Pepe's Beer Blog

The third brewery that I visited this year is: STEAMHORSE BREWING 1500 Elizabeth Avenue West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561/623-0091 https://www.steamhorsebrewing.com/ February 6, 2020 For my review, and for rankings, the scale is:  (1) beer quality (taste) (1-20); (2) beer quantity (number available) (1-10); (3) beer varietals (differing types) (1-10); (4) atmosphere (look, feel and vibe) (1-20); (5) service (self-explanatory - hopefully) (1-20); and  (6) miscellaneous (personal preference) (1-20).  This will give me a 100 point scale to reference, and I will keep a running ranking of each of the breweries throughout the year. Once again, to be fair, this is probably the closest to what I will call a home brewery besides Twisted Trunk and there are a lot of similarities between the two, starting with the owners/brewers.  And, since they share taps with each other (and their third sister brewery - Tequesta Brewing Company), a lot of this analysis is going to be repetitive, so

Time for another update.  Not a big one, just don't want to fall behind and then this thing would become a monster. 83.  Meltdown Imperial IPA - Sixpoint Brewing - Brooklyn, NY - 8% ABV A hazy IPA in which the citrusy just bubbles to the top of the taste (if that can even make sense).  It comes in a can although I had this on tap.  Jumps right to the top of the hazy category for me. This was tough, because I did not know whether to categorize this as a double/triple IPA - which it is - or just a hazy, which it also is.  Could go in either direction, and the fact that it is a double imperial probably is why I liked it so much for a hazy. 84.  Hopslam Ale (Double IPA)   - Bell's Brewing - Kalamazoo, MI - 10% ABV I feel that Bell's is easily my absolutely favorite brewery that I have yet to visit, and this Hopslam does not disappoint.  A good, bold, flavor, with some dry-hoppiness that isn't too bitter.  Moves to the top of its category. 85.  Hop Silo 5 - Tampa B

Had a few beers unique to 2020 this President's Day weekend, so wanted to post before things got to out of control.  Part of the variety is due to a place in Delray Beach, Florida called Beer Trade Co., in which the refrigerated coolers - think convenience store - are loaded with various crafts beer and take up the entire back wall of the place.  You take what you want back to your table, consumer, and repeat, and then you bring the cans/bottles to the cash register when you tab out and they ad the beer to your food tab.  Easy way to try new and/or unusual beers. 72.  Lagunitas IPA - Lagunitas Brewing - Petaluma, CA - 6.2% ABV I have not had a Lagunitas IPA in some time, and honestly, I remember it tasting better.  It was rather plain, with not much flavor.  I think a lot of this probably has to do with the number of high-quality IPAs I have had in the past few years, but also for this ranking since January 1. 73. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing - Chico, CA

For those regular readers of this blog, you know that on February 8, I attended the 5th anniversary party of Twisted Trunk, one of my regular breweries.  You can find that review  here.  But, what that means for this column is a review of the unique beers (at least for 2020) that I had while at that party.  Let's get started, shall we? 63.  Key Lime Chancellor Kolsch - Tequesta Brewing/Twisted Trunk - Tequesta, FL/Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 5.3% ABV This is a specialty take on Tequesta Brewing's Der Chancellor Kolsch.  This was not the first one I had at the anniversary luau, but it was the first unique beer I ordered, which was because a few others with me had tried it.  Let's just say that I think it is very hard to do a good job with key lime and beer, as the 3 or 4 that I have had in my life both missed their mark. I didn't hate it, in fact I am glad I had it.  But, I will not have another. 64.  Hi-5 IPA - Twisted Trunk Brewing - Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 6.3%

The second brewery that I visited this year is: TWISTED TRUNK BREWERY 2000 PGA Boulevard, #5506 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33408 561/671-2337 twistedtrunkbrewing.com January 31, 2020 For my review, and for rankings, the scale is:  (1) beer quality (taste) (1-20); (2) beer quantity (number available) (1-10); (3) beer varietals (differing types) (1-10); (4) atmosphere (look, feel and vibe) (1-20); (5) service (self-explanatory - hopefully) (1-20); and  (6) miscellaneous (personal preference) (1-20).  This will give me a 100 point scale to reference, and I will keep a running ranking of each of the breweries throughout the year. To be fair, this is probably the closest to what I will call a home brewery. It is one of 3 or 4 of the closest, but probably the one I frequent the best - partly because I like it; partly because it is close to a lot of beer drinkers I know, and partly because I know a lot of people that go to this brewery.  In addition to frequenting this brewing on Janu

Been a busy week, largely due to a trip to a local brewery, an MLS soccer team/fan group pre-season party and trivia night at a great beer bar/art gallery (meaning lots of beer choices). 52. Smithwick's Irish Red Ale - Guinness Brewing - Dublin, Ireland - 4.5% ABV I feel like everyone should know this. 53.  Hops for Teacher IPA - J. Wakefield Brewing - Miami, FL - 7% ABV With a name like this, the beer has "Got it made, got it made, got it made".  Very delicious IPA that I would definitely have again, only hurting a bit because I have had some already delicious IPAs this year. 54.  Dale's Pale Ale - Oskar Blues - Boulder, CO - 6.5% ABV As far as so-called craft beers go, this is a classic having first been distributed in 2002.  I honestly ordered it because I have always liked it and I have not had it in a couple of years (I am guessing).  Easy, refreshing, and a good change from the usually stronger beers I ordinarily drink.  Would be grea

Hooray more beer!!!  A look back at my beers from the past week, which included my second visit to a brewery this year (that rating/ranking to come in a later post. 40   Sunshine City IPA - Green Beach Brewing - St. Petersburg, FL - 6.8% ABV A surprisingly light, smooth IPA.  I was a little disappointed because I wanted more of the hoppiness, bitterness (IBUs) that never seemed to really developed.  The flavors it did have were good, it just did not rise to my expectations. 41.  Tropical IPA - Biscayne Bay Brewing - Doral, FL - 6.5% ABV This was just OK.  I tried it, along with the next beer - primarily because the brewer's representative was at the bar in which I was playing trivia and was giving away koozies for every one of the Biscayne Bay beers people ordered.  The citrusness was nice, but otherwise, nothing really special about it. 42.  Kaptain's Kolsch - Biscayne Bay Brewery - Doral, FL - 4.8% ABV Meh, but hey - free Koozie (see above). Oh, as the first K