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.

Tasting Tuesday: Rolling The Dice On Casino Beer

A glass of Long Hammer IPA from Red Hook brewery.

Sometimes when your craft beer choices are limited, you need to roll the dice on something new, right? That's exactly what Christian had to do recently.

On a whim, a friend called and talked me into going to the local casino, Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, WV.. Not being much of a skilled player, and without an Uno or Go Fish table in sight, I soon found myself out of my league. In no time, I was licking my wounds from the blackjack table, and I wandered past the flashing lights to find my way to the bar.

Kristy, the cute, girl-next-door brunette bartender, flashed a great smile my way. "What can I get you," she asks with that heart-melting smile.

"What beer do you have on draft?" I ask, already guessing the list in my head.

As expected, she rattles off the beer selections, which are pretty standard-issue. "Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors Light..." Her voice trails off - a polite way of hoping I'll bite on one of them. Now, I love an ice-cold Budweiser but, to be honest, none of them really appealed to me that night, and I find myself considering a mixed drink. I'm out, but then she circles back around and says, "Oh, we also have Long Hammer IPA."

I'm back in.

Made by Red Hook, Long Hammer is a 6.2% abv India Pale Ale, with a clear, dark gold color and good carbonation. This one tastes very "East Coast" to me, meaning it's somewhat dry, with a flavor dominated by pine and a hoppy bitterness. It's not one of my favorites, but if you prefer something less grapefruit-like, this might be one to look for although, to be honest, I don't often see it on tap. If it's your first foray into IPAs, I wouldn't recommend it.

However, if you find yourself among the slots and poker tables of a casino, it's worth rolling the dice on. It may just be the one sure bet in the whole place.

So what's been a go-to beer for you when your choices are limited? Let us know or post it in the comments below.

Coney Island Brewing & Manhattan by Sail

Eric here....I enjoyed a Coney Island Brewing Overpass IPA aboard the fine Clipper City of Manhattan by Sail.

First for the beer..a pretty typical IPA with a moderate hoppy aroma. A hit of citrus upfront with sharp earthy finish. 6.2 ABV. Worked well for a Manhattan sail. I would recommend it. We'll have to get Christian the true IPA fan to try it for you some time!

Second...I want to give a shout out to Manhattan By Sail. Awesome Captain & Crew. It was an authentic laid back sail without the fufu tourist junk. Look them up when in NYC and join them for a Craft Beer Tasting Sail Saturday & Sunday's from 12-1:45. This was not the sail I was on but you can bet Christian and I will be doing it. I didn't get the Captains name so Capt., if you see this drop me a comment with your name. Thanks for an awesome time!!

Mount Carmel Brewing Summer Wheat Ale

Christian and Eric review Mt. Carmel Brewing's Summer Wheat Ale 

Mt. Carmel Brewing's Summer Wheat Ale

Center of the Universe Brewing

The Frank About Beer guys dropped by Center of the Universe Brewing in Ashland, VA. What did we learn? They have an AMAZING line of brews! Let Maria tell you all about them. 

COTU Video

Milkhouse Stairway IPA - Frank About Beer

Eric & Christian from Frank About Beer review the amazing Stairway IPA from Milkhouse Brewing. But things don't work out as planned. Great beer - not so great of a review. 

Milkhouse Stairway IPA - Frank About Beer Video

Frank About Beer 012 - Background Blues 2

The bluesey guitar track played by Christian & featured on the "Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot" video (http://youtu.be/RS6lLGXYVbs). Played on a slightly modded '99 Les Paul through a 1980 Peavey solid state amp.

Frank About Beer 012 - Background Blues 2

Beer, Cans and the Environment

So how does drinking beer affect the environment? We reached out to Gary, a long-time friend of ours, for some answers.

Gary is the President of Operations for Schupan Industrial Recycling Services, one of the largest recyclers in the United States, and a major player in aluminum can recycling. Just to give you an idea of their scale, in Michigan alone, they recycle 2-3 billion aluminum cans each year. That’s a lot of beer cans!

According to Gary, an aluminum can will be recycled an indefinite number of times, since aluminum is infinitely recyclable. So the can of beer you’re enjoying today could be holding beer 100 years from now. Mind-blowing, right?

“The best use of a recycled aluminum can is for it to be made back into a new aluminum can. Some cans will make it into other products, but more than 90% end up as a new aluminum can.” Gary goes on to explain that the chemistry of an aluminum can is quite delicate, and new cans must meet strict FDA guidelines.

Ready for some real numbers? Recycling 1 aluminum can will save the equivalent energy of burning an incandescent light bulb for 4 hours, or can run an average television for 3 hours! So if you recycle that 6-pack, you’ve powered your TV for a full day of sports, or nine movies.

So why is there still a stigma on aluminum cans? “Testing shows there is no taste difference when beer is consumed from an aluminum can. There is actually a food-grade coating inside the can, so the beer never even touches the aluminum. The coating is thicker for soda otherwise the acid in the soda will eat through the aluminum. Beer is colder in an aluminum can, and it holds the temperature longer than any other container.”

We even asked about those fancy aluminum bottles that have shown up the last few years. “Aluminum bottles are more costly to produce, and are therefore more expensive for the consumer. They have been more popular than the industry projected, especially at trendy clubs, etc.”

Now the really important question - what kind of canned beer does Gary like? “I am now very partial to a pint can of Bell's Two Hearted IPA.” Good call!

So this Earth Day, be sure to not only drink responsibly, but recycle responsibly, too.

Frank About Beer - St. Patrick's Day Giveaway

A behind-the-scenes look at some shenanigans that happened during production of our St. Patrick's Day video, and why it didn't make it to air time. Plus, keep watching to find out how YOU can get an exclusive giveaway from Frank About Beer. WARNING: this video is labelled as NSFW for some mildly offensive language.

Friday the 13th is coming......

An FAB review gets a disturbing visit!

Frank About Beer Friday the 13th Video

Frank About Beer - Background Blues 3

The bluesey, rockin' slide guitar track played by Christian & featured on the "Crank Arm Brewing" video (http://youtu.be/l0g1Y4YqnP4). Played on Christian's heavily modded Stratocaster, famously known as, "The Stratillac" through a 1980 Peavey solid state amp.

Frank About Beer 013 - background Blues 1

The bluesey, rockin' guitar track played by Christian & featured on the "Sweetwater 420" video (http://youtu.be/QIDpPwSZ9h4). Played on a slightly modded '99 Les Paul through a 1980 Peavey solid state amp. 

Background Blues 1

FAB Bowl 2015: Elysian vs. Samuel Adams

Hey FAB Friends - this weekend is not only The Big Game, but the biggest beer-drinking event of the year, right? We at Frank About Beer would agree. But we also like the competition aspect of it, too. This is where it gets interesting.

So during the game this year, Christian was drinking Elysian Savant IPA from Seattle, and Eric was drinking Sam Adams Boston Lager.

Any guesses on a winner?

#TeamChristian
#TeamEric

Take a look, and see which team came out on top!

FAB Bowl 2015: Elysian vs. Samuel Adams Video

It's almost time for The Big Game. You know, that big football game happening in Arizona? We can't say the name due to copyright issues, but we sure can celebrate it's arrival the way that beer fans would:

Kicking a field goal with a bottle cap.

"Kickoff" by Frank About Beer

Ready For The Big Game

Who is this Frank About Beer?

Meet the Frank About Beer guys, Eric & Christian. 

Meet Frank About Beer Video

Honest beer reviews for the casual beer drinker

Eric and Christian like to drink beer. We like other people who like to drink beer. But with all the craft beers out there, how do you know which one to drink?

We looked around, and all we really found were a bunch of narcissistic beer snobs talking ad nauseum about "adjunct beers" or the "complex roast of the malt". That's all well and good for beer afficionados - but what about the casual beer drinker?

So, over a couple of pints, we decided there needed to be a simplified, down-to-earth and, well, FRANK and HONEST beer review site.

When it comes down to it, you really just want a straightforward answer.

So we started Frank About Beer to give you that honest opinion you're looking for, right from the tap. But don't take our word for it - because when we go out to the bar for tastings, WE ALSO ASK THE OPINION OF EVERYONE ELSE IN THE BAR. Think of it as crowdsourcing for beer.

Beer? Entertainment? And a WTF moment added in? That's what you get with Frank About Beer.