Barley's Mini Real Ale Fest

Fellow drinks aficionado Andrew Cornell (AC) and I headed to Barley’s Smokehouse this last Saturday for their annual Mini Real Ale Fest. The event ran from noon till three, but we didn’t get there until a little before one, not wanting to wait in line like this. Bad idea. You want those three hours, you need those three hours.

Why? Because then you don’t have to spend two hours pounding half pints trying to use up all eight sample tickets.

Having been to the Columbus Alefest at the Shriner’s in February, I was expecting a cute little tasting glass like what we received there, as opposed to a full on pint glass. Given that the selection of twenty beers was a bit IPA heavy (full listing here), we tried to alternate some differing styles in between to keep the palate guessing. We started off leisurely enough but quickly realized we had to pick up the pace. Yes, it wasn’t strictly necessary to drink the entire sample, but I’m not about to throw away quality product. This isn’t wine here, people. I want to drink the stuff, not tickle my taste buds with it.

In between slamming down half pints, we sampled some of the awesome pulled pork sliders on offer. For the occasion, Barley’s smoked a whole pig, named “Bruce the Beast”. No, really. Anyway, Bruce was delicious when paired with Carolina BBQ sauce and slaw. I offered AC twenty bucks to dance around wearing Bruce’s head like a coonskin cap. Like the gentleman he is, he politely declined. You can’t blame me for trying, though.

We had been saving our last sample ticket for another round of the awesome Saint Joan’s Farmhouse Ale; a barrel aged imperial stout brewed by the hosts. Joan’s has a graham cracker like maltiness, with plenty of alcohol kick and yogurt-like lactic tang to counteract the sweetness. It was dangerously drinkable, and the brewers should be proud to put a beer of that quality in the same room with microbrew superstars like Bell’s, Founder’s and Troegs.

Unfortunately, by the time we wobbled over to the bar, they were no longer accepting tickets. We rushed to the back to see a bartender dismantling the one remaining keg. Not wanting to waste our ticket, we asked if we could have another pour. In a conspiratorial tone, he poured us each a glass of the excellent Scotty Karate Scotch Ale from Dark Horse and told us to scram. Having had a pint or two in Scotland, I can say that a lot of American brewers go overboard with the malty sweetness of a Scotch Ale, but this one just about got it right, with tons of boozy, roasty, caramel flavor.

In addition to the two above, the best of the rest would include Columbus Brewing’s Uncle Rusty, which only improves with oak aging, and Thirsty Dog’s Orthus Belgian Dubbel. It didn’t have as much of a sour tang as some other cheery aged Belgians I’ve had, but was still a very solid Dubbel.

So there you go. I certainly plan to add the Mini to my annual calendar, and suggest you do as well. Just make sure you get there early, so you don’t end up beer bonging a fine brew that deserves better.

You can check out pics on Barley's facebook page. Most of my pics were a fair reflection of my vision by the end of the Fest--blurry, naturally.

Yay for Growlers

As anyone who has cracked open a Heineken that smells like cat pee can tell you, beer does not have an infinite shelf life. There are certain things--darker colored bottles, higher alcohol content, increased hops--that can prolong the inevitable, but unless you use pasteurization or preservatives (ick), brewers face a losing battle against time as soon as their beer leaves the fermenter. Add to that the fact that automated bottling/canning equipment is expensive and a time consuming process, and it's no wonder why you don't see more locally brewed beer on store shelves.

Columbus Brewing Company and Barley's both have great brewpubs, but sometimes I'd just like to enjoy their beer from the home front. (Some of my sports-related foul mouthed  tirades don't go over well with large crowds. Or my wife.) CBC doesn't bottle its monthly Hop Oddessy series, and Barley's doesn't bottle at all. The solution? Enter the growler.

Growlers are half-gallon jugs offered by micro brewers  to get fresh beer in the hands of their customers. You can find a brief history  of growlers here on beeradvocate. For a one off fee (usually around $5) you get a glass jug with the brewery's name on it, which you can fill whenever you visit. For self-serving purposes (as well as legal ones), a brewery is not allowed to fill another's growler. Thus, I have two--for CBC and Barley's. Elevator Brewery and Mad Mex on campus also both have growlers, but I'm sure there's a few more places around town.

The drawback of growlers is that it is indeed fresh beer, and once you unscrew the cap you've got 2-3 days to kill it before it goes flat, though mine seldom last that long. It will stay fresh unopened in your fridge for a week to ten days, so drink up or make friends.

A fill up at CBC for one of their standard offerings is $8--$18 for their Hop Oddessy releases. Prices at Barley's are similar. If that seems a little steep, realize you're paying for a one-off brew that will probably never be produced again. They are also boozier in terms of ABV, and compare favorably with some of the more expensive six pack seasonal offerings of Founders or Stone. Plus it makes you feel like you're drinking illicit hooch from a big 'ol jug. Cue banjos.

I was lucky enough to snag some of CBC's Uncle Rusty, an imperial red ale. For the uninitiated, imperial is code for extra boozy, as in the strong beer that Russian czars had made for their imperial courts. It's like a nice mix between Founder's Red Rye IPA and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot--equal parts roasty malt and piney hops, and plenty tingly from the alcohol. You might be able to grab some before it runs out, but fear not, the next release, Bohdi, is due for release on Cinco de Mayo. Ole!