Do you love beer?

Are you bummed that games this year will have empty stands?

Have you already glanced at the 2021 schedule, and are thinking about road-tripping to see the Birds?

If you are considering traveling to see the Orioles next year, a stop at the below breweries can add to your trip.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Boston: Trillium Brewery

With several locations in Massachusetts, you can find Trillium beers all over the state. It is summer so let’s start with either a Congress Street India Pale Ale or grab a Free Rise Citra Dry Hopped Ale. The Citra Dry Hopped Ale available as a draft beer at the Fenway location is a beer that will be refreshing and get your day started off quickly. And by quickly, I mean this 7.3% ABV beer will cool you down and warm you up all at the same time before you head into the stadium before the first day of baseball returns.

New York: Brooklyn Brewery

Dallas (Arlington): Legal Draft Beer

Miami: Biscayne Bay Brewing

Bienvenidos a Miami! Biscayne Brewing located a few miles from Marlin’s Park has now opened a brew hall inside the stadium. So, you can stop by the brewery on your way to the game, and then once you arrive at the stadium, you do not have to stop drinking their beer. You can enjoy the official beer of the Marlins – a Marlins Lager. Or you can go with their refreshing Tropical Bay IPA, a refreshing hazy IPA with juicy tropical fruits and a moderate bitterness.

Oakland: Drake’s Brewing Co.

Seattle: Stoup Brewing

Washington: Bardo Brewing

DC can be an attractive day-trip for those in Baltimore. Bardo Brewing is located right outside of Nationals Park. It is over an acre of property where you can hang around outside, have a few beers,  and then walk right over to the stadium before the game starts. You can try one of the silver medal beer winners at the GABF, White Lightnin. White Lightnin, technically a Barleywine because it has a high abv at 12%. A sweet and fruity beer balanced with a strong bitterness. Or if you’re looking for something with a little less alcohol, try their Centennial IPA. The Centennial IPA is a west coast IPA full of floral aromas matched with a very hoppy bitterness.

Minneapolis: Bauhaus Brew Labs

Chicago: Goose Island

Tampa Bay: Green Bench Brewing

Cleveland: Saucy Brew Works

Toronto: Mascot Brewery

Houston: Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Los Angeles (Anaheim): Bottle Logic Brewing

Kansas City: Alma Mader Brewing

Detroit: Eastern Market Brewing Co. 

Philadelphia:: Evil Genius Brewing

Which spots look most interesting to you?

What other breweries would you recommend?

The post Orioles and Beer: 2021 Road Trips appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Montauk Brewery
Long Island, New York

Montauk Brewery is located as far out East as you can get on Long Island. But if you can make it into New York, and you’re looking for a beer this summer, grab yourself a Wave Chaser IPA or a Watermelon Session Ale. This brewery is made for the summer with their beers, serving the most refreshing assortment of beers in New York. They serve everything from Pumpkins to pilsners to their new seltzer lineup. My favorite is their Wave Chaser IPA with spectacular tropical aromas and piney undertones. Grab a Montauk Wave Chaser and a chicken cutlet sandwich and head down to Jones Beach for the day.

Dogfish Head
Cannery Village, Delaware

With a couple locations in Delaware you can’t miss this brewery. Dogfish Head was the brewery that introduced me to craft beer. They are the king of the IPA with the 60 minute, 75 minute, 90 minute and 120 minute IPAs. They have a wide assortment of beers from your standard IPAs to more experimental beers like the Super EIGHT gose and the Perfect Disguise. Even with a huge corporation like Sam Adams acquiring Dogfish Head, you still get the local brewery beach vibe when you hit their brewery. Dogfish Head is a fixture in the craft beer world and is absolutely worth a visit.

Union Craft Brewing
Baltimore, Maryland

If you’re down in the harbor for the weekend, take a ride back past the zoo and make a stop in Union Craft Brewing. Union Craft gives you that salt-of-the-earth type with a standard line up of five great tasting beers backed by a large, and I mean LARGE, assortment of seasonal and small batch brews. Union provides a modern take on old school beers. They give you five classics, a pilsner, an IPA, a pale ale, a lager and an All American Classic golden ale. But if you’re looking to experiment, you can try something like the Citrus Spice Sour Ale providing you with a beer that stuns you with a tangerine sour candy taste before finishing your taste buds off with a peppery finish. Best part is, if you’re staying in Baltimore now, Union delivers. Beer. Delivery. They’ll even deliver you a make-your-own pizza, popcorn or pretzel kit.

DC Brau
Washington D.C.

The capital of the United States. Doing some socially distanced sight-seeing this summer? Maybe you have a business trip to D.C this year. Don’t miss D.C. Brau. Even if you can’t stay there for a beer, you can bring your own growler for them to fill up, although I have a feeling that may change in the future. Anyway, head over there for some of their solid flagship beers like The Joint Resolution Hazy IPA or The Citizen Belgian Style Pale Ale. They recently released the Arcade Series Vol. 1 which has a dope can and is a great tasting IPA with floral aromas and a smooth citrus finish. I recommend making a stop there if they get the opportunity to open their tasting room back up, but if not go support them a grab a six-pack.

Devil’s Backbone Brewing
Lexington, Virginia

Devil’s Backbone was started by a married couple who went to a brew pub for the first time on a ski trip in the Alps and decided to try their hand at the craft. Well, they made their stamp on the craft beer industry and eventually became big enough for Anheuser-Busch to become interested in them. Their five year-round beers aren’t exactly what you’d expect. They serve a Vienna and a Gold Lager, but they also serve a pineapple and a tangerine sparkling ale as well as a Hibiscus hard lemonade. If you’re looking for something new to try, get a hold of a Hibiscus Hard Lemonade for the summer. So, if you’re trying to find some tasks to socially distance yourself with this summer, make a stop at Devil’s Backbone and go for a hike at George Washington and Jefferson National Park.

Wicked Weed
Asheville, North Carolina

Headed down south to the land of the pines? If you haven’t heard of Wicked Weed, or Asheville in general, you’re missing out. This is a must stop for a summer vacation road trip. Asheville is craft beer central and Wicked Weed is right at the center of it. Wicked Weed is one of the fastest growing craft beer companies to enter the game. Only having started in 2012, Wicked Weed sells beer all over the country now. Other berries pale in comparison to the sheer number of beers on tap that Wicked Weed offers at their brewery. Living in North Carolina, anytime I don’t know what to order, I always grab a Pernicious IPA, which provides the perfect mix of tropical fruits and piney finish that I love in a west coast IPA. This summer, they are featuring a Watermelon Dragonfruit Burst Session Sour which is a great beer to start with on a Saturday by the pool or the perfect refreshment after a day at the Outerbanks #poguelife.

Edmond’s Oast
Charleston, South Carolina

Edmund’s Oast Brewing is located on King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. That is right where I had my bachelor party, but for some reason I have no recollection of this brewery. I will have to make it back next time I’m down in South Carolina. When you stop by, grab Something Cold…No, literally grab a Something Cold blonde ale, which is the perfect refreshing beer for a hot day down in South Carolina.

Something Cold blonde ale is your quintessential “cold one.” This is the type of cold one that Andy Dufresne got the boys on the rooftop. Edmund’s Oast Brewing has plenty of different beers with some of my favorite sours, including a sour strawberry mango. Grab a couple Something Cold and get out on your grill this weekend and tell your family.

Terrapin Brewing
Athens, Georgia

You’ve finally made it down to Georgia. Maybe you’re making a pitstop before you head to the Florida Keys. Maybe you got broads in Atlanta, shout out to Desiigner. You can visit Terrapin at their original brewery in Athens or at the Brew Lab. Terrapin has been growing exponentially since they crafted their first beer, the Rye Pale Ale that would go on to win a gold medal at GABF. I would recommend you try the Luau Krunkles this summer which is a POG IPA, which just means it is brewed with passion fruit, orange and guava which will be no secret as the aroma will infiltrate your nostrils as soon as you crack that can. The beer has wild citrus flavor and a bitter finish which complement each other for a well-balanced breakfast… I mean beer.  You may also want to grab their Watermelon Gose, which is kettle soured and a perfect refreshing beer for the summer, not too tart and not too sweet.

Cigar City
Tampa, Florida

The end of our trip together. It was fun. It really was. Thankfully, I didn’t have one from each brewery while I was writing this or who knows where we’d be right now. Cigar City has one of the best IPAs in the country. The Jai Lai. It has a bold tangerine flavor balanced well with a smooth bitter finish. Be careful drinking a few Jai Lais because they will GET you. Their Spruce Street Brewery and Tap Room is now completed with a full kitchen and unfortunately, I haven’t been back since they were serving beers out of the trailer in the parking lot. But I will be sure to stop there when I make my way down to Florida in the end of July for my summer road trip.

I hope I’ve got you excited that you now have a place to stop on a road trip down the East Coast. Or maybe now you’ll plan a brewery centered road trip once we beat this virus and get back into the swing of things. For now, support your small business breweries, because in a few months we are really going to want them to still be there.

Cheers!

The post East Coast Breweries – New York to Florida – Where to Stop This Summer appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Snake Dog is an IPA with a 7.1% ABV, and an IBU of 60. The honey colored suds, although poured way to quickly in my glass, exemplify the smooth taste of this complex IPA. When you crack this beer open, you are going to get hit with the aromas of tropical fruit and citrus notes. Take your first sip and you will taste a citrus forward blend of orange and tropical fruit easing that piney-ness.

If you are on the fence about whether you like IPA’s or not, this is milder than normal; it doesn’t have that strong piney taste that we associate with West Coast IPA’s. It is an IPA for the average beer drinker.  There is no bitter aftertaste. The aftertaste is almost nonexistent.

If you’ve had some other Flying Dog beers, let us know what you think of them. They have some awesome artwork and funky beer bottles. Go buy their beer and support them and other local breweries.

As of right now, The Flying Dog has reported that they have no plans for reopening their tasting room, but you can still support them by buying their beer at restaurants or at the store. The Flying Dog sells a LOT of cases of beer. The Baltimore Business Journal reports they will sell close to 1.5 million cases of beer this year. But the corona virus has undoubtedly hurt them as it has other breweries. Go support them and other small businesses that have been hit hard this year. If you’re going to drink, drink local.

Cheers!

The post Flying Dog’s Snake Dog IPA appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

1) Rails and Ales:

Where: Strasburg, Pennsylvania

When: April 4th, 2020

What better way to start off the spring than with a craft brew festival at a Railroad Museum. Trains…Beers… Strasburg. I’m not sure what’s in Strasburg but you could definitely make it a stop, on a trip to Philadelphia or New York. This will be a smaller a festival to check out and I think it’ll be worth the trip.

2) Ultimate Brew Fest

Where: Richmond, Virginia

When: March 7th, 2020

This beer festival is a little bit more serious. It has a very specific set of rules of how much beer you can consume, and that you can only try each beer once. Despite the elementary school like rules, this festival will have an assortment of some highly rated beers and this could be a good festival to check out if it’s close to you.

3) NYC Bacon and Beer Festival

Where: Brooklyn, NY

When: April 11th, 2020

This festival is a personal favorite of mine. It is absolute chaos, don’t get me wrong. This is not a small intimate gathering by any means. This festival has over 30 restaurants serving bacon inspired dishes, over 100 different drafts, and there is no limit to how many times you can fill up. This one is a must, just for the experience in my opinion.

4) Common Grounds Beer Festival

Where: Virgina Beach

When: May 2020

Although the exact dates of this festival have not been released, this is a festival that could be a good vacation. Leave the kids at home and head down to this festival that has an overnight campout with a bonfire. You have the opportunity to try unique one-time-only beers from your favorite breweries. My wife has never been camping before, so I’m totally going to surprise her with this one.

5) Savor

Where: Washington D.C.

When: May 15th, 2020

This is a higher-class craft beer festival than going camping but I think it’s nice to dress up and pretend sometimes. This beer festival is on the higher end of the price range, but what you get from this festival will not only be some beer, but you also receive a one of a kind pairing menu to try 200+ different dishes. This could be a great date night. You and your lady can get all dressed up and have a night out on the town.

6) Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ

Where: Cary, North Carolina

When: August 7-8, 2020

This is a two-day festival and you will need both days. This festival has been growing each year. There are 60+ beers to try, 40+ bourbons, and on Friday night they serve the BBQ. Your plate can consist of anything from whole hog, ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage and every southern side you can imagine. Saturday will consist of food including lamb, bison, gator, long horn and more. Come out to this one both days. Do one day of beer and one day of bourbon and two days of stuffing your face with meat that will raise your blood pressure by at least 50.

7) Hunahpu’s Day

Where: Tampa, Florida

When: March 13th, 2020

This one is sponsored by Cigar City who recently reopened their draft room and bar. There will be over 100 breweries at the Amalie Arena. This one is going to be a good one. Cigar City is providing two bottles of their Hunahpu’s beer, food, entertainment, and a tasting glass with your purchase of a ticket. You can hit up this festival on Friday night and then head down to Cigar City brewery the next day to check out their new renovations.

8) Boulevardia

Where: Kansas City, Missouri

When: June 19-20th, 2020

Look, I know Missouri isn’t the east coast, but for the few willing to travel this could be a great trip. Missouri is a great state to visit. There is so much to do, especially if you love music. Boulevardia is sponsored by my favorite brewery, Boulevard. This festival will have live music, food and beer. More information will be coming out on this one soon. The music and the food have not been released yet, but there are a lot of great breweries there including Deschutes, Pinthouse Pizza, and Side Project Brewing. Go to Missouri, drink some beer, and maybe catch a Royals game.

9) Brew at the Zoo

Where: Baltimore, Maryland

When: May 23-24th, 2020

Lions and tigers and beers…oh my. Okay, that was super lame. But zoo animals and beers sound like a great time to me. This Memorial Day fundraiser is a great way to raise money for the zoo and have a great time drinking beer. This one is right at home in Baltimore and is relatively affordable. Make it a family event and bring the kids, try some beers, and take a picture with a penguin.

10) B’More BBQ and Beer

Where: Baltimore, Maryland

When: May 30th, 2020

They haven’t released a ton of information about the upcoming event but there’s honestly not much more information I need. They have beer. They have BBQ and it’s right in your backyard at the Canton Waterfront Park. I’ll be interested to find out more about this one and upcoming festivals.

Anyone going to any other festivals we should know about? There are so many to find right in your town. You can find small festivals with a couple hundred people or you could go to festivals like the Brooklyn Bacon Beer Festival with a couple thousand. Either way keep trying beers.

Cheers.

The post Ten East Coast Beer Festivals You Should Go To This Year appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

I’ve really enjoyed drinking these beers specifically because they remind me of the one time I’ve been to Germany. Nothing like some Oktoberfest debauchery. And nothing reminds me more of German ladies, than German beer. Anyway, let’s get into these beers.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

6) Little Provision City Koldbrew Kolsch

ABV: 7.0%

I got to enjoy this beer on a Saturday morning which was a great move. Coming in at the highest ABV for the Kolsch category, this one will catch up to you, especially in the morning. Smooth taste with no tang or fruit notes. It has a toasty malty taste, and kind of warms you up for a day of drinking. Again, it’s these coffee Kolsch that drew me into the beer to begin with

5) Mother Earth Endless River

ABV: 4.9%

This Kolsch is the one I bought for the occasion of writing this blog. It has a slightly bready malt with a little vanilla sweetness. The kind of lovin’ you get on the weekdays. It’s nothing crazy, it’s a little sweet and has the slightest bit of tang. You know what I’m saying. This beer has some very subtle fruit tastes. I enjoyed it plus, it is the Mother Earth Brewing that is near me.

4) Banger Brewing Morning Joe Kolsch

ABV: 5.4%

I talked about this beer last week for the beer of the month but let me go through it again, for those who may not have seen it. This coffee Kolsch is one of my favorite beers, probably because of the memories associated with. It has a smooth taste with hints of vanilla and a clean coffee taste. The beer has a crisp finish and goes down great. I love this beer and recommend Banger Brewing to anyone visiting Las Vegas.

3) Reissdorf Kolsch

ABV: 4.8%

I had this beer when I was in Germany and it was much different than the American styles I have mainly been tasting. It was darker, more ample tasting Kolsh. It had a slight lemon tang with a sweet malty body. This beer was thicker in the palate and felt like it filled you up more. I really enjoy trying beers from other countries. It is like a completely different drink.

2) Sierra Nevada Kolsch

ABV: 5.0%

I liked this one because it felt like the “Americanized” version of the Kolsch. It has the breadiness to it but it ends with a slightly more citrusy hoppiness to it which is different than some of the other Kolsch I’ve been trying. I’d definitely pick this one up again because it has the crisp taste that makes you say, “ahhh” after each sip.

1) Boulevard Brewing American Kolsch

ABV: 4.6%

This company will always be near and dear to my heart, as several of the beers have made a strong impression in and around my mouth. Yeah, I went there. And again, this beer blew me away because it was just slightly different than the rest. This beer has the perfect balance between hops and slight maltiness. It has a that subtle vanilla taste and dare I say, may be as good as the Boulevard Jam Band.

Let me know some of your favorite Kolsch, because I would love to update this list in a couple months and broaden my horizons in the world of Kolsch. I hope y’all have been enjoying these beer blogs. If there are any types of beer you’d like me to do next, leave it in the comments. But it’s Thursday night, and it’s time for me to walk to the closest bar and drink some beer.

Cheers

The post Top Six Kolsch Beers You Should Try appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Banger Brewing is located on Freemont Street. If you know where Heart Attack Grill is, it is the bar right next door. It doesn’t have quite as big a sign as the Heart Attack Grill, but if you’re looking for it you’ll find it. Despite Freemont Street being the biggest shitshow in Vegas, I’ve never seen this brewery too packed. I highly recommend visiting here next time you’re hitting Vegas for a bachelor/bachelorette party or whatever event drags you here.

Anyway, let’s get to the beer of the month. The Morning Joe Kolsch. The Kolsch is a German beer obviously, and if you know how to pluralize it, go ahead and tell me in the comments, but for the time being, I’m going to pretend it’s like “deer” – the same whether is singular or plural.

When you think of coffee beer, you think of stouts and porters. You think of deep espresso and varieties of chocolate tastes. But not with the Morning Joe. This is the first Kolsch I have ever had in my life, so when I ordered it, I just assumed a Kolsch was a darker beer. I was way off. The Morning Joe comes out with light gold body and thin white head. It is smooth and slightly crisp with a clear coffee taste without the heaviness of a porter or stout. The taste of coffee isn’t subtle by any means. It is surprisingly rich but light. I haven’t exactly had hundreds of Kolsch beer, but this one introduced me to Kolsch a few years back and I always pick one out whenever I see one at a brewery now.

Ultimately, this is a beer you can have a couple of. It isn’t going to fill you up although the richness may get to you. Luckily, I found a similar beer here in North Carolina, that is also a Coffee Kolsch which I will discuss next week on a “try these ten Kolsch list.”

This brewery is in the perfect place to get your Vegas party started, so start the morning off with Banger Brewing Morning Joe next time you’re there. You won’t regret it.

The post Beer of the Month: Banger Brewing Morning Joe Kolsch appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Samuel Adams comes out with their seasonal 12-pack for all the seasons and it’s a great buy if you’re in a pinch for some craft beer. Sometimes, you are in a store that just doesn’t support local breweries, or there may not even be any local breweries near you. I came upon this 12-pack because a girl brought them to my apartment on Saturday for the fight. She drank one. And now I’m going to drink 4 just for this blog, because screw it, it’s Thursday night and it’s a full moon.

This particular Sam Adams Winter variety pack comes with only 4 types of beers. It includes the Sam ’76, Boston Lager, Cold Snap, and Mountain Berry. I’m going to taste each one right out of the bottle, no glasses or anything, if you care about that shit. Here are my rankings:

Fourth: Sam ‘76: This is about as mild as beer gets. It’s not a bad beer. It’s not a good beer. It’s just a beer. This is the beer Norm gets when he asks Sam for a beer. Sam ’76 has no distinguishing tastes. No complexities. Nothing. It’s just a beer. Again, it’s really not bad. My favorite thing about this beer is that right on the label, they write – crushable – and that’s absolutely all I can say that is good about this beer. If they served this in a can, I’d take a 12- pack on the golf course with me and crush all 12.

Third: Mountain Berry: Berry Ales, as you found out last week, are my sweet spot, but to be objective, Mountain Berry is one below the Boston Lager. I know I like this beer more, but objectively speaking, the Boston Lager is a very balanced beer and as the kids put it these days, slaps different. Mountain Berry ale is a mild ale with hints of fruit. To be honest, they could absolutely sell this beer in the summer and call it Valley Beer. It’s the slightest bit sour with very minimal sweetness. If you like a lighter ale, then this one is for you.

Second: Boston Lager: I’ve never been a huge Sam Adams Boston Lager guy. I very rarely order a Sam Adams at the bar unless it’s their summer ale. But I must tell you, when I sit down and taste this one, it’s not as bad as I’ve always demonized it to be. (At this point of the blog, I’d like to point out that I’ve already spilled one beer all over the floor and had to open a new one). The flavor that penetrates your taste buds from a crisp Boston Lager is unmistakable. There is a reason this beer has been around since Paul Revere entered the craft beer game in 1776.

First: Cold Snap: I’m a sucker for a White Ale. The complexity of spiced ales makes me want to take an unlimited number of sips. I, the beer blogger, have a simple palate. So, I have to taste the beer a lot, like more than one beer, to know what it actually tastes like. But after every typhoon, a man must pick up his pears, and I must drink those beers. Cold Snap has a hint of vanilla, orange, and the spices, which shall remain un-named because I wouldn’t have the slightest idea where to start. Maybe cinnamon, but let’s just stick with spices. This one is undeniably the best.

These are my rankings of Sam Adams winter beers. Let us know if you have any that you like. Are there any Winter Classics that you enjoy that weren’t on my list? I know that they have a couple other variety packs in the Winter and around Christmas. See you all next week or catch me at www.mycousinvinny.blog

The post Winter Beers Review Featuring Sam Adams appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

10) Lagunitas IPA – This IPA comes in at number 10 for me for several reasons. First off, it was my first legal beer, so it holds a special place in my heart. But the Lagunitas IPA is a great introduction to IPAs because it’s everywhere. You can get it at any supermarket, bar, beer distributor, etc. It’s a solid west coast IPA. It’s not too bitter and has a smooth caramel taste and pairs with any burger better than a Coors Light.

9) Cigar City Jai Alai – I love this beer. I brought my brothers to Cigar City for their first brewery experience thinking I was going to impress them with beer and my brother tried to order a red bull vodka. He ended up getting this beer and hated it. So, maybe this isn’t a great beer to drink as a first IPA, but it has to be on my list. It’s juicy with a taste of tangerine and citrus. I went to this brewery because I love this beer and I’ve heard great things about this company, but when I got there, they were running the brewery out of a trailer in the parking lot because they were doing construction inside. I promise I will go back and enjoy another Jai Alai down in Tampa Bay, and hopefully see the finished product of Cigar City.

8) Modern Times Space Ways – I’m sitting here right now enjoying this beer. I know I had one last week, but I surprisingly didn’t finish the four pack. Which is unusual for me – I know, a four-pack, right. Anyway, like I said last week, it’s a juicy IPA, not too citrusy. I think it’s a little better than the Jai Alai although, the Jai Alai is a nationally awarded beer. But like I said, last week, try this beer. Beer in the picture featuring Effie the dog.

7) Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – I used to drink this beer in college and had no idea why it got me drunk. Now, I understand abv a little bit better, but I continue to drink these like they are Coors Light anyway. I used to compare it to a dirty sock, but I swear, it’s way better than a dirty sock and honestly after about my 50^th one at the Red Jug Pub, I liked them a lot. This is our first and only pale ale on the list, and I love how easy drinking this one is. The IBU is only at 38, it’s smooth, citrusy, and piney. Piney, is what some may call the dirty sock taste. A true palate can tell the difference between dirty socks and pine, trust me, I’m a drunk. I lived in Vegas for a few years, and this was my beer of choice then, and I still grab them when I see them at a bar now.

6) Ballast Sculpin Grapefruit IPA – This beer has an odd taste people tell me, but I really like grapefruit. I’m one of the few people who drink the Ruby Grapefruit White Claw. This is made from their original IPA, which is award winning. People love to say that. But there are so many awards. I just like drinking beer that I like. Is that too much to ask? This beer is better than the original, in my opinion, because of how refreshing and tart it is. Try both, compare, tell me which one you think is better.

5) Stone Enjoy By 01.01.2020 Unfiltered IPA – I look forward to this beer every year. They do a lot of these IPAs and they say, “they’re built not to last.” If you check out the Stone website, you can check out this series. I like the novelty of this beer. If you can get your hands on this one specifically, it’s a double IPA, 90 IBU. I liked this one because of how bitter and fresh it tasted, truly unfiltered. I enjoy a bitter beer occasionally. My wife and I had one of these on New Year’s Eve about an hour before midnight and then passed out cold. Look for these to come out. I like that Stone does so many new releases with this series.

4) Dog Fish Head 60 Minute IPA – This beer is like the Lagunitas for me. I love to try new beer. If there’s something I haven’t had, I’ll order it. But when I want an IPA and I want one that I can trust, I go with this one. 60 Minute is the car repair man that you can trust not to rip you off. It’s the doctor that will call in a Z-pack for your bronchitis when you don’t even go to the office. It’s the friend who pays for dinner because he knows you’ll pay next time. 60 Minute is your constant, your rock. F*!@ Marry, Kill? You marry 60 Minute, he/she knows exactly how you like it. IBU? 60, obviously. Bitter, yeah, but won’t blow you away. Don’t know what to order, just get a Dog Fish.

3) Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA – Wicked Weed is one of the coolest breweries I’ve ever been to. It’s a huge space in Asheville, NC. It’s half indoors and half outdoors and I highly recommending do a brew tour in Asheville. Like, organize it yourself though, don’t pay someone to tell you where to drink. I’ve been drinking this IPA since I’ve moved here. High abv. It’s piney, it’s dry hopped, and it’s such a unique west coast IPA made here in North Cackalacky. I can’t wait to get back up there to have one right off the tap. The first time I saw this beer in the supermarket was a Sunday morning when I first moved here. I brought it up to the front. I handed it to the cashier, and she told me it was too early in the morning to buy beer. I thought she was kidding, but that day, I learned what it would be like living in the bible belt.

2) Mother Earth Cali Creamin’ Ale – This beer is a god damn dream, specifically when it is served on nitro. If it is not on nitro, it doesn’t even break into my top ten. But when they serve this creamy ale on nitro, that taste like actual cream soda, I can’t get enough of it. If you find this beer on nitro, get it. It’s a vanilla cream ale, not bitter at all, and the perfect beer on a summer day sitting outside at a bar. It has a slight sweetness to it, but finishes dry and doesn’t leave you feeling too full. I swear by this beer, it’s one of my favorites and it is my wife’s all-time favorite beer, bar none.

1) Boulevard Jam Band Berry Ale – This is one of my favorite beers of all time, so naturally, if we’re talking ales, it’s at the top of my list. I’ll never forget the first time I ordered this beer. The guy started pouring it and it came out of the damn tap pink. I was so confused, I thought he must be pouring the wrong beer. But it is the perfect combination of sour, tart, and ale. It has a berry taste but it’s not as sweet as a low abv sour and not as tart as a high abv sour. It’s perfectly in the middle. It finishes dry and I can drink these all day long. I just convinced my local beer distributor to order a case for me and it should be coming soon. Again, this is probably a summer beer, but hey, a boy can dream. This beer comes in at 5.9% abv, which is the perfect percentage for me. It’s the mother bear of abvs, just right.

So, this is my list of my top ales. Let me know what you think. What did I miss? What did I screw up? Do you think you have a better list than me? I really doubt it, but you can tell me and I’ll see what I think. Whatever you like, keep drinking.

Cheers.

The post Top Ten Best Ales…So Far appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

I decided to pick the Modern Times Space Ways this month. This IPA is a phenomenal choice for the person who is always saying they hate IPAs. If you have a friend who only drinks Coors light, who you have been trying to introduce to craft beers, have him or her try a Space Ways.

Space Ways is a hazy IPA. Although it is made on the west coast, it is an east coast IPA. It is a juicier IPA that doesn’t have a strong citrus emphasis. It also doesn’t have the bitter taste that many new beer drinkers complain of – the old, “taste like a sock” complaint. It has 6.7% alcohol and 40 IBU. Full disclosure: you’re going to get a strong buzz if you have three and weigh as much as I do (155 pounds).

Modern Times is an awesome brewery out in Point Loma, California and it is worth a visit if you’re out there. It’s right in between the San Diego Zoo and the SeaWorld in San Diego. That’s about as American as it gets.

Space Ways is a seasonal beer only brewed from September to November. Luckily, my local beer shop has beer from everywhere and I found this gem on a Thursday night after a 12-hour workday. Solid steal and fortunately, it only came with four beers, which saves me from a six-beer hangover.

There is a reason I went with a Calfornian beer this week, because originally, I thought I was going to make the first beer of the month a North Cackalacky beer. I was going to talk about one of my favorite beers, a Mother Earth Cali Creamin’. I sat in my yard with my shirt off last Saturday and drank one in this beautiful southern weather. I looked up where Mother Earth Brewery was and found out it was only an hour and half from me. So, Sunday morning, the wife and I got ready to go and as we started driving, she started googling the place.

Well, naturally I screwed it up. Mother Earth Brewing, LLC is in North Carolina. Mother Earth Brew Co. is in California. Mother Earth Brewing, LLC does not make Cali Creamin’. So, I didn’t get a fresh Cali Creamin’ this weekend, which is fine by me. I found plenty of other beers to drink. I’m not sure my wife will ever let it go though because the Cali Creamin’ is her favorite beer of all time and I convinced her that the people who make it are less than a hundred miles away. First few months of marriage, nailing it.

Go grab a Modern Times, guys. Let me know what you think. Catch me next week here, I’m going to discuss my top ten favorite ales. If you have any that you think I should include, comment in the forum and let me know. I’d love to have an excuse to have a couple extra drinks this week.

Cheers!

The post Beer of the Month: Modern Times Space Ways appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Well, guess what. Now, you can. Honestly, every brewery I frequent has a run or bike club. I believe this is a new phenomenon that is going to become a very big thing, especially because it’s January and people are back off their bs. Or are they back on their bs? I never know how that expression works. But people are coming up with their new year resolution. If you were looking for a resolution look no further, join your local brewery run club.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

I often go to a brewery called Crank Arm Brewery in Raleigh. It is my favorite brewery down here, mainly because of the beer (obviously). But their big thing is that they have a bike club and, also, a run club. Some of the breweries provide pizza or appetizers for club members after the run. The business model behind run clubs is perfect for three reasons: you get to meet people, you get to go out and drink beer, and you get your work out in.

The main reason I don’t work out enough is because I come home from work, usually amped up from a day of nonsense, and I need to relax. I always have a beer in my fridge, and I have six breweries within a mile from my apartment. But there is only one gym…where do you think I’m going?

So, if you don’t live anywhere near a brewery, and you still want to join a run club, there are some options. One of the most famous breweries that you know is starting a virtual run club that you can join via their website. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is starting their own club on January 16^th. Shalane Flanagan, American long-distance runner, will be the run club ambassador. She reported that she would be sharing her tips for runners and healthy recipes, as well. If you’re in the Delaware area on January 18^th, you can join their monthly group run. Otherwise, for those of you in Baltimore, you can use any running app to share your progress to social media with #DFHRunclub to win free junk. Hey, if I can go for a run, have a beer and maybe win a free shirt then I’m in. I’m what you call a cotton slut, I’ll do anything for a t-shirt.

Wherever you are, let us know about some of the clubs you’re a part of that have some element of beer in it. Drinking beer has always been the best way to make friends and adding the club aspect really makes it a great group activity. Although, truth be told, I’m content drinking a nice Dogfish Head 60 minute on my couch, but occasionally, I can use a friend. What clubs are you a part of? Where are y’all drinking these days?

The post Beer fans, do you need a New Year Resolution? appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.