Thursday, February 21, 2008

Southport Brewing Company

Recently I had the privalage to go to the Southport Brewing Company in Southport on the post road. I was extremely impressed with the entire atmosphere of this brewery. The brewery offers 27 home made brews on tap. I did not get a chance to taste all of them but the ones i did taste were delicious. The staff behind the bar is very polite and helpful. For an unexperienced beer drinker, the bartenders offer their own insight as to what beer to try. They actually explain what you are tasting in the beer. They are very knowledgable about all the brews on tap which makes the experience that much more enjoyable. They have a beer for every drinker and they seperate them in tiers. Tier one is comprised of lighter beers that are more appealing to begginer drinkers because they dont carry a harsh after taste. In this category I tried the Big Head Blonde. In this same category the brewery offers seasonal beers that are flavored with fruits. They dont have the seasonal beers durning the winter they are typically for the summer. Tier two are smooth beers but they are thick enough so they can go with any types of food. Being a fan of IPA's i decided to try their version of it. Their IPA is hopped 3 times giving it a floral aroma. It is comparable to the IPA I discussed in a previous posting: Harpoon IPA. Finally the Tier 3 Beers are for the real weathered and seasoned beer drinkers. These beers are typically not favorites of younger drinkers because of the strong taste. In the same token if your looking to get drunk you may not want to drink a whole lot of these beers. These beers are full of hops moreso then most other beers. This quote is directly from their website. "PorterA full bodied, deep-brown ale, crafted in small batches with English malted barley and 2 styles of English hops. Enjoy the rich, roasted finish! Compare to: Samuel Smith’s Tadcaster Porter" Now aside from their wonderful beer choices this restaurant offers a variety of delicous meals to sit down and eat. If you are looking for a good place to take a date for dinner you should definately check this place out. And if your looking to have a good time with other college students try thursday nights at the SBC for kareoke its sure to be a bitchin' time.

Check out my blog next week when I fill you in on the beers that I discovered this weekend. I wont dissapoint

Monday, February 11, 2008


Blue Moon

This weekend I didn't venture out to the bars or nightclubs. I didn't stay out untill 6 in the morning jumping from pub to pub. Instead I opted to stay in with a few friends with a 12 pack of Blue Moon. I have tasted Blue Moon before but I don't think I had ever had a full 12 ounces previously to Saturday night. I was very impressed and couldnt get enough. Sunday I decided that since I liked the beer so much, and I have a blog devoted to micro breweries, why not do some research. Heres what I discoverd. Blue Moon is a product of the Sandlot Brewery in Denver Colorado. 5 friends started this brewery in 1995 and originally they just wanted to make quality beer. They had there first big hit with their beer "Belgian White". This brew was a huge hit, turning many heads at the World Beer Championships three years in a row. This is the most popular flavor of Blue Moon. It is distributed all over the country. It is much like the Harpoon UFO that I discussed last week, in the sense that they are both unfliltered. The ingredients are a little different; the Belgian White contains white wheat, oats, coriander, and orange peel. Some dishes that this beer would go great with would be any dish containing white meats such as Pork Chops, Chicken Francaise, and it will also taste good with a white fish meat, Mahi Mahi, Swordfish, Scrod, and Sole. So go out and try this beer you shouldnt be disapointed. It is great in a bottle but if you can find a bar or pub that serves it on tap you might enjoy that better. And while your trying this beer make sure the person who is serving it garnishes it with an orange (not a lemon) the orange accents the ingredients.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Products

Micro brewerys depend highly on products to get their name out to the public. When a new brewery opens up its crucial to get name recognition. One way they do this is make t-shirts, hats, bumperstickers, and glasses. The glasses get distributed to bars that they sell their brew in. A particular brew called Stella has glasses that are shaped unlike any other glasses. This exceptional name recognition, and this is probably just one of their many products. I know that I have two long trail sweatshirst and three bumper stickers from their brewery. Products can also offer free advertising. If you really think about it, if you sell 500 sweatshirts theres 500 walking billboards out there promoting your company. Heres a link to Hook and Ladder beer gift shop. Take a look at all the products they offer to consumers.

Harpoon UFO

One of the best beers that Harpoon Brewery puts out (in my eyes) is Harpoon UFO. The UFO is an acronym for Unfiltered Offering. This beer is light in color and also in taste. The taste has a tinge of sweetness but I wouldnt qualify it as a sweet beer. Because it is mildly sweet if you choose so you can drink it our of a glass with a lemon wedge. I perfer to use an orange slice because I think that enhances the flavor a bit more. It is 5.10 alcohol per volume which is typical of most beers. Note: if you see some sediment in the bottom of the glass when you pour it out of the bottle dont worry its an unfiltered beer thats why its there. Heres a Link to Harpoons website. Take a look around and read up about their brewery. Let me know what you think. And if you have a chance try out the UFO with an orange and give me your opinion.

Monday, February 4, 2008