Six favorite beers from August 7-August 20

Since my track record is getting a bit spotty with being able to keep this on a weekly schedule, I've gone and removed "of the week" from the title of this recurring post. Another week spent in Winston-Salem last week afforded me the opportunity to finally check out Natty Greene's in person. Only previously have enjoyed many of their beers off-premises. They'd just recently opened their third location, Kitchen + Market, so the timing worked out well. Read on below for more about beers in both my travels and at home.

(Allagash White great by itself, even better with dinner.)
~ White (5.1%), by Allagash Brewing Company (Portland, Maine)
    I've been very fond of , and as loyal as possible to, the Kimpton family of hotels. They usually feature very good food and beverage as well. On the last night of my trip to Winston-Salem last week, dinner was at The Kimpton Cardinal. It's inside the former RJ Reynolds building, which interesting to note was the building that served as inspiration for NYC's Empire State Building. Inside it is a French-themed restaurant where I had an excellent Rockfish that sat on top of a sweet carrot emulsion and went perfectly with an Allagash White.

(Samichlaus - Still a smooth classic from Austria.)
~ Samichlaus (14%), by Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg (Graz, Austria)
    Virtually no carbonation but it's from 2005, so what did you expect? Still, very tasty with surprisingly minimal notes of oxidation and a pleasant booziness that, on the other hand, is not surprising given it's 14% ABV!

(Fun play on words, the name, and great tasting beer.)
~ Kiwi's Playhouse (8.1%), by Brooklyn Brewery (New York, NY)
    Had this sour ale that was aged on fresh kiwis in red wine barrels during the Beer Mansion event in Philadelphia on August 11. It's a truly remarkable event and this beer in particular, for my palate, stole the show.

(Couple of years on this beer have not hurt it.)
~ Bloody Butcher Appalachian Grisette (5.2%), by Fonta Flora Brewery (Morganton, NC)
    Finally got around to this; why it took so long is a mystery. But I couldn't detect any suffering from the passing of time. They made it with local corn and local malt. It was a refreshing and mildly tart easy-drinker. This brewery, halfway between Charlotte and Asheville, routinely gets high marks.

(Desperate times in hotel room call for plastic beer drinking vessel.)
~ Hitchpost Gueuze (6.5%), by Natty Greene's Brewing Company (Greensboro, NC)
    The brewery says that they make "sessionable ales and sours". I'd say that this one, aged 18 months in French Oak barrels, falls into both categories. If 6.5% can be considered sessionable. Go ahead, give it to me.

(Proper glassware at Natty Greene's impressive and comfortable new Kitchen + Market location.)
~ Center Cut Robust Porter (5.9%), by Natty Greene's Brewing Company (Greensboro, NC)
    Solid roasty and lightly smoky porter. Excellent way to enjoy the comfy environs of the upstairs lounge at Natty Greene's new Kitchen + Market north of downtown Greensboro.


Click back here for an index of all beers that I've covered in the past.

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© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2017. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com

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