Q&A: Discussing Ghost Beers and Cartoon Labels With Gigantic Brewing (@PasteMagazine)

“An industrial area full of warehouses situated far off the beaten path might seem an odd area to setup a brewery and taproom, but it seems to be working for the folks at Gigantic Brewing Company, as their brewery has managed to turn their forgotten corner Portland into a happening hotspot for area craft beer enthusiasts.

In the short time since Gigantic first opened its doors, brewers and co-owners Ben Love and Van Havig have generated serious buzz for their small-scale brewery. Their ever-rotating array of limited edition one-off brews showcases the broad range of big ideas and bold flavors the duo have on tap. We recently caught up with Love to pick his brain about everything from the brewery’s beautiful comic-style label art to his take on craft beer’s booming heyday.”

Check out the full Q&A Interview here at Paste Magazine.

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Founders All Day IPA Review (@PasteMagazine)

“Sessionability is the key to a perfect warm-weather lawn mower beer. A refreshing pint on a hot day can make your task list a lot more enjoyable, but India pale ales are often too heavy-duty to make the cut for anyone who wants to be able to maintain cognitive function after a few cold ones. The good news is serious hopheads looking for a lower-test solution for quenching their thirst will find much to love about Founders All Day IPA.”

Check out the full review here at Paste Magazine.

Long Trail Limbo IPA Review (@Paste Magazine)

Hey, my first beer review for Paste Magazine is up! Awesome! Here’s an excerpt: “Potent in both flavor and alcohol content, Limbo IPA is a very different brew from Long Trail’s other IPA offerings. Having recently dug into the brewery’s new Farmhouse 12-pack IPA sampler, I was already impressed, but this tasty beast goes well beyond impressive. Concocted in the experimental farmhouse pilot brewery at Long Trail HQ, Limbo is the first Brown Bag series ale to make the jump to year-round status. That’s a great thing, as you’ll read in a moment.”

Check out the full review here at Paste Magazine.

Beer Nerdistry Quickie: Longtrail Black Rye IPA Review

longtrailblackryeipaHey gang, here’s the first of four Longtrail-related beer reviews. I recently picked up their new Farm House IPA Sampler 12-pack, which is sadly only available in Vermont for the time being, and was quite impressed. I’ve been tasting all four offerings over the past week and jotting down my thoughts. Here’s my take on Longtrail’s Black Rye IPA (ABV 6.3%), which is only offered as part of the sampler as far as I know.

Continue reading

Beer Nerdistry Quickie: Smuttynose IPA Review

smuttynoseThere’s something oddly comforting about the old farts hanging about in their lawn chairs on the label of Smuttynose’s “Finest Kind” IPA. Perhaps I’m gazing into my distant future? Life could be worse, right? Cracking the cap off, this 6.9% ABV American IPA pours a effervescent light golden color with a meager white head. A subtle floral fragrance wafts out of the pintglass mingled with a  strong blast of yeast aroma. It’s a curious blend that lacks the heavy duty citrus you so often see with the style. The hop flavor starts off subdued, balanced nicely by a subtle sweetness from the malts, but it picks up towards the tail end with a bitterness that creeps in and lingers on the tongue. This lightbodied IPA is deceptively complex and quite drinkable, but it doesn’t inspire me to hit the fridge for another pint.

Verdict: C

Scope Out Issue #2 of Buze Magazine on iPad

buze2Do you like craft beer and other similarly potent beverages? Do you like iPads and other Apple tablety thingamajigs? Cool. Buze Magazine is a newly launched iPad mag for adult beverage enthusiasts that is slick, fancy, and pretty rad. My first article for the digital mag appears in issue #2, which just hit Apple newsstands. I have another feature commissioned for issue #3 and some other pieces in the works for this sweet bi-monthly mag. Scope it out here!

Beer Nerdistry: Gigantic IPA Review

giganticAfter numerous repeat trips to the craft beer store and many minutes spent scouring the isles for interesting new brews to try, I eventually reach a saturation point. Aside from seasonal rotations, I inevitably glaze over at the same array of familiar labels greeting me each visit. So when something new and interesting pops up on the shelf, I tend to take notice. This time it was a new offerings by Portland, Oregon-based  Gigantic Brewing Company — the new kid on block on VT beer shelves. I went out on a limb, and my tastebuds are impressed. Continue reading

Kickstarted Beer: The Craft of Crowdsourcing a Brewery (@ Draft Magazine)


“The craft beer industry is the latest to benefit from the recent crowdfunding boom: Websites like Kickstarter let anyone pledge financial support to help creative entrepreneurs bring their ideas to fruition. In exchange, backers get access to unique rewards for their patronage. Music, publishing, and film industry projects are popular draws on the platform, and now the craft brewing community is getting in on the action…”

Check out the full article here at Draft Magazine.

Beer Nerdistry: Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout Review

wolaversoatIt’s always a bit disappointing when a favored brewery puts out something that doesn’t quite measure up to its better beers on tap. I haven’t had Wolaver’s in a long time, though I recall digging a few of their beers back in the day. After enjoying some extremely tasty oatmeal stouts this season, I was looking forward to seeing what this Vermont organic label had to offer in the style. Sad to say, a fuzzy head and a less than enthused palate left me wanting more…of something other than what I was drinking. Continue reading

Beer Nerdistry: Encore Review

Some brews are sneaky. They confuse the senses, making you wonder what the hell it is you’re drinking. Encore is one such brew. A nice light wheat beer can make for a great summertime refresher, while heavier IPAs offer a little more weight that’s typically not as sessionable. Encore attempts to blend the two with some sassy flair, but while it gets off to a good start, I’m not entirely sure the end result is worth sticking around for to catch a repeat performance. Continue reading