Looking to try a beer on a cold winter’s night? Here’s a sampling that I enjoyed this winter, in no particular order. Continue reading Ten Winter Beers for the Holidays
Monthly Archives: December 2016
Winter Beer Homebrew
Fireside Chat Ale
Just about every year I make a winter homebrew, which I’m calling Fireside Chat Ale. It is my version of Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome based on the recipe from Clone Beers by Szamatulski. It’s a nice winter warmer that comes out about 6% ABV. Continue reading Winter Beer Homebrew
Black Flag Brewery Homebrew Competition
Febrewary
The new Columbia, MD brewery, Black Flag, is holding a homebrew competition with Maryland Homebrew (MDHB). The rules for this one “t” shy of a competition are simple. Submit 3 beers (all the same) during the week of February 8-15, 2017. No wild yeast, bacteria or barrel aging. The beers should have a label showing beer name, brewer and contact information and style. Ingredients should be available from MDHB. For first prize, your beer is brewed by Black Flag. Second and third prizes are $150 and $75 gift certificates from MDHB. Pretty cool stuff! Continue reading Black Flag Brewery Homebrew Competition
How to Plan a Pub Crawl
On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I organized the first Columbia Pub Crawl. We were very lucky, with a good turnout and favorable weather. But it was not all luck. A lot of planning took place prior to our stroll through Columbia, Maryland. Here’s how I did it. Continue reading How to Plan a Pub Crawl
Heavy Seas Pirate Brewery Tour
21st Anniversary
Ahoy mateys! If ye be searchin’ fer a tour about pirates and beers, this be the place. Shiver me timbers, hardy har, har. Aaarrr!
Sorry, after a visit to the Heavy Seas Brewery, I had to get that out of my system. Continue reading Heavy Seas Pirate Brewery Tour
Founders Brewing at Frisco
Wednesday Pint Night in Columbia
We all drifted into the Frisco Tap House in Columbia around 7:00pm for pint night. The promise of swag and delicious beer from the Grand Rapids, Michigan brewer, Founders, drew 6 of us in. Friscos offered about 10 Founders beers on tap. Pint night runs from 7-10pm, with a free glass if you try one of the featured brewer’s beers. As an added bonus, 2 raffles, a Founders’ lawn chair at 8 o’clock and a red Founders’ Coleman cooler at 9 o’clock, were on the agenda. Continue reading Founders Brewing at Frisco
Krampus Ale Tasting 2016
Our Annual Christmas Beer Tasting 2016
I have enjoyed drinking Samichlaus® Classic beer for years. Castle Brewery Eggenberg of 
Austria brews this very unique beer, once a year on December 6th, then ages it for 10 months. Why December 6th? It is St. Nicholas’ Day, the day to celebrate Santa Claus or the German version, Samichlaus, the bringer of gifts. And what better way to celebrate than to sample one of the world’s strongest and unique beers? It has an ABV of 14%.
The First Columbia Pub Crawl
Five miles and five pubs
Last Saturday, 19 adventurous souls walked 5 miles, stopping at 5 pubs in Columbia, Maryland. The five pubs in order were:
- Ale House Columbia (brunch);
- Pub Dog;
- Frisco Tap House;
- Sonoma’s Bar and Grill and
- Second Chance Saloon (dinner).