Bonusday!
June 5th, 2009

Every once in a while, ya have a week that makes you wanna go out for a couple of pops. This was that week. Dan and "P" joined me for an impromptu mid-month mini-dno at the Hop Devil Grill. It was dimly lit and the music was loud. The beer was fresh and we were ably attended to by our waitress Janine.

This was one of those nights when nothing on the draft menu was speaking to me. First we had a taste of Magic Hat's Wacko Summer Seasonal. It's a bright red light ale infused with beet sugar. ("Bleck!") I ordered a pint of Southampton Big Brown instead. I like Southampton's Brewery's Double White Ale, a fine Belgian-style hefeweissen. The Big Brown, though, wasn't up to that standard (for what it's worth, I can't find it on their website).

Next up, Allagash White, was good. Similar in style to the Southampton Double White I was pining for, it's a nice summer brew. I was looking for something sweet and malty, so I tried the Southhampton Mai Bock. eh. Brooklyn Brewery's Summer Ale was very nice, but it's really kind of light—I was looking for something chewier. A plate of beef nachos helped me cleanse the palate.

When nothing seems to work, it's always best to ask the staff for their help. On Janine's recommendation, I tried the Avery 14'er Extra Special Bitter, which was the clear winner tonight. Normally, I stay away from an ESB, because they tend to be too hoppy for my delicate palate, but this one had a really nice balance of hops and malts. Dry and refreshing! I had two more!





Darkness falls upon us....

Dan and the comely Janine