14 Crazy Beers We Love:

We've tasted a lot of beer, in a lot of places...but some flavors, whether simply and beautifully crafted or outright mind-blowing, stay with you. Here are some of our favorites, and the episodes in which they are featured:

#14: Carton Brewing Regular Coffee.

In the New York area, when you go to a street 'coffee cart' and order a regular coffee, that never means black. It means 2 creams, 2 sugars. As they say at Carton Brewing, "A whole lot more like coffee ice cream than coffee." So, they made that:

#13: Barrier Brewing Submersion Double IPA.

The guys at Barrier busted their humps (and their bank accounts) getting a brand new production brewery up and running in Oceanside, NY... just before Hurricane Sandy struck. But there was one interesting survivor from the carnage:

#12: Short's Brewing Wowee Zowee Ale.

They never let "beer should be this" thinking stop them at Short's Brewing in Bellaire, MI. We have had so many WOW moments at this brewery we've lost count, including with this beer which, believe it or not, truly resembles a mojito:

#11: Alchemist Brewing Heady Topper Double IPA.

There's little to be said about this DIPA that hasn't been said already: What people really need to know is how good the folks to make it are, and how they view beer as an agent of change:

#10: Wolverine State Brewing Gulo Gulo India Pale Lager.

Wolverine State in Ann Arbor, MI specializes in Lagers, and also caters to HopHeads. Who knew that a clean finishing Lager could have such a faceplant of hops? A wonderful intersection of styles here:

#9: Breckenridge Brewing Vanilla Porter.

This beer was originally supposed to be a one-off; then, just a seasonal. But it became so popular that Breckenridge decided to make it one of their flagship beers. A nitro version is now out in the marketplace, with an even creamier finish!

#8: Founders Brewing Kentucky Breakfast Stout.

Jimmy grew up in Michigan, "The Great Beer State", and Founders has an incredible story. They make their Breakfast Stout with Kona Coffee and Belgian chocolate... and what happens when they put that brew in a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel FOR A YEAR? This:

#7: Avery Brewing Sui Generis Barrel Aged Sour Ale.

Avery Brewing in Boulder, CO is another survivor; down to their last gasp back in the '90s, they began brewing the beer they'd always wanted (starting with Hog Heaven Barleywine) and the world began to beat a path to their door. Now, their barrel ageing program is one of the country's leading experimental playgrounds. Consider this wonderful barrel aged sour:

#6: Samuel Adams Utopias.

Is this actually beer? It is. Barrel aged to within an inch of its life and weighing in at a massive 22% ABV, this is a swooner:

#5: Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils.

Many Americans view Pilsner as that Boring Yellow Liquid that The Big Guys Make: At Oskar Blues, nothing could be further from the truth:

#4: Boulder Brewing Flashback 30th Anniversary India Brown Ale.

If there isn't a category for the style of beer you just brewed? You make one up. The folks at Boulder Beer were the first, for many things. Press play:

#3: New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire Amber Ale.

A crazy-ass Amber? Yes. Because it absolutely sets the bar for the entire style. The folks at New Belgium approach their jobs and their lives in brewing in an very refreshing way... and they make incredibly refreshing beer.

#2: Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter.

One of our favorite Big Porters of all time, made with a nod to one of our favorite writers:

#1: Three Floyd's Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout.

Is this a 'white whale' beer? Yup. Years ago we braved the madness to sample this vinous, lovely brew... but what was more fun was meeting the folks who were associated with it:

#.5: New Holland Brewing Beer Barrel Bourbon.

This is not a beer, it's a bourbon, but...it was a beer. No, wait, it was in a beer barrel. That counts, right? To round out the crazy, they're really bringing the innovation at New Holland Brewing:

What crazy-ass beers have you had that you love? Drop us a line in the comments section.  Cheers!

11 Great Bars Where You Can Drink With Ghosts.*

RIP, Harold Ramis. This post is for you.

RIP, Harold Ramis. This post is for you.

*That we've shot video of, in the USA.

"When there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?"  The Happy Hour Guys?  No.  Obviously you call the Ghostbusters.  But while you're waiting for Egon and Venkman to show up, quaff a couple with the local poltergeists.  Here's a list of episodes we've shot at historic bars over the years, bars that might just have more than your regular share of parnormal activity:

The Old Talbott Tavern. Bardstown, KY: Hmm. I swear I put it on the chair.  It's no longer on the chair. Also: Which were the most haunted rooms again?

The Jameson Tavern. Freeport, ME: Emily doesn't like the bread baskets.

The General Lafayette Inn. Lafayette Hill, PA: If you happen to be drinking with an old guy in a nightshirt, you might have a problem. (Now renovated and back in business as the Barren Hill Brewery.)

Pete's Tavern. NYC: This one is a don't-miss. You might share a booth with a literary ghost or two at one of the oldest bars in New York City.

McSorley's Old Ale House. NYC: The Happy Hour Guys shot their very first episode at what many say is the oldest bar in NYC. Houdini is said to have haunted this place in the form of a black cat. We'll stick with the Dark Beer.

Gettysburg, PA: Drinking at the site of one of the most significant battles of the Civil War, there are ghosts aplenty, but the Happy Hour Guys may be most haunted by their puppetry in this episode.

Fraunces Tavern. NYC: George Washington drank here. And did some other stuff.

White Horse Tavern. NYC: Dylan Thomas, Under Milkwood?  How about under the bar?  Too soon? The Guys delve into the history of this literary watering hole.

Long before Snooki roamed the Jersey Shore, Manasquan was the site of one of NJ's only unsolved murders, at O'Neil's Beach House bar. Here, the guys tackle the mystery with a few pints and some mystery guests.

Mark takes his drinking life into his own hands as he explores Bube's Brewery in Mt. Joy, PA. Freshly brewed beer, catacombs, ghosts…oh, my!

The Guys explore the Rogues Harbor Inn in NY's Finger Lakes region. House brewed beer, history, and some ghostly guests who linger on make for a good time. Honk if you love beer!

 

That's all for now.  Hope you enjoyed our tour of historic and haunted bars.  Keep an eye on us for all sorts of adventure in the world of craft beverages and where they come from.  As always, we welcome your suggestions - where's your favorite haunt? (Boo....) Cheers!

The 14 Best USA Craft Beer Bars.*

*That we've visited.  

Alright, keep your shirts on.  We know there's a bewildering number of mind-numbingly awesome Craft bars there are out there, and we're aware of how many more there are for us to visit.  And it is our QUEST to get to every single one of them - (oh hey, do us a solid and add your suggestions to the comment section, will you?).  In the meantime, it's time to celebrate some great locals.  Check out these terrific Craft Stops:

First, one of our most recent stops, in Midtown Manhattan; Beer Culture. Just next to the Hirshfeld Theatre in the Broadway District, this new watering hole is also a bottle shop.

Winner of Best Beer Bar in NY in 2013? Check. Long Island City? Check. Amazing owners? You've gotta meet the folks at Alewife NYC.  

We happened to stop in to this spot in Hollywood a few years ago, and even though it's weathered some storms it's still going strong: The Blue Palms Brewhouse.

No NYC Craft Beer Bar experience is complete without a visit to Jimmy's. And if you're very lucky, you'll get to hang out with owner Jimmy Carbone, (or Jimmy Pots & Pans), a legend in the NYC Craft Community. Come home to Jimmy's.

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HOPCAT. The Midwestern Craft Beer Mecca in Grand Rapids, MI. We didn't shoot video here, but dammit, we visited. And we came away very, very happy.  By the way, HopCat is opening a new location in Downtown Detroit this year, and we hear it's going to be massive.  Beer hear!

Pacific Standard, on 4th Ave in Brooklyn.  We're pretty sure that this is what the dorm rooms at Beer Appreciation College look like.

Tucked away in the Berkshire region of Western Mass, MOE's Tavern is the bar you always dreamt about. No seriously, it is.

Adobe Blues - This may be the best reason to ride the Staten Island Ferry.  Over, and over, and over. You'll 'flip' for this place...

Pizza and great Craft in Amish Country?  Yup. We've seen rare beers at The Fridge in Lancaster, PA, that we have a hard time finding in a city of 8 million people! 

Truly not to be missed, Proletariat is a tiny (and we mean tiny) place in the East Village of NYC that sports some of the rarest worldwide Craft we've ever seen. A bucket list bar.

Ah, the Pony Bar Hell's Kitchen on 45th and 10th Ave in Midtown Manhattan; the bar that helped turn the Craft Beer wave in this part of NYC into a Tsunami.  We were there at the beginning.

This place in Minneapolis was Craft long before it was cool: Mackenzie, the Bar Next Door to the Theatre is the place you've always wanted in your neighborhood.

Ever been to Portland, Maine?  Once you've seen our episode featuring The Great Lost Bear, you'll be looking to book your ticket.

And lastly, in memoriam: The Collins Bar, which sadly is long gone now, reduced to a hole in the ground on 8th Avenue NYC that's on its way to becoming a tall shiny expensive set of apartments. We fondly remember discovering flavors of Craft here that we never knew existed.  Still one of our favorites, and deserving of the memory.  And as you can see, also one of the first places we ever shot.

That's how our list starts.  What's on yours?

Bell's Brewing is in NYC!

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The entire New York City area craft beer community has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Michigan's Bell's Brewing...and it's here. Jimmy caught this picture of kegs of Kalamazoo Stout and Two Hearted Ale rolling into Beer Culture in midtown Manhattan just minutes ago. The Bell's launch event is ON!

Video #271: BEERmuda Triangle - GR, and Brewery Vivant!

Midway through last summer's BEERmuda Triangle Tour, the Guys make a stop in Beer City USA for 2012/2013, Grand Rapids, MI, where the beer truly does flow like water along the nearby. And not far from an amazing burger/beer event at the Downtown GR Bagger Dave's, there is a Brewery the likes of which you've never seen...Brewery Vivant. Enjoy!