O'Fallon Smoked Porter

O'Fallon Smoked Porter comes to us from, obviously, O'Fallon, MO kinda right down the road from my father-in-laws...hmmm (extra stop next visit perhaps). You've probably seen their Wheach beer at Buffalo Wild Wings, and other places around town. They offer 5 "everyday" beers plus a few rotating seasonal offerings. Their motto is one we can all get behind, simply "We Love Beer"                                                                                                                                                                                   Anyhow, on to this fine brew. It won the Gold Medal at the 2004 Great American Beer Fest, for the best smoked beer in America, and I can see why. Holy cow is this some good stuff. It pours very dark brown, almost black with a tanish head. Right away, you can smell the smokey essence, which comes from the malted barley that has been dried over open flame. It's much more crisp and light tasting than the name and color lets on, but still maintains a great full flavor. It's a very smooth beer, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

For a long time, I was hesitant about getting into darker beers, but now as I've eased myself into darker brews, I'm kicking myself for not experiencing these flavors sooner. Don't be afraid of the dark. Try something new this weekend. You never know, you might find your new favorite. Enjoy life, enjoy beer. Until next time, Cheers!

The Stats:
ABV: 6%
IBU: 24

http://www.ofallonbrewery.com/

Springfield Brewing Co. Pauls Pale Ale

Greetings. Pauls Pale Ale comes to us all the way from Springfield Mo. and unfortunately as of now isn't available in Southeast Missouri. I'm lucky enough to get to enjoy their brews from time to time since my beer loving wife is in the National Guard band based in Springfield. She would often return with tales of this amazing brewpub known out there as BrewCo. with great food, warm comfortable atmosphere, and most importantly, great beer. It reminds me of what Buckners could should have been.

This beer pours a slightly dark amber and a hoppy aroma. It's crisp and refreshing, slightly dry finish with a slight bitterness. The bitterness from the hops aren't too overwhelming, which makes this a great "starter" pale ale for those unfamiliar with hoppy beers. It's comparable to Sierra Nevada, which is available most everywhere in our area.

So, if you happen to find yourself in Springfield and have the chance to stop in at BrewCo, by all means do so. If you don't have time to stop in, their flagship brews Walnut St. Wheat, Pauls Pale Ale, and 11 Point Pilsner are available in package form at Brown Derby, Wal-Mart and Sams Club and several other grocery stores.  According to Head Brewer Bruce Johnson, who graciously took the time to answer my email, they currently only distribute in the Springfield/Branson area with no plans to increase the distribution area. Along with the brewpub, their fine brews are also available at many Springfield/Branson area bars and restaurants in bottle and draft form. Cheers!

The Stats:
ABV: 5%
IBU: 27

http://www.springfieldbrewingco.com/

Sam Adams Porch Rocker

Todays brew is Samuel Adams Porch Rocker.
I've been a fan of Sam Adams for quite sometime with their wide variety of very tasty beers, and since the 2008 fall of Anheuser-Busch, is the largest American owned brewery (now tied with Yuengling). Ain't nothin wrong with hoisting up a nice cold glass (or bottle) of 100% 'Merica.

Anyhow, back to the beer. As soon as you catch the first whiff, you'll notice the lemony aroma, it's a bit strong. The beer pours a light amber with a clear white head. The lemony aroma you get is definitely there at first taste, but don't worry about getting puckerface, there's enough of a "real beer" element there to balance out the lemon. Not too sweet, not too bitter. It weighs in at 4.5% ABV so it's "sessionable", which is just a fancy beer snob word for "you can sit down and drink this for a good while". Great for hot summer days especially if you've just finished up some yard work, or just wanna go sit on your ass on the patio...like I did.  

The Stats:
ABV: 4.5%
IBU: 8
Availability: Most local grocery and convenience stores.
Summer Seasonal, not available year round.
http://www.samueladams.com/craft-beers/porch-rocker

Greetings friends. Some of you might know that I tend to enjoy a good beer now and then. I also enjoy talking about beer, and trying to expand the horizons of the "Big 3" beer drinkers to try something outside of their comfort zone and discover that the world of craft and smaller market beers can be a wonderful, flavorful world to visit.

In this blog, I hope to entertain, enlighten and inform you all with all the beer news and reviews you can use. See, there's a rhyme, you're entertained already. Boom.

I'll try to have a new post every week at least, it's up to you guys to keep me to that. Tell your friends and family, tell strangers you see on the street, tattoo the URL on your forehead. Lets help spread the word of great beer to the masses! Remember kids, life's too short to drink shitty beer. Prosit!