Miami Weiss

M.I.A. Beer Company

There have been a variety of breweries that have been expanding their distribution into Pennsylvania recently. One of the most recent to expand into Pennsylvania;  is a brewery from Florida that I will be trying a brew from tonight. I have not heard much about this brewery or their beers, so I figured that I should grab one and see what they are all about. The brewery I am trying tonight is M.I.A Beer Company. M.I.A. Beer Company is located in Doral, Florida. The first thing I noticed about their beer cans were the color schemes they used on their cans, they are catchy and draw you to the beer. That's great marketing picking color schemes and styles that match those schemes. Here is a little about M.I.A. "our team is passionate about the quality of our beers. While many of our beers are inspired by traditional recipes, we pride ourselves on continually crafting new formulas and incorporating exotic and locally sourced ingredients. We are known for our vibrant branding and vast portfolio of unique brews infused with Miami's rich culture. M.I.A is owned by Eddie Leon, Johann Beckford, and Kevin Smith. The head brewer is Michael Demetrus formally of Finch's Brewing Company." According to Eddie Leon. "M.I.A. is excited to bring our line of Miami-inspired beers to Pennsylvania. We Have many vacationers who have discovered us, and now they can enjoy a little taste of vacation at home." M.I.A. Beer Company is ranked the ninth fastest growing production brewery in the United States as of 2016. 

As of June 1st, they are in PA. 

Tonight I am trying M.I.A. Beer Company's, Miami Weiss beer. Miami Weiss is a German Style Hefeweizen. This beer is their number one flagship beer and has an alcohol by volume or ABV of six percent.  Let's explore what Miami Weiss is all about. 

Miami Weiss Can by M.I.A. Beer Company 

The aroma of this weiss brew is very inviting and draws you in just like the appearance of the can, I first notice the traditional aroma that are in a Hefeweizen. I picked up on a bubblegum aroma right away. Which was followed by a spice, or a clove note again normal in a Hefeweizen, The last noticeable aroma for this beer was a fruity ester aroma, that reminds me of a banana aroma. All of these aromas are typical for a German Style Hefeweizen. The appearance of this beer is an orange gold hue to the beer. There is no noticeable haziness to the beer. There is good head of foam retention to the beer. The head at the top of the beer is an eighth of an inch in size. Some noticeable lacing around the edge of the glass. Last note about the head or the foam, even though its an eighth of an inch it is thick and off white in color. 

Appearance of Miami Weiss

Time to dive into the taste aspects of Miami Weiss. I took my first sip and was instantly hit with all the typical notes in the Hefeweizen. The first tasting note you get is the bubblegum note in the beer that is quickly followed up by the spice or clove note in the beer. There is a slight orange zest note this is blended into the first to tasting notes but does not overcome the first two notes. There is a lingering spice note after you finish your sip. The body of this Hefeweizen is light to medium. At first you start your sip and you think it has a light body, but then comes the medium body mouthfeel. The banana notes that were in the aroma, do not come through noticeably in the taste aspect of this beer. For me that is a plus, the clove and the bubblegum notes are enough to allow you to understand the Hefeweizen style in this beer. 

Have you tried Miami Weiss? 

I really enjoyed this brew from M.I.A. Beer company and I think they hit the nail on the head with the German Style Hefeweizen. The classic flavors and their twist on the style was pleasantly delicious. I look forward to trying more brews from this beer company. Make sure you look out for M.I.A. Beer Company near you. 

Check out M.I.A. Beer Company out on their website and their social media:

http://www.mia.beer/

Tweet @MIABeerCo

https://www.instagram.com/miabeerco/

https://www.facebook.com/MIAbeerco

LOMALAND

Bottle Bar East

  

Tonight I am trying a brew from a Beer Company that is coming into the Philadelphia Region, but has a solid following out in California. I was in Philly for Philly Beer Week and I stumbled into Bottle Bar East near Frankford Hall, which is where I spotted the beer I am trying tonight. I have heard good things about this beer company and I saw beer styles I enjoy, so I grabbed two of the beers from the brewery. Since obtaining these beers I have begun seeing beers from this beer company popping up at local distributors. I am glad to see them entering the Philadelphia market. I hope this can be the start of some more California craft breweries coming to Philadelphia. 

Modern Times Beer Company

  

Let's dive into the beer company I am exploring tonight. Modern Times Beer Company is located in Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego, California. They have a 30 bbl production brewery and tasting room. Modern Times obtained it name because of a beautifully crazy utopian community in 1850. "Modern Times" was a utopian community built on Long Island, New York in 1850, a bunch of wingnuts thought they could demonstrate to the world what a more perfect society might look like. The brewery was founded by Jacob McKean, a beer geek and former Stone Brewing Company employee. They picked the name Modern Times because they were fascinated by the colorful, ambitious, little pockets of history the develop in the folds of progress, the forgotten little paradises that barely register in the onward rush of civilization. 

   

Taste Room at Modern Times

Their beers are (almost always) named after real utopian experiments and mythological utopias. They focus on (non-monogamously) on aroma-driven, complex, flavorful, sessionish brews. They often brew hybrid styles, combining the features we like from established categories to create new, Island-of-Doctor-Moreau-style mash-ups. They brew loads of special releases and one-offs batches, allowing them to pursue their various whims. They have even dedicated a brew tank to beers fermented with Brettanomyces- an alternative yeast strain that is capable of producing distinct flavors, and their sour program is on its way. 

Label of Lomaland Saison

  

Time for a look at the beer I am sampling from Modern Times Beer Company. I am trying Lomaland Saison, which is their Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale. Lomaland got its name because of the brilliantly crazy utopian community that was the first settlement built on Point Loma, the San Diego neighborhood where their fermentorium is located.  Lomaland has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.5% and an IBU or bitterness of 30. 

Appearance of Lomaland 

Now time to talk about this beer I have been waiting to try, Lomaland has a bright hazy golden appearance to it. The foam or head of the beer lingers a little after you pour this beer, then it quickly dissipates and leaves no traces behind. The aroma of this beer is pulling me in further and further. I notice a barnyard aroma that could be attributed to a hay or straw aroma. The next aroma is a typical Belgian aroma of a bubblegum aroma. There is a subtle spice note that is noticeable because of the Saaz hop addition in the brew. The aroma and the appearance drawn you further towards the Farmhouse style ale. 

Profile of the beer on the can

I am ready to find out the taste of this beer. I took my first sip of this utopian brew and I was hooked to it, The first thing taste note I noticed was a fruity ester to the body of  the beer. There is a well balanced body to this beer. It switches taste notes effortlessly and makes notes hard to pinpoint. It sweet then hits you with a spice note, which then hits you with a bitter hint. The bubblegum aroma is noticeable in the taste, but I cannot say precisely when it hits you. I would say the it's paired with the fruity esters in the body of the beer. The beer has a light to medium body that finishes with a dry finish. There is a hint of spice that lingers on the tongue after you finish your sip.

Look out for LOMALAND 

Overall, I think this is a great brew and an awesome Saison. I might have to say this is the best Saison I have tried recently. The spice note that can be overpowering in this style is not the focal point of this brew. The body of Lomaland is smooth and leaves you wanting more of this beer. I think this beer could be dangerous on a hot day. The beer is sessionable and something that I think would take the bite out of the heat on a scorcher hot day.  

Check out Modern Times Beer Company out on their social media and their website: 

http://moderntimesbeer.com/tasting-room/point-loma

https://www.facebook.com/ModernTimesIsYourFriend

Tweet @ModernTimesBeer

https://www.instagram.com/moderntimesbeer/

Check out Bottle Bar East on their website and social media: 

http://bottlebareast.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BottleBarEast/

Tweet @Bottlebareast

https://www.instagram.com/bottlebareast/

Nerd Nite: Philly Beer Week with a Bunch of Nerds

Philly NerdNite at Frankford Hall 

Last wednesday during Philly Beer Week I attended an event that talked about beer while also enjoying some cold ones. The event was hosted by Philly Nerd Nite, and it was a beer event talking to people who enjoy beer. Thanks to the host Gina, Chris, and Simon for throwing a great event down at Frankford Hall in Fishtown of Philadelphia,PA.  

Tap List from Frankford Hall 

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast 

Oatmeal Stout 7.5% ABV 

Catered Dreams by Forest and Main 

IPA 6.0% 

Here is a little about Philly NerdNite, Nerd Nite Philly is a monthly meeting of the nerds. Our events strive to bring you intellectual, entertaining talks to broaden your nerdy knowledge. This event was centered around Beer and Philly Beer Week. 

Two of the organizers Chris and Simon. 

List of Speakers 

First, I want to talk about the speakers and what they talked about. 

Dr. Roger Barth 

The first part of the evening was spent talking about the "Origin of Beer." The speaker was Dr. Roger Barth, Chemistry Professor who teaches at West Chester University and is the author of The Chemistry of Beer. 

Talking about the Origins of Beer 

Dr. Roger Barth mentioned how the pyramid workers would be paid in beer and the reference to the old styles of beer from Dogfish Head Brewing. The followed an old recipe to create the beer called Midas Touch. 

Midas Touch Ancient Ale by Dogfish Head Brewing 

Dr. Barth also detailed the first mentions of hops in history, which was 822 A.D.  Listening to Dr. Barth was very opening and I really enjoyed the history aspect of his talk. 

Next up was Mary Grace Hodge and she discussed the Motivations for attending Craft Beer Events in Philadelphia. 

Speaker, Mary Grace Hodge 

Mary Grace did her Masters on this topic and the understanding on why people attend Craft Beer Events. She worked at Flying Fish Brewing and is currently teaching at Drexel University, she studied why people attended these events. Below there is a list of Push/Pull factors and Mary mentioned an factor for this event was Pull factor of Education. 

Push and Pull Factors to Craft Beer Events

I found Mary Grace take on the factors to be spot on and the discussion on why people attended events after was enlightening as well. Mary Grace talked about how early on women would go to these events because of their husbands and boyfriends, they would look for the lightest beers. They were not really interested in going to the events but because their significant other attended, they did as well. I think now that has changed a little, you see more and more ladies going to these events, they are not going after the light beers anymore. They are looking for the hoppy brews and the IPA's.

Last up was Yards Brewing Company. The speaker from Yards was Frank Winslow, he discussed the Rub on Hops. 

Yards Brewing 

Yards portion was an interactive look at hops. It was for the visual learners in the room. Frank Brought with him five different types of hops. A few of them were: Denali, Cascade, Amarillo, and Eureka. The hops came in some different forms brewers might deal with an example of one is hop pellets. During the presentation nerdnite enthusiasts sampled Yards India Pale Ale, as they discussed hops, which makes sense pulling the presentation altogether. Frank talked about the hops as the fruit of the plant and the names of the hop part called the Strombile. He discussed the Alpha Acids and how they were hydrophilic and enjoyed being mixed with water. 

Different types of hops 

Discussion on Hops

What are Hops? 

Frank discussed that hops grow clockwise up the vine. The discussion on hops was very in depth and hands on learning. Which I think is important for beer drinkers because if you enjoy hops the more you know about them helps you understand why you might enjoy that next IPA you drink. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this unofficial Beer Week Event. This discussions on origins of beer, why people attend beer events, and hops were all enlightening. I look forward to the next Beer centric discussion from Philly NerdNite. Thanks to Chris, Gina, and Simon for throwing a great night. As well for having awesome discussion with Dr. Roger Barth, Mary Grace Hodge, and Frank Winslow. I did enjoy the intellect and I enjoyed furthering my nerdy knowledge on beer.  

Check out Philly NerdNite Events and their social media: 

https://philadelphia.nerdnite.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nerdnitephilly/

https://www.instagram.com/nerdnitephilly/

Tweet @NerdNitePhilly

MA! THE MEATLOAF Mango Wit

EVIL GENIUS BEER COMPANY

In honor of Philly Beer Week, I am trying another brew from a brewery that had opened up a new beer lab up in Fishtown, Philadelphia. This brewery is changing the name on the beer names in my opinion. They have very creative names and try to tie in to the younger generation beer drinkers. By taking things such as movies and tv shows we love and naming their brews after them. I think that is the thing I enjoy the most about checking out their brews. I giggle every time I read one of their beers on the shelve. Looking at the concept of tying in movies and ideas so that millennials or the younger beer drinkers easily recognize their brews. I think this beer company knows their market and makes their brews relevant to this part of their market, so that they can capitalize on it. I am big into movies myself, so I tell you if I see something that I know from a movie, I am most likely going to check it out. See if it makes me think of that movie or idea they are putting forth. Evil Genius Beer Company is that brewery. When I see their beers on the shelves, I instantly think of the movie or concept that is on the beer.  

MA! THE MEATLOAF

Evil Genius Beer Company is located in Kensington part of Philadelphia, PA. The beer company has been looking for locations and found a home in Kensington on Front St. They wanted a spot to call their own and be able to have people visit them since they started the brewery in 2008. "The idea is very serious beer with very silly names." They will have a 6,000 square foot place that will have a 15 barrel system to help age their brews. I love to hear when breweries are local and want to be a part of the neighborhood, really brings the sense of brotherly love. This shows what Philadelphia is all about. Their tasting room is called the Beer Lab and is open Wednesday to Sunday. If you have not gotten down to this tasting room, I highly suggest visiting them in the future. This brewery has even endured itself to Philadelphia by brewing a beer related to Philly sports, Trust the Process. 

Wedding Crashers Anyone? 

Time to sample the brew for tonight's post, Ma! THE MEATLOAF is the sample. MA! is a Mango Wit Ale. MA! THE MEATLOAF has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.5% and an IBU or bitterness of 11. Names like this beer make me want to get all of their beers just because of the attachments to certain movies. 

Appearance of MA! THE MEATLOAF

Let's figure out what is behind this brew. I took a whiff to size up the aroma and I was drawn in. The first notes that draw me in are the typical Belgian White spices. I picked up on the coriander and orange zest notes, The coriander aroma is followed by the mango aroma, sweet and inviting. The aroma of MA! is unique and something that definitely draws a beer drinker in. The appearance is different from a normal wit style brew. MA! THE MEATLOAF has a darker hue in it's appearance than most wits. The color is a golden orange hue to the appearance. The Wit has a nice foam or head retention. I poured the beer and there is still a quarter inch of foam on top of the beer.

Taste is where  I think this brew might separate itself from others in this style. I took my first sip and I instantly noticed the mango taste notes. The next tasting note that followed was the spiced taste. The coriander and clove notes, which gave way to the wheat body. The body of this beer was a light to medium body. MA! is light and crisp, which I enjoy immensely. Mango addition to this style is something that I take serious in this beer and I rather enjoy. This beer is no joke and something I look forward to every late spring and summer. 

Look out for MA! THE MEATLOAF

If you are able to make it to the LAB in Fishtown, make sure you get this brew. This ale is perfect for this time of year, when combating the heat and humidity. I do not think I have had a bad brew from Evil Genius and I look forward to trying more of their serious brews.  MA! THE MEATLOAF is a must try if you are into Wit styles or wheat styles. I am hoping to get to THE LAB, tomorrow before or after a beer week event. 

Check out Evil Genius Beer Company out on their social media and their website: 

http://evilgeniusbeer.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EvilGeniusBeerCompany

https://www.instagram.com/evilgeniusbeer/

Tweet@evilgeniusbeer

Blackboard Series #5 Cream Ale with Cold Brew Coffee

Blackboard Series #5 Cream Ale with Cold Brew Coffee

In honor of Philly Beer Week, Opening Tap tonight, I figured lets sample a brew that is a local brew. Tonight I am trying a sample of a series that has become part of the brewery it is from. This series is an annual series that includes a new creation every three months alternating between bottle and draft only releases. The brewing company wanted to assimilate the Blackboard idea into their new series. Much like restaurant blackboard specials are used to entice patrons to veer off menu and try something interesting and new with market fresh produce. As does the new series introduced, Victory Blackboard Series is a new way to introduce a new line. From Victory "The goal of the Blackboard Series is to be flexible, adaptable, and diverse while maintaining our high standard for quality." To me it almost a way of bringing back brand loyalty, these are new unique styles that are bringing people back to the Victory Brand. 

Victory Brewing Company

I have not sampled many of the series, but I am intrigued by the styles they are introducing and coming up with. For you that do not know, Victory Brewing Company is located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Victory opened up in February 1996. They converted an old Pepperidge farm factory into a Brewpub that seated 144, had a 70 foot long bar and full scale brewery. During the first year Victory brewed 1,725 barrels of beer. Since then the restaurant grew in size with 300 seats. The brewery has also expanded, producing 141,671 barrels of beer in 2015. "As loyal craft beer drinkers continue to show their dedication to flavorful, quality beer, Victory plans to continue its own growth. Onward to Victory!"

Blackboard #5 Cream Ale 

This is the second year for the Blackboard Series and I am really interested in trying the release from the month of May. I am sampling the Blackboard #5 Cream Ale with Cold Brew Coffee, for tonight's post. Cream Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.5%. 

Appearance of Cream Ale

The aroma of this Cream Ale, is energetic and uplifting. I notice right away that there is a upfront coffee aroma to this ale. It has a strong aromatic backbone to this beer. The next aroma I picked up on was the cream aroma, like someone wanted to add cream to their coffee. It balances the coffee aroma and allows for other aroma notes to be noticeable. The last two aromatic notes, I picked up on were a vanilla note and grain aroma from the pilsner malt. Now color and appearance of this cream ale. The cream ale has a golden cream colored complexion. The color is a balance between the cold brew and the pilsner malt, is where my guess where the color come from. The appearance is clear and a deep fullness of color. The head or foam at the top of the beer as you pour it lingers for a moment and then dissipates quicker than it was poured. There is a thin ring of foam around the edge of the glass and little clusters on top. 

I took my first sip and was instantly wanting to know more about this beer. I first noticed the smooth body of this brew. Then I began to notice the smoothness of the coffee additions into the brew. There is a noticeable roasted noted in this beer that blends into the cream ale body. These notes all blend well together like a perfect cup of coffee with the right amount of cream to the cup. I tend to get wary of coffee into any other style of beer other than stouts/porters. Coffee can be overpowering for certain styles if it is not done right. I think the way this cream ale is brewed you have the strong cream ale backbone with an addition of coffee notes to it. The ale has a creamy smooth finish to it. The body of this ale is medium to light and nothing to overpowering. 

I've  seen more and more breweries experimenting with cream ales and coffee notes, as well as lighter styles like a Kolsch. I think it might be better to leave some styles without coffee being added in. But, I can see the addition of it being a plus if you are able to bring in coffee drinkers into that area of the market. Overall, I thought this was a unique and interesting brew. I think I could only have one at a time because of the creamy and sweet notes of the beer. 

Check out Victory Brewing Company on their social media and their website: 

http://www.victorybeer.com/

Tweet @VictoryBeer

https://www.youtube.com/victorybeer

https://www.facebook.com/victorybeer

https://www.instagram.com/victorybeer/