craft porter

New Beer Blog Hideout Brewing Blueberry Stout


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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the second beer from Hideout Brewery.  It is their Blueberry Stout.  If you read my earlier beer blog post on Gangster IPA, you know the history of this upcoming craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read it to get to know this Michigan craft brewery.  Let us get into this Blueberry Stout.

It has a jet black color with a semi tan color head. The aroma has a heavy blueberry notes. The taste has a smooth blueberry notes with a blackberry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.hideoutbrewing.com

Twitter:  @hideoutbrewing

Closing, this craft brewery takes beer to the extreme and beyond.  They are like Right Brain in some realms.  The problem with this craft brewery is everything that comes out are small batch brews.  There is nothing wrong with that.  I just wish they put out more products of same brew. They want to do some weird beers and they make mistakes.  The beers that are mistakes  are sneaking good brews.  I believe they try to do this all time.  They have a hard time remaking and not the same.  This beer is average brew.  I do not get too much of the stout notes.  It is pretty different as a stout.  I recommend this beer if you can find it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Batch Brewing Visit


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In this beer blog, we are going to talk about my visit to Batch Brewing.  This brewery started up early in 2015 in the Corktown area of Detroit.  Corktown is up and coming part of Detroit.  It is a nice size brewpub. They do service food.  They have a nice beer selection.  Let us get into their food.

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The photo above is their food menu.  Their food is just normal bar food with a high-end look from a professional chief.  I had their pretzels with cheese and mustard.  It was really good.  It went well with their version of the Oktoberfest.  They have sandwiches and fish tacos.  It is not a big menu but it gets to the point.  Let us get into the beer.

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The photo bottom is the current list of their beers on September 27th, 2015.  They are always changing the beer menu and selection.  They also let you know what is the next set of beers that will be coming on tap.  I was a huge fan of Oktoberfest. Their Oktoberfest is called Festbier.  I also tried their Empire Pale Ale.  It was a little different.  This beer is above average brew.  I also had their milk stout that is called Sweetums.  This was by far the best beer that I had from them in my first visit.  They do not do beer flights.

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Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.batchbrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  @batchbrewing

Closing, I was pretty happy to get into this brewpub to check out their beers.  I love how they have parking and how the outside of their brewpub stands out. There is a nice outside sitting area.  Unlike other brewpubs, you feel like you are sitting in the brewing itself.  The other brewpubs, you see brewing room in another room.  This is one of the better new and upcoming craft brewery.  They know what they are doing and make good beer.  I am happy to see a good brewery not the ones that I have visit in last few weeks.  I highly recommend this brewpub.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Dearborn Brewery Visit


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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into a new brewpub that just had their soft opening.  It is Dearborn Brewery.  This brewery was started in 2014.  They are in the heart of the business district of Dearborn, Michigan.  It is right off Michigan Ave and right by legendary Les Stafford car dealership.  They do not have a solid Grand Opening date.  Talking to the owners, the City of Dearborn is pretty excited to have them around.  Let us get into the beer.

They are like all the little brewpubs that I have visited in the last few weeks.  I loved what they did in the space.  They put chalk boards throughout the place.  It is a pretty smart idea so you are not printing up something new every week.  They do not service any food.  Please, eat or order from the restaurants in the area.  Most restaurants will delivery to the brewpub and some will delivery up to your table.  Let us be honest, you are here for the beer.  You are not coming here to order food and eat it here.  They had a Creamshandy.  I have to be honest.  It is almost like someone just dropped a ton of Lemonade in the cream ale batch.  It is very tart.  I really did not like it but I can see someone liking it.  They also have an American Amber Ale.  It has a nice malty note.  This is by far second best beer in their line up.  There is also Honey Brown Ale.  I do not know what they did but it taste like burn honey.  This is second worse beer right before their Shandy.  Finally, there is their IPA.  I do know what they did to it.  There is a weird aftertaste and it is not welcoming.  It has a nice malty backbone.  This is by far their best beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.dearbornbrewing.com

Twitter:  @DearbornBrew

Closing, this brewery is a great example of what is going wrong in the craft beer world.  I hope there is no new craft beer drinkers coming into this brewpub.  I love the brewpub on the inside but it is hard to find parking and to get to because where they are located in Dearborn.  I am happy that they are doing what they want to do.  I have to be honest with my readers.  Their beers are not good at all.  I was really disappointed.  I really wished that the brewmaster’s friends would have been honest about their beers.  I just hope new craft beer drinkers do not think this is how craft beer taste.  It is not the case.  There best beers are their IPA and Amber Ale.  They are below average beers.  I know I saw my friend almost vomit from the Cream Ale.  I almost did too.  It is kind of scary that I would rather drink Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy.  I am sorry Dearborn Brewing that I am not a fan.  I wish you the best of luck.  At least, you are better than Granite City.  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Fort Street Brewery Visit


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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the second brewery that I visited last weekend with friends.  It is Fort Street Brewery.  This brewery was started in 2005 in my hometown of Lincoln Park.  I grew up there for 18 years.  They offer a new Firkin every week.  This brewery has been around for 10 years and Congrats to that.  Let us get into the beer.

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They cover just about every beer style.  I did not see a normal IPA or Double IPA.  There was a session IPA and it was pretty good.  The Lincoln Lager is gone and was replace with a good Cream Ale.  There is a nice English Style ESB.  This brew was my favorite.  They also had a great Imperial Pilsner.  Their White Ale was pretty average but I am not a wheat beer fan.  I can see beer drinkers liking this brew.  Black Hole was another great beer that I loved.  They had a Root Beer on tap.  It was pretty interesting.  It came out as a golden ale and root beer notes were slight.  It was not overpowering the brew.  Overall, I will make the trip downriver to visit this brewpub again.

I did not order any food but I did look through their menus.  It did look good and prices were just right for anyone’s budge.  My friend order some food and his food did look good.  This is a great place also to watch some sports games.  I would say this brewpub is the whole package.  Great beer and food while watching some of the local sports teams on TV.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.fortstreetbeer.com

Twitter:  @fortstreetbeer

Ending, I have to say that I was pretty impressed.  I know I heard mix thoughts on this place.  Most of those thoughts were wrong.  This brewery is making some good beers.  They are making beers that fit their neighborhood.  The place is pretty busy with regulars in the area.  I love their beers and they have some nice balance from each of the styles. There is a nice selection of beer. I also love environment in this brewpub.   I will come back.  I recommend this place if you are in the downriver area.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:   djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog North Center Brewing Visit


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In this special beer blog, I finally had a chance to get by one of the newer craft brewery in the State of Michigan.  I will get into the history and then the beer.  This brewery opened in April 2015 in Northville, Michigan.  This brewery founded by Kevin DeGrood and a few other individuals. Let us get into the place.

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This small and upcoming craft brewery has a nice place just off busy 8 mile.  The place is welcoming and has a nice modern look.  I love the wood work.  They took some time to think about where to put everything in this brewpub.  I love the lay out of this brewpub.  It has a better layout than Farmington Brewery and Canton Brew Works.  North Center Brewing does not service food, however, they will let you bring food in or order from the two restaurants nearby them.  There will be a Kroger opening soon across the street from them.  They have some awesome cheese and salsa, which I recommend you trying both of them.  Let us get into the beer.

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You are coming here for the beer and I will say they will not let you down.  I recommend the flight.  You will sample all of them but one.  Kevin and his crew are making some great and awesome beers.  You can see that they worked on their craft before opening up this brewery.  They know what they are doing and it is showing. I am not a wheat beer fan but they have a solid American Wheat Ale.  What I love about their Cherry Saison, the cherry is not in your face and that was by design.  They have awesome blueberry ale that is heavy on the blueberries.  This is one of the best fruit beers that I had from Michigan craft brewery.  There Imperial Stout is off the charts good.  The Triple is still making me trip on how clear it was.  There is not too many clear triples on the market.  You can correct me if I am wrong unless they are filtering it.  They are not doing that here.  Their pale ale is really good.  The IPA is good but I just wished it was more bitter and hopper.  It is nice Midwest IPA.  What I love about this brewpub and their beers, they are all different and they do not taste the same unlike some breweries.  There is several breweries where all their beers taste the same.  Most cases, it is because they are using the same yeast strain.  This brewery does not do that.  

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Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.northcenterbrewing.com

Twitter:  @northcenterbrew

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Closing, I have been too many brewpubs and new ones too.  Craft beer machine keeps on going with new breweries opening up all the time.  There is some you can see people just jumping in to make a quick dollar.  There are several of them opening up in Michigan.  North Center Brewing is not like that.  They are here for the love of making and enjoying beer.  They fine their art and brought their A game.  The staff that they hired or brought in are super nice and willing to talk beer with you.  They will help you pick the beer to fit your taste profile.  This craft brewery is here to stay and I am looking forward to my next visit.  I will make sure I eat next time.  I had to cut it short because of that.  I highly recommend this brewery.  I cannot say it enough.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Sixpoint 4 Beans


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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a special beer release from Sixpoint Brewery.  It is their 4 Beans and not 3 Beans.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this east coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this New York City Craft Brewery.  Let us get into this Imperial Porter.

It has a jet black color with a tan constant head. The aroma has a chocolate to coffee notes. The taste has a smooth chocolate to toffee and notes of coffee. Each sip there is something new. The aftertaste has dry chocolate notes. It is a sipping beer

Here is a description from the beer can:

…Constant renewal is a force of nature, so as creative cycles begin again, the mad Scientists’ formulations reach toward full flower.  Complex flavors of barley, cacao, and coffee, now overlaid with Madagascar vanilla, turn trinity to quadrality.  The people have spoken.  4Beans is bloom.  It’s Mad Science.

Here is a description from their website (www.sixpoint.com):

4BEANS

With the addition of Madagascar vanilla beans, 4BEANS takes Sixpoint Imperial Porter to the next level. Romano beans used by bygone brewers provide body, as the flavors of dark malt, cocoa and coffee are rounded out by smooth vanilla. The result is a quadrality of roasted, savory, and complex flavors. Modern formulation meets Baltic tradition and BKLYN partnership… it’s Mad Science.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sixpoint.com

Twitter:  @sixpoint

Closing, I am a huge fan and I am glad that I can get them in the Ohio market.  I cannot get them in Michigan market.  I am just happy to travel an hour south.  I loved their 3 Beans.  Why not the 4 Beans?  This one step up from the 3 Beans.  What I love about this beer is it gives you something new in each sip.   I love it. I am a huge fan. Next time, I am down in Ohio.  I will be picking up more of this awesome beer.  I am back drinking your beers, Sixpoint.  I know that it makes you happy.  I missed your beers.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13