Main Street Grille and Brewing Company

Sunday beer adventures seem to be becoming a normal for us at the blog, so we took to the road to check out the Main Street Grill and Brewing company today!  I was able to hit their table at the Cleveland Winter Beer Fest a few months ago, and I've been looking forward to going out ever since we met their brew guys!

Garrettsville is a cute little town, and we pulled up around 2 to find easy parking and a short walk to the dark wood tavern-styled building on the corner that has housed the Main Street Grille and Brewing Company since 2007.

The interior is cozy and based on a rustic tavern-style decor and architecture.  Their bar room features high set tables as well as bar high tables, and an awesome view of their gorgeous fermenter setup - I'm jealous!  We had a full flight of all of their current beers, I ordered a Caesar salad (I know, but I have to set off the calories from all of this beer somehow!) and the Dobie went with the tried and true burger.  The dinner menu prices are a little bit high compared to the lunch specials, but the food was great and well worth it if you're taking a brewery day trip!

I loved the glasses that MSG uses for their tasting flights - if I had to call them anything, I would call them mini pilsner glasses.  Samples are reasonably priced, and I would absolutely recommend grabbing a full flight when you visit.  They offer a wide variety of styles to appeal to any beer drinker, from the casual drinker to the crazy beer lover.  

From previous samples, I would have had to say that their very unique Ma Barker's Birch Beer was my favorite; surprising considering I'm not a huge fan of things that fall around the root beer family.  My sample today was a little too thickly syrupy for my tastes, though I do still really love the taste.  I've previously considered brewing with birch myself, as white birch soda is a popular favorite in my native central PA.  A really delicious and savory brew, I feel like a little more carbonation would really put it over the top and help to balance out the bitter sweetness of the birch flavor.

My absolute favorite of their brews was hands down the Main Street Joe.  A heavily aromatic and flavorful porter, this espresso brew is a winner.  The rich, deep, and warm espresso flavor pulls you in the same way that a steaming cup of Starbucks would.  The flavor follows, thick, rich, and deep like a perfectly roasted coffee bean.  If you head out to MSG and only want one beer, absolutely get this one.  Or the birch beer, because carbonation or no, that one is pretty unique and awesome too!

If you're on a brewery trip or just looking to add a lunch or dinner stop to a day trip and are passing through western Ohio, you've got to make the Main Street Grille and Brewing Company a part of your day.  You'll find a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, great food, and an awesome variety of top quality craft beer.  

Check out their website for more info, menus, and times - http://www.msg-brew.com/home.html

As a reminder for new readers, if you like what you see, please add us to your watch list, and also like our Facebook page!!! here --> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Two-Dogs-Brew-Blog/191681631023412

Rust Belt Brewing Tap House

I have to apologize to my readers for my month of radio silence - my mother was diagnosed with endometrial cancer about four weeks ago and most of my time has been focused on helping her get through surgery and doctor's visits.  That being said, I have a lot of backed entries that I need to write, starting off with Rust Belt Brewing, who I definitely owe an awesome blog post!

The Dobie and I drove out to Rust Belt's brand new tap room about a month after they opened to kick back and try a few new brews.  In the past I've had some experience with Rust Belt's beers, here and there at my favorite beer tasting joints, and I had generally liked the few I was able to get my hands on.  I'm not  familiar with the Youngstown area, but once I was able to sort out the parking situation (difficult only because of the fact that we visited in a blizzard) then everything went quite smoothly!

The tap room was quite a bit larger than I expected.  Industrial decor graces a red brick and concrete building, the steel and cut metal interiors adding to the brewery's theme.  The space has the promise to be both a great night life spot and a nice quiet place to enjoy sampling some of Rust Belt's excellent brews.  Three levels, including a room that will be excellent for hosting live music, make up a very unique space that will round out your tasting experience and promise you a good time.

We were fortunate enough to get to try all four of Rust Belt's signature beers, the Coke Oven Stout, the Rusted River Irish Red Ale, the Old Man Hopper's India Pale Ale, and the Blast Furnace Blonde Ale.  A shocker for readers that have met me personally, my favorite of these four was the blonde!  I don't normally enjoy blonde ales - most of my experience with them has been thin, unexciting, and uninspiring to the palate.  Blast Furnace surprised me, with it's light biscuit to wheat aroma and light grainy flavor accented with hints of citrus notes.  Finally a blonde that fits the category without being a tired letdown!

My favorite beer of the day however goes to a smaller batch beer from Rust Belt's John Young Select series - the McPoyle's Milk Stout.  An attractive dark beer that is creamy and smooth and exceptionally easy to drink.  Sweet chocolate and toasted malt notes blend beautifully with a mild bitterness that leaves you craving more.  It might be a bit sweet for a more hardcore hop head who craves nothing but bone dry bitterness, but as a drinker who values a wide variety of tastes and styles with an open mind to creativity, I thought it was just great.  Thinking back, I think I'd actually like to buy a bomber or two and let it age a bit - for science!

I want to thank our bartender for being knowledgeable about the beers on tap, as well as about the brewery itself, and I'd also like to thank Rust Belt for the awesome RBR pint glasses!!!  Eastern Ohio and Western PA, take a day trip out to check out Rust Belt's tap room, then swing by their brewery to fill up a growler.  Let the beer speak for itself, Rust Belt is a promising young brewery with a bright future ahead.  I can't wait to go back and try more of the John Young Select series!

Beer Flats Porter Crackers

And now for a horse of a different color... beer crackers?  I know what you're thinking, these can't possibly taste good, but hold your horses and let me taste the things first.

Alright, enough horsing around.  No more horse jokes.  Neigh, not a one.

Seriously.

I picked these up at our local Earth Fare market for the simple reason that they said "beer" on them and I have a gravely unhealthy obsession with all that comes from water, barley, and hops.  They're your typical cracker - looks and smells like a cracker, must be a cracker.  Harder than a cracker that you would munch on as an out of the box snack, though not something that produces a horrifying crumbly mess.  The Dobie wasn't a big fan, but he's more of a nachos and pizza with his beer guy than one who prefers something a little more high brow with his tasting, so we're going to count him out of this one.

A moderately drying flavor that does leave hints that is has been made with porter ingredients, along with a nice palate cleansing dark rye taste.  The slight bitterness from the rye paired excellently with the American IPA I was consuming, and was a pleasing complement.

I really enjoyed these, but don't go buying them as something to just snack on or else you'll be on the disappointed end of a hard, dry cracker with nowhere to go.  Consume with a mild cheese and serve these at your next beer tasting and you'll be a winner for sure.  The flavor and just dry texture of these crackers is absolutely perfect to use as a palate cleanser if you're doing a tasting, and if you're planning a dinner party they would go great on a party tray with a variety of meats and cheeses.

I may have to sneak these in to the next beer festival I attend - I can't stand pretzels and these would be great between brews as a substitute!

Flying Monkeys Smashbomb Atomic IPA

I'm always on the lookout for new things - I mean come on, who doesn't want to try everything from every brewery out there?  Ok maybe that's just me and I'm some sort of weird beer hoarder, but when I hear there's a new brewery coming to sell in my state?  I'm on it like toast on malt.  (Ba-dum ching!)  A mid-blizzard visit to my local beer heaven (Lizardville!) brought me news that Flying Monkeys, a Canadian company, was now distributing in Ohio, so of course I had to pick up a few things.  I purchased their Triple Chocolate Milk Stout (to be reviewed at a later date) and their Smashbomb Atomic IPA.  I was most intrigued by their ADHD style packaging art, because what can I say, I am in love with all that is crazy and just a little bit weird!

Beer: Smashbomb Atomic IPA

Brewery: Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.0%

Glass: Pint

Appearance: Pours a very clear deep gold color with an amazingly thick and fluffy off-white head that just refuses to quit and leaves a heavy lacing as it descends the glass.  Consider me impressed already - but maybe I'm easy.

Aroma:  Heavy aroma of citra hops is very promising and inviting to the taster.

Body & Texture: The heavier side of a light body, with a smooth mouthfeel.  The hop bitterness gives the sensation of much more carbonation than there is (which isn't much), and is a pleasing trade-off. 

Taste: Thick pine flavor suggests perhaps simcoe or chinook hops.  Pine gives way to citrus in the medium finish.  Very crisp and fresh.  My first reaction was of a medium-dryness, however towards mid glass this seems to be a much less dry IPA.  

Overall: 4/5 First of all, consider me impressed with the head retention of this beer - halfway down the glass and fifteen minutes later I'm still sucking beer through a quarter inch of fluffy cloud-like beer head.  This is what I would consider a good solid IPA.  Not too weak, not to bitter.  While not too "in your face," it still presents a solid example of the style and makes for a good tasting and very drinkable beverage.  Quite often I'm hesitant to say that I would be comfortable drinking an IPA with food - the flavors make me feel as though the beer would detract from whatever food I'm attempting to consume.  That being said, I would drink this with dinner.  This would be an excellent break in IPA, for someone who isn't sure they like a lot of hops but wants to at least attempt to taste the style.  While the hops are quite flavorful, you're not going to have to call the beer police after the assault on your mouth when you drink this one.  

Check out the Flying Monkeys website at http://www.theflyingmonkeys.ca/ and give them a try, especially if you're in Ohio where they're new!

Spring House Braaaiins!

Some time around Thanksgiving I acquired two beers by Spring House after a trip home to State College, PA.  Thanks so much to the wonderful guys at the Hopshop Beer Market in State College - you really are the best place to buy beer in Lion country!  

The first beer we had from Spring House was called Satan's Bake Sale, a mint chocolate chip cookie stout, which I enjoyed a few month ago.  Needless to say I need MORE!  So glad I purchased two beers from Spring House, and I look forward to going home and acquiring more of their brews!

Beer: Braaaiins!

Brewery: Spring House Brewing Company
Style: Pumpkin/yam beer
ABV: 7.1%

Glass: Snifter

Appearance: Pours a translucent, unfiltered amber with a small off-white head.

Aroma:  Heavy caramel aroma, reminds me of caramel apples or heavily caramelized cider in the fall.

Body & Texture: Light to medium body with a light carbonation.  Very smooth.

Taste: Taste follows aroma, in that is heavily caramelized, and lightly spicy.  I don't get a lot of pumpkin out of this but the taste does still cause one to reminisce of fall and cool weather activities.  

Overall: 4/5 I really love this beer - the caramel flavor is something of a strength that I've never encountered in beer before, almost like caramel was added later in the brewing process or just before bottling.  That being said, I can't in good conscience call this a pumpkin beer, because the pumpkin flavor just isn't there.  Were I judging this at competition, I would rate it significantly lower only because you really don't get that spicy, slightly fruity taste that is generally acceptable in a pumpkin ale.  Don't let that push you away from trying this brew if you can get your hands on it (I don't think they sell outside of PA).  It is really quite delicious, and would especially taste wonderful with either pumpkin pie or cheesecake.  The smooth mouth feel rolls through your mouth and coats your tongue with sticky sweetness that really pleases the taste buds.  Can't wait to get more from Spring House, you guys rock!

Ommegang Game of Thrones Take the Black Stout

It's been a while since the last post!  We've finally gotten through the moving process and are (sort of) unpacked.... ish.  Today we're enjoying a Take the Black Stout, Ommegang's second in their Game of Thrones series.  We're big nerds, so as soon as we saw this we bought it.  Some time in the fall, I enjoyed their Iron Throne on tap at the Lizardville in Copley and loved it, so I was initially quite excited about Take the Black when I picked it up - until someone said it tasted like black licorice.  I was instantly afraid, I can't stand the stuff.  I don't even like jaeger or absinthe!  As such, this bottle has been sitting around aging for about six months, waiting for the faithful day that I man up and have a taste.  Well, we have a friend over who likes black licorice so now I can get rid of it if I need to!

Beer: Take the Black Stout

Brewery: Ommegang
Style: Stout
ABV: 7.0%

Glass: Snifter

Appearance: Pours a thick, dark, opaque black with a frothy tan head a good two inches high.  Really lovely looking brew, the deepness of the black is beautifully accented by the snifter.

Aroma:   Aroma is malty and sweet, with definite tones of toasted malts and a slight sweetness that is suggestive of apples that could be crystal malt.

Body & Texture: Medium bodied, thinner than I would have expected but not so thin as to distract from the style.  Carbonation is very present but not heavy.  Small bubbles.

Taste: My fears have not been confirmed at all - there is definitely no huge licorice flavor here, and thank goodness because this is a delicious brew!  I can see where the "licorice" description comes from - there is a definite bitterness from the malt that combines with sweet caramel tones to produce something that could be described as "licorice" but in my mind it sticks as more of a toasted caramel and coffee flavor.

Overall: 4.5/5  I was really surprised with this beer, and now I'm starting to wonder why so many are still left on the shelves!  This is one really delicious brew, an excellent balance of bitter and caramel flavors.  I would like to taste a fresher bottle to compare, but after drinking this I would recommend bottle aging your Take the Black for at least six months because it really brings out the subtle lines between the sweet and bitter tones.  

Dogfish Head Birra Etrusca Bronze

It's a Dogfish Head kind of day!  We had planned to do a second Thursday Brew Session with DFH exclusive beers, but we haven't been able to get our acts together since the move.  We picked this guy up at World Market this morning and it is chilled and ready to go.  Before I start this one, I have to say that DFH is one of my very favorite breweries, not just for their brews but for their story and for the work that they've done for the world of craft beer.  Cheers Dogfish Head, we love you!

As you can see from the pictoral helper here, we aren't fully unpacked or 100% ready with the setup to be posting the most professional and beautiful of review photos yet, but give us a few weeks, we're trying!  The move went well and the Dobie and I are settling into our new digs quite nicely.  We love our shiny new 1970's built place, and it will be great for holding fun little tastings with friends!

Beer: Birra Etrusca Bronze

Brewery: Dogfish head
Style: Ancient Ale
ABV: 8.5%

Glass: Snifter

Appearance: Head pours about an inch high white that is quite thin and disappears quickly.  Beautiful  deep and clear amber color with sparkling red tones.

Aroma:  A grape-like aroma that in my mind might be a well-combined blend of the pomegranate and honey.  Reminds me somewhat of sweeter red table wines.  

Body & Texture: Lighter body that is made heavier by the intensity of the alcohol.  Relatively no fizz, a flatter smoother brew, which was evident by the quickly fading head.

Taste: And here we come to why it was a bad decision to buy a more expensive beer that had been sitting on the shelf at a brightly lit store - our alcohol seems to have gotten stressed out.  Flavors of fruit and wheat-flour are present in the start with the smoothness of honey in the finish, however there is also an ever-present slight ethyl-alcohol flavor that suggests stressed yeast, as has happened to us during brewing on several occasions.  I'm also getting a much higher alcohol flavor than I should from an 8.5% beer, and higher than I would expect from a DFH brew.

Overall: I need to try this one again to give a better review.  For now, I give it a 3/5, but I plan on acquire another from some dark cool corner of a better store sometime soon for a re-hash, as I'm not sure this is the best example I could find of this particular brew.  While the aromas and flavors were on par with what I would expect from an ancient ale, and promised to be quite tasty, there was definitely something wrong with this bottle - the prevalence of ethyl alcohol flavor and rapid drunk feeling off of my small tasting glass was enough to alert me to that.  Don't despair DFH lovers, I will never drop DFH out of my favorites list, but I'm not too sure about this particular brew.