Beer Review - Hefeweizen (Golden Road Brewing)

Golden Road Brewing's Hefeweizen

I love that opinions can change. I recently had a “Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA” from New Belgium Brewing that I thought was the tastiest, cleanest, most refreshing beer I had drank in years. Then I looked at my beer ranking data and discovered I had drunk it twice and for some reason thought it was vile. I questioned if the first location had bad lines that needed to be cleaned, but one of the drinks was from a can and one from a tap! And this is not the only time that on a hot day, this happened this summer.

“Hefeweizen” by Golden Road Brewing is a crushable 15 IBU, 5% ABV Hefeweizen style beer. The straw-colored liquid brings forward what one expects and needs from a Hefe, a little spice flavor, a lot of banana, and some sweetness that refreshes. All of this is played over the flavor of ale, letting you know it’s a beer and not a soda. I came away from this pint thinking it was a fantastic representation of a Hefe that is worthy of a super high ranking. That’s when I realized that the last time I had this beer at BaseLine, I rated it the lowest of the beers in a flight of four. These two incidents are great reminders, taste changes and so does the setting. On a day when this was mingled in a flight, I wasn’t a big fan. But on a day that I had a pint of it alone that was also super hot, it did nothing by refresh me.

Golden Road Brewing is a California-based brewery that is featured in the taps at BaseLine Taphouse. It was founded in 2011 and is inspired by the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Honestly, it might be the perfect match for Disneyland. But I can see how a taproom that wants to give Cally vibes would rely on the experienced and finished beers of a nearly 15-year-old brewery. Another thing I now love about this brewery is that it was founded by Meg Gill, one of the first female brewery founders. So not only is it a polished brewery, it is historical. 

Who Drinks This? The beertender laughed at me when I ordered this. I was choosing between two options, a really heavy IPA and “Hefeweizen.” He laughed that I could not find two more different beers on the menu. If it wasn’t for my ignorance of my past drinks, I would have chosen the IPA. But this really is a beer for those who want refreshment and sweetness on a hot day. The thick-looking liquid may not seem refreshing but it is. For those wishing to sample what a Hefeweizen-style beer can bring should consider “Hefeweizen” by Golden Road Brewing.

 

Brewery Review - Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company

It’s important to make your own impressions of a brewery. Due to vibes, taste, or offerings, you may not know if it’s a go-to or a pass until you go there yourself. I had really anticipated Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company in my head the last few weeks with their amusement park-inspired names, award-winning beer, fun happenings, and strong social media presence. Sadly for me, when I ask who drinks there…overall it’s not the best fit for me and my style preferences. 

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company was founded in 2017 in the Ivanhoe District of Orlando, right next to Ivanhoe Park. For beer lovers, it’s within an easy walking/driving distance from other Orlando Beer spots like GB Bottle Shop & Tasting Bar. It just feels like a beer and food rich area of Orlando. One could easily make a day of it enjoying Invanhoe and other locations. The site itself is an somewhat unassuming building with a small patio to the side. But best of all it has a lot of parking. But, it also has a lot of events on site, and the parking lot was not available to us as they setup for an event later in the day. We parked across the street at a park, one we hoped we were allowed to park at and walk over.

The tap room is very well lite, but perhaps a little small. While there is a bar for seating, there were not a lot of tables which surprised me. We sat at a large table that had some fairly uncomfortable wooden seats that I did not enjoy…and maybe set my mood. It’s possible they encourage patrons to sit outside. But this space was being prepped for an event and sometimes in Florida you just want to enjoy the AC. 

The Ivanhoe Park Brewing Bar

My drinking companion enjoyed a “Pineapple Hard Seltzer” and I do mean enjoy. It was the hit of the table. Really in the land of Dole Whip, every brewery needs to have a pineapple flavored beer on the regular! This seltzer did the job, especially for someone who does not like beer as much as me.

Since I had never been here, I took on a flight. 

The Flight

• “Barrel Aged Bold Red Lip: My buddy says every brewery has their 3.25 rated Red Ale. This number exceeded that for me. The barrel really gave it a sweet mellow taste that was easy to drink and enjoy. As I look back at it now I am shocked to see a 9% ABV, as the taster went down so much easier than I expected. And it was likely my favorite beer of the flight. But I do love bourbon barrels and what they can do to beer!

• “Park Hopp’r”: From what I’ve seen this is a flagship pilsner. I found this 5 ABV beer to be a little funky. And this was the beginning of me realizing that my tastes and Ivanhoe may not be aligned. The beer reminded me of what I would remember of a “Miller High Life” which I’ve not had in at least a decade. It just didn’t fit me…despite the fact I think this is one of the best beer names in the Orlando area. I attribute this to what I view as a more Belgian flavor profile, highlighted by German hops and malts. Most Beligan style beers, or what I think are Beligan, don’t work for my tastebuds.

• “Joyland American IPA”: Every brewery needs a flagship IPA. They all generally taste the same to me, with a nice crushable balance of hops. This is a 7 ABV IPA with no IBUs? An IPA with no bittering. Tastewise, it’s a funky Pale Ale to me. Yeah, funky again! In looking over the website, the Head Brewer’s name of origin is Holland (per the internet) which totally explains potential influence. I do love the name of this beer, it’s historic and tips it’s hat to the tourist industry of the area. Joyland was originally an amusement park on Lake Ivanhoe. None of these brews have a reported IBU!

• “Tupac Skaporter:”: This porter is a great representation of the porter style. It’s rich and malty with a 7.3% ABV. This is a good example of the style, no funk, and would make every Englishman proud, at least beer drinking ones who like the style.

• “Masquerade: And we have a White Stout my friends. This was a freebie taster as it was accidentally poured and the excellent beertender wanted me to sample it. It has a 6% ABV, is sweet, and not surprising funky. The idea of a light colored stout has typically not worked for me as a style, and the funk is not for me.

Overall, Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company is not my favorite Orlando area brewery. I think for what it wants to achieve, it’s professional and making beers to style. But they are not the types of beers I generally go for as I like more crisp and shocking to me piney brews. 

Who Drinks Here? First and foremost, if you are creating your own beer tour in the Ivanhoe Park area, you will need to stop. Second, if you enjoy Belgian styles and you want something locally made, stop here. Finally, I do love the names of the brews, and if you are a parkhopper maybe you’d want a “Park Hopp’r”. I am glad that I checked it off my ride ticket, but I have other attractions I personally need to visit before I return. 

Beer Review - La 150° Ambrata

A pint of La 150° Ambrata

I’m working on it, but apparently, I am a beer snob. I like craft, dark, thick, high ABV beers. What I don’t reach for are generally lagers and pils so far away from the beers that I love. AND I’M SUPER OUTSPOKEN ABOUT IT! But maybe there are gateway brews to get me back to those as I have heard so many times that lagers are the favorite beers of brewers and the hardest to achieve as there is no latitude for error!

I was walking the World Showcase with friends. While wandering, some of the members of our group noticed a wine cart in Italy that was selling something with Limoncello and they were in. Now, I had never considered Italian beer as it’s not pizza, pasta, or calzone! But since I was making a purchase, I thought I would add something for myself and grabbed a “La 150° Ambrata”. I had never heard of it, so at least it was something new!

“La 150° Ambrata” is listed as a Red Lager. It is Amber in color, though the light tones still allow you to see light through the pint. There are some darker malts used to achieve the color, which also provides a nice sweet yet bready flavor. And with 30 IBUs, the hops play nicely with that malt, creating a nice balance that lets you know you are drinking something substantial. Yeah, Red Lager!

Wait, what’s a Red Lager? That’s a Marzen? How do we know Marzen? Oktoberfest! But this is an Italian beer brewed by Birra Menabrea, not a German roll-out-the-barrel Octoberfest. Also, it’s not July when those hit the market as they keep coming out earlier and earlier every year. Marzens have traditionally been brewed in spring, with darker malt and more hops than traditional lager to help the flavor stick till it was drunk in the fall. But really, Marzen is a dark lager brewed by lager brewers. And while this is not a German Marzen, Piedmont the home of the brewery, is a northern Italian region that borders Switzerland, which borders Germany, and geographically, Europe as Epcot shows are countries just footsteps away. So, with many of us having our favorite American Octoberfests, do we not have room in our hearts for Italy?

Speaking of Birra Menabrea, it was established in 1846 in the foothills of the Alps. It is still run by the great-great-great-grandson of the founder, making it a true legacy family business. Birra Menabrea is Italy’s oldest brewery.

With a ABV of 5%, this was super drinkable strolling around the World! The biggest lesson we learned, Disney PhotoPass photographers are more than happy to take pictures with you and your beverages. They will set you up for a cheers picture. However, they won’t create a Magic Shot for you where Olaf joins you for an adult beverage!

Who Drinks This?: I have often complained that there Octoberfest season is too short! Americans, we love and drink barrels and barrels of Samual Adams Octoberfest. If you like the Sam Adams flagship, reach for a Yuengling Octoberfest, it’s just a little more flavorful and biscuity! But if at home, you enjoy the fall beer season, at Epcot a visit to Italy will let you love that style all year long, even if you are not in Germany! “La 150° Ambrata” is also a beer for beer snobs, who need to work their way towards lighter styles, one space on the color wheel at a time!

Grazie!

Venue Review - Steakhouse 71 Lounge Bar

Steakhouse 71 Lounge Bar

I don’t think Disney’s website is clear enough.


I don’t think a lot of food review sites are as transparent as a simple guy from the Midwest needs.


So let me spell it out!


STEAKHOUSE 71 LOUNGE IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE! I only screamed because I was trying to find out if there was a virtual waitlist, physical waitlist, or other system or code to get a seat at the bar or the nearby couches. It is walk up. You see a seat, you take a seat…it’s yours! Easy peasy my friends.


We had heard a lot about Steakhouse 71 and the Lounge with statements that it was the best burger at Walt Disney World. So after an enjoyable morning in the Magic Kingdom, we monorailed over to the Contemporary. Then we grabbed directions from the Disney Vacation Club desk to Steakhouse 71, I am convinced this cast member’s duty is solely to serve as my personal concierge at this resort hotel despite the fact I have no connection to DVC. We reached the lobby area, walked to the host stand, and were informed we could take any empty space behind the partition that blocked the stand from the lounge. We emerged on the other side expecting to find guests jostling for positions…what we found instead on this Sunday early afternoon was a lot of seating with us taking an entire end of the bar.


My delightful date selected a cocktail, the “French 71” which is a cocktail with cognac, prosecco, and pear nectar which was the real reason she grabbed it. And it fulfilled all her hopes. I did consider a cocktail myself, with the bourbon-based “Cocoa Boulevardier” or “Curious Cold Brew” catching my eyes. 

A Pint of Key West Sunset Ale

But I am here for the pints! There were only three beers on tap all of them in shades of yellow and gold. “Jai Alai” led the list as the one IPA. They also had the “3 Daughters St. Pete Beach Blond Ale” from Saint Petersburg of course, which I saw a non-adventurous drinker ordering. I selected the Florida Beer Company “Key West Sunset Ale”, a traditional Pale Ale. It’s a beer that tastes like beer with a light hop bite, at 16 IBUs. It is kind of like a light IPA as it does not hit too hard. I could likely drink a second at 5% ABV. It reminded me of when Pale Ales, especially Summit’s “Extra Pale Ale” or Surly’s “Xtra Pale Ale”, were beer staples for me. I also do like the fact that all three draft options are local Flordia beers, whereas the packaged options lean closer to macro brews.

The Stack Burger...Worth the Hype!

But wait, we were really here for the food. We grabbed a Loaded Macaroni and Cheese. This Mac has a nice bacon flavor to it, and I liked it more than Nomad Lounge’s Lobster Mac and Cheese. But my date disagreed on all points. We had discussed Lump Crab Cakes, but the bartender warned they were somewhat small. We also got the Stack Burger, which with its’ Lemon Aioli and Pork Belly is truly everything that was been promised. It truly is in contention for Walt Disney World’s best burgers.


Who Drinks Here? Anyone who wants a great burger should drink here. Everyone who needs a bite near the Magic Kingdom should look for an empty seat! If you like craft cocktails, you are likely to find something fun here. But if you are looking for the best beer bar at Walt Disney World, you likely need to find a different barstool.

Beer Review - Surabat Valley Harvest Brew

Surabat Valley Harvest Brew

I’m a pretty big Star Wars fan…but I have no idea where Surabat Valley is!

Apparently, it’s a tiny settlement on Battuu known for its wildness and remote location. It’s named after Ariana Surabat, an explorer who helped discover Batuu and helped establish it as an important trading post in the Other Rim. And as someone who has read books on Galaxy’s Edge and been there several times, well this is all new to me! This shows that while Disney created a unique Star Wars world, they may not have set up a story to share the land's secrets. But hey, is “Surabat Valley Harvest Brew”, the secret gem of Star Wars’ beers?

“Surabat Valley Harvest Brew” is a 4.5 ABV, 7 IBU gose kettle sour style beer. It is described as tart, salty, with a watermelon flavor. Honestly, many kettle sours for me can be fundamentally just tart and puckery. I have friends and family who love these styles, but for many of them, I grab it, my lips pucker and I’ve had my one sip. “Surabat Valley Harvest Brew” for me however didn’t create the physical puckering. It does have a light tartness to it, which let me know it is gose. It also has a light watermelon flavor to it that is matched with saltiness and reminds me of being a kid and sprinkling salt on fresh-cut watermelon. And then the third flavor of beer backs up the entire brew, yes it has beer flavor in this beer.

The brew is crafted by Terrapin Beer Co., which also makes “Hawkes’ Grog Ale”. While they may not have the corner on sci-fi specialty beers, they do seem to own the corner on fruity-styled space beers. “Surabat Valley Harvest Brew” does a much better job of featuring the fruit than Avatarbeer, which is shockingly still not blue.

The warning is always, sour can mean lots of things. Some sours, like gose and berliner weisse, can be truly puckery and too much for some. But if you have been buying a lot of sours loaded with fruit or milkshake style, they could be more like a fruit juice or smoothie, so read your menus carefully. This beer is not a smoothie, it’s a beer.

Who Drinks This? You’re at Oga’s Cantina or picking up a Ronto Wrap at the stand on Batuu. Batuu is always hot, there are two suns. So you want something refreshing, light, and fruity, this is your beer. It does have tones of beer, but it’s not going to weigh you down in the same way as a “Bad Motivator IPA” my favorite Star Wars beer. Sour fans, of the puckery kind, can also enjoy it as they will get that tartness. For some, it could be an entry-level sour-style beer. It is worth a try, but likely not for everyone.

But if you want a beer that screams Star Wars lore, you will likely ask yourself Ariana who and reach for a different galactic brew.

Brewery Review - Ten10 Brewing Company

 

A brewery or the local water hole?

As I thought about spending more time drinking in Orlando, honestly websites were pretty sketch on what the best breweries were, what they specialized in, and where were the best places to visit. With friends suggesting Ten 10 Brewing Company, even though I have been reading about breweries for a year…I knew nothing. I wondered what was in store with this mystery brew.

The outside was a fairly beige bland building displaying just a few, not super large signs alerting visitors that Ten10 was inside. It fits into the surrounding block, with some street-side parking, and a matching building that felt like I was in a more established Orlando neighborhood. The busy interior made me feel like I just walked into an older local joint, even older than its 2015 establishment. If I didn’t know this was a brewery, I may have defaulted to assuming it was a neighborhood bar. And I will continue to say local, local, local…this felt so much like a joint where folks who lived nearby could walk over, sit down, and order a drink using the well liquor. And with me seeing a sign for Marlot, well maybe there were mixed drinks to order. There were wine and non-alcoholic options. Seriously, if you have a Marlot sign there MUST BE Marlot available, right?

I went for two drinks. First, was the stout that my guide wanted, “Santa’s White Christmas”, a Golden Stout with a 7% ABV and a 0 ABV. I love big stouts and porters, I do not generally enjoy white stouts, with my old local giving my most consistent experience. This one was sweet and pleasant, though I would not say stout. Maybe the golden color confused my pallet. It was solid, maybe my favorite of the three white stouts I have drunk. Maybe by this time next year, that number will be up to four!

Santa's White Christmas

For a second drink, I grabbed “East West IPA”, an American IPA, with a 7% ABV (hey a theme), and 65 IBU. Allow me to say this dark straw-colored liquid does 100% of what it must do. East West is the flagship IPA that every brewery needs. It’s a standard hop-flavored bite, that is a standard IPA. I’d argue that it’s Cigar City’s “Jai Lai”, Surly’s “Furious”, or Founder’s “All Day IPA”. Every brewery needs one. When they fail to produce one, I worry about the production side of the house. But here it is, a beer that tells me this is a solid brewing staff who understand the assignment. And regardless of what my drinking companions believe, many people like IPAs and it’s because of flagships like “East West”. 

East West IPA

There are food options, gourmet hot dogs and sandwiches. I was told that the spent grain pretzel was wonderful, and it would have been a great addition to go with “East West”. Everyone loves, or should love, a really big soft warm pretzel.

Who Drinks Here? Did I mention that Ten10 feels super local? I don’t think you will find a unicorn beer on these taps. And it’s definitely not a must-visit for tourists who love craft beer. Instead, I think if you want to feel like you are escaping the tourist traps of Central Florida, Ten10 Brewing Company will offer you a local feel and the beer that scratches a craft niche. My visit was on a mixed night of friends and bad news, and the local feel pre-gamed me for a solid night. I can see myself visiting again, especially to get a pretzel!

Beer Review Lägermaiz

 

Lägermaiz Next to World Showcase Lagoon

I love running down a rabbit hole!

When this day started I thought I would write a history on corn beer or Chicha de Jora. I mean, the grain in some locations is traditionally chewed to prepare the mash. And in the United States, we have often debated the use of corn as a supplement to grain in our beers. Is your pilsner secretly hiding corn? Only your brewer may truly know! Corn and beer is just an interesting topic.

As I’ve looked at the drafts available at La Cantina de San Angel in Epcot and found myself intrigued. On my last visit, I grabbed the Hercules draft which is "Lägermaiz", a corn-based beer. Okay, this is clearly not a chewed corn beer, as it’s a very light yellow with no cloudiness. "Lägermaiz" is a crushabale 5 ABV with no IBUs. The taste to me came off as a light lager (beer which tastes like beer) with a touch of sweetness from the corn that pleased me as a boy from the Midwest. It was smooth and pleasing overall. I think this is accessible to drinkers on all levels as it’s not bitter and is very refreshing. 

Ignore corn, I was introduced Hercules or Hercules Brewing was a mystery to me. Compañía Cervecera Hércules S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican brewery that I have never heard of! Their website is only in Spanish but shows a lot of canned beers to choose from, pictures of an outdoor seating area, and some delightful photos from around the city. They are images that make me want to take a vacation to Mexico! Since I don’t speak Spanish and am lazy, I asked Chat GPT to tell me about the brewery..and then I laughed again:

“Compañía Cervecera Hércules S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican brewery company that produces and markets various types of beer. Here are some key points about Compañía Cervecera Hércules:

1. Location: The company is based in Mexico.

2. History: Compañía Cervecera Hércules has a history of brewing beer, likely dating back several years.

3. Products: The company produces a range of beer products, which may include different styles such as lagers, ales, and specialty brews.

4. Market Presence: While specific details about their market share or distribution network are not provided, Compañía Cervecera Hércules likely competes in the Mexican beer market alongside other well-known breweries.

5. Mission and Values: The company likely has its own mission statement and values that guide its operations, focusing on quality brewing, customer satisfaction, and possibly social responsibility initiatives (OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (3.5) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com).”

Every company should have mission and values right? Maybe AI is a little behind on taking over the Earth!

But seriously, this is what I love! I know very little about Compañía Cervecera Hércules S.A. de C.V.! But Epcot is introducing me to a beverage and brewery that I’ve never run into in my entire life. And with a small number of check-ins and ratings in Untappd, my bet is Epcot is a place where many are stumbling onto this brew. To me, this is part of the mission of Epcot, bringing the world to guests and helping us see a larger connected world! This is exactly what I am looking for at Epcot Festivals and don’t get enough of. Bravo Mickey!

Who Drinks This? There are so many options. If you are in the Mexico Pavilion, let’s say awaiting a showing of Luminous, "Lägermaiz" is refreshing and a good beverage to wash down a dinner or pre-nighttime speculator evening nightcap. If you are a beer nerd who likes to sample various styles and different new to you breweries, you can use this beer to check off two items. And finally, for those super into the mission and spirit of Epcot, cheers!