Life On Tap

Dan seeks refreshment in Threes Brewing Gender Neutral, an American Pale Lager with Lemon Zest to wrap up Pride Month.

Threes Brewing Gender Neutral

STYLE: American Pale LagerINGREDIENTS: German Pilsner Malt, Malted Wheat, GR Hallertau Mittlefruh hops, Lemon ZestABV: 4.5%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 16oz Cans, Draft (Limited)Stats above taken from the brewery’s can, website and Untappd.

Appearance

Light, golden in color with a white, effervescent head.

Aroma

Lemon zest hits first and a little lime hits after mixing with a bready element.

Taste

Lemon/lime forward with a little malt grain.

Mouthfeel

Creamy, fairly dry, and refreshing.

Overall

Beach, picnics, pool, outside beer for sure…very good for day drinking. A better alternative to sticking a lime in a certain macro lager. Pairing-wise, nothing too heavy, but fish tacos hit my mind first.

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan found and pops an unlikely bottle: Strange Roots Experimental Ales Harvesta, which blends local malt and Gold Rush apples for the brew.

Strange Roots Experimental Ales Harvesta

STYLE: American Wild AleINGREDIENTS: Appalachian malt and locally-grown Gold Rush apples ABV: 8.2%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 750ml Bottles, Draft (Limited)Stats above taken from the brewery’s bottle and Untappd.

Appearance

Almost Champagne-like in appearance, a hazy, pale yellow with a fine, white head.

Aroma

Cider-esque with an earthy, burgeoning on barnyard Brett-based aroma.

Taste

Apple-forward with bread/pie crust from the malt and a brush of acidity in the mid-palate and finish.

Mouthfeel

Nice weight and coating from the mouthfeel.

Overall

This is the kind of bottle you open up amongst friends or family to really dig into and talk about the beverage, laughs, and life. Pairing-wise, you could go with lighter poultry dishes or tagine to lean into the fruit element.

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan delights in The African Queen And Her 7 C’s IPA from Liquid Intrusion Company care of an intro from Greg and Doug of Brothers In Booze.

Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company The African Queen And Her 7 C’s

STYLE: American IPAINGREDIENTS: African Queen and Falconers Flight 7 C’s hops ABV: 6.0%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 12-Ounce cans, Draft (Limited)Stats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Brilliant yellow/gold with a quarter-inch, white, fluffy head with various bubble sizes.

Aroma

Tropicality: Guava, passion fruit, underripe mango and pineapple with a splash of key lime to round it out.

Taste

Tropical fruits continue with muddled guanabana and a hint of citrus/lemon pith with the hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel

Even though it is only 6% ABV, there is a weight and mouthfeel that is immediately apparent along with the soft carbonation to enhance the flavors.

Overall

For me, a fish taco with a tropical-fruit based salsa is an obvious choice or with a bit of spice like Thai chili could work. This one is delicious, approachable, and satisfying. I need to try more IPAs with these South African varieties when I can.

Many thanks to Greg and Doug from Brothers In Booze for the virtual introduction!

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan enjoys the super complex Plum Basil Farmhouse Ale from Liquid Intrusion Company care of an intro from Greg and Doug of Brothers In Booze.

Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company Plum Basil Farmhouse Ale

STYLE: Farmhouse Ale (Saison) (brewed with plum and basil)ABV: 9.0%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 12-Ounce cans, Draft (Limited)Stats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Deep, orange in hue with a fairly effervescent, off-white head even with the pectin from the fruit in the mix.

Aroma

Plum hits initially but quickly flips to a traditional basil nose with some unique, fruit and herbal esters.

Taste

The saison base, plum, and basil are well-balanced, providing a back-and-forth with the earthy, fruity, spicy elements with another dose of the yeast expression.

Mouthfeel

Vibrant and fresh on the palate, gently gliding over the tongue.

Overall

Pairing-wise, tagine is the first thing that came to mind, with fruit and herbs joining the fray on the palate. Pine nut pesto on pasta might be fun as well as some less intensely-sweet desserts.

Many thanks to Greg and Doug from Brothers In Booze for the virtual introduction!

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan samples the food-friendly Lemongrass Saison from Liquid Intrusion Company care of an intro from Greg and Doug of Brothers In Booze.

Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company Lemongrass Saison

STYLE: Saison (brewed with lemongrass and Sorachi Ace hops)ABV: 7.0%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 12-Ounce cans, DraftStats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Medium yellow/almost light orange in color with a beautiful, tight-bubbled, white head.

Aroma

One of the most fragrant beers in a while; lemongrass is clearly leading the charge here.

Taste

Classic/dry saison notes via yeast esters coupled with the lemongrass. The Sorachi Ace addition adds to a pleasant bitterness that helps pair with food.

Mouthfeel

The weight, mouthfeel, and carbonation on this (again) makes a great food pairing.

Overall

Because of the lemongrass element, Thai food pairing is an obvious choice; any curry, Drunken Noodles, and anything with a decent amount of spice. Other seafood dishes would be a good choice as well.

Many thanks to Greg and Doug from Brothers In Booze for the virtual introduction!

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan cracks open South of DC, a flagship cream ale from Liquid Intrusion Company care of an intro from Greg and Doug of Brothers In Booze.

Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company South of DC

STYLE: Cream AleABV: 5.0%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 12-Ounce cans, DraftStats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Super clear, light golden in color, with a creamy-looking head.

Aroma

Clean aroma of the grain and hint of starchiness, typical of cream ales.

Taste

A hint of sweetness layered in the mix, with a clean, dry finish.

Mouthfeel

Light on the palate, crisp, and refreshing.

Overall

This is super-crushable. I could totally see myself having many of these either in nature, at an event, or even just at a bar with a ball game on in the background or live music. This could pair well with a lot of things, especially your typical bar fare.

Many thanks to Greg and Doug from Brothers In Booze for the virtual introduction!

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan reminisces while drinking Rohrbach Brewing Company Scotch Ale, a classic style, as his nineteenth beer from the NYS Craft Beer Box.

Rohrbach Brewing Company Scotch Ale

STYLE: Scotch AleABV: 6.9%IBU: 16SRM: 28AVAILABILITY: 16-Ounce cans, DraftStats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Ruby/brown in color with a beautiful, tan head.

Aroma

Deep, rich caramel nose.

Taste

Balanced, with a slight edge of the malt, with the caramel and roast/toast continuing.

Mouthfeel

Full mouthfeel, coating the palate.

Overall

I love that a scotch ale is a flagship…this brew was immensely nostalgic for me, as scotch ale/wee heavy used to be in higher demand way back. Pairing-wise, you can go savory or sweet with this; rustic poultry/fowl or even barbecue to caramel-based desserts or pecan pie might 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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan waxes nostalgic with Wild East Brewing Company Moderance, an English pub ale, as his eighteenth beer from the NYS Craft Beer Box.

Wild East Brewing Company Moderance

STYLE: English Pale Ale (Extra Special Bitter – ESB)ABV: 5.4%IBU: 40AVAILABILITY: 16-Ounce cans, DraftStats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.

Appearance

Burnt orange in color with a creamy, white head.

Aroma

Fruity and earthy esters hit first with an herbal hop note.

Taste

Breadiness and fruitiness from the malt meats the earthy and herbal notes form hops, finishing slightly bittersweet.

Mouthfeel

Medium body with a soft mouthfeel and it coats the palate.

Overall

English pub fare all the way like Shepherd’s Pie or you can go with a burger as well. This brew was so nostalgic for me, as English styles are amongst those that began my exploration into beer. I could definitely see myself having a couple of these while watching some soccer or at happy hour after a long day of work.

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan cracks opens Newburgh Brewing Company Amaizing Lager, brewed with NY State corn, as his seventeenth beer from the NYS Craft Beer Box.

Newburgh Brewing Company Amaizing Lager

STYLE: American Light LagerABV: 4.5%IBU: 10AVAILABILITY: 16-Ounce cans, Draft (In Rotation)Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and Untappd.

Appearance

Straw/light yellow and fairly clear with a sizable, white head.

Aroma

Cork husk and similar grain notes comparable to other light lagers.

Taste

Light, with a hint of the grain continuing on the palate.

Mouthfeel

Crisp, dry, refreshing, light on the palate, and easy-drinking.

Overall

I bet having a few of these at the brewery on a nice day would be a killer way to enjoy this brew. Pairing-wise, go with any typical bar fare and you won’t go wrong. Happy Lager Appreciation Month, by the way.

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers

Dan opens up a treat, Fort Orange Brewing Peanut Butter Stout, as his sixteenth beer from the NYS Craft Beer Box.

Fort Orange Brewing Peanut Butter Stout

STYLE: American Sweet Stout with Peanut ButterABV: 5.4%IBU: N/AAVAILABILITY: 16-Ounce cans, Draft (In Rotation)Stats above taken from the brewery’s can and Untappd.

Appearance

Deep, dark brown with a nice, tan head and little lacing.

Aroma

Roasty note from the malt meets the peanut butter in a nice balance.

Taste

The peanut butter tastes like a nice blanket over roasty stout notes. I love that the aftertaste echoes the same nostalgic flavor of after you have eaten peanut butter.

Mouthfeel

I could tell there was no lactose, but the mouthfeel was plenty full for a lower ABV brew.

Overall

This is clearly a play for desserts on a pairing perspective. I think this could handle a berry-based light sour combo a la Isley Brothers in Richmond for those that like to blend or mix. I think this is a good entry beer into the adjuncted stout realm before lactose and the ultra-high starting gravities come into play.

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 FoolsOuttro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers