The ACC Tourney, of Beer: The Finals, Duke vs North Carolina

      How chalk can you get the #1 and #2 seeds.  They were both real good though.  NC ( Duck Rabbit Amber ) and Duke ( Highland Gaelic Ale ) now go head to head in the all North Carolina finals.  Duke comes out strong with rich flavors and a big jammy body.  Carolina comes out a bit off, but they seem to get better late.  But Duke is really hitting on all cylinders and their making their threes.  The Heels are too long, strong and quick to stay down forever.  And they are starting to make a run late in the game.  Duke's still up a few late, but this is coming down to the last sip.  Boy Duke is delicious, but Carolina is divine.  Another last second comeback for Carolina to win The ACC Tourney, of Beer.

Analysis and Recap:  Duck Rabbit Amber has this magical ability to get better as you drink it.  It's really good, although the Gaelic Ale is a worthy challenger.  How I would rank the eight beers in the Tourney.

1. Duck Rabbit Amber
2. Highland Gaelic Ale
3. RJ Rockers Bell Ringer
4. Landshark Lager
5. Saint George Golden Ale
6. Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber
7. Starr Hill Amber
8. Sam Adam's Boston Lager

      To wrap up the Tourney I will compose a Haiku to celebrate Duck Rabbit's victory.

                   Duck Rabbit Amber
                   Swirling Flavors of Delight
                   Champion of Beer

      Next it's Selection Sunday for the Spring Beer Tourney.

The ACC Tourney, of Beer: # 1 North Carolina vs # 5 Clemson

      Top seed Carolina ( Duck Rabbit Amber )  faces off against a surprisingly good Clemson ( RJ Rockers Bell Ringer Ale ).  Carolina comes out strong on the flavor, but perhaps a little weak on the body.  That's where Clemson shines with a thick body, and good flavors.  The Heels flavor really holds up well against Clemson's. This is gonna be very close, but Clemson is jumping out to a slight lead.  Still holding the lead late this is gonna come down to the last shot, literally.  Carolina hits a three at the buzzer for the late game winner.

Analysis:  I really thought the Bell Ringer was better almost the whole time, but DR Amber gets better and better.  I swear the last sip was 10 times better than the first.

ACC Beer Tourney: # 1 North Carolina vs # 8 Virginia

      The North Carolina Tar Heels are represented by NC's own Duck Rabbit Amber.  The Virginia Cavaliers have Charlottesville's own Starr Hill Amber on their side.  NC is amber with a rich creamy sweet caramel nose with a bit of citrus.  VA is amber with caramels,herb and perhaps a little yeast. The Heels jump out with their superior talent, but begin to stall.  The Cavs  hit some shots and keep it close early, but the talent isn't there.  The Heels are a bit off  but get better and better, sip after sip. Virginia is just average at best and they can't keep up with the excellence of the Tar Heels.  It's time for people to start heading to their cars this is a blow out.

Analysis:  Starr hill amber is drinkable, but way down on my amber list.  Duck Rabbit is near the top.  I will say the DR Amber tastes a little strange at first, but gets much better.

The ACC Tourney, of Beer

      Well, March is the month that brings us the amazing Spring Beer Tourney, and another lesser known basketball tournament.  But, I just realized there's still more than a week till Selection Sunday.  So what shall I do?  Well this is ACC Country so it's the ACC Tourney, of beer.  I'm taking what I think are the top 8 teams in the ACC.  Here's who I will eliminate and why.  Wake Forest is the worst team in ACC history, they would get bounced in the first round of the Women's Tourney.  NC State blows and there's to many NC teams.  Georgia Tech sucks and and their rascists.  Last man out, The U, Fuck The U.  That leaves us with the top eight and here's how I see them finishing.

1. North Carolina
2. Duke
3. Florida State
4. Virginia Tech
5. Clemson
6. Boston College
7. Maryland
8. Virginia

      Your thinking, why doesn't he wait till the seeding is final?  Because there are only so many beers you can objectively try in one day.  Sure, I can drink ten, but I can only comment on the first few.  So, here's the beers that will represent these fine institutions.

1. Duck Rabbit Amber,  NC's finest.
2. Highland Gaelic Ale, produced somewhere near Duke.
3. Landshark Lager, the only Florida Beer I could find.
4. St. George Golden Ale, a little East of Blacksburg, but VA.
5. RJ Rockers Bell Ringer, Somewhere in SC.
6. Sam Adam's, a Boston fahkin non qweeyah beeyah.
7. Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber, a little North West of campus.
8. Starr Hill Amber, right in Charlottesville.

      So it's 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, etc. you get the drill. Now this is of course judged strictly on the beer so Duke won't get 20 phantom calls every game to win.  So prepare for a week of the ACC Tourney, of Beer.

Duck Rabbit Baltic Porter

      I am filled with joy at having two seasonal beers from my true love Duck Rabbit.  Their Wee Heavy was really good, I hope this is in the sane class.  DR Baltic pours out black with coffee, mocha and a touch of yeast on the nose.  The taste is heavy with coffee, mocha and malts out the ass.  This has massive body and strong alcohol, defines what a big beer is.  I am drinking it cold, but you should take this out of the fridge a while.  One of the rare beers that would be great at room temperature.  You have to be found of coffee flavors and strong malts.  But if you are, this is the ultimate brew.  I love this beer beyond comprehension and it goes to the top of the nice list.  One of the best beers I have ever had.  Again am am inspired to write a stirring poem to commemorate this beer.

Duck Rabbit Baltic
Fill me with warming goodness
Perfection bottled

Duck Rabbit Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

     If you've been paying attention, I love everything Duck Rabbit makes.  So far I have loved each of their beers so much, that I have composed a poem to celebrate their greatness.  This is one of their two seasonals for the Winter,  and I can't wait.  Wee Heavy pours out a very colorful red-orange.  The nose is heavy with fruits and alcohol, ummm alcohol.  The flavors are amazing.  It has concentrated fruits, a jammy apricot like flavor, kind of like a lot of Barleywine's.  There's also a deep dark burnt caramel, in a really good way,  and even a peaty sort of flavor you might find in a single malt.  This is a very unique beer.  I can see how some wussies might find this too heavy and too strong, but they can go sip a wine cooler and shut up. Wee Heavy is warm and cozy perfect for guzzling in front of the fire during the long cold Winter.  Travel to wherever they have this and purchase it immediately.  Even if you have to fly.  I will now compose a Haiku too express my love for this beer.

Wee Heavy Winter
I bask in your warm embrace

The snow melts away    

Duck Rabbit Amber

This is, alas, the last of our North Carolina beers before I leave the Outer Banks, and return to the spring beer tourney. It's been awesome looking into the beers of this area and just hanging out on the beach. I'll be back to explore the local beers again soon. So finally, we have another entry from The Duck Rabbit Brewery of Farmville North Carolina. This is a nice dark amber to copper pour with caramel, bitters and yeast on the nose. The flavors are very nice, strong caramel and big malts. There are goodly hops zinging throughout, which are tingly on the tongue. But the mantra of this beer is balance. Everything aligns in perfect harmony to create a delicious amber ale. Duck Rabbit does nothing special they just create classic styles very well. I'm impressed. I will now compose another haiku about my love for this beer.

Dark amber, moon light
Quaffing the goodness of malt
The Duck completes me


Duck Rabbit

Duck Rabbit Porter

This porter is made by the Duck Rabbit brewery of Farmville, North Carolina. They claim to be a dark beer specialist, we shall see. This beer pours out a real dark brown. It has delightful mocha and caramel on the nose with a hint of crisp hop bitters. One taste and it's all about the delicious malts. Deep mocha flavors with a smoky background, and nice caramel sweetness. There's also a light hop bitterness that, cradles the beer in it's loving embrace. The malts caress my tongue, lavishing it with attention. Needless to say this is a first rate porter. I can highly recommend it. I will now celebrate this beer with a haiku.

Dark malts sweet embrace
Cascading into my throat
Duck Rabbit be mine.

Duck Rabbit