The Beerventure's Home

The Beerventure has it's own home now.

www.thebeerventure.blogspot.com

Beerventure (Amsterdam 106, Upper West Side)

We made the trek out of Sunnyside to an old faithful named Amsterdam 106. Profile to come, lets get down to the beauty on the screen:

The picture does it no justice, but this is Harpoon's "Island Creek Oyster Stout". To be fair, it's really Kate Tame's "Island Creek Oyster Stout", as it is part of the 100 Barrel Series that was inspired either by a divine revelation or a group that really loves making beer. Essentially, they've invented Russian Roulette for beer except losing only means a trip to the porcelin god, while wining is a taste explosion. Every couple of months one of Harpoon's brewers gets to spin the chamber and invent their own brew which is then, in turn, fed to the general population. The result? Our first 5 out of 5.

The dry stout is a thick mix of smoked hickory, coffee, and chocolate perfectly blended to give it a smooth, warm taste. The coffee taste dominates, though not so much as to burn out the taste after a few. If you want my opinion: grab a four pack, shelf the Guiniess, and enjoy this St. Patrick's with a new taste (if not a new look).

http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/index.cfm?pid=28515

Boston is good for something it seems...

Beerventure (Maggie Mae's, Sunnyside)

I decided to do a little traveling to find a new beer this weekend, though I have several sitting at home. Found this guy at an Irish pub called "Maggie Mae's" less than a block from the apartment. The bar had some good reviews, but quickly disappointed thanks to blasting b-lot techno-pop and a crowd that made the Jersey Shore look like a WASP wedding. The same, unfortunately, can be said about the beer. With a name like "Anchor Steam", I expected a hardy, unfiltered shore lager. I got water instead. It's clean and crisp, but in the same manner that water is clean and crisp. Any taste it does have vanishes immediately, leaving you ready for the real beer. An ABV of 4.9% doesn't redeem it either. Not totally for the dogs though. I would take it over a shwag any day, and there are far worse things. I wouldn't gravitate to it in a store, but it could be a relief in if you find yourself at a college town nickle night. Think of it as a top-shelf beer pong beer.

Anchor Brewing's "Anchor Steam Beer": 3 out of 5

http://anchorbrewing.com/beers/

I've got 2 more and a profile in reserve. In the mean time, I wander on...

Beerventure (Beer World, Sunnyside)

Beer World will keep me satisfied for a while. I grabbed this one based on the description on the box which reads, "Hop on the Train...Ride off the Rails". With an ABV of 6.8% and a smooth, mild taste, it lived up to its claim. Its hop-y aftertaste gave a little flare that kept it from growing dull through the night. I'd classify it as a high end middle-of-the-road ale. Definitely a classic taste to it.


Erie Brewing Company's "Railbender Ale": 4 out of 5

http://www.eriebrewingco.com/beer_railbender.html

I'll be looking for something a little darker and a little more extreme next time.

Beerventure

I've decided, based upon my love of beverage, that I want to know more about the wonderful beer world that is out there. As such, I have begun a delicious journey to find and sample as many different types of beer as I can afford. What better place to start than Beer World, right here in Sunnyside New York:

Lagunitas' "The Censored Rich Copper Ale": 4 out of 5

Drinkable for the whole night while maintaining a distinctive flavor.

http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/censored.html

A copper ale is an ale that is aged in oak casks. This allows it to keep its copper color and gives it that distinctive middle-of-the-road (between hops and malt) flavor.

Let the Beerventure begin!