by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Feb 27, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community, Local Beer
This week joining us Behind Bars we’ve got Jarrod Howe, the taproom manager at Broomtail Craft Brewery. Broomtail is one of the very first craft breweries to emerge on the scene following Front Street and they’ve been knocking it out of the park ever since.
AT: What’s your favorite thing about bartending?
JH: I would definitely have to say my regulars. I’ve been hanging out with some of our customers for 3 years and consider many of them to be very good friends. We all look out for each other and it never really feels like work when you are hanging out with your friends (and lots of them bring me food). Also, lots of dogs. Dogs, food, friends, music, and beer. What could be better?
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future craft beer bartenders?
JH: The best advice I can give to any bartender (and I stress this to all of the new employees I’ve trained) is to get to know your regulars. Learn their names, learn their orders, just learn about them as people. I am consistently humbled by the kindness and generosity of our customers. Who knows, some of these people might become one of your friends, and who doesn’t want to tip their friends well?
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be?
JH: I’m gonna go with our Moe-Beer Brown Ale. Simple, yet classic and delicious, you can never go wrong with our flagship Brown Ale, and as Broomtail’s longest working employee, the people that come to our taproom expect to see me (like it or not), just like they expect us to always have our Moe-Beer ready to pour.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Feb 20, 2019 | Blog, Local Beer
Vimana Pacifica: 5.1% dry-hopped with New Zealand Rakau hops. It has notes of pineapple and green tea with a dank finish.
Yuzu Gose with Kaffir Lime Leaves & Orange Zest: 4.2% It’s light, refreshing, and balanced! The layers of citrus are complemented by the salinity from the addition of Sea Love sea salt.
Murk Master Flex: 5.9% This hazy pale ale is loaded down with oats and flaked wheat for a light and creamy body. Azacca and Amarillo hops impart notes of citrus, pineapple, and spicy mango. #FLEXONIT
Mango Man Randy Sour: 6.8% A tart Belgian IPA fermented with mangoes.
Old North Stout: 5.8% Brewed using locally sourced malt from Epiphany Craft Malt. Dry, roasty, and full of flavor!
The Original IPA: 8.8% Ever wonder what IPA tasted like when it was first invented? Front Street has brewed a beer exactly like the original IPAs shipped from England to India. An authentic 1830s recipe, aged in oak barrels for a whole year, just like when it arrived on the subcontinent. It’s surprisingly bright, dry, and refreshing, with a golden color and a bold bitterness.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Feb 20, 2019 | Blog, Bottle Shops, Community
Cheers to six years down and many, many more to our friends at Fermental!
The bottle shop on the north side of town will be celebrating their sixth anniversary on Saturday, March 2nd with a full day of music, food trucks, giveaways, and of course, delicious beer and wine.
We talked to Steve Gibbs, owner-operator of Fermental, and he’s thrilled to be six years in and looking ahead.
“It’s been quite a ride since 2013,” says Gibbs. “Pretty much non-stop every day since opening. Now, with one daughter soon to finish college and another about to enter preschool, my daily life is a hectic one. Coupled with consistent beer releases, an ever-growing wine selection, events, live music, and other such happenings, Fermental is definitely a laborious love and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
We also asked him how he feels about the ever-evolving nature of the beer industry and what he’s observed since opening his doors in 2013.
“The beer industry has changed drastically in six years. Most times for the best, sometimes not so much. I think this year we’ll see some big changes with local brewery expansions as well as larger brewery mergers and closings throughout the US as craft continues to grow. Beer styles will become more diverse and experimental while also returning to its roots as imbibers seek out the classics they once enjoyed.
2019 will be the year of hard seltzers. Watch out. But don’t worry, the hops aren’t going anywhere.”
Here’s the schedule for the day:
Food Trucks
CheeseSmith @ noon
2Bros Coastal Cuisine @ 5pm
Music
Roger Davis @ noon
Jason Ashby @ 2pm
The Blarney Brogues @ 5pm
Boba Funk @ 8pm
So let’s party, y’all!
Here’s a final message from Steve:
“Thanks again for everyone’s support over the past six years. This will be another challenging, mad-capped year at Fermental and we look forward to many more. Come celebrate with us, as we celebrate with you.”
For more information about this event visit the event Facebook page.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Feb 13, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
The Behind Bars series focuses on those that serve us our favorite libations at craft beer-focused breweries, bottle shops, bars, and restaurants.
This week joining us Behind Bars is Allison McPherson from Bill’s Front Porch! Keep an eye out this year for the Market Street brewery to break ground on their new taproom behind Captain Bill’s on Cinema Drive.
AT: What’s your favorite thing about bartending?
AP: My favorite aspect of bartending, without a doubt, is meeting people. I have built some amazing relationships with customers who are now not just customers, they are friends.
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future craft beer bartenders?
AP: The advice I would give is to go try as many craft beers as you can, even if you don’t like a specific style. For example, I am really not a huge fan of stouts or any beers that have coffee and chocolate notes, but I will still sample them if a brewery has one on draft. This helps me find a beer for a patron who doesn’t know what they are looking for when they come into Bill’s Front Porch. They tell me the flavors, style, body, etc. that they want and that helps me find just the right beer for them.
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be?
AP: Definitely a dry-hopped sour.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Feb 6, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found at Wilmington breweries, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Brown Sugar Baltic Porter: A full-bodied lager with notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar, and roasted barley. 6.2%
Love Potion Porter: A sweet release for you and your sweet! It’s a 6% porter brewed with cocoa nibs and raspberry.
Raspberry Molay: This is Mad Mole’s traditional German kölsch with raspberry added! The result is a crisp, fruit-forward beer with a deep magenta hue. 6%
Ba’al: This is a false idol of gold in a 16oz can brewed with pale malt, wheat, citra, and loral. It’s bursting with citrus and tropical fruit.
For Whom the Belgian Tolls: A bourbon barrel aged Belgian Golden Strong Ale that was a collaboration between Wrightsville Beach Brewing and Makai.
Sinful Stout: The mocha latte of beers! This luxurious indulgence is brewed with rich chocolate velvet coffee beans and golden naked oats for a silky, sensual experience, while roasted black malt imparts dark chocolate intrigue. Each sip will leave you craving more. This Valentine’s Day, treat your sweet to this salaciously satisfying chocolate delight.
