Thursday, May 31, 2012

Thirsty Dog Beer Tasting — by Scott Recker





Akron-based Thirsty Dog Brewing Company is good at striking that perfect balance. They have bold beers that aren't overwhelming, fruity beers that aren't too sweet and high alcohol percentage beers that are surprisingly smooth. A company rep swung into Doc Watson's last night to present a tasting of their six flagship beers.

Labrador Lager - 6%

They take this classic German style seriously, even to the point of mimicking the water of the Dortmund Region. It's a smooth year-round classic that is perfect for casual drinking and complementing spicy food.

Raspberry Ale - 3.9%

Too many breweries mess up fruit-oriented beers. But I would imagine that is because it's hard to get a full flavor without making the brew too sweet. This one's certainly bold, but not in a bad way. Very light; very refreshing.

Whippet Wheat - 5.2%

This German Weizen makes one fine summer beer. With a refreshingly subtle banana and vanilla initial taste, followed by a subtly spicy finish that kind of dances around your mouth, this beer is very bold in flavor, without being a one-and-done type beer.

Cerberus Belgian Tripel - 10%

Here is the heavy-hitter of the bunch. Made with five different kinds of yeast, the alcohol content is as high as it can possibly be without freezing the mix or adding sugar. It has a mellow fruit kick and a bubblegum finish. And it's very drinkable.

Hoppus Maximus - 5.9%

A hop-loaded, bitter, carmel-flavored gem that's not too intense. I'm an IPA lover and, if you are too, this one's for you.

Old Leghumper

A dark, rich porter with a bitter/sweet coffee/chocolate taste that goes well with cake — or really any other sort of dessert. Like all good porters, it's incredible light for how dark it is.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

TCP's Lunch Break Live dishes out local music



Every Friday this spring the Toledo City Paper is hosting Lunch Break Live, featuring music from great local musicians while you enjoy a casual lunch. Here are some shots of last week's awesome set at The Oliver House where we saw What's Next perform.


Members of the band What's Next gave an awesome performance to kick off Toledo City Paper's
first Lunch Break Live event of the season. The band members include
Steve Steel (left) and Petr Karchenko (right) with guest artist Ben Barefoot on vocals.


Ben Barefoot on vocals.

A casual dining atmosphere in the Oliver House was the perfect setting
to break from the office and catch a taste of some great local music and food.