Day 38 Drink: Hahn Estates 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Hahn Estates sits high on a hillside overlooking the agricultural abundance of the Salinas Valley. On a visit back in 2007, we found the winery to be a friendly, unassuming place that made some great wines.

Hahn Estates 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon pours a wonderfully sharp red gemstone color. The nose is alive with fruit and the flavor brings this home. The body is not that of a heavy and thick California cabernet, instead it gives you a ton of fresh fruit in a package that invites matching with food. A very nice bottle to share over a meal.

Day 37 Drink: Rock Bottom Brewer's Select Extra Special Bitter

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery's Dave Gonzalez produces a good line up of standard brewpub beers and some interesting seasonals at the Charlotte location. The brewery's Uptown Charlotte location is convenient for people heading to sporting events and concerts, or for a pint after work. This Rock Bottom is actual part of the Gordon Biersch Restaurants chain.

Rock Bottom Brewer's Select Extra Special Bitter pours with a thick, chunky head and a bright amber color. The beer's flavor is more malty than you might expect from an ESB. The hops are present, but do not dominate. Very drinkable with a smooth, slightly sweet finish.

Day 36 Drink: Founders Centennial

As college buddies Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers dreamed of opening a brewery. That dream was put on hold for a few years, but it was kept alive as the pair made homebrew. Founders Brewing was born in the vacant and rundown Wolverine Brass Works building in Grand Rapids, Mich. In 2007, the brewery moved about a mile away to larger facilities.

Founders Centennial is an unfiltered IPA that 7.4 percent alcohol by volume and 65 IBUs. Slightly cloudy amber color with a moderately sized firm head. Overall inviting wild flower and spice flavor profile.

Day 35 Drink: Ithaca AlpHalpHa Double Honey Bitter

Ithaca Beer Co. opened in late 1998. Dan Mitchell had been thinking about opening a brewery in the Finger Lakes for several years. While checking out one brewing system in Texas that did not meet his plans, he found the equipment at a second location and it was shipped the New York. Ithaca Brewing has become recognized as one of the up and coming craft brewers in the northeast.

Ithaca AlpHalpHa Double Honey Bitter is brewed with organic barley, New York grown Cascade hops, local alfalfa honey and Cayuga Lake water. Pours a bright golden color with a thick rocky head. Plenty of floral hop aroma, crisp bitter flavor and dry finish. The brew is part of Ithaca's limited release Excelsior! Series and weighs in at 8.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Charlotte Craft Beer Week Coming March 18-28

Lager and ale fans in Charlotte, N.C., will tell you the region is going through a beer renaissance and the proof will be on display during the inaugural Charlotte Craft Beer Week from March 18-28 at events spread across the area.

Charlotte Craft Beer Week will feature tastings of rare and exotic brews, showcases for local and regional breweries, food and beer pairing events, and appearances by some major names in the brewing industry.

“The craft beer movement in the Carolinas really took off thanks to the Pop the Cap campaign which resulted in passage in 2005 of a bill in North Carolina to raise the maximum alcohol content in beer from 6 percent to 15 percent. In 2007, South Carolina went a bit further and raised its cap to 17.5 percent,” said Darrin Pikarsky, founder of the Charlotte Beer Club. “Since that time dozens of unique beers have become available in the Charlotte area and a terrific new wave of North Carolina craft brewers have brought some world class beers to market.”

Tickets for the events will be sold at each of the host locations and more information is available at the Charlotte Craft Beer Week website .

The complete event schedule is being updated daily, but the 11-day celebration of all things beer already includes:

March 18, 7-9 p.m.: Charlotte Craft Beer Week Tap the Keg Reception at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at 401 N. Tryon St., Charlotte.
March 19, 7-10 p.m.: Brewery Night at The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium at 9605 North Tryon St., Charlotte.
March 20, 3-6 p.m.: Beasts of the East Big Beer Tasting at The Liberty Gastro Pub at 1812 South Blvd., Charlotte.
March 21, 3-7 p.m.: North Carolina Brewers Guild Tasting at The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.
March 24, 5-9 p.m.: German Fest at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 215 Southside Dr., Charlotte.
March 25, 7-10 p.m.: Freak Fest at The Common Market, 1515 S. Tryon St., Charlotte.
March 27, 1-5 p.m.: Cask Beer Festival, Duckworths, 1600 E. Woodlawn Rd., Charlotte.
March 27, 6-10 p.m.: Stone Brewing Most Arrogant Bar in America Celebration, Tilted Kilt, 13230 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte.
March 28, 2-5 p.m.: Charlotte Craft Beer Week Last Call, Common House, 1101 Central Ave., Charlotte.

Craft beer focused restaurants, bars and retailers interested in hosting or an event should contact Darrin Pikarsky at darrinpikarsky@gmail.com.

Day 34 Drink: Nils Oscar Rokporter

Nils Oscar Brewery is based in Nykoping, Sweden. Originally founded in Stockholm in 1996, the brewery is named after a Swede who traveled to America several times, returning to Sweden and establishing a farm. The company also operates a distillery and grows its own grains.

Nils Oscar Rokporter is a 5.9 percent alcohol by volume smoked porter that pours a brown amber color. Well balanced with a sweet smoky flavor and a good level bitterness in the finish from Fuggles and Amarillo hops.

Day 33 Drink: Flying Bison Aviator Red

Flying Bison Brewery is located in Buffalo, N.Y. The brewery started turning out beer in 2000 as a partnership between Phil Internicola and Tim Herzog. It was the first stand-alone brewing operation (non-brewpub) to operate in the city since the Iroquois Brewery closed in 1972.

Recent published reports have indicated that negotiations are underway between Flying Bison and the Matt Brewing Co. for the Utica, N.Y., regional to take an equity position in the Western New York company.

Flying Bison Aviator Red is a 5.2 percent alcohol by volume beer that is a dark ruby color with a fluffy head that thins fairly quickly. The beer has a nice caramelized malt character, coating mouth feel and a decent level of balancing hops.

Day 32 Drink: Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout

Otter Creek Brewing started turning out beer in Middlebury, Vt., back in 1991. The company started contract brewing Wolaver's Organic Ales in 1998, and in 2002 that company ended up acquiring Otter Creek.

Otter Creek Russian Imperial Stout on draught pours black with a tan head that stays put throughout. There is a ton of roasted grain is this brew, with espresso and dark chocolate notes in a silky body. This 10.6 percent alcohol by volume beer finishes very dry for a Russian imperial stout. It just could fool you.

Day 31 Drink: Meantime Coffee Porter

Meantime Brewery was founded in 2000 in London. Brewmaster Alastair Hook is recognized for his creativity and was named Brewer of the Year in 2008 by the British Guild of Beer Writers.

Working with Union Coffee Roasters, the brewery uses fairtrade Araba Bourbon beans from Rwanda’s Abuhuzamugambi Bakawa Cooperative in brewing its 6 percent alcohol by volume Meantime Coffee Porter.

Meantime Coffee Porter is infused at the fermentation stage. The brew pours with a very slight head and there is a whiff of cocoa in the aroma. The beer opens with a sweet malty note that is balanced by a dark coffee bitterness.

Day 30 Drink: Cazadores Reposado Tequila

Cazadores means "hunter" in Spanish. The distillery was founded in 1922 by Jose Maria. Located in Jalisco, Cazadores expanded to a new facility in 1973. Cazadores Reposado is "rested" or aged on new oak barrels.

Cazadores Reposado Tequila is a straw yellow color with an inviting sweet nose. There is a mellow agave flavor base that is surrounded by the wood. Fairly round and full in the finish.

Day 29 Drink: Wells Banana Bread Beer

In 2006 Young & Co. Brewing of London merged with Charles Wells of Bedford, England. Young was known for its Ram Rod Bitter and Wells for its Bombardier Ale. The two brewers combined storied traditions, Wells going back to 1876 and Young going back to 1831.

Wells Banana Bread Beer is a 5.2 percent alcohol by volume British ale that opens with an immediate and lingering Banana pudding nose. Amber color with a thin off white head. Wells uses fair-trade bananas that combined with the other ingredients give off a slightly tangy flavor profile.

Day 28 Drink: Vieux Carre Absinthe Superieure

Vieux Carre Absinthe Superieure is named for what New Orleans locals call the French Quarter. The spirit is made at Philadelphia Distilling using grande wormwood, petite wormwood, fennel doux provence, green and star anise, melissa, genepi, hyssop and spearmint. Robert Cassell, the master distiller behind Vieux Carre, got his start in the brewing industry, having spent time at Harpoon, Victory and River City Ale Works.

Absinthe is a liquor that has quite a bit of myth and mystery built around it. It was hugely popular in Paris during the late 1800s and early part of the last century. It ended up being banned for many years in the U.S. and some other countries because it was alleged to have psychoactive properties. Prohibitionists also charged absinthe could even cause a number of deadly illness. None of this was true, but the drink's negative perception spread quickly. The high proof and unchecked consumption of the day built absinthe's reputation.

Many absinthe makers suggest serving the spirit using a process where water is dripped through a sugar cube and into a glass with absinthe. Philadelphia Distilling, in addition to offering up some cocktail recipes, urges you skip the sugar cube and instead cut it either 3:1 or 4:1 with water. I sampled it straight to get the flavor essence and then cut it with water.

In its pure form the anise nose is strong and nearly overpowering. The light green color is bright and inviting. The 120 proof spirit is quite warming, but there is also a bunch of additional flavors. The anise is up front, but plenty of sweet and candy notes emerge.

Mixed with water, the color clouds and turns slightly milky. The anise still dominates the nose, but the flavor mellows quite a bit. There are still some background notes to the anise and it feels like the spearmint comes a bit more to the front.

Day 27 Drink: Lagunitas Maximus

Lagunitas Brewing Co. was founded in 1993 in Lagunitas, Calif., moving a few years later to Petaluma to a larger production facility. The brewery likes to foster the image of an outsider, fighting the man. It named a brew "Censored" after the original name -- Kronik -- was rejected by regulators. Another brew is called Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale.

The fact is that Lagunitas is part of the west coast's big beer elite. Hops and malt are pumped into their beers like gasoline goes into an older model Chevy Suburban. The results can be quite pleasing if you want a fuller flavored ale.

Lagunitas Maximus calls itself "IPA Maximus Ale" on the label. At 7.5 percent alcohol by volume and 72.41 IBUs, its not the strongest IPA you will ever encounter, but it is packed with plenty of punch. Bright copper color, with a head that reduces down to a thin white covering. Nice citrus hop nose and the immediate flavor gives off plenty of grapefruit, pine and floral notes. This brew is not a one note song, there is good body from the malt that really balances off the brew.

Day 26 Drink: Porkslap Pale Ale

With a name like Porkslap Pale Ale you might expect the brewery to hail from North Carolina, but Butternuts Beer & Ale is located in the Upstate New York community of Garrattsville. The brewery, which is located on a converted dairy farm, is one of the new wave canning operations.

For what it's worth, Maxim Magazine recently named Porkslap Pale Ale among its 25 Best New Beers in America.

Porkslap Pale Ale pours a slightly cloudy amber with a healthy head. This 4.3 percent alcohol by volume ale has a moderate hop bitterness and balancing maltiness. The beer is said to have a touch of ginger, which is hardly detectable, but may explain the passing astringency in the aftertaste.

Day 25 Drink: Long Trail Imperial Porter

Long Trail Brewing is located in Bridgewater Corners, Vt. The brewery, founded in 1989, is recognized for its environmental stewardship, having received the Vermont Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. The brewery makes a number of different styles, primarily traditional English and German ales.

The brewery is named for Vermont's famed "Long Trail," a 272-mile hiking path that runs the length of the state. The brewery's brands are distributed primarily in New England.

Long Trail Imperial Porter on draught pours with a thick chunky tan head and a rich malty aroma. The brew is 8.3 percent alcohol by volume and is a blend of six malts and four hops. The flavor starts with caramelized malt and hints of dark chocolate with a smooth, dry roasted base.

Day 24 Drink: Empire Black Magic Stout

Empire Brewing Co. first opened in Syracuse in 1994. The brewery quickly became a hit, with decent food and beer. It won medals at major competitions like the Great American Beer Festival. After expanding to Buffalo and Rochester the company ran into issues in those markets and ended up closing down all together in 2003.

In 2007, Empire resurfaced and opened in its original Syracuse location. I made a visit back during that first year and found the service and the beer to be a shadow of the original. But if Empire has been anything, it is persistent. A stop this weekend found the place to be crowded and the beer back up to old standards.

Empire Black Magic Stout is a 4.8 percent alcohol by volume Irish dry stout. While the pint I had would have been helped by a two step pour, it was still rich, creamy and smooth. A small, but lasting tan head was there throughout the pint. It had a full roasted grain nose. The flavor offered up hints of coffee and malt. Any pub in Dublin would be proud to pour this pint.

Day 23 Drink: Ommegang Hennepin

OK, so this brewery is close to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the pure American burg of Cooperstown, but the label says they are just 3,264 miles from Brussels. It feels a bit closer when you sip this saison.

Ommegang Hennepin is named for the Belgian missionary that is credited as being the first European to see Niagara Falls. The brew pours a bright straw color with a head that reminds you of a frothy coffee drink. The flavor has some farmhouse funk, but has some pronounced crisp notes, too. A beer worth investigating.

Day 22 Drink: Green Flash West Coast India Pale Ale

Green Flash Brewing is located in San Diego, which has emerged as one of the west coast's most creative brewing scenes. The brewery has been turning out interesting beers for seven years.

Green Flash West Coast India Pale Ale is an amber gold colored brew that offers up a nice firm tan head. The beer has a full hop aroma and the Columbus, Centennial and Cascade hops creates layers of flavor that are at once citrus, pine and rich tartness. The brew is 7.3 percent alcohol by volume and a hefty 95 International Bittering Units.

Day 21 Drink: Olde Mecklenburg Dunkel Lager

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery has been around a relatively short period of time, but since opening its doors in early 2009 has been turning out some fine examples of German-style classics. The Charlotte brewery's OMB Copper is an excellent Dusseldorf altbier and its kolsner is a crisp refreshing pilsner/kolsch hybrid.

Olde Mecklenburg strictly adheres to the Reinheitsgebot and follows traditional German brewing methods. The brewery distributes in the Charlotte area and has a tap room that is open Wednesday through Saturday.

OMB Dunkel Lager is the brewery's winter seasonal. The mahogany colored beer pours an ample rocky head. Slightly roasted grain nose and a smooth, malty flavor profile. Approachable with a nice balanced body.

Day 20 Drink: Saint Arnold Elissa IPA

Saint Arnold Brewing was founded in Houston in 1994. The brewery makes 10 different beers and is one of the leading southwest craft brewers. The brewery is named for Saint Arnold of Metz, who during the 600s told French citizens to drink beer and avoid water, thus saving thousands who would have died from tainted supplies.

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA is made using a single hop variety, Cascades. The beer pours a nice golden bronze color with a relatively thick head that laces the glass. Floral hop aroma and a wonderful full flavor profile. Grapefruit and slightly pine backbone. Good body from a healthy amount of of malt.