Thursday, January 30, 2025

Beer Review - Lost Coast Brewery’s “Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout"

A purple dragin with a crown drinking a pint of stout.


As Lord Figment, ruler of Epcot welcomes guests to the first festival of 2025, we know I am searching for beer. Now, at the The Artist’s Table in the American Adventure pavilion, I’ve heard some chatter about Wicked Weed’s “Pineapple Daydream IPA.” Now, I love me Dole Whip, but I was fooled once by Wicked Weed with a Pineapple IPA where I just couldn't really find the pineapple hidden in dankness. So Pass! But as I grabbed the Deviled Egg Trio I also saw a stout and I jumped in. 

A pint of Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout sitting on a picnic table.
Lost Coast's "Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout"


Lost Coast Brewery’s “Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout” is one of a few milk stouts that are offered at the 2025 Festival of the Arts…or FARTS (school kids all chuckle)! “Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout” is a 5.6% ABV with 21 IBU milk stout, though I didn’t really catch any hop bite. The sips are malty to give a light chocolate flavor or a light dark sweet bread. The peanut butter is balanced but not overwhelming. A milk stout has the addition of lactose which does make this brew a little sweeter than a normal stout, but not overly sweet (a theme). And the lactose makes it super silky on the palette. On a cool festival night, it’s a nice addition.

But, it’s not my favorite peanut butter stout ever. I’ve been raised on Minnesota’s Dangerous Man "Peanut Butter Porter"! That brew explodes with chocolate and peanut butter. I’ve added small portions of it to a regular porter, and instantly made it a peanut butter bomb. I’ll confess that beer was so thick and filling, that I couldn't even make a dent in a second pint bought the first night I had it. So not to be a pain, my festival sips were a little light for me.

Now, my drinking companion made an audible gasp with their first sips and found it to be a milky peanut butter chocolate. But if you are sharing my tastes, it was a light not overly sweet peanut butter brew. I think they found the flavors to be sweeter and stronger.

Lost Coast Brewery is nearer to Disneyland than Epcot, founded in 2014 in Eureka, California. For a brewery that I have never tasted before, they have some impressive capacity, with 225,000 cans and bottles and 800 kegs produced daily. They do this through what many breweries would die for, a state-of-the-art and highly efficient facility. And after ten years, it is a production that I assume had dialed in their recipes for their high-tech equipment. While they have some seasonals, it looks like they have focused on a core lineup. Honestly, I love getting a taste from so far away.
 

Who Drinks This? If you like stouts or milk stouts, you won’t be disappointed. It is also a beer you can consider if you want to try this style, as it drinks smooth but is not overwhelming in flavors, unlike Dangerous Man’s peanut butter classic! This beer is out there in cans in some U.S. markets, and I can see it being a nice drinkable stout for get-togethers and hangouts.

Friday, January 24, 2025

Beer Review - Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

 

A tulip glass filled with dark black Blanton Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
"Blanton Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout"


Let’s use a cliche!

If there is one fan of Goose Island’s “Bourbon County Stout” it’s me. If there are no fans, I am dead! “Bourbon County Stout”, which you can get nearly everywhere in the fall, is the beer that really started my fascination with beer and Imperial Stouts that have been aged in barrels. But they are expensive to make with higher ingredient costs, smaller batches, and longer brew times. These are expensive beers that have lower profit margins, so I was resigned to the fact that maybe one would show up at a festival since these beers scare some drinkers. Or hey, I can live with the mass-produced, “Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.” I mean I’m not drinking it at home, but sometimes a barrel is a barrel. But find my unicorns on Disney property, I don’t think so.

I walked into Polite Pig and saw it. “Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout” was the pricey seasonal on tap. It cost more, and it was a smaller pour (it always is because these are higher ABV), and it called my name.

I confidently walked up and ordered this tulip of beer. The server looked at me approvingly, like there’s a bold drinker. Or maybe it was, hey we can finally move some of this. I joked about taking some home, she started to tell me I could but then made a comment about “opening it” which made me think it was canned or bottled instead of being on tap. What a world! A craft made Imperial Stout on Disney property. I was living the dream.

“Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout” by Ravenous Pig Brewing Company, the Polite Pig’s sibling brewery, is an 11% ABV and 46 IBU imperial stout. It was brewed and then placed into Blanton’s bourbon barrels to live and soak up the character of wood and remains of the bourbon qualities of the Blanton’s that was born there. I have to use “Bourbon County Stout” as my comparison. It is definitely more bitter than the Goose Island original releases of the last two years, and I enjoy that sweetness found in the original barrel-aged imperial stout. The hop bitters lead the taste, with some oak from the barrel, giving me more dryness than sweetness in this dark-colored liquid elixir. It reminds me of a hoppy Surly “Darkness” variant I had a few years ago that was a special one-time keg. I was surprised I could find a quality imperial on property and found it fit well with my lunch.

A plate with Polite Pig's brisket sandwhich with a side of brussel sprouts next to a tulip of dark Blanton Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
A Winning Lunch!


That being said, no one else in my group wanted to touch it. They all wanted beer-colored beer or mixed drinks.

But me, I was surprised by a location that I already had a high opinion of because I was able to order something I never expected to see. That’s a magical Disney Springs type of day! 

Who Drinks This? Me! I think if you are someone who enjoys “Bourbon County Stout” you should grab one while it’s there to compare how it hits your palate. Who knows how long it will be on menu? In Central Florida, imperial stouts tend to linger on menus longer than what I have seen in the Midwest as those drinkers tend to view these as very special releases. Despite the care put into these beers, I am well aware that the price, style, dark malty color, and even flavor for some can be an obstacle. This is not a candy bar of an imperial stout. But it is a nice representation of what you can do with a category of beer that “Bourbon County Stout” created.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Venue Review - Hog's Head Pub

 

The rooftops of Hogsmeade showing wooden roofed brick buildings.
Snowy Hogsmeade the Home of Hog's Head Pub


It’s where every Wizard knows your name!

Whenever I want to feel magical, I find myself visiting the Hog’s Head Pub in Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando. The pub is honestly a long well themed hallway with a bar and taps next to a few tables. Still, it really does make you feel like you are in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with the moving Boar head behind the bar and the sounds of magical creatures on the second floor. The Hog’s Head is my preferred location to grab a pint. 

A worn wood sign for the Hog's Head Pub
A Worn and Welcoming Sign


You will be able to order from these Wizard Brews at the bar (in my preference order):


  • “Daisyroot Ale” - A smooth and slightly sweet Golden/Blonde Ale.
  • “Dark Forest Ale” - A brownish pint that tastes more like lager than any potion of this color has the right to.


If one wishes to be adventurous, patrons can ask for a layered beer, including mixing with “Strongbow Cider” to craft very traditional English mixes like a “Snakebite”. Or maybe you want a “Triple Layer Beer” which one should only order by this name!

There are also non-Wizarding beers available. The Hog’s Head is where you can grab a “Guinness” or a “Bodington’s Pub Ale.” If you don’t want a Wizarding Beer, you will find a familiar European import, which still feels in theme. I just don’t know why one would select these when there are very approachable Wizard pints, unless you are looking for a stout that fails to appear among the magical beers. You can also select a glass of wine. Or if you want stronger drinks, there are hard liquors behind the bar like “Fire Whiskey” and gin which continue to tell the story of you being in a traditional English pub.

But what if you wish to avoid booze? You can grab your many varieties of Butterbeer here, maybe with a shorter line than outside. This is the spot where I grab warm Butterbeer! Grabbing a round of Butterbeers for the family permits me to grab a pint! If they don’t want a Butterbeer, you can also find “Tongue Typing Lemon Squash”, “Pumpkin Juice”, and other alcohol-free delights.

Now what the Hog’s Head is not is a place to grab a snack. You won’t find a big pretzel or distinctive pub snack to pair with your pint. For food, you need to go next door to the Three Broomsticks. This is an all-liquid menu.

I do need to throw out some protocol’s here. First, it’s one alcoholic potion per ID. So, you won’t run up to the counter and ask the Wizard or Witch for a round for the whole crew without proper paperwork. Also, if you visit while there is a line, the line starts not at the front door but the backdoor at the patio. It seems like every busy day I’m there, a dark wizard materializes trying to cut the line. However, the bartenders are fully authorized by the Ministry of Magic to redirect you to the queue.

 

A look at an animated hog's head wedged between two red Butterbeer casks.
A Magical View!


I’d also say that the Wizards and Witches at the Hog’s Head are always a delight behind the taps. They are always helpful especially guiding Muggles through the menu, providing bad news (like you’re not in line) with a smile, and making you feel like this is your local village watering hole. The Hog’s Head to me is more like BaseLine at Disney, where you can drop in and grab a pint with great customer service, and not like the themed Oga’s where you feel a rush to get out.

For seating, if you want out of the sun, there are some tables inside with not all of them reserved for the Three Broomsticks. But, I like to grab a seat on the patio under an umbrella. But since your pint is served in a plastic cup, you could and maybe should grab one for the wait at Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Sipping a beverage does make a longer line just a little less feel like a curse.

Who Drinks Here? Anyone identifying as a Wizard drinks here. For me, this is the spot where craft beer drinkers who want to feel immersed in the books and movies of Harry Potter grab a pint. It also is the easiest spot to grab a to-go brew for waiting in Hagrid’s line across the street. But it’s also not the place to grab a beer if you want some food. Instead, you will need to go to the neighboring Three Broomsticks where you have the same slate of Wizarding beers to accompany your meal.

You never know, that Hufflepuff you see sipping a pint and laughing with family, could just be Between Pints apparating to a favorite pub to enjoy a “Hog’s Head Brew”

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Beer Review - Daisyroot Ale

An older male wizard in his lab makes a potion with daisyroots.


Does a pint make you a bigger or smaller personality? In the world of Harry Potter, Daisy Roots can be found in every well-stocked potions cabinet, as it is an essential ingredient of Shrinking Solution. Would this Golden Ale work magic on me and make me smaller?

A pint of yellowish Daisyroot Ale sitting on a wooden table in the Wizarding World.
"Daisyroot Ale"


“Daisyroot Ale” is a 4.8% ABV with no IBUs specially brewed by Crooked Can Brewing Company for Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I do need to chuckle a little bit as I researched the style. Universal’s website calls this a “refreshing traditional English mild with a light malty flavor profile.” Untapped lists this as a different traditional English brew, “Blonde/Golden Ale.” Untapped wins on this concoction. The color is bright yellow and clear, reminding one of the daisy that inspired it. There is no color from malt, and an English Mild is generally a darker color. An English Mild is also generally beardy or malty. “Daisyroot Ale” is the opposite of that, with it being smooth and clean with a slight sweetness on the end. There is no hop bite as we would expect by the lack of IBUs. It is light, crushable, and easy to enjoy. Lager drinkers would find this to be very approachable, especially if one wanted a beer that reminded them of their 12 packs at home.

I’m sad to say if you ordered this brew based on Universal’s menu, you won’t get the potion you are looking for!

Golden Ales or Blonde Ales gained popularity in the early days of craft brewing in the 1970s and 80s as it provided an approachable and sweet pint to drinkers who may have been wary of the more hop or malt-forward recipes that many early craft brewers created their reputation on. A British version of a Golden Ale, much like this one would downplay the hop flavors, while an American version would look to highlight the hop character in the glass. “Daiseyroot Ale” is a very English brew and something that fits in the Wizarding World very well.

Did “Daisyroot Ale” provide a shrinking effect? As I sipped mine, I needed a break from the cares of the day. I sat behind the Hog’s Head sipping, wizard-watching, and cheering for those running from velociraptors. I will give it credit for shrinking the reality of the Muggle world away even for a brief time.

Who Drinks This? While this is not my favorite of Wizarding beers, it did surprise me on how well-balanced and refreshing it was. “Daisyroot Ale” will likely be my choice on days I want something light or am hot and want to cool off. The lack of hop and malt makes it the easy I don’t want something heavy Wizarding choice. Also if you are a parent pulled by your wizard into the Wizarding World and want a beer that reminds you of a lager or pilsner of the macro variety, this is a sweeter version of a familiar beer.

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Brewery Review - Grove Roots Brewing Co.

The outside of the industrial looking white building of Grove Roots Brewing Co.
Grove Roots Brewing Co.




5.2 miles and 11 minutes in the car!

I’m not a LEGO guy. I have family members, many adults who are. I’ve never been to LEGOLAND Florida. Honestly, I don’t know when I would for a variety of reasons. When I did have kids that were of the prime age, well we didn’t go. This is a place for kids, and if you want to laugh Google “adults and Legoland” to see some complaints this resort isn’t catering to adults. Hey, the Dragon’s Den has local craft beer! Clearly they want to capture the adults who bring the kids.

Please don’t take this as me hating on LEGOLAND. It’s just not currently relevant to my interests. And I applaud their efforts to provide children of all abilities an accessible resort and place to play. 

The look at the stainless steel brewing equipment in the brew house.
Love That View!



As I was saying, 5.2 miles. So, let's say you have worn yourself out being surrounded by kiddos at LEGOLAND, and you find yourself needing a more adult stop, Grove Roots Brewing Co. in Winter Haven could be for you with it being just 5.2 miles from the theme park. The building is largely metal construction, think Morton Building or industrial shed. But the inside is roomy, with plenty of space for youngsters worn out from brick building without really getting in the way of adults. The space is heavily decorated with orange farming posters and memorabilia. The brewery is the creation of a local, and locals are a big part of the vibe. I could see numerous thirsty citizens drinking from their own personal mugs. It felt like there were more locals than visitors on this Saturday. We were very comfortable, and we were sipping and looking straight into the brew house, which has a lot of metal, more than I expected for a hometown brewery. 

The seating in the tap room with garage doors lookng out onto the street.
An Orange Tap Room!


So, let's talk about the beer. I only got one, there was an Imperial Stout on tap. “Nightmare Cupcake” is a big 12% ABV with no IBUs beer. It is dark and thick. The description notes a life spent in a bourbon barrel and vanilla and cocoa flavors. Honestly, I didn’t taste strong tones of vanilla or chocolate in “Nightmare Cupcake.” I found it pleasant, but more woody from the barrel than sweet. My partner in crime grabbed a peanut butter stout, “Peanut Pickers” which they found extremely pleasant. Overall, they were solid pints, the type that any local could be proud of. 

A chalice of dark Nightmare Cupcake beer.
"Nightmare Cupcake"



Who Drinks Here? Winter Haven locals, this is your spot. I’ve seen your Grove Roots’ mugs with your name on it! If you are running out to LEGOLAND, and you want a side trip, it’s worth the stop. But if you were looking to stage a brewery adventure from a city like Orlando, I don’t know if I’d spent the time and miles to only visit a fine yet local brewery that is a little out of the way.

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Beer Review - Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale



A carmel colored pint of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale being held up in The American Adventure
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale



“I’ve never bought a beer in America before!”

My buddy was sincere. The awesome thing about Epcot’s World Showcase is there are so many food and drink options, that pints that seem familiar are ones that you can skip. And unless it’s a quick sandwich from Regal Eagle, like my buddy, I often skip over The American Adventure.

While wandering with our families, my buddy wanted a drink. At that moment, Block & Hans Fine American Ale was right beside us on the walkway in Epcot’s The American Adventure. He saw the phrase Bourbon Barrel and he wanted a try. So we each grabbed a caramel-colored draft from the list of six craft beers. Among the six there were beers like Orange Blossom Brewing’s “Orange Blossom Pilsner”, 3 Daughters Brewing’s Beach Blonde Ale, and Golden Road Brewing's’ “Mango Cart Wheat Ale” which can all generally be found in other locations within Walt Disney World. You could get a flight. But nothing here overlay screamed special beer.

Let me get back to the beer I grabbed. Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company’s “ Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale” is an 8.2% ABV and 19 IBU Strong Ale. The beer has some sweet caramelly tones from the combination of the style and the time spent aging in a bourbon barrel. The flavor is not overly strong, it does not hit you with whiskey tones. But it feels like it has been kissed lightly by time aging in a barrel after brewing. Honestly, it’s easy to drink, with the 8.2% ABV also not becoming apparent as I was willing to have another. It’s definitely better for me than a lager as the barrel and style impart just a tad more flavor.

I do chuckle. As “Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale” was over a decade for me a beer that I gave a 5 rating to on Untapped. Today, I give it a 3.0 rating. The reason today is that it is professionally made and meets my expectations of a Strong Ale. It is tasty. But it’s also not a game-changer that I would ever seek out intentionally when there are still so many great beers out in the wild. I would like to see the barrel be more pronounced to raise my rating. Just remember, your opinions can and will change.

Strong Ale is a beer that is as it says, strong. It is an ABV of more than 5%. But let’s be honest, so many craft beers are now over 5. So really you are looking at 7 to 11% ABV. A barleywine (meh) and old ale (which I more strongly equate to strong ale due to its sweetness). But a Strong Ale with some sweetness in the brew is fantastic after living in a barrel. But I really do look for the Old Ale callout to know that the beer has some sweet tones on its own.

“Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale” is a year-long beer that you will likely find in any market. Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company is a Lexington, Kentucky-based brewery and distillery that has been around for over 20 years. This brew has been sold since 2006, and in a chaotic beer market that is some staying power. Often with barrel-aged beer, the source of the barrel is a big selling point. Here, I assume they are using their own barrels from spirits that they make in-house. So no special statement is made about the barrels. I’d assume that the used barrel is from the Town Branch label that Lexington Brewing and Distilling bottles.

Who Drink This? I mean, for those who are wandering right next to Block & Hans, this is the beer I’d likely select from the list of widely available beers. But in most cases, I would keep wandering to another pavilion to try something more difficult to obtain outside of Epcot. If you want to begin to play with a barrel-aged brew, this is a good starting point. It has sweetness and it's not overwhelming in barrel character. So it’s a fine place to start. I’m a barrel-aged beer Disney adult. But for me, I want to have a more pronounced barrel character.

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Beer Review - Dufftoberfest



A plastic pint of copper colored Dufftoberfest being held in the air.
Prost to Dufftoberfest!



I’m old! I’m still on Facebook!

As an old dude, I’m in Facebook groups focused on theme parks. Suddenly in one of these groups, there was an explosion of posts, “it’s back, I can’t believe it, go now.” But it was in Springfield at Universal Studios Florida…the portion of the park that I enter the least, usually when just passing through. But everyone was raving about the winterish return of “Dufftoberfest”!

“Dufftoberfest” is another specialty beer at Universal brewed by Carib Brewery USA. It’s a Marzen, or as you might think of it Octoberfest. It’s a nice copper-colored brew with 30 IBUs and a 5.5% ABV. Honestly, it’s nice. It is a very typical Marzen flavor, slightly less malty and bready than Yuengling’s “Octoberfest” my current Marzen of choice. But it is truly brewed to style, refreshing, and has more of a flavor backbone than one would expect from a lager like “Duff which I’ve not had for several years. I think I like it a little better than Samual Adams’ current recipe. 

A partially drank plastic pint of Dufftoberfest sitting on a blue and white menu.
Dufftoberfest!


I just don’t find myself pulled into Springfield even though there are themed beers. This is likely the first time in a year that I intentionally pointed to the land of Bart Simpson, despite the “Duff” that drinkers can find everywhere. I feel like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has both themed beers and theming that I just enjoy more.
 

Who Drinks This? If you find yourself in Springfield for a meal, you are going to need to sample a “Duff” beer. “Dufftoberest” is by my style preferences, the one I would personally select off a menu. I just don’t often find myself here but instead, head to other areas of the park. But in this case, it was enough to pull me into the land and I will admit I like it better than some of the Wizarding lighter beers. I will say it again, let’s make drinking Marzen normal all year long. And I can find myself wandering back if it’s still on tap during other times of the year.

Beer Review - Lost Coast Brewery’s “Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout"

As Lord Figment, ruler of Epcot welcomes guests to the first festival of 2025, we know I am searching for beer. Now, at the The Artist’s Ta...