Brewing a GREAT Craft Beer

We wanted to share with you something very rare, and very special, that any beer drinker will find interesting.

Recently, we were invited to a private tasting of Devils Backbone's limited-run Wood Aged Kilt Flasher.  

While there, Christian got a chance to sit down with Jason Oliver, Brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing. All he asked was for a couple minutes of audio, but what he got in return was an awesome glimpse into the mind of an experienced craft brewer. 

The interview was so good, we decided to show it to you in its entirety. You'll get to see all the thought processes, considerations and more that goes into the beer that we all enjoy.

So take a look, and drop us a line or leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought. We have a few more of these interviews in the can, so if you want to see more, we can make it happen. Cheers! 

#TBT: Snat's Workshop bottle opener

"Snat's Workshop, North Pole, NY"

For this week's #TBT, we're revisiting another item from Christian's collection of bottle openers.

This one is another he inherited from his grandfather over 20 years ago, and is a bit of an anomaly.

It's made from heavy, stainless steel, and has what seems to be white Bakelite for the center "grip" portion. Interestingly, the casting indicates it was made in Japan, which may account for the REALLY odd part of this.

Imprinted onto it are the words, "Snat's Workshop, North Pole, NY".

So what's the story behind Snat's Workshop? Maybe it was a car repair garage. Or perhaps a cabinet maker. Or a metal fabricator, right? Thanks to the power of Google, the mystery may be finally solved!

As it turns out, there is actually a North Pole, NY (outside Lake Placid) and a Christmas-Themed amusement park with, you guessed it, Santa's Workshop.

The age on this bottle opener is unknown but, despite the typo, it's still a great tool for opening a bottle of craft beer.

Got a favorite bottle opener with a great story? Let us know or post in the comments below - we might even feature it in an upcoming #TBT post here on the blog & you can brag to your friends.

Tasting Tuesday: Zekes Coffee Porter by Brewers Art

A dark, delicious pint of Brewers Art Zeke's Coffee Porter.

What's your favorite porter? For this week's Tasting Tuesday, we have a cool collaboration between one of Baltimore's small-batch brewers and what is arguably Baltimore's best small-batch coffee.

It was 13 years ago when I was invited for a late night cocktail that I first discovered The Brewer's Art in Baltimore. It's a smaller brewery housed in a beautiful old mansion in Mt. Vernon, and has a great vibe. If sitting on a sofa or wingback chair by the grand fireplace doesn't appeal to you, the artfully-lighted basement bar is a great escape. Their beers, naturally, go great with the ambiance - full of flavor, and tastefully done.

But it was only last year that I discovered Zeke's Coffee, also from Baltimore. My friend, John, bought me a cup in a local sandwich shop. Hand-roasted with a careful eye (and nose), Zeke's is a wonderfully smooth cup of coffee rich in flavor.

Together, they collaborated to make a 6% ABV porter that is  a dark reddish color with slight carbonation, and a definite aroma of cocoa. It's very malty with a mild sweetness and, when combined with the gentle roasted coffee, is a bitter, but very smooth drink that has a dark chocolate hint to the taste.

Normally, I'd steer the casual beer fan away from porters, but this one is worth a try, particularly as a dessert complement - it went amazingly well with the peanut butter cheesecake I was eating with it. Serious fans should definitely have this on the list.

So what are YOUR favorite porters? Let us know or write it in the comments below.

Tasting Tuesday: Devils Backbone Wood-Aged Kilt Flasher

We have something VERY special for this week's ‪#‎TastingTuesday‬, courtesy of the good folks at Devils Backbone Brewing Company.

A few weeks ago, we received an invite that was to-the-point. "We’d like to invite you to an exclusive private tasting with Devils Backbone Brewing Company as we release the next brew in our Peak Series: Wood Aged Kilt Flasher."

If you're in the Mid-Atlantic area, you've likely seen Devils Backbone beers around, and staples like their Vienna Lager are delicious.

Kilt Flasher, however, is a strong Scotch Ale with a wonderfully complex flavor. For this release, they've one-upped it by adding wood to the brewing process that once held some fine whiskey.

We also had a chance to sit down with Jason Oliver, Brewmaster at Devils Backbone, so we'll let him explain it a bit more.

So click the link above for our short video, and see why YOU need to find some of this amazingness.