Bell's Brewery Two Hearted Ale

If I told you where I got this beer someone would get in trouble. BIG TROUBLE. We all know that certain breweries don't have proper authorization to sell their beers in certain states. For instance, Captain Lawrence recently decided to stop selling their beer in New Jersey. Why? I have no idea. It was just their decision.

You know who else isn't allowed to sell their beer in New Jersey? Bell's Brewery. So how was I able to attain a bottle of Bell's Two Hearted American IPA in a store in NJ? I couldn't tell you. They just had it. I didn't ask questions. Obviously they had gotten it illegally and were subsequently selling it illegally. So I took advantage of their criminal behavior and snatched up the last six pack.

Michigan breweries have a fantastic reputation. Just ask Founders. A mere mention of the syllables KBS or CBS can make any beer lover's undergarments moist. Bell's Brewery is known mostly for their American Double IPA called Hopslam, which I'm told, rivals Pliny the Elder in terms of critical reception. But Two Hearted is no slouch, rendering an A rating on BeerAdvocate.com. I let one of the 12oz bottles warm up a bit before I tested it's A reputation.

Point of Order: I'm officially finished pouring my beers into any glass until I get a brandy snifter. Obviously unless it's bigger than a 12oz bottle. Look, I enjoy to look at the color of the beer, how the head looks, and whether or not there are any alcohol legs. But some beers are meant to be drank out of a bottle. This is one of those beers.

It's drinkable. VERY DRINKABLE. Like "Buy a six pack on Friday, have to buy another on Saturday" drinkable. It hit all the notes you would expect from an American IPA. It's loaded with fruit taste like grapefruit and citrus and had a limited hop taste considering. A "hop bomb", it isn't. Also, I've been told that there is some pineapple in there. Maybe on the finish? Back of the tongue? I guess I'm missing it.

All I know is, I'm going to need another beer to tell.

Grade: A-

Pliny the Elder

This shouldn't be how it's done. Pliny the Elder? This early in our blog's life? It's a beer that's currently sitting at number four among the top reviewed beers in the world on Beer Advocate. And every time I mention the word "Pliny" to a beer lover, they kneel and say a short prayer. It's reputation proceeds it, and although it may be a bold choice to review right off the bat, I want to get it out of the way. See what all of the fuss it about. Shall we?

Live on the east coast? Sorry, you're not getting this beer ever. Well, I shouldn't say that, there are bars and stores in and around Philadelphia that are able to get their hands on it from time to time. Legend has it that there are only 13 kegs a month given to the New York/Pennsylvania/Connecticut area, and when it's gone, it's gone. And as soon as word hits the streets that someone has Pliny, it's gone within the day.

How did I get it, you ask? Luckily, the guy who wrote the post above this one, went out to San Francisco for some R&R and was able to purchase a bottle for me out there and carefully wrap it in his dirty laundry inside of his luggage. When he arrived back home, I was handed a green bottle of urban legend; Pliny the Elder.

It was a fresh bottle, dated August 8th, 2011. So only about a week old at the time. I stared at it for a while, debating whether to drink it, or just keep it forever. And become one of those beer geeks that doesn't actually drink beer, but just has beer. I decided on the former and poured the golden amber liquid in a tulip glass I found sitting inside one of my kitchen cabinets.

The aroma was evident as soon as I opened the bottle. Hops and pine filled the air around me. Smelled like I was shopping for Christmas trees.

Ever read the reviews for Pliny on Beer Advocate? They are dripping with adoration. Words like "genius", "ingenious", and "perfect" are thrown around haphazardly. I, on the other hand, will not be using any of those words. Truth be told, this is a good beer. It's a very good beer. But I won't tell you this is the best beer I've ever had. Nor will I tell you this is the best IPA I've ever had. There are better ones. Double Trouble from Founders comes to mind. As well as Jai Alai from Cigar City.

Pliny is exactly what you would expect from a well-balanced double IPA, but nothing more. It's VERY drinkable and admittedly, I wouldn't mind spending an entire night drinking only Pliny. But after tasting this beer, I feel as if it's living off it's own hype and that beer reviewers aren't tasting it's flavor, they're tasting it's reputation.

Grade: B+

So it begins....

This is a long time coming.  I once tried to start a blog.  Actually, I successfully started it, it's not hard, it's free and requires minimal effort, both strong points of mine.  I had just lost my job and decided to start an unemployment blog.  It more or less was just copies of my favorite sports and entertainment blogs, heavy on ranting and pictures of hot chicks.  Needless to say I abandoned it after a few weeks and eventually got a job and forgot all about it.  The blog had no core, no reason, no direction.  Which brings me to present day.  I have a focus and that focus is beer.  And not just your average beer site where I drink a beer every now and then, tell you my thoughts about how fruity, chocolaty or hoppy it is and try to best convey taste via the internet.  It's more a lifestyle site, with a concentration in beer.  I want it to be funny.  I want it to be personal.  It will be the story of mine, and others, drinking experiences.  It's not always about how a beer tastes or smells, sometimes it's where you drank it and who you drank it with.  So cheers to the start of what I hope to be a fun ride.  First ones on me....oh, actually I am out of cash, you mind buying first round?