Summit tasting at Brewer's Pizza & poppin' caps at Kickback's

James with Team Hopheads

We were ready to Prowl on Tuesday (March 27) since we had stayed in the evening before and Brewer’s Pizza was having the perfect event – featuring Summit Brewing Horizon Red Ale. James, from Team Hopheads was there to answer questions about Summit and their brews.

 Hungry as we arrived, we quickly ordered their extremely popular Florida Smacker ($7.99) described on Brewer's website: “Our trademark 8” deep dish pizza with light, fluffy crust and golden brown crunchy sides,made with the finest mozzarella cheese and our famous sauce, including one regular topping.”

The Florida Smacker

So delicious! … and a very good value.

Joining us at the table were Vince, Debbie and Rick. Gabby was our friendly and effective server once again, making the experience even more enjoyable. Keegan dropped by to say hello  - and to see what we were drinking!

Summit Brewing Company describes their Red Ale: “An inspired hybrid that blurs the boundaries between IPA and Amber styles. The exceptional blend of American hops (including the harder-to-find Horizon variety) gives it an intense pine, citrus and earthy character in the nose and on the tongue.”

This was a somewhat lighter red ale than I expected. The 4.5% ABV and 60 IBUs makes it (to me) a middle-of-the-road red – a good choice for an everyday grab out of the fridge.

My flight plan ...

I ordered a Flight of the Brewer's Pizza brews (descriptions per their website):

Ambitious Monk - “Belgian Tripel, 9.3%, BA Rated - Notes: Golden body, sugary sweet malts, dangerously drinkable.” - Smooth and sweet – impressive brew!

Tailhook - “Brown Ale, 7.3%, BA Rated - Notes: Florida Wildflower honey, strong earthy hops.” - honey flavor noticeable – good body – a strong brown, in my book!

Pinglehead - “Imperial Red Ale, 8.3%, BA Rated - Notes: Medium bodied, dry hopped, caramel sweet finish.” - this one is growing on my significantly – I am partial to Karl Strauss (San Diego) Red Trolley Ale but this one is very close!

Landslide - “Double India Pale Ale, 8.0%, BA Rated - Notes: Pungent, floral, citrusy hops, heavy honey malts”. - Nice hop jolt – the citrus on the front end and honey on the back end  was my experience – very good!

Companion and I decided to then share Brewer's Pizza Moon Dance Sweet Stout noted on their website as: “Sweet Stout, 7.0%, BA Rated - Rich Chocolate, Sweet oats, Silky Body.” - As noted in an earlier blog post, I love this one!

Thanks to James from Team HopHeads, Gabby, Keegan and the rest of the staff at Brewer's Pizza for this delicious experience!

http://www.summitbrewing.com/

http://www.brewerspizza.com/home/

To view images from Brewer's Pizza visit the link below ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.273392369413046.66217.181100418642242&type=3

I guess Vince wanted to fatten me up. He invited me and companion to his abode for apple pie and Newcastle Brown Ale. Great combination! … the scrumptious apple pie was from Fresh Market and the Newcastle Brown Ale was from … Vince's fridge – well, I guess England since it is an English style ale now produced by Heineken International.

Thanks to Vince for the calories!

http://www.thefreshmarket.com/

http://newcastlebrown.com/

As I climbed into the Jeep to leave Vince's house, I noticed the brew fairy, Tinker Beer, was secured to my left shoulder and was whispering to me that  Kickback’s Gastropub had Dogfish Head brews on tap! … All right! … give Tink some more hoppy-dust!

The Jeep was already motorin' toward Kickbacks and we pulled into a convenient spot in the back. We were excited we were seated in an area being served by Jill, one of my Ale Angels.

We ordered two Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales offerings: (descriptions per their website):

Dogfish Head's Aprihop
sooo lacey

Aprihop IPA ($5.45) – Sooo lacey - “Aprihop is an American IPA brewed with Pilsner and Crystal malts. It's massively hopped -- in the continuous fashion, of course! -- and the flavor is complemented by the addition of apricots.

After fermentation, the beer is dry hopped with irresponsible amounts of Amarillo hops. The beer has a hoppy aroma, with the apricots playing a supporting role.

The flavor is rich with late hop flavors, and its bitterness is tempered by just the right amount of malt sweetness and fruity undertones from the apricots.” - Note: 7.0% ABV 50 IBUs – apricot very noticeable! … good hop jolt!

Dogfish Head's
Chicory Stout

Chicory Stout -($ 5.45) - “Chicory was one of the first beers we started brewing at our pub back when it opened in 1995. It's a dark beer made with a bunch of roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St. John's Wort and licorice root. We use whole-leaf Cascade and Fuggle hops, as well as pale, roasted and oatmeal grains. Chicory is roasty and delicious, and it's a fantastic food beer. It pairs very well with chocolate!” - Note: 5.2% ABV  21 IBUs – not the strong chicory aftertaste like the New Orleans style coffee – great, lighter body stout smooth through the end.

Tinker Beer had instantly floated off to “hummingbird” the taps at the bar. I soon noticed the freakin' Fried Fairy had once again appeared and was pointing a crispy wing down to a selection on Kickback’s significant food menu.

Kickback's Jalapeno Bottlecaps

Fried Jalapeno Bottle Caps - $6.79 – Red and green breaded jalapeno bites served with jalapeno ranch dressing … okay, bring 'em on …

WOW! … we found by taking a bite of the jalapeno bottle cap, waiting about 30 seconds and then taking a swallow of the Aprihop, the Aprihop flavors were much more intense! ...

It was so good seeing Jill again and we were glad to hear the Kat was back at Kickback’s! She's my original  Ale Angel and a girl who knows and loves her beer! … Jill was a superb beer temptress that evening and she made us feel like we were home.

We were able to briefly speak with owner Steve Flores. His concern about quality, his staff and his customers is obviously paramount to him and Jacksonville is indeed blessed to have Kickback’s Gastropub - “beer central” of our community.

Thanks to Jill, Steve Flores and his staff at Kickback’s for consistently delivering the best - and for providing the PERFECT place to end a Jax Brew Bitch Prowl!

www.dogfish.com

http://www.facebook.com/kickbacksgastropub

European stop & sharing rare bottles at Green Room Brewing

Companion says that during a “previous life” five-year stretch of constant traveling, he would look down at all the little lights of the towns and cities he was flying over, realizing each one represented a collection of good stories – and wishing he could hear even just a few of them. That's how I was feeling as we headed the Jeep eastward along Beach Boulevard to the Green Room Brewery, via European Street Cafe (992 Beach Blvd.). We were headed for our first Rare Bottle Sharing meeting to be held that afternoon. Bottles of beer from all over the globe, each with its own story (or two), make their way from their respective brewery into the hands of those attending this tasting event to be eventually shared with like-minded enthusiasts every Sunday (the day maybe changing soon) at Green Room..

Kasteel Rouge

We had arranged to meet Danny (see earlier post) at European Street to try something new for us – the Kasteel Rouge and St. Bernardus Abt. 12. Danny had proclaimed it was nothing short of “nectar of the gods” and we wanted to give them a try. During European Street's Happy Hour (2:00 to 7:00 pm – 7 days a week at this location), these brews are $1 off.

Upon arriving, we selected a high-top table not too far from the bar. Waiting for Danny's appearance, it was 10 minutes (I always time these things) before a server approached the table – a little surprising. However, Danny is apparently somewhat of a regular and the service got better once he joined us.

Kasteel's rather unique website contains this description for the Kasteel Rouge - “Castle Red is the fruit beer of the Castle range. Its unique dark red colour is obtained by mixing Castle brown that has been left to mature for at least 6 months with sour cherries. This beer has gastronomic qualities and can be drunk as an aperitif, with a BBQ, to accompany a dessert or simply as an outstanding real ale.”

I'm sure you've tried this before – if not, expect a taste bud-pleasing cherry flavor invasion of your mouth. Smooth and deceptive with an ABV of 8.0%, it doesn't take many of these to … well, you know …

St. Bernardus Abt. 12

The website for St. Bernardus declares: “The absolute top quality in the hierarchy of the St. Bernardus beers. It is also the beer with the highest alcohol content (10.50 %). A dark ivory coloured beer with a high fermentation.
The show piece of the brewery. Thanks to its soft and unconditionally genuine aroma, the beer can be smoothly tasted. The Abt has a very fruity flavour.”

Uh … 10.50% ABV? … hmmm. THAT explains a few things … smooth and fruity, indeed!

We appreciate Danny introducing us to these two brews – and European Street, Jacksonville Beach for a wonderful new-brew experience!

http://europeanstreet.com/

http://www.sintbernardus.be/en/

The Rare Bottle Sharing Krewe

A quick Jeep ride later, we were entering the Green Room with Dogfish Head's 75-Minute IPA and their Namaste in hand, along with Southern Tier Brewing Company's Unearthly IPA and their Iniquity Imperial Black Ale to share with the group. Since it was our first time, the group educated us on their usual procedure which happily involves buying a pint of one of the brews available from the Green Room. That's easy!

An Undertow Orange Blossom Barleywine and a Head High IPA for me an companion, please!

Green Room provides this description of the Head High IPA on their website: “an aggressive American style India pale ale brewed with copious amounts of Amarillo and cascade hops for massive citrus aroma.”

The Undertow was brewed with local orange blossom honey and has a noticeable body.

“After me, the deluge” … so TRUE as I returned to the wagon train of tables assembled and joined together for this group. Bottles were being opened and small to healthy-medium tastes of many different styles of beer were being poured. When it was finally our turn, we offered the two Dogfish Head beers we brought (descriptions from Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales website):

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

75 Minute IPA - “Blend two Dogfish Head favorites, add maple syrup and carbonate the mixture naturally. What do you get? 75 Minute IPA.

The carbon dioxide trapped during bottle conditioning gives 75 Minute IPA a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Dry-hopped with whole-leaf Cascades, this complex IPA has been known to inspire pilgrimages to our brewpub.

Now were sharing this animated blend of 60 Minute and 90 Minute with the rest of our fans, 750 milliliters at a time. Food Pairing Recommendations include burgers, grilled meats and avocado.”

Concerning the Namaste - “A witbier bursting with good karma. Made with dried organic orange slices, fresh-cut lemongrass and a bit of coriander, this Belgian-style white beer is a great thirst quencher.

Namaste was originally brewed at our pub in Rehoboth Beach with our Italian friend Leo from Birra del Borgo. It was a tribute to our friends at 3 Fonteinen brewery in Belgium, who had devastating production loss (1/3 of their annual production) in 2009.

Our friends, Belgian brewer/blender Armand and his wife Lydie Debelder, recently suffered a heart wrenching production set-back at their brewery 3 Fonteinen. A brewery thermostat broke and as a result, excessive heat ruined about 100,000 bottles of lambic and gueuze in storage - representing about a third of their annual revenue. Armand hopes to distill the beer and create unique new product as a way of making the best of an unfortunate situation. Food Pairing Recommendations include Roasted turkey, Caesar salad, pasta with cream sauce, goat cheese.”

We also shared the Southern Tier brews we brought to the event:

Luch from Engine 15 &
Ed Stansel of Amber Waves

Southern Tier Brewing describes their Unearthly IPA : “At the Southern Tier Brewing Company, vigorously hopped beer is our standard and inspiration. We continue a commitment to innovation with our most aggressive offering yet. Unearthly is a manifestation of the brewer’s craft; skillfully balancing art and the forces of nature to produce a divine liquid. Delicately pour a taste into a fluted glass. Smell the enchanting aromas of the hops waft forward as your first sip divulges this beer’s fervent soul. To underestimate Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe, so please consume wisely. Particularly tasty when paired with sharp artisan cheeses, curries, smoked brisket, spicy foods.”

Of the Iniquity, Southern Tier says : “Iniquity, depravity, sin, wickedness. The opposition to goodness. Iniquity is an ale as dark as night, hops and malts conceding the victory over conventional standards with this unapologetic black ale. Why do we call it Iniquity? It’s contrary to what one would expect from an IPA. A dark, malty ale with a huge hop profile seeping forward. A blackened ale, the antithesis of Unearthly. Particularly tasty when paired with roasted or smoked foods, blackened fish, oysters, steak.”

This group is so COOL! … included in this group is Beth and Ed Stansel, Mark, the genius behind the idea, and his wife Kathy and the rest consisting of David and Trish, Brian and several other fine folks.

The beers being sampled were too numerous to remember and I was too engaged to write anything down … hmmm … kind of sounds like “dog ate my homework”, huh? ...well. I'll do better next time!

That is one lucky pup!

WOW! … this was so much fun! …  there was no “bottle bogartin' “ going on – everyone was excited about sharing the fine brews which they had brought to the table. Some had wonderful stories associated with them – others did not – and the experience made it very difficult to find anything disappointing with any of those shared.

So, how many beers did the Jax Brew Bitch drink and/or sample? … let's say just enough to declare THIS wonderful event the end of that day's Prowl … well, that's MY story, anyway … and I'm stickin' to it ...

Thanks to Eric Luman and his crew at Green Room for providing such a unique opportunity and setting to fellowship and share with other beer lovers!

http://www.dogfish.com/

http://www.southerntierbrewing.com/

http://www.greenroombrewing.com/

http://www.facebook.com/GreenRoomBrewing

CoRK's poppin', JDRF & Carmine's Pie House ...

The JBB, Jackson DeVille & Megan 

Having a family history of adolescent diabetes, I was thrilled to be able to work with JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – North Florida Chapter) during the JDRF “The Greatest Walk on Earth” at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 24.

The JDRF Walk for the Cure had perfect weather all morning – no rain and very comfortable temperatures. Many groups and individuals showed up to show their support, raise money and share in all the food and beverages generously donated by many companies, including the Jacksonville Suns, Winn-Dixie, Merrill Lunch, Firehouse Subs, Chik-Fil-A and Coca Cola. I have added a link below that list all the sponsors for this giving event.

Working hard
 with Mechelle

http://www.jdrfnorthflorida.org/partners_thanks.php

http://www.jdrfnorthflorida.org/index.php

To view more photos visit the link below ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.275512842534332.66668.181100418642242&type=3

The previous two evenings had been rather low-key for me – Thursday evening, running by Intuition Ale Works to meet Springfield Brew Crew Marc Wisdom's family, in from out of town.

CoRK Arts District

Friday evening, there was an opening reception at CoRK Arts District, featuring the impressive talent of various artists, self-guided tours of various studios with food  provided by Sweet Pete's Catering and beer provided by Bold City Brewery.

What's happening at CoRK is exciting – exhilarating – heady stuff.

CoRK - IS - what the artists are creating.

CoRK - WILL BE - what we Jacksonvillians and the artists make it together.

George & Bobby of BeatinUpJax
and artist, Patch Whiskey

So, GO! ... mingle at their events – behold their creations - you'll feel the vibrant pulse -  you'll hear the thundering heartbeat – of the dedicated and enthusiastic artists working together to add yet another distinct fabric to the rich patchwork we're blessed to have here in Jacksonville.

http://www.youtube.com/user/beatinupjax

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CoRK-Arts-District/182190641827347

To view more photos from CoRK's Grand Reception, visit the link below ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.273387539413529.66215.181100418642242&type=3&saved

I had a meeting Saturday evening with George and Bobby (ReelFLA – BeatinUpJax) at CoRK Arts District, so after the JDRF Walk, I headed home for a quick power nap. A good snooze later, I awoke, got gussied up and companion and I made our way once again over to the Corner of Rosselle and King hence, the name CoRK Art District.

Carmine's Pie House

After the meeting with George and Bobby, companion and I were starving and being in the area, we visited Carmine's Pie House ( 2677 Forbes Street at King Street) for the first time. John, formerly of Kickback’s Gastropub and my beer Sensei, is now over at Carmine's and it was great seeing him again!

Of course, the brew offerings are not as extensive as Kickback’s but there is an impressive selection available there at Carmine's Pie House.

Bold City's Dukes Cold Nose
and Lagunitas IPA

Companion and I shared drafts of Bold City Brewery's Irish Red and Lagunitas Brewing Company's IPA. Both half liters for $5!

Looking over the food menu, companion and I were both amazed at all the possibilities.

So, what did we want? … something to “Whack-a-Mole-slam” those hunger pains back into submission while mixing well with the beer making its way to our table. Executive Decision time – I think I even heard a drum roll – and we then made our move:

The Barbarosa - “Named after a Tuff Chick Carmine dated in Philly. Grilled PHILLY Steak, sauteed onions, green peppers, Mushrooms, loaded with mozzarella and cheddar, Coated with Garlic Butter and Parm - $7.97”

Purple Haze Pizza - “Eggplant, Fresh Mushrooms, Garlic, Sausage, Over our Traditional Italian Pizza Sauce. When it comes out the oven, we add Bursts of Homemade Ricotta ...”

My Beer Sensei, John

We were soon patting ourselves on the back for good choices. Of course, my guess is that any selection you make at Carmine's Pie House will be a great choice. Food was wicked-good, the ambiance appropriate and our server John was, as expected, spectacular!

The Lagunitas website includes the following description of their IPA: “This is our unique version of an ancient style. A style as old as the ocean trade routes of the last centuries Great Ships. Not as old as the equator they had to cross twice enroute, nor as old as the 10,000 or so miles of Di-Hydrogen Oxide and Sodium upon which they sailed, but older than the Circulithium-4 Lentloid that binds the Lupulin Quartnate onto your taste buds. Weird. Think about it. Now stop. OK, go again, now stop. Think again, and stop. But we digress. Made with 43 different hops and 65 various malts, this redolent ale will likely float your boat, whatever planet you're on.”

Bold City Brewery's Irish Red was met by enthusiasm by companion since he was out of town over the St. Patrick's Day weekend. Malty and delicious, it went well with our meals.

A great experience – and a place now on my list of regular haunts during future Prowls! … My appreciation to John and Carmine's Pie House for delivering a great first impression!

http://www.lagunitas.com/

http://carminespiehouse.com/

To view more photos, visit the link below ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.275519575866992.66670.181100418642242&type=3

Will working hard at
Bold City Brewery

The gang was willing to meet up with us at Bold City Brewery after our meal, so companion manhandled the Jeep past Kickback’s Gastropub and soon arrived at Bold City. Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale and the Mad Manatee IPA were on our docket for the evening and we enjoyed these brews during our fellowship with our friends. We also met Danny, a beer enthusiast who gave me ideas for future Prowls.

Bold City describes their very popular Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale: “ This is a mild brown ale which is easily drinkable. A Slight nuttiness and sweetness are present.”

Of their tasty Mad Manatee IPA: “The American IPA is a different soul from the reincarnated IPA style. More flavorful than the withering English IPA, color can range from very pale golden to reddish amber. Hops are typically American with a big herbal and / or citric character, bitterness is high as well. Moderate to medium bodied with a balancing malt backbone.”

Thanks to Bold City Brewery for providing a comfortable venue to end a short but enjoyable Jax Brew Bitch evening!

http://www.boldcitybrewery.com/index.php

Smackin' tail at Engine 15, Chillin' at an Ice Bar & getting my Green Room on

Engine 15's Oxtail Stew

Let's go eat some cow tail! … not something you hear every day, is it? … well, companion heard that Wednesday afternoon (March 21)  when I called him with an idea for the evening's Prowl. From us having lived in the Caribbean a number of years, he knew my reference to bovine protuberance was in regards to Oxtail Stew – a special offering from the crew at Engine 15. They noted that a special pairing of the Oxtail Stew with some German beer would be happening that night.

Rambling eastwardly in the Jeep along Beach Boulevard, our thoughts were taking us back to our time spent in the islands – the laid-back lifestyle … the aggravations … the wonderful restaurants ... the lack of groceries on the shelves ... the beautiful weather ... the hurricanes ... Cruzan Rum … Old Milwaukee … Brow Soda … the wonderful island people … fungi, kallaloo, soursop, sea moss (drink)  and ... Oxtail Stew..

Without speaking, we both knew the other was wondering if the Oxtail Stew would measure up to the best we found in our tropical experience. Bob Marley playing in the background, we finally arrived at Engine 15 and I “Dutty-Wined” myself in through the front door.

Kevin & Mall at Engine 15

Companion caught up and we found a place at the bar. We were quickly and warmly greeted by Mall, a beautiful girl from Estonia serving as our beer temptress. We placed our order of the Oxtail Stew and two beers – Sierra Nevada's Ruthless Rye and Engine 15's own Old Battle Axe.

Sierra Nevada describes their Ruthless Rye: “Rye has been a staple grain for millennia—sought after for its stubborn resilience in the field and revered for its unique flavor. Ruthless Rye IPA is brewed with rustic grains for refined flavors—combining the peppery spice of rye and the bright citrusy flavors of whole-cone hops to create a complex ale for the tumultuous transition to spring.“ Note – 6.6% ABV and 55 IBUs – Decadent, full-body rye!

Engine 15 includes the following detail about the Old Battle Axe: “The Summit hops lend a pronounced pineapple and citrus character to this American IPA, late additions of Northern Brewer, Glacier and more Summit round out the hop profile in this delicious nectar.” - Note – smooth all the way down with the hop jolt I like!

The Oxtail Stew was served in a shallow bowl over rice – and companion always allows me to take the first bite. I did and it was so good and reminiscent of our early days together there in the Caribbean, it brought tears to my eyes. The flavor was simply outstanding!

The idea for serving Oxtail Stew came from one of the owners and Culinary Director, Andy Price. Sam, the cook mentioned he obtained the recipe from a friend whose mother lives in Jamaica. Righteous!  Sam also informed me he used the Hofstettner Beer available that night at Engine 15 in the preparation of the Oxtail Stew. 

Companion then tried a spoonful and behind the smile I saw on his face, I could tell there were fond memories floating through that noggin of his, as well. I truly hope Engine 15 offers this delicacy again in the near future.

Now for my flight plan, the German beer … descriptions from breweries' websites except Hofstettner - taken from online reviews:

Hofstetten Hochzeitsbier  - “The aroma is full of clove and banana with just a hint of wheat. Much like a hefeweizen but not quite.” - Note – Accurate description but I also noticed a hint of honey.

Shiner Dortmunder - “Shiner Dortmunder has a smooth, well-rounded flavor – the perfect fit for any Springtime activity. Because of the unique nature of the style, Shiner Dortmunder is sure to satisfy the palate of a diverse crowd.”  - Note: 5.5% ABV and 24 IBUs – I could taste a small but noticeable hop flavor.

Schlenkerla Rauch Bier - “Smokebeer from Schlenkerla is a dark, aromatic, bottom fermented beer with 13.5 percent original extract, which is equivalent to an alcohol content of 5.1 percent. No doubt: there are stronger beers, but nevertheless, one should not underestimate” - Note: Definite smoky flavor – and not a heavy beer

Hofbrau Hefe Weisen - “Once upon a time, Weissbier could only be brewed by ducal privilege. Hofbräuhaus enjoyed this exclusive right for nearly 200 years, thus holding a monopoly on Weissbier in Bavaria.

But even without a monopoly, Münchner Weisse is a really special kind of beer. What could be more pleasurable than quenching your thirst with a deliciously yeasty Weissbier, and savouring the tingling, fizzy sensation in your mouth? With an alcoholic content of around 5,1% volume, it's pure, refreshing enjoyment.” - Note: My taste was crisp citrus – with some spice.

You can tell an establishment cares about its patrons when they diligently search for unconventional and exotic offerings to keep the experience fresh and memorable. Engine 15 is definitely this type of place. Management and staff have developed a venue those of us here in Jacksonville certainly cherish and other cities undoubtedly covet.

Jacksonvillians, tell all your friends to get off their collective oxtail - and all of you get down to Engine 15 to show your appreciation for their continuing efforts!

Thanks to Mall, Sam, Kevin and the rest of the gang at Engine15 for providing such a unique experience to start that evening's Jax Brew Bitch Prowl!

http://www.sierranevada.com/

http://www.hofstetten.at/news/start.php

http://www.shiner.com/main.php

http://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html

http://www.hofbraeu-muenchen.de/en/unser-bier/

http://www.engine15.com/home/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Engine-15-Brewing-Company/428033335437

Philly's Finest & Ice Bar

Leaving Engine was indeed difficult, but I felt the night was rather young and other adventures beckoned. Once back inside the Jeep, I looked to my left and noticed Tinker Beer, that hoppin' Brew Fairy had settled on my shoulder. Tinker Beer said we needed to go to an ice bar … an ice bar? … well, we HAD visited one during an earlier Prowl (Aromas on Southside) but Tink seemed to be indicating another destination.

We found ourselves at Philly’s Finest (1527 North Third Street – Jax Beach) and noticed Tink had indeed led us to a significant ice bar. Once inside, I loved the atmosphere immediately. Wednesday must be a busy night for them, because there was a whole host of folks there.

Magic Hat #9 & SweetWater 420
Extra Pale Ale

Trivia was the activity of the evening, so I quickly brushed up on the names of all the Presidents and state capitals. We learned it was free to play and a $100 bar tab was the prize! … WooHoo! ... Immediately, I asked companion if he remembered the name of Harry Truman's Secretary of State. Well? ... I was motivated …

Team Jax Brew Bitch held our own during the first half but companion said we choked like the Dallas Cowboys during the second half and ended up, after betting-the-bank on the final question, with a paltry and appalling total. Good thing Philly’s Finest has cold beer! … and good stuff, too! …

We ordered a pint each of:

Magic Hat Brewing Company's No 9 Not Quite Pale described on their website: “A beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it.” - NOTE – 5.1% ABV and 20 IBUs – I love this beer – not rough and tasty enough to make it a regular in my fridge.

and

SweetWater Brewing Company's Bong Water …. uh … I mean 420 Extra Pale Ale noted on their website: “SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale, our most popular brew, is a tasty West Coast Style Pale Ale with a stimulating hop character and a crisp finish. 1st brewed on April 20th 1997.” - Note – 5.4% ABV – This has been a favorite of mine from pre-Jax Brew Bitch days, first trying it at a Mellow Mushroom restaurant in Albany, Georgia. We've also enjoyed a pitcher of this heavenly nectar with our group over at the Mellow Mushroom at the beach.

Companion also prodded me to choose something from Philly’s Finest interesting menu – and I leaned toward the Mini Corn Dog Basket ($7.69) ... yes, Corn Dog Basket – or as companion said Texans accurately call them, Corny Dogs. Talk about taking one back to their youth – they smelled like the carnival – and tasted so very good. Hey, cheap food can be the best – especially during extended Prowls!

Jacque was our friendly and very attentive bartender – she made the experience even better. The restrooms are clean and the ice bar is amazing. Kept our beer quite cool during our Trivia Meltdown.

I must say, Philly’s Finest is a GREAT spot! - one we'll make a regular stop when we're over near the beaches!

A heartfelt thank you to Jacque and the kitchen staff at Philly’s Finest for providing a new regular stop on future Jax Brew Bitch Prowls! (Note to self: break out our old Trivial Pursuit games)

http://www.magichat.net/

http://sweetwaterbrew.com/brews/sweetwater-420/

http://www.phillys-finest.com/

The last I noticed, Tinker Beer was swimming around in someone's mug of Bold City's Dukes Cold Nose Brown Ale inside Philly’s Finest – but we just left and headed to the Green Room.

We were not surprised with the smaller crowd, given the lateness of the hour and the fact it was a “school night”. We sat at the bar and was served jointly by Christina and Tap Room Manager, Jason. Christina is such a doll and she always has a friendly smile on her face!

Jason told us about his early upbringing in Miami and some future events at Green Room including:

Friday, April 6 at 4 – 11:30 pm - Florida beer tasting at Green Room Brewing. In celebration of the inaugural Jax Craft Beer week we are doubling our taps and putting more Florida Beers on.

We will have beers on tap that have never been poured in Jacksonville before such as Pensacola Bay Brewing, 7th Sun brewing, and special release beers from Swamp Head, Bold City, Cigar City, Tequesta, and more..

Saturday, April 7 12 – 3 pm - Rare Bottle Sharing Event. Bring a Rare, Hard to get, or just a damn tasty beer to share with other craft beer fans. North Florida Sales will be donating some beer and they will be raiding the cellars to start out with some good ones. Feel free to bring snacks as well.

If I learn of any future events for the Green Room Brewing, I will surely add them. Sign up for my events calendar:

http://www.jaxbrewbitch.com/eventscalendar/eventy.php

He also told us about an unofficial group which meets at Green Room on Sundays and shares rare and unique beer. WooHoo! … count me in! …

As he talked more about events, the one commemorating Green Room's anniversary includes the tapping of their mysterious Secret Spot brew – now aging contentedly in whiskey barrels inside the brewery.

...(*tapping foot on floor*) … aw, c'mon! … what's in it? … c'mon … Jason is such a Taste Bud Tease! … I've gotta try this one so I'm getting up early that day!

Jason then shared a little info about his personal brew, currently sleeping inside Palm Ridge Whiskey barrels in the back of the brewery. He let us back there to look at them – sort of like when new parents let you tiptoe into the nursery to see their sleeping newborn … he coughed up a little more info about his personal recipe which includes Madagascar Vanilla Beans … how did he think of this? … it sounds SO good, I offered a batch of my homemade crawfish etouffee in exchange for a small tasting of it when he taps it … I'll even throw in companion mowing his yard for two months …

Seriously, Jason was a tremendous host that night and I appreciate him taking the time to speak with me.

This wonderful experience at Green Room Brewing put the perfect finishing touch on this Jax Brew Bitch Prowl.

A sincere “Thank You!” to Christina and Jason for making us feel so welcome ...  and comfortable!

http://www.greenroombrewing.com/

http://www.facebook.com/GreenRoomBrewing

To view more photos visit the link below ...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.268565189895764.65118.181100418642242&type=3

Swamp Head Takeover at Brewer's Pizza

The last time I had someone say “Swamphead”, they were referring to me as a little girl, knowing of how I used to fish – and swim – in Henderson Swamp in the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana. Panthers 'n Gators 'n Snakes, OH MY!

Ed Stansel and Dan Wade

So, when I heard there was going to be Swamp Head event on Tuesday (March 20) at Brewers Pizza (14B Blanding Blvd. - Orange Park), I thought there might be a whole covey of Cajuns there; but no – I soon learned that Swamp Head is in fact an established brewery located in Gainesville, Florida (3140 S.W. 42nd WAY ).

Before we fired up the Jeep to head over to Brewer's, companion and I had decided we were going to share one of their very popular calzones – the “Bigg'n” ($7.99) because during a previous Prowl there, a fellow-patron had indicated this was a “Must-Try” menu item. Giddy-up, Jeep!

A quick trip with
Swamp Head Brewery

Arriving in the late afternoon, there was a small crowd already there and we found ourselves a table close to the front door. Our friendly and efficient server, Gabby, noted our selections of the Bigg'n and my Flight of four of Swamp Head's significant ABV % offerings (descriptions from Swamp Head's websiteJ

Bogs of Islay

Bogs of Islay is our tribute to the world renowned ales and distilled spirits produced in Scotland, many of which derive their unique character from local water sources that filter through peat bogs. The peat is also used to smoke barley that is used in the production of Scottish Ales and Single Malt Whiskys. The bogs of the Isle of Islay contribute to what many consider to be the wildest and most characterful exemplars in the malt-whisky spectrum.

For Batch 200 we produced two Scottish Ales in parallel, then blended portions together to create Bogs of Islay, a Wee Heavy with 7.8% alcohol by volume. The first runnings from two mashes were collected to produce a high gravity Wee Heavy, which was fermented using the traditional Scottish Ale yeast, to produce a fruity malt bomb. Thirty pounds of peated barley were used in the dual mashes, and a few pounds of peated barley were added to each mash as we collected the second runnings. The second runnings were used to produce an 80 Shilling Scottish Ale, which was fermented with our  house American Ale yeast, to produce a lighter ale with strong peat character.

After both beers were fully fermented and aged for several weeks we determined the ideal blending ratio and produced about 14 barrels of Bogs of Islay, while retaining portions of the component beers for barrel aging and special projects.

Our Batch 200 tribute rewards those who savor the unique flavor and aroma characteristics of Scottish Ales and Whiskys with a rich malt experience and an extra layer of complexity provided by the Bogs of Islay.

Hoggetowne Irish Red

Hoggetowne Irish Red is a traditional Irish Ale brewed with the finest English malts and hops. This beer was developed through a collaboration with the Hogtown Brewers - Gainesville's American Homebrewers Association recognized homebrew club. The Hogtown Brewers serve the Irish Red along with other Swamp Head beers at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, a Renaissance Faire held each year during the last weekend in January and first weekend in February. Thanks to the outstanding reception of Hoggetowne Irish Red, it is now served by better craft beer bars and restaurants through St. Patrick's day.

Hoggetowne Irish Red has a medium light body, with moderate malt aroma and 6.5% alcohol by volume. It is deep amber in color due to the use of roasted barley; it features low hop aroma, with almost no hop flavor. Hoggetowne Irish Red is an easy drinking ale with a clean caramel malt flavor and a hint of roasted grain.

Sciaenhops

Sciaenops ocellatus, better known around Florida as the "Redfish," is an extremely popular game-fish which gains more and more notoriety each year. From early fall through the spring, Redfish can be found in the bays and inland waters of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida.

Florida enforces a slot size restriction on Redfish - anglers can only keep fish that measure 18 to 27 inches in length, with a bag limit of one or two per day, depending on the management region.

Not too little; not too big; a "keeper" Redfish provides a strong challenge on light tackle and a feast on the half-shell - a filet grilled with skin and scales intact. Much the same can be said about Scieanhops, a holiday celebration Ale, created by our brewers to meet craft beer angler's thirst for a hearty red ale with a feast of hop flavor and aroma.

This Imperial Red Ale was brewed the day after Christmas, using eleven malts and twelve hop additions; it weighs in at a healthy 8.3% ABV. We expect it to become a Swamp Head holiday tradition...

Darkwater Floridian Dark Ale

Blackwater Floridian Dark Ale is an American-style Black Ale at the low end of the IPA alcohol range (6.4% ABV), with an abundance of hop flavor and aroma. It represents what we consider to be an improvement on what are being called Black IPAs, or Cascadian Dark Ales, deriving its "darkness" from chocolate wheat malt rather than the bitter roasted barley used in most examples of this new style. The name is derived from Florida's "Blackwater" rivers, which are dark in tannins from the native oak trees.

Blackwater was created through a collaboration between Head Brewer Craig Birkmaier and Eric Luman, Head Brewer at Jacksonville's Green Room brewery. It was judged the Best Beer in Florida at the 2011 Best Florida Beer Competition.

It would be difficult to decide which one I enjoyed most. The Darkwater and Sciaenhops provided that hop jolt I have come to enjoy. The Hoggetown was a smooth red ale which was quite delicious though I am a bit partial to Red Trolley from the Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego. The Bogs of Islay was in a word, unique! - a must for those of you who like a fine whiskey accent applied to their beer.

If you haven't had the “calzone-osauras” Bigg 'N from Brewer's Pizza, their website proclaims:

Bigg'N Calzone - Holy moly!

“Mamaw Brewer says “it’s SO BIG it hangs off the plate!” … true statement!

“Includes up to 3 regular or 1 specialty topping, with a fantastic butter/cheese/garlic crust, and a side of our

famous sauce. Ricotta cheese can be added at no extra cost UPON REQUEST.”

By all means, request the Ricotta cheese! … such decadent yummers!

Companion was very satisfied with Brewer's Pizza Moon Dance Sweet Stout ($4.50 served in shaker pint ) and their website includes in their description:

“Notes:Rich Chocolate, Sweet oats, Silky Body “ - ABV: 7%”

Moon Dance Sweet Stout

What a wonderful experience! … great beer and delicious food.  We were just discussing how we wished there was others to share in the experience and BEHOLD! … Ed Stansel was in the house! ... He graciously agreed to join us (we WERE willing to beg, by the way!) and we were overjoyed he was willing to sit and talk about beer, the Swamp Head Brewery, his beautiful wife Beth and his fascinating background.

For those of you who don't know, Ed writes a blog-column (among other duties) with Roger Bull entitled “Amber Waves” which appears in Florida Times-Union jacksonville.com. This substantial opinion blog includes its description: “A regular discussion about all that is beer by a couple of guys who happen to like it a lot.” - I LOVE that description!

Ed Stansel, the JBB & Dan Wade

Ed and Roger have developed their own heavenly brew also anointed “Amber Waves Ale” working with Engine 15 which will be tapped on Thursday, April 5 there at Engine 15. Proceeds from the sale of this sublime nectar will benefit St. Johns Riverkeeper.

Ed then introduced me to the Swamp Head Brewery representative, Dan Wade who was managing the event. I know I gushed my appreciation for their brews, but it was heartfelt – and I was sure the slobber pooling at my feet on the floor could be mopped away. Seriously, the Swamp Head brews were outstanding – as was the Bigg'n, Keegan, Gabby and the kitchen staff at Brewer's Pizza  - and of course, my fortunate and much-appreciated discussion with Ed Stansel.

Thank you to Brewer's Pizza, Swamp Head Brewery and Ed Stansel for making this Jax Brew Bitch Prowl one to remember!

http://www.swamphead.com/

http://www.brewerspizza.com/home/

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/amber-waves

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400640

http://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/

To view more photos from this evening visit the link below

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.264889580263325.64346.181100418642242&type=3