Brrrfest 2013

February 4, 2013February 4, 2013 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

Last Saturday, a few friends and I went to Brrrfest 2013. Once again, like many of the recent beer events, this one featured a “Brewmaster” session, with advanced entry. If you read my post about what to look for at beer events, here’s what I saw at Brrrfest:

It was a very fast entry to the event. As soon as we walked into the building, ID’s were checked, then we dropped off our tickets and picked up the event tasting glass and program, then went to stand in line. As soon as the doors opened, all 400 Brewmasters got into the event within 5 minutes, which was great. There was a ton of room for the first hour, and my friends and I could go explore the different brewers and reconvene to discuss the highlights. The glass was a commemorative one, but I do wish it was a globe or tulip style, instead of the kolsch-style glass.

The Sparely Populated Brewmaster Session

Although the written program didn’t highlight any special beers, the vendors at the event had a large selection of beers. I was a bit disappointed several of the bigger names in brewing weren’t at the event (Samuel Adams, Founder’s, and Stone Brewing to name a few), but the Iowa breweries, including several new breweries, represented very well. In my opinion, two of the best breweries at the event were Peace Tree (in Knoxville, Iowa) and Van Houzen, a new brewery in Newton, Iowa. Peace Tree had three different ice beers, made from three different flagship beers (Rye Porter, Belgian Blonde, and Hop Wrangler). They were very good, and unique to the event. Van Houzen had several of their beers on tap, and when I went to try the one in the program, Symphony Imperial Double Chocolate Stout, I noticed the rest of the lineup: a Double IPA, Belgian Tripel, and Robust Belgian White Beer, all 8% ABV and higher. Talk about some heavyweights! I had a chance to try them all, and they were great.

After the event, I asked my friend Macy her thoughts. She said, “The greatest benefit of attending an event like Brrrfest is that you have the opportunity to meet new breweries that you weren’t aware of before the event, yet still get to rub elbows with the brewers from some of your favorite breweries. The mix of exploration and celebration of expertly brewed beer makes for an event that is too good to miss! I’ll definitely be attending again next year.”

Based on this year, I will too, Macy! Did you attend Brrrfest? What was your favorite beer?

Iowa City Brewfest 2012 is Saturday

October 4, 2012 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

Just a reminder that the 2012 Iowa City Northside Octoberfest / Brewfest is this weekend, with the Brewfest on Saturday.

It looks to be an exciting year, since the number of Iowa breweries has grown in the last year, as well as a few new out-of-state breweries (Schlafly, Founders, Tallgrass Brewing, and Green Flash to name a few), not to mention the new Backpocket Brewery in Coralville.

The most recent addition to Iowa’s shelves is Stone Brewing out of Escondido, California.

Hope to see you there!

Stone Brewing Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

August 4, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

On a recent trip to Detroit, I was pleased to find a carry-over from the winter seasonal beers in the form of Stone Brewing Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. Since we don’t yet have Stone’s beers in Iowa, it was an extra-special treat.

The stout poured black, and had very little head. It smelled a lot like roasted chocolate. It was very smooth, and tasted like a dark chocolate, and continued with a slight bite at the finish.

It was a very nice and mellow beer, and I look forward to Stone arriving into the Iowa market, whenever that may be.

Have you tried the Stone Brewing Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout? What was your experience?

A Beer Drinker’s Las Vegas Experience

March 15, 2010March 16, 2010 ~ Ken Valley ~ Leave a comment

My friends and I recently went to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. Las Vegas is known for clubs, bright lights, and mixed drinks, but not really beer. In actuality, Las Vegas does have a few beer experiences that don’t break the bank. Since our hotel was on the south side of the strip, and didn’t have a car or didn’t feel like taking cab rides, our selection was limited.

The first place we tried was the Burger Bar, located in Mandalay Place. They had a large selection of beers from common selections, such as Spaten Optimator to more exotic selections, such as Life & Limb, a collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head. The prices ranged from around $6 to upwards of over $100 for rare selections. The atmosphere was nice, but the prices tended to be on the high side.

The next day, we stopped by Sin City Brewing, located in the Flamingo hotel and casino. We tried the Amber, Stout, and Seasonal, which was an IPA. All were quality beers, but at $6 each, again, we wouldn’t be able to purchase many pints.

While we were sitting at the bar, another patron mentioned that O’Sheas, the casino next door, had all-day happy hour, which included $1 Guinness drafts and $3 Black and Tans (Guinness stout layered on Harp lager). We were excited to find such a great deal. At the casino, a couple of my friends entered into a beer-pong tournament, and made it into the second round. We enjoyed O’Sheas so much, we went back the next day.

A couple days later, we heard of another place, just off the strip, called Ellis Island Casino and Brewery. The casino had karaoke 7-days a week from 9 pm until 3 am, and had a brewery on-site. We tried the brewery’s Amber, Wheat, and Stout (which mas more like a brown ale). When it came time to buy the round, we found out each glass was only $1.50. We sang all night, drinking $1.50 craft brews.

The next day, to finish our weekend, we went to Pour 24, a 24-hour, 24-tap bar located on the mezzanine level of the New York New York Hotel and Casino. They had several craft brews not available in Iowa, including several Stone Brewing Co. options, such as Arrogant Bastard and Ruination. On the pricey side at $7.25, we only had a couple of pints (in plastic glasses), but it was a nice way to end the trip.

Next time we go to Las Vegas, we have several great, inexpensive places to enjoy some beer. What kinds of places have you found in Las Vegas?