Bring Out Your Goats

Ahhh the smell of spring is in the air so it must mean it's time to grab a goat and head to Sly Fox brewery in Phoenixville for their annual Goat Race & Bock Festival. The fun happens this Sunday May 4th. The main event is the muti heat race that pits the area's most athletic goats against each other. The winning goat has the privilege of having Sly Fox's annual Maibock named after him or her. The beer is then tapped and served at the end of the race. The day also includes German food and music and of course Sly Fox beer. Expect to drink Slacker Bock, Instigator Bock, Helles Bock plus two Eisbocks and the Maibock named for the winning goat. All the spring time activity starts at 11am with the races starting at 2pm.

Way Late on this One

Wow, I think I just set a record for posting late. The Capone's Bear Republic night is close to two weeks old and I am just now getting to a review. If I have any excuse it's that work, a bachelor party and final prep for our wedding have taken precedence over the blog. Well better late than never. Since it was so long ago and I didn't take notes I have to pull this from the back of my brain.

I arrived at Capones early for this one, grabbing a bar stool around 5pm. Typically for an event I arrive after 7pm. The crowd was thin but I am sure it was because of the time. The list of beer from Bear Republic was great, Black Bear Stout, Hop Rod Rye, Red Rocket Ale, XP Pale Ale, Racer 5 and the hard to find Racer X. With the exception of Racer X and XP I've had all the beers on tap so I stuck with the Pale, IPA and DIPA. It's hard for me not to be bias with these beers I love them. Racer 5 is one of my favorite IPAs so you can guess where this review is going. The beer pours a hazy orange and the aroma of hops is strong. Think a clean floral pine forest in a glass. The taste is citrus with a good bitter hop smack upfront. Biscuity notes become more present as this one warms. Racer 5 seems somewhere between an IPA and a DIPA. The Racer X is a true hop bomb. Kaboom, pine and grapefruit tag teaming in a pint glass. The bitterness is well balanced with the malt presence. The hops are obvious but this one has a sweet sticky side. The malt plays more than just a background role. Out of the three beers I tried XP Pale Ale seems like the forgotten stepchild. The beer world for the past few years is so focused on big beers that a well balanced pale ale is often over looked. I have to admit I usually will skip over a pale and go right to an ipa or double. Compared to its brothers the hops in XP are toned down as they should be. The beer has a crisp hop bitterness and floral highlights. The malt creates a slight sweetness and makes it a very drinkable beer.


Bear Republic never fails to amaze me. So far I have enjoyed all their beers. Honestly it is hard to say anything negative about them. If I were to have a complaint it would be that it took too long to get their products here in PA and I wish it were easier to get my hands on a pint of Racer X.

Race To Capone's

The official tap list for Capone's Bear Republic Event is out and Matt has out done himself. If you have never had beer from this northern California brewer now is your chance to try some of their best. What's amazing is Matt was able to get the rare Racer X double IPA. This one does not hold back on the hops. From what I have read the aroma smacks with pungent hops and the taste is piney sweet with a mix of pineapple and grapefruit. Just watch out for the alcohol it weighs in at 9% abv. I will give a more official review once I have had a few. Besides the offerings from Bear Republic the rest of Capone's draft list is impressive. I don't know of too many bars in this area where you can taste a Racer X, Devil Dancer and Ten Fidy. With this line up I can't think of a better way to end a low carb diet? The beer starts pouring Wednesday the 16th at 11:30am.

Bear Republic

Racer X

Racer 5

Hop Rod Rye

Red Rocket Ale

Black Bear Stout

XP Pale Ale

The Others

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy

Founders Devil Dancer

Saranac High Peak Series Imperial Stout

Kasteel Rouge

South Hampton Double White

Ayinger Brau Weisse

Youngs Double Chocolate Stout

Capone's is Feeling California

I stopped into Capone's bottle shop last week to pick up Sprecher's Bourbon Aged Doppel Bock and ended up talking to Matt Capone. He mentioned that the next beer event scheduled is Bear Republic on Wednesday April 16th. This California brewery is producing some of the best beers on the west coast. It wasn't long ago that these beers didn't even make it to PA, but late last year they crossed our border and have been highly sought after ever since. Matt is looking to have Racer 5, Red Rocket Ale, Hop Rod Rye, and the hard to find Racer X. The official list should be out this week.

Pliny Heads East

I was just on the Drafting Room website to find the list of beers for Hop Fest 3. The line up looks great. If big hoppy beers are your thing this is the ticket to Shangri-La. It all kicks off Saturday March 12th in Spring House at noon and it's pay as you go. So hop heads rejoice and make your way out to the Drafting Room.

Hop Fest 3

Green Flash West Coast IPA
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Drafting Room 13th Anniversary
Tröegs Nugget Nectar
Flying Bison Bird of Prey
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Bear Republic
Landmark Colonel Hop Red Ale
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Victory Harvest Pils
Avery the Maharaja Imperial IPA
Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel
Boulder Mojo Risin’ Imperial IPA
Dock Street Rye IPA
Founders Devil Dancer I³PA
Dogfish Head Aprihop
Tröegs Nugget Nectar (Cask Conditioned)

No Beer for for Me

It has been weeks since I have posted and I will blame that on the fact that I have not had a beer in 3 weeks. I know that is a horrific statement but it is true. The reason for my lack of consumption is the low carb lifestyle. I have been swept up in a challenge to drop 15lbs (or more) before our wedding in May. At this point just looking at a beer makes my mouth water. People have already told me about diets where they enjoyed a beer occasionally but I have had great success in the past with the low carb structure and combined with working out 4 days a week the fat is melting away. With that in mind I still question sticking to it. Failing at anything or giving in isn't what I enjoy and I am having success, down 6lbs, but I miss sitting down and enjoying a pint. To make it even more difficult the hockey playoffs have started and watching the games with a glass of diet Coke lacks something. I hate to admit it but I have, in a moment of weakness, gone over to the dark side ( actually the light side). I had a low carb beer. Say it ain't so. My head hangs in shame. It wasn't worth it. The Miller Lite and IC Light only confirmed how far from real beer they really are. Those pale watery beers with only an essence of beer flavor only increased my craving for the good stuff. There is no satisfaction in low budget beer. The truly odd occurrence in my habits since turning off carbs is how much beer I buy. Since turning off the suds I have increased my beer purchases. Self analysis leads me to believe that since I can't drink it I derive comfort from purchasing beer and knowing I will have it for later.

The fridge is more packed than ever. The problem is since I am not drinking it, beer isn't leaving the fridge and space is now at a premium. I have managed to max out The Beer Fridge. I can already hear everyone saying, "Poor baby a fridge full of great beer waiting to be consumed. How can you stand to go on?". I have already had several offers to help reduce the beer stock , but I already know that this isn't a permanent situation. Looking into the very near future it's easy to see the end is near. My bachelor party is in 2 weeks and of course the wedding is the second week of May. The thought of an evening of food, friends, strippers and no beer just seems silly. The other reason to toss back a pint is at the wedding reception we are having Dogfish 90 Minute and Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse. The masses will toss back Miller Lite and Yuengling, but a select few will sip a cellared Hair of the Dog Fred (big bottle). I guess it wont be long until The Beer Fridge has a little more space.