Bold Rock Hard Cider Small time Apple Farmer Finds his Big Dream. Asheville, North Carolina

Bold Rock Hard Cider 72 School House Road  Mills River/Asheville, NC 28759


During a recent visit to Raleigh Beer Garden, we had the privilege of meeting John and Robin Washburn from Bold Rock Cider. Small business owners John, an apple farmer and Robin an interior designer have put their minds together to create a beautiful cidery along with business partner Brian, a world renown  award winning cider maker from New Zealand. They have earned over 60 awards. Their latest creation is an India Pale Ale Apple Beer.

Robin has designed the interior for the Bold Rock Cider Company. She used a 25' tall rock and a cherry mantel framed on each side by 2 antique apple wood ladders to create a fireplace in the original tasting location. As an animal lover, she recently rescued a parrot named Alfie who entertains guests.

John and Robin support various community organizations including an animal sanctuary, their Natural History Museum's Fundraiser  Kite Festival where John announces the duck race like it's a horse race and donates the purse and they support several other local worthwhile causes.

Great couple. Can't wait to visit their new place in Raleigh as well as Asheville.

Raleigh Beer Garden The World's Largest Selection of Beer on Tap in a Restaurant

 Raleigh Beer Garden 614 Glenwood Ave Raleigh, NC 27603  www.raleighbeergarden.com

What a great surprise. We were told by some of our brew club members from Lowcountry Libations in Charleston, SC that we had to stop for lunch and a few beers at the Raleigh Beer Garden. This restaurant is really beautiful and roomy with a bar as you enter, a bar downstairs for local craft beer and another bar upstairs for USA and Imports. I took some pictures to try to show you because it is really stunning and it would take two pages to describe it! Many of the tables, furniture and bars were made from the wood that was on the property.

Our two downstairs hosts were Ben, the manager who as a former insurance agent," became disenchanted with the inhumanity of the business" and now does what he loves and Blair, our brilliant barkeep who offered us a wealth of information as we tasted and chatted our way through some of the 144 beers on the downstairs draught craft beer bar. Along with some noteworthy local beers, they have an extensive menu with food for most tastes including vegetarian and vegan. Even if you are not hungry, I highly recommend the Beer Battered pretzels. They are fantastic!

We sampled so many beers and talked with so many people. We actually spent about 3 hours there. It's a place that is easy to lose time in. A few of my favorite beers were Haw River St. Benedict's Belgian Dubbel 7.2% ABV and Double Barley Gourd Rocker. I gave up taking notes and talked to Blair. She is a graduate of East Carolina School of Arts and specializes in painting portraits. Although she would love to be a full time artist, she really enjoys her job.
We were sampling a beer from Crank Arm Brewery(See Crank Arm Blog) when they walked in so we chatted with them. Then John Washburn and his lovely wife from Bold Rock Hard Cider(working on blog)strolled in and we talked with them. Blair was recommending the cider to a female patron and John over heard her as he came in. He was quite pleased with her knowledge of his product and gave her a generous tip. WTG Blair.

Fun, fun afternoon with super friendly and interesting folks. Family friendly. Outdoor area beer garden with fireplace. We can't wait to get back to the Raleigh Durham area!!!

Bombshell Brewery Holly Springs, NC Women Owned and Brewed

At the suggestion of some new friends at Draftline Brewery(Angela and Alfie)who accompanied us, our next craft brewery stop was a small brewery called Bombshell Brewery at 120 Quantum Drive in Holly Springs. This story started with a home brewer named Ellen. I didn't have a chance to meet Ellen but I went to their website www. and gleaned some information about the place. So Ellen started brewing in 2000 and she became friends with Michelle and they brewed together. Like most home brewers, once you start making some good beer, the word gets out and all your friends want a taste or a bottle or a keg for their wedding. I don't know for sure if this happened to them but I'm guessing the story follows that path.Then in 2012, Jackie wanted in on the fun and Bombshell Brewery was the name of the game. I liked their logo, a1940 aircraft pin up style, curvaceous woman holding up a beer mug. I bought a 3/4 sleeve black top with a zipper at the neck and a logo on my chest in case I wanted to show off my bombshells, he he. I wear it a lot!

Alfie introduced us to Chris, the bar manager who easily talked us into a flight. The tap system serves 4 flagship beers and 4 seasonal beers. We asked Chris how he felt about working for three female owners at a brewery. He told us" the owners are awesome. the locals are awesome and who wouldn't like to work at a brewery? People are happy and we have a good time!" If I ever open a brewery, I'm stealing that man! Good P.R.
We started with their Polished Pilsner 4.5% ABV. This is a regular beer on tap with good color and a nice clean finish.
Then I sampled the Audition #2 Westie IPA 6.1% ABV which was my favorite. Tim flagged the Lemon Grass Pale Ale at 5.6% as the one he's order for his pint. We also had the Dirty Secret Coconut Stout 4.8% which was delicious , Silky Blonde Cream Ale 4.9% ABV and their experimental beer, their Westie with different hops.

Sitting at the bar, we struck up a conversation with a transplanted local couple from New Orleans, Alene Selph and her husband Gorman. They are members of the tap club and she told me her two favorite beers were the Dirty Secret Coconut Stout because of it's dark sweetness and also Silky Blonde. She really likes Heffeweizens style beers. This couple just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in April ! They originally owned a brew shop for years. . Alene said she use to drink Coors Light in a can and it embarrassed her husband so much that he always made her put it in a koozie. So she started, "trying, tasting and liking" different styles of beer. My question was why would you move to North Carolina from New Orleans? Do you remember Hurricane Katrina? When the storm hit they found themselves stranded on the roof of their home. After the rescue they were dropped off and ended up sleeping on a sidewalk for a week before finally getting in touch with their son. They couldn't access their bank account because the banks were frozen so they lived with their son for two months. North Carolina seemed like a good place to relocate and they love the area. She is a really lovely, outgoing lady! Life sometimes takes the winding road, doesn't it?! And that's your,"Women Who Love Beer" story.
Family Friendly and dog friendly. I really enjoyed this brewery for the beer and the wonderful people I spent time with while there.
My last note is that they serve wine as well and if you don't find one you like, you may bring a bottle for a $5. corkage fee.

Draftline Brewing Company Fuquay Varina, NC A Blueprint for Some Good Craft Beer

During our visit to NC, we were told we had  to pay a visit to Draftline Brewery  www.Draftlinebrewing.com which is just up the street from Aviator. Some Aviator patrons are big fans of this brewery. Word of mouth really is the best motivator when I have so many breweries to choose from.

This is an excellent place to spend some time with your friends and family. They have a pavilion to picnic under and ping pong and foosball tables to entertain yourselves. They also have additional seating inside their spacious building.
When we arrived, we ordered Riverstream Scotch Ale 7.5% ABV. This is a Wee Heavy with lots of maltiness and flavor. Wee heavies tend to have a stronger alcohol content. We recently brewed one, fermented it for almost a month and kegged it. We decided with the strong whiskey flavor (we did not barrel age it), our beer should probably be bottled and aged for several months before drinking.  Riverstream has great balance and a smooth, full flavor.  Hands down, my favorite beer there.
 We also sampled the Deep Purple Porter 5.6% ABV, Graf Pale Ale 5.4% ABV and the Single Path IPA 6.6% ABV. We learned later that they won two Blue Ribbons at the 2014 NC Brewer's Cup for their Hemmings Pilsner and their Vienna Lager. For any brewer, winning recognition at a serious competition like the NC Brewer's Cup is quite an honor.
  While up at the bar, we met a Ray Liotta look a like named Alfie from NYC. He brought us over and introduced us to his girlfriend Angela Pavone. She later told me they met at Aviator Brewing Co. Angela said she normally drinks ales, wheat beers and pilsners. These beers are lighter in body, color and hops than say a stout or a porter. Sitting with them was Tiffany Wolfe, one of Draftline's bartenders who has been working there for about a year and a half. Tiffany, who had been enjoying craft beer for about 3 years said she started drinking Belgian style beers but now is developing a taste for some lightly hopped IPAs. I also chatted with a woman named Angela from Cincinnati. Angela started drinking craft beer about 8 years ago falling in love with Founder's IPA. She" finds people who drink good craft beer out of a Miller Light glass extremely offensive." I do too.

 Support your local breweries through the purchase of their product. That way we will always have great craft beer. Please drink responsibly. Choose a designated driver!

Crank Arm Brewing Company Raleigh, NC Use to be a Rickshaw Company

When I was much younger and new in Charleston, SC, my friends and I would rent Rickshaws( after an evening of drinking) with strong, lean young men peddling them and we would have them race down King St in Charleston offering cash to the winner. Great fun!  I wonder if any of the rickshaw drivers in Raleigh were conned into racing in the middle of the night?

We were at the Raleigh Beirgarten in October and we met the folks from Crank Arm Brewing Company.I had been interviewing the barkeep about the local beers on tap when Adam Eckhardt, Natalie  Anderson and Michael Morris came in for a beer before work. They are the crew from Crank Arm Brewing. We were just tasting one of their beers so we started talking and I said I was a blogger wanna be who was writing about Women Who Love Beer. They bought us a flight of their beer which was a great surprise and we talked beer for a while. Michael and Adam, the owners of Crank Arm

have 25 years of combined experience brewing and they have been brewing professionally for 17 years. They have created an award winning brewery with a delicious variety. Natalie is the knowledgeable taproom manager. She said besides enjoying beer, she loves to manage, and she enjoys making pottery. She is the mother of a 17 year old. They finished their beer and had to go but invited us over to check out their brewery at 3.

One of the first things I learned was they do their tasting of beer first thing in the morning when their palates are still fresh. Being critical of themselves keeps their beer fresh and original. I also watched them sanitize a wooden cask with 170 degree hot water. Hopefully the water will also tighten the ribs and there won't be any leaks they told me.

On tap is :Rickshaw Rye IPA  7% ABV This is a nice IPA brewed with nugget hops. Wonderful nose and a nice spice to it. This beer won "Best of Show" for the North Carolina Brewer's Cup.
They also won a First Place Ribbon for their Brett Saison which was brewed with tart cherries and aged in white wine barrels.
Whitewall Belgian Wheat was brewed with Citra and Falconer's  Hops 4.4 ABV . This is a good, flavorful, mildly citrusy beer that is light bodied. I really enjoyed it.
With over 50 beers brewed, they always have something great on tap. They also distribute regionally. You can go to their website at www.crankarmbrewing.com or find them on Facebook. Definitely worth a visit when in Raleigh!!!

Woman Owned, Raleigh Brewing Company A MUST Visit Attraction on the Beer Trail.

Raleigh Brewing Company 3707 Neil St  Raleigh, NC 27607

According to Forbe's Magazine, Raleigh, North Carolina is rated #2 of the 20 Fastest Growing cities in the USA. With 50% of adults 25 to 65 years of age having a college degree, well known companies like IBM, software giant Citrix and Fortune 500 businesses have moved in to the city. Also home to North Carolina University and local neighbor, Duke University in Durham, this area is full of opportunities for education and employment. In October we stopped at this wonderful craft brewery called The Raleigh Brewing Company that was a recommendation from almost everyone we met on the NC beer trail. We sat down at the bar and struck up a conversation with Patrick, a congenial and friendly man. During our conversation we learned that he was the husband of Kristie Nystedt, the owner of Raleigh Brewing Co. I had my notepad out and I told him I was attempting to create a blog about women who love beer. He excused himself and returned with a beautiful blond woman. Smart, determined and creative, she came up with a business plan in 2010. At the time, she had a child in college and was hesitant to turn a home brewing hobby into a full time, risk taking venture. Still a dream, from 2010 to 2012, she researched the market and contacted assorted craft breweries and was introduced to a local restaurateur who wanted to open a brewery when he retired. Finally in May of 2012, she resigned from corporate America and dove into creating a brewing business. Raleigh Brewing Company opened in March of 2013. Her intent has been to create a beer business that appeals to many different tastes from entry level beer tasters to seasoned beer connoisseurs.She hired a gentleman brewer who has a degree in chemistry to make great beer. "Good gender balance is a great mix for business." she stated and the rest is history. They are committed to quality and vowed to give back to their community supporting local and national charities and organizations. They have 10 signature  beers and several seasonal sessions going throughout the year.

I am partial to Belgian Beers so one of my first tastings was a Belgian Golden designed by Kristie called, "Hell Yes M'am" Beautifully made at 9.2% ABV, this was one of my favorites. Soft spice, smooth and drinkable. Originally counseled to not include this in her offerings because it was not a mainstream beer, she insisted it stay in the line up. Hence, the name!
Their Moravian Rhapsody, a Czech Pilsner at 5.7 ABV earned a bronze medal at The Great American Beerfest.
We sampled Miller's Toll Imperial Oatmeal Stout which offered notes of coffee and chocolate. Big beer and wonderful full body.
So many beers, so little time.

                                            Diane and Kristie

This beautiful brewery is family friendly. They have two large, sweet dogs on site and are a dog friendly place. Lots to do there too. They have dart boards, a children's area and lots of seating! I highly recommend this brewery! It was a personal favorite.

BrewWarriors: Women Who Love Beer Blog #5 More Beer in Charleston, SC AKA The Holy City

Where did the name Holy City come from? Historically, almost all religions were welcome in Charleston. You only need to take a Harbor Cruise from the Ft. Sumter National Monument to notice an unusual amount to steeples dotting the skyline. Did you know that no building in Charleston can be taller than the tallest steeple. Your trivia question: What is the name of the church? Hint: It's on King Street.
More numerous than the churches in Charleston were the pubs on the corners. Yes folks, it was also known a city of sins. Wine, women, pirates, songs and... oh yes, The Holy City Brewing Company on Dorchester Rd. They came a few hundred years after the pirate era but they are worth mentioning.

This creative garage like brewing company brews on site .Located at 4155 Dorchester Rd in North  Charleston ,they have an inside taproom with 16 beers on tap, inside seating and outside picnic table area for enjoying their beer. With live entertainment most weekends, they have a pool table and corn hole games to while away your time. They also have a small kitchen with some tasty food and they offer Sunday brunch. Family and pet friendly atmosphere make this a fun place to hang out.

Their signature beers include the malty, roasty Pluff Mud Porter 5.5% ABV, a local favorite that many bars in the vicinity now carry.  Then there's Chucktown Follicle Brown, an easy drinking American Brown Ale 6.8% ABV and Washout Wheat , a smooth and drinkable Hefeweizen at 5.3% ABV. They also have Overly Friendly IPA, a 6.9% ABV American Pale Ale that is not overly hoppy but has a slight bitter hop finish. You gotta try it. They also currently have a delicious American Barleywine on tap called Julbocken 10.6% ABV. It's a rich high alcohol beer that's wonderful and potent. Another fantastic choice is Collision Stout which is an American Double/Imperial Stout and I love. This is a seasonal beer so get it while you can!

Check out their website at: www.holycitybrewing.com

Haha Les. Gotcha!

Award Winning Aviator Brewing Co. Fuquay Varina, NC Seriously Good Brews

This really creative and fun craft brewery is located in Fuquay Varina, NC. This town was named after William Fuquay and his wife who he called Varina. The town gained it's fame after the discovery of a mineral spring found while plowing the tobacco fields by his great grandson. Travelers and local communities soon flocked there to sample the water which was believed to have special healing benefits.The town is about 25 minutes from Raleigh, NC and is located on the Beer Trail.

Aviator ( Aviatorbrew.com) opened in 2009 and grew out of it's original location which was housed in an airplane hanger. Although they still brew at the hanger, they moved their taproom to their present location at 600 E. Broad Street and have a fantastic selection of 14 beers on tap at any given time. Our hosts, Manager Adam and barkeeps Jessica and Mark were friendly and knowledgeable. We sampled all the beer! In 2015 they brewed more than 24 beers including Night Jump Imperial Stout, a Gold Medal Winner and my favorite. Their Steamhead, a California Common Lager was awarded a silver medal by the NC Brewer's Guild. Other beers on tap included Devils Triple Belgian 9.2% ABV, October Beast which won at the Durham Raleigh Octoberfest as the best Oktoberfest and their Silver Medalist, McGritty's Scottish Ale. Hog WIld IPA 6.7% ABV was piney, not grape-fruity and a winner in my Beer Mug rating. Beer guru Jessica is a true beer lover and recommended Black Mambo, a full flavored Oatmeal Stout at 6.5% ABV and Frost Nipper, their winter seasonal. Mark's favorite was the October Beast and Wide Open, a 6.1% ABV Red Ale which garnered a Bronze in competition. I also loved the Pumpkin Beast, their award winning Octoberfest mixed with pumpkin.

Besides for some great aircraft memorabilia, they have some tasty bar food. I sampled the Mac and Cheese bites. This creative snack was Baked Pimento Cheese Mac & Cheese, cut into cubes, breaded lightly and deep fried. It was served with a spicy ranch. Tim tried their wings and the sauce is a secret recipe made with their own Black Mambo Beer. They also have a corner restaurant just across the street and they deliver to the taproom and its' outside dining area. On the other corner, Aviator has a store with a wide selection of craft beers from many breweries and a beer bar with TVs.

Aviator was a great surprise to us and I highly recommend them for the fantastic beer, the atmosphere and the friendly staff and patrons. Kid and dog friendly.Brewsterwarriors.blogspot.com Aviator Brewing Co. We loved it!

Cooper River Brewing Co in Charleston, SC

New brewery in Charleston opening today and we are here. We have family in from Philly and ẃe are showing them around some of the breweries. As you exit Rutledge Ave off from I-26, take a right and then your very first right hand turn before the light and a left into the parking lot to Cooper River Brewing Co. 2201-B Mechanic. We found about 10 people had beat us to the first customer punch. A long, shiny wood bar (made from a salvaged tobacco barn) welcomes you; while owners Jamie, Dustin and Mike were there to greet us.
On tap for the inaugural christening of their beautiful brewery are a Golden Ale at 22 IBU and 4% ABV, also known as a session ale, a mild IPA at 5% ABV and 62 IBU, a stout at 5% ABV and 33 IBU and a Nitro Stout, smooth and foamy. They have outside tables and corn hole. Up and coming sweet and beautiful brewery: Their beer is tasty. Looking forward to some really good brews. Best of luck to Charleston's newest brew house!

Tradesman Brewing Co. Brewster Series Chareston, SC

I've been hearing a lot of really good things about Tradesman Brewing Company on James Island at 1639 Tatum St, Charleston, SC for at least a year but I have never been. We did try on a Sunday but they are closed Sundays and Mondays.

First I want to say that Sara Gayle, the female owner/partner of the brewery is such a effervescent lady, no pun intended. A nurse educator by trade, she is one of the two women responsible for our women's brewing club, a.k.a The Brewsters. Macy from Frothy Beard is the other co-founder.

 A few weeks ago I heard through the home brewer's grapevine that Tradesman was having a Brewster Series brew day on 11/22. I hate to just show up at a club event at a new location without at least asking if I am welcome so I emailed my request. Her reply was so warm and friendly that I actually felt excited about going to a new place.  Sara Gayle's husband Scott is the head brewer and he kindly gave up his Sunday to help us brew a Chocolate Grand Marnier Stout for charity.

 With a few stragglers walking in, we had about ten women brewing. The fun thing about our Brewster Club is you don't need to know anything about brewing. Just the curiosity to learn about it and participate in the event. We milled the grain and  malt, mashing in by 10:00. Tradesman was flooded out by the great flood of 2015 so they lost a lot of stock and they had to move what was salvageable to a different area. We found ourselves short of some ingredients, probably there but lost in the shuffle in the make shift store room of grains and malts. Like great cooks who can figure out how to create substitutes for a recipe, our two hosts locked their minds together and found viable ingredients to make the recipe work.

 As a home brewer, I am fascinated with bigger brewing systems. Mind you, Tradesman is a small brewery but they have big ambitions. They are growing! They have four stainless vessels now that can ferment and carbonate in the same container. I have 2 five gallon buckets and a glass carboy to ferment my beer in.  Big difference. We mashed 75 or so gallons of wort, boiled and ended up with a little over 70 gallons of a Chocolate Stout. They will add the orange to the fermenting beer later.
 Our club came up with the name, Orange is the New Chocolate. Look for it in about a month.

There is a lot of down time between each step of brewing and a great opportunity to get to know women who love beer. We had a writer from our local City Paper, researchers, grant writers and such a wonderful diverse group of women that make it such an interesting experience.

We took a break for lunch and had pizza and of course, a delicious craft beer. I had the Bricklayer Red Ale. Great with Pizza!!!!!!! I also tasted a Green Tea Trippel which has honey and green tea as a part of the brewing ingredients. Absolutely wonderful. I can't wait to go back again! Thank You so much   Tradesman for your hospitality and tasty craft brews.

BrewsterWarriors: Women Who Love Beer Blog #4 Summerville, SC Places to Go to Enjoy Great Beer

BrewsterWarriors: Women Who Love Beer Blog  #4 11/05/2015  Summerville, SC

Welcome back! As you may know, I live in Charleston, SC. This city is a growing treasure of new breweries. We have one just down the road in Summerville. This beautiful town use to be the destination for people visiting from Charleston during the summer months. Less than a day's ride by horse and carriage, they came to the Land of Pines to cool off and escape the searing heat and fragrant(stinky) smells of the city. That was back when you had privies outside as well as your cows, chickens and horses. The richer citizens built beautiful houses and plantations in this summer retreat. It's still a smaller town with Bed and Breakfasts, a quaint downtown and a town square. Beer speaking, there are a few really good places to drink beer in Summerville.

The first place I would like to recommend is a bar called Homegrown Brewhouse at 117 Main Street. If you love craft beer, they have 40 taps of local beer at this brewpub. We really enjoy this place frequently. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. You can tell them what you drink and they can usually find something you would enjoy. They do have cider on tap as well. Interesting, simple industrial decor with small group seating make this a fantastic place to hang out with friends. Not really a place to bring kids though. Check them out for live music a few nights a week and Kill the Keg night on Thursdays. When walking down the long hall to the restrooms after a beer or two, practice your yodeling. We do! www.homegrownbrewhouse.com

Next on my list is a bar called Montreux Bar & Grill, located at 127 Richardson Ave in Summerville. This place has come a long way! It is a very nice establishment to hang out with friends and family. Plenty of seating. They have maybe a dozen draft beers which include a few craft brews. They have a substantial offering of bottled craft and foreign beer as well as a full bar and a decent menu. They offer live music on the weekend, have a nice back room with another bar and a place for a band. They also have a bar out back with corn hole. I would be comfortable bringing my kids here for an early evening but once the band starts, I'd take them home. Fun place to go dancing.
www.montreuxbarandgrill.com

The last place or maybe the first place you should check out is really a Combo Destination. There's the Oak Road Brewery on the right side of the building. This is a small but up and coming craft brewery. Located at 108 E. Third St in Summerville, you will find at least 5 of their beers on tap.
They are a wonderful, smart establishment. This is a kid friendly place. They have corn hole, board games and Hungry Hippo.  When was the last time you played that, 80's babies? The center of the building is dedicated to living in the moment. Live bands, open mike, poetry readings and fun. Left of the building is The Coastal Coffee Roasters. This a unique coffee shop that sells beer, good food, local products and great coffee. Sign up for their weekly emails. You cannot have a bad time at this brewery! You can find them on Facebook.

Keep checking back for more beer adventures. Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive!!!

BrewsterWarriors: Women Who Love Beer Blog #3

Brewing with the Brewsters at Frothy Beard in North Charleston

Originally I wanted to call this blog BrewWarriors. I didn't come up with anything when I searched but I later found out that there is a Brew Warrior on Facebook. So I changed it to BrewsterWarriors. I hope no one minds the change.

Anyway, one of my favorite small craft breweries in North Charleston is Frothy Beard Brewery, 7558 Peppermill Parkway. One reason is because they brew craft brews that are adventurous and unusual. They have a few regular beers like spicy Andale Pale Ale (think Speedy Gonzales), a chocolate oatmeal stout named Choconut( delish and a great PMS adjuster), Zingiber Pale Ale(yep, ginger and it does have a zing) and a  scrumptious Belgian Tripel Called Out on Third. In addition to these, they brew small quantities of experimental beers. This is why I go. Like Forrest's box of chocolates, "ya never know what ya gonna get."

But another great thing you should know about them is they let "The Brewsters" our women's brewing club create some luscious beers with them. Under the guidance of Miss Macey, our fearless  leader, we have an opportunity to brew some really fun and unusual beers for charity. Usually Joey, the head brewer is there early in the morning for a little extra guidance and we like it that way.
The last one we created was an apple red ale we named Red Delicious.. I was a little iffy on this but it came out GREAT! We brewed it to support The Center for Women in downtown Charleston which helps women through education and support services. Along with Frothy Beard, several other breweries welcomed members of our organization to their establishments. We had six breweries total that funded our project and saw $1. from each pint donated to our cause.
Thank You to: Frothy Beard, Holy City Brewing, Quest Brewing, Revelry, Tradesman, and Fat Pig Breweries.

BrewWarriors:Women Who Love Beer Blog #2 A Bit About Beer/ ABV is Alcohol By Volume 10/2015

Brewster Warriors: Women Who Love Beer Blog #2
My name is Diane, I live in the Charleston, SC area  and I love beer! This is a blog to introduce women and their beer drinking partners to sampling craft beer, brewing craft beer, visiting craft breweries and venues for enjoying this delicious substance. This is not meant to be a review of any establishment that makes, brews or sells beer.   Rather, it is a road of information  for women to get the most out of their experience. By no means do I pretend to know everything about beer. I would like to include you in my discovery of family friendly, women friendly places to go. I have never experienced a culture quite like this. It is a subculture  phenomenon.

  I am a home brewer along with my husband Tim. We belong to a home brew club in the Charleston, SC area called Low Country Libations. These lovely people know more than I may ever about the Art of Brewing.

In addition, I also brew with an organization called Brewsters. We are a group of women who brew at different local craft breweries for charity. We learn about the process while giving back to our community.

Historically, women brewed beer for their families.  They were the brewers! It was a way to make water safe to drink. It had very low alcohol content also called session beer. The ABV is the alcohol by volume  content so for example, a 5% ABV would usually be an average alcohol content for a can of beer today. When you drink something like Bud or Coors, you will usually see an ABV around 5%. Most women can usually drink a couple of these depending on their tolerance. if you find a beer that says 10% ABV, you will know that this one beer has the potency of drinking two beers. so check your ABV if you don't want to get too drunk and remember not to drink and drive.

BrewsterWarriors: Women Who Love Beer 10/22/2015 Blog #1 Love or Hate It, Beer that is.

Welcome to Brewster Warriors! A beer drinking blog for women and their beer loving friends, whoever they may be. My name is Diane and I hope to make this an avenue for you, my reader to discover more about one of my favorite fermented beverages, Beer!
  I have to admit, I have had a long term love/hate relationship with this frosty, foamy, multi-personality beverage. I would drink beer with friends because it was the social thing to do. It had to be cold though. Icy cold in a frosty glass and if I could have a slice of lime or lemon or orange, something citrus to take the bite off, it was palatable. Sometimes I would mix it with juice or soda, also known as a radler. But if there was wine or a margarita offered, I would rather choose that. While in college as an older returning student, I discovered Spaten Doppelbock. It was a type of German beer, a bock beer. I had never tasted a beer that was dark and I found I preferred it. I drank that for awhile when I could afford it. I tried porters. Those were really good. Then I tried stouts. I liked those even better. I drank beer mainly because it was inexpensive and most people would drink it. After college, I drank mainly wine and martinis.
  Fast forward fifteen years and I had the opportunity to travel to Homburg, Germany with my husband Tim. He was over there working. Across the street from our hotel was a little restaurant called Homburger Brauhaus which brewed their own beer. It was a Heffeweisen which is a golden colored beer brewed from wheat with a rich smooth mouth feel and a sweet lemony flavor. I knew nothing about beer but I really loved this.
  I spent a couple of  days wandering the town by myself until he returned from work and then we would gather with his colleagues and their families across the street. I remember wondering where the polka style music I associated with Germany was. They played British and American Rock. After they stopped laughing, they told me that was mainly for festivals. We traveled to Bamberg where we tried Smoked Beer and Nuremberg for other tastings at different breweries. I discovered that there were so many different types of beer and many were great slightly chilled or at room temperature. Everything about beer was different and delicious. Coming back to the United States was now an adventure in trying to find beers that were like the ones I had in Germany. So I'd like to share with you what I have learned as I explore small breweries and as I brew my own beer. Thank you for joining me. I hope you will enjoy it.