ALERAISERS

The Beer Of the Week for 7/29/2010 is:

Terrapin and De”Proef” Brouweru’s Brewmaster Collaboration “Monstre Rouge” Imperial Flanders Red Ale

Monstre Rouge

The Monstre Rouge is another in the recent tradition of collaboration beers from the “Brewmasters Collaboration” Series.  This one between Terrapin Brewery in Athens, GA and De Proef Brouweri in Lochristi, Belgium.

This isn’t your ordinary flanders red ale.  Its based off of Terrapin’s Big Hoppy Monster, fermented with Brettanomyces yeast, and aged in toasted American Oak.  This beer pours a dark cherry-red with nice foamy pinkish tinted head.  It smelled of fruity malts with a nice balance of citrusy hops and a definite presence of alcohol.  The flavor was very malt forward with a nice surprising hoppy finish.  It is medium to light bodied with good carbonation.  I enjoyed this beer quite a bit.  Im a big fan of innovation in the brewing realm because its what I like to do as a home brewer.  This really wasnt like anything else Ive had before, but it was quite enjoyable and easy to drink.

3.8/5.0

Purchased at Twenty-nine Package on Lawrenceville, Hwy in Lilburn

The Beer of the Week for 04/21/10 is:

Terrapin’s “The IRON TANKARD” Old Stock Ale

From the Georgia Theater Sessions

The Iron Tankard

I’d like to start the “Iron Tankard” conversation by first discussing the Georgia Theater Sessions by Terrapin.  For those of you who aren’t from the south, have never been to Athens or have been living under a rock for the past 100years.  The Georgia Theater was, in my opinion, an American landmark.  Once called the “Liverpool of the United States, Athens, GA has long been a stronghold of influential music in the American South.  The Georgia Theater was a big part of that.  Bands from the B-52s to The Police, from Widespread Panic to Bubba Sparxx, from Sarah McLaughlin to  Old Crow Medicine Show, from the Kenchafoonie Cowboys to Beck, from NIN to Sevendust, to Zac Brown and on and on….they all made their mark on the Southern landmark.  Sadly, last June fire played the old theaters last waltz.  Unfortunately the insurance the Theater’s owner had was only enough to return the building to its pre-existing state…1930′s building code, and the cost to rebuild was almost out of reach.  Now partnered with The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, a not-for-profit whose mission is to restore buildings of historic and cultural importance, the New Georgia Theater is on the horizon and a goal within reach.

That brings us to the Georgia Theater Sessions by Terrapin, from which a portion of all sales go to help rebuild the Theater(you also get a chance to win a Golden Ticket that gets you a lifetime pass to the theater).

The Iron Tankard old stock ale is a nice “malt-forward” ale.  It pours Amber and slightly hazy(its unfiltered) with a creamy beige head, that dissipates slowly and clings to the walls of your pint glass.  Smells spicy and fruity and definitely malty.  At first sip you notice the malty, fruity flavors with very little bitterness.  The pressence of hops isn’t lost, as the after taste leaves a hint of bitter in the back corners of your mouth, and it goes down with a mild and comfortable alcohol burn(9.4%).  It coats the inside of your mouth with a smooth sweetness and has very little prickly carbonation, but is an easily drinkable beer.

3.5/5

Purchased at Package 29 on Lawrenceville Hwy. in Lawrenceville