Craft Brewery reviews – Page 2 – Supping Suds with Philosofiers

A Dragonfly and an Alligator walk into a bar…

I know that sounds like the beginning of a joke. And if I can think of one that fits while writing this review I will work it in. But trying to come up with attention grabbing tag lines can be harder than you think.

We started the weekend like normal with the texts going out midday Friday to figure out where we would meet for happy hour. The Maestro suggested First Magnitude around 4:30. Rowdy replied that she was in and I said I would meet them there though I probably wouldn’t make the 4:30 time. The Maestro came back and said that his Muse would be joining us, which was great. She doesn’t normally show up for happy hour because she is a wine drinker and doesn’t care for beer. But she will drink cider and we always enjoy her company.

I continued the rest of my workday, which was busy, and before long it was time to go home for the weekend. Shortly after I arrived home, a text came in from the Doctor stating that he had a table saved for us at the brewery, but that parking was a premium and that parking on Main Street was probably the best option. After I finished checking on the dog and changing clothes I headed out to meet my friends. Luckily I don’t live far away from First Magnitude so it didn’t take me long to get there. And the Doctor was right… parking was at a premium. But once I got inside I had no trouble getting up to the bar to get a pint. And there weren’t a lot of people inside. But there were a bunch out in the beer garden.

The Doctor, Rowdy, Maestro and Muse were already seated at a table near the bar. I ordered a limited release Session Amber from First Mag, and joined my friends. If an amber ale is done right I really like it and this one was. It had a good rich roasted malt flavor but was balanced well. While I supped that back we all began catching up with each other.

After a bit Muse decided to head home. Shortly after the lady half of the Newlyweds showed up. (Side note – Henceforth she will be known as the Deck-orator, inside joke, and her spouse will be known as the Chemist.) And another couple (referred to here as C&D) joined us as well.

During our outing at First Mag I decided to go with some guests taps after the Session Amber as I had had all of the in house taps. Nothing against them, in fact I like most of them a great deal, I just like to have a different beer as often as possible. My first guest tap was actually a mead, from Royal Manor Vineyard & Winery. I thought this was really good and could taste a distinctive honey flavor in it, when some meads taste more like sugar this retained that honey taste. My friends are not big mead fans so they didn’t care for it.

My second guest tap was The Company, a California Common from The Barley Mow Brewing Company. I like Common (or Steam) beers normally, but to be honest this one was not to my liking. Too bitter tasting and not balanced enough for me.

My third guest tap, and my last at First Mag, was Cigar City Brewing’s Hot Blooded Foreign Stout. I really like stouts and this was a good one. A red tinge to the dark color and a little different flavor but good tasting and a nice finish.

There was a general agreement from our group that sustenance in the form of solid food was needed. I threw out the name Dragonfly as we hadn’t been there as a group in a while. Then Rowdy pointed out that with the kids graduating from college the weekend before we should have no trouble getting in. So we closed out our tabs and moseyed on over, except for the Doctor as he had other things to do.

Rowdy was right and a table for six didn’t take too long to seat us. Our waitress was Tia (I hope I am remembering her name right) and was a very pleasant young woman. She took our drink orders, which consisted of the Maestro, Deck-orator and Rowdy sharing a bottle of wine, D has a glass of a particular wine and C and I both had Sake, though he ordered a kind of Sake Sampler and I had a bottle of Nigori Sake.

You may remember that I mentioned Sake at another Asian restaurant in a previous blog post. There are actually many different styles of Sake. When I was younger I was under the impression that Sake should be served heated to about body temperature. And generally I have only been served that type of Sake. I have since learned that heating Sake is usually done only on inferior Sakes. Other Sakes are served chilled, like the Nigori, which is a sweeter and cloudier Sake. It has fine rice sediments in it which is what sweetens the flavor.

So the meal commenced with an appetizer of Won Tons, followed by either Miso Soup or Salad with Ginger dressing depending on the preference, and for the main course we all decided to each order a Sushi roll and we would share, each person getting at least one sample of a particular roll. The only drawback to that for me was a problem I have with shellfish. I’m not exactly allergic to it, but it does wreak havoc with my digestive tract. So I made sure that my roll didn’t have any shellfish but couldn’t say that for the others.

Despite those concerns all of the Sushi rolls were delicious, which is what you would expect if you have ever been to Dragonfly. If you haven’t then you need to go. I must confess that some years back my only experience with Sushi was some dive place and it tasted awful, which put me off Sushi for a long time. Then after moving to Gainesville, I was invited to the home of a Chinese national whose wife made homemade sushi and it changed my mind. It opened my taste buds back up to trying others. Since then I have tried more than a few places and I have yet to find anyplace that does Sushi as well as Dragonfly. And if you are not a Sushi fan they have other excellent dishes there as well. If you are not a Sake fan they also have an excellent wine list and a good selection of beers, both bottled and draft featuring some local breweries.

After dinner, we all settled up our tabs and went separate ways, except for the Maestro and myself. We decided to wander across the street and visit Tall Paul’s for a craft beer or two. Tall Paul’s is really known for two things a big bar loaded with any drink you could want and live bands. I have been there several times with my friends and I have never been there in the evening without a live band playing. But Tall Paul’s is also home to Alligator Brewing, a micro-brewery. They usually have about thirty different taps with craft beers flowing and about ten of them are their own product.

Now over the last few years I have sampled many of their brews and to be honest when I first began trying theirs I wasn’t that impressed. Which was disappointing, as the bar and atmosphere of the place itself was a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy the evening. Luckily their guests taps had beers that were to my liking.

However, lately, their beers have been tasting much better. A sentiment the Maestro pointed out to me. I started out with a guest tap, Riverton Brewing Company’s Wit Beer, which was just okay. I recently brewed my own wheat beer and it tasted a little better than theirs. So I took the Maestro’s recommendation and tried one of Alligator’s that I haven’t had before, the Cellon Oaked DIPA. If you had read my blogs then you know IPAs in general are hit and miss with me. And a double IPA usually means an even hoppier flavor. And while this had the kick that a DIPA carries with the extra alcohol it wasn’t as bitter as I expected. In fact it was a pleasing surprise. I will definitely be trying more of their brews.

I’ve still got no joke for the tag line. If you have one then share it in the comments. As far as I am concerned if you haven’t been to either Dragonfly Restaurant or Tall Paul’s Brew House then what the hell are you waiting for? Go! Eat, drink and enjoy!

Papabear

The Blarneyman Visits – A Review of Loosey’s Downtown and Tree Fest at Swamp Head

Out-of-town visitors… Don’t you love ’em? I do. Especially when they’re fun folks like the Blarneyman and his Blushing Bride. Whenever they visit it’s a great excuse for our Band of Craft Beer Enthusiasts to get together and enjoy some libations (not that we really need an excuse). Wherever we end up we have a good time together.

Blarneyman and his Bride had arrived the night before but since that was a Thursday I elected to stay home because I had to work the next day and Thursday night usually involves karaoke. And karaoke usually involves more beers than I. See on a Thursday night. By the time Friday afternoon rolled around I got a text from Rowdy inquiring about Happy Hour. I suggested Loosey’s and she came back with 430 and I passed it along to the others.

If you haven’t been to Loosey’s then you either haven’t been in Gainesville long or you’ve been dead for a while. This is what Gainesville residents would refer to as a local legend. Located in the heart of downtown Gainesville it has always been known for drinking and entertainment but in recent years it has also been known for good food as well. Now I can’t speak to their other food as the only thing I have eaten there are their fish and chips. But they’re the best fish and chips in Gainesville. Since I don’t eat there that often I have a tendency to get the one thing I know they do best and that no one else can do as well yet.

Loosey’s also has a large number of craft beers on tap as well as bottles. Their selection may not be as varied as say House of Beer, BrassTap or World of Beer, but they do try to offer varieties that you mind not find elsewhere in town. I started off with Blue Point Brewing’s Spring Fling, which a pretty well balanced American Pale Ale. The Doctor arrived, followed shortly by Rowdy though she didn’t have the Cooler with her as he was off “huntin’!” We grabbed a little table and began philosofying about our past week. Soon enough I was ready for another and ordered Sweetwater Brewing’s 18 Belgian Style Tripel Ale which was potent but smooth tasting.

Not long after that the Maestro arrived with the Blarneyman in tow. We all decided on a bigger table and found one nearby. The Doctor, Rowdy and I checked out the menu while the Maestro and Blarneyman ordered some drafts. I tried someone’s Terrapin Ale Special Project and did not care for it at all. So with my food order of fish and chips I ordered Founders Blushing Monk, a fruit beer, to help get rid of the taste. Sometimes I like fruit beers and sometimes not. I really liked the Blushing Monk. And it pared well with the fish and chips. Did I mention yet that they have the best fish and chips in town?

So we drank craft beers, ate fish and chips (Rowdy kept stealing my chips – did I mention these are the best fish and chips in town?), and philosified. Blarneyman ordered another round of the same beers we were having so I had another Blushing Monk which I found out is a 9.2% beer. By the time we finished the food both Rowdy and the Doctor had to leave. So the Maestro, Blarneyman and I continued on to First Magnitude Brewing.

Parking was at a minimum there so once we all finally stowed our vehicles away, we made it inside to find that despite the full parking the wait to get drafts wasn’t too long. Blarneyman hadn’t been here since they opened the beer garden so we headed outside to enjoy the nice cool breeze. I had the Big Shoals American Brown Ale. I believe the Maestro and the Blarneyman both had the Time Out Stout, which is also a really good First Mag brew. By the time we had finished these beers it was late enough for me to go home and take the dog for a walk. We had all agreed with Rowdy and the Doctor to go to the Tree Fest at Swamp Head Brewery the next day so I said I’d see them then and headed home.

Swamp Head Brewery created an event called Tree Fest to raise money for planting trees. The following is a description from their Facebook page:

“We would like you to help us plant some trees. Solar Impact, Inc. and Swamp Head Brewery have teamed up to create Tree Fest, an annual event to be hosted at the Swamp Head brewery around Earth Day and Arbor Day each year. Tree Fest will celebrate the environment by raising money to plant trees with the Alachua Conservation Trust in an event that will feature food trucks, family-friendly activities, and of course, Swamp Head beer. Five trees will be planted for every beer purchased during Tree Fest, and all sponsor donations will go toward planting trees. The trees planted will be one year old longleaf pines and will be planted on ACT’s Little Orange Creek Preserve in Hawthorne, Florida. Our goal is to plant over 5000 trees with money raised by Tree Fest.”

Swamp Head Brewery began the Tree Fest at 1 PM, so the Doctor, Rowdy and I decided to meet there around then. The Brewery grounds were covered with three food trucks, a couple of bounce houses for children, and some information booths. It was nice outside but the threat of rain was in the air and tornado warnings weren’t that far away.ant over 5,000 trees with money raised by Tree Fest.

The Doctor and I both started out with Swamp Head’s River Logger, which is a black lager, and quite tasty. I moved on to Catherine’s Wood, a Russian Imperial Stout. If you’ve read any of my blogs before you know I enjoy a good stout and this one is one of my faves. Rowdy decided to get a Lobster Roll from Monsta Lobsta food truck which she loved.

About the time she finished eating that I noticed a couple at a nearby table playing some kind of game that required holding your phone up to your forehead. I was intrigued so I wandered over and asked about it, and was introduced to the Charades App for phones. After I downloaded it, Rowdy and the Doctor and I played it for a bit. It is really addicting and is a fun way to pass time while you’re supping some suds.

After we finished that first round, the Maestro and Blarneyman showed up with their respective spouses. Blarneyman has his Blushing Bride and the Maestro has his Muse. If you know these ladies you will understand why I picked these names for them. Blushing Bride is a warm friendly lady who always seems to have a smile on her face, especially when she is around Blarneyman. And the Muse (or in ancient Greek the Mousai) in Greek mythology, poetry and literature, are the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science, and the arts. This lady is not only wise and musically talented but gifted at sharing these talents. They entered carrying saplings being given away by the Alachua Conservation Trust.

So we spent the next hour or so, catching up, playing Charades, philosifying, and supping suds. It was an enjoyable afternoon where our activities helped the environment, the money we spent was for local businesses, and we spent our time in good company.

On the way out, both the Doctor and I had to stop and get some ice cream cones from the Sweetdreams food truck, a perfect topper for the afternoon.

If you get the chance to attend a similar event at Swamp Head in the future, I suggest going, especially if you can go and meet friends there. If not, then go and make some new ones.

And if you have never been to Loosey’s Downtown, then what in the hell are you waiting for. Did I mention I love their Fish and Chips?

As the Blarneyman says “EEM!!! (Enjoy Every Moment)

Papabear

Hogtown Craft Beer Festival, April 18, 2015

Let me preface this review by saying that I don’t like lines. And by that I mean lines to get into a movie or a restaurant or night club or bar. If I walk up to place and I hear that there is a wait of more than 10-15 minutes to be seated, 99 times out of 100, I’m walking away and going somewhere else. That’s just the way I am. Very rarely over the last 30+ years of going out to places have I found anyplace worth wasting mine or anyone else’s time to wait to get in.

Having said that, I got to the beer fest a little later than I would have liked, the pouring started at 1PM sharp and they let folks enter around Noon. But I didn’t get in line til around ten after 1. The line to check in when I arrived was about 300-400 feet long and it reached from one side of the back square at Town of Tioga all the way to the other side and a bit more (see the pic below).

Did I mention I don’t like lines?

It took about 20 minutes for my spot in the line to move around to the check-in. Which considering how many people were attending (1400 tickets pre-sold) wasn’t bad. And the line moved at a decent pace. At the check-in the event organizers (the Hogtown Brewers) dutifully checked I.D.s and verified tickets holders, then passed out the sampling glass with the Passbook, a small booklet listing the different vendors and their products and a map showing their location. Immediately after the check-in tables was a guy dressed in some kind of Incan Sun-God King outfit (at least that was what it appeared to be to me) pouring out samples of Bold city Killer Whale, a Cream Ale, which seemed kind of timid for a craft beer festival. But then if you’re someone who is not familiar with craft beer this would be a good crossover beginner beer. But who am I to judge… I once drove 4 hours just to get some Genesee Cream Ale, and one of my favorite Swamp Head brews is Wild Night, a honey cream ale.

One of my friends, the Blainenator, was helping out at one of the vendor booths and I stopped by the booth to say hi. He hadn’t had a chance to wander around the festival yet. So we decided to explore the festival together for a bit. He had heard about a Maple Milk Stout so we went to the pod which had Florida Avenue Brewing. This stout wasn’t in the passbook as one of those they were serving so it was a surprise. and a good one at that. Definite hints of the maple syrup as well as chocolate and coffee hints that a lot of stouts will have were present and it also had a smooth texture.

While we were in the same pod, we also stopped at Copp Brewing, where I had the 1821 English ESB, and at Three Palms Brewing where I sampled the Guess Again, which is a sour ale. The Guess Again I thought just ok but then I like some sours and not others. I am, however starting to become a big fan of ESBs (Extra Special/Strong Bitter). Don’t let the name fool you. The ESBs I thought were the best tasting were not overly bitter as the name suggests, In fact, they have very well balanced flavors. Copp Brewing’s ESB is one of these balanced beers.

We then wandered to many different pods trying the various samples available to us. The breweries that I had samples from included (but were not limited to): 3 Daughters Brewing, Aardwolf Brewing, Abita Beer, Bell’s Brewery, Bold City Brewing, Brew Bus, Bugnutty, Cigar City Brewing, Copp Brewery, Engine 15, Florida Avenue, Florida Beer Co., Founders Brewing, Green Flash Brewing, Intuition Brewing, Left Hand Brewery, Lost Coast Brewing, Motorworks Brewing (soon to be covered in a review by Rowdy), Ommegang Brewery, Persimmon Hollow Brewing, RJ Rockers Brewing, Sixpoint Brewery, Southern Tier Brewing, Sweetwater Brewing, Three Palms Brewing, and Uinta Brewery. Then of course I had to stop by the locals (Swamp Head Brewery & First Magnitude Brewing). And there were probably three times as many breweries represented that I did not sample. Most of the beers were good, a few were just okay, but none of them made me want to dump it out and wash my mouth out.

I think the one I liked best for the day was a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout by Lexington Brewing and Distillery. They weren’t even listed in the passbook but I really like stouts and the bourbon flavoring on top of this one was really tasty. The Blaineanator and I got into line for their booth and only had couple folks ahead of us. After we got our samples we turned around and saw the line had grown back about 20 or more people. It literally grew in the blink of an eye.

Did I mention I don’t like lines?

And beer was not the only brew being offered; there were a few (mostly local) vendors who had samples of ciders, meads and some local wines as well.

And of course there was the killer 55 foot trailer that was converted into a large multi-tap dispenser. Dubbed “Craftzilla” this beast is a beer drinker’s dream.

I was very glad to see not only the local breweries (Swamp Head, First Magnitude and Alligator Brewing) being represented, but also some of the local tap rooms, like BrassTap and Gainesville House of Beer. And I was especially glad to see a lot of local food vendors.

I’ve been to beer fests where the food vendor is basically Domino’s or Pizza Hut Pizza, a fast food place, and Baskin Robbins Ice Cream. I have nothing against any of these places. But they, in my opinion do not even come close in comparison with the likes of our local places. For pizza you could choose from one of the Food Truck’s which was called Humble Pie (see blog on First Magnitude brewing for a mention of them) and one of Gainesville’s must visit pizza places, Satchel’s Pizza had a booth. The Reggae Shack café had a booth, if you like Caribbean cuisine, and there were several other local food truck vendors. For me there were three highlights as far as food goes for the day.

First, Stubbies and Steins, one of the first establishments to bring craft beers to Gainesville and the best german style sausages anywhere, had a booth. This was one of my favorite places for food right up until they closed last year. So seeing the staff from there back serving the most awesomest sausages was a great treat. I also purchased a tee and some glassware from them for memories sake. Hope to see more of them in the future.

Second… What is a beer fest without pretzels? One of the best german traditions is hot fresh soft pretzels and a stein of beer. Particularly served with either mustard or a horse-radish sauce. Well, friends, I’m here to tell you that there’s a new player in town. A little company by the name of LEJ Pretzel, Co. has arrived and they make some really great pretzels. Soft and chewy without being too dry these tasted great. I am wishing them well in their new enterprise and hoping to see them in other events around the area. (P.S. – they have a Facebook page so you can find them there.)

Third, and while my last vendor mention they are in no way the least, is Sweetberries Eatery & Frozen Custard. I have not had the opportunity to sample any of Sweetberries other foods, but their frozen custard is the best. This time I had their Honey flavored and it was a perfect topper for the other foods and beers I had that afternoon. I could tell that they used good quality honey to make the custard, and not some syrup substitute. The flavor came through that well. After purchasing my custard, I said “bye” to the Blainenator and slowly walked toward the exit of the festival, savoring every bit of the frozen treat. I was half tempted to lick the bowl clean it was so good and probably would have in the privacy of my home.

I made my way to the front of Tioga Town center where I had been lucky enough to happen upon a parking space just as someone was leaving, otherwise I would have had to drive to the overflow parking and ride the shuttle back. The one drawback of Tioga Town Center for use of any event is the lack of sufficient parking. I feel bad for the businesses located there when these events happen because it must be a deficit for their customers. I had to park in front of Blue Highway Pizza to find a space. And when I got back to the vehicle I realized that a pizza for dinner would be nice, so I figured since I parked in front of their shop I should at least patronize their business.

I ordered a special which was basically their Greek pizza with Tzatziki sauce instead of tomato sauce and the pieces of meat that are normally roasted on a spit (can’t remember the name). It was delicious. If you haven’t tried Blue Highway (whether this one or the one in Micanopy) you need to.

When I got home, before I settled down to eat dinner, I spread out the Swag I had bought or collected (with the Blainenator’s help) which you can see below. Not a bad little haul. Glad I brought a little shoulder pack with me.

If you couldn’t make it to the Hogtown Craft Beer Festival this year, you should have. There were a lot of great people, some who you may have known and probably a lot you didn’t. There were plenty of great beers to sample and lots of good food to eat. They even had a little area for kids to play in. The price tag for the entrance was $45. Some of you might hear that and think to yourself “Why would I spend that much for beer when I can buy a twelve pack of my favorite beer for less than $15?”

And if all you want to do is drink your normal everyday Lager and drink it and nothing else, then I agree with you that is what YOU should do.

But if you want to be able to sample multiple styles and breweries in one spot, eat some of the best food in Gainesville, and meet some really great folks, then spend the money… it was more than worth it. I’ll certainly be back again next year. My hat’s off to the Hogtown Brewers for throwing such a great event.

Papabear

Review of Swamp Head Brewery, Gainesville, FL

One of the best breweries in Florida (if not more widespread) is right here in Gainesville… Swamp Head Brewery. I’m not just saying that because I live in Gainesville and may be biased about it. I really believe it. And it’s really quite a bold statement considering the caliber of breweries. This includes Cigar City, 3 Daughters, Intuition Ale Works, Reprise, Orlando Brewing, Funky Buddha, Lauderale, and a lot more than I feel I can type right now.

Founded in 2008, Swamp Head has been taking the Florida Craft Beer Industry by storm. There have been a few restaurants with Craft Brews and microbreweries in Gainesville for several years. And it has a community of home brewers as well. But Swamp Head was the first production brewery to emerge from the local craft beer scene.

In 2014, at the Best Florida Beer Championship, their Sciaenhops Imperial Red Ale won a silver medal and their 10-10-10 Imperial IPA won the gold, then it went on to win the Best in Show. Later that year their Smoke Signal (Robust Smoked Porter) won the gold medal at the World Beer Cup. Let me repeat that…

World…Beer…Cup. I would say that is impressive. For a brewery that’s only a few years old, I consider that very impressive.

And this year (March 2015), one of their year-round selections (and one of my favorites), Cottonmouth – Belgian Witbier, won the silver at the Florida Brewers Guild Beer Fest.

Okay, let’s say none of that impresses you. Then I suggest…. no… Dare you to stop by their brewery in Southwest Gainesville and see for yourself. They have recently completed construction on their new facility and tap room (pictured above and below). The tap room is called The Wetlands, but what else would you call a tap room for a Brewery named Swamp Head.

While you’re there ask about touring their facility. They enjoy showing off the new place and will readily answer any questions you may have. In fact, they have been known to give advice to other brewers in Gainesville and the rest of Florida. That is a trait that a lot of great breweries have.

Swamp Head has five year-round brews on tap in their tap room and they bottle these beers in kegs for shipping to local pubs and restaurants, and other areas in Florida. They also have begun canning some of these and have some available in Publix (a Florida based grocery chain).

Wild Night – Honey Cream Ale. this a light refreshing beer that I find very easy to drink.

Cottonmouth – Belgian Witbier. Since I’m a wheat beer fan it’s only natural that I would like this award winner.

Stumpknocker – a Pale Ale. A good hoppy flavor.

Midnight Oil – an oatmeal stout brewed using locally roasted coffee. This is another favorite of mine.

Big Nose IPA – this is a beer for Hop Lovers. My friends the Maestro and the Newlyweds L&H love it.

Besides the five flagship brews listed above they also have many different seasonal, occasional and hard-to-find releases. The afore-mentioned Sciaenhops, Smoke Signal and 10-10-10 fall into these categories.

While visiting there with the Doctor today, I had their Batch 800 PB&J. A very smooth and tasty Amber Ale with hints of peanut in the taste and a little jelly in the aroma, this is one I could drink year-round.

I also had the Down Deep West Coast IPA. If you likes hops you will more than likely like this. I liked it because it had a good balance.

Swamp Head does not serve food but will frequently have food trucks in front the Wetlands. And they don’t mind if you bring your own food in.

To learn more you can visit their website at www.swamphead.com and they have a Facebook page as well.

As one of the first local breweries I would say they have set the bar pretty high. I hope their influence leads to more breweries of the same caliber opening near Gainesville. They have already influenced one (First Magnitude) and I know they have begun working on collaborations with other breweries. They are…

Inherently Floridian. 🙂

Papabear

Review of First Magnitude Brewing, Gainesville FL

First Magnitude Brewing is unique. I know…. most craft breweries are unique in some ways. But First Magnitude is really unique in the atmosphere and the way the business is run. I’ll delve more into later.

As the second production craft brewery in Gainesville, FL (Swamphead being the first and the subject of my next blog) they have helped start what I hope is a trend in this town. Gainesville is located in North Central Florida and as their website says “Thanks to it’s unique geologic characteristics, North Central Florida has the highest concentration of freshwater springs in the world. First Magnitude springs are the most powerful over 100 cubic feet of water per second boils up from their limestone openings to form cool, clear pools that feed our rivers and lakes.” Sound like a logical and natural place to start a brewery to me.

Their tap room (thoughtfully and appropriately named The Source) is spacious and friendly. A lot of thought went into the atmosphere. If you are facing the front of the brewery from it’s location on Veitch Street the tap room is on the far right. Just outside of the tap room is a spacious beergarden with multiple picnic tables and a bandstand where local bands will come and play.

Inside the brewery, but before you get to the tap room, is a large open area with multiple tables and games for folks to play while they’re supping their suds (see what I did there). If you haven’t notice a theme by now let me point it out to you. Spaciousness. It seems these folks not only want to you to come and sample their brews but they’re inviting you to kick back and put your feet up a bit as well. Not a lot of tap rooms connected to breweries seem to do that, as a lot of them have overcrowded tap rooms with insufficient seating. But I do see it changing as the industry evolves.

And this brewery is very family oriented. I went with a couple of friends last night for happy hour and the place was more than packed with families with small children.

Now let’s discuss the beer. Being a resident of Gainesville, the natural tendency is to compare FM’s beer to Swamphead Brewery’s stable of brews. That would be natural but it would also be a mistake. Especially if you’ve never had craft beers from other breweries. The great thing about craft beers is that they all taste different, even the same styles have sometimes great variations in them. So with that in mind go and sample their beers with a clear palette, and remember your tastes will vary from others.

They have three year-round brews:

Siren Blonde Ale – This is one of my faves at FM. It’s light and refreshing and just what you need when the heat starts coming on, which in Florida isn’t that far away.

72 Pale Ale – Hoppy in flavor. You may have read my mention in previous blogs about not being a big fan of too much hops. For me this beer is okay. But it doesn’t have the balance that I like in a Pale Ale. But I have heard others exclaim they love.

Drift English Mild – This has been from the beginning and still is my absolute favorite at FM. This malty smooth beer isn’t heavy and is very refreshing.

They also have different seasonal brews they will throw in throughout the year as well as guest taps from other breweries, 18 taps in all.

Last night my friends the Doctor and the Maestro joined for me happy hour there. We hadn’t been there as a group in a while so I suggested FM. It was perfect weather for sitting outside in the beergarden so we did.

The Dr. got there first and started out with their Time Out Stout, which I have had before and really thought it was good. He enjoyed it as well. I started out with a limited batch they still had called Scott’s Session. You’ve heard me say above that I don’t like overly hoppy beers. This was hoppy, but not overly so, I thought it had a good balance and remember saying that I thought the Maestro would like this as he is a hops fan.

When the Maestro showed up he came walking out to the garden with an Ursa IPA, in honor of my return from my road trip. (Ursa is latin for bear, which is my animal totem but that’s a discussion for another time.) He thought that was pretty good. I recommended the Scott’s Session to the Maestro for his next round and when we finished with our first drafts the Dr. and I both had Ursa.

A perfect example of tastes varying is how the Maestro and I rated both Ursa and Scott’s Session on the Untappd phone app. Neither of us have ever rated a beer 5 stars. So for us, 3 stars is a good beer, 3.5 is a better beer, 4 stars is pretty frickin’ good, and 4.5 stars is out of this world.

I rated the Scott’s Session 3 stars and the Maestro rated it 4. He rated the Ursa 3 stars and I rated it 3.5. The Dr, rated the Ursa 4 stars. So, again, your tastes will vary.

The Maestro had a repeat of one of his earlier beers for his third and the Dr. and I had the Minnow Imperial Stout, which we both rated 4 stars, Smooth flavor and a great taste, with a little after taste that was different from a normal stout. Not a bad different, an I-can’t-quite-identify-the-flavor different. But it is differently one of their better brews.

While First Magnitude doesn’t have a kitchen, they do have food trucks out front any night the tap room is open. Last night the food truck was Humble Pie, who cooks stone fired pizza on the back of their trailer.

I had their Margherita which was very good and made me want to sample more of their offerings in the future, especially the calzone.

FM sponsors a lot of community oriented events, and puts out an environmentally responsible and community oriented vibe. A lot of businesses claim to be community oriented but when you look at them closely it can often be little more than lip service. First Magnitude is not only community oriented but they give back to the community. They even offer free yoga sessions on Sundays (no I have not attended, my mat is in the shop for repairs).

If you’re in the Gainesville area, you need to stop by First Magnitude. They have growlers available in the current allowable sizes in Florida (topic for another blog) . You’ll not only find a brew you like but you’ll also feel the relaxation seeping into your skin.

You can check out their website here:

FMBrewing.com

and they also have a Facebook page.

Cheers,

Papabear

Beer-cation Pt 4 – Green Man Brewery, Asheville, NC

On the way back to Florida from Pennsylvania, I knew I would need to stop and visit Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. That place is a spiritual haven for me and whenever the opportunity to go arises, I make every effort to do so. It had actually been longer than I like since I had last been there so I was definitely going there this time. I also knew that the Mountain wasn’t that far from several breweries that would be on my way home from there.

Asheville, NC is only about an hour and a half from Grandfather Mountain, and is home to several breweries, Highland Brewing, French Broad Brewing, Wedge Brewing, and Asheville Pizza and Brewing to name a few. But I decided to give Green Man Brewing a try. I had tried one of their brews before at a brew pub and remembered liking it, but I had also heard good things about their beers either online or through some other source. So I entered their address in my phone and started the drive there.

The storefront of Green Man Brewery on Braxton Ave in Asheville, NC.

Once I arrived I saw that the parking nearby is limited, but that is true with a lot of breweries/brewpubs. Being located in downtown Asheville, parking is a commodity. I was able to find parking around a corner on a side street and walked back. The building itself looks like it may have been a garage at one time with the one large wooden door on the front. There is a porch on the entrance side surrounded by climbing greenery.

The Green Man can be seen all over Asheville.

Some bottle labels, a few of the hundred or so covering their cooler door.

You enter and see a hodgepodge of bar tables and décor, with the central theme being the Green Man (you can learn more about and see more pics of him at their site – www.greenmanbrewery.com). And this takes up about half the building. The rest of the building is used for brewing.

Custom made Green Man Ale sign hanging in brewery

Behind the "Curtain" at Green Man brewery — Behind the “Curtain” at Green Man brewery

Some strange patrons lurking in the back

I approached the bar an asked about flights. I was offered the Flagship or a custom flight. I asked for the flagship. I will usually order the brewery’s primary beers so that I can get a good feel of their craftsmanship. This is the product they have all the time so this is what they should be best at making. Their Flagship Flight includes their three year-round brews (IPA, ESB and Porter) and one of their seasonal brews (in this case Forester). If this is an example of the kind of brewing that goes on at Green Man, then I have one thing to say…

DRINK GREEN MAN!!!!

A look at the colors of the brews, left to right, ESB, IPA, Porter and Forester.

IPA – I am not as big a fan of IPAs as some folks are. Quite often it tastes like they are more concerned with adding hops than with balancing the beer flavor. This is not true with Green Man IPA. There is definitely hops present, but they are properly balanced with malt. Probably one of the better IPAs I have had.

Porter – On the other hand I do love Porters. And this is one of the better one. Smooth with hints of chocolate.

ESB – of the three flagship brews, this one is my favorite. This amber ale is well-balanced, smooth and has a great finish. I got a growler of this to take with me.

Forester – This seasonal is a Stout. Not just a Stout…. The Stout. One of the best I have had. Rich tasting, and smooth with a great finish. I also got a growler of this to take with me.

On their website they that they are building a new three story facility which will include packaging, a retail shop and a roof-top beer garden with a view of the Smokey Mountains. I look forward to going back to visit. Whether you visit them at their current spot or make it to the new one once it is completed, I recommend stopping by if you get the chance.

Beer-cation Pt 3 – North Country Brewing, Slippery Rock, PA

While driving home to Florida I figured I would stop and see some breweries on the way. This one is a little gem I found on-line the other night. Slippery Rock, PA, like a lot of other western Pennsylvania towns is known for agriculture, coal and a small college (Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania). But it is also known as the home of North Country Brewing (which a sign proudly states as you enter the town limits).

The original construction of the buildings (house and barn) were built in 1805. It has been an Inn, a cabinet and furniture making shop, and finally renovated into the brewery. From the website… “In the spring of 1998, Jodi and Bob McCafferty fell in love with the old storefront and immediately started renovating. They personally rebuilt the structure from the foundation through the roof with gathered local hardwoods and recycled on-site materials. Jodi and Bob McCafferty handcrafted the hardwoods, as well as black walnut and curly maple left from the Uber’s furniture store, into the custom feel found only in Slippery Rock, Pa.”

As you walk in you see the generous use of wood both in decoration and function, which is a feature I love. The front door has a bearded man’s face carved into the front and his backside carved into the opposite side. The tables inside, the rails, the bar all made from large natural wood planks. They pick up the light well and add a warmth to the place. Even the menu is constructed so that the front and back covers are two thin wooden planks (see pic below). If I had to try and peg hole the style of décor I would definitely say an Olde Irish pub, with a little western saloon mixed in.

Since all I had for breakfast was an apple when I got into town around 11 AM I thought a hardy lunch was in order. I must have been one of the first people there for the day. I was asked if I wanted to sit at the bar and I said sure.

The young lady behind the bar (Danielle) was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and the beers. I asked about a flight of beers and she showed that they could be ordered in quantities of six, nine or thirteen. And she quickly pointed out that one of the taps on the menu wasn’t available and they had a substitute. I selected six of the thirteen drafts available (see menu below) and ordered one of the lunch specials.

The lunch was called The Breakfast Burger. It’s a half pound angus patty, topped with egg, bacon, ham, cheese and a hash brown served on Texas toast. I ordered it with a side of fries. The burger was on of the best I ever ate. I think the combination of flavors complemented each other. The fries were cooked “Fair Style” and I think had some seasoning on them. They were definitely fresh and delicious. But with the pickle spear and the burger I was lucky to be able to eat half of them.

The six beers I ordered are listed below with a description of them:

Station 33 Firehouse Red – a rich, malty red ale that was smooth tasting.

Squirrel’s Nut Brown – a crisp, malty Scottish ale with hints of nut flavors

Keystone Swankey – This is a common or steam beer that uses a lager yeast but is brewed at ale temperatures. It had a very smooth, slightly bitter taste.

Paddler’s Pale Ale – Clean, crisp dry ale with a hoppy flavor.

Paleo I.P.A. – If you like IPAs you will like this. Strong hops flavor and very aromatic.

Liquid love Chocolate Stout – Chocolate malt and Belgian chocolate were used to make this but I tasted strong hints of coffee.

Of the six I tasted they all were good representations of their particular style of beer, but four stood out. The Station 33, the Paddler’s Pale Ale and the Paleo IPA all has very good flavors to them. But I really liked the Keystone Swankey. I don’t know if I have had a Common (or Steam) Beer before, but I liked the flavor a lot. So much so that I got a growler to go.

I highly recommend stopping by North Country Brewing if you are ever in the area. Not only is is good beer and good food, but the staff are friendly and the bar itself is my idea of the perfect pub. I will definitely try and get back there in the future.

Beer-cation Pt 2 – Review of TimberCreek Tap & Table, Meadville PA

While visiting my sister and her family in NW Pennsylvania I decided I would see if the craft beer “fad” (I use fad in quotes because I don’t believe it is a fad – see my previous blog The “Death” of Craft Beer) had reached the sparsely populated rural area I grew up in, Crawford County. The county has a little over 88,000 and the county seat, Meadville, has a little over 13,000 people. With a lackluster economy and the limited population I wasn’t sure of my chances. But after a little searching on the internet I found a couple of Micro Breweries in the county, Voodoo Brewing and TimberCreek Brewing. Because of operating hours and my limited schedule I was unable to visit Voodoo and will have to try it on my next visit. But I was not disappointed by TimberCreek.

TimberCreek is a BrewPub by definition. The full name is TimberCreek Tap & Table, it’s two separate buildings connected by a breezeway. The Tap portion is the brewery and tap room. This wasn’t open when we visited but you can easily find their hours on their website. Just outside the Tap is a large open breezeway with a gas-fired firepit surrounded by outdoor seating for those who enjoy their refreshments out in the open.

To the right of the fire is the entrance to the Table, which is the brewpub/restaurant. You open a large door and enter into a large open chamber, featuring a high ceiling and exposed wooden rafters. Hanging from the center of the ceiling is a chandelier that throws out soft lighting which highlights the wooden rafters. The bar is on the left, the center floor has high tables and stools and booths with high wooden backs on a raised level line the right and opposite wall. Overall the atmosphere is warm and welcoming.

There are two menus, one each for food and drinks. Each of the menus consist of two facing pages which I really like. Too many selections to choose from usually means that the food is not fresh. And yet they have enough variety on the menu that they should be able to satisfy anyone’s hunger. My sister had a Philly-Cheese Chicken Sandwich which she said was really flavorful. I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, which included their homemade Buffalo sauce and jalapeños. I loved the flavor and I didn’t think it had too much heat but I enjoy spicy food. We both had a side of fries which were cooked “Fair Style”. I prefer fries not cooked as dark but they were fresh and tasted good. And I was glad to see that they send sandwiches out with a pickle spear. Some places forget that traditional touch. We also ordered some chicken fingers and apple slices for my young nephew, which he seemed to like. I tasted his chicken and while it was plain tasting, it should be for a child’s pallet.

The drinks menu had beers on one side and wines and cocktails on the other. Their beer list consists of 5 year-round brews and seasonals. I asked for a flight of their year-rounds so I could sample them. I didn’t want try tasting too many or I would have ordered some of the seasonal samples as well. My sister ordered their non-alcoholic homemade Root Beer which was very good. .

The samples arrived on the flight in the following order: Liberty Blonde – a light tasting golden ale; Werkzaug Stadt – a slightly bitter German style Pilsner; Fresh Squeezed IPA – this had slight hints of citrus and was not a heavy bitter like some IPAs; Meadville Mock Top – a belgian style ale with strong hops flavor; Black Bear – a Porter with hints of chocolate and coffee and a smooth finish. All of them were good representatives of their style but I have to say I liked the Black Bear the best. I ordered a pint to go with my lunch and a growler to take with me. The growlers are the standard 1/2 gallon (which is normal in every state but Florida but that’s a topic for another blog).

If you should find yourself in this neck of the woods and need a good craft beer and good food then I recommend stopping by the TimberCreek Tap & Table. They are located on US 19 in front of the Meadville Cinemas. For more specific info about the brewery or the pub go to: http://www.timbercreektapandtable.com.

The search for Happy Hour begins!!

Way back when (before some of you were old enough to drink) a bar owner in Somewhere, U.S.A. decided that he needed to find a way to get more patrons into his establishment. A variety of beers, liquors and wines wasn’t enough so he (or maybe she) added chips, pretzels, nuts and in some cases popcorn.

But while salty snacks were tasty (and certainly didn’t hurt sales) they eventually became boring for some folks. So another bar owner thought about adding other foods, like sandwiches, fried vegetables and.. (thank the Beer gods!!) wings. For a low price you could stop by a local watering hole after work, fill up on food and drink yourself silly and while you’re at it buy more drinks for your friends. Which brought about the need for pitchers, but I digress.

And thus was born Happy Hour. It has undergone some changes over the years but the idea has essentially remained the same; good food (and I mean bar food not fine dining), good drinks and good company.

The hard part is finding a place nowadays that has all three of those basic elements in the same place. A lot of places are specializing so much that you can’t find the combination that pleases the way it should.

Join my friends and I as we visit places around the town we live in (Gainesville, FL – GO GATORS!!) and other places in Florida and Elsewhere U.S.A.. We will share our thoughts on the venues, the different craft beers and breweries and the food. And you can join in the conversations we’ll have on whatever tickles our fancy (thus the Philosofiers in the title – Phiosofiers intentionally spelled wrong…discuss).

Writing again soon,

Papabear