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| Mai Queen nominee proving mad skills at Engine 15 Brewing Company |
We made our way over to Engine 15 early enough so there was an ample supply of beer being provided as samples to those who wished to try the various beers on display. As we entered, I noticed Carolyn speaking with Engine 15 customers and pouring samples, respectively.
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| Carolyn, JBB, owner & brewer Luch and Chris, miming The "look away" at Engine 15 Brewing Company |
Carolyn was featuring the following beer of the Southeast
for American Craft Beer Week from:
SweetWater Brewing Company – Atlanta, GA
Red Brick Brewing Company – Atlanta, GA
Cigar City Brewing – Tampa, FL
Highland Brewing Company – Asheville, NC
Tequesta
Brewing Company – Tequesta, FL
Keeping in mind my motivation for the evening, companion and
I ordered and “deeply drank” the following Cigar City Brewing offerings
(descriptions per Cigar City's website):
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| Cigar City's Puppy's Breath Robust Porter & the Minaret ESB on Nitro |
“Dark in color with a ruby hue with forward notes of chocolate and caramel and light toffee notes in the aroma. Flavor has big notes of bittersweet chocolate with notes of caramel and toffee and moderate hop bitterness and more caramel and toffee and slight hints of char. A big take on a classic style.“ - 8.0% ABV – 40 IBUs
JBB Notes: A robust Porter you'll be barking for! …
wonderfully in-your-face smoky chocolate flavor!
Minaret Extra Special Bitter (ESB) On Nitro
“Pours amber in color with notes of caramel and slight hints of red delicious apple in the aroma. Flavor has a moderate earthy and herbal hop bitterness followed by moderate caramel notes that are subdued by floral hop bitterness in the finish. A damn good and authentic ESB.“ - 5.0% ABV – 47 IBUs
“Pours amber in color with notes of caramel and slight hints of red delicious apple in the aroma. Flavor has a moderate earthy and herbal hop bitterness followed by moderate caramel notes that are subdued by floral hop bitterness in the finish. A damn good and authentic ESB.“ - 5.0% ABV – 47 IBUs
JBB Notes: Noticed and thoroughly the apple influence
in this ESB and maybe a slight floral note. Only the second ESB I have had –
definitely looking forward to more of the Minaret and others in the future!
Engine 15 Brewing Company was quite busy that evening but
Caleb, Mol and Kevin were, as always, efficient and friendly in their superior
service – a great crew, indeed! … Engine 15 continues to excel at knowing what
their customers want – and then exceeding the customers' expectations in the
delivery!
Although I would like to have stayed longer, commitments
beckoned and we needed to head that way. Thank you to Carolyn of Brown
Distributing and the crew at Engine 15
Brewing Company for an enjoyable beer-related special event!
To view more photos from Engine 15 Brewing Co., visit the link below:
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| A dream within a dream ... |
The namesake of this establishment, Edgar Allan Poe was once
quoted
“Man's real life is happy, chiefly because he is ever expecting that it soon will be so.”
A “high-five” to Edgar because MY life was happy since I was
certainly expecting an enjoyable experience at Poe's Tavern because of all the good things we had heard about it!
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| Our servers, Chris and Blake with E.A. Poe looking on. |
The two Highland Brewing Company brews being featured that
evening were (descriptions per Highland Brewing's website):
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| Highland Brewing's Gaelic Ale & the Little Hump Spring Ale |
Little Hump Spring Ale
“Little Hump is an American Pale Ale that is meticulously
handcrafted for full floral hop aroma and flavor. Brewed with grains from
America's heartland - Simcoe for bittering, Amarillo and Cascade (both dry
hopped) for aromatics - this beer finishes crisp and clean.” - 4.5% ABV – 32
IBUs
JBB Notes: Surprisingly strong but not offensive
aroma – got past that and it was a very pleasant tasting light bodied ale with
enough hop to make me glad I was able to try it! … apparently, the supply in
this area is soon going to be gone ...
and
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| Kirsten demonstrating the Randall |
“A deep amber colored American ale, featuring a rich
malty body. Cascade and Willamette hops add a complex hop flavor and aroma.
This ale is exceptionally balanced between malty sweetness and delicate hop
bitterness. It has a universal appeal and is our workhorse, accounting for
about half of our total production. The dark amber color is similar to a
Scottish Ale but the flavor and body is more in the style of American amber.” -
5.6% ABV – 30 IBUs from the brewery
JBB Notes: Gaelic Amber Ale is a staple at Poe's
Tavern but that night they were running it thru a Randal with Cascade hops
ladling a little more eye-opening hop to the top! …
As I mentioned, we had heard so many good things about Poe's Tavern, we had to try one of
their burgers, so companion and I ordered and shared a Black Cat Burger,
described on the Poe's Tavern
website:
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| Poe's Tavern, Black Cat Burger (please note, no felines were harmed in the making of this succulent beast) |
I just love the décor of Poe's Tavern – lighting, art and
accents combine to make Poe's Tavern a great place for a date. Add to that a
significant food menu with top quality selections and a great bar, Poe's Tavern
will be a certain hit with the one you're with!
I excused myself to “powder” before we left and I was very
impressed with the clean and well-stocked restroom. Companion later confirmed
the same was true in the other one, as well.
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| Edgar Allan Poe is watching you drink |
“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I traveled home,
weak and beery,
Past darkened closing tap rooms and many a shuttered store.
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my Jeep's front door.
"Tis Tinker Beer," I muttered, "tapping at my Jeep's front door--
Only Tink and nothing more."
Past darkened closing tap rooms and many a shuttered store.
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my Jeep's front door.
"Tis Tinker Beer," I muttered, "tapping at my Jeep's front door--
Only Tink and nothing more."
Open here I flung the zippered window, when, with many
a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a sexy Fairy of the inebriated days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made she; not a whisper left the lips of she
In there stepped a sexy Fairy of the inebriated days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made she; not a whisper left the lips of she
But, with eyes of mirth at me angled, sat perched upon
my dashboard and dangled near my Jeep's front door
Perched upon Hello Kitty just beside my Jeep's front door --
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Perched upon Hello Kitty just beside my Jeep's front door --
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Breaking silence I sought the answer to a vexing I'd
encountered sitting up on Poe's Tavern's ladies throne,
A man's voice plainly reading of a Raven not too
pleasing, which spoke only one word ripping man to inner core.
I wondered if this was a bad omen – if it meant that
tomorrow I would be without any brew – heaven please forbid it to be true -
For the storied ebony winged creature as a demonic and
wicked preacher renewed his demented chant of “Nevermore, Nevermore ...”
Tink's head wagged left and right, her eyes dancing
prepped for flight,
She stood to speak and spied the open window of my
Jeep's front door -
“You worry for no reason for the brews are here all
season” said she and then hovered ever closer up to me.
“The day is nigh upon you – on the morrow you'll have
some new brew – so, forget that bird, Bitch!” – and then disappeared through
the open window of my Jeep's front door – just disappeared and nothing more”
Alexander Pope was SO right – a little learning IS a
dangerous thing.
My sincere appreciation to Kirsten Oldham Kelley for a great
Highland Brewing Company event and
to Chris, Blake and the rest of the crew of Poe's Tavern for making my first visit a very memorable and
exciting Jax Brew Bitch experience!
To view more photos from Poe's Tavern, visit the link below:
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| James from Team Hopheads and Mike enjoying Poe's Tavern |
This was our first visit to Lynch's and it will certainly
not be our last! … I loved it from the minute I walked in – spacious with a
good feel to it – amazing bar with a healthy selection of tasty brews to choose
from – and a very pleasant server, Alexis!
Companion and I ordered and shared the following two brews (descriptions
per breweries' websites):
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| Angry Orchards Hard Crisp Cider & Lazy Magnolia's Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale |
“Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale is the first beer in the
world, to our knowledge, made with whole roasted pecans. The pecans are used
just like grain and provide a nutty characteristic and a delightful depth to
the flavor profile. This beer is very lightly hopped to allow the malty,
caramel, and nutty flavors shine through. The color is dark mahogany. Southern
Pecan won a Bronze Medal in the 2006 World Beer Cup in the Specialty Beer
category.
Mark is the crazy, creative force behind Lazy Magnolia.
He comes up with ideas that often seem to have no chance of succeeding. One of
those ideas was to make a beer with pecans. Many attempts at nut-beers have
resulted in failure due to the high oil content. Mark was determined, so Leslie
designed the recipe to work around the problem of nut oil. Even so, she had
very little faith in the creation until they poured the first perfect pint.
Southern Pecan has been a big hit ever since.”
Angry Orchard Hard Cider Crisp Apple
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| Live music at Lynch's Irish Pub |
“Apple Types: Amere de Berthecourt, Beden, Medaille
d’or, Michelin, Binet Rouge, Brairtot Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious,
Joana Gold, Elstar, Granny Smith, Gala, Braeburn”
JBB Notes: Tastes like delicious sweet apple juice
– and then provides the wallop you aren't expecting from the 5% ABV
Our visit here was short due to it being a “school night”
but I am certainly visiting Lynch's again – when their kitchen is open! …
Thanks to Alexis and the bar staff at Lynch's
Irish Pub for a delightful first-time experience!
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