Just another week... in the life of a beer taster

Monday - Day trip to Sweet Grass Dairy (artisan cheese maker ad 1st in GA) with the Georgia Restaurant Association: aka - day of eating fabulous food on the farm, drinking with Atlanta's top chefs, and watching a little chevre goat cheese, and Green Hill (my fave Sweet Grass cheese) in the making. Starting at lunch we cracked open some bottles of wine and tapped the pony keg of Atlanta Brewing Company's Ale. Have had ABC brew a number of times, primarily at their Friday tasting, tour, and music at their brewery in downtown ATL, but here's the synopsis of that day's delights. The ale is light and hoppy. Not too much to write home about and neither is their Number's Ale, but I do enjoy their tasty brown ale. It's carmel flavor is not too heavy and hints of chocolate satisfy this "picky" beer drinker, as was commented about me by one chef. Seriously, these guys are going to chastise me for being choosey on my consumption and want for something that tastes good?

The food was phenomenal. My first tomatoes of the season, the pig skins ridiculous rich, salty, sweet flavor (raised on the dairy -they eat the whey by-product from the cheese making process) and it's confirmed that pork is def a gateway meat, and the highlight was a home grown chevre cheesecake with fresh strawberries on the side.

We stopped in their storefront to make some purchases. They had a nice selection of wines and beers as well, and I picked up a few interesting ones to try for future DSBC meetings. But on the 3.5 hour bus ride home we ran out of libations so I saved the day with my purchases and had the bus of chefs chanting "CDC, CDC, CDC" (my nickname for the day). Yikes, hope I don't loose my job. The Saison Dupont Farmhouse Ale is tangy, creamy, refreshing and moldy. Goes great withe the Green Hill cheese and probably a blue cheese, as well.

Tuesday - Impromptu beer club gathering for Cinco de Mayo at 5 Season's Westside opening party fundraiser for Georgia Organics. A little disappointment here, as far as beer clubs go. They still don't have their liquor license so were instead serving a keg of Sweetwater 420. I guess $5 for unlimited 420 and plentiful, unique, and delish apps at a great setting overlooking the city skyline on their rooftop bar was nothing to complain about, but we'll look forward to returning when we get to enjoy 5 Season's well-crafted originals. The food samples did give inklings of certainly good things to come from this joint. We head out a bit early to make a pit-stop on the way home at good old Brick Store. Brennan gave the hint that a new must try was on tap - the double wheat from a combo effort of Avenitus and Brooklyn Brewery. This beer was thumbs up - 10 for me. My favorite wheat ever. Creamy, just barely sweet, no fruit needed to cut into this wheat beer. This was a "dirty" beer, super cloudy, opaque, and unfiltered. The double wheatiness was like drinking the perfect fresh loaf of whole honey wheat bread with a touch of butter. Mmmmmmm.

Thursday - In Chicago I had my friends meet me up at Hop Leaf in Andersonville. This establishment has been there for 17 yrs, yet I had never been. Other beer clubbers, not even from Chi-town, told me about it. Completely embarrassed that I had never been, I made it my meeting spot for the one night in town to meet up with some college friends. GREAT selection. I really enjoyed the Two Brothers Dupage County Brewery's Cane and Ebel. Grimbergen Double was pretty decent for a Belguim, rich but smooth. A new brewery from a few blocks away was on tap - Dynamo Copper Lager from Metropolitan Brewery. They are new so I'll give a little leeway here, they can keep working at it ;) My friend had a Brasserie Lefebvre Barber that I was very impressed with. A lighter beer, great for summer drinkin, honey ale, hints of sweeteness, creamy, brewed with coriander gave a nice depth with hint of spice.
The winner of the night was the Verhaeghe Duchesse du Bourgogne.
One person at the table was the first to order, I tasted and kept taking sips, so decided I needed my own, then once everyone else tasted, they all needed their own , as well. This was a beautifully complex beer- Flemish red ale, oak barreled (aha, proof again I can like reds). Rich, rich, rich dark fruit and maple syrup, hint of spices - like a spiced fruit cake. This one's for good sippin. (Hop Leaf also had an inspiring, mouthwatering menu. My coconut curry, ginger, sweet potato, jalapeno mussels, and sister's Gruyere and Nueske ham sandwich were both top-notch gastro-pub grub)

Friday - On the way down South to Bloomington, IN, we stopped at Fair Oaks Dairy, one of the countries largest family owned dairies, anti-biotic and hormone free milk and cheeses. They grow their own feed, bottle on sight, and so basically quality control the whole process. Their ice cream was over the top creamy- literally like frozen, slightly sugared, pure cream.
That night I had Belle's Pale Wheat Ale Oberon from MI, which was on tap. Fine for light ale drinking, indeed pale in color and light on taste.

Saturday - Knowing my passion, my brother suggested we see their local liquor store known for having an extensive selection of beer and wine. Man, was he right. This beer aisle put ATL's Green's to shame. I'm serious. I was there forever, the fam, finally left waiting out in the car for me, as I pressed their less then knowledgeable staff to help me make the best possible selection. I was in straight-up analysis paralysis. I finally came to terms with a very expensive IN, 3 Floyds (of course) collaborative effort with Mikkelller from Denmark. I can't wait to try this oatwine, humorously named Oatgoop, at the next meeting, theme being "recent travels". My other pick was another DuPage County brew, since my other try that weekend had been a hit - selected their "dark wheat" - sounds interesting.
We also stopped at Blooingfoods, their town's grocery Co-op, so I could pick-up some local rhubarb. This tart vegetable doesn't grow in the South, so I desired some to bring back for strawberry rhubarb creations.
That night had a pint of the local Bloomington's Upland Brewery Wheat. This one needed it's slice of orange and could have used more.. or something, anything, not bad, but, blah.

Sunday - On the way back to Chicago we stopped at Oliver Winery. Packed for Mother's Day, we stuck around only long enough to try their award winning and original wine - a honey mead, and their passion fruit wine. Ma made enough purchases to fill a box, and I threw in some midwestern cheeses. (a morel and leek jack from Wisco, and a raw goat's milk cheddar from MI).

All in a week of eat, drink, and be merry. Fo shur.