Beer Flash: Southern Tier Brewing Co. - "3 Citrus Peel Out" ale

Here's a quick post to show what I've been drinking lately: it's Southern Tier Brewing Co.'s "3 Citrus Peel Out" ale, an 8.5% ABV imperial wheat ale made with blood orange juice, grapefruit, and tangerine peels. I'm usually a big fan of Southern Tier, they make lots of tasty stuff. And when I saw it on the shelf, my first instinct was to grab it, but when I noticed the price, I paused. It's $15.99 for a 4-pack, which is generally more than I like to spend. That kind of price is a bit high for most six-packs, even. But I didn't see anything else that struck my fancy, so I resigned myself to the 4-pack, hoping it was worth it.

Well, it's actually kinda nice. The beer starts off with a warm burst of blood orange, with that flavor staying strong throughout. There's a usual wheat ale backbone to it, but the bright citrus fruits really dominate the beer with the grapefruit making a noticeable appearance toward the finish. I'm pleased especially since so many citrus beers tasty, and full of flavor. Still a bit overpriced though, but I think it would be great at a BBQ or out on the beach. I wonder how this would be on draft.

Tabacleria Victor Sinclair - Bohemian "Bamboo" torpedo (Dominican Republic)

Today's segment spotlights an old favorite cigar of mine - the "Bamboo" from Tabacleria Victor Sinclair. It's part of their Bohemian line of cigars, and is made from aged Dominican long-fillers and a super smooth Connecticut shade wrapper. It's been a go-to favorite of mine for years and years - I think my brother Dan and I first encountered this cigar in a VS sampler pack in 2010, and it's been a good staple in our collections ever since. They are available in many formats, and today I'll be smoking the "Fat Torpedo" 5x58 torpedo tip (the uppermost cigar in the photo). Cigars that come to a tapered point on the smoking end are called "torpedo tips."

One of the reasons this is a great cigar is that it's very mellow from start to finish - there's an approachable grassy and woody flavor to it, with the aged Connecticut wrapper keeping the smoke smooth and the smoke languid. This particular cigar was tough to light up, but once I got it lit, it smoked nicely and evenly the whole way through. It's got a dark grey, concrete-colored ash. There's bready, woody flavors throughout (my brother Dan calls it "fresh-baked homemade whole wheat bread") and has a bit of mineral notes to it, which add some character.

It's very mellow, approachable, and fits in well with almost every smoker's palate. It's actually one of my favorite cigars to give away; I keep my humidor at the National Democratic Club well-stocked with these beauties. They're pretty inexpensive, delicious, and a fine cigar for anyone looking to try cigars for the first time.

Beer Flash: Union Brewing Co.'s "Double Duckpin" double IPA

Here's a beer that I first heard about from my colleague Aaron. It's Union Craft Brewing's "Double Duckpin" double India Pale Ale; a special double version of its year-round brother the "Duckpin." Union makes good stuff; their "Balt" altbier is great and the "Blackwing" lager is very nice. Since Union is based in Baltimore, their stuff is very common around DC. While the Double Duckpin is not common, the rest are and you can find them almost anywhere.

The Double Duckpin is similar to DC Brau's "On The Wings of Armageddon", with a few notable differences. It's much maltier than OTWOA, however still retains that slightly metallic edge of bitterness that a lot of DIPAs have. It's aromatic, with a white head and light amber color. The taste profile is generally fruity, with a low hop profile to start and a heavy aftertaste of citrus hops on the finish. I like it; it's a good alternative to OTWOA and another great product from Union. It's available at specialty stores as well as supermarkets like Whole Foods; I believe this was $12.99 for 6.

Malka Brewery - "Malka Dry Stout" stout (Israel)

Today's review is another first-time experience - a beer from Israel. It's Malka Brewery's "Malka Dry Stout", a 6.00% ABV bottle-conditioned stout. I saw this at the warm shelf in Whole Foods for $5.99, and figured I'd give it a shot.

Malka Brewery is located in Kibbutz Yeh'iam, Israel, a kibbutz in the Upper Gallilee region not too far from Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Craft brewing in Israel is a relatively new concept; while breweries have been in Israel since ancient times, the first commercial brewery was founded in the 1930s to cater to British nationals living in Palestine. Only in the last ten or fifteen years have small craft breweries popped up in the country - with Malka Brewery, which means "queen" in Hebrew, founded in 2006.

This particular beer is billed as a "dry stout". I've never heard that term before, but using my liberal-arts degree, I'm envisioning a stout that's either salted or low in roasty bitterness, or both. I should note the beer is also made with water from the Ga'aton River springs.

And actually, this beer is aged quite a bit - the bottling date on the neck says 12/11/14. And with bottle-conditioned beers, the yeast is still active, so the flavors are still developing in the bottle. So what's inside is slightly different than what went in - let's take a look.

It pours very dark, and generates a brown-colored head. Not too much aroma.

Good flavors, though. It's thick, dark, sweet, malty, and a little salty. Perhaps that's where the "dry" part of it comes in. The best way to describe this beer is like a flat, slightly-salty Guinness. There's a thickness to it, with some moderate roasted malt flavors, but with a sea salt flavor to it that's interesting. The finish is sweet and a bit hoppy, with some lingering sweetness and bitterness from hops on the aftertaste.

This was a good beer, but nothing mind-blowing. I like the saltiness (more on salty beer in a few weeks) and I think the biggest attraction is that it is one of the only commercially-available Israeli beers I have seen. I got this in the warm shelf at Whole Foods, and noticed a few days ago that they had a Malka blonde ale, as well. If you like deep, salty stouts, then definitely give Malka a try.

Funky Buddha Brewing Co. - "Wide Awake, It's Morning!" stout

Here's another Florida beer I had recently (and last of my Miami series). It's the "Wide Awake, It's Morning!", a 10.5% imperial stout made by Funky Buddha Brewing Co. out of Oakland Park, Florida. The beer has maple, bacon, and coffee - sounds like my kind of beer!

You may recall I have a history with bacon beers. One of the first beers I ever reviewed for this blog was Rogue's "Voodoo Doughnut" maple bacon ale, and while the concept was interesting, I didn't find it to live up to expectations. However, I'm a big fan of experimental ingredients in beer, and I am an even bigger fan of bacon, so I was curious to see how Funky Buddha might use the ingredients - maple, bacon, and coffee - to complete their beer. That, and hoping for a better combination of these ingredients than Rogue's entry! Let's dive in.

It pours thick and black, with a short stack of dark tan foam. There's some interesting aromas going on, which I can't quite place. The color is black and it can't be candled.

This is great, and I'm really relieved. The beer features a pretty strong start with black coffee, a little oily espresso flavors thrown in, and has an unmistakable (but subtle!) maple taste. Texture-wise, it's milky, strong, and heavy, and there's a slight hint of salt and roasted beans on the finish. The aftertaste is nice and long with some sweet notes.

Overall, a really delicious stout. I can't taste the bacon, but I think this beer is what the Voodoo Doughnut should have been. The coffee flavors are pretty popular in beer, but the bacon and maple aren't (with the exception of Peak's "Maple Collaboration", my first ever beer post on the blog.) I find I liked this attempt much more than the others I have tried. The maple and coffee are nice, and perhaps the bacon element is the salt that I tasted on the finish of the beer. Regardless, I thought this beer was great in both taste and texture, and I'd definitely drink it again. I wish I could get a couple to cellar. This is a perfect beer for fall (but also great to drink now, in summer!)

Field Trip: Wynwood Brewing Company - Miami, FL

Whenever I visit a new city, I'm always interested in the local craft beer scene. Some cities have barely any breweries, and some are oversaturated with purveyors of the fine fermented nectar. Each city or region has its own culture, speed, and approach, and so I of course had to see what kind of scene Miami had. The two most recommended breweries, Wynwood Brewing Co. and Concrete Beach Brewing Co, are both located within blocks of each other in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami.

Wynwood, Miami

Wynwood, also known as the Wynwood Arts District, is a neighborhood north of downtown and sometimes called "Little San Juan" by the puertorriqueños who moved there. Traditionally a garment district, Wynwood has seen a steady increase in breweries, art galleries, restaurants, and social spaces. One really cool aspect of Wynwood is all the street art - almost all the walls are blanketed in graffiti and some of the finest street art you'll see anywhere. Wynwood Brewing Co., the subject of today's review, embraces that culture - for example, check out some of the art on their building:

The brewery itself has an unassuming, roadhouse-style frontage. The cool art notwithstanding, one might mistake it for a warehouse.

A very young brewery, Wynwood opened just a few short years ago and has been growing ever since. According to our capable hosts, Alonda and Mike, the brewery started as a homebrew set-up. The founder, Luis, was charged by his father to make a beer he could drink all year round. Thus, the "Pop's Porter" was born, and the brewery took off.

The inside is rather cozy - some small tables, a few bench-seating places, and a bar area that can fit about 10 patrons. They have some local art for sale on the walls, and a retractable screen can project whatever patrons want. At the bar, they have mostly their own stuff, with a few other local options. All their tap handles (aside from the other options) are locally-turned wood made to resemble spray paint cans - another nod to the neighborhood.

Let's get to the beer. They have an interesting tap list, so it was hard to choose where to start!

I wanted to start with something light, since I knew I had 6 - 8 beers ahead of me (since we were also going to try a neighboring brewery, Concrete Beach). I settled on the "627" saison, which is a 5.0% ABV saison with coriander and key lime. Key lime seems to be a popular ingredient in South Florida, as numerous beers I have had use it as an ingredient.

I liked it - it was darker than I was expecting, with a fresh nose and a light (but slightly sour) taste profile. It's hazy and flavorful with the key lime not terrible evident. It did remind me, however, of some of the goses that I have had. It's a nice beer I wouldn't mind drinking often.

Next up is a rather interesting concoction - it's their "Sushi Roll", a 5.0% pilsner made with wasabi, ginger, and cucumber. Served in a snifter glass, it's one of their most asked-for beers. Two other patrons asked for it in the time I took to drink it. More than any other beer!

I was very pleased with it - there's a noticeable nose of ginger and cucumber with a very strong and pleasing cucumber flavor. There's a soft finish of subtle wasabi, definitely present, but not overdone. Overall, very delicious and fun. I'd drink this all summer if I could.

OK, just one more...it's their "Flagler", a 6.6% saison. It was fruitier than I expected, a little darker than I expected too, with good full flavor but nothing unique about it. However, as such, this is the kind of beer I could drink all day.

We also got to go in the back and check out their setup. They are running at capacity, with two 15-barrel fermenters and eight 30-barrel fermenters. They've got a rather expansive set-up in the back, with all the tanks, storage, and a cold-storage full of kegs of beer. They also have a barrel-aging setup, where they've got some of their beer aging in wooden barrels for later.

In the end, I really liked Wynwood Brewing. The atmosphere was friendly and laid-back, the staff were kind and welcoming, and they make great beer to boot. The people know their craft and are in tune with the neighborhood. I highly recommend anyone in the Miami area to stop by this beer cave and check out the tasty stuff within.

Awesome Jawa Sandcrawler art across from the brewery.

Beer Flash: Orange Blossom Brewing Co.'s "TCP" porter

Here's another delicious brew from Florida - Orange Blossom Brewing Co.'s "TCP", a 5.25% porter made with toasted coconuts. It's light, a bit fizzy, and refreshing with some minor coconut and malt notes. There are other, better examples of coconut porters (I'm looking at you, Maui Brewing Co.) but I am not disappointed with this beer. There's something to be said for a drinkable, soft, refreshingly sweet porter. I got this at Milam's Supermarket in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami for $9.99. Not bad for a refreshing beer after a long day in South Beach!

Field Trip: "El Titan de Bronce" cigar factory - Miami, FL

Hello from Miami! I'm writing today on day 3 of my 6-day jaunt into the Sunshine State. It's great - who can argue with mid-80s, sunshine, and breeze? There will be a couple of brewery reviews coming up in the next couple of days, but I wanted to first post about Miami's cigar culture. I ventured out yesterday to Miami's historic Calle Ocho, or SW 8th Street, where the storied "Little Havana" neighborhood is. Aside from little tiendas, cafes, and restaurants, Little Havana has a bunch of cigar shops and open-air markets. Many of the cigars shops I visited were just that - retail shops, with much of the usual stuff you'd find in a Thompson catalog. But I was looking for a more authentic experience - a place where cigars are made, not just sold. And I found one!

It's a small cigar manufactory and shop called "El Titan de Bronce" located on the corner of Calle Ocho and SW 11th. It's pretty small, mostly filled with places for cigar rollers to work. There's a small retail counter as well, but chiefly this is a working factory.

The shop itself opened in 1995 and is family owned. They employ only "Level 9" rollers, the highest certification of skill level for cigar makers, which means they are all expertly-trained and are capable of making the most complicated shapes and sizes of cigars. According to their website, their rollers have also worked in big-name factories like Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, and Corona. One former employee, also the son-in-law of the owner Sandy Cobas, is Willy Herrera of Drew Estate fame.  They also employed the famous Maria Sierra, who for 32 years worked in the El Lagito factory in Havana. Maria was chosen as a young girl by Castro himself to roll at this prestigious factory.

Cigars are usually made in large factories, or small shops like this one. The expert rollers, called a torceador(a) in Spanish, will take a variety of tobacco and in certain proportions lay them out, roll them, and twist them to form the cigar shape. They usually sit at a desk like this:

They use a variety of tools like a flat blade to cut and trim the leaves to roll them into a perfect shape. This factory makes cigars using the entubado method, which means they roll up the cigar's innards (called the filler) into a tube shape. Then, once the innards have been appropriately crafted, they wrap it and then use very fine tobacco (with some vegetable glue) to gently wrap and twist the mouth end into a cap, or capa. That's what the lady above is doing - putting the finishing touches on some cigars. This shop makes their cigars with a triple cap - three different layers. It's a time-consuming process, and I'm told that the store can produce 1400 of such cigars per day. After the cigars are done, they're checked by another master roller, pressed and trimmed for consistency, then placed in the aging room, where they're left to sit until it's time to send them out.  Look at all those mazos!

This shop also had a small retail area, where they sold only the cigars they produced. They had five different kinds, all of which I purchased: their mild / medium "Titan de Bronce Gold", their "Grand Reserve" maduro; a Habano sun grown (which I bought two lanceros, a great format); and a dark maduro, the "Redemption, My Way." I ended up smoking the "Titan de Bronce Gold"  pictured below. They were pretty affordable, with the most expensive being $8 each. I also had a really good time chatting with Sra. Cobas, who gave us a tour of the factory and described each of the production methods. 

It was really neat to see up-close the way cigars are made, in a small traditional shop. Of course there's a lot more that goes into it - agriculture, specialty tobacco, and different production methods - but in general, cigars have been made in shops like these for well over 100 years. While some modern-day labels have huge factories that churn out thousands of cigars per hour, there are still many shops like this one that make cigars by hand in the Old World tradition.