Sorry for the late post on today’s cask, but I guess it’s better late than never!  This week’s firkin is cask-conditioned Sprecher IPA2 (that’s squared, but I don’t know how to do superscripts in this blog).

There’s actually some really nice information on the Sprecher site about all their beers.  Here’s a bit on this particular beer:

“Our IPA is of the imperial or double style, therefore much richer than the normal IPA’s now found everywhere. It has a very balanced but different flavor than most US micro types focusing on more on malt and hop balance where CA IPA’s emphasize massive hop aroma and bitterness.” - from Randy’s Notes

India Pale Ale Facts

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Alcohol by Volume: 7.5%
Degrees Plato (Initial Gravity): 18.75P
Weeks Aged: 12
Bitterness Units: 88 IBU
Year First Brewed: 1995
Serving Temperature: 50°
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Caramel, Carapils, Munich, Pale, Victory
Hops: Chinook, Fuggles, Northern Brewer, Willamette
Sizes: 1/4 and 1/2 Barrels, 16oz Bottles

The J. Clyde actually serves all it’s cask ales at 52° F which is quite nice because that’s just about the high today in Birmingham!  It’s definitely been a cold winter.  Anywho, we’re mightly close to the suggested temperature listed above and we’ve added a size - 9 Imperial Gallon Firkin!

Prost!

Dan Gordon, co founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company will be celebrating the introduction of his beers into Alabama today AT THE J. CLYDE!  We’re really proud to host this event and we’ve come up with some great food specials for the evening.  There’s a big German connection here as Dan Gordon learned the art of brewing beer in Germany.  So, here are the food specials:

·         $7 - Currywurst with Pomme Frites - knockwurst served in a spicy tomato curry sauce with deep-fried shoestring potatoes

·         $9 - Bratwurst in Brochen with Sauerkraut, Spicy Mustard and Warm German Potato Salad - essentially a sausage sub sandwich topped with spicy mustard and sauerkraut served alongside a German-style potato salad

·         $12 - Wienerschnitzel with Kasespaetzel - breaded pork scaloppini with a German-style noodle tossed with melted cheese

·         $16 - Bavarian Sausage, Sauerkraut and Whipped Potatoes – this is The J. Clyde’s typical Bavarian Sausage plate removing the Southern twist and adding sauerkraut

 If you buy a Gordon Biersch beer to pair with your choice, prices are:

·         $5 – Currywurst

·         $6 – Bratwurst Sub

·         $8 – Wienerschnitzel

·         $11 – Bavarian Sausage

Danner Kline, founder of Free the Hops has graciously offered his pairing recommendations for the food and beer, but don’t let that overly sway your choice.  All of the Gordon Biersch beers will go well with these.

Gordon Biersch is famous for its world-class lagers which strictly adhere to the Reinheitsgebot - German Beer Purity Law - which is the oldest regulation regarding food in the world.   Regulations aside, what makes Gordon Biersch beers great are the crispness and freshness that German lagers need.  A good hefeweizen is also part of the Gordon Biersch portfolio and we’ll have that one available as well - also freshly bottled and oustanding!

So please stop by and enjoy!  Mr. Gordon will be here from 6pm until he answers all your questions about bier!

Prost!

 

It’s almost here!  The Bell’s Beer Dinner is only two weeks away with special guest - straight from Bell’s Brewery - Larry Bell!  This beer dinner kicks off at 6pm, Friday February 12th.  This will also be our Valentine’s Day dinner so bring your most favorite special person in the world!

We’ll have a special firkin of Expedition Stout tapped for this dinner!

Here’s the menu:

A scrumptious bowl of Tomato Basil Bisque matched with Bell’s Lager

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Bell’s Hopslam paired with spicy Fried Green Tomato and Grilled Shrimp covered with Fiery Remoulade

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Fresh Spinach Salad tossed with Slices of Mandarin Oranges, Toasted Walnuts, Alabama Goat Cheese and Citrus Vinaigrette wedded with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

 

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Mandarin Honey-baked Free-range Chicken Breast served with Sweet Mashed Potatoes and a pint of Bell’s Best Brown

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A half Imperial pint of Cask-conditioned Bell’s Expedition Stout served with a Dark chocolate mini-cake iced with sweet ganache and topped with a Cherry Stout-reduction Compote

 

 

 

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The dinner is $48 per person plus tax and gratuity.  Skip the movie and hang out later to talk with Mr. Bell and learn about all the great beer he makes.  I’ve never had a bad beer from Bell’s and don’t expect to!  The guy knows what he’s doing.

Prost!

This beer is a limited release only available from January to February each year.  I wanted to let folks know how successful this beer hit Birmingham at The J. Clyde.  We were allocated one keg and it sold out the first night!  For those of you who came into try it, you got a treat!

We are down to bottles now!  Look out for more information on Hopslam in the next day or so.  It will also be featured at the Bell’s Beer Dinner on February 12th, 6pm at The J. Clyde.

Cheers!

As many folks have noticed the posted signs, today is an interesting day because for the first time The J. Clyde will be closed on Sunday.  We will continue to be closed on Sundays during 2010 which will provide a better opportunity to rebuild the back bar and add on a new women’s restroom.  Additionally, we will be implementing a few other expansions to speed up kitchen operations.  Stay tuned as we continue to work hard being the best beer restaurant in the world.

In the short term, we hope everyone is already having a wonderful new year!  A superb cask of Rogue Chocolate Stout is on tap at the moment.  Good People Fatso will replace that award-winning cask on Thursday night this week instead of Friday.  You might wonder, why Thursday?  Well…

The BCS Championship Game is on Thursday and - Auburn AND Alabama fans should both be very proud of that.   Success is spreading across the state and Auburn just moved to #3 on Rivals recruiting rankings.  So, the future looks good on the Plains too!  UAB is rocking and rolling in basketball.  Pat Sullivan is moving Samford in the right direction.  Birmingham Southern just started a football program again and is already doing quite well.

We have a great Good People brewery right in Birmingham so we celebrate all this local success on Thursday!

Beer is great in the state.  Football is good.  It doesn’t get any better than this!

Prost!