Author Archives: CJ Mattiola


November 5, 2010

Tap This: Southern Tier Pumking Ale Review

by CJ Mattiola

Everytime I head back east to visit friends and family I am always asking around to find out what good beers people have been having in the area. Some of my friends have been talking about the elusive Pumking Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, NY.  This seasonal brew has become wildly popular […]

September 24, 2010

The Breakfast of South India

by CJ Mattiola

About a year ago I took a new job which has had me traveling to Bangalore a few times a year. I loved Indian food before ever stepping foot into the country, but then again I never really experienced Indian breakfast other than a dosa or two. Bangalore, and South India in general, is famous […]

July 30, 2010

Tap This: Keg It! (Part 2)

by CJ Mattiola

PREFACE Keg It! Part 1 Once you have all the stuff you need covered in Part One, the only thing left to do is get the beer into the keg, which is what I will be covering in this post. The process to keg your beer starts at the same point in the brewing process […]

July 16, 2010

Tap This: Keg It! (Part 1)

by CJ Mattiola

Bottling is the most painful and tedious task in the brewing process. The main benefit of kegging is that it is far less work than bottling. Several years ago, I got so sick of peeling labels off the bottles, sanitizing and cleaning them, filling them, and capping each one. It was at that point when […]

June 25, 2010

Tap This: The Pseudo Summer Pilsner Project

by CJ Mattiola

Summer is here! Not much goes better with the warm weather then a cold crisp refreshing beer. Each time this season comes around I get excited to brew some of the styles that help cut the heat. Lighter pale ales, Belgian whites, and blondes. To me, there has always been one style missing from this […]

June 11, 2010

Tap This: Pliny the Elder

by CJ Mattiola

Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) was a Roman author and naturalist. He and his contemporaries are also known to have created the botanical name for hops. Because of this, Russian River Brewing Company of Santa Rosa, California made a beer in his honor and it is DELICIOUS. Pliny the Elder (the beer) is a […]

May 7, 2010

Tap This: Fuck Idaho (A Strong Brown Ale)

by CJ Mattiola

First of all, I have no issues with Idaho. Matter of fact, I have never even been to the state. However, if it were not for the hatred my friend Stanton developed for the state as he was stuck there for almost 2 years on a project, my first strong beer may not have been […]

February 12, 2010

Brown Shugga’: This Bastard Turned Out Alright!

by CJ Mattiola

For me, days on the mountain become frequent this time of year, and aside from the snow, there is only one other thing that I expect to be present…  Lagunitas Brown Shugga’!!! Lagunitas brewery is located in Peteluma, CA and has a good variety of micro-brews to choose from.  If you live on the west […]

September 8, 2009

Incanto: Leg of a BEAST! (SF)

by CJ Mattiola

My buddy Tom and I had been talking about going to the infamous Leg of a Beast at Incanto for a very long time. One lazy afternoon while bbqing outside we decided to call and make the reservation. Incanto’s Leg of Beast includes the preparation of an entire beef shank with all the delicious tendon […]

June 22, 2009

Home Brewing Part 6, DRINK IT!

by CJ Mattiola

READ ALL 6 PARTS OF THE TAP THIS HOME BREWING GUIDE HERE Popping the cap off of the first beer in a new batch is always exciting. When I first started I used to think nothing but “I hope it doesn’t suck.” Now I am a little more confident in my batches and am curious to […]