There aren’t too many beers you remember having for the first time in your life; you drink many, you like many, you tolerate many, you despise many, and there are very few that can actually bring a tear of joy to your eyes. Behold! Three Floyds Zombie Dust!! This was my first beer purchase from ebay and I was very hesitant to do so. Not only are you worried about the condition of the item but the shipping of beer is unbelievably expensive. When I received them I immediately put them in the fridge. 4 hours later the first bottle was cracked and poured.
I’ll be honest, I had huge expectations for this beer because anything you get from Three Floyds (http://www.3floyds.com/) is insanely good; usually above and beyond any other brewery. Too toot their horn even more, I would say to anyone starting a brewery, find out what Three Floyds did and use that as your blueprint to success.
Anyway…… the beer was everything I hoped for. Resinous hops, citrus, (they used the citra hop), and just enough malt to balance it out.  Unfortunately, Three Floyds is very hard to get in Eastern Iowa. You either have to drive to Chicago or Madison to pick it up and even those markets have a hard time keeping it on the shelves. However, if you can get some, it’s worth the trip to either destination. You owe it to yourself as a prominent beer drinker to do. After writing this, I am desperately yearning for more and I can’t….. Madison is only three hours away though.

Commercial Description:
“This intensely hopped and gushing undead pale ale will be ones only respite after the zombie apocalypse. Created with our marvelous friends in the comic industry.”

This is the best pale ale I’ve ever had.

REVIEW

STYLE: American Pale Ale

ABV: 6.2%

Purchased at: http://www.ebay.com

Pour: Dark yellow to gold with a medium sized white head.
Aroma: Citrus hops  with a little breadiness.
Taste: Unbelievably good, citrusy hops, maybe some tropical fruit and a little malt.
Overall: A

Recommendation: If you ever come across this beer buy everything they have on the shelves and stocked in back, it’s that damn good.

With spring being here it is time for some very good beers to start becoming available. Here’s quick look at my favorite spring seasonal beers. Hopefully you can find these on your shelves somewhere and give them a try.

#1 Dogfish Head Apriohop
Dogfish Head Brewery

Even though this beer is not available in Iowa, come spring, and actually all throughout the year I find myself craving this fantastic beer. Dogfish is always trying new and exciting things with their beers, there are big time hits and sometimes there are misses. With this beer though, I think they hit it right on top of the head. The perfect balance of an IPA with just a tad bit of apricot added makes this the perfect spring brew.

#2 Samuel Adams Noble Pils
Boston Beer Company

I know this available year round but up until this year it was only available from March-June. Talk about a fantastic lawn-mowing beer, this is yet. It is hard to find a great pilsner that impresses me, but this one sure does and it is very sessionable. Great brew, glad it is now available all year as it will now be in my fridge all year.

#3 New Belgium Dig
New Belgium Brewery

Their latest releases replaces Mighty Arrow, which I was really fond of. But after trying Dig, I can rest easy as this is a suitable replacement. A very tasty pale ale with the perfect blend of malts to balance out the bitterness of the hops. Good stuff from New Belgium.

#4 Ale Asylum Bedlam!
Ale Asylum; Madison, WI

This a Belgian style IPA so it won’t be as hop forward as some of your west coast IPA’s are. But Ale Asylum does a great job adding the malts to balance out the hops. This beer is a sweeter IPA, think of an orange marmalade type flavor and that is what I get from Bedlam!

#5 Three Floyds Rabid Rabbit
Three Floyds Brewing

I had my first bottle of this beer last week and was blown away by it. A fantastically refreshing farmhouse style ale that would go perfect on a mild spring day. Malty and spicy, it goes down easy, but be careful, 7.4% ABV can sneak up to you.

**I know I’m missing some beers but please feel free to add to this list or let me know your thoughts on the ones that I have posted.**

After great news last week about Stone eventually making its way into Eastern Iowa this summer, I’m still awaiting confirmation on a few more breweries to join the list. Hoping to release that information within the month so stay tuned. On to the shelves!

This week we have another new release from New Belgium. Shift is part of New Belgium’s Explore Series (www.newbelgium.com) and is a pale lager that is arriving at the perfect time; summer! Light and refreshing and only 5% abv, this is an easy drinker. Better yet, it comes in cans to make it more accessible and handy for outside beer drinking. From the brewer:
“New Belgium employee-owners work in shifts to brew to life world-class beers. Those efforts are rewarded daily with a shared end-of-shift beer. We’re passing that welcomed occasion onto consumers in this lightly-hopped Shift Pale Lager. From work to play, from bottle to can, from bold and heavy to refreshing and sessionable; Shift salutes the shift in occasion, package and beer. So, go ahead and get your Shift beer, you’ve earned it!”

The next beer to hit the shelves is from Big Sky Brewing (www.bigskybrew.com). It is their barleywine release called Olde Bluehair. You will find it in 750 ml bottles and watch out; it’s carrying a 8.75% abv with it. From the brewer:

“Imagine a tango: a man and a woman dancing, their eyes locked upon one another, then take your first taste of Olde Bluehair, Big Sky Brewing Company’s Barley Wine. A taste of apricots, honey flavors, a sliver of vanilla, and a hint of caramel, round out the Barley Wine. Like so many things in life, Olde Bluehair just gets better with age.
Aged for a minimum of 3 months in American Oak Bourbon Barrels.”

If you try any of these I would love to hear your feedback!

What: Toppling Goliath Tap Takeover

Where: Joe’s Place; Iowa City, IA

When: Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Just found this on TG’s website.
“That’s right! We’re bringing in some of our best beers for a TG tap takeover at Joe’s Place in Iowa City! You bring your great palate and your party shoes, we’ll bring the beer (including a few that you can’t find anywhere else in Iowa City!)

You don’t want to miss this!! See you there!”

If you get a chance to sample some TG’s brews, you must, especially if Golden Nugget is making an appearance.
No word on what they are bringing, if you hear of anything please let me know!

What: Toppling Goliath Tap Takeover

Where: Joe’s Place; Iowa City, IA

When: Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Just found this on TG’s website.
“That’s right! We’re bringing in some of our best beers for a TG tap takeover at Joe’s Place in Iowa City! You bring your great palate and your party shoes, we’ll bring the beer (including a few that you can’t find anywhere else in Iowa City!)

You don’t want to miss this!! See you there!”

If you get a chance to sample some TG’s brews, you must, especially if Golden Nugget is making an appearance.
No word on what they are bringing, if you hear of anything please let me know!

Had a bottle of this left over from about 6 months ago. Gold ales are a style of beer that definitely do not impress me but also are not undrinkable. Commercial description of the beer.
“Deep gold in color with floral and spicy hop aromas. Brewed with pale, carmel, and Munich malts balanced with Cascade, Centennial and Hersbrucker hops. Well rounded, fruity and complex. Pairs well with salads, mild cheeses and pulled pork BBQ.”

About Heavy Seas Brewing from their website:
“Brewed by Baltimore’s Clipper City Brewing Co., Heavy Seas is produced by Baltimore craft beer pioneer Hugh Sisson – the brewery’s founder and managing partner – and Brewmaster Ernesto Igot, formerly brewmaster at San Miguel Brewery in the Philippines.  After successfully lobbying the Maryland Legislature to legalize brewpubs, Hugh began brewing professionally in 1989 at his family’s Baltimore pub – Sisson’s – which was coincidentally Maryland’s first brewpub.  In 1994 he left Sisson’s to found Clipper City and has been involved in all aspects of the business – brewing, finance, marketing, and sales. “

Drinking this beer on a mild Iowa day sure helps make this a nice refreshing thirst quencher. Not as much hops present, might be the age of the bottle, a tad bit of malt, but once again, minimal. Taste is resembling a Budweiser  with a tad bit more sweetness to it. Wouldn’t mind trying it again in a fresher bottle, not sure if it would change my mind, but I think I can forgo buying any more of this product. Ok, enough of this beer, got a Victory Hop Wallop to make me forget this one.

Style: Gold Ale

ABV:4.5%

Purchased at: Family Beer and Liquor; East Dubuque, IL

REVIEW
Pour: Gold pour with a very small white head, no lacing.
Aroma: Citrus hops somewhat present.
Taste: A little fruitiness, hops, and a small bit of malts. Not much flavor.
Overall: D+

Recommendation: If you are Gold Ale fan, give it a shot; not really my style. With what Family Beer has to offer I would definitely seek out something else.