"Make Mega Bucks."

Feels good to get back into the swing of things here on CDR after a few days of sub-par posts due to being exhausted. Yesterday started off what I believe is going to be a great beer week. On the homebrew front we've got one batch that was made this weekend, and another is brewing up in the kitchen at this very moment. "We" being my brew-mate. Ok that was an awful play on words... I apologize. Anyways we like to brew, and do so very often. In fact we were talking about how we should make another batch this weekend just so we don't run out of beer in the kegerator (even though we will have 6 cases of bottled homebrew). But enough of that, back to the post.

Today's beer was actually inspired by my Grandma, also known as Grams. She has been a big supporter of my homebrewing this year and clipped out an article from the newspaper and mailed it to me. (Aren't grandmas the sweetest?) The article was about New Belgium Brewing and their current expansion efforts. A little note was written at the top that says "Maybe this will be you someday. -Grams"  And about two months ago she texted me about my beer and told me to "Get it patented. Make mega bucks." Gotta love Grams. So today I am enjoying the flagship beer from New Belgium -- Fat Tire.


This amber ale has a distinctly different taste from typical American or English style ales. The founders of New Belgium actually came up with their name in reference to a bike trip they took through Belgium, tasting different beers along the way. They took that Belgian influence and incorporated it into their beer. This one tastes like a belgian wheat combined with a typical amber. I could be mistaken but I believe that it has everything to do with the type of yeast that they use for fermentation. Despite what would make sense, a lot of what creates the flavor profile of a beer comes from the yeast more so than the hops and grains. Fat Tire ours a very clear amber color and has fruity, spicy aspects to it that you don't find in other ambers.

When it comes to their expansion, I think it resonates the ever growing movement of consumers trying new beers. There really is so many options out there and people are slowly starting to realize that they can get more from the beer they drink than what the Big Three are offering up. Honestly that is one of the premises of this blog. So, with that said, I like to raise my glass to home brewers, craft beer lovers, and of course my Grams. Cheers!

New Belgium Brewing
Fat Tire
Amber Ale
5.2% abv
"To make our love and talent manifest."