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! 

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.

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.

Getting ready for Beer Bloggers & Writters Conference #BBC15

We are just 5 days out from hitting the road for the Beer Bloggers and Writters Conference.  As you can see I'm busy preparing this morning.  Looking forward to what will we an awesome time.

Beer Bloggers Conference #BBC15

Frank About Beer looks forward to meeting you at the Beer Bloggers Conference #BBC15.  Lets discuss craft beer over a pint at one of the many breweries we will be visiting. 

Hofbräuhaus Wolters GmbH Pilsner

Enjoyed a Hofbrauhaus Wolters GmbH Pilsner at Claudio's Clam Bar and Wharf for #tallships2015!  Great Pilsner with just the right hoppy bitterness.  Smooth with a crisp finish.  I drank from a can but when poured had a dense white head with a floral aroma.  It was perfect when I was walking around in the hot sun!  

We had some fans that were reluctant to try it but ended up loving this brew.

Bard's Beer

Know anyone who can't drink beer because of a gluten allergy?  Bard's Beer may have an answer.  Bard's is a lager that needs to be compared to similar less hoppy traditional lagers.  ONLY Bard's malts the sorghum. 




Watch the full review here: Bard's Beer Review Video

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

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

Frank About Beer - Flying Dog Beer Hunt

What happens when an awesome brewery has a scavenger hunt that involves a lot of craft beer? A great time, that's what. And the Frank About Beer guys are on the scene to cover it for you.

Frank About Beer - Flying Dog Beer Hunt Video

Frank About Beer - Blithering Idiot Review

The Frank About Beer guys may occasionally be blithering idiots, but you'll have to see what happens when they try Weyerbacher's Blithering Idiot in a great beer review video. Be sure to subscribe to the Frank About Beer channel to catch all the new releases!

Frank About Beer - Blithering Idiot Review Video

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

FAB Reviews Sweetwater 420

Eric and Christian review a staple of Southern beer, 420 Ale from SweetWater Brewing. What happens when the wives leave us home? Is Eric really an Ale-hole? Why is SweetWater one of our new favorite brands? Find out all this and more.

FAB Reviews Sweetwater 420 Video

Crank Arm Brewery

Eric's on the road this week tasting the beer & meeting some cool folks at Crank Arm Brewing in Raleigh, NC. What the heck is a "Tasting Wheel?" And do you want on it? Take a look for yourself.

Crank Arm Brewery Video

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

Jailbreak Brewing and Market Tavern

The Frank About Beer guys are invited to meet up with Ross from Jailbreak Brewing at the Market Tavern in the trendy new downtown that is Main Street in Sykesville, MD. For beer/wine & foodies, Market Tavern is a cool place that you need to get to ASAP.

Jailbreak Brewing and Market Tavern Video

A strong IPA and a quaint inn

Even when we're on the road, there's always time to sample the local brews and pass them along to you.

This time, I tried Yards IPA while staying at the beautiful Glasbern Inn outside of Allentown, PA.

And I discovered why you need to check out them both.

Yards IPA & Glasbern Inn