Heartland Brewery Seasonsals

Original post can be found on Burger Conquest

THE BEVERAGES
As a beer advocate and blogger (see One Barrel Bar site) I thought you might appreciate hearing about the brews I tried.

Bavarian Black Lager
This is known as a "Schwarzbier" which in a direct translation from German means "Black beer." At 6.50 ABV, this mild, porter-like brew had a nutty flavor with a hint of caramel. It's not too strong and not too thick, which is actually what I would prefer. However, for a restaurant serving the Times Square crowd, playing it safe and mild is the smart way to go.



Old Red Nose Ale
This dark red / mahogany has a 5.75% ABV and has a hint of spiciness that one would expect from a winter brew. It has a strong flavor and a long finish. Probably one of my favorite of Heartland's offerings but it's only available in November and December.



Spicy Ginger Ale
Heartland, along with their beer, offer up home made sodas. The wife, not really a fan of beer, decided to try to Spicy Ginger Ale. While she mixed it with a shot of Crown Royal for a little holiday afternoon cheer its overt spicy ginger appeal makes it good on it's own. The soda is closer in flavor to a ginger beer than regular old ginger ale and I bet it would be amazing heated up on a cold winter's day.

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin

Gotta give it to the Brooklyn Brewery, once again. Their regular beers all hit the mark as if they're the Robin Hood of breweries. Their in brewery crafts are mega-crazy as if they're mad scientists. Its the ultimate in beerdom.

Their Autumn seasonal Post Road Pumpkin Ale is a real winner. It has all the attributes of a great ale with just enough pumpkin flavor to make you think it tastes like the pie of the same name. The spices are distinct, the creaminess is apparent yet subtle, the color is strong and the taste is smooth.
Its definitely one of the best pumpkin beers available.

-Rev

Bourbon Of The Week: 2009 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon

For the past 8 years, Old Forester has released their "Birthday Bourbon" on September 2nd in honor of the founder of Brown-Forman. I've had a chance to try the 2009 edition and it has quickly become of my favorites with a sweet taste that is surprisingly smooth for something that is 97 proof.



Here's the official press release...

Old Forester Releases 2009 Birthday Bourbon Edition
Award Winning Bourbon Celebrates Founder’s Birthday

Louisville, Ky. – Old Forester has released this year’s expression of its Birthday Bourbon in honor of George Garvin Brown, the founder of Louisville-based Brown-Forman and Old Forester, America’s First Bottled Bourbon™. Launched seven years ago to commemorate Brown’s Birthday on September 2, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is a limited-edition, historically award-winning bourbon and a must-have for bourbon enthusiasts.

“This year’s vintage release of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is crafted from a 98 barrel batch,” said Chris Morris, master distiller of Old Forester. “These barrels were stored in the small warehouse B and larger warehouse J, on their 5th and 8th floors respectively. These upper floor locations exposed the barrels to a great degree of heat during the summer months which resulted in a rich, complex maturation profile.”

Unlike the standard Old Forester, which is a blend of whisky from several different years, Birthday Bourbon is a vintage-dated bourbon, hand-selected by Morris from one specific day of production. The result is a one-of-a-kind character and flavor that will never be replicated again. Its unique decanter style glass bottle is a throwback to the late 1800’s when Old Forester was first produced.

Since its introduction in 2002, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has received unprecedented acclaim and has collected honors from USA Today, Malt Advocate, Wine & Spirits Magazine, and Santé. A favorite among critics, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has taken home gold from numerous tasting competitions including a gold medal in the 2005, 2006 & 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The 2007 expression was also named American Whiskey of the Year at WhiskyFest New York.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, a Brown-Forman product, has a suggested retail price of $39.99 and is sold at most liquor stores with a wide and varied range of bourbons. The 2009 edition of Birthday Bourbon is bottled at 97 proof, to correspond with the year it was distilled, 1997.

Citifield

A pictoral ode to beauty, skill and craftmanship at a Mets home game.

-Rev

Toohey's New - Not the Same Old Same Old

While living in Australia in my final year of college, I became a huge fan of the New South Wales' based Toohey's Brewery. Founded by 2 brothers this all natural, no preservatives American style lager has been tickling the taste buds of Aussie's since the 1860s. It's Strong but smooth body has subtle tastes of grains and butter. Up until 1976 this beer was only available in bottles but when they repositioned it as a draught beer (Australian spelling) it took only 2 short years to become the most popular beer in the state. One sip and you'll never want to drink a Bud Lite again. Curious and in NYC - pay a visit to The Sunburnt Cow.

-Rev

Sorachi Ace at the Brooklyn Brewery

While on a recent trip to the Brooklyn Brewery for their tour, I tried their newest creation, the Japanese inspired Sorachi Ace. Made from the hops of the same name, this unfiltered Saison / Farmhouse Ale chimes in a 6.5 ABV% and is meant to be drank during the summer. It has a light but opaque color due to it's unfiltered nature. This means you can drink as much as you like without getting a hangover. It has a very unique lemony zest bold and refreshing flavor with an aroma so strong, you can smell it in other dimensions! This is a must try for beer advocates.

-Rev

A Little DAB Will Do Ya!

My Dad's favorite beer growing up was "DAB" (short for Dortmunder Actien-Brauerei) and to my young taste buds, I couldn't see the appeal of this bitter German lager. Then when I realized my father of German descent had the same initials as the beer, it all became clear. Dortmunder was first crafted in the 19th century as a coal and steel miner's beer in along the River Ruhr in Germany. With 5 ABV%, this brightly colored Golden lager is a corner stone of biergardens all over the world. The taste is sharp and bitter, yet it finishes clean. DAB hold sis flavor whether served ice cold or room temperature like when you get to the bottom half of a giant mug.

-Rev