Quick Sips: Fegley’s Bourbon Barrel Insidious

Those in Allentown and Bethlehem, PA know Fegley’s as The Brew Works, a pair of great brewpubs in some of Pennsy’s finest non-Philly towns for hanging out and enjoying great beer. When bottled, those beers get the “Fegley’s” label – but they are no less awesome than they are at the pub.

Insidious is their big imperial stout, a chocolate forward brew that can be a bit hot on the alcohol when fresh but that ages into itself very nicely after about 12 months in the "cellar" (or cupboard). 

The Bourbon Barrel version? A twist on that delightfully dark beer, following the trend of stuffing everything possible into a barrel. Trend or not, though, it works. Fegley’s version has less up front bourbon than many bourbon barrel aged beers, making this an approachable (but still imposing!) take on the barrel-aged style.

Black as night, rich as a Rockefeller, and surprisingly drinkable when compared to others of the same style, enjoy this sipper of a beer with a big steak or spicy nachos.

NOTE: Portions of this post originally appeared in The Philly Weekly. 

Quick Sips: Troegs Dreamweaver

Harrisburg, PA is not only a city brimming with history, in 2010 Forbes ranked it as the #2 place in the United States to raise a family.

But if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that the greatest thing Harrisburg has to offer is Troegs Brewery, one of the best of Pennsylvania’s amazing craft breweries. (Seriously, folks, PA is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to beer. Only California, Michigan, and Oregon can compete.)

That means when Troegs puts out a modest little wheat beer, we expect something special. And yes, Dreamweaver is something special. Sure, it’s just a German style wheat beer, but it’s a super great one, with spicy clove, musty yeast, and easy drinkability. Without straying too far into hyperbole, it just might be one of the very best American interpretations of a German wheat beer.

Best part of all? It's suitable for all occasions, making it an excellent choice for a year-round, anytime beer. Cheers!
 

NOTE: Portions of this post originally appeared in the Philly Weekly.

Quick Sips: Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale

Before every other brewery in the American craft scene was pushing out half-hearted sours, there was Monk's.

Sours have been surging the last few years, but let’s be honest: Sour isn’t for everyone. The acidic, tart bite of a sour beer is heaven in a glass for those who enjoy the style, but can be puckeringly off-putting for those who don’t.

This beer, though, this is a sour for the masses. Brewed for the legendary Monk’s Café in Philadelphia, this Flemish red ale is only mildly sour, with a nice, fruity sweetness that does a fine job of balancing the beer’s acidity and gentle vinegar qualities. It’s a brew that goes especially well with a meal (a salad, spicy fish, or chocolate make great pairings), but that also stands up nicely on its own. There are few traditional sours as approachable as this one. It drinks so smooth and easy even your finicky friends will find themselves enjoying it. If you’ve never had a sour beer before, this is a great place to start.

The beer is widely available in bottles, and of course can always be found on draft at Monk's Cafe. 

NOTE: Portions of the preceding originally appeared in The Philadelphia Weekly.

Quick Sips: Weyerbacher Merry Monks

They say there is nothing like your first time. Well, my first time experiencing Weyerbacher's great beer was with this one right here, so you'll forgive me if I cling to it with some degree of nostalgia.

Not that Merry Monks needs it.

In 2010, Weyerbacher took home a Bronze Medal in the World Beer Cup for brewing for Merry Monks, a Belgian-style tripel that just might be the brewery’s best beer.

That’s saying something, too, because most of their lineup is outstanding. This deceptive brew has a distinct spicy character thanks to the yeast used -- for the uninitiated, this is typical of many Belgian yeast strains -- and the aroma gives off hints of bananas and faint pepper and cloves. It pours like liquid bread and tastes like it, too; very Earthy with a bit of spice, a touch dry and not at all sweet. The monks are probably merry because this beer’s 9.3% ABV packs a punch yet it drinks like a brew of half the strength. Proceed with caution!

But definitely proceed. There are few American tripels better than this one on the market. Hell, I'll risk credibility by saying that it even gives mainstays like the legendary Westmalle a run for its money.

Portions of this review originally appeared in the Philadelphia Weekly and appear here with permission.

Quick Sips: Troegs Mad Elf

Some beers are born of cults. I swear it.

I don’t know if Satanists or Pagans or something are getting together in the woods each winter to bust cherries, but I DO know that each winter they – and everyone else – are scrambling to get Troegs’ The Mad Elf ale, which is the sort of beer you’d get if a bunch of drunk Pagans brewed the most cherry-poppin’ beer they could imagine. That, and the devil himself would have to have thought of adding honey to the mix, because the most evil things are also the most sweet, right?

So, yeah. There is that.

Okay, I rammed the analogies into the ground. Fine. So just taste the beer. You’ll find yourself struggling with the insane 11% ABV, even as you revel in the sweet sin of this beer’s sweet, fruity nectar. Those nutty Troegs people, they know how to do it, don’t they? How on Earth is a beer this big so devoid of alcohol burn?

Oh, and here’s a secret not many people know since folks scoop this up every winter and drink it ASAP: this beer ages pretty well. If you have a few bottles, don’t be shy about stashing them away for a few year, because it holds up well and mellows into a nice beer to have with a cigar on a cold night. Cheers!

Portions of this first appeared in the Philadelphia Weekly and are reused here with permission.