Summer Beer Festival is over and before I comment on my favorites I would like to point out the awesomeness that is Ypsilanti. Thousands upon thousands of beer drinkers, many of whom were inebriated (myself included), and the crowd was amazing. Everyone was friendly and why not, we were drinking incredible beer. Rain and swamp-like conditions be damned, it was one of those happy to be alive moments.
I tasted so many beers that before I announce my favorite here are the honorable mentions:
Copper Canyon Ginger Kids Revenge Imperial Red
Frog Island Bengal IPA
Big Buck Lemon Summer Ale
Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA
Founders Black Biscuit
However, my award for beer of the Festival goes to:
Dragonmead Redwing Raspberry Wheat – Perfect for a warm summer evening, hint of raspberry that really comes alive with the finish. For me to pick anything with the words “Red” and “Wing” in it is amazing in and of itself, as I am certainly NOT a fan of the local hockey team. However, even with that handicap Dragonmead’s Raspberry wins. Also, Dragonmead is a really bad-ass name.
Special award for Most Interesting Beer goes to our friends at Bastone Brewery for their Peanut Butter Ale. Refreshing and delicious. Seriously.
The best tent and overall brewer award goes to Gaylord, MI’s own Big Buck Brewery. Their Lemon Summer Ale was a revelation, damn near a winner overall. Also, they made an ice cream stout that was unbelievably delicious.
Kudos to the Michigan Brewers Guild for a fine event. Let it be known to all that Michigan is the United States capital for microbrews, so says Epic Portions. I’ll put our group up against any other state.
Good night and good luck.
Ruff, Ruff!! I'm Hop Hound the rockin' dog!
It’s difficult to know what to expect when macro-brewers endeavor to create a craft beer. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. As for the effort, I like to think that even though the idea sprang from a whorish money grabbing attempt by the marketing department, those who actually get to brew the beer relish the opportunity to construct a legitimate, quality beverage.
Hop Hound Amber Wheat, from our old pals at Anheuser Busch/InBev, fills the entire spectrum of poor marketing and decent craftsmanship. Has anyone seen an ad for Hop Hound? If you have, please clue me in. And why not blitz the airwaves with advertising for Hop Hound, I mean, there’s a freaking dog on the label! The possibilities are endless. Never mind that the dog on Hop Hound looks like Poochie, the cartoon dog from The Simpsons that was used to make Itchy and Scratchy seem new and fresh, it’s still a dog!
I have to go now. My planet needs me...to sell beer!
The Hop Hound dog may not be totally in my face, but he’s got a modicum of attitude and style. Besides, before he was jailed for statutory rape, sent to rehab and found Jesus, Spuds McKenzie proved that even a crack-addled canine can sell beer.
A sweatshirt? Really, Spuds? I know it was the 80's but come on...
As for the beer, Hop Hound isn’t bad at all. Certainly not the disgrace that is Bud Light Golden Wheat. Hop Hound, for starters, tastes like beer. It has a decent amount of complexity to it. Sort of a light, malty, wheat flavor with citrus undertones. Not bad for a hot July 4th barbeque, certainly better than Bud Light, my other option. I do wonder why a beer that has relatively little hoppiness (is that a word?) calls itself Hop Hound. Maybe to a dog it is hoppy, but I digress. The fact that it falls short of Costco’s Kirkland Signature Amber Ale is perhaps a question of taste. I have no doubt that there will be those who really like Hop Hound, and kudos to them. Personally, I don’t see myself buying it again but who knows, like I said it had some things going for it. I just can’t help but feel that it lacked soul. Maybe it was the dog. Maybe there is a degree of prejudice because this is the same conglomeration that created Bud Light Golden Wheat.
I will say that I am now interested to try Michelob’s Shock Top, their take on a Belgian white. Hop Hound is good enough to give me a little hope. If I do try it, you will be the first to know. Not literally. The person who sells me the beer will know, and so will my wife, and maybe a friend or two. But rest assured dear readers, you will be no more than fifth or sixth on the list…
On a side note, how come there are never any cats on beer bottles? And I don’t mean tigers or lions or leopards or ocelots or any other near relation. I mean a domestic house cat. As the owner of two cats, I can assure you that they can party with the best of them. I’m throwing down the gauntlet, beer makers, I want a cat on my beer bottle by the end of the year. I can see it now, Founders Ferocious Feline IPA. Make it happen.
Is there anything worse than spam? Be it the culinary version, or the kind that has been assaulting EP, few things are more loathsome than spam. On that note, our comment feature has been modified for the time being. It seems our spam filter is having problems because insurance, cialis, and whatever other crap the moronic spammers are into these days have been getting through. Until we get this figured out, all comments go to us for approval. I want to reiterate to all EP readers, we do not believe in censorship. We will approve every legitimate comment that goes through. If you doubt this, check out comments on our posts. We have been verbally assaulted on more occasions than I can remember. And not just from the Guy Fieri mafia. Hopefully this minor inconvenience will be rectified soon. If I felt eating Spam and eggs would help, I would do it. On that note, is there a reader out there that actually likes Spam? If you do, please share. If something seems appetizing I’ll give it a shot…now to the random musings.
I can’t think of a better culinary topic on the Fourth of July than corn on the cob. On the grill or in the oven (I refuse to boil corn on the cob) has to be the way to go. Not too long ago, I started cooking or grilling it while still in the husk. For me, there is no other way. The husk keeps the moisture in and steams the corn. It is perfect every time. 30 minutes in a 375° oven, give it a few minutes to cool and dig in.
When did putting grapes in chicken salad become commonplace and why is this still tolerated?
Chicken salad with grapes, served in a glass on a bed of lettuce. Wrong on so many levels.
Speaking of salad, potato salad can really surprise you sometimes. I was at a BBQ last weekend and the host, who used to cook at the now defunct Cottage Inn Café on Washtenaw Avenue (moment of silence, please) made a potato salad that had capers in it, and it was quite good. Normally I have no use for capers. I’ve got to get his recipe; beyond chicken piccata I had no idea capers could be delicious.
I broke down and bought a gas grill last year. I know, grilling enthusiasts, charcoal is the way to go, but the simplicity of gas has proven valuable. I grill far more often with the gas grill than I did on my Weber. But today I ran out of propane before my burgers were finished. I cried out “NOOOOOOOOOO” to the heavens. Score another point for charcoal.
Fourth of July food discussion can’t be complete without mentioning beer. I tried Michelob’s Hop Hound at a party this weekend, as it was either that or Bud Light. Review to come sometime later this week…
Why is Poochie the rockin' dog on this beer bottle? Tune in later this week to find out!
As long as we are talking about beer, I love a good Hefeweizen but if I can taste banana in my beer I am going to switch to something else. Unless it is Bud Light Golden Wheat.
Did anyone else see this picture of Cookie Monster with the hot Russian spy chick?
Cookie Monster with hot redhead Russian spy. Seems like our old friend is doing pretty well for himself since retiring.
Looks like CM has been living an interesting life since he retired. Perhaps he’ll send us another letter someday…
And even though John hates soccer, one World Cup comment. If Netherlands wins the World Cup, the greatest party in history will be in Amsterdam. I would do unspeakable things to be there on that night.
Dutch soccer fans. Makin' orange look gooooood.
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube
Flickr