Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   Sophie is a good choice In the last Soaking Up the Suds, I reviewed Space Monkey, a delightful brew from The Brew Works. It was a delicious Saison that left me with a desire to drink more of the style. They’re generally so crisp and refreshing while still managing to be flavorful and complex. I don’t know about you,...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   Praise for Space Monkey I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me praise big, dark beers. I can’t help it. I have a soft spot for them and the way they fill the dark, winter hours. Thankfully, the dark, winter hours are now done, which means it’s time for a whole new breed of beers. I’m certainly not one to...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   A delicious taste of history A few articles ago, I had my first experience with Pretty Things brewery. I sampled a beer from their historical brews line. It was one of the most intriguing drinks I’d ever had. They were making beers from old recipes from defunct breweries with the intent, not of making a good beer, but...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   Nothing Tiny about this beer’s flavor I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Weyerbacher makes some awesome big boy beers. They’re strong, they’re thick and they’re full of magic. Anyone can make a strong beer. Weyerbacher can make a strong beer good. Notably, their Blithering Idiot Barley wine and...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   Ever hear of an oyster stout? Well, drink up. Though St. Patrick’s Day is gone, my thirst for Stouts is not. Made from dark roasted barley, they have a lot of variation. The rich flavors inherent in them pair so well with a plethora of other tastes. The roasting of the malt lends it notes similar to those of the...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   The king of St. Patrick’s Day brews It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day! I’m sure we’re all excited about eating the traditional corned beef and cabbage. However, let’s try not to get too sidetracked by that and remember the real reason for the holiday: obsessive drinking and singing whatever lyrics from “Danny...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   Once Upon a Time Have you heard of Pretty Little Things Brewing? They are doing some absolutely amazing things. While they don’t actually own a brewery themselves, they rent out host breweries to make their creations. This allows them to not be as concerned with certain things like …  well, marketability and...

OUR BI-WEEKLY BEER COLUMN GIVES YOU A TASTY RECOMMENDATION by James Crane   Big boy beers. Oh yeah. If I were to make a list of things I like, big, dark beers would be on it. If I were to make a list of things I like even more, big, dark beers aged in bourbon barrels made by Weyerbacher would be pretty close to the top. Weyerbacher has long been one of my...

OUR BI-WEEKLY BEER COLUMN GIVES YOU A TASTY RECOMMENDATION by James Crane   A spicy brew from Stone This week, I’m drinking a 2012 Vertical Epic from Stone Brewing. This brew is the last in the line of spectacular beers. The first one was released on Feb. 2, 2002. Since then, Stone has released each successor one year, one month, and one day after the...

Soaking Up the Suds by James Crane   Criminally Bad Elf? Bring it. I hope Christmas morning found you staring at a lot of bottle-shaped packages under the tree. The celebrating certainly isn’t over yet with New Year’s right around the corner. With so many great winter and holiday brews out there, there’s certainly a goodly amount to choose from. If...