McKenzie Brew House

On the way to the beach, my boy Matt and I stopped at McKenzie Brewhouse in West Chester. The first beer I ordered was the Abbey 6. The beer is a dark amber color with a light floral aroma. It has a sweet taste and a clean hop finish. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. I enjoyed this beer and it was a good start to the meal. The hops decently accented the sweetness of the beer.

The second beer I had was the Unicorn Amber Ale. It (obviously) is amber in color with a sweet aroma. The taste is sweet at first, but has a spicy finish. The after taste was malty and very reminiscent of Troegs Rugged Trail. The alcohol content is 4.6% ABV. I have had this beer before when I went to McKenzie and it is one of my favorites by them. Matt brought up the Rugged Trail reference and it makes sense. I highly recommend making a stop here is you are traveling through West Chester.

Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra, and Silversun Pickups

I recently went to Baltimore to Rams Head Live to check out Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra, and Silversun Pickups.

I had high expectations for Cage the Elephant, as I have really been digging their album recently. They hit the airwaves with "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" and their most recent single "In One Ear" is starting to pick up steam [It's my favorite song on the album]. Cage the Elephant had great energy from the start, but it took a while for the crowd to respond. I will assume this is due to their lack of exposure to Cage the Elephant. However, after "Wicked" started, the crowd got into the music and fed off their energy. The greatest moment of the whole show came when the lead singer of Cage the Elephant climbed up a speaker to the second floor and sang the second half of the last song. Following the conclusion of the song, the singer jumped from the balcony onto waiting concert-goers, and proceeded to surf to the stage. It was an amazing time and I thoroughly enjoyed this band.

The second set of the night was by Manchester Orchestra. I love their new album, and had heard very good things about them live. I was absolutely impressed with their sound and technical ability. It was amazing how close to their album sound they sounded. My only complaint is that they did not play any older songs. Every song of their set was from the new album. While I thoroughly enjoy the new album, I would liked to at least heard "Wolves at Night" and "Golden Ticket." However, hearing almost the entire new album was a great experience and I want to see them again.

The closer for the night was Silversun Pickups. Their new album is receiving regular play in my car, so I was very excited to see them live. The lead singer impressed me most, as his voice is in no way modified on the album; he sounds the same live as he does on the album. I went absolutely nuts when they broke into "The Royal We," my favorite song off of the new album. I thought their set was very well laid out, mixing slower songs among faster songs to keep the crowd pumped up. The songs "Lazy Eye" and "Panic Switch" were very well executed kept the set moving along.

Overall, the concert was well worth the $40. I enjoyed all three bands and would see each of them again. My only wish is that Manchester Orchestra would have played last with a little more older stuff mixed in.

Fordham Helles Lager

At the Silversun Pickups, Manchester Orchestra, and Cage the Elephant concert, I stumbled upon a new brewery that I had not previously heard about. I ordered a Fordham Helles Lager from the bar in the Ram's Head Live out of the choices that they had. The color of the lager is dark amber and it does not have a noticeable aroma. The taste is sweet and clean. There is a caramel after taste that really accents the beer nicely. The alcohol content is 5.1% ABV. Baltimore Magazine voted it Best Local Beer, so this beer also carries some reputation behind it. I really liked this beer, and I plan on taking a brewery tour on the way home from the beach next week, as the brewery is just off of Route 1 in Dover, Delaware.

Black Dog Honey Raspberry Ale

While at Tir Na Nog, I also ordered a bottle of Black Dog Honey Raspberry Ale. The beer is a dark amber with a slight pink accent. The aroma is sweet and fruity and so is the taste. There is a subtle honey accent with the raspberry flavor. The after taste is very light and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day. The alcohol content is 5.1% ABV. I was impressed with the flavor of the beer and am very interested in the other Black Dog Ales. I would recommend checking out this beer, and the website includes a map of their distribution area.

Clipper City Marzhon

Prior to the Silversun Pickups, Manchester Orchestra, and Cage the Elephant concert in Baltimore, a group of us hit up Tir Na Nog Irish Pub. On draft, they had Clipper City MarzHon. The beer is gold in color and has a sweet aroma. The taste is sweet and malty, with an undertone of caramel. The after taste has a sweet bite to it. As for alcohol content, the MarzHon has a 5.25% ABV. I am a really big fan of this beer and I plan on getting some more of it. The sweet caramel taste is very satisfying and led me to order another beer during dinner.

Bowling for Soup- My Wena

I have always been a fan of Bowling for Soup, and this song is freaking hilarious! Mad props to any girl who wears a "wena" costume for Halloween.

Troegs Scratch 21- Artisan Ale

I stopped in to Troegs Brewery today to pick up some growlers of Scratch 21- Artisan Ale. This scratch is supposedly very similar to the Naked Elf. Troegs was taking a run at making Mad Elf without the cherries, honey or chocolate malt [so not really Mad Elf]. The beer pours a very similar reddish-brown color as Mad Elf. It smells of a strong alcohol content, similar again to Mad Elf. The taste is very malty and sweet. It definitely is not as potent or as sweet as Mad Elf, but you can't really expect to get Mad Elf with the Scratch. In comparison, it is not as good as Mad Elf. However, as a standalone beer, it is excellent. The after taste maintains the sweet malt taste with a strong yeast flavor. The alcohol content is 7.8% ABV. I think Troegs could market this beer all year long and it would sell very well.

As a side note, Troegs released Scratch 22 today when I was there. I was going to get a growler of it, but I decided to make a return trip in the near future. However, I did not pass on the opportunity to sample it. Scratch 22 is a pilsner, and at first I was not impressed. However, after sampling the beer, the after taste of coriander would not leave my mouth and I wanted another glass of it. I definitely plan on going back for a growler and a full review. Make sure to make a trip down to Troegs to check it the newest Scratch beer.

They're Not After Your Brains

A great picture I snapped outside the Mechanicsburg, PA Hooters. It earns the caption "THEY'RE not after your brains."

Flying Fish Exit 11 Hoppy American Wheat

My boy Matt picked me up a bottle of Flying Fish's latest in the Exit Series, Exit 11 Hoppy American Wheat. I have been anticipating this beer since it's release, so I was very excited to try it. The pour is a little thick and well carbonated, golden in color. It is also very opaque, hinting that the wheat is unfiltered. The aroma is very hoppy and floral. The taste is very light and crisp, with a decent amount of hops. The after taste reveals an apricot undertone and a slight hop bite. I'm not usually a fan of beers that are labeled "hoppy", but the Hoppy American Wheat is a very satisfying and balanced beer. The alcohol content is 6.2% ABV.

Iron Hill Cannibal

The second growler my boy Matt picked up from Iron Hill Brewery was the Cannibal. The beer is an unfiltered, cloudy yellow color. The smell is extremely sweet with hints of lemon. The taste is sweet at first, with an after taste of bitter lemon. It made for a great balance within the beer. The alcohol content is 7.8% ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer, as it was equally tasty and refreshing. I highly recommend trying it if you happen to be at Iron Hill.

Iron Hill Raspberry Wheat

My boy Matt picked up two growlers at Iron Hill Brewery today. The one growler was filled with the Raspberry Wheat. The beer is a very light amber color and has a slightly sweet aroma. The taste was not that great in my opinion. I thought it had a hint of chemicals or something in it. I couldn't even get much of a raspberry taste out of it. The alcohol content is 4.1% ABV. I'm wondering if the growler had some leftover cleaner in it when it was filled. I might give it another try, but I will be reluctant to do so.

Paul Blart South Side Works Cop

As seen at the South Side Works in Pittsburgh.

Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh

As part of pre-wedding celebrations, I got into Pittsburgh last night and a group of us went to Hofbrauhaus for dinner and drinks. The restaurant is situated into three sections: A quiet room, outdoor seating, and the large dining hall. We chose to eat in the dining hall to be a part of the singing and drinking festivities.

The beer I drank all night was the Hofbrau Dunkel. The color is a dark amber. The aroma hints at the barley used with a sweet undertone. It has a malty taste with hints of caramel. The after taste is toasted. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. I enjoyed this beer so much that I ordered two liters of it for our dinner. The picture above it the beer in the signature 1-liter glass.

For dinner we started with the soft pretzels with bier cheese and sauerkraut balls. Both were excellent. I ordered Wurstlteller, which is a sampler of mettwurst, bierwurst, and bratwurst. On the side was German potato salad and sauerkraut. The food was absolutely fantastic and extremely filling.

I enjoyed my first visit to Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh. I highly recommend that you make a visit to stand on the benches and sing along to the German polka band that plays every night. It really is quite the fun atmosphere and experience.

Appalachian Brewing Company- July 2009

Drawn by the rumor of the Blackberry Wheat, I dropped into Appalachian Brewing Company tonight to check out some new beers.

The first beer I ordered was the Blackberry Wheat. The beer came out a deep red color, almost purple. There was a light aroma to the beer with a slight fruit accent. The beer tastes sweet at first, but finishes a little tart. The blackberries are prevalent in the beer. The Blackberry Wheat finishes a bit dry, but is still very tasty. The alcohol content, according to the bartender, is 5.25%-ish, as he was not sure if it was brewed with the blackberries or infused, so he assumed infused. Overall, the beer was decent and I think it would get better with age. It is still a beer worth checking out.

The second beer I ordered was the Dom Blonde. I have always been a fan of the Dom Blonde, even though it may be light and pale in color it packs a lot of flavor. The beer I received came with no head and the Dom Blonde does not have much of an aroma. However, the taste is sweet and smooth, with a light hop after taste. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV. I like this beer as it is very drinkable, but also packed with flavor.

The final [new] beer I had this evening [it was my fourth actually] was the Anniversary Maibock. I have been craving the Maibock for a while and tonight I finally was able to drink it. The beer comes with a beautiful amber color and a light head. The beer has a sweet aroma with a hint of alcohol. The taste is smooth, malty, and hints at a caramel undertone. The alcohol content is 7.64& ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed the Maibock, especially as a night cap. The alcohol content is enough to give you a little boost, but the taste dances on your tongue. I recommend getting a glass of the Maibock before it is gone until next year.

Rock Art Infusco

My boy Matt also picked up a bottle of Rock Art Infusco. The beer has a very dark color and a thick head. The aroma smells of chocolate with a hint of the alcohol. The beer tastes of dark chocolate, which is slightly bitter in taste. The alcohol content is 8% ABV. Overall, I thought this was a decent beer, but it was not what I was expecting. Most chocolate beers are a little sweeter, but I thought the bitter dark chocolate adds another dimension to this beer.