OL'FACTORY PILS

Two Roads Brewing Company

Tonight I am trying another brew from a brewing company I have tried before. I sampled my first beer from them and I wanted to try more so this is the second beer from them I will have had. Seeing as how it is starting to get warmer, there are some styles of beer that are going to be perfect for the warmer weather. Pilsner is the style I will be looking at tonight. Pilsner style ale tends to be great for a warm spring and summer day.  Let's learn more about this beer and the brewing company it is brewed by.  

The brewery is Two Roads Brewing Company, they are located in Stratford, Connecticut. Two Roads was founded in 2012, by four friends who always wanted to start a craft brewery. Two Roads is not just a logo on the label and the brewery, it's their philosophy. Life seems to always offer up two ways to go. Happens to that they prefer to take the one less taken and have some fun along the way. The Road Less Traveled is their philosophy for the beers and is on every beer. 

OL'Factory Pils 

The beer I am trying tonight it called OL'Factory Pils. OL'Factory Pils is a German Style Pilsner. German Style Pilsners tend to have a hop bitterness aroma and flavor. Ol'Factory Pils has an alcohol by volume or ABV of five percent and an IBU or bitterness of 38. I enjoy the name and the pun that comes with it. On the can it reads, "Built to please all the senses".  Let's find out it this ale pleases all the senses. This pilsner was the 2015 Great American Beer Fest Silver Medal in Continental Pilsner.

Appearance of OL'Factory Pils

First let's dive into the appearance of OL'Factory. The color of this pilsner has a straw golden hue to its look. There is a small dense layer of foam or head a top the glass. Some noticeable lacing around the top of the glass as well. I took one whiff of this beer and I get it's pun name. It gives the nose or your olfactory sense a run for its money. I notice the dry hopped aroma right away. I think I picked up on it right away because of the home brewing I have been doing recently. There is two different hop aromas though. A subtle hop spice note and the bitter hop aroma. Then you are hit with a grassy aroma with blends into the hop notes of the aroma. You do notice the pilsner malt in the aroma. The aroma notes tend to linger in the nose and give you a good sense of what this ale is about. 

I am curious to see how the taste of this beer comes through compared to the aroma. I took my first sip and greeted by the notes from the aroma. I enjoyed the pilsner malt backbone, that gave this beer a light to medium body. The hop bitterness is noticeable but not overpowering. The spice hop note lingers on the tip of the tongue after the first sip. The variety of hops and malts used in the pilsner are noticeable, more so in the taste and the hop profile of the beer. You notice the floral notes as well as the grassy hop notes. The pilsner is crisp and refreshing. The pilsner notes are throughout the taste and the aroma of this ale. 

Check out this Dry Hopped Pilsner!

Overall I thought this was a good beer. A little hoppy for my taste, but still enjoyable. I think if you are a fan of hoppy pilsners or hoppy ales than this is a style pilsner you will enjoy. Even if you are not into hoppy brews, like myself, I think this beer is something you can appreciate. The crisp notes in the taste of the beer and the spice notes are well done. I do enjoy the lingering spice hop notes, almost reminds me of a Farmhouse ale in a sense. OL'Factory is a year round brew by Two Roads Brewing Company and something you should keep your eye out for during the spring/summer. 

Check out Two Roads Brewing Company on their website and social media: 

https://tworoadsbrewing.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TwoRoadsBrewing

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T-Time

Tonight I am trying another beer from a brewery that I have had a few times on here now.  Turning into a regular brews to try. So far I have not sampled anything from them that I have not liked. Seeing as how the weather has turned to become warmer and people are out enjoying the weather. Time to check out some Country Clubs and set up some times for a foursome or a twosome. This beer that I am trying tonight would go perfect with the time to start golfing and drinking all day on the course. 

Terrapin Beer Company 

First let's look at where the beer is coming from. Terrapin Beer Co. was founded by John Cochran and Spike Buckowski, who met while working at a microbrewery in Atlanta. Both recognized that they had a passion and something to contribute to the industry in the the South. They began developing their recipes and in April 2002, Rye Pale Ale was born. Six months later Rye Pale Ale had won a Gold Medal at at the Great American Beer Fest for American Pale Ale. In 2007, Terrapin moved to its current location and set out to share their unique brews with the Southeast. Adding beers that are mainstays to their brand, Wake-N-Bake, Hopsecutioner, and others. Today there are eight year round beers, four seasonal sessions, and special releases/collaborations. 

Label of T-Time Berliner Weisse 

Can of T-Time, "Hush Y'all"  

The beer I am trying tonight is called T-Time by Terrapin Beer Company. T-Time is a Berliner Weisse. A Berliner Weisse is wheat beer that is top fermented with yeast and lactobacillus cultures. For anyone that does not understand this style, think of a light bodied wheat beer that has a tart acidic note. Could be considered a sour wheat ale. T-Time is a special release brew by Terrapin Beer Company.  T-Time has an alcohol by volume or ABV of four percent and an IBU or bitterness of five. T-Time is brewed with Maya Tea and Lemon peels. 

Appearance of T-Time 

T-Time has a brownish golden tint to its appearance. For me, it reminds me of having a Arnold Palmer. Which considering this ale is brewed with tea and lemon peel makes sense. There is a hazy appearance to this brew that is attributed to its wheat body. The color of this ale leaves me thinking that it has the perfect amount of tea to lemon notes. Head or foam of this ale was white and did not linger very long after the ale was poured into the glass. The aroma of T-Time is tart and refreshing. There is a lemon zest aroma to this ale. Then followed by fresh brewed tea aroma. The combination of lemon and tea is blended in the aroma just the right amount of each balancing each other. The next aroma that combines together is the wheat and the tart acidic aroma. The combo leaves the drinker with a sour wheat aroma that is enticing. 

Grab yourself a T-Time and take it to the Tee

Taste is where I want to see if this is most like an Arnold Palmer drink.  I took my first sip and I could not stop drinking this beer. Its light and reminds me of a Arnold Palmer as a beer. I get the tea taste right away which is instantly followed by a lemon peel note. The next taste note is the tart sour note in the beer. This berliner weisse is crisp, light and refreshing. You do not really pick up on the body of the wheat beer, but this ale does have a light body. The taste follows the aroma of this beer in a delightful way. Sometimes berliner weisse can be a tad too sour for some to enjoy but I think with the combination of tea and lemon peel this is the right amount. 

This is a crisp refreshing berliner weisse that could be enjoyed all day while on the course. The crisp and tart backbone of this ale makes it a enjoyable beer. A hot summer day this beer would be perfect. The balance of tea and lemon peel is hard to do in the perfect Arnold Palmer drink, but Terrapin might have hit a hole in one. 

Look out for T-Time

Check out Terrapin Beer Company on their social media and their website: 

http://terrapinbeer.com/

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Delco Lager

2SP Brewing Company 

Tonight I am trying a local brew in Pennsylvania. The brewery I am trying a beer from tonight is called 2SP Brewing Company. 2SP is located in Aston, Pennsylvania.  Aston, PA is part of Delaware County in Pennsylvania. To the people that live in Delaware County, sometimes it is referred to as Delco. 2SP Brewing Company's mission is to bring world-class beers from world-class brewers to this region. "We know as well as you, when it comes to beer and hype: Believe Nothing. Try Everything." This mindset is what drives me to try as many beers as possible. Sometimes you cannot just take someone's word for how good a beer is. Trying it for yourself allows you to figure out what styles and brewing companies you enjoy. 

Delco Lager by 2SP 

2SP paid homage to their location by naming one of their beers after their county. The brew I am trying from 2SP is called DELCO Lager. It is an amber lager. Delco Lager has an alcohol by volume or ABV of four percent. It is a year round brew by 2SP. 

Appearance of Delco Lager.

Delco Lager has a pale reddish amber hue to its appearance. The foam or head of the lager is white and quickly dissipates leaving, a thin ring around the outside of the glass. The aroma of the beer is typical for this style. There is a caramel note in the aroma, which is paired with the malt sweetness note. You notice a biscuit aroma note next, which is followed by a subtle hop aroma. The hop note is subtle and noticeable as the final aroma note. 

Taste wise I am curious to see, because on the beers description they mention Delco Wudder. Which for those that do not know Philadelphia accents, it's water. I took my first sip of Delco Lager and I noticed how crisp and smooth the beer was. There is a subtle caramel sweetness to the beer. The biscuit note followed the sweetness. I am astonished at how smoothly this beer goes down. There is little to no hop note in the taste of the beer, which for a lager that is what you are expecting. This beer is one that you can enjoy all day and something I would drink over Yuengling any day of the week. This taste is malt forward, which again for the lager style you expect the malt to be noticeable. It is balanced and something I look forward to trying on tap someday. 

Lookout for DELCO Lager

I thought this was a good lager and something I would get more of. The smoothness of this beer and the low ABV makes this a perfect day drinking beer. 

Check out 2SP Brewing Company on their website and their social media: 

http://www.2spbrewing.com/

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Wit or Wit Out

Saint Benjamin Brewing Company

Glimpse of the outside of St. Benjamin Brewing Company

Philadelphia is hosting the National Football League Draft coming up in two weeks. A lot of out of towners will be coming through the city. Cheesesteaks is the thing to get in Philly. You have to be careful, if you do not know how to order, some places will kick you to the back of the line. If you want a Cheesesteak, whiz and onions, you say cheesesteak wiz wit. If you just was steak and whiz, you say Whiz Wit Out. The beer I am trying tonight, pays homage to the city and this delicious treat. Time to find out more about this brewery that created the beer I am drinking tonight. Saint Benjamin Brewing Company is located in Kensington, Philadelphia. The brewery used to be an old carriage house and stables for Theo Finkenauer Brewery. St. Benjamin's focused on preserving the space and the history of the building. The name of the brewery is in reference to one of the founding fathers. The founding father Ben Franklin and is where the brewery derives its name from. Many people do not know that Ben Franklin was an avid Home Brewer. Yards Brewing and St. Benjamin Brewing both pay homage to this founding Father.  

Can of Wit or Wit Out

Tonight I am trying Saint Benjamin Brewing Wit or Wit Out. Wit or Wit Out is a Belgian Style Witbier or if you do not know White Ale. This ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.6% and an IBU or bitterness of 17. The reason witbiers are referred to as white ale's is due to the cloudiness in the beer. 

Appearance of Wit or Wit Out

Aroma of Wit or Wit Out is classic to this style of beer. You first get hit with a lemon zest note. After the lemon zest notes, comes the Belgian spice notes. Coriander comes through the strongest in the aroma. There is a hint of clove in the aroma as well. The next aroma note is a yeast aroma to the beer. The aroma is zesty and has a zing to it. This beer gives off a refreshing aroma that pulls you into this brew. The color of this beer is a pale golden straw hue. There is a haziness to this beer and a good amount of carbonation to this ale. This white ale has a cloudiness to the beer, in keeping with the style. The foam of this beer was big at the beginning and very quickly dissipated leaving no trace at all. The beer almost looks like a sour ale, wit out its foam atop the glass.   

I enjoy most witbiers, now to see the taste behind this wit from Saint Benjamin. I took my first sip and I noticed the lightness of the beer, right away. There is a refreshing zestiness to this beer that is followed after the light body notes. In keeping with the style there is hints of coriander on the tongue, but not too much to be overpowering. There is a subtle hint of pepper notes in the taste to add to the zest of the beer. Almost like a yin and yang to the coriander. After the spice hints, I notice the slightly tart taste notes of the beer. Could be the combination of orange peel and lemon zest into the beer. The tartness of this beer is refreshing and is combined with the spice and the light body to create a smooth witbier. The light body comes through in the pilsner malt used to create a lighter witbier. I will have to look for more brews like this style with the addition of the pilsner malt. There is a slight subtle hop note to this on the finishing taste, treats it like a blonde ale finish. 

Wit or Wit Out

So next time you are in Philadelphia, get a Wit or Wit Out. Make you feel like you're a Philadelphian. I think that Saint Benjamin Brewing did a great job and creating their own take on a Belgian Style Witbier. It is tart, zest, refreshing and should be a great ale for the spring and summer heat. If you are looking for a light refreshing ale this is the brew for you.  

Check out Saint Benjamin Brewing Company on their website and their social media:

http://stbenjaminbrewing.com/

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White Ale

Me Visiting Sugar Creek Brewing Company  

In honor of North Carolina Beer month and beer week, I am sampling a beer from a brewery in Charlotte, North Carolina. I saved this brew from a Beercation, I took down there. I am looking forward to travelling down to Charlotte again soon hopefully. There are some great breweries around the city that are a must visit. I am trying a favorite of a relative that lives down in the Charlotte area. When I visited she made sure that this brewing company was on the list of breweries we checked out while I was there. Let's find out more about the brewing company I am trying this brew from. 

Explanation behind the Sugar Creek Brewing Company Logo

I am trying an ale from Sugar Creek Brewing Company. They are located Southside Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sugar Creek is focused on brewing ales in a style and commitment representative of Belgian Trappist Monks. Why Belgian Brews though? This style is complex and delivers unique flavors that create a unsurpassable drinking experience. To create such great beers they examined Belgian Brewers and noticed the great beers. A commonality was the breaking the rule ideal. Most people that learn about beer and study it, know about the Reinheitsgebot Law, which restricts the ingredients in beers to these four main ingredients only: water, hops, yeast, barley. By breaking this rule, there has been the creation of some of the most complex and interesting brews in the worlds. No one thought about texture, aroma, visualization of a particular taste, until breaking from the norm. #BreakTheRules Sugar Creek infuses traditional recipes with modern tastes and techniques to create beer that nourishes both mind and body.

Label of White Ale

Tonight I am trying Sugar Creek Brewing Company's White Ale. This White Ale is an unfiltered Witbier. This recipe dates back to the 14th Century and is one of their most traditional craft beers. The interpretation is inspired by Pierre Celis and his efforts to resurrect this style. White Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.9% and an IBU or bitterness of 16. The yeast that ferments this beer is cultured from the original stain near the town of Hoegaarden. Let's find out more about this beer in regards to taste, aroma, and appearance. 

Appearance of White Ale

Appearance wise this beer has a straw colored haziness to its appearance. The haziness is from the ale being unfiltered as some witbiers are. The color is a pale straw or pale golden hue to the beer.  When I poured the beer out there was a noticeable head or foam the beer. The foam was white and thick. The does linger around then leaves thin layer around the top of the glass. The aroma of the beer is what I would expect for this style of ale. I notice lemon citrus notes in the aroma. That is followed by a peppery note, that gives a unique aroma almost like a saison. The peppery note is followed with a spice note, which is a hint of coriander. The last aroma note that is a finishing aroma note is a funky aroma, in terms of funky it's a malt sweetness aroma. 

Time to taste this witbier. I took my first sip and was instantly noticing all the notes that are from the aroma. This white ale is light bodied ale that is crisp and refreshing. First taste note I picked up on was the citrus note. There is a orange peel note that is partnered with a lemon zest citrus. The spice note is not as noticeable in the taste aspect. The coriander and peppery notes are linked together. I enjoy that the coriander is not overpowering, like some witbiers do. To me this is the right amount of coriander in this style of ale. Coriander to me can kill some witbiers because they tend to add too much for my liking. The last note that I picked up on is a subtle sweetness not that I can't pinpoint flavor note wise. 

Check out Sugar Creek White Ale

To me, Sugar Creek Brewing created a great witbier brew. Noticing how they break the rules and combine different styles, I think this ale is almost a combination between saison and witbier. The lemon and spice notes combining the orange peel is why I think this. It's a great combination and I think I will now be comparing witbiers to this beer. The light and crisp body are something that make this white ale great for all year. Breaking the Rules and creating this White Ale is something that wouldn't have happened if people followed the purity laws.   

Check out Sugar Creek Brewing Company's social media and their website: 

http://sugarcreekbrewing.com/

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