Utopias

So we went and gosh darn did it. We got the Utopias by Samuel Adams Brewing. That beautiful bottle sat on the shelf for almost a month maybe more, just sitting there staring at me. It's glossy glass look glimmering orange and pearl as you walk by against a bright white shelf. The little metal door that my young daughter loves to open and close knowing she can't touch the bottle. In conversation it would come up, how can you pay so much for a bottle?

Well it's not a open and done bottle, so it will last. You're only supposed to drink about two ounces at a time so it will last... Then the questions, won't it go BAD? How do you know it will stay GOOD? Well because we've done research on the internet and it's more similar to a port wine when stored than a carbonated beer. Well this flew over most and honesty the internet wasn't 100% sure. So A decided to settle this once and for all. He was going to the source, there would be no doubt any longer. He emailed Sam himself. The old guy that's been dead for generations and couldn't convince of the internet and its awesomeness. When he didn't respond he decided to email the brewery.  Here is their response:

December 27, 2017

Dear A... ,

Thank you for your message and your interest in Utopias.Using processes that we learned in making the not-currently-brewed Triple Bock and Millennium beers, the brewers at Samuel Adams have created a truly unique brew.

Because this beer is un-carbonated and high in ABV, it can be opened and closed to be enjoyed when you want to enjoy it. However, you won't want to store this beer in the fridge- a cool and dark place is ideal. And don't be afraid to hold on to the bottle, the liquid will only get better with age!

Our brewers recommend serving Utopias as an ideal after-dinner drink or toasting a special occasion at room temperature (about 70 °F) in 2oz pours.

I hope this answers your question. Thanks again for contacting us and Enjoy!

Cheers...

There you go, the facts, the DL, the meat of the pie. Ohh and the first 2 ounces, wow. You want to try it. I hear folks are selling it for 20.00 an ounce, I think it's worth about 15... Hit me up I may have some left, just know it's a sipper and you should have a great cigar to go with it.

Shirts!!!!

What did we do? Well we have a cool shirt for you to be a honorary brew reviewer. We think you'll like them. Both men's and woman's styles. We will ship anywhere in the continental US included in your price. We know you like beer as much as we do and this shirt will let you be just as cool!

How much to be awesome? Only $15.00

All orders will ship no later than August 1st.

All Sizes 15.00 includes shipping in continental US

Men's 2X Men's XL Men's L Men's M Men's S Woman's 2X Woman's XL Woman's L Woman's M Woman's S

We know this shirt is cool but we want to hear your ideas for slogans. We've seen some really cool ones and wonder if our fellow beer drinkers can come up with even more awesome ones. Like usual you'll get no credit and nothing from it but hey you can tell a tale to anyone you'd like.

Six Ten Brewing First Impressions

Well A and J are off tasting as many beers as our livers will allow, or our wives which ever tell us to stop first. While we were out and about this last weekend preparing for the big event of the 4th of July we went to a nice little spot in Tampa called Six Ten Brewing.

The location was nice, a small number of tables and nice size bar. They appears to have a nice crowd there most of the time at least during the Saturday night rush in which we went to visit for.

Here are our reviews for the different Beers we tried, I truly think we would both suggest this place as a nice little joint to stop.

I'm declaring the Vanilla Porter the winner of the trip. Nice smooth and still remember the lovely vanilla smell so many days later..

OWC
Six Ten Brewing
IPA - American
A'S RATING (4.25)

GLOBAL RATING (3.68)
6.8% ABV
NO IBU


TPA
Six Ten Brewing
IPA - Imperial / Double
A'S RATING (4)

GLOBAL RATING (3.85)
10% ABV NO IBU


Vanilla Porter
Six Ten Brewing
Porter - American
J'S RATING (4)
A'S RATING (4.75)

GLOBAL RATING (3.98)
5.9% ABV 38 IBU

Poco Loco
Six Ten Brewing
Pale Ale - Belgian
J'S RATING (3.25)

GLOBAL RATING (3.51)
6% ABV No IBU

Shameless
Six Ten Brewing
Blonde Ale
J'S RATING (3.25)
A'S RATING (4.0)

GLOBAL RATING (3.56)
5% ABV No IBU

Monk's Milk
Six Ten Brewing
Blonde Ale - Belgian Blonde / Golden
J'S RATING (3.5)

GLOBAL RATING (3.53)
5.2% ABV No IBU


CBGB
Six Ten Brewing
Berliner Weisse
J'S RATING (3.25)
A'S RATING (3.5)


GLOBAL RATING (3.75)
3.5% ABV No IBU

Gateway
Six Ten Brewing
Pale Ale - American
A'S RATING (4.25)

GLOBAL RATING (3.47)
5.5% ABV No IBU 

YouTube videos are go

So like we started below in singe other post we've started paying YouTube videos. Well we may pretty much suck at it today but in a year we might just get dang good. Don't you want to be one if the first to subscribe? Rhetorical question, we know you do. So enjoy the pre perfection entertainment now, one day well be charging for this stuff...

Days without beer

The days between beers, oh what long days those can be. Been super busy running around with family and having a generally good time. I noticed something missing, the new beer experience. Found myself looking for something new to try and nothing could be found. Well nothing without driving away from the family fun and since I'm the only one who drinks the beer it wouldn't really be a good time had by all. This needs to be remedied folks, why even today local restaurant's don't have local brews or even why chain names don't bring in the community brews blows my mind. Yeah sure Bud sells the most but one barrel of a local alternative a month might slow that down a bit.

Have one person from your location who likes beer go out to a local tap house and find the closest thing to Bud Light they can. Bring it in and give it one tap, that's all I'm asking. If it goes well then fantastic, if it sits there and spoils no one was told you have a local on tap. That's really what it is, I hate going to a place and saying what beers do you have on draft. I know you have Bud, Bud Light maybe Miller, I want to know the oddballs. I want to hear "Well we have a local lager by XYZ down the street and Bud, Bud Light...."

Damn how that would change the world. Get out of this same old garbage routine, people want to try new things if they don't then they're missing the spice of life.

Enjoy the spice of life drink local brews...

J

2015 Top rated beers by AJBrew

It's still 2015 and while A and J will continue drinking beers until that last day, we've composed the (it could change slightly) best of 2015 list. We've compiled the list and below are our top rated beers for 2015. Listing only our 5 cap and 4.75 cap beers for this year. A will go first because well he's A..

A's 5 star beers for 2015

Are Wheat There Yet? By: Brew Bus Brewing

I know, that's it? What the hell, hard ass.....

A's 4.75 beers. You all earned 5 stars for even making this high in J's opinion.....

Florida Cracker By: Cigar City Brewing
Fat Tire By: New Belgium Brewing Company
The Kalm  By: Big Storm Brewing Co.
Wavemaker By: Big Storm Brewing Co.
Thomas Beck By: Confluence Brewing Company
Skinny Dip By: New Belgium Brewing Company
EdDie Pale Ale By: 7venth Sun
Oats In Hose By: Big Storm Brewing Co.
Sculpin IPA By: Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits

Now it's J's turn:

J's 5 star beers for 2015 in no particular order

Bitteschlappe Brown Ale By: Excelsior Brewing Company
Strike By: Silverking Brewing Company
Pointer Brown Ale By: Court Avenue Brewing Company
Bimini Twist IPA By: 3 Daughters Brewing
Thomas Beck Black IPA By: Confluence Brewing Company

J's 4.75 come on he's a bit of a hard ass when giving out the 5's ha ha ha A only gave out 1...

Graffiti Orange Wheat By: 7venth Sun
Mothra Versus Citra By: Bloom Brew
Ozona Rush By: Stilt House Brewery
Ruthie By: Exile Brewing Company
Influence De La Floride By: Escape Brewing Company
Graffiti Orange Wheat By: 7venth Sun

So in our opinion 2015 was a great year for beer. I can only hope 2016 will be as good and maybe we can add a couple more 5's to A's list. Good luck brewers!!!

How dare you use a Pint Glass!

How dare you! Got your attention for a few seconds now? I've been reading a bit about glasses beers "should" be served in and the poor common shaker glass, the glass every American knows, is being kicked to the curb. I mean it was bound to happen. In my journey through the beer world, still a young-in to many, I've noticed something when using a shaker glass; it doesn't smell right.

So what, you're not there to smell beer!   Yes I am, I (you) need those odorants to complete the true flavor of the drink. With the introduction to the craft world I noticed first that beers often smell better than they taste. Now that my flavor profile has evolved to enjoy many more beers one of the flavors I enjoy most is the smell. So to get back to the glass issue. Try a little experiment. Take a shaped glass, any glass like a wine glass with the nice curved in rim and a common shaker. fill them both with the exact same beer. 

Look at the beer, chances are your shaker glass looks a little more clouded (thicker glass) where the wine glass will have a crisper look, colors a little brighter. Obviously don't use a super dark beer for this test, it will be harder to tell. Now smell the beer, which one smells better? This is really pronounced when using an IPA as the floral smells come out even more. Now taste the beers, first the shaker, inhale through your nose as you taste, now the wine glass... Which one was better? Your saying their the exact same beer, now give it to your friend, pose it as two different beers. which do they pick?

Most of the time the wine glass will be picked. The other thing I'm liking more is the shaped glasses, some have a bump at the base of the glass or Samuel Adams etches a line in the base. This causes the carbonation to cluster and rise from there, releasing it quicker than if it was in a standard shaker glass. More air being released the more smell into your nose as you drink. I know I sound crazy but give it a try. I didn't believe it either but it seems science wins out again and when you mix that science with a little bit of glass art beer drinking becomes an experience. 

You probably can't have a glass for each type of beer in your fridge but hey I'm getting myself a good stemless snifter for my all propose glass, and it will easily double as a large wine glass. 

Here are a couple sites that attempt to pair up glasses with types of beer. 

Beer Advocate

Craft Beer Restaurant

Real Beer (I like theirs the best, it's a picture...) 

On My Wish List!!!

Enjoy!

Why don't you brew your own beer?

We get asked this all the time, "Why don't you make your own beer? I'm sure it would be great."
Anyone who knows A & I know we enjoy going out to the Tap houses trying new beers. We are the beer snobs of our friend circle. Honestly I think we are both proud to say that these days.

At least once a week we get together and hit up @BigStormBrewing , @SilverKingBrew or one of the great places that carry a ton of the locals like @JohnnysFillin and @TarponTavern (trust me the list of locals for us is much longer but I cant name them all). So weekly we are enjoying a brew or two.
I get the pleasure of traveling part of the time for work, so I get the opportunity to visit those far off tap rooms like @ConfluenceBrew, @515Brewing and @FireTruckerBrew to name only a few of the most recent ones.

I have a passion that's developed for beer. I love the stuff, even the bad ones. To think someone poured their heart and sole into making a batch of deliciousness out of water maybe hops and malt, threw in some oddball stuff and took their valuable time to pick through various forms of yeast to find one that burps just the right amount to make perfection.

Why would I even try to step on the toes of this process by making my own brew? The first dozen batches would be insulting, it would be an assault on ones palette, a disgrace to the craft. Yeah eventually with enough practice maybe we turn out a brew that competes with the artists of the craft brew world. I'm confident if our hearts were in it we would.

But why? Right now I can sit back after a day of working drive within 5 miles from my house, meet up with good friends and enjoy a pint (or more) of perfection. No more work than that. No sweat, no tears and no mistakes. Yeah we don't get the recognition of having our names on a can. Who cares? I get my recognition by knowing my few bucks are going to support something someone absolutely loves to do. Something someone cares enough about to fuss over which yeast has the right burp, which malt to use and from what region of the world or country, which hop and when or how many times to throw it in.

It's amazing and at least for now we're going to enjoy sitting on the customer side of the bar.

Enjoy!