The Latest Tapped: Christmas Beer Edition

Yes, it is that time of the year again!  For restaurants not located on a lake or in a summer tourist spot, this time of the year is one of the busiest.  Christmas is one of my favorite days of the year, but a close second might be the day that we tap our first Christmas beer at work.  Christmas beers are usually released in early November, and are typically strong and spiced with a variety of different ingredients.

I would not be surprised if Christmas beer is a master brewers’ favorite beer to brew either, as most of them have a distinct different flavor and come with their own creativity.

We just recently tapped our first few Christmas beers at O’Connor’s… Here is my input on them:

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Great Lakes Brewery is a pretty well-known brewery out of Cleveland, Ohio.  You might have heard of their Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald beer before, which is by far their staple.  The brewery was established in 1986 and didn't gain popularity until the 2000's, when they grew exponentially… Slow and steady might win the race when it comes to beer.  I must say, they do an exceptional job brewing.  

Taken by: Scott Swartz

On to the fun stuff about this great craft.  Coming in at 7.5% ABV and 30 IBU (International Bitter Units), this is a medium-bodied very drinkable slightly bitter beer.  It starts with a lot of spice and honey, and finished with a hint of ginger.  This beer will definitely sneak up on you fast… its almost TOO smooth.  Well done Great Lakes Brewing!

New Belgium Accumulation

As stated in earlier recent blog posts, New Belgium brewery is very well-known for its beer by the name of "Fat Tire."  I'd have to say this is probably my favorite beer that New Belgium Brews.  

Taken by: Scott Swartz

As a white lighter IPA coming in at 6.2% ABV, this beer is another one of those "creepers"…   Drink with caution.  This beer is very lemony and citrusy, it is a sucker for your taste buds.  It gives an aroma of grapefruit as well… very drinkable.  

 Frankenmuth Christmas Town Ale

Known as Michigan's Original Craft Brewery, Frankenmuth is dedicated to brewing exactly what the consumer wants: quality American craft beer.  Established in 1862, they are one of the oldest breweries in Michigan.  

Taken by: Scott Swartz

Coming in at a 6% and 28 IBU's, the flavor of this Christmas beer is unlike any other: sweet, hoppy, and fruity.  With notes of caramel, toffee, cinnamon and nutmeg, this beer is very complex.  Although it is very popular, it is not too exciting for me… there is almost too much going on in your mouth.  Definitely not one I would go out of my way for a second of.  Don't let my personal judgment steer you away, its just not my style.  

Now that you know a little something about Christmas beer, its time to go try for yourself!  

Enjoy.

   

Disclosure: I am not being compensated for any information I post to this blog.

The Importance of Draft Line Cleaning

Have you ever woken up with a splitting headache the morning after you think you had too much to drink the night before?  Aside from the fact that you might have actually had too much to drink, if you were drinking draft beer there is a good chance that the restaurant/bar you went to doesn’t clean their draft beer lines; or, maybe they just don’t do it often enough.

Many restaurant managers/owners underestimate the importance of getting their draft beer lines cleaned regularly.  Depending on the length of the lines, they should be cleaned every 2-3 weeks. Not only can dirty beer lines deter the quality of draft beer, it also has a major effect on the taste as well.  Bacteria in beer is very common and easy-happening… Although it is not necessarily a significant hazard to human health, its effect is very noticeable. 

Below is a picture example of a dirty beer line:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/126100858293097067/

Often times yeast, mold, and beer stone will build up in the lines, as you can see in the picture above.  Beer stone basically is calcium-oxalate deposits and is a by-product of brewing beer.  As stated above, if the lines aren't cleaned regularly, this beer stone will build up and eventually prevent steady flow of beer, or even end up in your guests beer glass.

Below is a picture of a well-maintained beer line that is cleaned every 2 weeks:

Photo Taken by: Scott Swartz

There are many different methods to cleaning beer lines, all of which should be done professionally by a beer line cleaning company.  One way that company's do it is pressurized cleaning-that of which a chemical is forced through the lines using CO2.  

The most popular style of cleaning is re-circulating line cleaning.  In this style of cleaning, a motorized pump is used to push water with chemicals through the beer lines.  It is then flushed with water without any chemicals in it.  If you are looking for a company, Micromatic is a good one to use-they are very well-known in the industry.  

Serving great-tasting clean beer will keep your customers coming back for more!





Disclosure: I am not being compensated for any information I post to this blog.

Cheers to Pumpkin Beers!!

Have you ever tried a pumpkin beer before? Do you like pumpkin pie? If you haven’t had the chance to try a pumpkin beer and youre a fan of pumpkin pie, you are REALLY missing out. 

Being released as a fall seasonal, pumpkin beers are actually quite varied.  Some brewers use actual pumpkins while others use pumpkin puree/flavoring.  All of these pumpkin ales are usually brewed with the same kind of spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and many more.  You usually cant tell the difference.  I am a HUGE fan of pumpkin beers…While you’re having pumpkin pie for dessert, I will be indulging in the liquid version of pumpkin pie.

We have three amazing pumpkin beers on draft currently at work.  Here is my two cents: 

Griffin Claw Screamin’ Pumpkin

For those of you that haven’t heard of Griffin Claw, they are a new brewery out of Birmingham, MI.  Griffin Claw was established in 2012 and they have gained popularity and public awareness EXTREMELY fast for a brewery.  Many of their different beers have won numerous metals for best beer in many different competitions.

Photo Taken by Scott Swartz

Ok, enough of the facts and onto the interesting stuff about Screamin’ Pumpkin…This beer literally tastes like a piece of warm pumpkin pie.  Coming in at 5% ABV (alcohol by volume), it is more of a “session beer,” meaning you can drink more than one of them without feeling like you’re gonna fall off your bar stool.  However, it is a one-and-done for me, as it is on the heavy side (Heavy meaning very spice-ful).  I think this is one of those beers I could drink on Thanksgiving or Christmas as well. 

New Belgium Pumpkick

New Belgium is a well-known brewery out of Colorado.  You have probably heard of their beer by the name of “Fat Tire,” which is their staple.  The ABV on this one is 6% and it has a very interesting flavor that is not like any other pumpkin beer.  It is actually brewed with cranberry juice, which gives it a very interesting after-taste and is one of my least-favorite pumpkin beers because of that.  Don’t let my personal opinion resist you from trying it, though…it is very popular.

Photo Taken by Scott Swartz

Alaskan Pumpkin Ale

I saved the best for last…this one is one of my favorite pumpkin ales.  Out of Juneau, Alaska, this is another new brewery established in 2013 that is gaining publicity at an alarming rate.  But, for a great reason: they brew AMAZING beer.  It is one of my newly favorite breweries. 

Photo Taken by Scott Swartz

This is the first year they have brewed the Pumpkin Ale.  The dominant flavor I taste in it is nutmeg, which makes it give the impression that you taste real pumpkin.  Coming in at 6% ABV, it is another one of those that you can drink more than one of…It is not very heavy.

Now that you're familiar with the best pumpkin beers around, its time to try!  Stay tuned for next weeks beer update!

My First Blog Post: Why Beer?

Hello world!  And welcome to my blog.  Today I will be telling you about why I decided to write about beer.  Firstly, I must tell you that I LOVE beer, but not just any beer… Craft beer!  For those of you that don’t know what craft beer is…well…it is beer brewed by a craft brewery.  It is more flavorful, tastes better, has more alcohol, and has fewer calories than domestic beer.

I think many people underestimate the creativity of the craft beer brewer; brewing a good craft beer is a full time job and takes a lot of time, money, and strenuous physical and mental exertion.

 Why am I so interested in it? It is my job to, and I love what I do (for now).  I work in a high volume Irish Pub that must have 36 of the latest-and-greatest craft beers on draft at all times.  I have the honor of trying all kinds of different craft beer from various breweries around the world all the time. 

So look no further than my blog for your latest top-rated seasonal craft beer!

Taken By: Scott Swartz

Cheers!