Genesee 12 Horse Ale Trots Back to Consumers

The first cases of the Genesee Heritage Collection variety pack are delivered to a few select bars in Downtown Rochester NY by Horse and Carriage.

I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that Genesee was bring back the iconic 12 Horse Ale, not to mention that they marked the occasion by delivering it by horse drawn carriage to a few select bars in downtown Rochester, NY. The beer was originally introduced in 1933 and was last on store shelves in 2003 when it was pulled due to lack of sales. It was delivered to Salinger’s Bar around lunch time today in the new Genesee Heritage Variety Packs. The pack features Genesee Lager, Cream Ale and of course 12 Horse Ale all in vintage style stubby glass bottles.  As a collector of NY breweriana 12 Horse has always been one my favorite brands so I was thrilled to get to try it and see it being produced once again. Here’s to hoping it catches on and sticks around for while. The Heritage Variety Pack are a limited release and should be hitting store sometime very soon. Try some while you can or better yet share some with your friends and family and see what stories or memories they have of this iconic brand. Cheers!

The new 12 Horse Stubby bottle and a 1930's era 12 Horse Tray from my personal collection.

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Three Heads Brewing’s First Annual Music Festival

Hogan’s Hideaway is hosting the first annual Three Heads Brewing Music Festival during the Park Ave. Fest on August 6th and 7th. There will be five beers on tap, two from TJ Sheehans and all three of Three Heads IPA’s. This is a free event and I can’t think of better way enjoy one of Rochester’s best Summer Festivals. There will be a tent for some relief from the sun and bathroom facilities. You can also check out Hogan’s Hideways new remodeled bar. Hogan’s Hideway is located at 197 Park Avenue near Goodman Street. Check out the great lineup of bands scheduled for both days!

Saturday:

12:00pm – 1:00pm
441
http://www.reverbnation.co m/441theband

1:00pm – 3:00pm
Friday in America
http://www.reverbnation.co m/fridayinamerica

3:00pm – 5:00pm
Extended Family
http://ex-fam.com/default. aspx

5:00 – 7:00
Moho Collective
http://themohocollective.c om/

Sunday:

12:00pm – 2:00pm
The Filthy McNastys
http://thefilthymcnastys.c om/

2:00pm – 4:00pm
Audio Influx
http://audioinflux.net/

4:00pm – 6:00pm
Roots Collider
http://RootsColliderMusic. com/

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Naked Dove Brewing Company

It was great to get a taste of new beers from New York’s newest craft brewery Naked Dove. I sampled the Amber, IPA and Porter. All the beers were delicious but the Porter was the real standout for me. Pleasant hop flavor upfront that transitions into a nice roasted chocolate flavor, wonderfully balanced. I’m already craving some more. Dave Schlosser is the Brewmaster and owner along with 2 other partners. Dave is an alumni of every Brewery in town (Rohrbach, Custom Brewcafters, and High Falls Brewing Co.) so it’s great to see him break out and do things on his own. He also mentioned they will be coming out with a Black Rasberry beer which wasn’t ready in time for the tasting. Naked Dove IPA and Porter are currently on tap at Monty’s Corner and the IPA is on at the Tap and Mallet. So give it a try. The Naked Dove Brewery is located at  4048 Route 5 and 20, Canandaigua, NY, 14424. The tasting room is open and available for growler fills Thurs – Fri: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Sat: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Sun: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm. You can reach them at 1-585-396-ALES with any questions. Check them out on facebook or on their website http://www.nakeddovebrewing.com/

 Update: Berry Naked Black Raspberry is now available at select locations as of 4-17-2011.

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Victory Total Tap Takeover at the Tap & Mallet

OK so I had a little fun with the logos.

 

Victory Brewing Company is taking over every tap at the Tap & Mallet, there will also be guest speakers from the brewery throughout the day along with Victory Beer specials til 6pm. To top it off the Tap & Mallet will also be roasting a whole pig to serve at dinner. It’s sure to be a Victory beer lovers dream! Being a big fan of Victory myself it will be a great opportunity try some of their less common beers. It takes place on November 6th starting at 11:30 am. For more info see the Tap and Mallet’s website. Highlights include: Uncle Teddy’s Bitter (On Cask), Saison du Buff (Dogfish/Stone collaboration), Summer Love , Abbey 5, Pursuit Pale Ale series  and Braumeister Pils.

Here’s a preview list I was sent from Victory.*

1. ½ Hop Devil
2. ½ Golden Monkey
3. ½ Prima Pilsner
4. ½ Victory Lager
5. ½ Storm King
6. ½ Whirlwind Wit
7. ½ Festbier
8. ½ Hop Wallop
9. ½ Old Horizontal
10. ½ Mad King Weiss
11. ½ Donnybrook stout *NITRO
12. ½ Helios
13. V-12
14. Baltic thunder
15. Scarlett Sunset
16. Harvest Pils
17. Harvest Ale
18. Moonglow
19. Wild Devil
20. Zeltbier
21. Yakima Glory
22. Pursuit Simcoe/Citra
23. Vista Farms Harvest Ale
24. Irish Pub Lager
25. Summer Love Ale
26. Scarlett Fire
27. Gassy Jack Bitter
CASK
1. Pursuit Citra/Simco Firkin
*(actual beer list may be subject to change)

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Dundee Summer Wheat, Kolsch and Stout

It was pleasure to taste the latest additions to Dundee’s product line in a virtual tasting format along with brewer Jim McDermott and a few other writers and bloggers. The new beers are the Summer Wheat, Kolsch-style Ale and Stout . The Kolsch and Stout being found in the very popular Dundee variety pack and the American Wheat being available in 6 packs etc.. I really enjoyed these beers and think that the Dundee line of beers just keeps on getting stronger. The Summer Wheat is an excellent example of an American Wheat, unfiltered  with 40% wheat in the grain bill, a nice touch of rye malt and Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops. It’s light in flavor and has nice citrusy aroma and a crisp finish. American Wheat beers usually leave me a bit disappointed, but this one definitely does not and will definitely be gracing my fridge’s shelf this summer, move over Cream Ale! Next we tasted the Kolsch-style Ale featuring German Hallertau hops, this is a nice full bodied beer a wee bit heavier than your typical Kolsch style yet still refreshing and oh so drinkable, in fact I found myself grabbing the sucking down all Kolsch’s first at my Memorial Day barbecue. This beer will pair with just about anything you throw on the grill this summer. Last we sampled the Stout, which is one of the summer seasonals in the variety pack. I know what you saying – a Summer stout? Yep that’s right! This beer was the biggest surprise of the bunch for me. This stout falls somewhere in the middle of the flavor profile between a Sweet Stout and and Dry Irish style stout and does possess a nice balanced sweetness with flavors of chocolate, coffee and a subtle bitterness/finish from the Galena hops, I also noticed a nice roasted aroma from that I attribute to the roasted barley malts added to the mash. Brewer Jim McDermott recommended trying this with with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream as a “Stout Float” what a great idea and I look forward to trying that myself.
I also asked about any of the seasonals being available on their own (six packs etc.) and was told there wasn’t any plan for that at the time, but they always listen to their fans feedback and would consider it in the future based on feedback. So Dundee fans don’t hesitate to give them a shout out on twitter @dundeebeer and let them know what you think.

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Buckbean Beer

I’d like to start this post by thanking the nice people at Buckbean Brewing Company for sending me some of their beers for me to sample. Buckbean Brewing Company is located in Reno Nevada, founded by Douglas Booth and Brewmaster Daniel Kahn. I wasn’t familiar with their beers before getting this chance to try them. I loved that they can all their beer in 16 ounce cans, which I think should be the mandatory can size for all craft breweries.

The first beer I tried was their Tule Duck Red Ale 6.25%abv. This ruby colored, rich and robust red ale has hints of candied fruit and a smooth and restrained hop finish. I was a surprised right from the start, this isn’t your typical red ale and it almost wanders into Belgian ale flavor profiles. As a lover of red ales I find that not very many stand out in my memory, but this one is surely one I’ll remember. The next beer I tried was their Black Noddy Schwarzbier 5.2%abv. This black German style lager had a lovely mild roastiness and sweetness with tingly carbonation on the tounge and a smooth hop finish. A lovely schwarzbier! In fact halfway through my pint I had to rip into some Swans Market sausage which paired with this perfectly – Prost!. The next beer I sampled was the Very Noddy Lager 10.5%abv, an Imperial Schwarzbier! This beer has twice malt and hops of the Black Noddy Lager and is opaque black in color with lovely caramel head on it, very rich and a lot roasted nuttiness make this beer something to savor. I really didn’t notice the high alcohol because this beer was so smooth and well balanced. The last beer I sampled was the Orange Blossom Ale 5.8%abv, Right from the start I picked up the sweet scent of orange blossoms and this ale is smooth and creamy with just a hint of orange essence which comes from the orange blossom water they use as an ingredient. It had nice restrained mild tartness flavor and smooth hop finish . This would be a nice beer to enjoy on a hot summer day.

Overall I was impressed by Buckbeans originality and have to say all their beers were very well balance and smooth across the board. The Black Noddy and Very Noddy were definitely my favorites and I look forward to trying them again sometime. One thing I found amusing when reading up on Buckbean Brewing Co. was that the founders goal was to “Create a new type of microbrew appealing to both male and female drinkers.” which I thought was kind of funny!- but I do have to say that Mrs. Cream Ale Drinker who likes beer but isn’t an enthusiast like myself really loved the schwarzbier, to the point she said she could drink it more often – that was a first, she also really liked the Orange Blossom Ale. As far as I know Buckbean’s beers are only available in Nevada area but I did hear of tastings coming up in the the New York City area so perhaps they exploring distribution options. I hope so!

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Fresh Hops

There is an interesting article on “Fresh Hops” over at the NY Times.
Check it out here.

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Hit the NY Beer Trail!

There is top notch article on Craft Breweries in NY/ Empire State Beer trail over at the Syracuse New Times. A must for any NY craft brewing enthusiast.
Check it out here.
There is also a link to the official State beer trail site at the end of this post.

I’m also looking forward to upcoming Middle Ages Brewing Co. Beer Social at the Tap & Mallet on Wednesday Aug. 26th. Shame on you if you haven’t hit one of these beer socials yet at the Tap & Mallet, I would strongly recommend attending but buy your tickets early because they always sell out. They are a lot of fun and the beer social format is fun and relaxed way to enjoy and learn about a specific breweries brews.

I’ve also heard that  Goose Island‘s beers hailing from Chicago Il. are now being distributed in the Rochester area, not sure where exactly other than hearing the Tap & Mallet has one or two on tap (if the kegs aren’t kicked yet). I’m looking forward to giving them a try. I also finally got my hands on Genesee Cream Ale and regular Genesee tall boy cans or “Pounders” as we call them in south central PA. I walked into work Monday and they were sitting on my desk courtesy of a co-worker. It’s funny how certain beer evoke memories of the last time you’ve enjoyed them even if it’s been a decade or more. The tallboy cans for instance reminded me of the days stumbling along the alleys and streets of Oakland-Pittsburgh, Pa when I was in college sipping on of all things Blatz Pounders. I haven’t had or seen a “Blatz” since then. The Genesee tall boys are available at Aman’s Farm Market in Irondequoit at 2458 East Ridge Road and from what I’ve heard they have a good beer selection over there… So check them out if your in the neighborhood.

More information and maps on the Empire State Beer Trail can be found here.

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Nathaniel Square Corner Store

I’d like to start off this post by thanking Jaime Barclay for taking the time to craft this post and for being my first guest poster on my blog. I’ve been catching word on the twittisphere about Nathaniel Square’s Corner Store for a few weeks now (mostly from Jaime) and thought it would be fitting if she wrote a post about them.

I am a bit of an anomaly; I’m a young, professional beer-loving woman in a sea of men. I never over indulge, you won’t see me disrespecting the experience, and my choice is always calculated. I know every spot in Rochester that sells craft beer, which locations will order new beers I’m looking to try, and where to find the freshness.

Beer is an experience; I want my buying to be just as enjoyable as my tasting.

With the tighter economy I may not be going out as much, but I am deliberately choosing where to live my life. One of my favorite sayings is “Thank you for allowing me to spend my money at your store/bar/or restaurant”.

One of my newest and most favorite places to be and be seen is Nathaniel Square Corner Store at 495 South Avenue in the South Wedge. The concept is sheer genius, old fashion corner store with the tastiest, freshest, and most knowledgeable people talking “shop”.

What else would you expect from owners John Roth (aka “Taco John” ~ John’s Tex Mex) and Jay Schreiber (hippest drummer from the Niche & lead singer/guitar for Slow Light), they love the South Wedge and are a couple of the sickest beer, NON snobs around. You walk in and you feel at home; no stuffiness here and no tacky signage. Only glass bottled milk from Byrne Dairy, fresh pastries and bread from Georgie’s, cool craft sodas, and 10 cooler doors of hoppy goooodness.

We only have one Rochester, one today, and one life; why settle for less than what we want. Sometimes we want an $8 12-pk and sometimes we are into a yummy $8 deuce deuce; whatever your choice, make it local.

Nathaniel Square Corner Store is centrally located and lucky for me they are directly on my way anywhere I’m going. They are open Monday – Friday 7am-10pm, Saturday 9am-10pm and Sunday 9am-5pm. They are on Twitter and you can always follow me for updates on all things #craftbeer and #ROC.

Now I’m thirsty….

*I do not work for Nathaniel Square Corner Store, but am proud sponsor of their concept, ethic, and serious craft beer selection.

– In addition to their thoughtfully chosen beer selection they also offer mixed six packs by style/theme. Ex. Some of the ones I’ve heard about are Summer Beers, IPA’s and Stouts availability is limited. – Daron

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“Lights ON” at the Genesee Brewery

What else can say but that I am thoroughly impressed and excited about what North American Breweries is doing with the Genesee Brewing Co. In particular restoring the sign on the roof of brewery is a great symbolic move of breathing new life and pride into the brewery. The sign will be officially turned on at an event on Friday, July 17 at 9:30 p.m. at the Pont de Rennes Pedestrian Bridge at High Falls. More info here.

I also here that there’s a new Genny Light radio commercial that is hitting the airwaves, a 30 second spot running in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Columbus, Cleveland, Erie, and Pittsburgh. Now if they could just bring back Jenny! (and NOT a new modern Jenny)

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