by admin | Oct 31, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
If you’ve been to Flytrap in the last five years you’ve definitely had the pleasure of meeting Eddy; he celebrated his fifth anniversary shortly after the brewery did! And if you haven’t stopped by, you definitely should–both for the delicious Belgian-inspired brews, and the ultra-friendly bartenders.
Check out what Eddy has to say about being behind the stick.
Ale Trail (AT): What’s your favorite thing about bartending?
Eddy Johnson (EJ): My favorite thing about bartending, specifically at Flytrap, is being able to bring people together. We have a wide range of folks who come in and to be the bridge that brings them together over a pint is truly something I enjoy.
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future craft beer bartenders?
EJ: 1. Be knowledgeable of your brewery’s/bar’s beer and of other beers so you can recommend similar beer.
2. Keep the air conditioner on high, you never want them to see you sweat.
3. Always have a good dad joke in your back pocket. If they roll thier eyes you nailed it.
4. Most importantly, have fun. Create an environment where they want to stay and come back.
AT: If you were a beer, which one would you be?
EJ: I’m not sure I would want to be a beer, then I won’t be able to drink one. If I have to pick, something dry and with a bite.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Oct 30, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found around the area on tap, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Deep Sea Dunkelweizen: 4.4% Dark, mysterious, and full of surprises. This dunkelweizen has a rich malt and clove aroma with slight notes of vanilla. Malted wheat makes for a smooth, medium-light body, while Munich provides a slight sweetness. Although the dark color can be deceiving, the crisp and refreshing Hefeweizen character makes this beer unique.
Collective Illusions: 7.5% A hazy IPA dry-hopped with Amarillo and Simcoe. Think: sweet, red fruit, mango. Available on draught and in cans.
Rye Saison: 6.7% Another delicious variation on their classic house saison, now featuring rye malt and Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand.
Sextant Chocolate Porter: 5.8% The latest porter coming out of the North 4th brewery featuring notes of coffee, toffee, and chocolat.e
Fool’s Gold Nitro Stout: 6.7% This strong golden ale looks like a blonde ale but has the body and mouthfeel of a stout. Additions of vanilla bean, Ecuadorian cocoa nibs, and whole bean coffee complete the finish with a light bitterness and strong roasted coffee flavor.
Moletimus Prime: 5.6% A New England IPA that was dry hopped during fermentation, bio-transforming the hops to more aromatic properties.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Oct 23, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
Pineapple Kölsch Krush: 4.8% 20 IBU This brew is fruit-forward, and quite crushable. Perfect for kicking back in the WBB beer garden!
Don’t @ Me: 4.5% A special kind of riff on a kölsch. NABP took a standard recipe added a little German Brumalt and boiled a very weak wort for 3 hours to add some extra color and flavor.
IDK IPA: 6.4% Head Brewer Dani says, “Too many ingredients to name it after a clever pun, this beer has a little bit of everything but delivers an easy-drinking IPA with layered flavors and aromas, and strong impressions of tangerine. Because sometimes, you just don’t know what you want until you have it.”
Belgian IPA: 7.2% An absurdly good hybrid of American IPA and Belgian ale, this end-of-summer beer marries together the tangerine citrus and tropical fruit notes of four different Pacific Northwest hops with the tart plum and bubblegum spice of the FSB house Belgian yeast strain, all delivered with a soft and fluffy texture. A joy to drink.
Count Chocolate Ale: 6% This chocolate milkshake porter is brewed with real cocoa nibs. It’s got notes of milk chocolate, tootsie rolls, and cocoa puff cereal milk; and it’s just in time for Halloween!!
Pretty in Pink: 5% This strawberry-hibiscus sour was brewed to benefit local non-profit Pretty in Pink, which helps breast cancer patients and survivors.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Oct 16, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Community, Local Beer
You may have seen Maria Speaks running one of the many large-scale events at Waterline Brewing Company, the brewery under the bridge. She started as a bartender three years ago and worked her way into becoming Taproom Manager & On-Site Events Coordinator. This week we chat with Maria.
AT: Whats your favorite thing about bar tending?
MS: My favorite thing about bar tending at Waterline is talking about beer with people. I like to nerd out about it and it’s always nice to have a fellow nerd that I can converse with. The other part I enjoy is the social aspect of it. I love the demographic here so socializing with regulars and people who come in is always pretty enjoyable.
AT: Do you have any advice for current or future craft beer bartenders?
MS: Always be open. Be open to try new beers, to try new product period. I love ordering new ciders and wine. I also love that the brewery I work at is all-inclusive when it comes to the beverage of choice. Also, know your beer. Part of the appeal of a brewery for customers is for them to be able to ask you questions about your product or even other craft beer products and for you to have the answers.
AT: If you were a beer which one would you be?
MS: If I was a beer I’d like to be a Gruit. I’d be a Gruit because it’s an OG style of beer. Traditional and original but can taste and look like anything!
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Oct 13, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
A weekly roundup of local and craft beer that can be found around the area on tap, in bottles, or in cans. These are not beer reviews and should be used for entertainment purposes only.
Atmospheric Pressure: 8.5% This small batch of Imperial Berliner Weisse is chock-full of blueberry and raspberry with added vanilla and lactose. Small pours only on this insanely smooth libation.
Half Truth Wit: 4.7% Named after Blackbeard’s daughter Angelica who was known to be very deceiving with her words, this Belgian Wit was aged with lemon peel & has fragrant clove notes in the aroma with a balanced hint of lemon zest. The flavor profile showcases pils & wheat malt character with a crisp and easy finish.
Lumina Landing Lager: 4.6% This easy drinking lager is light, crisp, and refreshing making it the perfect choice for an afternoon on the boat or an evening at the beach house. A herbal aroma accompanied by a slight hoppy finish makes this lager stand out from the crowd.
Hail the Leaf: 5.4% This modernized American Pale Ale is loaded down with Citra and Simcoe. A light haze is present with a balanced (42 IBU) bitterness from Simcoe first wort hopping. No boil hops, but a substantial whirlpool of Citra and Simcoe give the finish a citrus and fresh fruit aroma and flavor.
Black & Blueberry Berliner Weisse: 4.3% This German style sour was fermented with tons of whole blackberries & blueberries. Now pouring!
Big Shakey: 6.5% Bright, fruity IPA meets bitter, dark roast coffee for a unique combination of flavors perfect for the hop head or stout lover. This brew finishes with firm bitterness from roasted malts and fruit notes of pear and fuji apple.
by Joan Wilkerson Hoffmann | Oct 9, 2019 | Blog, Breweries, Local Beer
When I heard about Port City Escape teaming up with Waterline Brewing Company for a monthly “portable escape room” I knew I had to see it for myself. I attended the September portable escape with my husband and two friends, and we all had a blast. The hour-long “rooms” are presented in a neat package that are more of a puzzle box. And y’all, it was challenging! I got to talk to Kris from Port City Escape and Maria from Waterline and here’s what they had to say:
Ale Trail (AT): Whose idea was it? How did the partnership start?
Kris Testori (KT): We (Port City Escape) had just started building tabletop portable escape adventures in response to customers asking us to bring the escape experience to them. At the time we knew we there was a huge demand but we didn’t have a clear picture of a full plan. I met with Maria from Waterline regarding a charity event we were donating tickets to and we hit it off. We got to talking about our portables and decided that Waterline would make a great place to host these. As our buildout of the portables progressed we decided to meet up and plan our next steps.
AT: Without giving too much away, can you walk me through the evening?
KT: Sure. First book online or come to Waterline and register. When you get there you are given a ticket for your first drink and you choose a table. Five tables have a large portable escape on it. (Each of these portables is played by up to five players.) The Escape Adventure starts at 6:30 pm with an actor telling the story behind the adventure. Similar to an escape room, our portables have a different theme and a different story. The groups then get to work and will last for up to one hour. Similar to an escape room when you get stuck, you are provided with a clue. In this instance it’s a self contained adventure that fits on top of the table so you will be able to sit with people you know, enjoy a cold beer, and figure out a mystery together.
AT: Do people arrive with their own teams? Is it a team activity?
KT: We have had teams, couples, groups of friends and singles. We have had a few work groups come out as teams.
Maria Speaks (MS): One person could also do it by themselves, but it probably wouldn’t be as much fun.
AT: Can people drink during the event?
KT: Yes, absolutely. The first beer is included in the price.
MS: That’s part of the reason Kris & her husband partnered with us. We here at Waterline think most things are more enjoyable with one of our brews in your hand…and we also have plenty of space for activities.
AT: Why should someone who’s an Escape Room skeptic give this a try?
KT: We have found that most people who are skeptical about escape rooms are concerned about being locked in a room, and the open atmosphere at the brewery takes that fear away.
I would also love to invite anyone who is an escape room skeptic to come visit Port City Escape and let me show them around. We are always working hard to dispel the myth that it’s scary or you will be claustrophobic. And all of the rooms have a door that remains unlocked throughout the adventure.
MS: It’s just a nice way to dip your toes in. It’s a bit easier and also cheaper than an escape room. It’s also really non-committal. I feel like you could do anything for an hour and probably not regret it even if it’s not your cup of tea.
The next Brews & Clues is Tuesday October 15th at Waterline.
