle, etc.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 376: All The Leaves Are Golden appeared first on Life On Tap.

Dan pops open the second of some offerings from Awestruck purchased on vacation, Dry Apple & Oak…a great fridge standard.

STYLE: Apple Cider
ABV: 6.8%
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/750ml bottles/Draft (Year-Round)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Gold in hue with small bubble carbonation.

Fresh apple fruit right at the orchard with earthy/wood/tree bark from the oak presence.

Amalgamation of familiar apple profiles with a hint of acidity.

Dry, with a lovely, medium mouthfeel and soft carbonation to allow the apples to showcase.

Very approachable and a great candidate for a fridge standard, though I imagined this as a lead-off cider out at a bar or by the grill at home. Pairing-wise, I was leaning to more complementary dessert flavors, but perhaps some fruit-based item with some icing. Savory-wise, I was feeling Asian-inspired wings for some flair.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 375: Dry Apple & Oak appeared first on Life On Tap.

Dan pops open the first of some offerings from Awestruck purchased on vacation, Blackberry with a Hint of Lime.

STYLE: Fruited Cider
ABV: 5.5%
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Seasonal)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Pink hue with small bubble carbonation.

Earthy blackberry fruit with lime zest and juice in the background.

Sweet blackberry character with a kiss of lime acidity.

Light mouthfeel and soft carbonation allow the fruit character to shine.

This is an incredibly approachable cider, though it might be a little on the sweeter side for those that lean in that direction. Pairing-wise, I think a goat cheese or feta-based salad is an obvious choice, though lighter poultry preparations could work. Dessert-wise, ice cream, cream puffs, or straight up fruit-based items could also be fun.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 374: Awestruck Blackberry appeared first on Life On Tap.

While on vacation, Dan pops open Perch, a refreshing and sessionable golden ale from a Catskills’ local, West Kill Brewing.

STYLE: Belgian-style Golden Ale
ABV: 5.0%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Year-round)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Super clear and golden in color with a small, white head.

Good yeast character coming through with a honey note on the nose.

Some honey sweetness continued onto the palate with fruity notes.

Lighter in weight but mouth-coating and supple in mouthfeel.

This is an incredibly drinkable and approachable beer. I was craving Moule Frites while I was having this, and later paired it with a local salmon dish. Thanks again to my SIL for hooking me up with some West Kill beers for vacation.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 373: Perch appeared first on Life On Tap.

Dan cracks the sixth and final brew from the Green City box, Other Half’s Brooklyn Bustle, a Triple IPA decked out with many hops.

STYLE: Double Dry-Hopped American Hazy Triple IPA
INGREDIENTS: Amarillo, Citra, Citra Incognito, Nectaron and Kohatu
ABV: 10.0%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Limited, Green City Box)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Beautiful, pineapple/orange juice hue with a white, fluffy head and lacing on the glass.

Nectarine hits first, followed by a mix of tangerine Mandarin orange fruit, juice, peel, and zest.

Candied mango mixed with fresh squeezed orange juice, overripe nectarine, and bit of citrus zest on the finish.

The weight on this is definitely present, but the alcohol cannot be perceived easily. The mouthfeel across the palate is velvety, again due to the soft carbonation.

This big boy drinks way too easily…definitely be careful if you are opening more than one over the course of a session. Pairing-wise, I would go spicy wings, kicked up chicken tacos, spicy Thai papaya salad, and more.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 372: Brooklyn Bustle appeared first on Life On Tap.

While some beer friends are at Barrel & Flow in Pittsburgh, Dan cracks open Not Always Present, a Kolsch-style brew from Dancing Gnome.

STYLE: Kolsch-style
ABV: 4.8%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Year-round, including Kolsch Service)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Straw yellow in color with a thin, white head.

Grainy, Kolsch-style malt bill notes with a pleasant minerality.

The grainy note continues from the nose and the hops add a hint of earthiness, followed by a gentle sweetness, with that minerality coming through on the finish.

Super light, pretty dry, and very easy drinking.

This beer is available for Kolsch Service at Dancing Gnome, and I think it merits a trip to enjoy your fill of many Stanges. German beer hall food for sure, but standard pub fare, various lighter tacos, and Pad Thai on the pairing front. I think banana bread might be fun for a dessert duo.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 371: Not Always Present appeared first on Life On Tap.

Dan cracks the fifth from the Green City box, OH’s Phrenetic Philly, an Imperial IPA with Citra three ways plus Galaxy and Vista hops.

STYLE: Double Dry-Hopped American Hazy Imperial IPA
INGREDIENTS: Citra three ways: T90’s, Cryo and Incognito; plus Galaxy and Vista hops
ABV: 8.2%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Limited, Green City Box)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Looked like fresh-squeezed pineapple juice with a beautiful, fluffy, white head.

Mix of guava, passionfruit, and underripe pineapple with some nectarine and apricot thrown in.

Light tropical notes, with muted pineapple, candied lemon jam/preserves, and hints of citrus zest and underripe stonefruit.

Super soft carbonation helps the mouthfeel feel like silk across the palate.

Another super interesting hop blend, for sure. Chicken or pork dishes for sure, with pibil or tacos al pastor could be potentially good pairings.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 370: Phrenetic Philly appeared first on Life On Tap.

Dan cracks the fourth from the Green City box, OH’s Ludicruous Lakes, an Imperial IPA with Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Pacific Sunrise hops.

STYLE: Double Dry-Hopped American Hazy Imperial IPA
INGREDIENTS: Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Pacific Sunrise hops
ABV: 8.5%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Limited, Green City Box)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Lighter yellow with tinge of orange and a white, fluffy head.

Five Alive nose for me, with pineapple leading, mixed with passion fruit and a lovely burst of citrus with ruby red grapefruit, tangerine, and navel orange.

Citrus continuing with some Meyer Lemon and lime zest added with muddled grapefruit, underripe citrus, guava, and other tropical fruit hints.

Smooth and creamy mouthfeel and soft carbonation gliding across the palate.

I was really digging this one, probably because Nelson Sauvin is one of my favorite hops, and it plays well with these other modern varietals. Ceviche was calling to me while sipping on this, though other fish and seafood would work as well.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 369: Ludicrous Lakes appeared first on Life On Tap.

Dan cracks the third from the Green City box, Other Half’s Manahattan Mayhem, a Imperial IPA with hand selected Citra, Mosaic and HBC586.

STYLE: Double Dry-Hopped American Hazy Imperial IPA
INGREDIENTS: Hand-selected Citra, Mosaic and HBC586
ABV: 8.0%
IBU: N/A
AVAILABILITY: 16 oz. cans/Draft (Limited, Green City Box)


Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and website.

Medium yellow and hazy, looking like a blended juice.

Citrus leads with navel orange/tangerine combo, followed by a hint of green/dankness and underripe mango.

Muted fruit notes from the aroma trail in as moderately-ripe mango and clementines.

Supple, smooth and creamy mouthfeel and soft carbonation caresses the palate.

No surprise, another pretty crushable hazy. I was feeling Chicken Tinga tacos while sampling, as I wanted something with a little spice to match the fruitiness.

Cheers and remember:

Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.

All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

The post Episode # 368: Manhattan Mayhem appeared first on Life On Tap.