Beer Review - Hole Lang Syne

Rabbit Hole Brewing 'Hole Lang Syne' Belgian Strong Ale - 10% ABV

We love the Winter beers, the holiday beers, the Christmas ales .... all of the special seasonal beers produced by the craft brewers this time of year.  These special beers are usually laced with spices and smells that we associate with our winter time fun.  Chocolate, pumpkin spices, mint, spruce are among the flavors that you will typically find used in these holiday beers.  But when Christmas passes, the holiday beers disappear and winter warmers take the forefront for a short while.  Oddly, New Years is mostly ignored by the craft beer industry and is given over to Champagne and sparking wines.

Though we like Champagne well enough we prefer our beers and darned if one of our local brewers, Rabbit Hole Brewing, didn't go and create a beer to compete directly with the sparkling wine purveyors.  While the commercial description of the beer is a Belgian style strong golden ale, it more closely resembles a sweet Italian Prosecco.


Will Workforbeer was able to attend their release event and submitted this review for your reading pleasure.
"Got to try this new release at Rabbit Hole Brewing's 1 year anniversary party in December.  First taste was very sweet with noticeable raspberry flavor.  Each taste afterward wasn't as sweet as the first and seemed to open up with each following sip.  While this beer was a little too sweet for my taste, hats off to Rabbit Hole for actually capturing the spirit of New Years Even in a beer.  That is a daunting task, and I can;t imaging any other beer pulling this off.  Well done. - Will Workforbeer

You may be able to find a few bottles of this still floating around and is worth the effort to try to find it, if for nothing else, as a collectors item.  Be safe and cheers - Bon

Rabbit Hole Brewing
608 Topeka Avenue
Justin, Texas
http://rabbitholebrewing.com/wp/

Cooking with Beer: Carbonnade Flammande

Carbonnade Flammade (or Flemmish Beer and Beef Stew) is a favorite cooking tradition in our house hold.  Not too difficult to make and sure to get raves from family and guests (and so good that our snobby French friends asked for the recipe).  You may use any dark, rich beer but let me assure you that Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue) is perfect.

Ingredients

2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2" squares
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices bacon, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cups Belgian Quadrupedal Ale (Chiimay Grande Reserve)
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 sprigs Thyme
1/4 cup Parsley
2 sprigs Tarragon
2 bay leaves
Bread and roasted fingerling potatoes for serving

Instructions
Season beef with salt and pepper in a bowl; add flour and toss to coat.  Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a 6-qt. Dutch Oven over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add beef; cook, turning, until browned (about 8 minutes).  Add remaining butter, garlic and onions and cook until caramelized (about 30 minutes).  Add half of the beer, cook (scraping the bottom of the pot) until slightly reduced (about 4 minutes).  Return the beef to the pot with the remaining beer, stock, sugar, vinegar, thyme, parsley, tarragon, bay leaves, and salt and pepper.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until beef is tender (about 1 1/2 hours).  Serve with freshly baked bread and roasted fingerling potatoes (or steak fries).  Enjoy/

Hole Lang Syne Release Information

So, if you read the review of the Hole Lang Syne by our own Flanders Redale you know that he was quite impressed and looking forward to the release.  Well, the release is here and this is where you can find this very limited edition brew.

HOLE LANG SYNE Bottle Sales:

Saturday, Dec 13th after 5 PM:

Lone Star Beverages - 3065 N Josey Lane #62 - Carrollton

Paradise Liquors - 1217 FM 407 W - Corral City

Tuesday, Dec 16th

Choice Beverages - 4600 W Eldorado Pkwy #700 - McKinney

Hall's - 4200 Glade Rd - Colleyville

Justin Spirits - 950 FM 156, Suite 1 - Justin

Midway Mart - 406 West Hickory St - Denton

Whip-In Flower Mound - 2240 Morriss Road #100 - Flower Mound

Whole Foods Highland Village - 4041 Walter Creek - Highland Village

Wednesday, Dec 17th

AB Beer & Wine - 2305 State Hwy 276 - Rockwall

North Oak Cliff Beer and Wine - 1301 W Davis - Oak Cliff

Spec's 150 - 75 & Walnut - 9500 N Central Expy - Dallas

Whole Foods Lakewood - 2118 Abrams Rd. - Dallas

Midway Icehouse - 18110 Midway Rd, Ste 134 - Dallas

Thursday, Dec 18th

Spec's 160 Bryant Irvin - 4720 Bryant Irvin Rd - Ft Worth

Whole Foods Colleyville - 4801 Colleyville Blvd – Colleyville

Central Market Fort Worth

HOLE LANG SYNE DRAFT TAPS

·         Alamo Cinema Drafthouse

·         East Side Social Club

·         Haystack Burgers

·         Jack Macs Swill and Grill

·         Oak Street Drafthouse

·         Red Robin Grapevine

·         Square One Lewisville

·         Whole Foods Highland Village

·         House of Blues

·         Luck

·         Midway Icehouse

·         Waldron Lodge

·         Whole Foods Lakewood

·         Proper

·         Word Of Beer Arlington

·         Flying Saucer Addison

Martin House New Years Eve Bash

Martin House NYE Kick-Off Start the Party Right at our Place! We’re closing down 2014 in style here at our little brewery on the River. It’s a three-hour (5:00 to 8:00) ticketed event that includes an open beer bar, a delicious dinner, live music and everything you’ve come to love about Martin House. (Get tickets here.) To mark this momentous night, we’re going way back into our cellar for some special beers. We’ll have Salsa Verde, Septemberfest, Turtle Power, Riverside Shootout and all six of our year-round beers. Add to that, a Blackberry Bomb Turtle Power Firkin and Sugar and Spice from 2013 and 2014. We'll even sneak-preview the mysterious "Counter-Clockwise Swirl." It’s enough beer for a year! Also included in your ticket is dinner from Stone Catering (grilled chicken, cowboy potatoes, salad and dinner rolls) and live music from Ole G. Get your tickets here as space is limited and they are sure to move fast. Keep in mind that there will be no ticket sales at the door and when we're sold out, that's it! Cheers! The Martin House Gang

Copyright © 2014 Martin House Brewing Company, All rights reserved.

Rabbit Hole Brewing Anniversary Bash Saturday, December 13, 2014

As you may know, the Snobs are big fans of Rabbit Hole Brewing from Justin and we would like you to join them us celebrating their 1st anniversary.  We recommend that you buy tickets now and let us assure you that the brewery and beers are worth the drive.

RABBIT HOLE BREWING CELEBRATES NEW YEAR’S IN STYLE WITH HOLE LANG SYNE

North Texas Craft Brewery Creates Limited Edition Beer for the Holiday Season

On December 14, 2013, Rabbit Hole Brewing sold their first keg of beer.  In honor of that anniversary, the Justin, TX-based brewery will hold a First Anniversary Party on Saturday, December 13, from 1-6 p.m.  The Rabbit Hole team, including founders Matt Morriss, Tom Anderson, and Laron Cheek, will celebrate the occasion with the release of their limited-edition New Year’s beer, Hole Lang Syne.  In addition to sampling of regular and limited edition beers, the party will feature a barbecue lunch and live entertainment.

WHAT:                 Rabbit Hole Brewing Hole New Year Party #holenewyear

WHEN:                 December 13, 2014

                                1 p.m. – 6 p.m.

WHERE:               Rabbit Hole Brewery

          608 Topeka Ave, Justin, TX 76247
          940-441-3528

TICKETS:             VIP Tickets (limited to 50)                 $35

                                Regular Tickets                            $25

                                Designated Driver Tickets              $15

                                Tickets are available in advance via Eventbrite HERE.

VIP ticket holders are allowed into the brewery early, as early as 11 AM.  In addition to receiving a special anniversary glass, 8 tokens (each good for a 1/2 pint of beer), and a trip through the food line,  VIPs will also receive a Hole Lang Syne Champagne Flute and the opportunity to sample 3 to 4 test batches never before available to the public.  These test batches will only be available to VIPs from 11 AM to 1 PM.  (Information on test batches will not be released in advance).  VIP Tickets will be limited to 50 people.

Regular ticket holders may enter any time between 1 and 6 p.m.   Tickets include a special anniversary pint glass and 8 tokens - each good for a 1/2 pint of beer. Regular tickets include one trip through the food line.  (Additional trips are $6 each)

Designated Driver tickets are available for those who want to attend, but won't be drinking beer.   Designated Driver tickets holders will still receive a pint glass and a trip through the food line, as well as two cans of soda. 

ABOUT RABBIT HOLE BREWING:  Founded in 2013 by beer enthusiasts Matt Morriss, Tom Anderson and Laron Cheek, Rabbit Hole Brewing celebrates traditional beermaking styles with a contemporary twist. Tait Lifto joined the Rabbit Hole management team soon after, to further develop key relationships within the DFW craft brewing arena. The brand has worked to create a story which reflects the uniqueness and eccentricities of the team which creates each hand-crafted brew.

 RABBIT HOLE BREWING

608 Topeka Ave, Justin, TX 76247
940-441-3528

@rabbitholebrew

#holenewyear

Beer Review - Dogfish Head Theobroma

Dogfish Head Brewing Theobroma Ale - 9% ABV

I am quite sure that by now you have had at least one Dogfish Head beer, probably one of the 60 minute or 90 minute IPA's.  The 120 minute IPA is a real treat but seemingly sporadically available at best.  So tell me, have you tried any of their specialty ales?  Like the one made from scrapple or perhaps the one made using spit?  No?  If there is one thing you can say about Sam Calagione is that he is adventurous when it comes to brewing.  He is also a bit of a beer scholar and loves to research ancient beer styles and has passed down what he has learned in Dogfish's Ancient Ales line. 

Perhaps the description of the history of the beer is better told by them: 

"Theobroma is a celebration of chocolate, the food of the gods.

This Ancient Ale is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras that revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions.

The discovery of this beverage pushed back the earliest use of cocoa for human consumption more than 500 years to 1,200 B.C. As per the analysis, Dogfish Head's Theobroma (translated into "food of the gods") is brewed with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs (from our friends at Askinosie Chocolate), honey, chilies and annatto (fragrant tree seeds).

It's light in color, not what you expect from your typical chocolate beer (not that you'd be surprised that we'd do something unexpected with this beer!).

This beer is part of our Ancient Ales series -- along with Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, Sah'tea and Ta Henket -- so step back in time and enjoy some Theobroma."

After reading the importance of chocolate to the beer, it is a bit surprising that the beer isn't the color that you would expect, it is a rich orange gold with lots of floaties and sediment.  There is very little to no chocolate smell but you can smell the barnyard hints from the yeasts, honey, and a bit of the alcohol ethers as well. The texture is the comfortable richness that you get from a golden Belgian ale.  The flavor is quite unique and worthy of praise, but again, don't expect a chocolate bomb, the chocolate is very subtle.  Actually the chili peppers are more taste forward and provided a bit of a surprise kick with it's noticeable burn.  You will also notice the earthiness from the yeasts and very little hop bitterness (only 6 IBU's) but the chili burn will keep your tongue interested long after you swallow. 

I am quite please with this purchase and recommend that you try it when it is available, but I am not sure that I will buy it again.  Interesting, extremely interesting, but not earth shattering.  Cheers - Bon

Should you happen to be travelling to Delaware (yeah, right, no one happens to be in Delawar) and wish a brewery tour visit them at:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
6 Cannery Village Center
Milton, DE 19968
http://www.dogfish.com/