Uncategorized Archives - Page 2 of 4 - The Blind Monk Blog Posts

Real Ale

By Jason Hunt, Certified Cicerone   This Friday at The Blind Monk, we are having our second event with Due South Brewing Company and will again be featuring a specially prepared cask of one of their beers. This time, they are bringing an Old Fashioned Scotch Ale. This beer uses their Bridgeport Scotch Ale as ... Read more

Atypical or A Typical Wine

By Reese Fisher     Ever wonder what makes a wine popular or more obscure? One answer lies in this simple question: Where in the world are you sitting? Are you in Languedoc, France? North Bay, California? The Boberg region of South Africa? The answer means you may be more apt to have a Picpoul or ... Read more

Through Rose Colored Wine

For some wine drinkers, pink wine does not evoke an eagerness to take it from bottle, to glass, to palate. Despite that fact, this year celebrates 40 years of White Zinfandel. That’s right, I said it. White Zinfandel. Fret not, what follows is not a diatribe to the merits of White Zin (although I am ... Read more

Beer or Wine with your Lunch?

The day has arrived. Four beers go head to head with four wines. The Blind Monk has chosen the beers, Virginia Philip Wine Shop has chosen the wine, and guests will decide which pairing they like better with a delicious four-course lunch prepared by City Cellar. We now present the beers…   Ayinger “Brau-Weisse” – ... Read more

Lactose Intolerance is No Excuse

By Ben Lubin   If you thought cheese was off limits because of lactose intolerance…you were wrong.   For many, the consumption of cheese strikes fear in the heart. Most adults have varying levels of milk intolerance. The reason? The milk sugar, lactose, cannot be absorbed and used by the body. It must first be broken ... Read more

Summertime Beer

By Jason Hunt Certified Cicerone   As we head into the heat of the Florida summer, many of us reach for lighter, more refreshing beers. But just because we might be craving something more easy-drinking, that shouldn’t mean we have to switch to flavorless diet lagers. “Light” should not mean “bland.” This week, we are rolling ... Read more

Summer’s Sauvignon

by Reese Fisher, Certified Sommelier   As the weather warms and the days lengthen,  you may find your palate changing. Instead of fuller wines, you start reaching for  crisper, more acid driven ones. For me, Sauvignon Blanc is just that kind of wine. It brings to mind summer days–sitting outside enjoying the warm weather with friends, ... Read more

Barleywine and Blue Cheese

By Jason Hunt, Certified Cicerone   One of the most sublime areas of food and beverage pairing is that of beer with cheese. In fact, many cheese aficionados will tell you that beer is actually a better pairing for many cheeses than wine. From sharp cheddars paired with IPAs to nutty manchegos paired with brown ales, ... Read more

The Rise of the Hybrids

The popularity of the IPA style has given rise to a number of hopped-up variations of other traditional beer styles. From hoppy brown ales to Belgian IPAs, the drinking choices for the hophead are ever expanding. Some new additions to our list showcase some of these new hybrid beer styles.   Sam Adams Double Agent ... Read more

I’ve Tasted the Eighth Trappist Ale and it’s Gregorious

By Jason Hunt, Certified Cicerone   Here’s a classic Beer Trivia question: How many Trappist Breweries are there?   If your answer was 7, then you would have been correct a year ago. But in May of last year, the International Trappist Association approved the Abbey of Engelszell in Austria to be the 8th official ... Read more