Big Bear Hunting in South Florida

After a bit of hunting on busy University Blvd. in the south Florida town of Coral Springs, I had dinner and a couple of microbrews at Big Bear Brewing. This restaurant/microbrewery is a beautiful establishment and had people waiting outside to dine there on a Saturday night. Fortunately for me and my young nephew, Matt, who was accompanying me, the bar had a few seats available with no wait. Without hestitation I, of course, went for the Hibernation Pale Ale first and foremost- and in a word - well, make it three words: just about perfect. Despite not being dubbed an IPA this "aggressive" American pale ale had a great hoppy aroma and taste with a smooth finish. Since they don't label it an IPA, I have no qualms in calling it the best American Pale Ale I have ever had....and I have had a bunch. I regretted my second choice almost as I ordered it. Their Kodiak Belgian Dubble has won many awards including gold at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival in Denver (kind of the World Series of Beer) and I am sure has it's fans, I just don't happen to be one of them, but in retrospect I don't personally care for the Belgian style of brewing that much anyway. I have given it lots of chances and it just doesn't work with my palette I guess. I don't mind a mild nut brown ale now and then, but this beer had a biting aftertaste to me that the nutty aroma and taste just couldn't hide and I just did not enjoy it that much - finished it, mind you - just didn't enjoy it. My 17-year-old nephew had two pints of the Bruin that was on tap - easy there, folks, it's just a root beer that is also brewed on-site - and obviously thought it was delicious. It had it's own tap handle and everything. Very cool. I am surprised these guys aren't spread out all over South Florida as a chain. They have been doing this since 1996 and yet Coral Springs remains their only location. Can't say I don't love finding local gems like this, it just surprises me.

SIDENOTE: Earlier in the day after getting knocked out of a poker tournament in 14th place (rats! so close! They only paid the top 7) at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino and Dining/Shopping Complex, I ambled up to the outside bar of the Renegade Barbecue Company and tried their Renegade Red Ale. Pretty standard fare and nothing really memorable about it except the cost - $6 for maybe 10 ounces served up in a plastic cup - good grief, Charlie Brown! What a joke! Avoid this place like the plague if you are ever in the area. Maybe they ought to stick to making BBQ.

3 of a Kind in a Full House

Three more quick entries that I tried over the past couple of weeks obtained from local grocery stores.

Black Dog Ale - I bought this six-pack at the local Publix to cushion the blow of a house full of in-laws coming up for the holidays. God I love 'em, but God they are loud. Decent beer with a bit of an aftertaste that would probably prevent me from buying anymore of it. It's produced by Montana's Spanish Peak's Brewing which according to their website has been on a bit of a hiatus until recently. Cool website and I do like their affiliation with The Humane Society.

1554 Enlightened Black Ale - I bought this six-pack at the Kroger in Mt. Juliet on my way to play in a Friday night tournament at the Poker Barn. Great taste and excellent finish (which is more than I can say for my results at poker that night). This is a New Belgium product which is more famous for it's Fat Tire craft beer which I am seeing more advertising about recently around this area. Haven't tried the Fat Tire yet, but I am definitely encouraged to do so based on the 1554 Ale. New Belgium is a thriving Colorado microbrewery.

Trader Jose Dark Lager - My wife, Ashlee, was kind enough to snag this six-pack for me on her visit to the newly-opened Trader Joe's Market in Nashville. She said they had an expansive beer selection, so I am looking forward to checking that out myself in the near future. This dark lager that is actually produced in Mexico was actually very good and reminded me a lot of Negro Modelo. I sure would love to be sitting on a Mexican beach somewhere with some of it on ice right now!

Alaska 2004 Remembered

I was looking through a photo album of a trip to Alaska that I took in 2004 with my good friends, Chris and Craig, when I came across two beer bottle labels that I saved from the trip. Granted, I don't remember a whole lot about the beer (other than it was pretty good or I would not have kept the labels), but it was such a wonderful trip that I felt this blog entry was a great way to honor it.

The first label was from a bottle of Alaskan Oatmeal Stout from the Alaska Brewing Company in Juneau. The second was a Kodiak-Brown Nut Brown Ale which indicates that it was brewed and bottled in Salt Lake City by Uinta Brewing Co. for Midnight Sun Brewing of Anchorage, Alaska then shipped to Alaska where I bought it. Strange. I should also pay tribute to a great pizzeria and brewpub in Anchorage that we visited that I fondly remember (and have a T-shirt from) called The Moose's Tooth which draws it's name from a famous rock outcroppingo on Mt. McKinley. Excellent food and beer including the one draught I remember having - The Pipeline Stout (also on the T-shirt).

A salute to Alaska and it's beer (even if it's brewed in Utah)!!