Leap for Larkin

Tonight our favorite Irish band, Larkin will be playing upstairs at McNellies. The Guinness will be flowing freely (not actually free, but cheap at $4 for an imperial pint) and the crowd will be full of Irish cheer. Their infectious enthusiasm for all things Irish is a great way to get geared up for St. Patrick's Day.

Larkin is a 6-member band from Tulsa who plays traditional Irish folk tunes and uses instruments such as the tin whistle and fiddle. Vocalist Chad Malone bursts with charisma as he roars out lyrics in an Irish accent. The more pints they consume, the more difficult they are to understand. It's all part of their charm.

They begin at 10pm, or "whenever they're good and ready," as their poster indicates. So come out, raise your pint, and be sure to slosh it on the floor so all my customers downstairs will complain about getting dripped on all night.

Afterall, the 29th is an extra day added to the year. Spend your bonus day getting bolloxed with the Irish.

Great Scot(ch)!

McNellies is notorious for a great beer selection, but we also carry an extensive assortment of scotches. In order to encourage people to try some different varieties, we have recently added a scotch flight to our menu. The cost is $30, and you get to choose 5 out of the 7 following single malt scotches:

• Talisker
• Caol Ila
• Glenkinchie
• Oban
• Lagavulin
• Dalwhinnie
• Cragganmore

Regretfully, my knowledge of scotch is inadequate and therefore I have no personal testimony of these. If you click on the photograph, you'll be able to read the commercial descriptions. Perhaps one of these gloomy days when I'm itching with boredom, I'll head down to the pub and try one of these flights.

Big Sky Brewery

Oklahoma has recently acquired some new beers from the Montana brewery, Big Sky. The Big Sky Brewery offers four varieties year-round, all which are now available at McNellies. The Big Sky Brewery has themed their beers with Montana wildlife, and I choose the one with the most interesting name to try first: Moose Drool.

I'm not sure why the name of this beer drew me to try it. You would think with such a disgusting name and repulsive picture on the label, it would have the opposite effect. Perhaps it's the train wreck theory that led me to try it. Anyhow, as distasteful as the packaging is, I found the contents to be quite the opposite.

Moose Drool is a brown ale that poured with a small head, spare lacing, and a murky dark brown appearance. It's darker in color than other brown ales that come to mind, such as Newcastle, Avery's Ellie Brown Ale, and Tilburgs Dutch Brown Ale. It's a lightly hopped beer with a smooth taste and 5.3% alcohol content. It's brewed with pale, caramel, chocolate, and whole black malts and Kent Goldings, Liberty, and Willamette hops. I found the beer to be very well balanced, not too sweet or hoppy, with substantial flavor. It's known to be the best selling beer from the brewery, and the best selling beer brewed in Montana.

Other beers from the brewery include Scapegoat Pale Ale, Trout Slayer Ale, and Big Sky IPA, as well as two seasonals: Powder Hound Winter Ale and Summer Honey Seasonal Ale. I gave the Big Sky IPA a try last night and wasn't a huge fan. I found the aroma to be very pleasing, but the taste was all hops, too much in my opinion. I know, I know, it's an IPA and therefore that's what it's supposed to be, but I felt like I was eating one of those hop pellets again.

If you want to try some new beers, get on down to McNellies. With a name like Moose Drool, you must be curious to try one.

Drop The Bomb On Me Baby

One of the most popular "shots," if you can even call it that, at McNellies are Irish Car Bombs. They are particularly favored by the staff, which should be a good indication they're something to write home about. For those who are unfamiliar with the Irish Car Bomb, allow me to explain how this shot works.

A pint glass is filled about half way full of Guinness. A a mixture of an Irish Cream and Irish whiskey, usually Baileys and Jameson, are poured into a shot glass. The shot glass is dropped into the glass of Guinness, then immediately chugged. You can't take this shot slowly or it will began to curdle, which is pretty disgusting. I don't even like the word curdle, much less the effect. But when taken properly, this shot is quite tasty and fun.

As the name may indicate, this is a rather potent concoction. It's one of those drinks that tends to sneak up on you, so drink with caution. It will definetley get the job done. Normally a rather pricey drink at $6.50, this week Irish Car Bombs are on special for $4.00! So, come on in and knock back a few. And if you have a few too many, take a cab! City cab: 582-3333 or Yellow cab:587-6611

Cerveza de Guatemala

Right now my boyfriend is in Guatemala. Although coffee is their primary export (and the purpose of his visit), even good ol' Guatemala produces and exports cerveza. So I thought I'd drink a Guatemalan beer in his honor; the only one we carry at McNellies: Bahia.

Bahia is a premium imported lager brewed by Cerveceria Centro Americana, and available in select markets across the United States. It's packaged in a clear bottle with a Marlin pictured on the label. It's comparable to Corona, or "Crapona," as I've heard it called. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be great, so I can't say I was disappointed. The taste wasn't unpleasant or offensive, but there wasn't much substance to it. It has a slightly sour flavor and a bit of skunkiness. Due to the warm climate of Central American countries, brewers don't grow barley or hops, and instead have them imported. They typically make light, basic lagers intended simply as thirst-quenchers. So, for what it is, it wasn't too bad. If I ever find myself roaming the streets of Guatemala, parched with thirst, I would gladly welcome the sight of a bottle of Bahia.

Fire Sale!

We need to make room for some new beers, so we are going to offer the following pints at a special "fire sale" price of $3 until we run out:


* Paulaner Hefe-Weis
* Paulaner Lager
* Boulevard Porter
* Pyramid Snowcap
* Bridgeport Ebenezer

The outgoing beers will be replaced by:

* Leinenkugel Red
* Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat
* Leinenkugel Creamy Dark
* Bridgeport Beertown Brown
* Bridgeport ESB

Also, for the month of February, pints of Harp and Abita Amber are on special for $3.

Fuller's Vintage Ale

The year was 1997 when Fuller's brewery of England released the first edition of their Vintage Ale. Every subsequent year in November, Fuller's has released a new edition of the award-winning brew. There are many characteristics about this beer which make it so exceptionally outstanding.

The packaging is the first thing that catches your eye. The single bottle comes in a ornate deep crimson colored box, giving the indication of a high class product. Open the box and you'll pull out a 16.9 ounce brown bottle of the Fullers Vintage Ale, with a issue number marked on the front of the label. Included in the box is a small card with a guide to the previous Vintage Ales that form the classic range. Essentially, the beer is the same each year with slight variations.

Only one batch of the beer is made each year, and it's much sought after by beer aficionados. My bottle was numbered 86,998 out of 100,000, so although it is a limited edition, it's not that hard to get your hands on a bottle. The price tag may be off-putting to some; it goes for $14 a bottle at McNellies. If you're willing to splurge a little, it's well worth it.

The Fuller's Vintage Ale is one of the most complex and flavorful beers I've had the pleasure of drinking. It's a beautiful deep velvet color, and features a full-bodied, smooth and creamy texture. Slightly sweet with hints of fruitiness and citrus fused with caramel and spicy notes are some of the taste words that came to mind as I drank the bottle. The alcohol content is rather high at 8.5%, which creates a nice warming effect. A pleasant lingering aftertaste followed each swill of the liquid.

The Vintage Ale is bottle conditioned, reaching it's peak condition in three to four years. The only way I'll be able to properly enjoy this ale is if I happen to come across an edition from 2004. I know myself well enough to know that I can't hold onto a beer of this caliber for four years without giving into the temptation of cracking it open. I'm weak, what can I say?

Frosted Glass

Last night I overheard some guy asking for a frosted glass with his beer. When he was told we don't have frosted glasses, he seemed astonished. "But you're a beer bar!" he exclaimed. He was drinking Heineken Light, by the way.

I was tempted to approach the fellow and explain to him we don't have frosted glasses for a reason. The reason being that BECAUSE we are a beer bar. Drinking a beer that's overly chilled has multiple negative side affects. It numbs your palate, masks the flavor, interferes with the aromas, and alters the serving temperature. Pouring your brew into a frosted glass causes water condensation on the inside of the glass, diluting your beer. Condensation on the outside of the glass also occurs, leaving your beer lying in a soppy puddle.

Not everyone will understand or care that drinking beer from a frosted glass is improper. But even if we did want to suit those people, we don't have the space to chill our glasses. In addition to the 60 draft beers McNellies carries, we have another 297 in bottles. Storing 357 beers is no easy feat. Also, keep in mind, for each bottled variety, we stock at the very least 8. If you do the math, that's 2,376 cold bottles of beer we are storing in our coolers, plus 60 kegs, as well as back-up kegs. So, yeah, our coolers are pretty much full.

Ephemere

It doesn't happen very often where I drink a beer I've never had before and say, "Euerka! This is my new favorite!" Well, this happened recently, or at least I thought so at the time. And, to be honest, I didn't actually say eureka.

Late one night after we closed the bar, a co-worker and I decided to split one of the newer beers we have at McNellies. We picked out a large bottle of Ephemere by the Canadian brewery, Unibroue. Unibroue has a reputation for producing an exotic collection of outstanding ales. The Ephemere is one in their series of fruit-based beers, this one being apple. Although I highly enjoy other beers by Unibroue, I didn't expect I would like this fruity flavored brew. We cracked it open and I must say, I was floored. I absolutely loved it. I raved about it to anyone who would listen, and went to the liquor store the following day and bought every bottle on the shelf (which, for the record, was three). I couldn't wait to share the tasty beverage with my friends and family.

The Ephemere is packaged in a 25.4 ounce pressurized bottle with a cork. The enchanting label features golden foil lettering and a female pixie perched upon colorful vines with mountains in the background. The beer is brewed with apple juice, coriander, and curacao. The heavy aroma of green apples can be detected from a few feet away. It pours a straw yellow color with a full frothy head, which diminishes fairly quickly. There seemed to be a high amount of carbonation, with lots of bubbles in the glass, having a spritzy quality. The apple flavor was very dominant, but it wasn't as sweet or offensive as I would have expected. I found it to taste more like a beer than many of the other fruit beers, which often demonstrate a sticky syrup quality.

I don't know the actual translation of the word Ephemere, but ephemera is listed in the dictionary as "things that exist or enjoyed for only a short time; something transitory; lasting a day." This seemed to prove true when I drank the beer for the second time. I'm not sure what happened, but I didn't get the same thrill I had the first time. Perhaps it was because I had low expectations the first time I tried it, whereas the second time I had high expectations. Whatever the case, I find the name of the beer to be very suiting.

Breck beer

Yesterday I picked up a flier for an art reception taking place this weekend. I was told the artist who had dropped them off was "real cool," kind of in a sarcastic manner. He said he was from "Breck." As in Breckenridge. I've never been to Breckenridge myself, so I'm not familiar with the lingo, but I am familiar with the beer. At least one of them, anyway: the Breckenridge Avalanche.

The Breckenridge Brewery was opened in February of 1990 by Richard Squire, who had a vision to ski all day and drink great beer every night. Over the past 17 years, his dream has turned into a reality, growing his business from a small brewpub to one of the most thriving craft beer breweries in the nation. The Breckenridge Brewery produces five brews year-round, and three seasonal varieties. Although most people probably associate the word 'avalanche' with winter and therefore would think it to be a seasonal brew, that's not the case. The Avalanche is available all year, and is the number one selling beer from the brewery.

The Avalanche is an amber style ale. The web site states an aroma of pale grains, but I thought it smelled more like socks. There was minimal carbonation in the brownish amber colored beer, and a head that diminished very quickly. A nice mixture of sweet malts and bittering hops made for a very smooth, well balanced beer. It had a taste of prunes and caramel with a clean, dry finish. Overall, I thought it had a pretty good flavor, although it was hard to get past that foul aroma that was hitting my nose. It did, however slightly diminish as the beer had time to air out. Although it wasn't one of my favorite beers, I'd be willing to drink it again.

If you want to give this one a shot, you don't have to travel to "Breck" to get one; it's available at McNellies. I might suggest holding your nose.

Sam Adams Utopias

Often customers peruse through the beer list at McNellies and are shocked to find a beer priced at $125. When I point to the colossal 3 liter (101.4 ounce) bottle of Chimay Jeroboam placed atop the beer cooler, people understand the price is based on quantity. So I can imagine the astonishment people would experience if we carried the strongest and most expensive beer in the world, Samuel Adams Utopias. Last week, thanks to an avid beer enthusiast, I had the pleasure of drinking this exclusive brew.

When I first heard about the Sam Adams Utopias, I thought it to be pretty unbelievable: a beer with 27% alcohol and a suggested retail price of $120-$140. How is this even possible? Once I started to research this beer, I learned of the intricate details which went into crafting such an elite beer. It's the most unique and complex in a series of brews by Sam Adams, known as "extreme beer." The mission of creating extreme beers was to challenge the definition of what beer is, and "to go where no beer has gone before." I think it's safe to say, mission accomplished.

Nothing about this 2007 release of Utopias resembles traditional ideas of what people think of as beer. The 24 ounce handcrafted bottle is a collectible brew kettle with a beautiful copper finish and two sliding doors that open to reveal Sam Adams. A limited release of only 12,000 bottles were released worldwide, each bottle listing the production number on the bottom. Included with the purchase of the bottle is a custom designed Riedel crystal snifter glass to further enhance the essential characteristics of the Utopias. The specialty bottle and glass alone account for a substantial portion of the costly price of this exquisite beer.

Samuel Adams Utopias is definitely a beer to be savored. The recommended serving size is 2 ounces at room temperature, ideal for an after-dinner drink. The beer is composed of a blend of brews using an extended aging process, some aged 13 years in a variety of casks, which add to the unique and complex flavor. The finest all-natural ingredients are used, including a selection of Bavarian Noble hops, hand selected by Sam Adams brewmaster, Jim Koch.

If I had been given this beverage without being aware of what I was drinking, I probably wouldn't have guessed it was a beer. The Utopias pours a beautifully rich, deep amber color and no head whatsoever. The beer is uncarbonated and the aroma has an alcoholic sweet smell. It has a warm, sweet flavor, tasting similar to a sherry or cognac. The beer is brewed using maple syrup, which distinctively stands out. It has a delicious flavor that immediately hits the front of the tongue and has a pleasant long-lasting aftertaste. If the alcohol content wasn't so high, I would have desired to drink much more than the recommended 2 ounces.

You won't be able to find this beer at any retail liquor store nationwide, but if you must try this beer, the going rate on Ebay is $250. Perhaps they call it Utopias because in a perfect world, everyone would be able to afford to drink this beer.

New Beers Resolution

"Someone" gave me a bunch of crap for my last title, "Hoppy New Year," which I thought to be very clever and funny, but this person seemed to believe it was cheesy and predictable. So, in order to further amuse/spite this person, I felt the need to use another "clever" title for my entry. That being said, I'll move on to the point: McNellies resolves to have new beer specials for the month of January.

Currently we have Warsteiner Dunkel on draft for a special price of $3.00. It's a traditional dark German lager that has a rich, refreshing quality. There is a roasted malty flavor, with subtle traces of hops. The texture is not too thick or heavy, and the color is a dark coffee-like brown. The alcohol content is 4.9%, features little carbonation and a nice, clean finish. Overall, a pretty tasty beer.

Beginning on Monday, Jan 7th, McNellies will have a new Russian beer on special each week. The first beer will be 16.9 ounce bottles of Bogemia, a pale lager with a rather high alcohol content, at 8.4%. I've never tried this beer, but according to reviews on ratebeer.com, I'm led to believe it's not the tastiest beer out there.

Following the Bogemia, one of the Red East beers will be on special; unfortunatley, I didn't catch if it was the Classic or Extra. If you want to read up on the Classic, you can view my previous blog entry on that one.

For the final week, Snow Cougar will be on special. The Snow Cougar is another pale lager, with a slightly dry and bitter quality. It's been a while since I've tasted this one, but from what I recall, I thought it was okay. The name stands out more than the beer.

Make your new years resolution to drink new beer. And hoppy, er, happy new year.

Hoppy New Year!

This year for Christmas I received a gift to supplement my beer drinking hobby: a beer tasting and hop appreciation kit. Just as the gift is intended to do, I started to consider what hops are and how they contribute to creating a beer. Beers are often described as hoppy, but for those who don't know what a hop is, this can be difficult to understand.

As you may already know, beer is comprised of four main ingredients: hops, malt, yeast and water. Hops, or Humulus Lupulus if you want to be technical, are small leafy cones of flowering plants used for flavoring and stabilizing beer during the brewing process. The bitterness of hops are used to counteract the sweetness from the malt, creating a well balanced brew. The bitterness, flavor, and aroma of beer are all greatly affected by the hops. There are several different hop varieties used for brewing beer, and there are several methods of adding the hops, which all affect the complexity of the beer.

The point at which the hops are introduced to the beer creates a varying impact on the final product. Hops added at the beginning of the process create a bittering affect, hops added 15-20 minutes prior to the end of the wort boil contribute to the overall finish of the hop flavor, hops added at the end of the boil are used for aroma, and a process known as 'dry hopping' is used when hops are left in the beer for days while it ferments, providing another layer of complexity that adds additional flavor and aroma to beer.

The beer kit contains 13 jars of processed small pellets of common hop varieties. They are labeled by name, region, common styles of beer in which they are used, and include detailed descriptions such as "a mild and pleasant bite with a delicate floral aroma that is almost musty and leaves a clean bitterness." Smelling the hops while tasting a beer helps your mind and taste buds distinguish the ingredients in the beer.

The moment I received the gift, I cracked open one of the jars, inhaled deeply, then proceeded to eat one of the pellets. It was immensely bitter and dry and absorbed all the saliva from my mouth. The more I chewed, the worse it got. I had a strong inclination to spit the thing out, but seeing as how I had already committed, I forced myself to see it to the end, despite the awfulness. I immediately realized that eating the hops was NOT the intended purpose of the kit. They should really include a warning about that. Nevertheless, it was a good learning experience. So, here's to a new year and my new tools for learning more about beer.

VaVoom: A Night of Art and Music

Most of you who read this are already familiar with McNellies. But what about that curious blue building next door, The Continental? Another downtown Tulsa hot spot, the Continental is an upscale venue that provides a relaxing atmosphere for a night on the town. On Wednesday, December 26th, The Continental is hosting VaVoom, a feast for your eyes and ears. A collection of original artwork by one of Tulsa's most creative and unique artists, Vanna McAllister, will be on display for one night only. Musical guests Valerie Eskridge and Steve Liddell, two of Tulsa's jewels, will be performing an acoustic music set for the show. The energetic passion these artists bring to the table will satisfy your artistic appetite and leave you hungry for more.

Vanna's colorful eye-popping artwork is genuinely one of a kind. The main focus of her work is generally a female figure, with much of the emphasis on the face. She incorporates words, phrases, or song lyrics in her prints that add to the complexity of her work. She describes her art as a visual diary. Her illustrations are inspired by certain events that have affected her life, and her emotional responses to these incidents. Her heart felt sketches stimulate a reaction and leave the viewer searching for the story behind the art.

While you're perusing Vanna's art, you'll experience the pleasure of hearing the melodious vocals of the exceptionally talented Valerie Eskridge, followed by Steve Liddell. The captivating presence of these musicians will have you perk up and draw your attention to the stage with interest. Their funky vibes will light up the Continental for a transcendent experience you won't want to miss.

The Continental is known for attracting an eclectic mix of local talent, and VaVoom is no exception. The brilliant art presented by Vanna, Valerie and Steve is a treasure that you must experience for yourself. If you can't wait for VaVoom to check out the art, you can get a preview of Vanna's work at www.vannamcallister.com. The opening reception begins at 8pm and lasts throughout the night. It's the perfect chance to wind down after the Christmas holiday and have a relaxing evening with friends, art and music.

Beer Specials for Disaster Relief

Thousands of Oklahomans have gone without power over the past week, but McNellies was lucky enough to make it through the ice storm unaffected. Many people camped out at the pub enjoying the food, lights, warm heat and cold beer. When a natural disaster strikes and people turn to the pub as their save haven, one concern to be had is walking away with a hefty bar tab. Luckily, McNellies has had (and still has) some pretty decent specials to choose from this month.

Shiner Black, a Bohemian black lager is on special for a mere $2.00. It's a rich deep dark black/brown color, light to medium body and has a slight chocolaty malted flavor. It's not highly complex and seems rather flat, but for two bucks it's not bad.

Flying Dog Old Scratch is our other special, available on draft for $3.75. This Colorado brewed lager features a ruby amber color, medium body and a decent amount of alcohol, at 5.3%. It has a very smooth drinkability, fermented at a medium temperature to give this brew both ale and lager characteristics. There's a slight carmel trait which is particularly appealing. I find this beer to be very easy and enjoyable to drink.

The specials are likely to change before the month is over, so I'll do my best to keep a current update. I would have liked to have gone in more detail or perhaps posted a picture, but I'm one of the unfortunate ones still without power, writing from a computer at the library, and my session is about to expire.