Beercasm - Drink Respectfully

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Never buy bar glasses again.

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What is on the way.

If you are reading this, then you are a loyal reader and have my sincerest thanks. I mean this from the bottom of my heart. This blog was something I made for me. Something I made to better my taste in beer, better my ability to write and develop new skills. In all of these facits, it has been a success. Although my girlfriend still has been a great editor for me. The reason I am writing another non-review post is because there is a change coming to beercasm.com. A change that may make this blog be no more. But at the same time, much larger.

I've always have had larger hopes for this small beer blog. But for those hopes to be fulfilled I had to have a destination, a team and a course to reach my goal. All of these criteria have been fulfilled. 

So I am proud to announce that I have begun work on developing a site that will give a voice to those of you who wish to discuss beer in addition to other similar topics that will be revealed at a later date.

While this won't be the first site of its type, I hope to make it the most interactive, entertaining, successful and community based site of its kind. Those of you who take the time to read this far will be the ones who will have a chance to help shape this dream. Email me at [email protected] expressing your wish to be a Beta tester for the site and you will get exclusive access to the site in its infancy. 

Thank you for taking this journey with me and I hope you will take this plunge into something new and exciting.

Cheers,

Zach.

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Pacifico

Rating: 

Brewer: Grupo Modelo S.A. de C.V.

Type: Lager

ABV: 4.8%

Color: Straw Yellow

Review: I hadn't tried a Mexican beer in a while and decided it was time when I ordered this particular travesty. It was poured into a mug and had a white head that dissipated quickly with no lace. One sniff and I was sold this was a bad choice. It's scent was as if someone boiled corn in a tin can and then poured it into a beer bottle. I was not excited.

It's mouth feel is similar to soda water. Goes down with a very slight bitterness...barely. This beer is very unexceptional when it comes to taste matching the corn and slight metallic taste. There is no reason to go for this if you are looking to mix it up from Corona, you'll just be disappointed. You'll be hard pressed to find me drinking one of these again. I wouldn't drink it if it was the only mexican beer at the bar, on Cinco De Mayo.... in Mexico. 

Cheers.

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Carnivale

Rating: 

Price Range: $$$ - $$$$

Address: 702 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60661

Hours:  Mon - Tue:11:30 am-2:30 pm 5:00 pm-11:00 pm Wed - Thu:11:30 am-2:30 pm 5:00 pm-12:00 am Fri:11:30 am-2:30 pm 5:00 pm-1:00 am Sat:5:00 pm-1:00 am Sun:5:00 pm-10:00 pm

Website: http://www.carnivalechicago.com/

Review: When a good time was needed, Carnivale delivered. This bar and restaurant was a refreshing change of pace from the routine, typical pub. Don't get me wrong, a small Irish style pub will always feel like home. But after visiting Carnivale in Chicago, I want to celebrate the brazilian holiday from which this colorful location gets its namesake.

When I walked in I felt as if I was in some sort of circus tent made of wood. The bar, pictured right, was tended by a gentleman, who appeared to be as colorful as the walls themselves. His handlebar mustache, vest and short tie would make him stand out in any place but there. In this instance, it was my family who appeared to be dressed inappropriately, in what now seemed like muted colors. The service was impecable both at the bar and when we reached our table. Before we sat however, I took the liberty of exploring the building. The character of the restaurant truly carries throughout, reaching even the restrooms. I imagined that the kitchen looked like something out of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. The latin cuisine was great and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great meal.

Returning though to this section's primary intent, to review bars. Carnivale's bar is a stop not to be missed. Whatever your usual preferred watering hole is, take a vacation and enjoy this colorful party. Your wooden stool at the local dive is not going anywhere... I promise.

Cheers.

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Daisy Cutter

Rating: 

Brewer: Half Acre

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 5.2

Color: Deep Copper

Review:  Wow. This beer took me by surprise. Move out of the way Magic Hat #9... Daisy Cutter steals the show when it comes to American Pale Ales. Top Score. Here's why.

The scent when poured was flowery with hints of citris... all too appropriate given the name. The head was large and lingered before dissipating into a thin white line. It had a medium mouth feel with a crisp feel on the tongue. Went down very smooth with a flavorful hit of bitterness at the end. The taste was a great balance of bright citrus hops with hints of malt in the background.

When this beer came in a tallboy I felt I was cheating myself. Let the record state that I think cans ruin a good beer and that bottle and draft are the only way to go...I'd like to hear the opposing argument. I stand by that statement, but this Chicago brewed beer powered through and jumped up onto my list of favorites. 

Cheers.

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I want to steal your ideas.

I wanted to give you all another opportunity to express what you would like to see from this site. Feel free to think outside the box! Whatever content you'd like to see I'm sure is worth considering. So would you like to see:

Videos: Where I either, explain a review, beer facts, a brewspaper article or how to play a game.

More Posts of any specific category.

Webcomic: Poorly illustrated misadventures of brew loving characters.

OR SOMETHING ELSE?

And if YOU would like to join in on the fun email me your suggestions at [email protected] or tweet @Beercasm, or just comment on this post below! I'm also looking for people interested in being a part of the site. Writers, Designers, what have you... if you want to join the party just message me and we'll see if there's a place for you.

Cheers!

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Pong Beer. 

This is a thing. http://www.pongbeerusa.com/

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Reserved.

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Hopslam Ale

Rating: 

Brewer: Bell's Brewery, Inc.

Type: Imperial IPA

ABV: 10.0

Color: Golden Orange

Review: This beer is one of the ones I heard was really good before I tried it. I mean hop (god I'm clever) over to BeerAdvocate after this just see how hyped up this beer really is. So when I was at the grocery store and there was announcement they had some in stock I was intrigued and went for it. I mean seriously who announces when they have six packs of something bad? Other than drunks who just made it to 7-11 before midnight...

This beer is not for the faint of heart. It has a strong bitter bite to it. If you aren't used to hoppy beers then when you try this you won't be able to taste much else at first, thats how strong it is. The bottle says it will bruise your tongue and the bitter after taste lives up to that. But if your palate can take a bitter IPA then you'll enjoy this beer. It has a great two finger foam head when poured and smells like a blend of citrus and fruit.

The mouthfeel is crisp but because it has some honey in it there's some creaminess to it, which makes for a very interesting taste. The infusion of the citris flavor is palpable in the midst of the bitterness. When you consider this beer has an ABV of 10% the bitterness is surprisingly bearable. You need to try this at some point if your a true beer lover, especially if your a hophead. If you're a casual drinker, try it but don't be surprised if it's a bit much for you if you don't have Imperial IPAs at least occasionally.

Cheers.

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Where have I been?

Yeah that bar has bras hanging from the ceiling. Now that I have your attention. Yeah I've been kind of out and about lately so I'm sorry I haven't released any recent posts....like you've noticed. Any way I figured I'd at least tell you a little about everything to at least keep your interest. Unless you're already gone... I'm guessing most people left when they realized this wouldn't be about ceiling bras.

So I traveled to Florida for a bit with the family. Had a great time did the whole disney universal thing and really enjoyed myself. I even reviewed a bar while down there. Check it out. Throughout my time down there I was still working on my job search. Believe it or not my drinking and reviewing beers doesn't seem to be throwing cash into my bank account. I don't know why someone hasn't designed me T Shirts and opened me a PayPal account to make money of them with yet. I think this relationship of ours is very one sided. In any case the Job hunt may be coming to a happy ending soon so wish me luck.

Speaking of luck (groan) St Patty's was a blast. I was back in Chicago in time to enjoy the green river with my lady Katrina. She's awesome by the way. Seriously, I am very much in love with her and she hasn't caught on to the fact that I'm very much troubled in my brain area. She seems to have no problem with me constantly saying Winter is Coming for no apparent reason. We might name a puppy Sean Bean some day. Whoever got that reference may drink a beer on me. And I mean literally on me. You have to find me in person explain the reference and then I will allow you to use me as a coaster for a short period of time. Don't milk it.

So my Katrine (I'm trying out the nick name baby) and I bar hopped around Chicago after enjoying the green river. We hit up some places I found enertaining, Harry Carey's was a decent and expectantly crowded, Dick's Last Resort is the bar with the ceiling cleavage seen above. But the best spot was when we went to the Elephant and Castle. This place was the perfect pub for St Pattys. We met colorful characters there but none matched this guy Rob. Rob spoke randomly about me being an Immigrant (From Virginia?) when I passed him in the bathroom. He later bought both Katrina and I several rounds before we tried to leave to catch the train home. He protested and proceeded to take my phone and purchase us a hotel room with his card. Insane? Yes. Rob was insane. He was a great time and stuck with him as long as possible. But eventually reason stupidly prevailed. I can't rationalize to people hoping for a better story why we didn't stay just to chronicle Rob's shenanigans or why we didn't take the equally long train ride to our distant hotel instead of going home... especially on St. Patrick's Day. All I can say for certain is that we had a blast the whole day and fell asleep before we could finish Game of Thrones. Winter is Coming. (Coming deserves the Grammatically incorrect capitalization at all times proceeding Winter is.)

So I'm back. I'm going to try and update more often. I have a couple post already written that just need to be uploaded. I look forward to giving you goofy amateur reviews with a false sense of distinguishness. (That isn't a word.) For proof please enjoy me holding a not fancy glass in an almost fancy way, observe the pinky.

Pathetic really.

Cheers.

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World of Beer

Rating: 

Price Range: $ - $$$$

Address: 7800 Dr. Phillips Blvd Orlando, FL 32819

Hours:  12:00pm to 2:00am

Website: http://drphillips.wobusa.com/

Review: I had a pretty terrific experience during my time in Florida. I visited Disney, Universal and a little of Orlando itself during my one week stay. I got a chance to hit up bars at Downtown Disney and Epcot’s World Showcase and I was very satisfied with both experiences. But for my fellow craft beer (a term a disney bartender tried to convince me did not exist) lovers, the stop you want to make is at World of Beer.

I’ve never encountered this particular chain, when I stopped in with my party I was expecting a Buffalo Wild Wings experience but with a beer variety instead of wings. While that comparison isn’t technically wrong, it doesn’t do it justice. Mainly because I think Buffalo Wild Wings sucks. I mean the wings? Great, get them, then leave. Take them home. Don't stay. Every single one is filthy. They look like they moved all the kids stuff out of a chuck-e-cheese painted the walls but forgot to vacuum or clean the floors. Yeah but the take out? No complaints.

Back to business.. World of Beer is a great stop for anyone who wants to find out exactly what kind of beer they like. It’s perfect for both easygoing drinkers and beer snobs alike. The bottle and draft beer lists are both extensive and you’ll find at least one thing that you’ve been dying to try or maybe even your new favorite. The staff was patient with my table as some of us were indecisive at best. Starting off with a flight or a sure thing is a good idea if you want to stay their for lots of tasting. After all, WOB doesn’t serve any food so beer will be your beverage, appetizer, main course and desert. 

WOB is set up like a sports bar and would be a great place to watch any game you have in mind Just make sure you remember this one detail. They do not serve any food whatsoever. You can bring in your own though, or order some pizza which in a way is almost a better option then most alternatives. In fact... get B Dubs to go and take it to WOB. DONE. I just gave you a great night. God this blog is so worth all of our time.

Cheers.

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RAM

Rating: 

Address: 700 N Milwaukee Avenue Wheeling, IL 60090

Hours: Monday - Sunday | 11am - Close

Website: http://www.theram.com/

Review: This bar/restaurant/brewery turned out to be quite the watering hole when my girlfriend and I were looking for a place for a quick drink. We stepped in to find a gorgeous establishment that made me worried we had walked into a place too classy for my hooded sweatshirt and red shoes that shout “Look at how not dressed up I am.” The large bar, padded booths and live music would be enough to impress me, but the top shelf liquor was impressive, not to mention how high the shelves really went.

This place was crowded, and I mean with a real crowd. The bar felt like a party we had walked into with an energy that would make you think the attendees were far younger than they looked. We ended up sitting at a less crowded side bar where we received excellent service. This bar was also amazing to the eye and I was concerned that my fears of overly classy might ring true and I’d have to almost warn you readers to dress up. But then my beer sampler arrived and I saw it. The thing that made me realize this place had attitude. SPUNK even. Their amber ale was titled quite simply: “Butt Face.” You read that right. This classy well decorated brewery named one of their beers something your kid sister probably named you in kindergarden. If I had worn a tie, I’d have loosened it at this moment.

The beers were great. I’d give just about all of them another go and most likely will for my beer review section. Overall this place is a great experience and you could do far worse. The beers are very reasonably priced and you aren’t drinking run of the mill stuff. I’d definitely suggest this place as a stop for anyone looking for a fun and classy not trashy place.

Cheers.

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Budweiser Big Game Commercial

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Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale

Rating: 

Brewer: Flying Dog Brewery

Type: Pale Ale

ABV: 5.5

Color: Clear Copper Amber

Review: Here goes. Let's see if I can review this without making too many dirty jokes, I've heard "that's what she said" too many times in my short life. Most will enjoy this beer but not as much as it's namesake...damn bad start. 

The beer pours with a strong white head. It has a fruity aroma that hints it would have a similarly infused malty flavor, but instead theres a delicate hoppy taste with a very bitter finish. Essentially it's delicate on the front end and stronger on the back end....damn.

I like the Flying Dog brand and this beer truly is enjoyable. I doubt it will be my favorite of all their beers but it's still a good choice for any kind of drinker. On a final note I want to point out that if you want to try a Flying Dog beer make sure you appreciate the little visual aids they put on every pack so you have a better idea of what your getting. It's a good thing too because the art is so crazy you'd think you're about to drink LSD.

Cheers.

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Long Haul Session Ale

Rating: 

Brewer: Two Brothers Brewing Company

Type: English Bitter Ale

ABV: 4.2

Color: Shag Tobacco Brown

Review: Miss me? Yeah I know it's been a while and no one has been waiting for me to drink and review a beer more than yours truly. So let me take my mind off of how bad the job market is and tell you about this pretty damn good beer.

Poured in the glass above and it has a strong thick head with staying power. This beer was surprisingly not a disappointment after the waitress compared it to my beloved Fat Tire. It's light mouth feel complimented its oaky taste that hits your tongue fast. It follows through with a hoppy bitter aftertaste. 

It's a damn enjoyable beer that you could enjoy taking your time with but it's not so heavy that you'll even think of switching to something lighter if you order another round. Hense it's called a "session ale." Now we can all say we learned something.

Cheers.

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Gives a whole new meaning to getting bombed.