I'm not a big cocktail or spirit guy (though I do enjoy a little Bourbon with some regularlity). No, when I'm not drinking wine, beer is what you'll find in my glass most often. I probably drink as much beers as I do wine actually, because:
- They come in single-serving packages
- I can enjoy it without feeling compelled to pull out my notebook
My beer knowledge pales in comparison to what I know about wine, and that's okay with me. In some ways, I prefer it that way. But, the geek (and my beer-loving buddy Woody) seem to be changing that. I used to be into only one or two styles of beer, but little-by-little, I'm learning to appreciate and even like most any style.
All that said, my go-to favorite is still India Pale Ale (IPA). I'm a 'hop head' which is interesting, because I know several winemakers who are as well.
Many of my favorite IPAs come from the West Coast from brewers like Stone, Green Flash and Bear Republic. That doesn't mean that the "drink local" guy behind this blog doesn't like local beers — especially this new find from upstate New York.
I actually had never heard of Brown's Brewing Company until a recent trip to visit my in-laws outside of Albany. We found a great beer shop that had quite a few beers from Brown's, which is just one town over in Troy.
I didn't actually take notes (that's one of the reasons I like drinking beer, remember?) so I don't have full notes, but this is a well-balanced IPA that really shows great balance between malty, fruity richness and citrusy-evergreen hoppiness. The six pack that I bought didn't last long, and I plan to buy more when we go upstate again.
And, I think I'm going to start taking notes when I drink beer. I just can't help myself.