02/01/2013                                                                                                    
Wings, Beads, and Chocolate Stouts   
 

Ah February...the month of many American staples: The Super Bowl for one (if somehow you didn't know, is this weekend), where two great sport teams hash it out as we watch, eat too many wings, and drink beer. Mardis Gras as the second, where we celebrate Fat Tuesday and mimic New Orleans with food, beer and music; and Valentine's Day, where we go on a romantic date with our Valentine or fun night out with friends drinking beer and eating chocolate.

 

That being said, February is also the month of many beer staples. I like to fill my beer fridge at home with fitting styles for the holiday and season so that I always have a variety to choose from. See, you can not only pair beer with food, but you can pair your beer with a season, holiday, or a celebration.

 

For the Superbowl weekend, you'll see me with pale ales, imports, and other beers of the sort. For Mardis Gras I will have no other than Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan all day (cheers y'all!). And last, but not least for Valentine's Day, I'll have some various chocolate stouts like Fort Collins Chocolate Stout and something sweeter like Lindemans Framboise or Julian Hard Cider Cherry Bomb.  

 

After all, beer is the real way to my heart...

 

Cheers, 

  

Brown Specialty Team

UPCOMING EVENTS
Bell's Oberon Bottle of the Month at WOB Clermont
02-01-2013, CLERMONT 

World of Beer Clermont will be featuring Bell's Oberon as bottle of the month. Each Bell's Oberon drinker this month will receive a raffle ticket for each bottle they drink. The raffle will be drawn at the end of the month and will be a special basket filled with beer schwag goodies. ...»

 

02-01-2013, 9:00 PM, ORLANDO 

House of Beer is having a Lazy Magnolia Spotlight Night on Friday, February 1st at 9pm. $1 off all Lazy Mag Brews Featuring: Timber Beast, Southern Gentleman, Jefferson Stout, Gulf Porter & Deep South Pale Ale ...»

 

02-02-2013, 4:00 PM, TAMPA 

Join the Ale and the Witch on Groundhog day as the shadows of the Barley Mow Brewing company taps appear for the first time on tap outside their own 4 walls. The Ale and the Witch is honored to celebrate this historic occasion and will feature a special cask on their beer engine from Barley Mow Brewing. In addition to the cask other selections will be poured from their wall of only American Craft brews. Live music is from 4-6pm with The Hot Tub Club and the beers begin to flow at 4pm. Join us for this special day. ...»

 

02-04-2013, 6:00 PM, SARASOTA 

Golden Tee Tournament Sponsored by Shipyard Brewing Company. North bridge Tavern, Gulf Gate University, Evie's on Bee Ridge, Coleman's Tavern are all part of the tournament of who gets the highest score on Golden Tee. TOURNAMENT INFORMATION *Tournament is Feb 4th-8th *Registration each night is from 6-8pm (one entry per night) *Courses will be selected by the "rapid spin" method *Top 2 scores from each bar will advance into the playoffs on Friday *If you do not qualify one night, you may enter the following night at the next bar (Mon-Thurs) *Top score from each bar wins a $25 bar tab, Shipyard beer and swag.....»

 

NEW AND RETURNING PRODUCTSBeerfinder
VISIT OUR BEERFINDER TO FIND THESE PRODUCTS  
Duvel Single

Created by the Moortgat family, bottled Duvel is one of Belgium's favorite ales. The secret of its success lies in using only best-quality ingredients, and in the well-balanced, very specific, complex brewing and refermentation process that takes over 90 days. After brewing and first fermentation which takes about 30 days, the beer is tasted by the brewmaster and his staff. At this stage this beer is called "single-fermented." Typical Duvel flavors and aromas are already emerging, but the beer is lower in alcohol and carbonation, and the taste is slightly lighter and crisper.  In select retailers in Orlando and Tampa. 6.8% ABV

Highland Devil's Britches IPA 
"Lordy, that's as red as the devil's britches." Highland Brewing Company commemorates the history of the Great Smoky Mountains and Devil's Britches trail with a rich, red IPA. Ashburne Mild malt produces a toasted and biscuity flavor, and Extra Special malt renders an alluring red hue. Apollo hops provide aggressive bitterness(70 IBU), while dry-hopping with Calypso hops yields complex fruity and floral aromas with hints of pear and apple. This devilishly delicious ale is Highland's twist on the great American IPA. 6.0% ABV
Froghair 

Grip It, Sip It, Ribbit! Froghair spawned after a long, unsuccessful round of golf at the bar or the "19th hole" as they call it. The beer selection was not up to par for an experienced palate which struck up the golf and beer debate. How can a sub-par round be followed up by an ever more sub-par beverage? In turn, the concept, name and recipe were created to add the one thing the sport of golf was missing...its own craft beer! Froghair beer is an American Blonde Ale; Crisp and refreshing with a hint of sweet orange peel. Ask for it at your local golf-course. 5.0% ABV

Pandora's Bock
Release the wealth of flavor and complexity unto the world. Bottom fermented at colder temperatures for a smooth yet assertive character. Spring Seasonal. 7.50% ABV
Peak Simcoe® Spring Ale

We love the piney, fruity flavors of Simcoe® hops. This is a classic pale ale, single-hopped and dry-hopped with Simcoe. We cold condition this beer and give it a restrained malt profile, so the hops really pop, like flora in spring. Our friends Patrick, Jason and Brad grow these luscious hops and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do. 5.4% ABV

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

The Sculpin showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon. The lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops. It won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup 2010 in the International Pale Ale category. The Sculpin fish has poisonous spikes on it's fins that can give a strong sting. Ironically, the meat from a Sculpin is considered some of the tastiest. Something that has a sting but tastes great, sounds like a Ballast Point India Pale Ale. 7.0% ABV  

Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

If you have fallen for the IPA style like we have, Big Eye will be a welcome addition to your repertoire.  You'll revel in Big Eye's bitter, hoppy flavor thanks to the American Columbus and Centennial hops that are used to flavor and dry hop our flagship IPA. We thank our hops every day that the English loved their bitters-or else the IPA style may not have been born to help the beer survive the journey from Cape Hope to India back in the 18th century. 7.0% ABV 

 

Ballast Point Pale Ale

Our Pale Ale is skillfully crafted in the style of the Kolsch beers of Cologne, Germany.  We've chosen German hops for aroma, and rounded out the recipe with a blend of American and German malts. While it is very much like a Pilsner, our Pale Ale is fermented at ale temperatures, giving it a subdued fruitiness-a perfect compliment to the crispness of the wheat and maltiness of the Munich malt. If you like a lighter brew but also like the complexity of craft beers, then our Pale Ale is for you. 4.6% ABV

Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter

Like dessert? You'll love this: Black Marlin Porter with apple pie a la mode-try it! Black Marlin is a rich, dark and chocolaty Porter with a distinctive American hop character. It is a great beer to go with hearty foods and is surprisingly one of the few beers that goes well with dessert.  We also invite you to blend Black Marlin with Big Eye IPA for a treat we like to call the Black Eye. 6.0% ABV

Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

Inspired by traditional English ESBs, our Calico Amber Ale is as American as it could be.  A rich complexity comes from four types of malt-but it's those distinct American hops that offer a crisp bitterness and unique floral aroma. To round out our traditional-English-yet-very-American Amber Ale, we use a proprietary yeast to develop a fruity, Madeira-like richness.  Try one today and find out what a gold medal beer tastes like! 5.5% ABV

Ballast Point Wahoo Wheat Beer

Summer days and ocean waves inspired our Belgian Witbier-styled Wahoo Wheat. Brewed to be light and refreshing with a unique citrus character that comes from adding orange peel and coriander to the boil. What gives our Wahoo Wheat-and other wheat beers-a hazy appearance is the unmalted wheat it's made from. A special yeast contributes to the refreshing tangy flavor-quite different from the banana and clovey Hefeweizens of Bavaria. 4.0% ABV

Ballast Point Victory at Sea

Two of the world's oldest beverages join forces to conquer your palate.  Victory at Sea embodies the art of masterful brewing by infusing a velvety Imperial Porter with pure vanilla flavor and specially selected, hand roasted coffee. The addition of cold brewed coffee to the beer lends a subtle roasted flavor to this robust imperial porter, blending perfectly with rich vanilla and caramel undertones.  By uniting two traditions, Caffe Calabria freshly brewed coffee and Ballast Point beer, we have successfully created an artisanal masterpiece. 10.0% ABV

Look out for returning favorites like Innis and Gunn Rum Cask and Innis and Gunn Spiced Rum Cask, and new products from locals like Cigar City and 7venth Sun. Soon to come: Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA.
*Check with your Brown sales representative for availability or products not available in certain areas 
BEER NEWS
Against the Grain: Sugar Puff Beer 

By: John Wright

 

It's not perhaps a beer for breakfast, but it is a breakfast beer. John Wright puts surplus cereal to good use in a light but full-flavoured bitter.

I hate waste, and spend a lot of time devising interesting ways of using kitchen scraps. No chicken carcass or leek top escapes my kitchen without being used in a stock, and all pastry off-cuts are turned into (largely inedible) jam tarts rather than being consigned directly to the bin.

 

A neglected box of Sugar Puffs whose contents have set into a solid, intractable lump is a fairly regular sight in our kitchen and it is only recently that I hit upon the (though I say so myself) rather brilliant idea of turning them into beer.

Provided they have not gone completely stale, using Sugar Puffs to make beer is not as mad as it sounds. Although barley is by far the most important cereal for beer-making other cereals are used too. Well-stocked bars will often have a few bottles of wheat beer sitting on their shelves and they are well worth trying.

For full article
Beer Barrel Beds: The Landhotel Hof Beverland Offers Intoxicating Accommodations 
By: Meghan Young

References: airbnb and neatorama
Visiting Germany may be novel enough for some, but for those looking for something a little more unique, a stay at the Landhotel Hof Beverland offers just that. Similar to Hotel Bahenec, it incorporates beer barrels in a strange way. Instead of bathing in beer, however, the guests at the Landhotel Hof Beverland will be able to sleep in a historic 19th century beer barrel.

Created in collaboration with a local brewery, Pott's, the Landhotel Hof Beverland introduced the three 'beer rooms' as a nod to the town of Ostbevern's rich lager past. Rented as a double or single bed, the beer room is filled with other related items that complement its main attraction.
 
For all pictures
How To Drink Craft Beer Smarter: Talk the craft brew talk. And drink some too. 

By: Joshua M. Bernstein 

 

Once upon a time, beer was beer. Quantity mattered over quality, with flavor riding backseat to booze and gimmicks. How else would you explain Phat Boy, the thankfully discontinued malt liquor made with ginseng?

 

But in the last three decades, America has undergone a slow seismic shift in its approach beer. Thirty-packs of watery Busch Light and longnecks of Bud have lost their luster, as novel beers that are as bitter as grapefruits, aged in bourbon barrels or even dosed with wild yeasts have slid into the spotlight. Collectively, these are craft beers, a term that'll likely leave you scratching your head.

 

According to industry group the Brewers Association (which orchestrates Denver's annual Great American Beer Festival), craft breweries, which are small, independent and traditional, make craft beers. To me, craft brewers are any breweries that make flavorful, unique beer that you'll never see advertised during the Super Bowl, whether it's made in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, or Italy. Here are six ways to drink craft beer smarter.


VOLUME 12
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Central Florida
In This Issue:
Upcoming Events
Against the Grain: Sugar Puff Beer
Beer Barrel Beds
How To Drink Craft Beer Smarter
Artichoke Rosotta with Prosciutto and Hennepin
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Featured Beer
Cocktail
  

Chocolate Orange Divina

Ingredients

- 12 oz Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout or another chocolate stout of your choice 

- 1 oz Grand Marnier or other triple sec 

 

Instructions

 

Pour the chocolate stout and orange liquer in a glass of your choice and stir. Take an orange peel and rub around the rim. Top with chocolate shavings. 

 
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Featured Recipe

Artichoke Risotto with Prosciutto and Hennepin

By: Aaron Clarke from The Herder's Cottage at the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown, NY

- 6 cups vegetable broth

- 3 Tbsp. butter

- 3 Tbsp. olive oil

- 2 shallots, chopped

- 16 oz. canned artichoke hearts

- 1 cup Arborio rice or medium-grain rice

- ½ cup Ommegang Hennepin (farmhouse saison) 

- 4 oz. of Prosciutto ham thinly sliced and diced

- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

- ¾ tsp. chopped fresh thyme

- 1 lemon, juiced


Bring vegetable broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep broth hot. Melt butter with olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add Hennepin and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add ¾ cup hot vegetable broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add the artichoke hearts and remaining hot vegetable broth ¾ cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese, Proscuitto ham, chopped fresh thyme and lemon juice. Serve warm.


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