By Julia Burke, Beer Editor There's no shortage of appreciation for craft beer sources in Buffalo, it seems: last week Village Beer Merchant (VBM), the city's best source for hard-to-find imported and domestic brews, celebrated its third birthday with a packed house and tastings by four New York breweries. With no advertising other than word-of-mouth, VBM's anniversary party was a smash hit with local craft beer lovers. Samples and growler fills from Flying Bison, Southern Tier, Saranac and Ommegang provided a chance to taste seasonals from the state's most popular breweries. "It's a great turnout," says Vincent Somogyi of VBM.…
Posts Written ByJulia Burke
Saranac Irish Red Ale
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor A style that often disappoints due to lack of depth, Irish Red is a rust belt staple and a must-have for the upcoming fish fry season. This one is an addition to Saranac's massive lineup of seasonals. Its puffy two-and-a-half finger head, bronze-redhead orange color and decent lacing definitely invite sippage. On the nose, malty caramel, honey, toasted marshmallow and freshly mowed straw aromas show an appetizing and balanced flavor profile with a little more chutzpah than I'd expect from this style. There's a big, sweet palate too, with a crisp hop finish and length that…
Three Heads Brewing Java Sutra
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor A visually striking beer, this Three Heads Brewing Java Sutra porter impresses immediately with a gorgeous four-finger head, puff-of-train-smoke black color, and lacing so perfect and so beautifully stratified that I had to take its picture for my beer porn collection. (I have needs.) On the nose, light notes of dark-roast coffee, cinnamon and baker's chocolate are on offer without any cloying sweetness or alcohol. It smells like a porter, not a Frappuccino. In agreement with the nose, the palate is light and lager-bodied; malt steps up to the plate, but again as roasty coffee-chocolateness,…
Three Guys Walk Into A Brewery: Rochester’s Three Heads Is No Joke
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor There’s a new addition to Rochester’s beer community – and it’s turning heads all over western New York. Three Heads Brewing Company, the brainchild of Rochester natives Geoff Dale, Dan Nothnagle and Todd Dirrigl, launched in January and has since expanded from Buffalo to Albany with four killer brews and a bold passion for delivering the very best to New York drinkers. I met the men of Three Heads at J.B. Quimby’s in Rochester and was immediately greeted with a pitcher of Blimey, their English-style pale ale. Obviously a departure from the mini-IPA all-hops style…
Three Guys Walk Into A Brewery: Rochester
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor There
Captain Lawrence “Smoke From the Oak” Rum Barrel Aged Porter
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor This unique series by Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, a riff on experimental barrel aging, has produced some fantastic brews including an NYCR Beer of the Year Finalist. This bottling, aged in rum barrels, pours a lovely cappuccino/camoflage-colored one-finger head with attractive and resilient lacing. The body is burnt-ember black and thick but not syrupy. Like all Smoke From the Oak beerslike all the Smoke From the Oak beers it's a beautiful package. The nose is lightly smoky and just a touch hot, with a roasted meat/garrigue aroma as well as notes of coffee, chicory and…
The New York Cork 2010 Beer of the Year: Southampton Publick House Abbot 12
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor Photo by Morgan Dawson Photography I have to admit I wasn
New York Cork Report 2010 Beers of the Year: The Finalists
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor For the very first time, the NYCR’s Wines of the Year tasting this coming weekend will include a "Beers of the Year" category as well. I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the most creative and delicious craft brews from across the state with my fellow NYCR contributors and editors. Having tasted and re-tasted many, many excellent New York beers throughout the year, five have risen to the top of the heap as truly outstanding. There are, of course, some logistical issues unique to beer that we had to consider. One was the question of…
Ithaca Brewing Company Excelsior! AlpHalpHa
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor I love this description: "A Hoppy Upstate Ale Brewed With Barley Malt, New York State Grown Cascade Hops, Local Alfalfa Honey, Pure Cayuga Lake Water and American Yeast." Visually appealing, Ithaca Brewing Company's AlpHalpHa pours cloudy amber orange into a goblet with a puffy one-finger head and elegant lacing. A floral, spring-like nose of orange peel, fresh-mowed grass, and dandelions is inviting and balanced. The mouthfeel, on the other hand, is intense: good carbonation, powerfully bright citrus fruits, and the mouthwatering prickle of Cascade hops. The sweetness of the honey is hard to pick out on…
Flying Bison Brewing Company Blizzard Bock
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor A nice bock warms the soul during the winter months. This one from Buffalo's Flying Bison Brewing Company pours a pretty black walnut hue into a pint glass, with one-finger head and delicate lacing. The nose reminds me of Nutella: hazelnut and milky chocolate, with suggestions of soft pretzels rising behind the counter at a baseball game. The palate hits all the style bases (sorry) — a roasty malt profile, showing more chocolate, nutty toast flavors and a texture that's chewy but not creamy, with a nice long bitter chocolate finish. I cracked this beer…