Epic Portions

Category: Beer/Drinks

  • A Giant Loss for Washington State College Students

    "Danger Danger, High Voltage!"

    In a huge blow to cheap low income folks all over the State of Washington, the State’s Liquor Control Board has decided to  ban “blackout in can” drinks like Four Loko, the drink above:

    (Reuters) – Washington state’s Liquor Control Board has voted to ban sales of high-alcohol energy drinks, known as “blackout in a can,” following the hospitalization of nine students in the state last month.

    Washington is the second state to outlaw the new crop of highly caffeinated, heavy-alcohol beverages popular with young people after Michigan banned them earlier this month.

    The emergency ban will last for 120 days from November 17, while the board goes through the procedure of introducing a permanent ban.

    Major brewers such as Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller stopped making drinks mixing alcohol and caffeine after pressure from various states, but smaller companies have filled the gap in the market.

    In October, nine Central Washington University college students were hospitalized after drinking quantities of Four Loko brand drinks and similar beverages off-campus. According to the university, the blood-alcohol level of the students ranged from .123 to .35, where .30 is considered lethal.

    Four Loko, a highly sugared and caffeinated malt liquor made by Phusion Projects, is 12 percent alcohol, which means one 23.5-ounce can is comparable to drinking five or six beers.

    Holy crap!  12 percent?!  I’m too impressed to even consider that: 24 oz at 12% is literally like drinking a bottle of wine…in a can…that is brightly colored…that tastes like regurgitated red bull…that makes drinking MD 20-20 look classy and expensive.

    I am Very Impressed.  Impressed that this stuff exists in a state with: Red Bull, Vodka, Columbia Valley wines, Red Hook, intelligent people, and the highest minimum wage in the country ($8.55).  If these BS government crackdowns continue, all these Washingtonians are gonna have to start drinking mouthwash!

  • Epic Product Reviews: Goose Island Harvest Ale

    As some readers may know, I grew up in St. Louis and now reside near Detroit.  One thing the two cities have in common is a sense of rivalry with the Crown Jewel of Midwestern cities: Chicago.  You could always count on some newspaper article (back when people actually read newspapers) touting the respective cities pros and cons when weighed against Chi-town.  Wishful thinking.

    You see, there is no way, no how, no chance either St. Louis or Detroit (and I love both, by the way) even come close to the awesomeness that is Chicago.  I’m not even going to work my way down the checklist of reasons why — any objective observer would have to concur that Chicago rules the Midwest. 

    Goose Island is the Chicago microbrew.  Sure, there are many others, but for the average consumer, Goose Island is the one on the shelf at the local Megamart.  I’ve always found Goose Island beer to be good, but not great.  Until now…

     

    Goose Island Harvest Ale is pretty amazing stuff.  It had many of the expected attributes one looks for in a fall beer: a roasted malt flavor and appealing amber color.  But what sets Harvest Ale above the rest are the hops.  You end up with this wonderful, bitter hoppy finish on top of the caramel malt.  It makes for a fantastic beer, perfect for fall.

    Goose Island Harvest Ale is a worthy representative of the great city it comes from.  Hopefully the beer lovers out there can give it a try; you will not be disappointed.  Harvest Ale is (currently) without peer among the seasonals I have had the good fortune to drink, and that includes Sierra Nevada.  I do plan on reviewing at least a couple more, so final verdict will be withheld for now.  But for the time being, Goose Island Harvest Ale is the beer to beat.

  • Epic Product Reviews: Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale

    I know I promised a series of Oktoberfest beer reviews, and many of those are still coming.  For now I will expand the series to include any other seasonal fall release that I see fit.  Why?  Because I can, and because Sierra Nevada has entered the fray with their fall beer, and how can any true beer lover pass up a new entry from Sierra Nevada? 

    Sierra Nevada Tumbler, as awesome as you would expect.

    On that note, yesterday I opened up a bottle of Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale.  It was an appropriate day for this brew; the air was laden with the feel of fall.  Temps were in the mid 60s with a wind that made it feel cooler.  The Fightin’ Wolverines were playing, and it was nice to watch Shoelace save Rich Rodriguez’ job for one more week.  And best of all, the beer was delicious.

    Did I expect anything less from Sierra Nevada?  No, but it is nice to have high expectations realized.  The roasted malt flavor was robust enough to qualify as a legitimate fall beer, but never overpowered the hops which were present for the finish.  The beer poured a very appealing orangey, ambery color.  As this is a seasonal, I have to say I will be picking up another six pack soon; it was too good not to have at least one more time.  I found this to be a very drinkable beer; a top notch brown ale.  Better than Bell’s Best Brown, maybe even better than Newcastle.  More research may be needed to confirm this.

    I’m glad that Sierra Nevada has added Tumbler and Summerfest to their already impressive repertoire.  The macro-craft brew capital of the United States has been Boston for as long as Sam Adams has been around.  But if Sierra Nevada keeps this up they will surpass Sam and the distinction of best macro-craft will be Chico, CA.  Sam gets his shot next time, when I review Samuel Adams Oktoberfest.  I will also be at Corner Brewery’s Oktoberfest celebration later this month, and hope to have a couple new local brews to write about as well.  Auf wiedershen!