Thursday, March 12, 2015

Hey, Brewtiful {Sweetwater 18 Belgian-Style Tripel}


"What would you expect from a couple of boys with more of a hankering for beer than for books?"*


Not this brewtiful baby.

Uncharacteristically understated, elegant, and complex when compared to their usual lineup, Sweetwater 18, a belgian-style tripel, celebrates Sweetwater's 18th anniversary.

Like a luscious and boozy present, the beer draws you in with its heady aroma on a first pass even before it reaches your lips; there's no hiding the 10% alcohol in this beer. Fermented using Ardennes yeast (the same used in Spinnerbait, a belgian-style red ale) the beer is balanced with subtle spiciness and mildly fruity esters that calls to be paired with something equally drool-worthy, like bacon-wrapped dates or a cheese plate dripping with walnuts and honey.



Golden and promising as its gilded label, this is definitely a beer worth singing about.

Sweetwater's founders are fond of the saying, "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time," but eighteen profitable years is a legacy worthy of consideration. And with a sour in the works not far behind this celebratory release, Sweetwater's "good times" seem to have their sights set on a long future, one that caters to both saveur and those looking to just slam some beers.

If you haven't yet had your first taste, start searching for this pot of gold before it's gone (available in 750ml bottles and draft for a limited run).


[*source]

.............................

A sample of Sweetwater 18 was provided as a courtesy to media for review. Heybrewtiful is not affiliated with Sweetwater Brewing Company and received no compensation or other undisclosed exchange for this promotion or review (a.k.a. nobody pays me to write this stuff). 

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Six Better Names Than “Bomber” for a Big Bottle of Beer


With craft beer having emerged from its infancy in the United States, it’s time we reconsidered what we call those big 22-oz bottles of beer.

“Bombers.” Really? That’s the best we can do?

What’s Wrong with “Bomber”?

“Bomber” has all the wrong connotations for modern craft beer culture. First, it’s too close to an old phrase for indiscriminate drunkenness--“getting bombed”--that doesn't really fit with the quality-conscious and taste-focused message most craft brewers want to promote.

Second, when most people use the word “bomber” in general conversation, they aren't usually referencing something that builds community and spreads goodwill and cheer. It's true that when a buddy comes over with a couple of bombers, I'm not imagining military aircraft, suicidal fanatics, and Molotov cocktails. But do we really need such a thickheaded name for such a great thing?

Just for fun, let’s run through some alternatives. And before the “Leave Bombers Alone!” campaign revs up, let me point out that we already have some evocative names for other beer containers: barrel, keg, tun, firkin, and so on.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...