I’m thankful that, even after 44 years, Buddha still rides with me

The sight last week of a Lucky Buddha Enlightened Beer bottle sitting on the shelf at Habersham Beverage brought an immediate smile to my face. There were a couple of reasons for that. One, its unique red-and-white cap would be a welcome addition to my collection, and two, I’ve got what can be described as a long-running relationship with Buddha dating back to 1969-1970 when I was stationed at Nakhon Phanom, a remote Air Force installation in northeast Thailand. About midway through that tour of duty, a couple of other airmen and I flew out of NKP to Bangkok. We were headed for a week of R&R at Pattaya Beach, an idyllic resort on the Gulf of Siam, 90 miles or so from Bangkok. We had a choice on how to cover that distance: Take a slow, but safe Air Force bus, or hire out a Thai taxi, a little risky, but likely to get us there first and into an ocean-view room. The taxi, which operated under the auspices of the Armed Forces exchange system, looked safe from the outside. But, instead for safety belts, it had only short pieces of straps, neatly cut off near the seat. When I asked the driver about that, he smiled and said, in words that have stuck with me ever since, that we didn’t need seat belts because “Buddha rides with me.” Well, that may have been so, but at some point on the ride, almost all of which was spent speeding past other vehicles on a two-lane road, I’m quite sure that Buddha wished he could have buckled up. We arrived at Pattaya Beach, in a time that has also stuck with me, in 79 minutes.  I laughed, I screamed, I sweated so much that my khaki uniform looked like I’d put it on while in the shower. It remains one of my life’s indelible experiences. Thanks, Lucky Buddha, for the memories.

Look to the Prairie for saisons to serve at Thanksgiving dinner

For years, my favorite beer for Thanksgiving dinner, with all its flavors, textures and pleasures, has been the saison. This history-tested European ale can stand up to and stylishly complement such traditional Southern favorites as turkey, dressing, gravy, green beans and sweet potatoes.
Saison Dupont, a traditional Belgian choice, and Ommegang Hennepin, a strong New York-state saison, usually grace our table during this meal. But, in 2014, we’ll be passing around bottles from a rather unlikely source, the state of Oklahoma. Birra, a farmhouse ale, and Prairie Ale, a Belgian-style saison, are two of the products of Prairie Artisan Ales of Tulsa, Okla.
A relative newcomer to the Savannah market, Prairie lists some 29 beers on its website, including the wonderfully named Bible Belt, an imperial stout aged on coffee, Cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chili peppers.
Neither Birra nor Prairie Ale is quite that exotic, but they’ll star throughout the Thanksgiving meal. Birra, the lighter of the two at 4.2 percent ABV, is a perfect, slightly peppery accompaniment to pre-dinner conversation. Prairie Ale, at 8.2 percent ABV, has the usual spicy saison notes of citrus and pepper, accentuated by a generous addition of Saaz hops and enlivened by the addition of flaked wheat and cane sugar.
This rare level of complexity and flavor has brought it a rating of 91 percent at beeradvocate.com. For more information on Prairie Ales, check out its website, prairieales.com.

Wide range of Georgia craft beer is now on the menu at Johnny Harris

It wasn’t history that finally lured me into Johnny Harris Restaurant, though the Victory Drive landmark has plenty of that; nor was it the delicious barbecue dishes and sauces, though they have delighted generations of customers over the past nine decades. No, all it took to get me there, after living in Savannah for more than 30 years, was an invitation earlier this month from my friend Tim Rutherford to sample the restaurant’s craft beers. The Maple Room Tavern, located at the rear of the restaurant, has 16 taps devoted to Georgia craft beers. The locations of the breweries cover the state like the dew. From up in the mountains, there’s Burnt Hickory and Grumpy Old Men: from metro Atlanta, there’s Sweetwater, Monday Night and Red Hare: and, from Savannah and the Coastal Empire, there’s Service, Eagle Creek, Moon River and Coastal Empire. Other breweries on the October menu include Jekyll, Three Taverns, Creature Comforts, Wrecking Bar and Orpheus. Over two separate visits, and enabled by 5-ounce sample pours (which can be ordered as a flight), I enjoyed eight of the beers on the menu. Of those, my favorites were Eagle Creek’s River Street Praline Brown (a sweet, malty treat), Three Taverns’ Quasimodo (smooth, delicious and dangerous with an ABV of 10 percent) and Orpheus’ Lyric Ale (a stylish, hop-centric saison). In addition to its rock-star regular beer menu, the Maple Room is also hosting special events. Red Brick Brewing of Atlanta will host a special dinner there, featuring a keg of its 2013 Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout, on Nov. 6. For more information, on this and other events and activities, check out The Maple Room Tavern at Johnny Harris Restaurant Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/themapleroomtavern.

A salute to Savannah's Service Brewing

Everything was inspection ready when Service Brewing Co. opened its tasting room last Saturday. The floors and equipment were shined, the gift shop was stocked, and, best of all, the menu board was stacked with choices. The story of Service Brewing has been well chronicled. Army veterans Kevin Ryan, Dan Sartin and Jeff Hyatt have painstakingly converted a cavernous century-old warehouse just off Savannah’s riverfront into a state-of-the-art craft brewery. It’s a saga of patriotism and persistence. But, the success of Service Brewing will hinge on factors far less idealistic. For that to happen, its beers have to appeal to an increasingly educated and sophisticated beer audience. Happily, based on my tasting room experiences, along with earlier opportunities to try their beers, I’m convinced that Service Brewery has the requisite arms to make that happen. Ground Pounder Pale Ale, Rally Point Pilsner and Compass Rose IPA are solid examples of those styles. Two other selections, Peach Apricot Pale Ale and a Cask Biere de Garde, are particularly distinctive and delicious. Go by and give them a try. The brewery is located at 574 Indian St. The tasting room will be open from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Tours will also be conducted during those hours. For more information, go to servicebrewing.com.

Bike, Beer, Bike: A balanced plan for the long Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend used to present me with two opportunities: Enjoy the Savannah Craft Brew Fest on Saturday, and then endure the Savannah Century bicycle ride on Sunday. To be honest, the past couple of years I’ve skipped the festival, preferring to rest up for the ride instead. This year, however, I came up with a different strategy: Ride 50 miles on Saturday morning, go to the beer festival on Saturday afternoon, and then put in 50 more miles on Sunday morning. Both bike treks – 49 miles on Saturday, 51 miles on Sunday – were done on the windy, quiet roads of Hunter Army Airfield. Matt Linebarger, Bill Brown, Ed Kenreich, Dr. Spencer Wheeler, Chris Klein and Danny Nagelberg also turned out for the rides and the camaraderie. Good cycling companions are hard to find, and I’m very fortunate to be part of a group that has coalesced over many years and countless miles. Companionship, in the person of Tim Rutherford, was also the key to survival, or at least maintaining some semblance of sobriety, at the Savannah Craft Brew Fest on Hutchinson Island. We got there in time to stand in line and sweat and swear, but all that was quickly put aside once the gate opened at 1 p.m. Keeping my choices to selections that I had not tried before, and please keep in mind that these are 1- or 2-ounce pours, I made my way around the Trade and Convention Center, sampling a dozen or beers, including Creature Comforts’ Tropicalia (an American IPA), Highland Anniversary Saison, Kentucky Ale Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin, O’Dempsey’s Inukshuk IPA, Cisco Grey Lady Ale (a wheat ale), Red Hare National Companion (a California common), Sierra Nevada Flipside Red Pale Ale, Burnt Hickory 9353 (a tart Belgian IPA brewed with peaches) and Goose Island’s 312 Urban Pale Ale. That was all done in the space of about an hour, and I then headed home to rest and refuel for the next day’s ride. This looks like a good blueprint for next year.

It's a real thicket out there in the beer-aisle pumpkin patch. Check out these recommendations before you buy.

As summer’s cauldron continues to bubble the mercury in Savannah’s thermometers, many brewers are already coming to market with the distinctive flavors found only in the fall seasonal offerings of pumpkin ales.

For nearly three centuries, brewers – especially those in America – have sought out alternative sources of fermentable ingredients. Barley is the preferred choice, but soon corn and rice found places on the grain bill. Assorted fruits were an easy choice. Pumpkin and its inherent starchiness was a natural – especially as a fall beer that more or less mirrors our fondness of pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin ales are often an acquired taste – and not necessarily a beer that you’ll drink in volume. Picking one from the shelves can leave a bad taste in your mouth – pun intended. Some drinkers prefer the bold, sweet and spicy pumpkin pie flavors; others want a more subtle, crafted beer with hints of the orange gourd.

Sitting among ales like Linus in the “Peanuts” pumpkin patch won’t help you choose. But beer drinking pals Chuck Mobley and Tim Rutherford tag-teamed this feature and took the bullet for you. Read their reviews, and then grab a pumpkin ale that fits your expectations. 

Tim’s Pumpkin Ales

Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale – 6 ABV
buffalobillsbrewery.com 
America’s Original Pumpkin Ale was first brewed in 1985 at this Hayward, CA, brewpub and brewery. Made with real pumpkin, it has a golden amber color, and the sweet aroma of pumpkin pie.
Yes Chuck, it is, like the label warns, pumpkin pie in a bottle – if you like your pie watery and a tad sour. I didn’t find much to like about this beer – although I suspect its inherent sweetness and holiday spice will appeal to some. Cloudy roasted pumpkin-orange color; the head – oops, it’s gone – leaving me with a pint glass of something I’d rather swap for a poke in the eye.

Shipyard Brewery Pumpkinhead – 4.5 ABV
shipyard.com
There are some great beers coming out of Maine, and this pumpkin entry from Shipyard Brewing Co. in Portland is no exception.
This golden-colored wheat ale has among its malt bill a dose of malted wheat – which shines through the complexity like the North Star pointing the way toward Maine. Yeah, there’s spice and sweetness but the wheat platform seems to be the best foundation upon which to craft pumpkin ale. Pumpkinhead has aromatics that are pleasing, not sickeningly overbearing. Its tolerably low ABV makes it an easy drinker – the beer’s complexity makes it interesting without being such a spiced up seasonal nod to fall. Solid, cream-colored head sustains for a bit and then lingers in a ring around the glass.
Chuck, I know that we both think the wheat style is often overworked. However, the team at Shipyard proves that you can make an appealing beer with weizen at the root.

UFO Pumpkin – 5.9 ABV
harpoonbrewery.com
If it’s a UFO from Harpoon – then it’s a rich and flavorful unfiltered beer. The brewery’s hazy, amber-colored pumpkin beer is brewed with a mélange of Yankee pumpkins, sweet barley and the delicious variety of Northwestern hops that gives it pleasing bitterness on the finish. Kudos to Harpoon brewers for NOT spicing this beer to the point of cloying sweetness. Still I detected a nostalgic hint of clove – like the Clove Gum of my childhood – that subsided as the ale took hold of my palate. This is genuinely pleasing pumpkin ale – well played!

Cisco Pumple Drumkin – 6 ABV
ciscobrewers.com/brewery
This Nantucket-based brewery doesn’t get much shelf space in Savannah – or much attention from craft beer drinkers. And, Chuck, I know you weren’t enamored with this pumpkin ale finalist – but I found the earthy, raw pumpkin aroma unusually appealing. Not overly spiced or sweetened. The beer drinks very clean with some hops bite. If you're looking for the hint of fall with a clean finish, this may be the pumpkin ale for you! 

Chuck’s Pumpkin Ales

Southern Tier Pumking – 8.6 ABV
stbcbeer.com
Pumpkin beers go back to the earliest days of America. A circa-1643 New England folk song includes this ditty: “For we can make liquor, to sweeten our lips, of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut-tree chips.” Now, 271 years later, Pumking – an audacious seasonal from Southern Tier – is a sweet, spicy reminder that fall is approaching, even if it will take its time getting to Savannah. In addition to what you’d expect, pumpkin, of course, along with cinnamon and nutmeg, Southern Tier has added a dainty dollop of vanilla. No parsnips here, Tim, just a creamy pumpkin pie that will make you consider adding a chaser of Cool Whip.

Southern Tier Warlock – 8.6 ABV
stbcbeer.com
Warlock, which Southern Tier describes as an “Imperial Stout Brewed with Pumpkins,” reminded me of my first marriage, Tim. I kept taking sips, trying to talk myself into continuing, even when I knew the relationship was going down in flames. There’s no grace, no style here – just dark, dominating malts with faint hues of pumpkin crying out for attention. Warlock is much like a temptress, purring “hey, you loved Pumking, put down a few buck and give this a try.” There will be no second serving of it at the Mobley house.

Shipyard Brewery Smashed Pumpkin – 9 ABV
shipyard.com
Tim, I’m going to echo the high praise you gave Shipyard Brewery. Its attention to detail is impressively evident on the back label of Smashed Pumpkin, which lists the inclusion of pale ale, wheat and light Munich malts, along with Willamette and Hallertau hops. The result is refined and refreshing. Light in color, it’s a tad sweeter and less spicy than most of its pumpkin counterparts. Its 9-percent ABV gives it pronounced, pleasing warmth and encourages you to slowly sip it. For me, Tim, this would be the perfect fall dessert beer, a grand companion to a pumpkin or pecan pie.

At top, a flight of beers from Blue Mountain Brewery at a restaurant in Williamsburg. Below, the beer aisle at Total Wine, and there were additional stacks of beer throughout the store.

Enjoying beers, earning badges in the shadow 

of national monuments and museums

The beer aisle at Total Wine. The beer list at Bungalow Alehouse. The primo lunch at We, The Pizza.

Those are some of the highlights of a recent trip to Washington, D.C., and Williamsburg, Va., a week-long excursion my wife Shelly and I set up to celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary. We toured several of the Smithsonian museums, marveled at the collections in the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue and walked the first settlement at Jamestown and the battle lines at Yorktown.

Through it all, I also sought out also high-quality beers, particularly ones that are not available in Savannah. On our first evening in suburban D.C., we dined at the Bungalow Alehouse in Woodbridge. I started with a Big Daddy IPA, and followed that up with a Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA. As I was enjoying them, I was also texting with good friend Tim Rutherford (do your palate a favor and follow him at www.savannahfoodie.com), and he advised me to shoot for as many Untapped badges as possible during the trip. In all, I accumulated three: “Pale as the Moon, Level 5” “I Believe in IPA, Level 10” and, my favorite, “Drinking Your Paycheck.”

Later in the week, at Total Wine in Springfield, Va., I spend just as much time shopping as my wife did in the Talbot’s Outlet next door. I bought far too many bottles to list here: The receipt is close to 18-inches long. Included in that number are two that merited places on the Craft Beer Bucket List recently put together by www.seriouseats.com - Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA. I also purchased bottles of Duclaw Sweet Baby Jesus, a chocolate peanut butter porter, and Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold Ale, a beer that I enjoyed several times during my 2012 excursion to Belgium.

Look for more on those selections, and an afternoon at Alewerks Craft Brewery in Williamsburg, Va., in my next post.

A multi-beer salute to this year’s Tour de France

  As the start of the 2014 Tour de France approached over the past several weeks, I launched numerous internet searches to gather information, intensive investigations that included Velo News, Cycling News, Peloton Magazine, Bicycling Magazine, and, of course, www.beeradvocate.com.
  This year’s route, the 101st running of the Tour, started in England, pranced back to France and then wheeled into Belgium, a procession that brought together three of my longtime loves – bicycling, beer and history. The first two English stages sent the peloton through the scenic moors of Yorkshire, rolling countryside that was frequently covered by rollicking spectators. According to the BBC, some 2.5 million people lined the streets during those two days to cheer the cyclists.
  Hopefully, some of them chose to partake of the eclectic beers crafted by the Ilkley Brewing Co. of Yorkshire. Ilkley’s lineup includes the Marie Jaune, a Yorkshire French blonde bierre, and Holy Cow, a cranberry milk stout. I was bedazzled by The Mayan, a chocolate chipotle stout that is sweet and spicy. The stout is a venerable English style, and The Mayan’s rich, chocolate start, and savory, smoky finish add bold, imaginative, new layers to it.
  I wish I could be equally enthusiastic about a French beer, but that would certainly not reflect my experience with Aubeloun, a Belgian IPA produced by Brasserie De La Pleine Lune. Though the bottle states that Aubeloun has 50 IBUs, I could discern virtually no hop aroma or taste. Its qualities actually are much closer to those of an amber ale than to an IPA. It’s included in this blog segment because of two irrefutable facts: It is French, and it is beer.
  The dilemma with recommending a Belgian beer is quite the opposite. From the light, lemony tones of a Hoegaarden to the complex, warming qualities of a Westvleteren 12, Belgium cultivates an astonishing range of beers.
  I enjoyed as many of them as possible during a bike-riding, beer-swelling, sight-seeing jaunt through Belgium in 2012, and my hands-down favorite from that country is Saison Dupont, a storied saison/farmhouse ale with a heritage that dates back to 1844. Graded at 93 by beeradvocate.com, based on some 3,000 reviews, Saison Dupont is crisp and bubbly, with a long, dry finish. It displays great complexity, with balanced fruity and spicy flavors that are enhanced by yeast additions.
  Saison Dupont would be a fitting choice to pour into a glass and raise to salute the riders of this year’s Tour de France, who face daunting challenges over the three-week-long event, and the organizers of the race, who paid tribute to the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I by beginning stage five in Ypres, Belgium.
  Known as Ieper to the Belgians, this small town in Flanders was a British stronghold and the scene of horrific fighting for four years. Even today, Belgian farmers pull tons of still-live German and British explosives out of their fields and leave them by the side of the road for EOD technicians.

Bed Head a great brew for beer and coffee lovers

It all started with a sample at Crystal Beer Parlor and has blossomed into a full-blown affair. For a bald guy, I must confess to spending a lot of quality drinking time lately with Bed Head, the hair-raising, coffee-infused, hop-loaded Double/Imperial India Pale Ale produced by Monday Night Brewing Co. in Atlanta. Bed Head simply beguiles you with its balance, a rare trait in the DIPA category. The coffee comes from Batdorf & Bronson, a gourmet company that has outlets in Washington state and Georgia, and it tastefully, elegantly mellows Bed Head’s 75 IBUs. The hops are evident, particularly at first, but the finish is cool and fruity, a unique fusion of hops and coffee beans that’s reminiscent of a tall glass of iced coffee. Still, with an ABV of 8.4 percent, a little caution is necessary here. It’s called Bed Head for a reason.

In the summer, in the city

It was steamy and sandy underneath the tent early this afternoon at Coach’s Corner on Victory Drive, perfect conditions for the Summer Suds Craft Brew Festival. Tim Rutherford, whose carefully-crafted blog www.savannahfoodie.com should be required reading for local residents, and I were there before the start, talking with organizer Laura Simpson and several of the beer distributor representatives. When the curtain went up at 1 p.m., Tim and I slowly worked our way through the 70-some beers, most of them from major American craft breweries, that were offered. My primary objective was to find selections that I hadn't yet tried, an often frustrating exercise when you've been drinking beer for some 49 years. But, Elderberry Weiss from Magic Hat, Kinda Blue Blueberry Wheat Beer from Boulder Beer, and Summer Weizen from Smutty Nose were each newcomers to my palate, and were each flavorful and light, just what you need on the first day of summer. The best beer that I tried, however, wasn't from anyone with a national, or even a regional, profile. It was, hands down, Da Bomb, an Irish-style Dry Stout that came all the way from Moon River Brewing Co. on Bay Street. Da Bomb is an absolute show-stopper. Earlier this year, the World Beer Cup bestowed a gold medal on Moon River brewmaster John Pinkerton for it. Da Bomb has got the look of a Guinness, but also the layers, boldness and flavor on an IPA, all with an ABV of just 3.8 percent. It’s a beer for all seasons.

Stoopid is as Stoopid does

Let’s start with the numbers – 102 IBUs; a 94 rating at beeradvocate.com based on 5,463 reviews; and a price tag of $4.29 at Habersham Beverage for a 22-ounce bomber. You’d have to be, well, pretty damn stoopid to not at least try this. Produced by the irreverent folks at Lagunitas Brewing Co. in Petaluma, Calif., Hop Stoopid is, in industry parlance, an American Double/Imperial India Pale Ale with an ABV of 8 percent. As for its actual character, it can accurately be described as a straight-up, dry-hopped, gold-hued flavor bomb. It smacks you immediately with strident hop notes of citrus and pine, a bitterness that smooths out as it slowly rolls along to a lengthy, dry, clean finish. Its alcohol content is not apparent. There are many DIPAs out there with much larger profiles, and much higher price tags, but, Hop Stoopid is a smart choice.

Pulling on pieces of cycling history

When my good friend Dr. Paul Kulbersh recently showed me a box of vintage cycling jerseys that an acquaintance of his had collected during a long riding career, I’d hoped to pull out a couple that were worth purchasing. It quickly became obvious, however, that the problem was going to be exactly the opposite, limiting myself to a reasonable number. In all, there were some 25 or 30 European-racing-style jerseys to choose from, including one from Motorola, the first pro team of Lance Armstrong, and a couple that were connected to Nestor Gurney, a Savannah cycling legend. Finally, after considering and trying on perhaps a dozen of them, I settled on four. The easiest choice, because of its dramatic black-yellow-red color scheme, was from Domo-Farm Frites, a star-studded Belgian team that was a potent professional force in 2001-2002. The artfully-hued Tulip Computer jersey was likewise worn by a Belgian team, this one in the early 1990s. The Quality Bike Shop jersey was also too good to pass up. Over the past 10 years I’ve bought road, mountain and hybrid bikes from the staff at QBS, and I’ve come to appreciate their advice and value their friendship. The jersey that really made my heart beat faster, however, was from 7-Eleven, the iconic and iconoclastic American team that exploded into the European peloton in the early 1980s. With a roster than included Eric Heiden, Davis Phinney, Chris Carmichael and Bob Roll, 7-Eleven won stages in the Tour de France and forever buried the supposition that Americans could not compete with on the highest professional level. Who knows, maybe I’ll even be a little faster with some cycling history on my shoulders.

We’re back in the saddle – riding a cold beerafrator through the steamy, sweaty streets of Savannah to sample beers and bring you our results. This inaugural reboot tackles a mixed 12-pack that we think will be perfect for summer. Here’s our logic – or BS – on our picks.

Chuck Mobley: As the temperature and humidity rise, I tend to back off the hops and reach for American wheat or Belgian wit beers, styles that are light and smooth, yet flavorful and refreshing. To complete the six-pack, I put in a farmhouse ale, one with American rather than European tones, an amber ale that packs a ton of flavor into just 4.4% ABV, and a San Francisco favorite that was at the very forefront of the craft-beer movement.

Tim Rutherford: I went IPA heavy – the style’s sheer refreshment, bright citrus notes and biting hops hit the spot on a blistering summer day in Savannah. I had to include my East Coast style IPA benchmark – Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA – and well as a pair of Rye IPAs that add a layer of tangy black pepper characteristics. Rounding out my six is a session IPA that delivered huge flavor, a Georgia-made Belgian Style ale and a hard cider – the beverage that is taking the industry by storm.

Chuck’s Summer Six-Pack
Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale
Terrapin Brewing Co., Athens, GA
Saison/Farmhouse Ale. ABV – 6%
$8.49 four-pack at Habersham Beverage
Soft, with a slight and stylish note of peach sweetness, Maggie’s brings a calm, peaceful conclusion to a summer evening. It’s certainly not a traditional Saison, and anyone looking for distinctive, pronounced Belgian yeast tones will be disappointed. But, Maggie’s has a certain Southern ambiance, one that takes into consideration our climate and character. If you have a porch, and a rocking chair, this should be in your refrigerator.

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., California and North Carolina
Hefeweizen. ABV – 4.8%
$8.99 six-pack at Habersham Beverage
A true German hefeweizen, Kellerweis is head and shoulders above the typical American wheat beer. It’s full of flavors, particularly the traditional hefeweizen banana and clove elements, and there’s also a light, lemony twist of citrus that leads to a clean, bright, refreshing finish. To get the best experience from each bottle, be sure to read the directions and swirl the final one-third left inside before pouring it into the glass.

Westbrook White Thai
Westbrook Brewing Co., Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Witbier. ABV – 5%
$11.49 six-pack at Habersham Beverage
Bright and refreshing, White Thai features traditional witbier notes – citrus and spice – but from far different sources than its Belgian predecessor. Westbrook pairs lemongrass and ginger root with Sorachi Ace hops, a Japanese strain known for its strong lemon characteristics. The result is a witbier with a racy, fashionable edge to it. Bold, imaginative beers such as this have brought Westbrook, which opened just four years ago, considerable acclaim.

Allagash White
Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, Maine
Witbier. ABV – 5%
$8.79 six-pack at Habersham Beverage
How do you merit a rating of 100 from the Alstrom Brothers of beeradovcate.com fame – as Allagash White has done? Simple, you produce what is arguably the best American witbier, a clean, light, effervescent beer that’s a perfect partner for a summer day. Allagash White’s Coriander and Curacao orange peel elements are assertive, but not overpowering, and its steady wheat component lends it strength and balance.

Stone Levitation Ale
Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, Calif.
American Amber. ABV – 4.4%
$11.49 six-pack at Habersham Beverage
A gorgeous amber color in the glass, Levitation has the lowest ABV of any beer on this list. But, don’t let that fool you: It’s a sleek, sinewy ale that also delivers enough taste and complexity to have won a gold ribbon at the Great American Beer Festival. Its strength is in its balance, the strong hop notes you expect from Stone, leavened by toasty, herbal malt tones. It would be a mistake to only drink Levitation Ale during the summer.

Anchor Steam
Anchor Brewing Co., San Francisco, Calif.
Common/Steam. ABV – 4.9%
$9.79 six-pack at Habersham Beverage
One of the first American craft beers, Anchor Steam has been a steady presence on store shelves and inside refrigerators for decades. Its dominant caramel-like malt tone is sweetly reminiscent of a German Marzen, but its crisp, clean finish is pleasant and distinctive. With those characteristics, Anchor Steam is a great choice for whatever you’ve got on the grill. 

Tim’s Summer Six-Pack
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
India Pale Ale. ABV – 6%
$9.99 six-pack at Kroger, Mall Boulevard
Dogfish Head brewer and founder Sam Caligione’s company slogan is “Off-centered ales for off-centered people.” That may well be the case with some of his over-the-top special formulas, but his 60 Minute IPA is my benchmark for East Coast style IPA. The continuously hopped beer drinks with beautiful balance and perfectly crafted IPA characteristics of citrus, grassiness and, of course, palate-refreshing hoppiness. This crew of Yankees is welcome to cross the Mason-Dixon Line – as long as they have a truckload of 60 Minute IPA!

Terrapin Rye Pale Ale
Terrapin Brewing Co., Athens, GA
American Pale Ale. ABV – 5.5%
$9.99 six-pack at Kroger, Mall Boulevard
Terrapin Rye Pale Ale took a gold medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival. That was about the time I spied the cheery banjo-playing turtle on the label – and it’s been a regular guest in my fridge ever since. But there’s much more to this uniquely Southern Pale Ale than its whimsical label. I count on Terrapin Rye Pale Ale to deliver the refreshment I expect from Pale Ale with the unique spiciness that comes from the rye in its grain bill. Five hops and five malts marry amicably in this beer that’s perfect with a burger from the grill – or for sippin’ ‘round the cement pond.

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA and Asheville, NC
India Pale Ale. ABV – 6.6%
$8.99 six-pack at Kroger, Mall Boulevard
Sierra Nevada founder and brewer Ken Grossman started out as a home-brew shop owner in Chico, Calif. From the beginning, he was a hops head, ultimately driving to Yakima, Wash., to buy better quality hops directly from the farmers. This pioneering craft beer figure produces a great number of excellent beers – Ruthless Rye joins the family as a biting IPA It has all the balance of a great IPA with the black pepper tones that come from its rye grain bill. Rye is a tough grain with a survivor’s instinct. This little bottle of beer is bigger than its package – with a mouthful of fruity citrus and herbal hop character. Ruthless loves to join roasted chicken and salty cheeses, like Asiago, on the table.

Founders All Day IPA
Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids, MI
India Pale Ale. ABV – 4.7%
$10.29 six-pack at Kroger, Mall Boulevard
This stout-looking bottle delivered the biggest flavor of all the IPAs and Pale Ales I tasted for this story. It’s an explosive, palate-blasting mouthful of citrus, hops and resinous tanginess. In 2010, All Day IPA brought home a silver medal from the Great American Beer Festival – a well-deserved honor for the former home brewers who launched Founders Brewing. Bold, supremely refreshing, and, at 4.7 ABV, a true session beer with big ol’ hops. When you’ve gotta smoke that big ol’ Boston Butt for 8 hours, stock up the cooler with All Day IPA.

Three Taverns Single Intent
Three Taverns Craft Brewery, Atlanta, GA
Belgian-style Single. ABV – 5%
$8.49 four-pack at Kroger, Mall Boulevard
I love the first taste of a freshly opened Belgian beer – or a Belgian-style beer handcrafted right here in Georgia. Single Intent pays homage to the Trappist beer style made for in-house consumption, the so-called “patersbier” (Father’s beer). French Strisselspalt hops give it Old World integrity, and the talent of these Georgia brewers gives the beer the complexity, character and enjoyable character that I expect from its Belgian counterpart. Easy drinking, clean finish, palate pleasing complexity.

Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider
Boston Beer Co., Cincinnati, OH
Hard Apple Cider. ABV – 5%
$9.99 six-pack at Kroger, Mall Boulevard
The fastest growing category at your beer retailer is – hard cider. The popularity of these generally gluten-free, low ABV beverages has propelled several players into the cider industry, including Boston Beer Co. – the same folks who bring us Samuel Adams beers. This Crisp Apple Cider is the easiest drinking of the Angry Orchard line. It’s juicy like a cold, fresh apple, and mildly sweet. Drink it alone or pair with backyard BBQ fare or spicy foods like Thai or Mexican chow. Careful – hard ciders go down WAAAAY easy!

Hopping on the bike with Dogfish Head

With a tax return from The Great and Powerful IRS burning a hole in my bib shorts, I went shopping online for a beer-themed bike jersey recently, hoping to purchase one that was fashionable, reasonably priced and representative of an edgy, progressive brewer. Happily, after an oft-frustrating search, I reeled in the perfect match from Dogfish Head. Made by Capo, a California company that’s a primo producer of cycling wear, the jersey cost $80, a fair price considering that Sierra Nevada sells its Capo jerseys for $100. Black, with white lettering and green accents, it’s a little more understated than I expected from Dogfish Head, which has a well-deserved reputation for pushing the boundaries of brewing. It comes with the standard three pockets in the back, suitable for carrying a cell phone, gels, and assorted junk while cycling. The pockets will also allow you, while partying, to carry three bottles of Dogfish Head. I’m off to the races here, so to speak, with ApriHop, 60-Minute IPA and Sixty-One.

Beer lovers can fill up in Statesboro

Last weekend, shortly before my wife Shelly and I drove to Statesboro to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of her Aunt Faye and Uncle Leon, I Googled the restaurant’s address and found its location on U.S. Hwy. 301. I’ve got an iPhone, but I prefer to get to most destinations by Google and/or road maps, partly because of habit, but also because it represents a still-tangible connection to my parents who each summer drove us on long journeys that were mapped out by AAA. Thanks to that little quirk, we took the second Statesboro exit off I-16, and came in on 301 North, a fortuitous choice because it led us to the Beer Filling Station at 514 S. Main St. Operated by Southern Growlers, the Filling Station has 20 taps, and emphasizes beers brewed in Georgia. After enjoying a couple of samples, I went home with 32-ounce growlers of Let There Be Light, a pale ale from Wild Heaven in Decatur and Strawn Amber, a flavorful new find from Strawn Brewing Company in Fairburn, a small town in Fulton County. Let There Be Light is a saintly addition to a rapidly growing congregation, session beers. At 4.7 percent ABV, it’s still got strong characteristics, including a pleasing balance between malt and hops and a tangy twist of orange peel. The folks at Beer Advocate have given it a grade of 85. The Strawn Amber stands out in that oft-bland style because its brewers, Will Strawn and Doug Evans, have hopped it up with 44 IBUs. That near-IPA level of bitterness and citrus gives it a pleasing, smartly tangible bite that accents the usual amber tones of malt and biscuit. It’s also been well received at Beer Advocate, earning an 83 from its reviewers. For more information on Southern Growlers, go to www.southerngrowlers.com.

The shandy offers cyclists a refreshing choice for post-ride conviviality

A low-alcohol, high-taste blend of beer, lemonade and honey, the shandy has been around for 80-some years. Its origin dates back to 1922 when a Bavarian innkeeper, faced with an onslaught of several thousand thirsty cyclists on a summer afternoon, stretched out his beer supply, and satisfied the cyclists in the process, by mixing it with lemon soda. Known as a radler in Germany, and as a shandy in England, this concoction has a much shorter history in the U.S. It burst onto the beer scene in the United States just last year with the introduction of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, an unlikely but immense success story for this old-line Chippewa Falls, Wisc. brewery, which is owned by MillerCoors. The Traveler Beer Company has also jumped into the shandy market, and its Curious Traveler, which blends in lemon and lime, is also widely obtainable. Of the two, I prefer the Curious Traveler. The presence of lime gives it a little more bite than the Leinenkugel version. But, if you want to broaden the choices, you can always make your own style of shandy. Earlier this week, I blended Coastal Empire Beer Company’s Tybee Island Blonde, a crisp, light Kolsch, with Savannah’s Heavenly Honey from Asbury Methodist Church, the juice of a half-dozen lemons and water to produce a shandy that was a big hit at our book-club gathering. Kolsch is a popular choice for a shandy mix, but wheat beers, ales and lagers are also options, as is even India Pale Ale. For a complete look at the shandy’s history, and the possible ways to make it, go to the wonderfully named site BeerDorks.com.

Drayton Tower Beer Growler has Georgia on its mind

Chris Haborak, director of sales for the Coastal Empire Beer Co., took the time Wednesday evening to operate the taps and praise his company’s products as part of the Drayton Tower Beer Growler’s Pour Some Local Love extravaganza. Three of the company’s beers – Savannah Brown Ale, Barrel Aged Savannah Brown Ale and Tybee Island Blonde – were among the 43 choices on the Beer Growler’s blackboard. The Brown Ale is a hoppier-than-usual version of that style. It has 55 IBUs, putting it in the range of an India Pale Ale, yet it retains the expected malt characteristics of a Brown Ale, said Chris. The folks at beeradvocate.com agree: They have given the Brown Ale a very respectable rating of 83. The Barrel Aged Savannah Brown Ale has also garnered beer industry attention: It won a bronze medal at the 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship. As for the Tybee Island Blonde, it’s a refreshing, crisp Kolsch, a 4.7-ABV session beer that goes well with warm summer afternoons. The company, which opened in 2011, is building a new facility, and will soon quadruple its production, said Chris. Coastal Empire Beer Co. was the second of three Georgia breweries to be spotlighted at the Beer Growler during Pour Some Local Love. Southbound had its wares on display on Tuesday, and representatives of Eagle Creek will be on hand tonight. In all, 38 Georgia beers from 14 Georgia breweries will be on tap. For more information on the Coastal Empire Beer Co., go to www.CoastalEmpireBeer.com. For more information on the Drayton Tower Beer Growler, and what it’s pouring on any particular day, go to www.thebeergrowler.net/savannah.

Gnomegang brings enticing, seductive warmth to the table

There’s a new blonde in town. Gnomegang is her name, and she’s the artful and assertive centerpiece of a mixed eight-pack from Ommegang, the iconic New York brewery that connects Belgian styles with American tastes. Gnomegang’s impressive measurements are 9.5 percent ABV, a rating of 92 at www.beeradvocate.com, and $18.99, the price of the eight-pack at Habersham Beverage. She’s not a tepid American blonde, but rather a smooth, silky date who is, in the words of a beeradvocate.com reviewer, “dangerously drinkable.” You can anticipate notes of fruit, spice and yeast. It’s a delicious mix that charmingly cloaks the high alcohol content. Gnomegang was produced in a partnership between Ommegang and Brasserie d’Achouffe, a brewery located in the Belgian Ardennes. Ommegang and Brasserie d’Achouffe are owned by the Belgian powerhouse Brouwerij Duvel Moorgat, whose other products include the highly regarded Duvel golden ale. Given this sort of heritage, it’s no surprise that the other three beers in the mixed pack are also first rate. Hennepin, a Saison named for the Catholic priest who was the first European to visit Niagara Falls, is another of the world’s great beers and merits a 93 at beeradvocate.com. Rare Vos, an amber ale that is a stellar choice for dinner, scores a 91 at beeradvocate.com. And Witte, a Belgian-style wheat beer that will go great with hot weather, if it ever gets here, comes in with an 85 at beeradvocate.com. For more information on these beers, and the rest of the splendid brews in the Ommegang family, go to www.ommegang.com.

A stout-hearted recipe recommendation

Last month, when the Harpoon Brewery crew was in Savannah as part of its 3,400-mile run from Boston to Key West and back, I met its three members at Perry Rubber Bike Shop and was impressed with their vigor and enthusiasm for beer and athletic endeavors. I was already familiar with Harpoon, and counted UFO and Leviathan among my personal favorites. At that time, I also friended Harpoon on Facebook, and signed up as follower on Twitter. Thanks to that decision, I’ve been able to enjoy a delicious slice of Boston that I’d like to share with my blog readers. Harpoon, through its digital marketing section, has come up with a recipe for Irish Stout Cupcakes. Check out the link at http://shout.lt/qXT1. My wife, a baking goddess, made these on Sunday afternoon, and just getting to lick the bowl after preparing the batter was worth every bit of the effort to make the cupcakes. They were a huge hit at a party we went to that evening. If you’re looking for something for a St. Patrick’s Day party, this will win you raves, complements, and requests for the recipe. Serve them with, of course, some Irish stout.

I find myself cap in hand

I was pretty proud of my bottle cap collection after I’d magnetized some 130 caps last month to the front of the beerafrator in the garage. The collection covers a wide range of breweries, including several in Belgium that don’t market their products in the U.S. Seeking a little more information, I typed “beer bottle cap collection” into Google, and quickly learned that I’m not even navel lint when it comes to this particular avocation. There’s a community forum at www.beeradvocate.com on the subject. One guy is saving enough caps to cover a table top; another collector says he has been saving these caps, also called crowns, since 1979, and now has some 20,000; and, then there’s this guy at http://imgur.com/QXUt355, who has an entire wall lined with them. There are also serious collectors who are willing to pay for these caps. At www.bottlecapman.com, an old Old Milwaukee caps sells for $6; a Falstaff cap, complete with a Georgia tax symbol, goes for $8; and a Patrick Henry crown will set you back $30. There’s also a yearly conclave for these collectors, held under the auspices of the Crowncap Collectors Society International. It will be awhile before I apply for membership.

Progress depends on the perspective

We set out at 9 a.m. or so on Sunday morning, heading out to the islands, a familiar group jaunt to Burnside, Beaulieu, Isle of Hope and Dutch Island, that usually covers 35 miles or so. But, as we approached the on ramp to the still barricaded, still uncompleted, very last section of the Truman Parkway, somebody yelled out, “Let’s take a right,” and up we went. Once we crested the ramp, the view was spectacular. The Vernon River was glass smooth, and the marshes on both sides went back for miles. It was also impossible not to notice large, carefully sited houses whose occupants had enjoyed quiet, verdant views for years, and who now find themselves fronting a traffic, rather than a tidal, flow. As for the project itself, that statement in the Savannah Morning News – It’s not finished yet – was real accurate. We passed several trucks full of workers, there was construction on both sides of the parkway, and there were some sections that needed paving and or painting. Still, I’m no highway engineer, and it certainly may be ready for the next scheduled opening ceremony. As for the folks in those houses, I’m guessing they’re in no hurry.

Harpoon sails the East Coast, and ties up for three days in Savannah

Perry Rubber, David Udinsky’s stylish bicycle shop on Chippewa Square in Savannah, served as one of the stops on the Harpoon Road Trip, an epic two-week, 3,400-mile sojourn from Boston to Miami and back that will serve samples of beer, savour local cuisine, and sing the praises of that Massachusetts brewery. Flanked by bikes, bib shorts and a couple of cases of beer, Mike Robinson, Dan Bourque and Carolyn Orth spent about an hour Friday afternoon at Perry Rubber. They handed out small cups of Harpoon’s UFO, a highly regarded wheat beer, and its IPA, an India Pale Ale that has won a wide following. They explained Harpoon’s dedication to crafting fine beers and extolled its emphasis on an active lifestyle. The company sponsors bike rides, road races and other athletic events throughout the year, and in locations all along the East Coast. Besides Perry Rubber, the Road Trip ambassadors will make a number of other calls during their three days in Savannah. They also scheduled visits at Habersham Beverage, The Distillery, Moon River Brewery, the North Beach Grill, Huca Poos, Southbound Brewery, and they also planned to participate in a beach cleanup at Tybee Island and take part in a ghost tour. From Savannah, the Road Trip group will head south to such Florida locales as Key West, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers, and then will make its way back to Boston. To keep track, follow them on Twitter, or go to www.harpoonbrewery.com and click on the events and festivals button.

Hail to the chief: A hoppy chapter in history

On this Friday, George Washington’s actual birthday, craft beer lovers should lift a glass in appreciation of the first president, a patriot who knew how to brew. According to www.mountvernon.org, Washington enjoyed beer, often from a silver pint cup, with dinner; rewarded his white servants with a quart bottle of beer a day; and produced beer at Mount Vernon with hops grown on that plantation. “Virtually everybody, of all ages and social classes, at Mount Vernon drank beer as a matter of course during this time period,” the website states. That’s, of course, all very noteworthy, but there’s considerable disparity today about whether Washington’s beer was very tasty. A 2011 Wall Street Journal article, in which the homebrewer-author faithfully duplicates the original 18th-century recipe, concludes that it was not. Fortunately, there is a delicious, alternative Washington beer on the market today - Sneak Attack, a distinctive and imaginative saison produced by the history-conscious folks at 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco. The artwork for Sneak Attack parodies one of the most significant moments in this nation’s history – Washington’s 1776 Crossing of the Delaware, an audacious assault that changed the course of the American Revolution. In the majestic 1850 painting of this scene, Washington stands boldly at the front of the boat, which is cutting through the ice-clogged river. Standing by his side, and holding an American flag, is Lt. James Monroe, another patriot of note. In the 21st Amendment version, Washington is still wearing a cape and a sword, but the similarity pretty much ends there. Our first president, who was not known for his sense of humor, is shirtless, has an icicle hanging from his hat, a potbelly protruding over his shorts, and a wooden beer mug firmly in his grasp. This all works, in part because 21st Amendment also has Paul Revere, Abraham Lincoln and FDR on the labels of other beers, and also because Sneak Attack is a damn fine saison. Light and refreshing, it’s definitely an American take on this style, with notes of pepper, lemon, cardamom and grass dominating, and would go well with pizza or wings. Sneak Attack is available at Habersham Beverage: Give it a try on George’s 282nd birthday.

Pour a little love into your glass this Friday for Valentine's Day

Beer aficionados will have an opportunity to sip a lot of fine chocolate this Friday in celebration of Valentine’s Day. My favorites for this occasion, or just about any time when chocolate beers are de rigueur, are two from England – Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout and Young’s Double Stout, and two from the United States – Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Southern Tier Choklat Stout. Though it’s the only one of the four to have a USDA Organic tag on its label, and is suitable for people on a vegan diet, Samuel Smith has been around since 1758, making it the oldest of the four by far. Chocolaty and sweet, it’s a pleasant, rather than powerful, experience. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout kicks it up a notch. Its potent roasted malts produce a multi-layered, bittersweet, dark chocolate richness. For something a little different Friday night, drop a scoop of vanilla ice cream into a pint glass, put the glass into the freezer for about 15 minutes, and then fill it with Young’s. If the evening gets much better than that, I don’t want to know about it. Both Samuel Smith (5% ABV) and Young’s (5.2% ABV) are essentially session beers: The American beers have a great deal more heft, and acquire more attributes as they warm. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout weighs in at 10% ABV, and is a muscular Russian Imperial Stout. Created by renowned Brooklyn brewmaster Garrett Oliver, it has strong chocolate and coffee flavors and should be brought out at the end of the meal. Pair it with cheesecake or chocolate. As for the Choklat Stout, it’s a 10% ABV double/imperial stout that grades out at 95 percent at beeradvocate.com. Like the Brooklyn, this is a dessert beer. Try it with chocolate cake, or even with some of those criminally-delicious chocolate chewy cookies from Baker’s Pride on DeRenne Avenue.

Rule Britannia still holds true, at least in one beer magazine

Browsing at the magazine shelf at Barnes & Noble last week, I came across a cover that was impossible to resist, even at $14.99: “Craft Beer – 365 Best Beers in the World.” Inside, it’s well designed, has appealing art work, and contains interesting, often even compelling, articles and interviews. The authors, two Brits, have impeccable credentials, but their sampling and travel budgets much have been small because of the 365 “best beers” some 200 are from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This seems, at best, something between disingenuous and dishonest. In the “welcome” section, they proudly write that this collection represents “about as close as it gets” to a list of the best beers in the world. The U.S. is included, but it’s a far, distant second, with 70 some selections. Belgium has the third most choices, and the rest were parceled out between Germany and 15 or so other countries. U.S. craft beer devotees will immediately notice the absence of such stalwarts as Bell’s Hopslam, North Coast’s Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, and Russian River’s Pliny the Younger, or the Elder. The authors and I do agree on a couple of matters, including the naming of the Westvleteren 12 as the world’s best beer. And, I learned that the Brits have some great names for their beers, including the Bloody ‘Ell Blood Orange IPA, the Dark Side of the Moose porter/stout, and the audacious Tactical Nuclear Pigeon, a 32% ABV (yes, that’s correct!) strong ale put out by the crazy folks at BrewDog. Still, the $14.99 would have been better spent on some good American beer.

How to survive pour weather

While much of Savannah runs around in various stages of panic as the Blizzard of 14 approaches, I can remain calm, maybe even jocular. Why? I have seven growlers carefully arrayed in the beerafrator, surely enough to get me through what, if local television coverage is to be believed, is a storm of epic, perhaps even biblical, proportions. My wife and daughter bought several of these – Jailhouse Breakout Stout, Victory DirtWolf Double IPA and Jekyll ‘Merican Amber – for me during their recent three-day shopping campaign in Atlanta. I purchased the others – Highland Cold Mountain Winter Warmer, St. Feuillien Saison, Blanche de Bruxelles Biere Blanche and Dogfish Head Hellhound on My Ale – at our local Beer Growler, which is located on the ground floor of Drayton Tower. If we’re snowed/iced/overbloviated in and have to await rescue, I’ll save the Hellhound for last. It combines three of my great loves – beer, blues and history – and does so with incredible style and panache. It was first brewed in 2011 to commemorate the 100th birthday of celebrated Mississippi bluesman Robert Johnson. It boasts 100 IBUs, rates at 10 percent ABV and contains a delightful Dogfish Head touch – dried lemon peel, an homage to Blind Lemon Jefferson, Johnson’s friend and fellow bluesman. Bring on the blizzard! At least until the weekend, when it’s supposed to be in the 70s, and I can get back on the bike.

Catch the Tour Down Under

For those of us who love cycling, this week represents a rare opportunity to see a stage race on television. The 2014 version of the Tour Down Under, which is, of course, contested in Australia, will be shown on a daily basis on NBC Sports (channel 220 on Direct TV; channel 33 on Comcast). The segments will air at 4:30 p.m. today through Friday; at 2 a.m. Saturday; at 11 p.m. on Sunday; and a highlight show will be broadcast at 10 p.m. on Sunday, 9 Feb. 14. Many of the sport’s big names and big teams are on hand, and the venerable combination of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen will handle the commentary. The network also has ambitious plans for the rest of the season. Other events on its schedule, which runs through October, include Paris-Roubaix, Fleche Wallonne, Liege Bastogne Liege, Tour of California, Tour of France, U.S. Pro Cycling Championship and the UCI road cycling championship. Questions? Comments? Drop me a line at cyclechuck@comcast.net.

Climbing the Muur

Climbing the fabled Muur

Chuck in June of 2012, nearing the top of the Muur of
Geraardsbergen, a long, steep, cobbled climb that often
determined the winner of the Tour of Flanders.

Rare sight: a Westvleteran six-pack

We were able to purchase beer at the abbey's gift shop.

The history of Chuck, so far

In 2012, on a tour of Belgium with a group of fellow cyclists, I was fortunate enough to visit one of brewing’s holiest sites, the abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in Flanders. Some 30 monks live here, praying, meditating and producing Westvleteren 12, a Trappist ale that’s widely considered the best beer in the world. That tasting was certainly the apex so far in a beer-chasing journey that began in 1965, shortly after I graduated from high school in Belleville, Ill. Though Budweiser and Busch were the dominant beers in that market, I also often quaffed such regional brands as Stag, Falstaff and Sterling during a couple of “Animal House” style years in college. Then, in 1968, I enlisted in the Air Force and over the next eight years served in munitions supply and sampled beers in a variety of locales – including Coors, Hamm’s and Olympia in Colorado; Pearl and Lone Star in Texas;  and Tiger, 33, Singhai and San Miguel at several bases in Southeast Asia. When the Craft Beer Revolution began, I enlisted in that as well. Those experiences prepared me for my dream assignment – “dean” of Brew U, a monthly feature in the Savannah Morning News that discussed, sampled and recommended distinctive styles and varieties of craft beer. Sadly, after a run of a couple of years, someone at corporate apparently realized, “OMG, we’re paying this guy to drink beer,” and that gig came to a end. Still, I love to talk about beer, and can often be found standing in the aisle at Habersham Beverage, or leaning on the counter at The Beer Growler, pondering the ever-increasing choices that are now available. Questions? Comments? Drop me a line at cyclechuck@comcast.net.