Five O'Clock Friday: Finally

A timely reminder.

Merle Haggard - "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink"

Poet of the common man, R.I.P.

Flying Dog Chipotle Ale

Flying Dog Brewing is putting out five seasonal beers this year in what they are calling their Heat Series. The first of these beers, released in February, is Oaked Chipotle Ale. I cracked open a review bottle from the brewery after dinner this week.

Oaked Chipotle Ale pours a deep mahogany color with a thin beige head. Right away there's a smoky, rauchbier-like aroma. As the beer warms I also start to pick up a mild charred pepper note. The initial flavor is a slightly sweet, caramel malt with a touch of smokiness. At first sip, I didn't notice any heat, then it arrived in the back of my throat. First very faint, then gone. Another sip or two and it builds, with a cumulative effect. The predominate flavor is that of smoked malt, with the heat of the chipotle lingering just in the background. Neither the smoke nor the pepper notes are extreme, but are just enough to be noticed and enjoyed, not overly assertive.

I found the Oaked Chipotle Ale to be mild beer with a pleasing flavor combination. It seems that with smoked beers, and pepper beers alike, folks are quite opinionated. Either you enjoy them, or you absolutely do not. The charred chipotle flavor of this one puts in decisively in the "love it or leave it" category.

This bottle of tasty brew was an unsolicited review sample from the brewery. The drinking was done of my own free will.

Quickie Range Trip

I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to hit the indoor range during lunch earlier this week. Well, I had my shooting stuff already loaded in the car, but mid-morning I decided to forgo the trip. Then a bit later I changed my mind and headed out. So, spur-of-the-moment.

When I arrived there was a guy shooting some sort of hand cannon two lanes over. I swear the block walls were moving out and in with each shot. He soon packed up so I only flinched a few times. I had some 8'' bullseye targets in my bag and stuck a couple of them up at 10 yards. Even with the 2" red center dot it was hard to see the rings in the low light.

I used those targets for about 75 rounds, before switching to an IDPA target to finish off the 100 rounds I had packed. The last group was all shot rapidly from low ready; two body, one head. I managed to keep them all in the -0 zones. It was a quick trip but as always, provided a bit of mid-day entertainment.

Go Home Mother Nature, You're Drunk

And this morning (Tuesday) the radar indicated snow over us.

Maltese Brewing Company

We finally paid a visit to Maltese Brewing Company this weekend. The brewery is owned by firefighters, and many of the employees are also firefighters, and this connection is apparent in the pub's decor. The tasting room is small, with just four seats at the bar, with a few tables in a front room and several more in the back with the brewing equipment. We did learn that after less than a year from their opening, the owners are already are making plans to expand into the space next door.

The small space doesn't limit the beers the brewery is pouring. We started with a flight, called a Brigade here, that consisted of all 7 beers being poured, along with a cold-pressed coffee that was served on nitro. The flights at Maltese Brewing come with a small bag of pretzels. That was a very welcome twist which is just one example of the attention to detail the owners offer.

The selections in our Brigade were Fireman's Blonde, Vanilla Brown, Pump Panel Coffee Brown, Amber IPA, Mint Chocolate Porter, Fire Wife Wheat, Pineapple IPA, and the aforementioned coffee. There were no disappointments in any of the beers. Among our favorites were the two IPAs, the Vanilla Brown and the Wheat. The coffee too was quite enjoyable. The flavor of the locally roasted coffee was rich, and the nitro pour made it quite smooth. After our tastings, we debated about our next selection. In the end Colleen opted for a pint of the Pineapple IPA and I went for the just tapped Amber IPA. The flavor of the Amber IPA is a cross between an Imperial Red Ale and an IPA. The rich malt and bitter hop notes combined for an extremely flavorful beer.

There were menus for a visiting food vendor, Good Dog, on the bar and many patrons were eagerly awaiting our chance to order the "gourmet hot dogs." The vendor was late setting up, which led to much good natured "harassment" of the bartenders. It was all in good fun, and when the food was finally available it was well worth the wait.

During our visit there were a lot of folks coming in to get growler fills. We observed that after rinsing the growlers, they were were purged with CO2 to help preserve the freshness of the beer. This was another example of the attention to detail at Maltese Brewing. I don't see this extra step taken at a lot of breweries.

We had plans to visit a couple other local craft beer stops on this day, as there were a number of new beer releases available. However, we ended up enjoying ourselves so much at Maltese that we opted to forgo the other stops and extended our stay. The atmosphere at the brewery is casual and very friendly. The bartenders were attentive and engaging. That seemed to spread to the patrons as well, and we enjoyed a lot of friendly conversation with others. We had a very enjoyable afternoon and look forward to going back to Maltese Brewing very soon.

Observations

A few hours on the range and I find myself in need of a nap.

A few hours in the pub and I find myself in need of a nap.

Perhaps it's just my body paying me back for the all the naps I refused as a child.

And then there's this...

Socks with sandals?

Maybe I'm just getting old.

Spencer Devon Katina Black IPA

An unplanned dinner out found us at Spencer Devon Brewing on Thursday evening. Unbeknownst to Colleen and I, the brewery was releasing a new beer that evening. I spotted Katina Black IPA on the beer menu and had made my decision even before owner Shawn stopped by to inform us that this was the beer's debut evening.

Keeping with the brewery's local attraction naming convention, Katina Black IPA is named for the ghost of a Sioux Princess whose ghost is said to roam Fall Hill Mansion where she served as a nanny to the family before her death in 1777. Ghost tales aside, the beer is alive with flavor. The light flavor of roasted malt is mixed with tropical citrus hop notes. The finish is slightly bitter and the 6.5% ABV beer is surprisingly light bodied and refreshing. I found it quite enjoyable and gave it a rare 4-star rating in Untappd. 

Also popular at the brewery this evening was a dish prepared specifically to pair with the Katina Black IPA. I was planning to try some items from the new Spring food menu, but Shawn suggested insisted I try the Rabbit Confit & Queso Manchego Nachos with chipotle aioli and spring onions with the Black IPA. Since my glass was empty when my dinner arrived, I naturally ordered another to do the pairing justice. The spicy nachos did indeed go well with the beer. 

We also noted that Spencer Devon has a number of new beer releases coming up. Since we've never been disappointed with any of the brewery's beers, and we still need to fully explore the new menu, I suspect we'll be back sooner rather than later.