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OCTOBER BEERCATION – CHARLESTON – FROTHY BEARD BREWING

Hoppy’s next visit on the October Beercation was at Frothy Beard Brewing in Charleston, S.C. Here he drank a flight of four IPA’s before deciding on the Dino DNA for a pint. The flight included the following ales:

They Do Move In Herds – A fresh hop IPA. Strata hops (passion fruit, pungent/dank) were used in the mash, first wort pre-boil, during boil, in whirlpool tank and in the hop back on the way to the fermenter. These hops were picked off the bine in Oregon and mailed overnight to be used the very next day. Typically, hops are dried whole and/or pelletized.  6.8% ABV.

Life Uh… Finds A Way – West Coast Style double IPA with Centennial, Cascade, Columbus used in first wort pre-boil, boil, whirlpool, hop back, and finally dry hopped. Big resinous pine and grapefruit citrus. 9.6% ABV.

Dino DNA – Whole Leaf Chinook (piney, resinous, citrus) and Whole Leaf Williamette (citrus, berry, spice) were added during first wort pre-boil, boil, whirlpool hop back, and finally dry hopped in the fermenter. We also dry hopped with Columbus (herbal, citrus). 7.8% ABV.

Bubbles! The Destroyer of Worlds – Mango IPA with Mosaic hops. 7% ABV.

OCTOBER BEERCATION – KNOXVILLE – BALTER BEERWORKS

The first stop on the October Beercation was in Knoxville, where Hoppy visited Balter Beerworks. Here he imbibed a Falconer’s IPA hopped with Falconer’s Flight and Simcoe hops at 6.8% ABV and 50 IBU. For those of you that may not know, Falconer’s Flight hops were developed by Hopunion LLC in 2010, and are an exclusive proprietary hop blend created to honor and support the legacy of Northwest brewing legend, Glen Hay Falconer. There is also a Glen Hay Falconer Foundation which was created to celebrate his life, and which provides three scholarships annually. In 2021, the Foundation provided two educational scholarships to the World Academy of Brewing at the Siebel Institute and one to the American Brewer’s Guild. More information can be obtained here.

Hoppy also enjoyed a pint of the Bear Blend which is a coffee oatmeal porter brewed with local Three Bear’s Coffee. It clocks in at 5.6% ABV and 20 IBU.

Below are photos of the brewery and pub:

BAD DAD BREWERY – FAIRMOUNT

Hoppy recently visited Bad Dad Brewery in Fairmount where he not only enjoyed their beers, but their names, as well. He tasted three IPAs that included Tapestry of Obscenity at 6.6%, Pull My Finger at 7.1% and an Imperial IPA, Kiss The Cook, at 8.8%. He settled on a pint of the Tapestry of Obscenity. Other clever named beers included Because I Said So (Weizenbock), You’re Grounded, Mister (Coffee Stout), and Schitzengiggels (Festbier).

BEERCATION – TACOMA – E9 BREWING

Hoppy’s 2nd and last visit in Tacoma was at E9 Brewing. This new brewery and tap room opened in 2019 in the city’s Historic Brewing District. E9 was the first brewery in Tacoma, opening in 1995 They still operate this location as a restaurant and taproom. It was the last operating horse drawn firehouse in Tacoma and is now listed on the National Historic Registry. (E9 Brewing was originally known as Engine House No. 9 Brewery.) They are currently best known for their sours, hence their slogan, “Keep Tacoma Sour.” Hoppy enjoyed a Farmhouse Deux, a barrel aged farmhouse ale at 6.2% ABV, while here.

BEERCATION – TACOMA – 7 SEAS BREWING

Hoppy next had a short stop in Tacoma, Washington where he visited two breweries. The first of these was 7 Sea Brewing which opened in Tacoma in 2016. (Their original facility was in Gig Harbor, Washington, where they still have a location.) The Tacoma brewery and tap room is located in Tacoma’s historic brewery district in the former home of Heidelberg Brewery. They have food partners in the tap room which are 3uilt Tacoma and 3uilt Grind Espresso. 7 Seas is known for being the first brewery in Washington State to can their beers, beginning in 2009. While there, Hoppy enjoyed sampling some brews and quaffed a pint of their IPA, formerly known as Rude Parrot. It clocked in at 5.9% ABV and 75 IBU.