Busy Busy

Its been a busy week or so, so the blogging has been slow. As always, the Bruisin' Ales beer blog is there to pick up the slack on brew news in Asheville. One of the things they reported on recently is that Stone Brewery will be distributing their beers to North Carolina in September. If you recall, that is the second brewery that I have predicted would make it to North Carolina this year. I'm thinking of changing my name to Carnac. If Stoudt's can get on the ball, I will be three for three. I did see Stoudt's in Columbia South Carolina last month. Their Pilsner hit the spot in the South Carolina heat.

In other news, the Whiskey River IPA is back on tap at Barleys. For those of you who don't know, this is Catawba's Firewater IPA aged in whiskey barrels. I do love barrel aged beers. Be sure to check it out.

As Asheville gets revved up for Bele Chere, I am going to be traveling to Alabama. I should be back early next week, so drink a few local beers at the festival for me. Hopefully I will be back with some new posts next week.

Dear Ingles,

Thank you so much for including some Ommegang and Duvel products at your Leicester Highway store. Now when I go shopping, I can occasionally pick up a Ommegang Abbey Ale or a Duvel. But please, tell your cashiers not to shake the bottle. The yeast that settles at the bottom is supposed to be there.

Yours Truly,

Kilgore

InBev buys Anheuser-Busch

Stephen Colbert sums up the situation:

Around Town

Its time for another hodgepodge of beer related items around town. As I posted last week, the Thirsty Monk had a couple of special events that I was lucky to attend. The first was on Thursday, where I got to meet the owner and brewer of Brouwerij Huyghe, most famous for their Delirium line of beers. I was able to satisfy my inner beer geek by getting a special signed glass from Alain. The next evening, the Thirsty Monk tapped a firkin of the Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale, a great IPA that was made even better by serving it on cask. At some point in the future, I need to devote an entire post to cask beers, as it is something we don't see around here much. Helping me learn more about cask ales was Tom Cizauskas, beer lover and representative for Clipper City. He also has a great blog, with a good write up of Thursday's Delirium festivities.

Another place I checked out on Friday is downtown's newest drinking establishment, the Rankin Vault. Beer takes a backseat here to their focus on cocktails, but they still had Pisgah and Highland on tap for those of you who stick to beer. As far as their cocktails, I had a great 'martini' that was made with fresh juice and cilantro. The bar itself is sophisticated without being pretentious, and is a great place to have an early or late night drink (they have food also if you get hungry).

Going back to beer, next weekend is the Summer Cooler Beerfest at the Garage at Biltmore. This is basically the summer version of the Winter Warmer fest that was held there this past January. The emphasis is on local beer, and all of Asheville's favorites will be there. Food will be provided by Luella's barbecue, and some of the money will go towards Clean Water for North Carolina, so you can drink for a good cause. The mini-fest runs from 3-7 on Sunday the 20th.

On Saturday I ran into Jason Caughman from Pisgah, and he informed me that they will be releasing a Saison very soon. Saisons are one of my favorite beer styles, so I am really looking forward to trying it out.

Also on Saturday, I swung by the Wedge to get my hands on the Gollum, and it tastes even better than I remember it. They also just released a Chezch style pilsner, which is really good and a perfect beer for the hot summer months. I also want to remind you that next Saturday, the Wedge will be showing the movie Thunder Road on a projection screen outside, so it will be a perfect opportunity to try out some of their new offerings.

Berlin Comes to Asheville

I love my IPA's and Pale Ales, both having descended from English style ales where most of American craft brews get their inspiration. But Germany has a long and storied brewing history, and there are many beer styles that can only be had by flying across the Atlantic. French Broad Brewery has decided to bring a little bit of Germany to this side of the pond, as they have introduced their Berliner-Weisse, a slightly sour wheat ale that is traditionally served with flavored syrup. The beer has been served in Berlin for centuries, with its historical roots going back to the 1600's, and none other than Napoleon calling it the "champagne of the North". The beer is low in alcohol and is brewed with lactobacillus, which gives it its tart flavor. This sourness is also why the beer is traditionally served with syrup, as the sweetness tends to cut some of the acidity of the beer. The traditional syrups in Berlin are raspberry or woodruff (red or green), and French Broad has added its own twist by including lemon, pomegranate, and triple-sec flavors in addition to the original two. The beer should be available at the tap room, and I am looking forward to trying it.

In other French Broad news, they are going to be bottling two of their other German offerings in the near future, their Alt Bier and the Gateway Kolsch, both classic German styles that are not often brewed in the states. Moving west from Germany, they will also be releasing a Saison in August, one of my favorite Belgian style beers. So if you haven't been by French Broad in a while, be sure to head down to their tasting room and check them out.

Thirsty Monk Expansion Nearly Complete

I got a chance to look into the upstairs expansion of the Thirsty Monk, otherwise known as the Pinthouse. The bar is finished, and the kegs are getting cold, and the space looks great. On seasonable days, the windows in the front can be opened up, and they will also have some benches out front for sitting (but please save a spot for me, okay?) There is still some work to be done, but they are shooting for an opening date of July 3rd. I have a feeling I am going to spend a good amount of time during the holiday weekend here. Below is the tentative draft list for opening night:

Allagash Black
Allagash Odyssey
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout
Bell's Oberon
Bell's Third Coast Barleywine
Clipper City Heavy Seas Uber Pilsner
Dogfish Head Aprihop
Flying Dog Garde Dog
Green Flash Hophead Amber Red
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Highland Cattail Wheat
Lost Coast IPA
Magic Hat Hocus Pocus
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Shmaltz Coney Island Lager
Tommyknocker Coco Porter (or some other porter if they can't get this in time)

Not counting the Highland, by my count there are 11 beers that I have not seen on tap before in Asheville. This is a great list, and they have several beers lined up behind these. It is likely that if you go once a week you will always see something new. Personally, I will be drinking the Allagash Odyssey, a barrel aged Belgian dark ale that is simply devine. That keg will not last long folks, so be sure to try and stop by in the first couple of days. You may also recall that I highly recommend the Green Flash West Coast IPA. To say that I am excited by the expansion would be an understatement.

New Belgium set to ride into North Carolina

Yesterday was my birthday, so naturally I started off the evening having some Belgian beers at the Thirsty Monk. And who do I happen to run into? None other than the owners of New Belgium Brewing, one of the largest and most respected craft brewers in the country. Jeff Lebesch, an avid homebrewer, and his wife Kim Jordan started the brewery in 1991 selling 22 ounce bottles of their flagship beer Flat Tire Ale as well as their Abbey Ale, and the brewery has grown exponentially since then, with distribution primarly occuring in the western part of the country. In my travels out west, it was reassuring to know that any time you stepped foot in a bar they likely had Fat Tire on tap. Not only have they shown remarkable growth over that time, but they have done so with an eye on sustainablility. In 1998, New Belgium became the first brewery to buy 100 percent of its power from wind energy, and they also followed green building practices in the brewery as well as producing on-site energy from the methane that is a byproduct of their water treatment facility.

So why am I tellin you all this about a brewery that you have to travel hundreds of miles to even try? Because they are coming to North Carolina. Jeff (J.B.) and Kim were here in Asheville to check out the local beer scene, and to begin discussions on bringing their beers to our state. Jeff said that it will probably be spring of next year before you see bottles (and cans!) of Fat Tire on the shelves. In addition to their standard lineup, we will also likely see some special beers from their brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert, who is the former brewer at Rodenbach. The most famous of these is the La Folie, a flanders style ale that is aged in French Oak for up to three years, and I will finally get a chance to try it when New Belgium comes to our state.

Answering the Challenge

It has been nearly a year since I posted my challenge to Asheville beer bars, where I asked to see more Belgians available on tap, as well as more special beer related events like cask ales and pint nights where you could try a specific brewery and take home a glass. Well, the Thirsty Monk has answered the call.

As I stated a couple of weeks ago, the Thirsty Monk is expanding into an upstairs location, the Pinthouse, where they will feature American craft beers. The plans are to have 16 rotating taps, and they hope to never tap the same keg twice in a row, which should definitely increase the variety of beer. I am really excited about this, and I'm sure there will be some taps that we have never seen in Asheville before. In addition to all the great beers, they will also be having pint nights where you can try a featured beer and take home a glass (these will happen both downstairs and up). And the best news of all is they are aiming to be open by July 4th.

But wait, there's more. On Thursday evening, July 10th, Alain De Laut, owner of Brouwerij Huyghe will be on hand for a tasting of their fine beers, Delirium Tremens and Delirium Nocturnum. You will also be able to take home a Delirium glass signed by the owner himself. A day later on Friday the 11th, the Pinthouse upstairs will be having a firkin of Clipper City Loose Cannon, along with a representative from the brewery. I hope this will be the first of many cask nights, a tradition that Asheville beer bars sorely need (the only fix that I know of is the cask at Dirty Jacks). I hope y'all can make it out to one of these events.

And in other news, Asheville is getting another brewery. As reported by several blogs, Craggie Brewing is looking to open its doors sometime in the late fall, and will be located on Hilliard Avenue near the backside of Asheville Brewing Company. This only adds the already well known reputation that Asheville is the capital of craft beer in the south. If I had any connections with the Chamber of Commerce I would be pushing this town as a beer destination.

Around Town

I meant to do this earlier in the week, but if you follow the Bruisin' Ales blog you got filled in on some of the local goings on. Some of this will be a review of their news, but I do have a couple of extra things to add.

As mentioned by both Bruisin' and Tony Kiss, the Pisgah Vortex I is back. This edition is slightly different from the first, using a variety of hops to try and match the hop schedule of the original. I honestly think it turned out better than before. This beer is on tap for a limited time at Barley's, and also available on Thursday nights at the Pisgah tasting room.

Speaking of Barleys, I failed to notice that Triangle Brewing has made its debut in Asheville. This relatively new brewery out of Durham hit the ground running last fall with a couple of Belgian inspired ales, and they have finally branched out to our neck of the woods. On tap is the Belgian Golden Ale, a deceptively strong beer with a light fruity taste typical of the style. I'm glad to see them finally make it out here, as I was impressed when I first tried them back at the World Beer Festival in Durham last fall.

French Broad has bottled its 13 Rebels ESB, and is avaliable at beer stores around town. They have also released their Re-Session Ale, a cream ale that is both easy to drink and flavorful, and you can afford to have a few while you play pool upstairs at Barleys. I applaud French Broad for making a tasty beer that is lower in alcohol for those times that you want to hang out for a couple of hours at the bar.

And finally, Wedge Brewing Company should be rolling out its Porter on Saturday, and it will be open from 4-10 on Saturday to coincide with the River Arts District Studio Stroll. The hours are likely to expand next week as well, according to the Mountain Express. Don't miss their official Grand Opening on the 19th of July, when they plan on showing the classic movie Thunder Road which was partially filmed right here in Western North Carolina.

Beer of the Moment - Peche Mortel

Yes, its been awhile since I have posted a Beer of the Moment. My original idea for this beer was to pick a 'summer but not summer beer'. Well, after having my first bottle of Peche Mortel, that post will have to wait. Peche Mortel is definitely not what one would consider a summer beer, but good beer doesn't care about what season it is.

Peche Mortel is brewed by Dieu du Ciel a small brewpub/brewery in Montreal, Canada, that makes a variety of styles from Belgians to American IPA's. The beer they are best known for is the Peche Mortel, a highly rated Imperial Stout that combines the intense richness of coffee with a deep roasted malts. The taste is one to savor, with cocoa intermingling with the coffee, and a great creamy mouthfeel. This reminds me of the Pisgah Valdez, only with a bit more body. Coffee lovers, stout lovers, or just beer lovers should definitely run to Bruisin' Ales to pick one up, as supplies are limited. While picking this up, you should look over the full selection of Dieu Du Ciel beers. I also sampled the Rosee D'hibscus, which is a Belgian Wheat style ale brewed with you guessed it, hibiscus.

Happy Anniversary To Me

Two days from now will mark the one year anniversary of me contributing to this blog. First of all, a big thanks to everyone who stops by to visit. Asheville is such a special place to live, and the reason I wanted to post here in the first place was to celebrate the exciting beer culture of our fair little city. Thanks also must go out to Asheville's brewers, as they continue to amaze me with their wonderful creations, and I feel lucky to be a part of it. Every brewer that I have met has been more than willing to take the time to talk to me, and it has been great getting to know them. The folks at Bruisin' Ales have also lent their support to the blog, and without it I would not have had as many cool things to experience and blog about. Last but not least, I would like to thank the person who started this site, Mark Stoffan, for having the insight to start the blog and giving me the opportunity to contribute. It has been an incredible experience.

My only regret is that I wish I was able to contribute to the site more frequently. I have had my share of lapses, but I hope to increase my posts going into my second year. But if I am not able to do that, please don't hold it against me. If you have any suggestions as to what kind of things you would like to see on this blog, feel free to let me know. Again, thanks for reading.

Wedge Brewing Opens

Well, the long wait is finally over. The Wedge Brewing Company has opened its doors with a very successful first day, as Asheville's beer population descended on the river arts district last night for a first look at the new brewery. Right now they only have one beer on tap, the Iron Rail IPA, which I would assume is named for the railroad tracks that run close to the building. The beer should be familiar to fans of brewer Carl Mellisas, who has always brewed a top notch IPA. As for the brewery itself, there is plenty of glass that allows you to look at the brewing operation, as well as having a small, U-shaped tasting room. If it gets too cramped inside, there is plenty of space to take your beer outside and enjoy the nice summerlike weather. For now, the brewery is going to be open from 4-9ish on Thursday and Friday nights. This should change as they get more beers online, and they are shooting for an official grand opening on the 18th of July. Here is a tentative release schedule for their beers:

Porter - June 14th
Pilsner - July 10th
Gollum (Belgian Stong Ale) - July 17th
Vit (Belgian Wheat) - July 17th
Pale Ale - July 17th
Maibock - August 14th

This looks like a great lineup of beers for the hot sumer months, and if you have a chance you should definitely go and check out Asheville's latest brewery. While you are there you can also check out some of the many fine artists in Asheville in the River Arts District.

(Photo taken from here, which incidently is right next door to the brewery and provides excellent directions to the Wedge Gallery.)

Thirsty Monk Gets Thirstier

Asheville's one and only Belgian beer bar is set to expand upward. The former home of Almost Blue and most recently Something Different on Patton is going to be home to an expansion of the Thirsty Monk, and will feature rotating drafts of American craft beer to supplement the great selection of Belgian beers downstairs. Work has already begun, but there is not set time frame for the opening of the new space, which will feature a small outdoor seating area to go with the new brews. Stairs will connect both spaces, so you will be able to order beer from either floor. If you have ever been to the Brickstore Pub near Atlanta the setup will be very familiar, only flipped as the Belgian section will be downstairs instead of upstairs as it is at the Brickstore. I'm really excited about seeing the new space.

Speaking of new things, the Bruisin' Ales blog has announced that the Wedge Brewery will finally be open next Friday on the 30th. It looks like the IPA may be the only offering to start, but it shouldn't take too long to get the rest of the beers online. I'll be there on Friday if you want to say hello.

Highland To Go Imperial Again

Well, it looks like you might have to set your alarm again this year for the morning after Brewgrass. A tip from the beerinator forums indicates that Highland will once again be releasing a special beer the day after Brewgrass, following the very successful releases of the Imperial Gaelic two years ago and the Imperial Kashmir IPA last year. So which beer is it going to get the Imperial treatment this year? (Drum roll........). It will be none other than the Black Mocha Stout, which in my mind has the potential to be the best of the special releases. Typically, Highland has released these special beers at noon on the day after Brewgrass. Last year they made a lot more of the Imperial Kashmir than the Imperial Gaelic the year before, so it was also available in stores around Asheville and in other parts of North Carolina (and there are still some bottles floating around). If they follow tradition, they will also be pouring the beer at Brewgrass, so make sure to hit the Highland tent early on the day of the fest.

Its Coming!

It was almost a year ago when I made my first post about the upcoming brewery at the Wedge Gallery. Well, our wait is finally over. Almost. According to Tony Kiss, the Wedge has begun brewing beer and they hope to be open sometime by the end of the month. That could mean the end of this month, the end of June, or the end of September, but I'm hoping it is sooner rather than later. I myself have driven by more than once to take a look at the project, and until now the only thing I knew for sure was that they were working hard and they had signs on the bathrooms. The other thing I know for sure is that the beer is going to be great. Most of you are probably already aware that the brewer is Carl Melissas, former brewer at Jack and a lover of Belgian style ales. His first beer though is going to be an IPA, with a pilsner, bock, and the oh-so-good Gollum soon to follow. I hope to be able to talk to Carl soon to see if he has anything else up his sleeve.

I'm going to have a little bit of fun with statistics, and make the claim that Buncombe County has the most breweries per capita in the entire United States. Portland, Oregon has been making this claim, but they only have 30 breweries to serve the over 2 million people in the Portland Metro Area, for an average of 1 brewery per 66,000 people. Asheville/Buncombe has 1 brewery to every 37,500 people. Of course Black Mountain can claim one brewery to every 7650 people. Okay, so throw out the statistics, but I still like to think of us as the best small city for beer in America.

(picture taken from River Arts District webpage)

Pisgah Celebrates Three Years

It seems like it has been longer, but Pisgah Brewing Company has only been around for three years (April 15th is their official anniversary). Jason Caughman and Dave Quinn moved here from South Carolina with a shared love of beer and a plan to open a small brewery, and three years later they are brewing perhaps the area's most loved beers. The first beer they rolled out was the Pisgah Pale, a fine beer in its own right, but it only hinted at what was to come. When the pop was capped on alcohol limits in North Carolina, it also seemed to pop the cap of creativity, as Pisgah has since brewed a variety of beers of different styles and strengths that have captivated the beer drinkers of Buncombe County and beyond. They are highly rated on both RateBeer and BeerAdvocate, and they were named one of America's top 50 breweries by BeerAdvocate back in June of last year. More recently, Pisgah was even featured in an article in USA Today about the economy.

In order to celebrate their anniversary, the folks at Pisgah held a customer appreciation day this past Sunday, inviting over 300 of their friends and customers for the affair. While the weather was a bit on the wet side, it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of those in attendance, who were enjoying the great food, great music, and great Pisgah beer. To get out of the rain, many people were hanging out in Pisgah's brand new tasting room, which can deliver up to ten taps of Pisgah goodness. One of the special beers they had was the Pisgah Pale run through a Randall, which you should recognize if you are a long time reader of this blog. For those not in the know, a Randall is basically a canister full of hops, and the beer is routed through the fresh hops right before it enters your glass. Needless to say, this was excellent, and the fresh hop taste made the Pisgah Pale soar. Another special beer on tap was the James Brown Ale, an easy drinking brown ale with just the right amount of roasted malts giving it excellent character without being either too sweet or too hoppy. Look out for the James Brown Ale around town at a special price as a gift to Asheville beer drinkers (Barleys should definitely get it).

Pisgah didn't have to throw this party, but it really shows just how much they appreciate their customers. Return the favor by visiting them at their new tasting room on Thursdays from 4-8, or by seeking out a pint, growler, or bottle at your favorite bar or beer store.

Beer of the Moment - Green Flash West Coast IPA

It looks like people are not the only things coming from California to Asheville these days. This week marked the introduction of two California breweries to the Asheville market, Lagunitas Brewing Company out of Petaluma and Green Flash Brewing out of Vista, near San Diego. San Diego has become quite the beer city over the past decade or so, and they are home to such heralded breweries as Stone, Port Brewing, and Ballast Point. Well you can add Green Flash to this list as well.

An interesting aside is how Green Flash Brewing got its name. A green flash is an optical phenomenon that occurs when the sun sets, and is best seen with a good view of the horizon on a clear day when certain atmospheric conditions are present. As seen in this picture, a hovering green 'flash' occurs just over the setting sun for a few fleeting seconds. We may not be in the right locale to see a green flash, but we are fortunate that we can drink a great San Diego export while we dream about sitting on a west coast beach at sunset.

The appropriately named West Coast IPA is an excellent example of the tradition of highly hopped beers coming from that part of the country. The beer is unfiltered, so don't be alarmed by its hazy appearance, and it has a beautiful copper color. The taste is all about the hops, and it exhibits both grapefruit and piney flavors that make for a beer that any hop head will love. The malt is slightly sweet which helps to counteract the hop bitterness. This is truly one of the best 'west coast style' IPA's that I have had, and it is an excellent addition to our growing availability of good beers.

On Tap - The Thirsty Monk

Time for another round of On Tap. Okay, so my other On Tap posts have never left the confines of Barleys, but this time I wanted to turn my attention to a bar that has added a whole new element to the Asheville beer drinking scene. I will admit that I have not been going to the Thirsty Monk nearly as much as I would like, but personal circumstances have limited my budget so far this year, and I have really missed going into one of Asheville's best beer bars. The Thirsty Monk seems to be doing really well, and that is a testament to the great beer drinkers in this town.

On to the beers. Upon quick glance at their beer menu, I noticed two special beers that are available for a very limited time. The first beer I tried was the Ichtegems Grand Cru, brewed by Brouwerij Strubbe in Ichtegem, Belgium. This is a Flanders Red Ale, a Flemish sour beer that is a blend of an oak aged beer with a young beer, with the intention that the taste will be both sour and sweet. This beer is much like a Duchesse de Bourgogne, with a playful mix of sweet and sour, with a slightly more dry finish. It's a beer to have your wine drinking friends taste, as the interplay of the flavors only heightens the complexity.

The second limited-time only beer was the La Rulles Triple, brewed by Brasserie Artisanale de Rulles. Belgian Triples (or Tripels) are beers that are light in malt but full of flavor, deriving their higher alcohol content from an addition of Belgian candi sugar. The taste profile of this style is often spicy and fruity, and this beer was one of the more flavorful varieties that I have tried. It has a wonderful finish that had a hint of bubblegum (in a good way), and the soft water used to brew this beer created a great mouthfeel to go with the slightly spicy, earthy finish.

My last beer there was not a limited release, and is a beer I hope to see as a regular in their rotation. The Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel is an amalgam of beer styles, combining the aforementioned Tripel style with an American double IPA. The result is a heavily hopped Belgian ale that perfectly melds the pioneering spirit of both American and Belgian style beers. This is definitely a beer to seek out if you are a hop lover, a Belgian beer lover, or both.

I'm hoping my next visit to the Thirsty Monk is sooner rather than later, and you should hope that too.

Mark Your Calendars

Its never too early to start planning for the Brewgrass Festival, Asheville's annual seven hour ode to bluegrass and beer. This year's festival will be held on September 20th, and tickets are already on sale at the Brewgrass website. Yes, I know it is early, but tickets for this event will sell out well ahead of time, so its not a bad idea to make your purchase early this year. For those of you that go for the music, three acts have already been announced, including local favorites The Biscuit Burners and Grammy Award winning Jim Lauderdale. We'll see you there in five months.

Bottom of the Barrel

I love barrel aged beers. One of my first forays into barrel aged beers was on a trip to Kentucky, where I got to sample the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, and upon the first taste of vanilla and bourbon I was hooked. Beer has been aged in barrels for centuries, but it is only recently that brewers have decided to select used barrels from various fermented and distilled beverages to lend an extra layer of complexity and taste. Bourbon barrels seem to be the most commonly used, but any barrel will do, from plain old oak barrels to wine barrels and more.

One of the more interesting barrel aged beers available right now is the t' Smisje Calva Reserva, given to me by my good friends at Bruisin' Ales. This is a fascinating beer, a Belgian Strong Ale that has been aged in Calvados barrels for six months. What is Calvados? It's French Apple Brandy, having been distilled in France for almost 500 years. The beer certainly has hints of Apple Brandy, and some vanilla that is picked up from the oak barrels. It is a big beer at 12 percent, but it is well hidden behind a wall of taste including dark fruits and candi sugar. This is one to definitely seek out for a special purchase.

Speaking of special purchases, one of the finest examples of barrel aged beers that I have tasted recently was just released in the past month, and it is definitely a treat. The Scottish brewery Harviestoun has released a series of ales that are a marriage of an already fine beer, the Old Engine Oil, with the drink that most people associate with Scotland, which is naturally Scotch Whiskey. The three beers in the series where aged in 12, 16, and 30 year old Highland Park Scotch barrels, producing a superb beer that is complex and begs to be paired with hearty foods, strong cheeses, or a nice cigar. I have had both the 12 and the 30, and they both were fantastic beers, and it is interesting to see the differences. The 30 year does seem to be more complex, but both beers have quite a bit of Scotch Whiskey presence, that goes really well with the chocolaty roasted malts of the Old Engine Oil. The Scotch makes it presence known with a taste of vanilla, some peat, and a hint of spiciness. This beer is on the expensive side, but if you like Scotch and beer, or you just want to try something unique, I suggest breaking open the piggy bank to sample one of them.