Holiday Beers Part III - The Best of the Best of Christmas

Eric and I are working hard for YOU...drinking, tasting, enjoying, giggling, dancing, falling down. It's all for JOURNALISM! No, it's really not. It's all for the simple enjoyment of BEER. And what says holidays like beer? Well, that's simple. MORE BEER! And that is what we have for you. More beer. With this list, our final of 2013, we bring the the best in holiday brews from our findings. The ones that made us laugh and cry. The ones that made us stop, look at one another, and exclaim, "Holy shit...that's tasty..."

So here you go...

BROOKLYN WINTER ALE
I like Brooklyn beers. I had been a virgin to their skills until this year when I started finding Brooklyn Lager at all the ska shows I was at around New York City. I quickly became a fan. Eric already knew. Then one hot day this summer before boarding a booze cruise, Eric and I stumbled into Molly's Shebeen on 3rd Ave (one of my now favorite spots) and found Brooklyn Brown on tap. We had several. I fell in love. So naturally when we saw Brooklyn Winter Ale in our travels to review holiday brews, it was immediately in my hand to purchase. This beer was a delightful deviation from what we has been experiencing in other holiday beers. There is no spice. No heaviness. No hoppy taste. This beer is clean, crisp, and veeeeeeery easy going down. It tastes like the most delicious light brown ale you ever had...if there was such a thing. I liked it so much, I went back and got a six pack the next time I felt like having a beer. In our discovery with sampling holiday beers, there are some that are one at a time, classy glass, slow drinkings. There are some that you take one sip of and decide you are pretty much done with. And then there are some that you know you will enjoy again and again and again in any kind of company. This is THAT beer. It's simple and good. Nothing flashy, nothing fancy, just really good beer. Brooklyn is good at that.

SHIPYARD PRELUDE SPECIAL ALE
Special, indeed. HOLY CHOCOLATE CHRIST. This is a good beer. I mean, probably the best holiday beer out there (in Amanda's humble opinion). Ship Yard does beer right. They have a pretty incredible Fall brew as well so I was expecting something good. I was not expecting something THIS good. As I sipped, I must have remarked to Eric 20 times that it was a really good beer. He tasted it as well, and agreed...and might have been a little sad that he was not the person who selected that one from the batch for tasting. Maybe its the water up there in Maine, but something was done incredibly well with this beer. Its nutty and smooth. A deep amber color. A real rich flavor but subtle in how its hits your tongue. When I got to the bottom of the bottle, I was sad. I was really sad. I kept looking at it to make sure there was really no more in there. To make matters worse, it is near impossible to find here in NJ! I even used the beer finder on the website and there is nothing in 10 miles listed! Eric and I went out on a search for it to our favorite beer spot which we thought had everything. They had exactly one bottle left. I left crying. This beer seriously is that good, friends.

SMUTTYNOSE WINTER ALE
Oh, these cats do it right. Eric and I already knew we loved New Hampshire's Smuttynose anything. He introduced me to their Old Brown Dog last winter and I fell in love. (you like browns? Check that one out...) We have purchased the sampler case on a few occasions and enjoyed them all. Their beer is just really well made. Its clean and tastes of the care they put into brewing it. Naturally we knew the Winter Ale would not let us down, and it did NOT! Its a complex brew with notes of fruity, notes of nutty, and an all around warm and yummy finish. This is the kind of beer Eric and I will fight over the last bottle of, and true to form...we did. Its perfect with snacks and even more perfect with laughs and friends. Thankfully we found this one to be readily available around us because I have a feeling it will be in our house pretty often this winter. Look for the bottle with the lovely lady on it.

TROEGS MAD ELF
It's maddeningly good! Is maddeningly a word? Well it is now. Our friends at Troegs over in nearby Hershey, PA created something sinfully delicious with this brew. Its a pretty reddish/orange ale in the glass with a warming finish and notes of cherry and honey on your tongue. Eric hogged this one all for himself. He describes it as very drinkable and solid. Heavy on the alcohol content at 11%, but no one is complaining! Subtle fruit and spice notes and very nicely aromatic. It's a tasty one! It's super good on it's own as a social sipping beer or at a gathering with good folks and great conversation. On a side note, we happened upon an enormous gift bottle of this on our way back to the beer spot. And I mean enormous. It was 101 oz. Need a gift for a friend with good taste? Or a lot of them in one place? That is available! I am sure you would be a hit with a six pack too.

And that's all folks!

I'm not saying we won't be back with another installment...because by now you know us...and we probably will!

What has been YOUR beer of choice this holiday season??? Let us know! We will feature it on a future blog!

Holiday Beers Part II - Ho ho the mistletoe!

The holidays are upon us, and you know what that means? Pine needles everywhere? Moths in your wallet? Untangled Christmas lights? Cats knocking over your tree and scattering your heirloom ornaments across the living room while you scream? Yes. All that, and BEER!
Its the time of the year for those delicious holiday beers. In the age of craft beer popularity, there is a wide assortment to choose from when you head to your local liquor store or beer spot, and we are going to sample them for you! Well, we were going to sample them anyway...but we are going to TALK ABOUT THEM for you! So here are some of the ones gracing our fridge this year:

ANCHOR CHRISTMAS
Oh Anchor! Your Steam beer alone is reason enough to love you, but your Christmas brew is something we look forward to every year. San Francisco's Anchor Brewing has been delighting the beer world with their Christmas beer since 1975. That's a long time, so its no wonder they have mastered it by now. Their bottle is graced with a Christmas tree that you might not know changes every single year. Not only that, their recipe changes every single year. It also remains a complete secret right down to what hops they use. This years is crisp and delicious. A subtle but tasty blend of flavors. Not too bitter. No weird aftertaste. Its a delicious compliment to friends, food, sports, or just a cold night while the weather outside is frightful. The folks at Anchor Brewing assure us that kept sealed and refrigerated, their seasonal remains delicious for years. We are just not that patient. Last year we cleaned out our local beer store of this tasty brew. They should expect the same from us this year.

SIERRA NEVADA CELEBRATION
This was a new one for me this year. Another oldie but goodie seasonal, Sierra Nevada has been brewing their Celebration since 1981. A hoppy IPA, this brew is a good take in a Christmas style beer but remains its very own thing. Its a real nice, bold brew. Celebration stands out among the holiday beers in that it is an IPA and has a taste that the folks at Sierra Nevada describe as "hop forward" with Centennial, Cascade, and Chinook hops. A nice 6.8% brew. It pairs very well with friends and merriment. Have it with your holiday dinner, your holiday leftovers, your holiday leftovers' leftovers, or a good hockey game. That is what we are doing right now.

ELYSIAN BIFROST WINTER ALE
This is a lovely, hoppy brew! It was a surprise to taste! I would have billed this as a Pale Ale myself. It's best served in a glass as its unfiltered and tastes better that way. It has a light crispy, fruity start with a hoppy finish that warms the belly. Seattle's Elysian Brewing Company doesn't have too much on the web to check out, so I don't know too much about the brewery itself except that they operate three pubs in the city of Seattle. Lucky city...its good beer! I am glad it made its way to New Jersey so I could taste it.

EVIL GENIUS NAUGHTY OR NICE
Oooooh...this was a tasty find! Connecticut's Evil Genius Beer Company is fairly new and already doing things right. This tasty, tasty spiced brew with notes of clove and cinnamon is a real holiday treat. Brewed with Tettnang hops and caramel and chocolate malts (to name a few), it delivers a spiced yet evenly yummy beer. This one just screams cold weather with friends and a fireplace, a football game, or sitting in front of the Christmas tree. It's a pretty amber 7.2% so get warm and cozy with a six pack and pair it with someone special. I paired it with nachos. It works great.

HARPOON WINTER WARMER
They got this one right on the money with their label description of "Full bodied spiced ale with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg...a classic holiday beer." Vermont's Harpoon Brewery is already a favorite in this house, and they did not let us down with this winter brew. A lovely copper color with a modest 5.2%, its a medium bodied, super tasty brew. They have been making this tasty treasure since 1988. Its no mystery why they continue to bring this one to the masses. It's just sweet enough to make you notice with a spice that makes you stop and go "ohhhh!". Well, that's what we did anyway. Look for the cool red argyle diamonds on the bottle and pick yourself up some! Really yummy.

GOOSE ISLAND MILD WINTER
Chicago's Goose Island Beer Co. delivers us a perfect winter ale. Eric describes this one as "Ridiculous!". The best way possible. It's absolutely delicious. A very subtle winter ale. Its light, but not the way a traditional light beer is "light". Its perfectly balanced. A very drinkable 5.6% with a pretty light toffee color. It would be really great with any kind of really great food. Or really great friends. Mild Winter has that flavor that just reminds you of cold weather when its welcome. The smell in the air of clean winter. Its really great poured into a pint glass and served cold. This is a favorite so far in our tasting travels.

So there you have it kids...but we are hardly done! We will have a whole new batch of tasties coming this weekend...stay tuned!!!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

The holiday season stress has begun! AAAAAAAH! I can’t afford Christmas yet! Wasn’t it just Halloween? Why am I still finding pine needles from last Christmas!? I don’t even live in the same house anymore! I can’t find my wreath! Even the dog has a holiday sweater on and I don’t! 

Nope, not kidding.

So to minimize the stresses that are coming, allow me to present to you a few blogs of holiday cheer! BEER! And food. Because what is food without beer? And beer without food?

The holidays can cause quite a stir in even the tamest of households, and ours is never tame anyway. This is why we try to plan out simpler dinners during these tumultuous times to ease our minds and tummies. Eric can make gourmet dinners out of a very barren cabinet. I have a multitude of simple cold weather meals in my noggin that warm you up from the mind to the toes. It keeps us sane. So as we are in the process of gathering info for our holiday beer blog, here are some recipe posts to get you going!

The first of which is my simple, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO COOK AND IT’S A WEEKNIGHT AND IM TIRED AND ITS SNOWING AND I SAT IN TRAFFIC FOR AN HOUR AND I AM ONLY MAKING ONE STOP meal. And its yummy.

Stop at your local grocery store and pick up whatever rotisserie chicken thing is on sale. We will get one of these, usually for $6 or so, and eat chicken, potatoes, and a veggie one night. Then we pick the carcass clean and put the extra chicken in the fridge for the next night. And this is what we make…

You will need:

• Two rolled instant pie crusts (Pilsbury sells a box of two…Shop Rite and other grocers have a just-as-good generic version)

• One can Veg-All (or generic peas and carrots, mixed veggies…really whatever you like…I have used canned mushrooms too)

• One can cream of mushroom soup

• One can cream of potato soup

• Shredded leftover chicken (rotisserie is best…use the skin too!!!)

Preheat your oven to 375

Lay out one crust in a pie plate and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the bottom is just getting crisped

In a pan on your stove top, heat chicken, two kinds of soup, and can of veggies.

Season with salt and pepper. I like to add a little onion powder as well.

Stir until well mixed and creamy…it will be chunky! Make sure you taste it!

When the bottom crust is just crisping, remove from oven.

Pour in your chicken mixture.

Top with remaining pie crust and make cuts in the dough for the steam to escape.

Bake for 35-45 minutes at 375 or until top is golden brown.

Remove. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Cut. Eat. Enjoy!

REVIEW: The Publick House - Chester, NJ

It was a Friday night, and we were looking for some place nice to go for dinner. We wanted value for our dollar and a nice, relaxed atmosphere. Good food, good drink, good service. We found all of the above in Chester at the Publick House.

Now first let me start by saying we went here with a Groupon deal. Groupon is wonderful. If you are a user, you already know this. If you’re not, you seriously need to sign up. Aside from the usual Groupon deals, the website has a reservation feature which allows you to not only secure your table for a night out, but factor in a discount in the process. The folks at the Publick House were smart enough to recognize this fact and honestly…that is what brought us in.

Not that I was new to the place. My family used to go to the restaurant when we were kids. We celebrated Mother’s Day and other such holidays there with brunches. This is going back 25-30 years and I had not been back there since, though I have very fond memories of the historic building and the town of Chester itself. It has since changed hands (I believe it was closed for a time) and when I saw the Groupon, I had to give it a go. I was glad I did.

I am habitually early. Everywhere. I hate to be late. I had a long day (week, month…) at work and was looking forward to meeting up with Eric and having a nice dinner. This is how we treat ourselves, being the food snobs we are. Nothing releases the tensions like time spent letting someone else cook the food and do the dishes while you enjoy a drinks and some conversation. We were very much looking forward to this.

I came home, got prettied up as best I could and we left...knowing full well that if I plopped my tush on the couch that it would get comfy and not get up. We arrived 40 minutes early for our reservation. I was pretty sure we would be waiting – which would have been perfectly fine. The restaurant is warm and inviting from the moment you walk in the doors with antique telephones and other items to look at. However the gal at the front desk was more than happy to seat us right away. Not only did she seat us well ahead of our reservation, she sat us right next to the big fireplace which was lit, warm, and inviting us to get cozy.

I have to say that if you are someone who gets warm quickly, the fireplace is not a place for you. But for me who is always cold…it was lovely and toasty, not to mention a nice place for a weary couple to spend a couple hours. We started to look over the menu and already had ideas in our heads of what we wanted to order having looked at it online before we came. Our sdelightful erver Ryan was promptly at our table with specials which immediately threw a wrench into that! More good options? This would take a while. They have a nice variety of entrees. The menu is not so big that you get lost in it, but it is not so small that you feel you have to order something you don’t want.

We decided to start with cocktails and an appetizer. Eric had a beer. They had nice seasonal varieties on tap. I had a pineapple upside down cake martini. We also ordered the corn meal calamari. The martini was PERFECT. It smelled of pineapple and vanilla and was layered beautifully with a cherry sitting at the bottom of the well sized glass, and all for $10. Then the calamari came out. Oh my…

Now here is my issue with calamari. LOTS of places serve it. Very few serve it well. It often tastes and chews like little rubber tires with oily breading falling off and bowl of cold marinara sauce on the side. The Publick House, however, NAILED it. The corn meal breading was seasoned just enough to create a tasty coating that clung to the rings. The calamari itself was cooked perfectly. Firm, but not rubbery. It allowed for the taste of the breading and the taste of the calamari to coexist properly. It’s amazing how many establishments do this poorly. To top it off, they served it with a spicy remoulade. A perfect compliment.

For dinner we chose a chicken marsala for me and a mussels and shrimp over linguini (one of the specials) for Eric. Our service was prompt, and the food was amazing. My chicken was cooked perfectly. The marsala sauce was savory and well balanced. There were a good amount of very tasty mushrooms, which I LOVED. It was served very simply with broccoli on the side and tasty potatoes. Eric’s linguini was delicious as well. Cooked to a perfect pasta texture with a good amount of mussels and shrimp in a light and flavorful tomato sauce. A bit of sliced garlic was mixed throughout for a wonderful layering of flavor that was not overpowering but accented the dish and it's individual flavors. Now, we chose some very common dishes, and they came out uncommonly good.

(clearly, we hated it)

Throughout our meal, our server was attentive and funny. Our water glasses were never empty. We always felt well cared for and never rushed. Its a real nice atmosphere they have at The Publick House. One thing I would like to mention is that despite it being a nice place to go and eat, children are welcome there with their own menu. It's nice to have a nice place to go with family! When it came time to decide if we would like dessert, we figured we might as well! Two slices of very delicious cheesecake…always a win. It topped off our meal and our lovely dinner nicely.

All in all, we loved the Publick House. It has a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a very attentive and polite staff. The menu is well thought out and varied. The food was delicious and cooked with care and attention to taste. I especially loved that we were so well cared for despite being there on a Groupon! We also noticed a band setting up in the bar area, so maybe we will check it out for cocktails some weekend soon...but we will definately be back.

 Visit them!

The Publick House

http://chesterpublickhouse.com/

111 Main Street
Chester, NJ 07930 (908) 879-6878

HOLIDAY BEERS PART I...Pumpkin and Spice and Oktoberfests...OH MY!

ITS FALL! The air is getting a chill, the leaves crackle under your feet, and pumpkin has been added to absolutely everything to let you know in case you had any possible doubt WHATSOEVER...that it's fall. Pumpkin. It's not just for pies anymore. These days its in everything come fall time. It's in your coffee. It's in your muffins. Your cookies. Your pancakes. Your soups. Your ice cream. Your non-dairy creamer. Your candles. Your beer. WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY? You're beer!

IT'S PUMPKIN BEER SEASON!!!

I don't really like pumpkin. I like carving them. I do enjoy a pumpkin muffin in my caffeine haze from the local coffee franchise. But that's about it. The smell of the seeds roasting makes me gag. I generally associate pumpkin with the smell of the guts as you scrape them out with a giant wooden spoon before carving something into them...

But beer is something different. Every year we wait with impatience, tapping feet and something resembling the pee-pee dance at the end of the summer for the seasonal beers to be put out. By mid-August I have grown tired of summer brews with their blond crispness and lemon additives. I want something new! So as soon as the pencils, erasers, and trapper keepers hit the shelves, we know it's time for fall beers. And we get REALLY excited.

And then we remember no one actually has a trapper keeper anymore.

So this is our review of the best and worst of the fall beers! Mind you, there are OODLES of beers we just don't have access to here in North Jersey due to differences in distribution. So what you are getting here is a fine variety accessible to us. We are fortunate enough to have some GREAT liquor stores around our area that really tap into the craft and seasonal selections, so we will do our best to provide you with a well rounded review. Without further ado...ROUND ONE!

PUMPKIN BEERS:

Southern Tier Pumking

Yes, I spelled that correctly. This is truly one of my favorites of the fall brews. Southern Tier Brewing, located in Lakewood, NY, already has a great reputation amongst the beer snobs like ourselves for well made beers. They have a delicious variety pleasing every pallet in the beer drinker spectrum. It's this one beer I wait for though. This one beer, only available (at least for us locally) in a pint bottle that glares at me lovingly and a little bit crazy from it's display in our favorite beer spot. I won't lie...it's not cheap. A bottle of this stuff will set you back $7 or $8 in North Jersey, but trust me when I say it's money well spent. This is not a brew that you pound. This is a brew you sip and enjoy in a snifter rimmed with cinnamon and sugar. It's a deep, tasty ale with just enough pumpkin and spice to keep you satisfied without going over the top or too sweet. I first had it on tap at a great place in Wakefield, Rhode Island called Mews Tavern. They served it just as I described above, snifter with cinnamon and sugar on the rim. One taste and I was hooked. I now wait annually for this one to hit the shelves.

Wolaver's Pumpkin Ale

There is no denying I am a Wolavers fan. I first discovered these tasty brews when our local craft beer spot had their Oatmeal Stout on the "make your own six pack" rack. (one of our favorite pass times and one of the BEST ways to find new beers you dig) I was instantly addicted. They promise their beers to be made with Vermont organic ingredients and they are very well done and REALLY tasty. I am a bit of a stout snob, and their Oatmeal is one of the best. But on to immediate pressing matters...WOLAVERS PUMPKIN ALE! Wow, this one is good. Made with organic Vermont pumpkin, its crispy clean and very flavorful ale without the sticky pie taste that some seasonal beers have. You know what I mean? Almost sweet. It's not spiced. It's a true pumpkin taste. A warm fall flavor. Very yummy. Also, it's organic! (if that's important to you) Serve it in a pint glass chilled, or let it decant. Our other suggestion is to put the bottles upside down in the six pack holder in your fridge when you get home. The ingredients will settle on the bottom a bit and this seems to disperse them evenly. It's good.


Arcadia Ales Jaw-Jacker Spiced Ale

Don't let the picture fool you...this is NOT a pumpkin beer! It's deceiving and if you buy it and taste it without looking into it's recipe, you will SWEAR it's full of pumpkin. Its an unfiltered beer so you can watch the little beer goodness pieces floating around in your glass as you wait for the beer to decant slightly...which is really the best way to enjoy it. Arcadia Ales of Battlecreek, MI has outdone themselves with this one, and fooled us for sure...which I am sure was not their intention! Eric and I had a few of these and thought for sure they were pumpkin flavored. Turns out, NO PUMPKIN! None at all. They do however incorporate all-spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon into the mix creating a delicious spiciness. The folks at Arcadia Ales state that these ingredients are added in the exact proportions of pumpkin pie, giving it that very feel. This is definitely not a heavy drinking beer. Its one to be sipped, pondered, and enjoyed with friends in the fall weather. Think crackling leaves and hoodies around the fire pit.


Jacko Traveler Seasonal Shandy


Have mercy, this is TASTY! This beer tastes like pumpkin pie. Like, REAL PUMPKIN PIE. I know that sounds odd or off putting to someone who doesn't have a taste for flavored beers, but if you do...man. THIS ONE IS DELICIOUS. I opened the bottle and let it decant for a few minutes. Then I poured it into stem wear rimmed with cinnamon and sugar. I felt darkly elegant. It was a perfect pairing! I would imagine this one might be just as tasty on tap, if you are fortunate enough to find it in your area. I have not yet. Traveler Beer Company, located in Burlington VT where it must come with state residence requirement that you make good beer, have been on a mission to bring the Shandy to the US masses. What is a Shandy? It's a beer served with a citrus soda, cider, ginger beer, or something along those lines that dates back to the 17th century in parts of Europe. They expertly bring this style to their fall brew with a Shandy-inspired beer made with fresh pumpkin. FRESH PUMPKIN! It's bold and evident, tasty and spiced. An all around yummy fall beer.



So there you have it. Chapter One of our fall series. Thoughts??? I would love for you all to scamper on out and grab a few of these, give a taste, and give your thoughts! There are MANY more to come, as we have much more fall to drink in...and then winters...and holidays...oh beer!

COMING UP...Chapter Two...Falala-la la la la!

Introducing...your beer snobs...

This would be a good spot to start I guess, right? We might as well introduce ourselves.

My name is Amanda. I'm a mom and an admin for an ad firm. I'm a writer, blogger, ska and reggae enthusiast. I tended bar for years and enjoy coming up with new ways to spike coffees, cocoas, and punches in my spare time. I love to entertain.. I like food. I like beer.

My fiance's name is Eric. He went to culinary school (that big famous one), cooked, ran some delis and restaurants and shit. He was a glazier...for those of you who are like me and think of donuts and tarts when you hear glazier....its actually putting windows in buildings. Who knew, right? So he is super great at math. He's worked with old cars too. Now he is a musician. He likes food. He likes beer.

Together, we are a barrel of gluttony...but of the most particular kind.

We both have a taste for beer. Having both spent many years developing a keen pallet for what we like and don't like, we have also learned to appreciate the work that goes into brewing. While we may not prefer a particular brew, we are never shy to issue credit to a job well done. It has created road trips and great nights throughout our courtship...and more than a few heated debates. Eric prefers an IPA, I prefer a good smoky stout. Both of us can appreciate an ale. Filtered, unfiltered, fresh ingredients, the debate about extracts, etc etc etc. We have had them all. But no matter what, we always want to try something new.

And we feel the same way about food. There are so many kinds. So many variations on kinds. So many experiences you can have simply by tasting something new. Eric understands food prep from the bottom up. He is the first one to pick out a bad piece of meat, improperly prepared sauce, or old bread. We both reside in the great county of Sussex in New Jersey...the garden state. That's right, out-of-staters, we are actually loaded with farms! Not mafia, hair spray, and refineries. Not that those things aren't here. We would just rather talk about the produce. Ahem...MOVING ON!

Sussex County is one of several in our state famous for great produce. Fresh grown, tasty off the plant kind of produce. New Jersey is famous for tomatoes and corn. You can't find better anywhere, in my opinion. (I won't usually eat a supermarket tomato...the difference in taste is undeniable) We also have superb berries, fruits, and grains. This makes for easy access to great food for local restaurants. Unfortunately...a lot have not discovered this money saving, economy boosting, delicious tasting truth. These are the things we think when we go out to eat.

On many occasions, we have found ourselves staring at one another as we grab fork fulls from one another's plates and wondering why we don't delve into this topic in a way that other people can actually read. We will spend a long time eating, discussing, observing at an establishment. It's time we shared our findings with you all. I don't promise they will always be pleasant...but I DO promise they will always be honest. From local brews to eateries to food festivals...we will try to taste it all, and present our findings...and off we go!