Abita Amber and Turbodog

Abita brewing company's trademark "turbodog" and their amber.

So that's how they do it in Tennessee !

Went looking for beer on a trip to Memphis. Did not look at beer advocate for recommended places to find some good beer. Stopped at the first store I found, walked in, and was completely shocked - a wall of glass, all the bottles are inside and i have to stand at a small window and order. Seeing my surprised look, the storekeeper shouted across "u lookin for beer? try at the gas station across the street". I said "thank you" and told myself - "thats how they do it in Tennessee!". I did read up on-line later and figured the good stuff would have been available in the store anyway.

So went across the street to the gas station. It was all the usual marketed brands and nothing much else. Found a couple of odd looking bottles in one corner and picked them up. Both were Samuel Smith's, one was the oatmeal stout - a slightly bigger than normal bottle (was 355 ml i think) in a 4-pack, and the other was nut brown ale in a single bottle slightly smaller than the normal big bottle (around 550ml i think). No price stickers on either. Looked like been sitting around for a while.

Turns out the guy at the counter had no idea of the prices. We mutually agreed on some price that sounded reasonable I got out of there.

Loved both beers, and were both washed down with some dry ribs from corky's :) Rest of the information I read up online and found both had an A or above rating on beer advocate.

From wiki: The Old Brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, in the North of England, was established in 1758.

From their website: Oatmeal stout - At one time promoted as a drink for lactating mothers, oatmeal stout was described as nutritional on early labels !!

Hennepin - Ommegang

They call it a farmhouse ale, and saison - seasonal. I call it "Nice".

Sweetwater 420 and Georgia Brown

Got to sweetwater beers..after 3 years in Atlanta !! It is like one of those things you never get to, coz it is right in your backyard. You keep telling yourself - that can be done anytime !! So now that we may be finally moving out of Atlanta by mid year, I had to rush out and get some sweetwater beers. They are not distributed widely - read somewhere that they are not pasteurized, so only locally distributed.

Loved the 420, really really good and balanced beer. Georgia brown was not great, but definitely okay.

We lived in Jersey for about 2.5 years, about 45 minutes drive from the statue of liberty. Never went there though - always thought we could go see it anytime, it is right here in our backyard :) and before we knew it, here we were in the ATL.

The Russian UFO !

Alex has been asking me to try UFO out for ages. Somehow I had an impression this was a russian beer (not really somehow...Alex > Russia > Alex's Fav beer!). Finally got to meet the UFO at Alex's weekend barbecue.

Well, far from russian. It is the german style made in the US of A :)) from Harpoon brewery.

Good drinking beer. Not the best in its style though !