At the risk of losing my "Man Card" and "Black Card" simultaneously, I walk into the Central Market in San Antonio. The wife says they have a huge selection, and indeed they do. Nice surprise. I may even get some spices for my next home brew. We went there to see if the local San Antonio brewpub Blue Star, but apparently they only sell out of the brewpub, the nerve. But they have a variety pack of Real Ale, and I have to support the beers from the Republic of Texas. I think we also grabbed some Dogfish stuff as well.
May 9th, 2008
State: Full, Chillin
Is there ever a time I'm not chillin. Well we start with none other than what I gather is a Blond Pale Ale.
Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale
Very nice label. Artistic. The beer is transparent with quality brozne and a good white head. What more could you expect from something with word "Blanco". It smells of caramel, cloves, and light flowers. (Note, I now know what cloves smell like after the wife had me sniff some cloves in a bag, or was that...) It's slightly sweet, with a medium hops that dies fast. The 3rd and 4th gulps give of hints of citrus. It's got a light-medium body, with a sudden aftertaste. It's bitter on the back of the tongue for a good 60 seconds after drinking and then vanishes again, I counted. It's alright, but maybe a touch too hoppy for a Blond, but a nice one. Ooh, a little lace on the head, probably not blond.
May 10th, 2008
State: I'm full and chillin, but could use some hair of the dog after getting a little slizzard last night.
Aprihop (Dogfish Head)
I've got a tan head, with clear copper, and peaches and hops smell. I have no CLUE what apricots are, but the wife tells me they smell and taste like peaches. It's got a medium body, tastes of peaches with medium hops, though not really bitter (go fig). It's very drinkable with little aftertaste. Later on in the gulp they sneak in a slight maltiness. Nice touch. It's a little sour and tangy as well. As I keep drinking it, it feels like peach juice near the back of the tongue. It's not a harsh beer, but different than anything I've ever had before. It's getting even more peachy as it warms up. I'm gonna have to either move somewhere near Delaware (maybe DuPont is hiring). Nah, I'll keep making the oil money.
Penn Dark
More beer of the month club stuff. It's smells of caramel sweet lager, brown color, white head, and red in the light. It's got medium carbo yet kind of reminds me of Shiner Bock. It has a late bitter aftertaste. It's very light but not dry, a little residuey. I'm getting some sweet chocolate and vanilla notes near the end. Come on.
May 9th, 2008
State: Full, Chillin
Is there ever a time I'm not chillin. Well we start with none other than what I gather is a Blond Pale Ale.
Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale
Very nice label. Artistic. The beer is transparent with quality brozne and a good white head. What more could you expect from something with word "Blanco". It smells of caramel, cloves, and light flowers. (Note, I now know what cloves smell like after the wife had me sniff some cloves in a bag, or was that...) It's slightly sweet, with a medium hops that dies fast. The 3rd and 4th gulps give of hints of citrus. It's got a light-medium body, with a sudden aftertaste. It's bitter on the back of the tongue for a good 60 seconds after drinking and then vanishes again, I counted. It's alright, but maybe a touch too hoppy for a Blond, but a nice one. Ooh, a little lace on the head, probably not blond.
May 10th, 2008
State: I'm full and chillin, but could use some hair of the dog after getting a little slizzard last night.
Aprihop (Dogfish Head)
I've got a tan head, with clear copper, and peaches and hops smell. I have no CLUE what apricots are, but the wife tells me they smell and taste like peaches. It's got a medium body, tastes of peaches with medium hops, though not really bitter (go fig). It's very drinkable with little aftertaste. Later on in the gulp they sneak in a slight maltiness. Nice touch. It's a little sour and tangy as well. As I keep drinking it, it feels like peach juice near the back of the tongue. It's not a harsh beer, but different than anything I've ever had before. It's getting even more peachy as it warms up. I'm gonna have to either move somewhere near Delaware (maybe DuPont is hiring). Nah, I'll keep making the oil money.
Penn Dark
More beer of the month club stuff. It's smells of caramel sweet lager, brown color, white head, and red in the light. It's got medium carbo yet kind of reminds me of Shiner Bock. It has a late bitter aftertaste. It's very light but not dry, a little residuey. I'm getting some sweet chocolate and vanilla notes near the end. Come on.
3 comments:
Nothing "unmanly" about Central Market. Real men cook their own food.
And a better beer selection than most liquor stores.
No doubt. I know that now. But before then, I always understood CM to be another version of Whole Foods. One could become quite the Beerman with having a CM next door.
The sour and tangy you tasted in the aprihop was probably the apricots. They are similar to peaches but they are usually more sour, have a little tang that peaches don't.
Magic Hat also makes a good apricot beer called #9. Not likely you will see it in Texas though, it is in Vermont and they don't have a distribution range out of the northeast, can't even get it here in Chicago. But my brother goes to college in Vermont so I get to pick up some magic hat whenever I go to visit.
p.s. I had shiner for the first time this weekend, in the form of shiner bock. Not too bad at all, kind of reminds me of amstel but with a taste, will definitely get it again and keep an eye out for their other styles.
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