GABF 2010 #9 - New Find: Redstone Meadery

A new find for me at the Great American Beer Fest was RedStone Meadery.  Okay, so it isn't traditional beer nor was it an official event, but I like it nonetheless. Prior to this event, I didn't know there were many other meads available besides Chauncer's, nor did I know that they came in other flavors.  With flavors like Black Raspberry, Boysenberry nectar, Shine Nectar, Mountain Honey Wine, Juniper Honey Wine, Plum Honey Wine, and Nectar of Hops, you can really run with the flavors. 
There's even a list of cocktails and food recipes using RedStone Meads.  Needless to say, I'm happy to have found this.  I'm also told that it is available at Spec's and Twin Liquors.  A not-widely know issue, but the owners David and Makado Myers lost their home to the fires in Boulder, CO just before the Great American Beer Festival.  While they appeared to be doing fine, I know they need the support of consumers.  I'm going to pick up a few bottles next time I'm in the store, maybe you can too.  If you like meads, you won't be disappointed. 

Here's David holding some The Lost Abbey Veritas 007 Ale and a bottle of their Black Raspberry Nectar.

Here's David pouring that luscious Veritas 007.

And a sampling of the Redstone Meads. 

GABF 2010 #8 - Food Porn: The Return to Snooze

We went back to Snooze.  And we were very happy.  Again, these are the best pancakes I have ever had.  I found out that they were a buttermilk recipe that has both baking powder and baking soda.  I will recreate these fluffy pillows of heaven at home.  I'll make a wild flavors like the ginger peach, banana nutella, sweet potato, and your famous cappuccino cheesecake with creme angliase.  Also, a little birdie told me that Snooze may  be coming to Austin.  Can I get a !#%$^@($# YES?

Enjoy the food porn.  Use a towel or two. 

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GABF 2010 #7 - Food sessions with @HomebrewChef, @dogfishbeer, @alaskabrewing, @averybrewing, @mauibrewingco

Here's some snapshots of the food sessions I attended.   First up are photos from the Exotic Wood Aged Beers and the Foods that Love them session.  Presenters for this session were Sam Calagione (@dogfishbeer) and Sean Paxton (@homebrewchef).  I have to say, Sam and Sean certainly had chemistry and rhythm on that stage.  Sam was whipping out the naughty language ("I had wood when I saw you"), and Sean was whipping out with the tasty food.  Needless to say, this was a very entertaining session.  The theme of the session was cooking with wood-aged beers.  Sean went over some cooking with beer basics such as making a brine, grilling, and selecting the beer.  Smoked duck breast with a Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron sauce over roasted yam puree and Dogfish Head Burton Baton Brined chicken breasts cooked on a wood plank were served to the hungry attendees. Both dishes were extremely flavorful and tender.   Sean on the left, Wood in the Center, and Sam on the right.  Here's the absolutely delicious duck breast.  Photo by John Knox. A photo with Sean (@homebrewchef). Photo with Sam. Here's a photo of Hosea Rosenberg the Season 5 Top Top Chef winner and Adam Avery of Avery Brewing.  Hosea's latest venture is a food truck called StrEAT. And here's a photo of Alaskan Brewing's Curtis Holms and Maui Brewing's Garrett Marrero at their Fire and Ice Session.  Though both of these breweries are on the far opposite corners (Juneau, Alaska and Maui) , they both faced the same issues.  Shared issues for both breweries are lack of easy transport and physical distance to other breweries.  I'm disappointed that I didn't get to try either breweries' special beers: Alaskan Brewing barrel aged smoked porter and Maui Brewing coconut porter.  I'm told that the coconut porter tasted like an Mound Almond Joy.  I'll be sure to jump into their lines earlier next year.

GABF 2010 #6 - Sam Adam's Longshot and Barrel Aged Goodness

Samuel Adams Boston Lager started in the kitchen of Jim Koch some 26 years ago.  Today it is the largest American owned brewery, and though their reach spans far and wide, not all of their products are available everywhere.  At the Sam Adam's media brunch, I had the opportunity to taste three oak barrel aged beers that aren't available yet in Texas.  My favorite was the American Kriek.  The American Kriek was tart, smelled sweet, and wonderfully bright.  Hope this one comes to Texas soon. All photos by John Knox.

In addition to a brunch of foods cooked with beer, we also participated in the Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest voting.  The beers were brewed by Samuel Adams employees, all of which were women.  This beer (along with two other homebrew winning entries) will be brewed, bottled, and distributed nationally in the 2011 Long Shot Category 23 Variety 6-pack.  The category 23 is a group of beers that don't fit into the other 22 different categories of beer. 

It's pretty cool to one of the top three beers out of hundreds of entries, but it is even more cool to  have your face plastered on a tap handle.  Honey Bee's Lavender Wheat brewed by Caitlin DeClerq was the winner this year, and I did vote for her.  I like lavender so it was pretty obvious who I was going to choose.

And some winner's presentation photos. 

In addition to Caitlin's beer, two other homebrew entries (non-employees) were previously selected as winners.  The two winners Richard Roper - Friar Hop Ale and Rodney Kibzey (below) - Blackened Hops beer will also be in the 2011 Longshot Category 23 Variety 6-pack. 

Congrats to all the homebrewers.  I might want my face on a tap someday.  That's pretty awesome.