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Tacos Not Necessary

Off Color Brewing
Beer for Tacos
Gose style beer with lime juice and salt added
Malts: Pils, Wheat, Flaked Wheat, and Oats
Hops: Nugget
Secret Ingredients: Lime juice, Coriander, Pink Himalayan Salt
4.8% ABV (at least that’s what is printed on the can because the site says 4.5%)
Chicago, IL
Brewers and founders: John Laffler & David Bleitner
Acquired at Beer Boutique

Deep murky gold pour. The head disappeared pretty quick, leaving behind light bubbles. In a way it kind looks like a margarita. My nose says this is definitely a sour. There’s also a little mellow waft of corona (the beer), some lime and a little funk. Sipping and there’s tangy, sour, and then here comes the lime and coriander. Taking another sip and now I found that salt. Nice citrus too. Can see why this is a cocktail inspired beer because over time this grows into a sweet margarita. Yes, I can totally see why this would go great with tacos, but honestly, it’s great all on it’s own.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out a sweet smooth lime flavor.

Reading about how Beer for Tacos is brewed, and it turns out they make it from two different beers. One is made with a Belgian yeast strain and coriander and the other is fermented only with Lactobacillus. Then they blend them and re-ferment with lime juice. Due to the Lactobacillus, not only is this Gose tangy delicious, but it also makes it good for your gut.

@offcolorbrewing @ocmousetrap @BeerBoutiqueNYC @cheezits #offcolorbrewing #beer #gose #sour #tacos #cheezit @worldbyglass #wine #chicago #IL #pairswithcheezits

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A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Southold Farm + Cellar
Piquette
Sparkling Rosé Wine
A blend of the pomace of all the grapes they grow
Texas Hill Country
Fredericksburg, Texas

This piquette is a dark watermelon/cranberry cocktail and a bit of bubbles. Intriguing… do let it breathe because there’s some natural funk. Got some gose a going here. It’s summer, so let’s kick back that swig. There’s tart, sour, white pepper, and a mix of berries. It’s light and fresh, and just go with it.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Less sour and more raspberries. Got to love those berries.

Hey it’s only 4% ABV, and it’s hot so crack one and then another. Enjoy the afternoon, and grab a straw for this wine. Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance (Official Music Video)

@vinewinenyc @southold_farm_and_cellar @cheezits #wine #beer #gose #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits  #cheezit #vinewinenyc @worldbyglass #piquette #rose #rosé #Fredericksburg #Texas #nenehcherry

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My Oh My Pie!

Willie’s Superbrew
Hard Seltzer with Real Fruit
Sparkling Pear and Cinnamon
ABV 4.5%
Charlestown, MA
Acquired at Sugarburg

Very light golden pear pour and tiny champagne-like bubbles. Before I even get it anywhere near my nose, cinnamon is full on present and then pear or maybe apple pie. Sipping in pear/apple pie and cinnamon. Taste is true to the scent. It’s fresh and crisp and not at all sugary. Even though it is called a cold weather hard seltzer. I think this is yummy in any weather.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: cinnamon mostly disappears. This is now the third beverage where I have to say, “IN NO CASE SHOULD YOU PAIR THIS WITH CHEEZ-IT’S!”

Willie’s Superbrew, is really into the environment. In the past they’ve made a call to their fans to help “Clean up the Cape”; and they are committed to donating 3% of their profits to an environmental cause every year. They also want the public to help them select who receives this donation. Check out their site and nominate who you believe in, and then join in the vote!

@SugarburgNY @sugarburgbk @drinksuperbrew @cheezits #williessuperbrew #hardseltzer #beer #cheezit @worldbyglass #wine #pairswithcheezits

 

 

 

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Solid Beer with a Purpose

Non Sequitur Beer Project
The Little Dipster
NEIPA
ABV 7%
Hops: Galaxy and XJA 46
Brewed by Keg & Lantern for Non Sequitur Beer Project
Brooklyn, NY
Acquired at Sugarburg

Cloudy straw color with a thick foamy head. After the foam has settled there’s tangerine, grapefruit, peach, and mmmmmm pineapple, and they say candied papaya on the label, but I’m not sure. Also a little funky armpit, but then my S.O. is an IPA drinker so that may be my point of reference. Taking a swig and it’s bitter piney, pineapples, grapefruit and a splash of some other citrus. To me this is more of a solid IPA and not a NEIPA in taste. No matter what, I know my S.O. and his IPA buddies in Cambridge would love this, so crack a can and celebrate summer! Would have also fit in well back in the day at Mugs Alehouse, and their Mystery IPA contest. Man, those were the days.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: does not change it one iota

Non Sequitur Beer Project has been donating to a lot of great causes from New York Immigration Coalition, Planned Parenthood, to the Restaurant Workers Community Foundation and more. Check out the rest on their site and help them continue doing the good work!

@SugarburgNY @NonSequiturBeerProject @cheezits #beer #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #brooklyn #newyork #neipa #ipa

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A January Tale

Graft Cidery
Book of Nomad: Crystal Temple
January 2020
Cabernet Franc Black Currant Cider (Sour)
NY apples, Cabernet Franc Grape Skins, Black Currant
Newburgh, New York
ABV 6.9%
Wild yeast
Acquired at Sugarburg

After popping the can, I have a pretty glass of ras-cranberry. First thing that hits my nose are super fragrant flowers, then some orange peel, and here comes the hay. Next are strawberries, tart apple, more berries, and seltzer. Ok enough of sniffing, going in for a sip. Mmmmm tart strawberries. Wait maybe not that tart after all. Some cranberry, and currants from my past CSA boxes, raspberry, soda, a splash of lemon/citrus or unripe gooseberries, and some very fresh apples. Reminds me of a light frambroise, and it is a waaaaaay easy drinker.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: celery and strawberries oh my!

It says sour cider, and it is tart but a comfortable tart. It’s begging to be made into a cocktail, or just drink as is. This is one of the best ciders I’ve had. Well done Graft…well done!

Also well done to Caleb Luke Lin, the illustrator who designs all of their really cool labels and brings their Book of Nomad “fruited story series” to life. Check out his website, and if you want to make some of his work your own (prints, phone cases, bags, and more) go here.

@SugarburgNY @sugarburgbk @graftcider @caleblukelin @cheezits #cider #beer #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #newburgh #newyork #cabernetfranc #wine #apple

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Grapes Plus Beer Equals Gose

Two Roads
Tanker Truck
Rosé Gose
ABV 4.8%
Stratford, CT
Brewed with 100% real grapes featuring Grenache
Acquired at Sugarburg

Pinky amber pour with a nice head. Yeast bready whiff and then smacked with of all things, grape?!, then strawberry, soda mineral, and some lovely hay. Let’s kick it back and yep it’s a gose. It’s tart, easy drinking, especially in summer, like a tart lemonade. Of course there’s that hay again. Kind of like a pét-nat with a shot of seltzer. It’s also sassy strawberries and raspberries with their seeds for that bite.

Pairs with Cheez-its: brings out the grape of all things and lessens the tarty lemon

Oh this is a good beer/pet. I’ve heard mixed reviews in the past. Some really hated it, and others thought it was amazing. I’ll say I came in with trepidation and was happily surprised. It’s a natural wine lover’s beer.

@SugarburgNY @sugarburgbk @TwoRoadsBrewing #beer #gose #rosé #rose #pét-nat #petnat #beerstagram @cheezits #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #statford #connecticut #grenache

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Raise a Glass and Amplify Your Art

Collective Arts Brewing
Stranger Than Fiction
Porter
5.5% abv
Artist: Tim Barnard
Brewed in Stratford CT, (small contract batch made at Two Roads). Collective Arts Brewing is based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Acquired at Sugarburg

After cracking the can, it’s a dark chocolate coffee color with a big frothy head. Letting it settle down. Now here comes the wafts of coffee or should I say coffee cola, chocolate, molasses, and a touch of bitter like an almond or a roasted coffee bean. Tipping back my glass and tasting chocolate, coffee, refreshing, smooth, some sweetness but not overpowering, and a bit of baker’s chocolate cookie bitter delicious bite.

Pairs with Cheez-its: Turns the porter more bitter. If you really love the true essence of this beer, do not pair it with Cheez-It’s. I’ve only ever had to say this once before and that was a sherry, but let me repeat myself…IN NO CASE SHOULD YOU PAIR THIS WITH CHEEZ-IT’S!

Collective Arts Brewing has a fabulous program of pairing artists, musicians, video artists, etc. If anyone out there wants to join their long list of amazing artists, they are having a call out for “Amplified Voices”. From the site: “A call looking to expose issues of social justice and convey a sense of hope for a safer and more inclusive future.” Work fast because the deadline is August 31st.

@sugarburgbk @SugarburgNY @collectiveartsbrewing @collectivebrew @collectiveham #beer #porter #beerstagram @cheezits #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #strangerthanfictionporter #creativeartsbrewing #craftbeer #artplusbrewing #ontario #canada

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Pucker Up

Trve Brewing Co.
World’s Blood
High Plains Ale
Denver, CO
Golden ale fermented in oak with spontaneous microbes
5.7% abv
Acquired at Sugarburg

A fuzzy gold pour. Letting it air out a little and then there’s lemon, tangerine, hoppiness, something yeasty and should I say bretty. Time for the sip. Whoa, this baby is lemony tart, then celery, yeasty (yeah, I’m talking like what was sprinkled on the free popcorn from my college dive bar days), refreshing, and super early green tart apple. There’s some funk, but I embrace it. The more I drink, the tart levels out a bit, but it is still there. Also some fresh green and dried white pepper. Honestly, this wild ale feels like a sour. As Trve says on their site, “Our beers may or may not exactly adhere to any particular guidelines – we’re style blasphemers and category agnostics – but you can count on the fact that we’ll always brew damn good beer.”

Pairs with Cheez-its: tones back the acid tart

For a heavy metal brewery, this isn’t exactly pairing with a metal song for me, but it’s a sharp sour fun summer beer.  Since it’s not working with metal for me, let’s lean in to the industrial side: Revolting Cocks “da ya think I’m sexy”

@SugarburgNY @sugarburgbk @trvebrewing #beer #ale #sourale #sour #wildale #beerstagram @cheezits #cheezit @worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #denver #colorado #revoltingcocks

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Roaring into the Weekend

Lion Brewery (Ceylon)
Lion Stout
Tropical Stout
Sri Lanka
8.8% abv
Acquired at Sugarburg

After cracking open the can, it’s a dark chocolate pour. As it tingles my nose, there’s chocolate, caramel, nutmeg, and a hint of Cel-Ray (wow that’s something I haven’t thought of in a while). Hmmm. Sipping…again there’s chocolate, caramel, and also toasty coffee. It’s a refreshing bitter stout and great for this blazing hot weekend.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Mellows the bitter, and makes the chocolate more of a baker’s chocolate cookie.

@sugarburgbk @SugarburgNY #lionbrewery #lionbeer #lionstout #beer #stout #beerstagram @cheezits #cheezit #worldbyglass #needmorebeer #pairswithcheezits #srilanka

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A Glass of Stars

Papras Bio Winery
Pleiades 2019 (Orange Wine)
Roditis 100%
PGI Tyrnavos Greece
Biodynamic  and wild yeasts

A glass of orangey gold that is sparkling like the stars they’re named after. Breathe in orange peel, grapefruit, salt, orange blossoms, and floral. As it spends time opening white pepper smokiness appears. I’m feeling something of a beer here. Let’s give this a sip…orange, tangerine, grapefruit, and pineapple. Wow that’s a lot of fruit, yet dry. There’s also lovely smoke, spice, salt and oh so tart. Let it hang out for a while and you can taste orange blossoms and there’s that white pepper again. A beautiful spot-on orange wine. Also if you like Gose beer like I do, you’ll love this wine.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Mellows out the tart yet it’s still lurking somewhat there.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @kthmapapra_domainepapra  @eklektikon @cheezits #Papraswine #wine #Roditis #beer #gose #orangewine #Pleiades #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #biodynamic #Greece