Last year, we ran a weekly beer review column here on GearCrave, prior to the launch of StyleCrave.com.  Since GearCrave now focuses purely on gadgets and technology, we moved this and many other categories and columns over to StyleCrave where they have been covered since.  Today, thanks to our friends at The Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club, we are re-introducing our Beer of the Week column for all to enjoy.  So, are ya thirsty?  Head over to StyleCrave and check out the new and fully operational Beer of the Week column.  Cheers!

• Each day, we bring you a collection of links to keep you entertained through your afternoon slump.  Here they are for today!
• 15 Amazing Brazilian Supermodels You’ve Probably Never Heard Of (StyleCrave)
• Pernilla Lundberg : Sexy Swede  (Gunaxin)
• 5 Quick Questions with Tricia Helfer. And, Yes, a Gallery (The Bachelor Guy)
• Charlie Murphy gets his own internet TV show (unreality)
• Help for the Hopeless. It’s Dear Illuminati (9 to Fried)
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• Greg Paulus stars in “I Kissed a Boy” (Brahsome)
• Hippies are going to McDonald’s and getting the filet of Phish (Observation Bubble)
• Jessica Lowndes Is The Kind Of Girl That Spells Trouble (The Beer Goggler)
• Crime Dog Rrrrffffff-ed up (HHR)

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Here’s something I need for the house. The Scotsman Trufill Beverage Dispenser can fill up ten pints in ten seconds. Let me repeat that one for you: TEN pints in TEN seconds. The dispenser uses a special cup that fills your beverage from the bottom to reduce spills and increase speed. If you’re drinking something with ice the dispenser puts ice in from the top at the same time its dispensing liquid from the bottom. These are designed to reduce workload for big events (bigger than my house) like sporting events where workers are pouring drinks constantly-doesn’t mean it’s not going right on my gadget wish list this holiday season. [Oh!Gizmo]

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• Afternoon Slump: Beer of the Week Returns
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This past weekend, I attended the Iowa City Beer Fest, a large, drunken event featuring some of the best domestic microbreweries (and a few international brews) on the market.  I drank too much.  I enjoyed some of the best beer money can buy, much of it complimentary when mentioning this very column.  My favorite beer of the fest was one I had not yet tasted– the Boulevard Sixth Glass Quadrupel.

If you’re new to the quadrupel, it is a Belgian-style ale inspired by the Trappist monk brewers, brewed seasonally with a heavy flavor and alcoholic bite.  The Sixth Glass quadrupel, however, is a bit different.  It carries the full flavor qualities of a quadrupel, as well as the high alcohol content, but this one is surprisingly drinkable and easy on the tongue.  This beer is filled with flavors of chocolate, cherry, a hint of rye, a full flavor sensation from the immediate sip to the final aftertaste.  Do yourself a favor– if this beer is distributed in your area, go and get yourself a bottle immediately.  Matter of fact, get two.  [boulevard brewing company]

Related Posts

• Afternoon Slump: Beer of the Week Returns
• Beer of the Week: Spaten Oktoberfest
• Beer of the Week: Duvel
• Beer of the Week: Victory Whirlwind Witbier
• Beer of the Week: Abita Turbodog Ale
• Beer of the Week: Troubadour Blond Ale
• Beer of the Week: Goose Island Summertime

Flying Dog brewery, most famous for their partnership with Hunter S. Thompson’s visual counterpart Ralph Steadman, is featured again for GearCrave’s Beer of the Week.  We’ve been on an Amber kick lately, so we couldn’t go without trying Flying Dog’s Old Scratch Amber Lager.  Old Scratch (nicknamed “Gold Scratch”) pours a dark brown amber and gives off a grainy malt aroma with hints of caramel and nut.  The flavor is faithful to its scent, a rich amber with plenty of character.  For Ambers, this one is quite drinkable– so split a six with a friend and you’ll be inclined to ask for more.  Enjoy it, GearCravers, and as always– tell us what you think!

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• Afternoon Slump: Beer of the Week Returns
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• Beer of the Week: Duvel
• Beer of the Week: Bell’s Lager of the Lakes
• Beer of the Week: Gulden Draak Ale

After our glowing review of Three Philosopher’s Belgian Blend back in July, we were anxious to give another Ommegang Brewery beer a shot.  While 3P set the bar pretty high for the brewery, the Ommegang Abbey Ale did not disappoint.  While we’ve only had two of their beers thus far, this brewery is quickly becoming a personal favorite.  Ommegang’s Abbey Ale is a Belgian-style Abbey Dubbel which poors a dark, coppery brown with plenty of head and thick lace.  The taste itself is rich and malty with slight flavors of cherry and raisin with a subtle, sour finish.  We can’t imagine drinking any more than two of these in one sitting, due their rich, filling flavor and high alcohol percentage (8.5%).  Sip it, enjoy it and tell us what you think!

Buy: $4 / 12 oz. bottle

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• Afternoon Slump: Beer of the Week Returns
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• Beer of the Week: Duvel
• Beer of the Week: Bell’s Lager of the Lakes
• Beer of the Week: Gulden Draak Ale

Octoberfest starts next month, GearCravers.  If you can’t make it to Munich, bring Munich to you.  Spaten’s Oktoberfest has been a long-time favorite of your humble GearCrave editor, first tasted at my old local watering hole the UnderGround Lounge in Chicago.  Pronounced “schpah-tn”, this Octoberfest-style beer has a rich, malty flavor and surprising slammability when drinking from a boot.  Hints of caramel and grain warm this beer up a bit, giving it that slightly rich flavor that goes down quite smoothly.  Its not difficult to find, especially this time of year.  Most liquor stores and supermarkets carry Spaten, so you should begin seeing this one regularly.  We’ve got a single bottle of Spaten’s lager waiting in our basement fridge, as well as Spaten’s Optimator, so keep your eyes open for the reviews…

Buy: $7/six

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• Beer of the Week: Troubadour Blond Ale
• Beer of the Week: Goose Island Summertime

Next time you ask for a Fat Tire, we suggest you try one of these instead.  Its not that Fat Tire isn’t a good beer in spite of the hype, its that Duvel is arguably the best pale ale in the world.  Brewed by the Duvel Moortgat Brewery since 1871, this Belgian golden ale is on the short list of any self-respecting beer snob.  With a name meaning “devil”, this beer gives off a sweet and spicy aroma and a thick layer of head.  Its flavor is complex, starting with a fruity introduction, well balanced with spices and a finish of earthy hops.  Be warned, Duvel is surprisingly drinkable for a beer with an 8.5% alcohol content that can certainly sneak up on you.  For a full taste, we suggest splitting a 4-pack or a liter with a friend during or after a nice meal.

Buy: $10/liter

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• Beer of the Week: Troubadour Blond Ale
• Beer of the Week: Goose Island Summertime

This marks the third time Bell’s Brewing Company has earned a slot in GearCrave’s Beer of the Week column.  Having covered Bell’s Oberon and Third Coast Ale before, we bring to you Bell’s Lager of the Lakes beer in celebration of some good news for Chicagoans.  Bell’s Brewing Company will once again be shipping to the great State of Illinois, as well as likely opening up their distribution to other states in the future.  The Lager of the Lakes beer is a standard, malty lager with a grainy aroma and a smooth, bittery and spicy taste.  If you’re a Chicago area GearCraver, we suggest heading out to Sam’s or Binny’s and picking up a six pack of Bell’s Oberon or this great Lager Beer, shown above.  Cheers!

Buy: $8/six

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• Beer of the Week: Ommegang Abbey Ale
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When faced with a veritable wall of international beers, the bottle design of Gulden Draak Ale stands out.  Those who grab this stubby white bottle will be glad they did, for what appears as a gimmick is as true and authentic as it gets.  Crowned the best beer in the world by the American Tasting Institute in 1998, Gulden Draak lives up to its hype with every bottle.  The strong malt flavor right after the sip recedes to a caramel sweetness of apples and brown sugar.  The finish is creamy and medium bodied with a nice, spicy release.  Serve this one in a tulip glass if you have one on hand, otherwise enjoy it a wide wine glass.

Buy: $4/bottle

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On a whim, we selected a single bottle of Three Philosophers Belgian-Style Blend last week at our local beer boutique.  Brewed by Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY, Three Philosophers is as authentic as its gets when it comes to Belgian-style beers.  This strong, seasonal Quadrupel is blended with 2% kriek (cherry) lambic, providing a touch of fruity sweetness to this bold amber beer.  It pours a warm, hazy brownish color with plenty of thickness, character and a little lacy head.  Its flavor is complex, but drinkable– dark fruits, yeasts and earthy spice tastes are finished by a sweet, hot alcohol release.  If you can find a bottle, even a six pack, we wholeheartedly suggest picking one up.  This beer is a shining example of the ingenuity of American beercraft, one that every beer snob must taste before they pass.  A+.

Buy: $4/bottle

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Side note, GearCravers, just wanted to share one of the perks of running GearCrave.  At the end of the year, I can write off beer on my income taxes.  Seriously, beer is a cost of doing business.  Once a month, I head to my local beer boutique, pick seven or eight single bottle beers and return home.  Throughout the month, I’ll taste each one and pick four to feature here on GearCrave.  This week, I’ve selected Whirlwind Witbier from Downington, Pennsylvania-based Victory Brewing Co.  Their Whirlwind Witbier is a classic white beer, pale golden in color and smooth to the tongue.  On the first sip, you’ll taste the wheaty, lemony flavors with a subtle hint of clove.  Depending on your location, Victory beers might be a little tough to find.  If you love white beer like we do, ask your local beer boutique to bring in a special order…

Buy: $7/six

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• Beer of the Week: Troubadour Blond Ale
• Beer of the Week: Goose Island Summertime

Louisiana-based Abita Brewing Company has garnered quite a bit of attention with their tasty craft brews.  While we’ve uncapped a few in our day, we had yet to try Abita’s Turbodog Ale– which came highly recommended from other beer snobs.  This dark brown ale pours with a light head and earthy aromas of nut and caramel.  Turbodog has a rich, sweet and earthy taste, and while the alcohol content is a bit higher than other Abitas, it is really quite drinkable.  That said, take is slow with this one– or you’ll be reaching for a hair of this turbopup in the morning…

Buy: $7/six

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• Beer of the Week: Spaten Oktoberfest
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• Beer of the Week: Victory Whirlwind Witbier
• Beer of the Week: Troubadour Blond Ale
• Beer of the Week: Goose Island Summertime