Thursday, Dec. 04, 2008
New south brew has can-do aptitude
By Colin Burch
For Weekly Surge
It's official: Myrtle Beach's New South Brewing Co. is going to start canning its beer.
So far, if you have wanted to drink New South, you have had to go out. South Carolina law allows the purchase of growlers of brewpub beer, but only if the beer is made on the premises of the brewpub. New South is a microbrewery that supplies kegs to bars and restaurants in the region, especially on the Grand Strand.
That should change in March, when the canning equipment should be up and running, owner Dave Epstein said. The equipment is slated to arrive next month. During New South's recent 10th anniversary party, guests were invited to vote on their favorite prospective can labels.
seasonals on tap
Meanwhile, the gorgeous Dark Star porter, New South's winter seasonal, has been released to local bars and restaurants.
And if you haven't already noticed, Santa's Little Helper - also known as Santa's Little Crack Elf - is now on tap at Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, located at Broadway at the Beach. This seasonal beer is one of the finest the area has to offer.
drink the yellow snow
Sage advice like "don't eat the yellow snow" is not very meaningful on the Grand Strand, even if it lives on in the memory of some of our retired Yankee transplants.
Rogue Brewery, a left-coast beer maker with a sense of humor, offers us the opportunity to drink Yellow Snow, or Yellow Snow IPA, to be exact. I found it on tap at Longbeard's Bar and Grill, 5040 Carolina Forest Boulevard, which has one of the most incredible wood interiors I have ever seen in a restaurant.
IPAs, or India Pale Ales, can be a bit prickly for the novice beer drinker, and Yellow Snow certainly has its full-flavored impact. Fortunately, it's not as pungent as its namesake and accompanying pale, golden color would suggest - far from it. Like most brews from Rogue, I'll order it again.
Of course, we all know what "yellow snow" really refers to - it is snow that has turned yellow because either a dog took a leak or someone poured out a can of Busch Light.
During my session at Longbeard's, I also tried Breckenridge Brewery's Agave Wheat. I haven't decided if I like it yet. It's an American-style unfiltered wheat beer made with the nectar of the Salmiana Agave, which makes for a distinctive taste.
I was treated to a taste of another Breckenridge brew on tap at Longbeard's, this one the Avalanche Ale, an American amber that goes easy on the hops and leans on the maltiness.
I enjoyed Longbeard's, its atmosphere, its beer, and its turkey melt. I'll be back.
that ol' black magic
Another evening, at nearby Tavern in the Forest (4999 Carolina Forest Boulevard), I took a suggestion from barkeep Chris Roberts and tried Black Magic. Roberts is an outstanding barkeep I've known from two Barefoot Landing establishments before he joined up with Tavern in the Forest. He uses Magic Hat No. 9 and Guinness to make Black Magic. The Magic Hat gives the old black-and-tan a slightly sweeter profile, and I might like the No. 9 version more than the original blend. If you like black-and-tans, stop by the Tavern and ask for Black Magic.
root beer float
Continuing our informal series on beer-liquor combos, the Surge's very own Heather Eberlin recently told me about another such drink, this one called the Root Beer Float Shot, which she discovered during a visit to Los Angeles. Drop a shot of root beer schnapps into a glass of Coors Light draft and chug. Eberlin says it might not sound so good, but it tastes great.
Contact Colin Burch - the Beerman - at beerpour@yahoo.com or visit his beer blog at http://maltyhops.blogspot.com
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