I Am On My Way!

This is your last call regarding the super special keg of beer getting tapped at Metropolis tonight. It is a Belgian-style Triple made collaboratively by Stone, Alesmith and Mikkeller. Only 2 in GA, 1 at Taco Mac. I doubt that this 15.5 gal. keg lives to see tomorrow. What are you waiting for? I am leaving the office in 3....2....1.....

Who Doesn't Like Special Events, Really?

Thought you were going to get a quiet, mellow, post-Christmas month? Thought that the beer world was going to go into hibernation? Wrong! If you try to say no to beer, you will find out that beer just does not listen. Just quit trying already. Beer just wants to love you.

What, you may be asking yourself, is Fred babbling about? Let me break it down for you.

• On January 27th we have our monthly beer dinner. This month the featured brewery is Duck Rabbit, and the brew master will be present to answer any of your questions (like, "What is up with the name of your brewery?" which is an interesting story by the way). There are only a few spots left, so if you are unaware of the best bargain in Atlanta, maybe you should sign up. Seriously, we are very proud of these events, and $50 for 5 courses and 5 beers, gratuity included, is a steal. You can see the menu on the Taco Mac web site. January we are at Duluth, and February we move to Lindbergh. I host these events, so if you have any questions for me, well, there I am.


• The following day we head over to our Suwanee store for a vertical tasting of 3 years of Duck Rabbit Barley Wine. Ever wondered how some beer ages and matures well, but have not had the patience to get the rewards? We took care of that for you. Paul, the brew master, will be there to explain everything you ever wanted to know about beer cellaring, barley wines, ducks, rabbits, all of that. The '07, '08 and '09 DR BWs will be available in a one-day-only 6 oz. size for $2.50, so you can try all of them without getting completely hammered. I will be there around 5 pm. These beers were made in the late winter, so the '09 is actually from '08, but is only 2 months old at this point, so we don't want to imply that our youngest vintage is a year old if it isn't. Make sense? Also, the 6 oz. size will be a new credit for Passport Club members who may have had these vintages already. Remember, after the 28th, you can still get the beers, and each one will be a separate credit becuase they are dated, but the 6 oz. credits will go away.


• Before all of this Duck Rabbit mayhem breaks out, there is an extremely rare keg of beer being tapped at Metropolis on Wednesday the 21st. Stone Brewing Co. has made a collaborative beer with Alesmith and Mikkeller. It is a Belgian-style triple, and I can't wait to try it. Only 2 kegs are coming to Atlanta, and it they will probably not live to see the following day. Alesmith is a highly regarded SoCal brewery that wins awards everywhere it goes. Mikkeller is a crazy Dutch guy that does not own a brewery. He goes to some of the world's most esoteric breweries and makes these way-out collaborations. Everything is extreme and pushes the limits of sanity. I would look into this if I were you. I will be there around 5 pm as well. I'll be the guy with the really awesome beer in his hand.


• Small amounts of kegs of Terrapin's Side Project (#4 or 5) are hitting the stores now. Almost every store is getting one. It is called Dos Cocoas, and it is a porter made with 2 kinds of cocoa. Get it before it is gone. That means you. Now. Go. (Please call your local store to see when they are going to have room for it, because this beer sort of came out of nowhere and now is ready to drink. I would hate for you to make a trip for this one purpose and be let down.)


• This Friday the stores on the west side of 400, excluding Cherokee, Fayette and Coweta counties will have Yuengling Amber Lager on draft. Yes, I am serious. The rest of metro ATL will have the beer on Monday or Tuesday. Why is this? One distributor has it now and is ready to sell, and that is basically how the territories are divided. It's complicated.

Now, if that is not enough to keep you busy until February, keep reading.

• Some brand new beers going in are Breckenridge Pandora's Bock (Johns Creek, Cumming, Old Milton Pkwy, Kennesaw, and Decatur). Just in is Highland Black Mountain Bitter, which is very limited. Look for one at Kennesaw, Decatur, and Crabapple. Kennesaw is the only store pouring Vermont's Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout. They also have Avery "The Czar" (so does PT City) and "The Kaiser". Many more stores will be picking up these very unusual Avery beers soon. Suwanee is in the mood with Avery Ale To The Chief this week. Whether you voted for the guy or not, this beer is worth hailing.


• Still can't get the Belgians out of your mind? Houblon Chouffe just keeps on blowing minds everywhere it goes. Suwanee, Old Milton and Kennesaw are the most recent to get on board. Johns Creek is rockin' Blanche de Bruxelles, N. Coast Pranqster, 3 Philosphers and Ommegang Witte. I guess we know what that manager likes to drink. Go, Jem. The selection up north is looking sharp right now.


• Some items that you don't see everyday are Brooklyn Brown (at Suwanee and Decatur), DFH Raison d' Etre (Lindbergh) and Great Divide Titan (Suwanee).


• Last but not least, the long-awaited arrival of Sierra Nevada's Hop Secret 393 is almost upon us. This is the beer that I helped write the recipe for during a seminar at the brewery in Chico, CA. It uses an experimental hop so rare (never before used), it does not even have a name yet. It is called simply Hop 393. If this beer is as good as the brewery says it is, we are in for a treat. However, there are only going to be a dozen kegs, max, so stay tuned. Arrival date is still TBD.

Have a great week everyone. I will be back in touch soon.

Chillin' In Chatanooga

I am in Chattanooga, Tennessee today doing some training at our store there. I will not be able to "See" Rock City, ride the Incline Train, or take in the sights from Lookout Mountain. I will however, be drinking some beers that we do not get in GA. Work, work, work. New Belgium and Ft. Collins Brewing Cos. from Colorado are some notable selections. If I have enough time, maybe we'll see what those Pyramid and Boulevard beers have to say for themselves. Then the GM here and some of his regulars are going to show me around some old pubs and pool halls downtown. Good thing we get a good rate on hotel rooms up here. It is a cool, funky little town with some kitschy tourist attractions, all about 2 hrs from Atlanta. Passport Club members should make the trip just to rack up some credits that they can't find back home. Not to mention, the staff up here is a really pleasant bunch of people. Check it out.

Don't miss the 3 year vertical tasting of Duck Rabbit Barley Wine at Suwanee on 1/28! The brew master will be there to answer questions, and he is a really cool guy. He has a master's degree in Philosophy at the University of Michigan for god's sake. The '07-'09 vintages will be served in the usual 11 oz. size, as well as a special 6 oz. taster for $2.50. The 6 oz. will be a unique Passport Club credit for 1 day only. I will be there around 5 pm. Snoozers are losers!

Here comes the beer report!

• Ever heard someone speaking Flemish? It sounds like a German person gargling while speaking French. I think I figured out why. Belgian beer is so good, these people are half to completely ripped all the time. Here are some Belgian and Belgian-style beers going in right about now. Avery Collaboration is at Perimeter, Allagash Curieux is at Duluth and Johns Creek, Allagash Grand Cru can be found at Dallas Hwy and Cumming, Lindergh is in the mood with Delirium Nocturum (also at Metropolis), N. Coast Brother Thelonious, and St. Bernardus Abt 12. Mall of GA has Allagash Four and Dogfish Head Raison d' Etre.


• Strange or unusual offerings what you are looking for? Schneider Aventinus is going in at Duluth. If you have never experienced a dunkle wheat dopple bock, this one invented the style, and is still the best ever. A close approximation, Heavy Seas Hang 10 is at Lindbergh and Peachtree City. N. Coast Old Stock is at Decatur, along with Lagunitas Gnarly Wine for barley wine lovers. Metropolis is serving the 2007 vintage of Duck Rabbit's Barley Wine. Ever had Ayinger Celebrator on tap? if not, our Decatur store can complete you like Mini-Me completes Dr. Evil. Rogue "Glen" is a rare installment of the John's Locker Stock series that Crabapple is pouring. The best beer, in my opinion, that Samuel Adams makes, is the hardest to find. Hit Old Milton Pkwy to find their Boston Ale on tap. No, not Boston Lager. This one is different, and really good.


• Are you looking for dark beer to console your winter doldrums? Most stores have installed the latest batch of Sweetwater Happy Ending, and Decatur & Metropolis have the 2007 vintage. Wow. Duluth has a Whiskey-Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog. It is awesome. Stone Smoked Porter is new at Woodstock, and is quickly becoming a Fred favorite. Look for Sierra Nevada's Imperial Smoked Porter in a few weeks. I can't wait. Cumming just put on N. Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout poured with nitrogen. It is a great way to experience a huge beer like that with the edges smoothed out.


• True hop heads are never satisfied. That is well-documented. However, Lagunitas' Imperial Red (at Cumming & G Mall) and Hop Stoopid (Metropolis) should give them something to chew on for a minute. Maybe a Gordon IPA at Johns Creek or Decatur will be just what the doctor ordered. Otherwise, Duluth is the most recent store to install Houblon Chouffe. If you are still unaware of what this beer is like, come taste the beer that created a new style. There are more "Belgian IPA's" coming out, and this is the one they are emulating and paying homage to.

That is it for now. There are many, many other beers getting tapped this week all around Taco Mac land. Too many to mention here today. Get out there and see what I am talking about. Our managers are doing a great job these days brining in new items constantly, and you are doing a great job drinking them. Keep up the good work, and I will talk to you soon. Oh yeah, and Yuengling draft comes out the week of 1/19 for you people who have been on pins and needles for that. All stores will have it as early as we can get deliveries that week. Happy new year everyone!

New Year's Eve!

New Year's Eve used to be a big deal for me, but now I am kind of an anti-climactic NYE celebrant. My plans to see a concert in San Francisco were shot down by the fact that I was broke from my whirlwind fall travels the previous 3 months. So tonight, it's all about taking it easy with a couple of friends. The fridge is packed with some interesting items, some of which are new for me. There are 3 Mikkeller beers; a coffee stout (Black Hole), an IPA (Stateside) and a Belgian style beer made with spice and cocoa (Santa's Little Helper). I have a Gouden Caroulus Noel 750 ml, a Smuttynose IPA from Maine, a Dieu Du Ciel Peche Mortel from Montreal (quite possibly the greatest stout of all time), various 1 & 2 year-old barley wines from Bell's & North Coast, and 2 De Dolle beers-an Oerbier and an Oerbier Reserve. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Matt & I are working on the next few beer dinners next week. The menu for January's dinner with Duck Rabbit should be up on the web site tomorrow. President and brew master Paul Phillipon will be there. February will be Sierra Nevada, and the beer that I helped make in November will be featured. March is Allagash, and head brewer Rob Tod will be in town from Maine for that.

Let's get down to what beers are going in around Taco Mac land. There is a lot, so you need to plan on drinking a lot of beer this week. I know that you won't let me down.

• Dark beer is great all year, but really gets a lot of attention in the winter. You can find Sweetwater Happy Ending at Dallas Hwy, Woodstock, Windward, Perimeter, East-West and Lindbergh. Terrapin Wake 'N Bake has arrived at Mall of GA, Windward and Dallas Hwy. The curiously delicious Holy Mackerel Mack In Black has gone on at Johns Creek, Peachtree City (they have the HM Belgian Gold as well), Decatur, Lindbergh. You can find Allagash Black at Johns Creek and Kennesaw. The Mall of GA store also has North Coast Old Rasputin, Victory Donnybrook and Duck Rabbit Wee Heavy for you dark beer lovers. Cumming has Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Stone Smoked Porter (a Fred favorite, also available at Kennesaw) and Red Brick Porter. Like beer in the morning (it's OK, I won't tell)? Then hit Lindbergh for Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout.



• Just because you already opened your presents this year, that does not mean that winter seasonal beers are gone. Rogue Santa's Private Reserve is available in Decatur and Kennesaw, Breckenridge Christmas can be found at Woodstock, Cumming and Crabapple. The new Red Brick Winter (a dark Belgian style) is on at Perimeter, and V-Hi has Avery Old Jubilation (awesome beer). The rare and delicious Highland Cold Mountain is about to start flowing at the Mall of GA (heretofore referred to as G-Mall).



• Can't get enough Belgian and Belgian-styled beers? Allagash Grand Cru is on tap at Kennesaw, Woodstock, Metropolis and G-Mall. Old Milton Pkwy and Kennesaw also have Ommegang Three Philosophers on draft. Hurry. Metropolis is pouring Delerium Nocturnum, which is out-of-this-world good beer. Woodstock has a keg of Maudite right now. I drank a year old bottle of Maudite the other day that was just about as delicious of a beer as you can get. Go buy some and put it in the fridge for a year. Wow. Don't miss the Jewbelation 12 at Dallas Hwy and G-Mall. Once it is gone, we are just going to have to wait for the Jewbelation 13 next year.



• Are you just an old-fashioned hop head? We have beer for you too. Lagunitas Imperial Red (another 100%, satisfaction guaranteed, Fred favorite) is at Decatur and V-Hi. Decatur has Weyerbacher Double Simcoe, and G-Mall has Weyerbacher Hops Infusion. Haven't tried Left Hand Warrior IPA yet? Peachtree City and G-Mall are waiting for you. Metropolis has Avery Maharaja for the midtown hop heads. Ellard Village has DFH 90 Minute IPA. Don't forget about some of these old favorites that were new favorites a few years back. Those guys need your business, too. Did you like Sweetwater's "The Creeper"? G-Mall has Houblon Chouffe, which is the Belgian inspiration for "The Creeper." It is beyond awesome.



• Last posting or two ago I mentioned some special Rogue kegs getting tapped. Windward, Perimeter, Cumming, Johns Creek and Metropolis are getting into theirs now. The rare Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yellow Pils is going on at Perimeter and East-West this week. Two kegs of Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale surfaced somehow. If you missed this beer the first time around, head over to East-West or G-Mall. During the hop shortage in '08, Sierra bought hops from New Zealand, which has a totally backwards harvest season from the USA, to make this beer. Pure genius. Last but not least, the Southampton Double White had some production issues, and the brewery is now scaling back distribution to our area temporarily. If you can find it, get one now. It may not be around again until spring.

I hope that everyone has a happy, healthy and prosperous '09. I promise that I will learn how to put photos on here a little better, like this one of the barrel-aging room at Russian River Brewing C0. in Santa Rosa, and get some fresh material for you. Thanks for reading.