Beverage Testing Institute - beers I would not normally try. AND -- CASK ALPHA KING!!

Friday was a lovely day.  In the afternoon, the kind and generous Chadd Wolff of the Beverage Testing Institute invited me to participate on the tasting panel for British, Irish ales and I.P.A.'s -- which, coincidentally, are some of my favorite beer styles!!  It is an interesting process.  Each panelist receives flights of beer which are labeled by number.  You look, smell and taste each beer, and do a little description and commentary.  Gerald, the moderator, then takes comments on each beer from each of us, and summarizes them.  This information is then used for the buyer's guide in ALL ABOUT BEER magazine -- to which everyone should subscribe.  

I tasted several beers which I would never, ever buy and some which are not even available in Chicago, so I would not have had a chance to taste them.  Here's a couple of commentaries from that day.  

Michelob Brewing Co. Michelob Craft Brewed Pale Ale.  I couldn't believe when I found out what this was!!  But it was really good--like I would drink this willingly!  It was a lovely copper color, good head retention, nice carbonation.  A sweet orange/grapefruit rind with some alcohol nose was followed up by tropical fruit and burnt toast on the palate.  The dry, bitter finish lingered, not much sweetness.  Not bad at all!  No one was more surprised than I, but this happens to me when I do blind tastings.  

Another beer I really liked -- Samuel Adams Irish Red!!  Deep garnet reddish-brown color, a metallic, aluminum-foil nose.  Bright, effervescent citrusy mouthfeel, some citrus, roasted nuts, toasted marshmallow and cocoa on the palate (see?  I need practice but I am getting better at the whole describing-flavor thing!!)  Well-balanced, short finish.  

Of course, I don't have a camera on my phone right now -- I have to get my new phone with the camera in it up and running.  So I don't have pictures of the labels of the BTI beers.  Go to the grocery store, they probably have them there.  

Then, Friday night, we went to In Fine Spirits, in my neighborhood on Clark Street.  They had Alpha King on cask!!  Wahoo!  And really delicious cheese, bread and white bean dip.  I was extremely happy.  As far as creature comforts, for me, beer, cheese and bread is about as good as it gets.   If you are in Andersonville and you can't get into Hopleaf because it's too busy and too loud and you don't want to wait, go for the lovely walk a few blocks north and go to In Fine Spirits.  Fantastic food, a decent beer selection, and tons and tons of wines and cocktails.