Valley Inn Alehouse

Recently my wife and I went to the Valley Inn Alehouse with some of our friends and liked what we found.  Among our group, my wife was the only one that had been to the Valley Inn https://www.facebook.com/ValleyInnAleHouse?ref=ts&fref=ts before the remodel and she could not believe the changes.  The interior was totally redone, no longer a "dive bar" atmosphere.  Also they had a good selection of beer on tap and bottled as well and what looked like a good food menu.

From the exterior Valley Inn Alehouse looks about the same as it always has, expect for the outside sitting and smoking area.  When we opened the door an above the door blower/heater clicked on to limit the cold air entering, a nice idea.  We were quickly greeted and told to sit where we liked.  Once we were seated the waitress was there to take our drink order.  This took a bit of time since they had a good amount of beer.  They have sixteen taps, which I would venture about half are craft beer, and probably 30 or more bottles, with about half craft beer as well.  Once we decided on our beers, the next question was what size, 16 or 22?  We all went with the larger option.  An important thing was that all of the tap beer we had was clean and tasted as it should.  Sometimes at an "alehouse" beer can sit in the line and lines are not properly cleaned so the beer can taste unpleasant.

We did not try any of the food options, but a quick look at the menu did lead us to decide we would have to come out some evening to eat as well as to drink.  One thing we were cautioned on was that they are busy on Friday nights and do not take reservations, so seating can be at a premium.  They also have food specials listed on a blackboard.

The interior is well done with a bar big enough to seat 10-15 people, nice lighting, plenty of tables and booths.  The decor is upscale pub/sports bar with a TV everywhere you look.  Also they carried over the remodel to the bathrooms.

Located in between Bettendorf and Le Claire this is an option if you are doing anything in the area for some beers and food.  We are looking forward to our next visit.

QC Beerguy

Bottom fill cup

I had been hearing a few people talk about a bottom fill beer cup and had the opportunity Friday night to see it in action.  Our local event center has switched over to these beer cups to serve Bud Light beer.  My wife and I went with some friends to see our local minor league hockey team play and it was $1 beer night.  Which meant that a cup of Bud Light for a $1, so my wife and I decided to go for it.

We walked to the beer line and waited our turn. While in line we observed the filling of the cups.  The cup is placed down on what almost looks like a sprinkler head and the cup is filled for the bottom up.  Also we noticed that once the cup was full the filler automatically stopped.  Once it was our turn we ordered our beers.  As our beers were being filled my wife chatted up the beer vendor about the beer cups.

We found out that the cups have two magnets in them, the magnet bottom and a magnet ring embedded in the cup itself.  The cups are any thing but perfect, we noticed a few leakers that did not seal properly.  Our beer vendor told us that if the cup does not come with the magnet they save them and get their money back.  These bottom fill cups are a cool invention, but I am unsure if they will actually catch on without revisions.  Namely for me a stronger seal on the bottom between the magnets, several times last night I dripped on my clothes because I inadvertently broke the seal between the magnets by tapping the bottom of the cup.  I am sure they are already working on that concern.  Here is the website to find more out about this new invention http://bottomsupbeer.com/ .

QC Beerguy

Another new glass?

As many of you may have noticed, there is a new glass designed for an IPA, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/garden/designing-an-ipa-specific-beer-glass.html?_r=3& .  This latest addition to "must have" glassware was designed by Sam Calagione of Dogfishead and Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada in conjunction with Spiegelau, a German glassmaker.  I guess if anyone should design an IPA specific, this group would be toward the top of my list to do it.  They have forgotten more about IPAs than most people would ever learn in their lifetime.  I am just unsure if it is actually needed.

If you are like my wife and I, we have more than enough glassware all ready between all of the tasting, pint and various other glasses we have in our cupboards.  I do believe that many beers are glorified by the glass they are served in, whether it be a Belgian Ale, Hefeweizen or a stout.  So I understand that a prevalent style like an IPA could be better served in a specific glass.  But come on, we only have so much cupboard space.

Yes we did purchase the glasses that Sam Adams designed to better enjoy their beer and it yes it does seem to better present the beer to the drinker.  So the idea of designing a glass for a beer is not foreign, but really is it needed?  In a roundabout way I guess it is.  And yes I will probably fork over the $25 for a pair of them and add them to our glassware collection.

All I have to say is "Please no more specifically designed glassware"  my cupboards can not take any more glassware.

QC Beerguy

QC Nano beers

In the past week I had the opportunity to try beer from both of the nanobreweries that are working on getting up and running in the QC.  At our most recent MUGZ meeting one of our members was able to secure a bottle of each of the Wormburner beers.  Since Wormburner is not open yet these were secured without any exchange of money.  To find out more information on Wormburner you can visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WormburnerBrewCo?ref=ts&fref=ts.  Also another blog has a bit more  information about Wormburner http://franklyfoodblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/wormburner-brewing-company-of-davenport.html?m=1.  Check out both.

Now onto the beer.  Unfortunately I was not the only one trying these beers and I only had an ounce or two so my description and review will be brief.  If I am able to secure more I may be able to do a more thorough review.  First up was Smooth Operator: Iowa Pale Ale.  It was a hazy orange gold with a white head.  The aroma was of citrus hops and was clean otherwise.  Taste was a nice malt and hop mixture that was clean from off flavors.  The beer did seem to be a bit light in the body and to me could be bulked up a bit.  Overall it was a good beer.  Second was Dark Side of the Moon: Belgian Ale.  It was a deep golden color with a white head.  Aroma was of citrus and spices with hints of Belgian characteristics.  My friend that brought the beer mentioned that he was told this beer was best served with a slice of orange, which we did not have.   The body seemed close to what you would expect from a beer like Blue Moon.  Again sorry for the brief review, maybe I can do a more thorough review if I score a couple bottles.

Last Wednesday our friend Rich Nunez, brewer and co-owner of Against the Grain Brewery and Alehouse, tapped his first test batch.  To find out more information on Against the Grain visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Against-the-Grain-Brewery-Alehouse/445902535438203?ref=ts&fref=ts.  His first offering was a Belgian Witbier.  My wife and I had to share the last 6 ounces from the keg, so again my review will be a bit shy on details.  The beer was a light hazy yellow with a good white head.  The aroma was of orange and spices with a hint of wheat and spicy notes from the yeast.  Taste was pleasant and included orange and various spices.  The beer had a medium body.  We were pleased with the beer and would of been happy to have a full glass each. Maybe next time.  The beer lasted just over a hour, not bad for seven gallons.  I am looking forward to batch two and may have to be present at the time of tapping to make sure I receive a full sample.

I am pleased to say that both of the nano-breweries seemed to be heading in the right direction.  If these quick tastes of their beer means anything they will be great additions to the QC beer scene.

QC Beerguy

States that consume the most Beer

I received my latest "All About Beer" Magazine and began thumbing through it and found this cool (at least to me) blurb on the top ten beer consuming states for 2012.  It had some surprises to me in the rankings.  Many states that would seem to make sense were not even in the top ten.  That means no Oregon, Missouri, California, Illinois nor Iowa listed in the top ten.  Just because a state produces large quantities of beer or has many breweries in them, it does not mean that state will consume the most beer.  Listed below are the top ten states with per person consumption. 

1. New Hampshire: 43.0 gallons
2. North Dakota: 42.2 gallons
3. Montana: 40.6 gallons
4. South Dakota: 38.0 gallons
5. Nevada: 36.5 gallons
6. Wisconsin: 36.2 gallons
7. Vermont: 34.7 gallons
8. Texas: 34.6 gallons
9. Nebraska: 34.6 gallons
10. Delaware: 34.3 gallons

Looking at the above numbers a few things stand out to me.  First the traditional beer swilling state that most people would think to be on top was only in 6th place; and to my cheddar-head friends "You are slackers"!  Second thing that stands out to me is that over half of the states have lower populations, thus their ability to consume that much beer is impressive.  Third, evidently people living in the upper Midwest must not have much else to do but drink.  Another little factoid I noticed is that all ten of the states drank more than a barrel of beer per person, a barrel of beer is 31.5 US gallons.  Or break it down even further that is over 252 pints of beer or another way of thinking is having about a pint of beer 2 out of every three days of the year.  So these people are dedicated drinkers. The people of New Hampshire truly do shine in only missing having a pint of beer every day of the year by 21 days, impressive.

Something that came to mind as I am typing is that probably in actuality the real numbers are higher than reported.  Since it is a fact people almost always under report how much they consume.  So there may be a state that averages a pint of beer a day.

All of these numbers are achieved with an increase of 1.9% of beer shipments and craft beer sales rose by 12%.  Craft beer continues to be the fastest growing segment of beer sales.  No wonder the big two are purchasing craft breweries and continue to make up craft beer labels.  They are trying to cash in the segment of the market that is growing the fastest.

Please support real craft beer and your local craft and micro breweries.  Be careful of "craft beer" with ties to the big two, i.e. Goose Island, Windmer, Kona, Magic Hat, etc.

QC Beerguy  

Quick QC Update

Just a quickie on a couple things happening in the QC beer scene this week.  First Against the Grain Brewery and Ale house will be having a New Years Eve Dark Horse Release from 4pm to 1 am on the 31st https://www.facebook.com/events/385293361561497/.  Second Great River Brewery will be tapping Hop A Potamus on Saturday January 5th, golden keg at 1pm https://www.facebook.com/events/538589626154255/.

Now for a bit of news there is in the works a new nano brewery in the QC area, location is not announced yet.  It is Wormburner Brewing Company https://www.facebook.com/WormburnerBrewCo?ref=ts&fref=ts.  They mention three beers, an IPA, an APA and a Belgian Ale on their facebook page so looking forward to trying the beers when they are out. 

QC Beerguy

Springfield, IL

My wife and I decided to make a quick trip to Springfield, IL to see some Abraham Lincoln sites and check out a brewpub and a bar or two this past weekend.  The Lincoln sites are awe inspiring and helps a person realize what a strong and brave man Abraham Lincoln was.  As President he could please no one and was always under siege from the press and detractors.  To me he is the greatest President we have ever had.

We only scratched the surface on Lincoln sites.   We went to the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Library, a must visit for everyone.  We also visited the Lincoln Homestead, the only National Park in Illinois, the Old Capitol and the "New" Capitol.  We finished our visit to Springfield  by going to the Lincoln Tomb and yes we did rub Lincoln's nose.

Beside the Lincoln sites we did a bit of beer tourism as well.  Our first stop was Obed and Isaac's Microbrewery and Eatery http://www.obedandisaacs.com/.  Located in the Downtown area it is conveniently located close to the Lincoln sites, so if you want you can do like us and make a late afternoon pit stop.  The history of the Microbrewery goes back to the days of the Lincoln era in Springfield.  The owners of the brewpub are decedents of the family that was friends with the Lincoln family.  To me it is a very cool story.

The building is extensive and has multiple rooms to dine in, the entrance takes you into the bar proper.  Which unfortunately us was pretty much filled up so we were seated in one of the rooms off of the bar.  The food menu was varied it had sandwiches, flat bread pizza, salads and entree.  We just had an order of pretzels and a bowl of beer cheese soup, both were very good.  What I saw of the other food that was delivered to other tables, I believe the food overall is very good.

Their beer is available by the pint, 10 oz glass or in a 4 beer sampler.  They had nine of their own beers on tap as well as a couple guest taps.  We decided to go with a couple of samplers which allowed us to try eight of the nine beers.  Their beers run the gambit from light to dark and hoppy to malty. 

First we tried the Upside down Brown Ale: 5.5% ABV medium brown in color with a tan head.  Hints of spice, pine in the aroma as well as a bready nose.  Flavors were dark fruit, dark malt and a nice breadiness.  The beer finishes with a good nuttiness.  This was one of the beer that stood out to us.

Second Obed's Pride Amber Ale: 5.2% ABV amber color with an off white head.  A light caramel and noticeable phenolic aromas. The flavor is much like the aroma, which to me the phenolics detract from the beer.  To me as the beer warms it actually becomes more drinkable.  Overall a decent beer but not high on our list.

Third Isaac's IPA: 6.1% ABV light copper color with an off white head.  Aromas of hops and malt great the nose.  Taste is a strong malty backbone with citrusy hops.  Medium bodied and the finish is dry and crisp.  A good beer but not one of my favorite IPAs.

Fourth Frothbite Winter Ale: 6.6 % ABV  dark brown with a tan head.  Aroma was of dark fruit, dark roast and coffee.  The taste was much the same as the aroma with one exception as the beer warms and unpleasant bitterness is perceived.  Also surprisingly this is a light bodied beer.  We had great hopes for this beer but were greatly underwhelmed by it.

Fifth Mother Road APA: 4.9 % ABV  golden color with a white head.  Aroma was low hops and medium malt.  Flavors were light hops and malt.  Light bodied and had a bit of a "dirty" taste.  The beer does liven up as it warms and become more drinkable.  Unfortunately for this beer to shine you need to let it sit and warm up, so if you are thirsty this may not be the beer to order for a quick drink.

Sixth Ditzy Blonde: 4.6% ABV light gold white head.  Unpleasant aromas of butter and dishwater greet the nose.  Taste was of butter as well, but it did have a medium hop presence which was a plus. I would suggest avoiding this beer.  I am guessing that this is probably their best selling beer and because of that it is served before the yeast had a chance to clean up after itself and take the butter taste away.

Seventh Silly Pants Stout: 3.9% ABV  Black with garnet highlights and a strong tan head.  Great aromas of coffee, dark roast malts and a hint of licorice.  Flavors are pleasant dark malt and coffee in the start, but ends oddly phenolic which is far from pleasant.  This beer looks and smells the part but the flavor lets the drinker down.  If the phenolic end could be taken away this could be a good session beer.

Eighth German Alt: 4.6% ABV Ruby brown color with a white head that did not last.  Aroma was of prunes and other dark fruits with a light phenolic note.  Taste was rich and malty with the prune notes carrying over.  Medium bodied beer.  This was a hit with us, the second beer that we really enjoyed.

The ninth beer which we did not try was a Black IPA, those of you that know me understand why this one was skipped.  For those of you that do not I am not a fan of Black IPAs so I usually avoid them.

We greatly enjoyed Obed and Isaac's and on our next visit hope to have a seat at the bar and enjoy the vibe there.

Next we walked over to Norb Andy's Tarabin http://norbandys.com/ only a few blocks away.  This bar has a colorful past, including that at one time it was a speakeasy.  Upon entering from street level you walk down stairs into the basement bar.  The decor has nautical tones to it but overall it is a comfortable place to be.  We were able to have a seat at the horseshoes shaped bar which seats probably about 12-15 people.  They have only six taps and up to sixteen bottles of beer.  They did proudly serve on tap a fine local beer from Rolling Meadows Brewery, Abe's Brown Ale.  The beer was a medium brown color with a tan head.  It had a good malty aroma and had a malty flavor with a slight hoppiness and a bit of nutiness.  Overall a really nice easy to drink beer.They also had a couple of Rolling Meadows beers in bottles as well Lincoln Lager and Springfield wheat, we did not try either of them which gives us another reason to go back to Springfield.

 As I mentioned this is a comfortable bar and we quickly were able to strike up conversations with the bartender, who happens to own the bar with his wife, and the other patrons sitting around the bar.  We had a very entertaining evening siting at the bar.  I took advantage of one of the beer specials, $1.50 PBRs which was served in a chalice. 

The menu is pretty standard bar food with one exception that is a local specialty,  a Horseshoe.  This is a cardiologists dream.  First a layer of toast is laid down, then a layer of meat originally ground beef, then a layer of french fries and topped off with cheese sauce.  It is served with a knife and fork and is a glorious mess to eat. No we did not have one but one of the other bar patrons did so my wife could she her first real live horseshoe in person. She had never heard or seen one before.

We were very pleased with the food we ordered.  I had a tenderloin and my wife had a burger.  The amazing thing besides the good taste of the food was the price of the food.  For what you pay for the food it is a great bargain.  We will go back to Norb Andy's on our next trip to Springfield.  When we finished our food and our beers we called it a night and walked back to our hotel.

We did not make it to a couple of other bars that we wanted to Brewhaus and Floyd's Thirst Parlor, so that  means we just have to go back another time.  We also did notice a few other bars or restaurants that held promise as well so there will be a next visit.  Also we have many more Abraham Lincoln sites to see as well.

QC Beerguy