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Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero

Once upon a time, there was a beer. This beer may not be the most prime example of its style.  It is not that it is a bad beer, or even an average beer.  This beer was good.  But this beer had dreams, dreams of becoming great. This beer wanted to be one that would be remembered by everyone who crosses its path.  It didn’t want to be one of those beers that cheated its way to the top by wearing a fancy label and a clever name without trying to actually be great.  It wanted to really be one that could be remembered for the flavor of its character and not the image of its bottle.  This beer felt that the potential of what it had inside was what it should be judged for, and it felt that it could bring itself up to be that beer that would be remembered.  Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero, is not this beer.  But it learned all it knows from that beer.  And it decided that a clever label is acceptable to use too. Continue reading →

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I want to do a beer review, But that raccoon won’t give me back my beer.

Dogfish Head Festina Peche
Seriously, I can’t not mention how brain-bustingly awesome this label is. Dogfish Head really got this one right. It is exactly the type of thing you want to put on your beer to make it shout at someone from the beer shelf, look into their soul, and command them to take it home.  I’m not saying that was my exact experience when I found this one (it was).  They call this beer a neo-Berliner Weisse, and it tastes about as familiar as that style is (it isn’t).  I would say that if you are looking for a new flavor experience the Dogfish Head Festina Peche is certainly one that you should be on the lookout for.  And I’m not just saying that because the raccoon told me to (it did).  Check out my video review after the break. Continue reading →

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I seem to be seeing more and more beers lately that have a very… two-sided personality. These binary beers, tend to take on two characteristics, that are not always as complementary as the seem like they should be.  It sometimes appears that the visual characteristics and the saporific characteristics are diametrically opposed.  The point being that age old adage of “not judging a book by its cover” has become more ubiquitous than I previously observed.  And now that I have used up all of my four dollar words, and even at least one five dollar word (my computer is insisting that saporific isn’t a word), It is time to advance you on to my review of the Brown Hound Dunkel Lager, from Frankenmuth Brewery.
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I hope you are all Having a great 4th of July.  and I hope you are all celebrating with your favorite Michigan Craft Beer.  One of my choices today was from the Belgian brewery out of Grand Rapids, Brewery Vivant.  Standing tall and unique in Michigan with Belgian style beer in cans, Brewery Vivant is always in my field of view when I am looking for something new to try.  And today I decided that I would try their Belgian Dark Ale, the Undertaker.  A dark beer with the distinctive Belgian flavor, Undertaker stands out
tall in it’s field.  So check out my review after the break and have a fun and safe 4th of July. Continue reading →

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Everyone can celebrate Michigan Craft Beer Month

New Holland Brew
New Holland Brew (Photo credit: lincolnblues)
As we roll into July, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this is the month that we celebrate, not only our countries independence, but our rich culture of Michigan craft beer.  Michigan stands at #5 if the country in number of Breweries (including brewpubs).  We are “The Great Beer State,” and our legislature officially declared July to be Michigan Craft Beer Month. “How do I celebrate?” you may ask.  It is easy, but first I have to point out that there is kind of an obvious answer to that question.  So besides the obvious (drink Michigan Beer), you can check out your local beer bar.  Any proud Michigan bar will be featuring a wide selection of Michigan-made brews.  If you are in the Lansing area, you have plenty of choices.  Crunchy’s, Reno’s, and Hopcat all feature great selections of Michigan Beers.  Soup Spon Cafe is also one of my favorites, and there are so many more.  If you would prefer something closer to the source, Eagle Monk and Bad Brewing Company are a couple of local area brewpubs.  There are so many breweries here in Michigan that you can hardly throw a Stone in this state without hitting a source for Michigan Beer. For more information on Michigan Craft Beer Month, check out the release below

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Today’s message is about two things. The great feeling of going out camping, and the importance of double-checking that the audio didn’t get screwed up in the video you just shot of yourself reviewing a beer whilst experiencing that nature. Oh, and the beer. Three things I guess. Mostly about the beer. But the audio problems are hard to ignore. But the beer is nice, so at least I’ve got that going for me. Check out my review below. Continue reading →

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Want to know a secret? Cryptic Review started as a way to make fun of beer and wind snobs.  It is true.  At my first beer festival it was decided that everytime one of my group had a beer we would have to explain how it tastes to everyone else using the most pretentious adjectives we could think of.  “Perpendicular”  was one of my favorites from that day.  New Holland Brewing was there, and it was their Dragon’s Milk that started my cryptic reviews.  Not that it was the first beer I had there, but it was because of New Holland’s talent for making beers that will knock you on your ass, just to get back up and get in line to have another.

The first time I had Black Tulip was just as eventful. or so I am told.

The Black Tulip is a Belgian Tripel, clocking in at 10.5% according to the bottle,  that they describe as “Mysterious, alluring and seductive, yet tantalizingly elusive; these are the storied characteristics of the Black Tulip.”  One way that I will describe it is simply as a beer that is dangerous for tasting the way it does while being as strong as it is. Another way I can describe it is in the video you will find below..
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Death of A Contract Brewer LabelHave I mentioned yet how much I love this brewery.  Schmaltz Brewing Company has a couple of brewing labels under their umbrella.  You may have seen their Coney Island beers, but the flagship is the He’Brew The Chosen Beer line.  If you get a chance pick some up and while you are enjoying it (you will) be sure you read the whole label because they put plenty of thought into the packaging of their brews.

But that is the “in general”s, how about the specifics?  Despite how I may feel about this brewery, this beer in particular has a couple of words on it that tend to give me pause.  Black IPA.  This style of beer tends to taste pretty empty to me.  It could be just tongue confusion from having a dark beer taste like such a departure from what I am expecting, even though I know better, or I might just not like what most black IPAs taste like.  Not that they are all bad, there have been a few that have certainly hit the right balance of what I am expecting and what I am actually getting, and this beer is one of them.  Light and old, with a hint of a deeper story just under the surface.  check out my review after the break.

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Short’s Brewing Company implements 2018 minimum wage now.

Short’s Brewing companyShort's Brewing Company Logo in Bellaire Michigan has announced that they will be skipping the gradual increase in the minimum wage that was passed signed into law in Michigan, and instead raise their wages to match the 2018 goals immediately.  Short’s Brewing Company is Michigan’s leader in creative and inspired beer choices, and they appear to also want to be a leader in treating their staff fairly and with respect. Matt Drake, COO and HR Director at Short’s stated, “Along with making high quality, creatively fearless beer, our goal is to take care of our staff.” Continue reading →

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2014 Traverse City Summer Microbrew & Music Festival

tcmicromusic
Mark your late summer calendars, there is a beer and music festival getting ready for your visit.

The 2014 Traverse City Summer Microbrew & Music festival is scheduled August 22 and 23rd at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Your standard admission ticket ($40 for a single day or $70 for the weekend) will get you access to 40 select breweries with over 200 different beers, ciders, meads, and wines.  Included are five 80z pours and a costom tasting glass.  You will also have access to brewery representatives, local food vendors, live music, and a silent disco tent (don’t feel bad if you had to look it up, I did too). There are also VIP tickets that get you into the festival an hour earlier than everyone else and also include side-stage viewing, home brewer’s tasting, private bathrooms (if you have ever been to a large festival, you know that can be a big bonus), seated dining area, lawn games, and more fun extras.

And that is just the beer,  Continue reading →