photo credit: Nicole Ficarrotta
As we clink our glasses and toast to another great season we end on a high note and more then a few cold brews. With over 100 plus beers available for tasting, Great Beer Expo Long Island which is held at Belmont Racetrack, home of the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York, brought out the beer lover in everyone.
Of the 75 breweries at the festival, many breweries, like Flying Belgian Brewery from Bellmore, New York and Crooked Ladder Brewing Co from Riverhead, New York, came from our own backyard. Others, like Otter Creek Brewing Co from Middlebury, Vermont and Knee Deep Brewing Company from Auburn, California, traveled a little further.
My favorite beer of the Great Beer Expo was Gypsy Red from Crooked Ladder Brewing Co. Gypsy Red is an American Red Ale, dark in color. With just one sip, you immediately smell caramel, and as you drink it you taste caramel, malts and a subtle coco flavor. Gypsy Red has an ABV of 5.0%.
Otter Creek Brewing Co.’s Overgrown was another delicious beer showcased at the Great Beer Expo. Overgrown is an American Pale Ale with an ABV of 5.5%. The beer is golden in color and goes down smooth.
photo credit: Nicole Ficarrotta
Knee Deep Brewing Company’s Breaking Bud is a crisp, piney, tropical IPA with an ABV of 6.5%. When you smell the beer you smell the tropical fruits and hops. Once you take a sip the crisp pine taste pairs with the mango and passion fruit for a crisp, clean flavor.
Chromatic Ale from Twin Fork Brewing Company is a beer I would stay away from. It is an American Pale Ale, 6.6% ABV. Chromatic Ale was a bit too dry for my taste and had a strong earthy flavor.
Boom Bohmerwald’s Majesty was one of the most unique beers I tried at the Great Beer Expo. Craft brewed in the Czech Republic and aged 10 weeks in oak barrels Bohmerwald’s Majesty was a very heavy dark beer with an ABV of 8.8%. This beer was good for a few sips but I would not be able to drink a lot of it.
photo credit: Nicole Ficarrotta
Dark blonde with brunette highlights is how Flying Belgian Brewery describes Illegally Blonde. A Belgium Blonde Beer with an 8.0% ABV Illegally Blonde has a very hoppy flavor but not an overpowering alcohol flavor, which is what I enjoyed about it.
My final beer of the day was Empire Brewing Company’s IPA and it was nice to end on a good note. With 7.2% ABV, this beer has a combination of pine, earthy and citrus hops. This IPA pours a light orange color.
