Maui Brewing sent me some cans of their beers: Big Swell IPA, CoCoNut Porter, and Bikini Blonde Lager. The Big Swell sounded like the right choice for dinner tonight (grilled London broil with my Manly Marinade: ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, and horseradish), so I stuck a can in the freezer for 20 minutes and popped it.Very nice! Big IPA, 6.2% ABV, and cram-jammed with hop flavor. It's plenty bitter, has a good body to it, and a piney warning aroma of hops within. The look is deep amber-orange, somewhat cloudy, and a seriously tenacious cap of foam. Nice beer if you like a big American-type IPA...in a can, too. It met the Manly Marinade on even terms; the sweet ketchup actually brought out the malt depth. Good stuff, Maui!
15 comments:
did you receive them because they will be available in PA? Or just because you are a great guy?
I don't know, actually. They e-mailed and asked me if I'd like to try their beer. Well, heck yes, and I'm glad I did. No idea if they're planning to come East. Sniffing for the fest?
I'm always sniffing....
What are the proportions for the "Manly Marinade"?
Sounds good!!
Looks great. Nice to see a good beer in a can.
The Manly Marinade is about half a cup of Heinz Ketchup, a scant quarter cup of cider vinegar, two tablespoons of coarse-grind horseradish, two tsp. Worcestershire, and two dashes of liquid smoke. I usually let the beef stew in it for an hour or so.
Are the cans dated or no? Actually, have you seen ANY canned micro with a best before or canned on date?
Maui's list of brewpub offerings, besides what's in the can, is unbelievable. Check their website.
No dating on the can, and no, I haven't seen dating on any micro cans. Whole 'nother level of expense. Anyone know if Oskar Blues is date-coding?
I haven't seen a dating code on any of the Oskar Blues cans I've bought. New England Brewing doesn't date their cans either, which is a shame since there's a lot of old beer out there...just sitting.
:sigh:
Can't someone design and market an inexpensive can (and hell...bottle too!) dating system?
Just confirmed with Oskar Blues that they do not date: "We've looked into it, but haven't found a set up for doing it that we dig
just yet" (from Marty Jones, at the brewery).
Greg Koch from Stone visited Maui Brewing a little while ago and did a video blog of their facility.
Also shows you why they are canning and not bottling out there.
http://www.stonebrew.com/vblog/detail.php?ID=596
Aloha from Maui!
Date coders are crazy expensive. We date code all 6 packs and case trays with a manual stamp from OfficeMax. It reads "Filled 01 Jan 07" (obviously the date changes). I got the idea from Dale, who does "code" all 12 packs in the same fashion. This way you can see what the fill date is on all of Maui Brewing Packaged Products. We do not use 6 pack rings so we have a space on the bottom of our custom designed 6pk box. Maybe Lew will post a pic of the Sampler box for you all?
Remember, just because it says Hawaii on the label doesn't mean it was made here! Ours are Truly Local!
So the packaging "box" the six-packs (and twelve-packs?) come in are dated? Cardboard I assume? Cool...but...what if store owners toss the packaging and display the packs "naked"? I've never seen this packaging in stores around here (CT) carrying Oskar Blues.
But I guess some form of dating is better than nothing. Even if shelf stockers are the only people who see it.
:-)
Loren,
The six-pack box is the box the six cans come in. It's cardboard, like a 12-pack box: the only way that store owners are going to take it off is to sell individual cans. If you buy a six-pack, it's got the date code on.
Don't know about the Oskar Blues packaging.
Oskar Blues uses the rings so even if the cardboard tray has a date on them the storeowner kind get rid of that. I dig the Sly Fox little 12 pack boxes they're so compact.
Salute
Tony aka WVbeergeek
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