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Tag Archives: Belgian Beer

Intuition fourth anniversary week packs in the events, beer

18 Nov

IntuitionAleWorks (1)This week marks the beginning of Intuition Ale Works’ fourth anniversary celebration. During the week there will be a number of special events and one-off releases to celebrate with everything culminating on Saturday, November 22 at the brewery for a huge bash.

As has been the custom over the past four years with the brewery, guests can purchase beer “Passports” that will be stamped each time one of the special brews is drunk. Try 20 or more of the special brews and you earn a growler of beer and can register to win a $100 tap room credit. Only 100 passports will be printed, so if you want to participate, get to the tap room Tuesday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m. to grab yours.

Some of the beers to try include:

Tuesday, November 18: State Line w/ Habanero

Wednesday, November 19: Cantaloupe Saison w/ Cracked Pepper

Thursday, November 20: Smoke IPA w/ Pineapple

Friday, November 21: Golden Graham Jon Boat

Each beer will only be available the day it is released and Saturday the 22nd when all the beers will be available in the brewery and tap room.

In addition to special beers, the brewery will be featured at a number of special events throughout the area. These events include a Belgian beer dinner at Black Sheep Restaurant, a beer and cheese pairing, tap takeovers and a special brunch as dinner event at Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails.

Tuesday, November 18

Black Sheep Restaurant ~ Belgian Beer Dinner

Chef Waylon Rivers prepares a five course dinner served on the beautiful rooftop bar featuring a different Belgian-style beer brewed by Intuition with each course.

Tickets are $75 and are very limited. To reserve your seat at the table, call the restaurant at (904) 380-3091.

Bold Bean Coffee Roasters ~ Blonde Coffee Stout Tapping

Both the Riverside and Jacksonville Beach Bold Bean locations will be tapping a very special collaboration brew on Tuesday. The Intuition team worked closely with Bold Bean to create the Blonde Coffee Stout, a unique special release brew with oats, cocoa nibs and Brazilian coffee. The beer will only be available at Bold Bean and in very limited quantities, so when it’s gone, it’s gone!

Wednesday, November 19

Intuition Ale Works Tap Room ~ Beer and Cheese Pairing with Cypress grove Chevre

On Wednesday Intuition is hosting a special beer and cheese pairing with Cypress Grove Chevre, an award-winning artisan goat cheese maker, in the brewery bar. Debbie from Cypress Grove and Riley from Intuition will be on hand to guide the pairing of five cheeses and five beers, including a unique one-off. Special glassware will be provided by Cypress Grove, along with other goodies. Tickets are $20 and are extremely limited. Get yours now at this link: http://IntuitionAnniversaryBeerAndCheese.eventbrite.com

Engine 15 ~ Intuition Pint Night

The beaches brew pub will feature seven Intuition brews on tap including: Barrel-Aged Amsterdam Falafel, Noir Belge, Double Elimination, Truck Stop Stout and three core beers.

Thursday, November 20

World of Beer Southside ~ Intuition Tap Takeover

Join the Intuition crew at World of Beer Southside for the biggest Intuition tap takeover ever! WOB will be pouring at least 20 of Intuition brews starting at 6:00 p.m. In addition there will be fun swag giveaways.

Jaxsons Night Market ~ Cooking with Intuition

The brewery partners with Jaxsons Night Market this month to celebrate beer, food and community. Contributors to their cookbook, Cooking with Intuition, will be selling a number of dishes prepared with Intuition brews at the Market and Cari will be selling signed copies of the cookbook.

Also, cans of King Street Stout will be available at the Intuition Biergarten for the first time outside of the tap room.

Friday, November 21

Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails ~ Brunch for Dinner Dual Anniversary Party

Intuition and Moxie celebrate their shared  anniversary with Brunch for Dinner on Friday night starting at 10:00 p.m. This late-night bash will feature an incredible lineup of beers all paired with Chef Tom Gray’s brunch-inspired small plates. Featured beers include Duuuvaaal, Shotgun Shack and several brunch-themed beers brewed just for the occasion.

The Jax Brew Bus will be making a special roundtrip from Riverside.

Tickets can be purchased at http://moxiefl.ticketleap.com/brunch-for-dinner/.

Saturday, November 22

Intuition Ale Works ~ Anniversary Bash

The party starts at 1:00 p.m. and will feature a long list of special release and barrel-aged brews created just for the occasion. Add to that food trucks in the street featuring fare by Funkadelic and Driftwood BBQ, on-site t-shirt printing by Fretto Prints and a raffle to support the Florida craft beer political committee with a chance to win a Yeti cooler bag customized by Burro Bags or an UNDERDARK package that includes bottles of all three vintages and lots of swag, and you have the makings of an epic party.

Sunday, November 23

Mellow Mushroom Avondale ~  Hangover Brunch

Shake off an epic week with a Hangover Brunch at Mellow Mushroom Avondale on Sunday morning. The ‘Shroom will feature 10 of Intuition brews on tap to pair with their already awesome brunch menu, including some breakfast one-offs and the return of Contraption, a special release double IPA.

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2014 in Beer, Intuition Ale Works

 

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Piraat beer sponsors Talk Like a Pirate Day contest

16 Sep

PiraatThe First Coast has had its share of pirates and pirate invasions. On any given day, pirate impersonators can be found strolling the streets of St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach is practically overrun by the Captain Jack Sparrow look-alikes during the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival. So, it is only logical that the internationally recognized “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” held annually on September 19, is a big deal in this part of Florida.

The importer of Piraat beer, Global Beer Network, have taken the fun of the day one step further by sponsoring a contest that asks beer and pirate enthusiasts everywhere to submit their best pirate impression on video. Organized in alliance with the Talk Like A Pirate organization, the contest is both an online video contest and real-life, in-person pirate impression contest at participating pubs, bars and restaurants across the U.S.

The grand prize winner will win a year’s worth of Piraat beer, the official beer of pirates everywhere.
The contest runs through September 30, 2014. Winners will be announced October 1. Entries can be submitted on the Piraat Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/piraatbeer. To enter, simply “like” Piraat’s Facebook page and post your video. Check back to see if your video was chosen to be featured!

Piraat is a Belgian Triple Ale. The beer was created centuries ago to accompany sailors setting out on long voyages. In the 17th and 18th centuries, captains needed beer with high food value that could be kept fresh for an extended period of time. Piraat, due to its high ABV (10.5 percent) and second fermentation, was the perfect type of brew for these voyages. A pint a day was the ration passed down by the captain to his crew. Piraat has a well-rounded body and rich flavor. The powerful glow builds from the inside with a deep golden hue and soft haze. The beer is aggressively hopped and features copious amounts of malt. It features a mild sweetness coupled with colorful aromas, fresh bread, spices and tropical fruits for a complex taste.

uber_logoThe Jax Beer Guy has partnered with the UBER car service in Jacksonville. Because of this partnership, you can receive a $20 credit for your first ride by simply using the promo code “JaxBeerGuy” when you register for UBER on your smartphone.

Click HERE to sign up now!

 
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Posted by on September 16, 2014 in Imports

 

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Trappist ales spotlighted on ‘I Know Jax’

04 Dec

Not long ago the news that one of the world’s rarest beers, Westvleteren 12, will be released for sale next week. In the video below I talk about this extraordinary beer on “I Know Jax” with my cohort Joe Talentino.

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Posted by on December 4, 2012 in Beer, Belgian, Events

 

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Gnome Week Celebrated with Multiple Events in Jax

04 Jun

There has been a recent uptick of interest in all things gnome. From the animated movie Gnomeo & Juliet to the photos circulating the Internet of zombified gnomes attacking helpless garden flamingos, gnomes are on a roll. This week the hype comes to its pinnacle, June 6-9 is gnome week and the 6,666th anniversary of gnomes discovering the magic water that brews magical beers. And, there are a number of celebrations taking place throughout Jacksonville to commemorate the illustrious occasion.

Gnomes are widely considered mystical spirits of magic and alchemy that were first mentioned in the 16th century by Swiss alchemist Paracelsus. He described them as just two spans high (about two feet), reluctant to interact with humans, and able to move through solid rock as easily as we m,ove through air. They are often associated with mines or underground streams. According to legend, a village of gnomes discovered that the waters of Cedrogne Spring in what would become Belgium had magical properties. It was said that the water could heal numerous ailments so the gnomes soon began using the water to brew beer. Naturally, that beer held on to the magical properties of the water.

This week, come drink with Carolyn Graham of Brown Distributing, she will be hosting several events where there will be beer born of that ancient spring in Belgium from  Brassiere d’Achouffe. The fun begins Wednesday and continues through Saturday.

Wednesday, June 6
Engine 15 Brewing Company from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Tastings of several brews from Brassiere d’Achouffe.

Thursday, June 7
Cork & Keg from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
More great brew to taste.

Friday, June 8
Total Wine & More from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Brassiere d’Achouffe poured by Marc Wisdom, Jacksonville Craft Beer Examiner and I Know Jax’s the Beer Guy.

Pele’s Wood Fire
Gnome Gnights three-course dinner with beer pairings for just $30.

Saturday, June 9
Whole Foods from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
More samples and more fun!

Pele’s Wood Fire
Gnome Gnights three-course dinner with beer pairings for just $30.

So, get out your pointy hats, groom your curly white beards, and come taste several of the brews from Brassiere d’Achouffe. You are sure to leave whistling a happy tune – or was that dwarves who did that?

 
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Posted by on June 4, 2012 in Beer, Belgian, Events, Imports

 

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New Belgian Brews Are Tasty and Thrifty

09 Jan

20120109-161720.jpgBelgian beers have long been my favorites and, as evidenced by my trip to Belgium last year, my passion. I love the variety the Belgian brewers introduce to their brews and the outstanding quality that is virtually guaranteed of a Belgian beer. The Belgian people take their beer seriously and therefor will not stand for shoddy practices or poor quality beers.

Last night my good friend Steve of Beerjunto.com invited me over to his palatial mansion to taste several new Belgian beers he had come across. The three brews we tried were all from the Brasserie Caulier a brewery situated less than a half mile from the French border in Péruwelz, Belgium. Named for a nearby town where the first brewery was established in 1980 the three beers tasted were Bon Secours Blonde, Bon Secours Brune, and Bon Secours Ambree.

Brasserie Caulier wanted to follow in the brewing traditions of the Brigittine Monks that first settled in the area and established a brewery in Peruwelz around 1628. Brasserie Caulier tells a story about the first brewmaster of the monastery named Father Baudelot who, after celebrating Mass every Sunday at the Chapelle Notre-Dame-between-wood in the village of Bonsecours, would walk home and pay visits to the local taverns along the way. After long evenings of drinking and socializing with the parishioners, Father Baudelot would require assistance getting back to the Abbey. The good Father’s dog, a statuesque St. Bernard, would guide him safely to his home. In honor of the Father and his faithful companion, all Bon Secours brews feature a St. Bernard on the label.

Brasserie Caulier is a traditional brewery that produces beers using the traditional methods. The brews are unfiltered, unpasteurized, and the secondary fermentation takes place in the unique swing-top bottle the company uses. This second fermentation in the bottle leads to an extremely lively bottle evidenced by the “Biere Vivante!!” tag line on the label, which translate to “living beer.” Indeed, it is a very good idea to have your glass nearby when opening the bottle as the carbonation tends to rush to the top of the bottle as soon as it is opened.

The first of the beers we sampled was the blonde. As mentioned above, when poured into a tulip glass the brew formed a thick, white head of fragrant bubbles releasing aromas of sweet malt, lemony citrus, and the earthy spiciness one expects from a Belgian Strong Ale. The appearance of the beer in the glass is hazy yellow which leans towards the golden side. First sip revealed the sweetness of the malts followed by the brightness of the lemon and finally a pleasant herbal character. This beer paired nicely with the homemade gyros my host served for dinner.

Next we broke open the amber from Brasserie Caulier. As with the blonde, this brew poured into the glass with a tall, rising head of attractive and aromatic foam that was dominated by the smell of dark sugars and caramel and the typical Belgian yeast funk. In the glass the beer is a deep orange color with amber highlights. Immediately upon first sip the sweet, caramel nature of the malts washes over your taste buds. In the finish there is a hint of sourness reminiscent of a Flanders Red.

The third and final beer of the evening was the brune. This brew poured a deep brown with a generous slightly tan head. The aroma is of dark-roasted malts, mocha, and some dark fruits. The first sip revealed the dark malts and mocha hints along with dark brown sugars – perhaps molasses — and raisins. Drank alongside some truly outstanding brownies made with chili spices and vanilla made by Steve’s lovely wife Amber, this beer really stood out.

As Belgian beers continue to gain popularity in the United States, it is always a treat to come across a brew that I have not tried before. As was the case several months ago with Antigoon, the Bon Secours beers are a very pleasant addition to my catalog of tasty Belgian brews. While all three of the Brasserie Caulier brews boast 8% ABV, they are very drinkable and pleasant on the palate. If you are looking for inexpensive as well as tasty Belgian brews these three are well worth your time.

Bon Secours Blonde, Bon Secours Ambree, and Bon Secours Brune are available at Total Wine in the St. John’s Town Center for $2.99 to $5.99.

Until next time,

Long Live the Brewers!

Cheers!

Marc Wisdom

 

 
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Posted by on January 9, 2012 in Beer, Belgian, Imports

 

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