Progress at The Nook

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My dad’s bar has come a long way. He has over 70 beers available and 10 beers on draft. He has multiple coolers setup to keep the beer at their preferred temperature, too.

The building is slowly coming a long, too.

The sign at the street is being redone, which is badly needed. The original sign was painted with what looks like a roller. It is hard to paint letters with just a roller. Both sides of the sign don’t even look the same. But, this will all be fixed with the new sign.

With the sign fix on the way, the inside of the building is the process of being painted to tone down the Irish green that is everywhere. The bar had been Patty’s Pub at one time so everything is covered with bright green and the colors of the Irish flag.

They are going the start some radio advertising, too. My dad has not decided the details, but it is in the works.

First Alabama Beer Festival

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Free The Hops is hosting the first annual Magic City Brewfest at the Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama on June 2nd, 2007. Here is the flyer:

They will be serving just about every beer available in Alabama. They are raising money to help change the Alabama beer laws to allow speciality beers into our state. Presently, most beers listed as the best beers on Beer Advocate can't be sold in Alabama. Here is a great chance to help change Alabama for the better and enjoy some food and beers.

The Nook is Coming A Long

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As I have indicated before, my dad purchased a bar. He has been in the process of making the changes he wants to the bar over past few weeks.

This week is big for changes at the bar. On Tuesday, his direct draw cooler arrived. Direct draw cooler is beverage industry speak for draft beer cooler with taps on top. This addition will give the bar up to eight beers on draft and room for storage, which will be great. I hate going to a bar or restaurant to learn that they are out of beer.

Today, the Glass Door Merchandisers arrived. Glass Door Merchandisers is industry speak for refrigerators with glass doors. He wanted the selection of beers to be highly visible to the staff and customers. They are replacing Deep Well Bottle Coolers, which are the coolers normally behind a bar with siding top doors.

He has a moving company down there today helping setup the equipment. Because, the equipment has to be lifted over the bar and it weights over 400 pounds.

He is hoping to have the coolers all stocked by tomorrow.

My Dad Purchased a Bar

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Well, my dad has been talking about purchasing a bar for years. He up and did it today!

He had been talking with the own of the business and the owner of the property. In the end, he decided to just purchase the business. But, the property owner is still interested in selling the property.

It is a neighborhood bar located at 3305 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama.

It has been operating under the name “The Nook”, but the name had legally been “Paddy's Pub”. The own had just changed the sign out front without notifying the state Alcohol Beverage Control Board.

My dad has a number of plans for the place. The first of which is to change the bar to non-smoking.

More to come …

Alabama Getting Closer to Better Beer!

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The Alabama House Travel and Tourism Committee unanimously passed the bill to change the definition of beer to include beer with 14.9 percent alcohol. Presently, it is defined as having no more than 6 percent.

Now, the bill moves to the floor of the House.

You can read more at the following:

Huntsville Times

Birmingham News

A Bama Blog

The actual bill in question can be read here:

Alabama House Bill: HB195

The Alabama House of Representative bill has been put on the calendar for a floor vote this Tuesday, April 3rd.

We need the phone calls and emails from supporters of HB195. The following link will help you identify who your Representative is:
http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/house_zipsearch.html

– Brian Allen

XXX Warlock Double Imperial Stout

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Well, I made to the release of XXX Warlock Double Imperial Stout at Bristol Brewery. I arrived at Bristol at 9 PM, which is closing time, but Russell Noel indicated they were still pouring.

I had Russell poured me up one of the XXX Warlock Double Imperial Stout. They pour you 4 oz glass, which is good given it is 18.4 ABV. Wow! It tastes great. The flavors remind me of port wine or brady.

I decided to purchase a six pack to take back to my dad's house so that he could try, too.

They only made about 40 case according to what I believe I was told.

Free The Hops Raffle Prizes Means Great Beers

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You may have read in my previous post about the fundraiser held by Free The Hops at the The Flying Monkey Art Center.

Well, I bought a few raffle tickets at the event and won two of the prizes. Given Free The Hops is an organization formed to change the Alabama laws, you can guess that all the prize where beer in some form.

My father and I decided to have tasting at his house with our friend Bradley Smith. Bradley Smith established Custom Camper Covers in Huntsville, Alabama.

We started with Duvel, which is Belgian Golden Ale. It was an okay start, but it had off flavors for what some of us wanted.

We moved on to tasting Terrapin's 2007 Monster Beer Tour. We started Big Hoppy Monster, which everyone enjoyed to my surprise. I was guessing the beer would be too hopped, but it was enjoyed.

We keep the train moving on our tour of Terrapin beers with our next stop being All-American Imperial Pilsner. This was a good beer to follow the Big Hoppy Monster.

At this point, we decided to shift gear and go aluminum. As in aluminum cans, which brings us to Oskar Blues Brewery's canned ales. We started with Dales Pale Ale, which was good. The flavor caught me off guard from what I expect, but I adapted.

The Old Chub Scottish Style Ale was next and enjoyed by all.

At this point, we switched back to our last Terrapin, which was the “Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Stout“. We knew this beer was off Bradley's scale. And, he agreed saying, “I think I will try another one.” The rich coffee taste drives the flavors in this beer. The body is not that heave, but it is not light either.

We went on, but the write will stop now.

Free The Hops’ Fundraiser on January 20th

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I hope that you have cleared your calendar on January 20th so that you can make it to Free The Hops' Fundraiser at the Flying Monkey Art Center here in Huntsville, Alabama. It is great chance to try some great beers and meet other beer lovers.

It will be a great event!

If you don't know about Free The Hops, they are organized to change Alabama beer laws to raise the allowed alcohol percentage and container limit. These change will allow all the speciality beer that have come into the market place to be sold in Alabama.

Bristol Brewing Company’s Edge City Christmas Ale

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Well, I am kicking back at Bristol Brewing Company’s Tap Room enjoying this season’s Christmas Ale.

The cinnamon and anise flavors are great in the beer. The malt flavor are strong, but every enjoyable. The ABV is around 6.4%, which is nice on cold winter’s night in Colorado Springs.

You need to check out Bristol Brewing Company at:

1647 South Tejon Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80906

You can give them a call at:

(719) 633-2555

They are on the web site at: www.bristolbrewing.com