My plan was to go to Ten-Ten in Orlando since Ellipsis wasn’t open at 11 a.m., as I’m driving to Ten-Ten I keep thinking about the Pageant Punch that Hidden Springs had put into the cooler recently and I decided that I wanted to drive the hour and a half to get some, so I got off at the next exit on I-4 East and took I-4 West.
Once I got to Hidden Springs I grabbed a four pack from the cooler and sat down to enjoy Kitchen Witch. Described as having Elderflower, prickly pear, lemon, vanilla, lactose, Berliner. This was good, I got some fruit flavors in this and some vanilla. As I was sitting and drinking my beer, I happened to chat up some named Jen and she happens to be into beer as well as currently in Tampa, though travels to South Florida. She grabbed a couple of 4 packs to take with her, since her wrist was injured I offered to help grab one and take it to her car.
Now back on the road to head to Ellipsis! This was my first time coming here, from what I saw on their website they appear to be an IPA mostly type brewery, so I was curious if I would find something I liked.
I went with the Quadruple Barrel Big Bad Baptist (Release #2), Trade Porter, Ye Old Berliner and Red Heeler.
Quadruple Barrel Big Bad Baptist (Release #2), 11.2%, Imperial Stout, described as “aged in whiskey & rum barrels with roasted cocoa nibs, almond flavor, barrel aged coffee beans, barrel aged coconut and barrel aged almond.” – I liked this one the best out of all the ones I had in my flight. I got the barrel aged flavor, it didn’t seem to be extremely overpowering, and I tasted coffee. I was not able to detect almond or coconut while I drank it.
Trade Porter, 5.4%, described as “slightly roasted milk style porter.” Although it says slightly roasted milk style, to me it seemed pretty close to a base/regular porter. It was decent for the style.
Ye Old Berliner, 3.75%, no description available on tap list. Similar to above to me in that it is normal type style/base beer. Good and drinkable.
Red Heeler, 6.6%, described as “hoppy amber is dry hoped with Australian summer hops. Brewed to remember an Australian cattle dog near and dear to their hearts.” I enjoyed this amber, I think its an average style beer.
After trying my flight, it was time to head to The Ravenous Pig to grab some food and a beer. When I looked up their food menu prior to coming to Orlando, I told myself I definitely have to come here! Someone from the Craft Girls Beer and Body Florida group had recommended coming here and I’m so grateful she told me about this one.
I walked in and sat at the bar and ordered, Airing of Grievances at 10.5% by Cask & Larder, described on untapped as “Imperial stout with Barnie’s White Christmas Coffee , maple and vanilla.” I could smell the vanilla in it. I really enjoyed this beer! I want to have it again. I had seen previously that on the food menu they had scallops, though when I was here, that was replaced with Alaskan Halibut with samsula carrots, blood orange, salsa verde, bacon cream and smoked marcona almond. The bacon in the cream was a little light, then again I just devoured this so, it was delicious!
I don’t eat veggies and I still wanted some food, so I went with the Cheese plate that came with Cropwell Biship Stilton with porter gastrique; Landaff Cheddar with a citrus mustard marmalade and Boxcarr Rocket Robiola with a pine-nut lemon granola. All the cheeses were amazing! I loved the Stilton and Boxcarr over the cheddar.
After eating, it was on to Brew Theory for the “Make Your Own Fragrance” event happening that night, to be instructed by the owners of Freehand Goods in Orlando. Here are a few photos of Brew Theory.
I was curious what they would have on tap since they do contract brewing. I didn’t really want anything they had available on tap, so I opted for Java Cask Coffee Stout, 14.3% aged in bourbon barrels. I liked the bourbon and coffee notes it had.
So, we were “supposed” to go in groups of five and they would explain things in that way. That did not work out very well except for the first one or two groups. Then after that and some people started to begin looking at the scents and figuring out what they wanted and how much to use. One of the owners happened to stop over and explain what we could or should do. I asked if instead of writing it down and then smelling everything if I could just go for it and he said I could, just to begin with the Top Notes, then go down to Middle Notes and then Base Notes.
Off I went and made my scent! After that, it was adding alcohol and mixing, then adding distilled water and we poured it thru the funnel and into our perfume bottles.
And ta-da! I made my own scent! I had a lot of fun doing this and besides, I can say I have my own scent!! How cool is that?