I first tried Sam Adams Utopias back in November 08. The Draft Barn sold it for $400 per bottle or $20 per 30ml shot. I wish I had known back then, just how many measures I would have bought, maybe then I would have invested in a bottle, instead of per shot!! As you can tell, I think it is well worth the $20. It has a taste of a Sherry, Cognac and the faint after taste of a malt beer. 10 out of 10 from me.

Truly the epitome of brewing’s two thousand year evolution, Samuel Adams Utopias offers a flavor not just unlike any other beer but unlike any other beverage in the world. Its warm, sweet flavor is richly highlighted with hints of vanilla, oak and caramel. The 2003 batch topped out at a record breaking 25.6% ABV, beating the records that Samuel Adams Triple Bock and Samuel Adams Millennium had set before it. And like those groundbreaking brews, Samuel Adams Utopias is not carbonated and should be served at room temperature.

In one of many examples where Samuel Adams Utopias pushed the boundaries of beer, it received the highest recommendation (96-100 points) from the prestigious Wine Enthusiast Magazine (November, 2003 edition). Due to legal restrictions, Samuel Adams Utopias can not be sold in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, and West Virginia.

History of the Beer

The latest in their strong brews, Samuel Adams Utopias has been brewed in two small limited batches to date. The first batch which was released in 2001 as Samuel Adams Utopias MMII topped out at 24% ABV, while the second batch which was released in 2003 as Samuel Adams Utopias pushed the alcohol to 25.6% ABV. Both batches were released only once and in limited quantities. “Guinness World Records is pleased to confirm that the current record for The Strongest Commercially Available Beer belongs to Samuel Adams for their Utopias MM II brew,” says Keely Hopkins, Guinness World Records Researcher. “At the current time we have not received information nor are we aware of any other organization claiming to have broken this record.”

About the Brewing

Samuel Adams Utopias was brewed at a very high gravity using a wide variety of malted barley and a touch of maple syrup. It was then fermented and conditioned in a blend of scotch, bourbon, port and cognac casks for up to ten months using a pair of proprietary yeast strains they developed at their Boston Brewery.

Last night team ‘ThisBarSucks’ took on team ‘ PS 20 Something’ at bocce ball at Union Hall (702 Union Street, Brooklyn 11215).  I am ashamed to say, that we got our arses well and truly wooped.  Although we did win the very prestigious and nationally recognised ’who can drink more’ challenge.  I am not sure that I let the guys and girls from PS 20 Something know that there were other challenges going on at the time, but let’s not let that small bit of information take away our glory. 

What did they get out of beating us.  Well, they got the most awesomest prize…..ever!!  They won the ‘Soul Of Union Hall’.  That is some seriously heavy shit right there.  Think about it, any time you apply for a mortgage, you can declare that owned assets include ‘The Soul Of Union Hall’, or when at a job interview, you can feel quite confident that when you get asked ’why should we hire you, all you need to do is flop it out, and declare quite confidently that you own ‘The Soul Of Union Hall’.  Truly awesome.

To make things worse, they bought along with them, their very own Sportscaster.  I just hope that his editing is as good as his recording (I think I let a few F bombs spill out onto the Bocce lanes).  Anyways, our abysmal attempt at bocce will no doubt be making it’s  way onto the electric pages of PS20Something.  Check them out, and if you are ever in a bar, and some guy in bright green pants and a collarless shirt approaches you, and challenges you to a game of boccie, you know to kick him in the nuts get him drunk first

Here is one of my recipes for steak and ale pie, I am yet to perfect it, but the basics are there. Feel free to add your own spin on this and let us know about it in the comments below. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 pounds cubed beef stew meat
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer (Guiness or Newcastle Brown Ale is good)
• 1 cup of water (or just add another cup of beer)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 beef boullion cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups quartered fresh mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 pastry for double-crust pie
• 1 tablespoons of tomato paste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the beef stew meat, onion, and ale in a large saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the meat is tender, about 40 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Season the beef with garlic, basil, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
4. Mix in the potatoes and mushrooms.
5. Cover and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are just tender enough to pierce with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Whisk a small amount of the sauce together with the flour in a small bowl, and stir into the beef. Simmer until slightly thickened.
7. Fit one pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.
8. Spoon the hot beef mixture into the crust and top with the remaining pie crust.
9. Cut slits in the top crust to vent steam and crimp the edges to seal them together.
10. Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and gravy is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes

ThisBarSucks.com just got word that the girls from Newcastle Brown Ale are heading into town. They will be showing up at Draft Barn this Thursday, for about an hour. The Draft Barn is located at 530 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Telephone (718) 768-0515 for more information.

Some Wiki Info about Newcastle Brown Ale

Newcastle Brown Ale is a brand of beer was originally brewed in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, in April 1927 by Newcastle Breweries, which became Scottish & Newcastle in 1960. S&N UK is now a division of Heineken International.

In August 2005, Scottish and Newcastle closed the Tyne Brewery, the last consignment of Brown Ale having been brewed in April of that year. Production was moved across the river to the former Federation Brewery in Gateshead, UK.

Newcastle Brown Ale had originally been granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the EU. Since Scottish and Newcastle moved production outside of the city its PGI has been removed.

In Newcastle, the beer is often called ‘Dog’ (or simply ‘Broon’). The ‘Dog’ name comes from the euphemism “I’m going to walk the dog” – meaning “I’m going to the pub” – and was further popularised by a 1980s advertising campaign. It is often referred to as Newcy Brown by those not from Newcastle, though never by those actually from the city itself.

Looks like guys at the Draft Barn, Decider.com, The Onion and Unibroue are teaming up to get you in the party mood for the weekend.  Below is the full invitation for the event.  The Draft Barn has well over 200 beers in a bottle and around 15+ on tap, it’s great hangout bar, where the staff are friendly and the patrons down to earth.

For those of you who enjoy great beer, below is a list of reasons you should try a Unibroue beer.

• A more refined taste
• Rich flavor
• Thicker foam that protects the beer
• Excellent source of vitamin B
• Almost unlimited shelf life (flavor evolves to a port wine after ten years)
• Ecological (no chemicals)

If the reasons listed aren’t enough for you to crack open a bottle or two or three, then how about RSVP’ing to NYCPromo@TheOnion.com with the subject being “Draft Barn” for a chance to win a lap dance* from one of the Russian Bar Tenders of your choice and a meal for two.

*Prize is currently only offered to women aged between 21 and 35, who are currently employed as a model and have $20k in cash to donate to a charity of the bars decision.

Please don’t forget to pass this invite on to your friends.  You can also join us at Twitter.com/ThisBarSucks, for upcoming events and a few crazy comments.    If you are on Facebook, then join my newly created group here.

This is going to be awesome, even for those of you who are not into INDY 500.  Check out this event at t.b.d.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – Watch the INDY 500 on 3 large HDTV screens while you race HO scale slotcars. Races start at 12pm and continue until there’s no one left alive!

subtexture takes over t.b.d. Brooklyn with racing themed art on the walls, racing movies on 3 hdtv screens before and after the big race. Put your driving skills and pride on the line and test your nerves in head to head rubber on plastic racing action on 3 blazing fast AFX electric slot-car tracks.

Slotcar Fury is a night of drinking, driving and good old fashioned fun, in the form of racing HO or 1/24th scale slotcars. We set up AFX and Tyco brand tracks in various locations around New York, usually in a gallery or loft setting.

HO scale slotcars are about the same size as your common Hot Wheel or Matchbox car. the difference being that they have electric motors and are a lot more fun! They run on an track equipped with 2 metal stripes which give power to the car. The car has a metal pin between the front wheels which fits into a slot that runs between the 2 metal strips. Magnets in the car’s chassis hold the car to the metal strips so it doesn’t fly off the track.

The driver propels the car by pulling the trigger on the pistol-like controller. The trick is to apply just the right amount of speed to propel the car but not so much that it flys off the track in the corner.

Visit www.subtexture.com/slotcarfury for more info

Chris Smith, aka “subtexture” is a Brooklyn-based designer and visual artist. He incorporates his love of women, cars, highways and the open road into his art and live events. His slotcar racing events have been talked about on the trend-casting blogs, his shirts have been sold at hipster boutiques and his graphics have been used by many corporations and numerous unknown bands. View his work at www.subtexture.com and www.altpick.com/subtexture

t.b.d. Brooklyn
224 Franklin St
(718) 349 6727

For a full listing of events at t.b.d. visit http://thisbarsucks.com/tag/tbd/

If your into beer, local beer, award winning local beer, award winning local beer that is brewed Belgian style…from the ground up, then the Draft Barn in Gowanus, Brooklyn is the place to be. Ommegang Brewery will be featuring their award winning beers Thursday 28th May.

Many years ago, long, long , long before I was married; I often woke up in strange places with some pretty strange ugly women.  There really is no easier way of putting it! Although, for the more emotionally sensitive readers “I’m sure the women thought I was just as ugly ”. But anyway.. I always remember making the excuse that I have to drop a mate of for a job interview, or something just as lame. I would then proceed to find my way home, all suited and booted, creased clothes, stinking of booze and riding public transportation. My head would be pounding, my wallet empty, and cringe worthy flashbacks of me attempting get this gorgeous ugly women back to her place for a game of chess

Wait for it, here it comes….any minute now riiiinnng rriiingg (that would be my super sized cell phone ringing).   Duuuuuuude!!  hahahaha..  Duuuude… Then for about 5 minutes I would then be the laughing stock of my friends, each one taking it in turns taking joy in telling me every bit of detail leading up to me taking her back to her place.  The only defense I would have is I was drunk, I had my beer goggles on, she looked great at the time, it had to be the goggles.

Well, if this new report by a British Newspaper is anything to go by, we are all screwed!  It is basically saying that ‘Beer Goggles’ are a thing of the imagination.  It is saying that I loved it, every minute of it!  It has to be true.  It was printed in a British Newspaper….By a Doctor….At a University!  So  I will hold my hands high; I admit it

I love having sex with ugly women!

Phew.. I am so glad I grew out of that habit!!!  Anyway, see what you think.  Read on…

Is beauty really in the eye of the beer holder? Alcohol has no effect on men’s judgement, say researchers

The phenomenon is known as beer goggles – the fact that men tend to find women more fascinating after a few pints of bitter or lager. For generations, young males have been explaining to friends that their odd choice of female company was down to alcohol. According to the latest research, however, they have only themselves to blame.

Beer goggles are a fallacy and women actually seem no prettier after drinking, a study suggests.  ‘There was no great difference – the men were just as undiscerning as ever,’ said Vincent Egan, the lead researcher. Dr Egan, of Leicester University, trawled bars, cafes and airport lounges to recruit 240 volunteers for his study.  Half of the men and women had been drinking, with levels of inebriation ranging from ‘relaxed and benign’ to ‘unambiguously drunk’.  All of them were shown photos of women and asked to comment on their attractiveness and age.  While the women rated the faces in the pictures as more attractive after drinking, alcohol had no effect on the men’s judgement. Dr Egan said: ‘This seemingly flies in the face of the commonly held notion of ‘beer goggles’.’

It is unclear why the women thought the faces were prettier after drinking. But it may simply be they were more honest about their opinions than the men. Drinking did not affect either sex’s ability to judge age, leading to the researchers saying that the influence of alcohol should not be a mitigating factor in the case of a man accused of under-age sex. Writing in the British Journal of Psychology, they said: ‘Our study suggests that even heavy alcohol consumption does not interfere with age-perception tasks in men, so it is not an excuse for apparent mistaken age in cases of unlawful sex with a minor.’ The Leicester study, it should be pointed out, reached far different conclusions from previous research.

A Bristol University study found that people do appear more attractive to both sexes after a drink – and it takes as little as a pint and a half of beer. In some cases, the mere anticipation of alcohol can be enough to alter judgment, the research suggested. And a U.S. study even found that just looking at alcohol-related words made men rate the female form more highly.

I have been assured that Beer Margaritas are pretty amazing.  So I will be testing this recipe out on the Mrs, real soon!    If anyone has a unique food or drinks recipe, that has some form of alcohol as an ingredient, don’t be shy, pass it along.  Send it in.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 4)

• 2/3 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
• 1 cup tequila
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup beer
• Ice
• 4 Slices of lime

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour limeade, tequila, water and beer into a large pitcher. Stir until well-blended, and limeade has melted. Add plenty of ice, and garnish with lime wedges.

Aaaand there off!! It’s the 135th Kentucky Derby this Saturday, May 2nd, and T.B.D. is ready to bring the excitement of the races over to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The race starts at 6pm, but the party starts at 4pm. Our advice…Get there early. Check out their website here for more information and directions to their new bar. Don’t forget to pass this on to your friends. Ladies, make sure you wear your ‘extra special’ hat. T.B.D. is having a contest for best hat!