Next Week Is Summit Week In Central Arkansas

Not just a release day now, but there are some great events planned all next week for the Summit Brewing Company Launch. You can find a Summit-themed event every day except Monday, so make up your own for that day (it is pint night at the Flying Saucer though... hint, hint). 

Mark your calendars!

* Saturday, February 1st - the start of Stickyz Rock N' Roll Chicken Shack Beer of the Month with Sága IPA only $2.50 a pint ALL MONTH LONG! This is a usual feature for Stickyz and lately they've has some solid picks for BOTM, and it's damn tough to beat $2.50/pint anywhere. In warmer weather, their patio is just right too.

* Sunday, February 2nd - Summit Super Bowl Party at The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium with a different Fire Sale Beer each quarter of the game! I mean is there a better way to watch the game than getting to sample 5 of their new beers to the market, a pint at a time, a quarter at a time? For a good price? No I say.

1st Qtr: Horizon Red IPA
2nd Qtr: Great Norther Porter
3rd Qtr: Summit Oatmeal Stout
4th Qtr: Saga IPA
OT: Summit Extra Pale Ale


* Tuesday, February 4th - Summit Pint Glass Night at Old Chicago North Little Rock @ 6PM

* Wednesday, February 5th - Tap Takeover at Mellow Mushroom West Little Rock!

* Thursday, February 6th - Tap Takeover at Reno's Argenta Cafe!

* Friday, February 7th - Tap Takeover featuring FROST LINE RYE at BIG ORANGE :: Midtown ALL DAY LONG!

I Love That Firkin Beer

Rare Beer Tapping @FS_LittleRock Thurs Jan 30th firkin of @Diamond_Bear Paradise Porter with Dekuyper Hazel Nut Liquor and Cacao nibs 6PM
— Woo Pig Brewey! (@WooPigBrewey) January 27, 2014

Yes, another firkin coming up. You won't hear me complaining though as I think they're pretty fun and can get sort of creative sometimes, although I've also had my share of boring ones. That's the fun in it I guess. The one above from Diamond Bear definitely has me intrigued though.

So what is a firkin and what makes is special? Well if you don't want to click that handy link there from Examiner.com then I've paraphrased a bit below:

"A firkin, which is derived from the Middle Dutch word vierdekijn (meaning fourth), is actually a small barrel of beer that is one-fourth the size of a regular barrel of beer. As opposed to a standard beer barrel, which contains 117.34 liters or roughly 30.96 gallons, a firkin full of cask ale will contain a volume of 40.91 liters or 10.79 gallons. These volume sizes are provided in U.S.-based gallons.

The firkin is typically dedicated to housing Real Ale (i.e., cask-conditioned ale), or beer that has not been cold-filtered, pasteurized and carbonated by outside equipment. The ale beer that is housed inside the firkin is naturally carbonated by its resident yeast and its ingredients have not been processed in any way outside of simple fermentation by the yeast. In essence, firkin-contained Real Ale is comparable to the ale beers that were produced hundreds of years ago, before industrialization subjected them to processes that removed and/or killed the yeast, stripping the beer of many of its inherent vitamins (especially the B vitamins), minerals, and perhaps most importantly, taste."

So now you know! It's really just another way to enjoy some beer, like I need any excuse to get out and drink a few.

Here's a video from a recent Diamond Bear firkin tapping at Andina Cafe here in Little Rock. For the record, that's me standing over Bonz' shoulder at the :25 second mark, looking thirsty (and shockingly sober).

Super Summit Sunday at the Saucer

If you're looking for something to do in central Arkansas on Super Bowl Sunday besides just the usual game watching, the latest brewery to get distribution in Arkansas, Summit Brewing, will be having a launch party at the Flying Saucer in the River Market, downtown Little Rock.

There will be fire sale prices on a new beer released every quarter, plus OT, so you can be the first to get your taste buds wrapped around these without dropping all your Super Bowl winnings.

Check out the list:

1st Qtr: Horizon Red IPA
2nd Qtr: Great Norther Porter
3rd Qtr: Summit Oatmeal Stout
4th Qtr: Saga IPA
OT: Summit Extra Pale Ale

Summit Brewing is based in St. Paul, MN and their output lands them in the top 50 in the US size-wise. They've been around since 1986 and are cranking out over 100,000 barrels per year. They've racked up 8 medals at The Great American Beer Festival, including a silver this year for their True Brit IPA and a silver in 2012 for their Summit Pilsener.

They'll be a welcome addition to our already hoppin' beer scene. (see what I did there?)