tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73928276060709767732024-02-07T13:51:30.867-05:00Beer Made ClearWe like beer. We aim to make it clear.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-79243159232309412692010-09-02T10:57:00.005-04:002010-09-02T11:12:13.909-04:00The Session #43 Welcoming the New Kids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBfJZnw2gys-IDPidfnE3unaTdtFUsFf93j9apgXFxazOjhMAeRdLiCui9QawLGCPS3hp-UzJBSSsCPYqq38-Y2Ny6QDGrieVXk4cHtZ5HmlsA1Q1e1PkTAO8O4rmsJiMeMkfxu5kP6Xs/s1600/Brau+Logo.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 172px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBfJZnw2gys-IDPidfnE3unaTdtFUsFf93j9apgXFxazOjhMAeRdLiCui9QawLGCPS3hp-UzJBSSsCPYqq38-Y2Ny6QDGrieVXk4cHtZ5HmlsA1Q1e1PkTAO8O4rmsJiMeMkfxu5kP6Xs/s200/Brau+Logo.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512333795050693138" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fOrPVKx87ekepvBwFuR5G83yUV_n3dvKhddgMmKb5jGAHw59GWNFbg5YQyoZgObDQ_YlA0z40xcMVKqomTsyNH5v185jvoZrh3sehe6WiKjmDR7dQqZcXmMpbZF1L1tOQSe4hmpvaJ8g/s1600/Session+Logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fOrPVKx87ekepvBwFuR5G83yUV_n3dvKhddgMmKb5jGAHw59GWNFbg5YQyoZgObDQ_YlA0z40xcMVKqomTsyNH5v185jvoZrh3sehe6WiKjmDR7dQqZcXmMpbZF1L1tOQSe4hmpvaJ8g/s200/Session+Logo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512333017822667730" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By Michael Stein</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of the newest (soon-to-be) neighbors on the Mid-Atlantic brew block is the duo, Jeff Hancock and Brandon Skall, co-owners of </span><a href="http://dcbrau.com/about.cfm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DC Brau Brewing</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The District's first 21</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">st</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Century production brewery will crank out kegs - the first to do so since the last keg came off </span><a href="http://www.rustycans.com/HISTORY/heurich_radio.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Christian Heurich Brewing</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Company's line back in 1956. These young men with big plans are turning an old factory into a new production brewery in order to make beer for the fine people of Washington AND the District...and of course the Virginians and Marylanders who work daily in the district...and yes (sadly) even the kickballers and interns are welcomed to belly up to the bar for some DC Brau.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So while Washington and the District may remain two separate cities well into 2011, at least they'll have a beer (or three) to unite and bring them together. DC Brau will offer its </span><a href="http://dcbrau.com/our_brau.cfm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">three flagship craft beers</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in cans: the Public Ale (Pale/Amber hybrid), the Citizen (same recipe as the Public but fermented with a Belgian yeast strain) and Corruption Ale (an IPA).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Its usually difficult for a lowly homebrewer to give advice to the big bad head brewer for his forthcoming brewery. If not for lack of input, typically for lack of access to the "big guy." Sure you might see the head brewer at some major beer festivals of national scope, but your time is limited and rushed, never with enough moments to discuss fermentation temperature or how a recipe could be improved. So although my best advice would be to tell head brewer Jeff Hancock not to limit his creativity, I know he has no plans to (along with kegs and cans are plans for one-off bombers - a single batch series). Not only does DC Brau have a great head on its shoulders, access is never a problem. Last week during </span><a href="http://dcbeerweek.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DC Beer Week</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, Jeff and Brandon were regulars around town for all of the events. And while it was DC Beer Week, Jeff and Brandon are active members of the DC Beer community so there's a really good chance if you're out and about at some of DCs beer bars you will run into the dynamic duo and maybe even their better-halves!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The debate rages on about whether or not Washington, DC is a beer town. In my mind, DC is a world-class beer town. Despite where you stand even the skeptics must admit that the "brewmunity" based in Washington, DC is an amazing human network that far transcends promotional events, tweetups and tastings. I have a strong feeling that their beer will hold up to the "other" beers on the "craft beer scene." With Jeff paying dues at </span><a href="http://www.franklinsbrewery.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Franklin's</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://flyingdogales.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Flying Dog</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://www.grizzlypeak.net/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Grizzly Peak</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.arborbrewing.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Arbor Brewing Companies</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> there is little doubt in any one's mind that DC Brau will take the craft beer market by storm. Interestingly enough, DC Brau's entrance into the local community signifies the entrance of the first player in a potential </span><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/beer/beer-dcs-impending-brewery-boo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tidal-wave of craft beers</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. The Nation's Capitol, DC, is often referred to as the "Wild Wild West" amongst beer insiders and distributors alike, in that there has not been full testing and vetting of alcohol laws the way there has been in other cities. There have been those good enough to sell made-in-DC beer through brewpubs: Capital City, District Chophouse and Gordon Biersch. But I have always found it troubling that you cannot take a growler home from those pubs within city limits.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DC Brau will be welcomed into the Washington, DC beer community simply because it's owners are already members of it. Of course they will have outstanding products and some delicious one-off specials but more importantly they will have the respect of the DC Beer Community and perhaps more importantly, the respect of </span><a href="http://readysetdc.com/2010/08/%E2%80%98washington%E2%80%99-vs-%E2%80%98dc%E2%80%99-and-the-creative-economy/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">those </span></a><a href="http://readysetdc.com/2010/08/%E2%80%98washington%E2%80%99-vs-%E2%80%98dc%E2%80%99-and-the-creative-economy/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">living in Washington AND those living in the District</span></a><a href="http://readysetdc.com/2010/08/%E2%80%98washington%E2%80%99-vs-%E2%80%98dc%E2%80%99-and-the-creative-economy/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></a></p></span>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-65685772946643176882010-08-22T20:14:00.013-04:002010-09-02T11:56:10.318-04:00Earth Bread + Brewery: Colonial Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZqBOZ-cTehz3NmGUaArOJZbDRKFBuswT2l1jLgwieBpzDuB4r0fhuMbC3haZd1paGaaXmSnWRhX4tJhypSgcLij70XazcD8uGdMJxQj346PdPn-1KN0F2tguzR-wcoqHu-aB_SpKL17L/s1600/colonialaleEARTH.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZqBOZ-cTehz3NmGUaArOJZbDRKFBuswT2l1jLgwieBpzDuB4r0fhuMbC3haZd1paGaaXmSnWRhX4tJhypSgcLij70XazcD8uGdMJxQj346PdPn-1KN0F2tguzR-wcoqHu-aB_SpKL17L/s200/colonialaleEARTH.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508392079056533202" border="0" /></a>By Christopher Kampel<br /><div><br />Several months back I was talking to a couple guys at a local Philly brewpub (General Lafayette...which isn't so good) and I learned of a place in Mt. Airy called Earth Bread & Brewery. Reminiscent of our beloved Selinsgrove Brewing Company, their beers are all small batch experiments that are never duplicated. At any given time they have about four house beers on and some great guest beers to boot. They also make their own wholesome hearth-baked flatbreads which are pretty darn good and perfect with a house made beer. Check out their website - <a href="http://www.earthbreadbrewery.com/">www.earthbreadbrewery.com/</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Over the past couple of weeks I've found myself sitting at the bar chatting with some friendly local beer and music fanatics over a great brew named the "Colonial Ale." Appropriately described as "a dark throwback beer" with a mere 3.7% ABV this one couldn't go down any easier. After numerous whiffs pulling me through time and places of the past I landed in the woods surrounded by fallen leaves and that good musty smell Fall air brings. Maybe its my hopes for an early autumn arrival surfacing, but make no mistake this one is perfect for a warm summer evening. Full of flavor from the tip of the tongue to a swallow's bottom this beer is certain to consistently deliver. It is completely clean, fresh, smooth and <i>brown</i>. Far from complex yet no where near boring, the Colonial Ale has steady river-like flow about it. To quote the familiar bartender it is "balanced, mellow, and easy" - the definition of a session beer. Served in 13 or 20 oz glasses, it is being gulped down and unfortunately will be gone by the end of the month. </div></div>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-19989226486392462452010-08-07T09:16:00.004-04:002010-08-07T09:30:00.440-04:00The Session #42 A Special Place, A Special beer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizW929L74_sKoT0PZ98fQfRbuovAhAwPpcS4W9rrzo4oUbHS7ETSYkznaOmFQntRQ88ImWLJennJOHzuUB9fSigAtqpA5jLOcnSyjI3bJ6pL9d65i27MwDJJoIxMKYI9ba4WkDaYK0YqVR/s1600/Session+Logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizW929L74_sKoT0PZ98fQfRbuovAhAwPpcS4W9rrzo4oUbHS7ETSYkznaOmFQntRQ88ImWLJennJOHzuUB9fSigAtqpA5jLOcnSyjI3bJ6pL9d65i27MwDJJoIxMKYI9ba4WkDaYK0YqVR/s200/Session+Logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502659626193251538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFpoJ5yMXlsbmK8EqqddFnjzGfRSqS5qpsgE9E8DqWi2_njixbtyhVMg7Ju95NVOxuSLGCKBNXToS2ttp36WGZTCfkmCgZjgpiNELX6PwbIkE4-1r3qaApCtiGSo5eIvqKQlkSMkSUnfR/s1600/GEDC0009.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFpoJ5yMXlsbmK8EqqddFnjzGfRSqS5qpsgE9E8DqWi2_njixbtyhVMg7Ju95NVOxuSLGCKBNXToS2ttp36WGZTCfkmCgZjgpiNELX6PwbIkE4-1r3qaApCtiGSo5eIvqKQlkSMkSUnfR/s200/GEDC0009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502657395306451538" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />By Michael Stein<br /><br />The South Fork. Out there, the bumper stickers read “The End” in description of Montauk, Long Island’s easternmost point. And somewhere in between “The End” and the City That Never Sleeps, lies “<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/The_Hamptons.jpg">The Hamptons.</a>” It’s a place often cited within the scriptures of New York art history. Its been home to a plethora of artists just to name a few: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollock-Krasner_House_and_Studio">Jackson Pollock</a>, Alec Baldwin and Steven Spielberg (also host to Sean “Diddy” Combs’ fantastic <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295588,00.html">white parties</a>). The list reads like a who’s who of contributors and influencers of national dialogue. The South Fork has also been giving what many Americans consider the ultimate sacrifice for freedom for over a century: the lives of their sons and daughters. I’m speaking of a special place where many Americans would not expect to find any personal sacrifice.<br /> <br />It’s a place many Americans associate with the greed of Wall Street. It’s a place where the “haves” and the “have nots” both spend time on the beach. It’s a place where the service industry brings in workers from many countries—Australia, Belarus, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, and Russia—just to name a few. The place I’m talking about is East Hampton, New York and the brewery that reminds me most of my roots here is the Southampton <a href="http://www.publick.com/">Publick House</a> and Brewery.<br /> <br />The neighborhood that most reminds me of the East End is Springs neighborhood. No, not “the Springs,” just “Springs.” The way the year-rounders say it. Chances are if you are a year-rounder, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonackers">a Bonacker</a>, you’ve never contemplated how you say where you’re from. Bonacker is truncated from the word Accabonac, otherwise the people of <a href="http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/preserves/art10984.html">Accabonac Bay</a>. Such is the nature of places that are unaware of their own significance. These places are magnificent because they do not question their place in history or time. They do not rest on their laurels because they are too busy cranking the mill, harvesting the barley and hammering the tap into the bung before cellaring <a href="http://www.yoursforgoodfermentables.com/2009/12/firkin-dimensions.html">the firkin</a>.<br /> <br />The Southampton Publick house has a fantastic list of “products.” They have faith in what they’re selling; it’s as obvious as looking at the bottle and seeing brewmaster Phil Markowski’s face. Markowski has created products on par with almost every beer in your craft beer superstore (for me, it’s Total Wine in McLean, VA). Their products range the spectrum from their <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1628/4575">Abbot 12</a> (10.5%) to their <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1628/4562">Montauk Light</a> (3.5%). For a parity taste, I’d take Montauk Light over Bud Light, Miller Lite or Coors Light, any day. While at the brewpub I was able to sample the seasonal <a href="http://www.beerconnoisseur.com/southhampton-keller-pils">Southampton Keller Pils</a> which is single-hopped with the Hallertau Tradition. This pilsner is a fantastic representation of the style and is an amazing summer-sipper. This beer is a lawnmower beer in the best way possible, however it is so thirst quenching you may want one before, during and once your done mowing the lawn. At 5% alcohol by volume it would seem tempting not to put away a half a six-pack before the lawn is looking high and tight.<br /> <br />Beyond the Keller Pils and the Abbot 12 the two standout beers were their award-winning Saison Deluxe (7.4%) and their newly released VIC “antique” Porter (7.2%). The Victorian barrel-aged Brettanomyces porter was truly a unique ale. The bottles’ description reads, “VIC is what we imagine a typical London Porter tasted like during the Victorian era when beer was stored in wood and Brettanomyces was the rule, not the exception.”<br /> <br />When I first tried Markowski’s (now world-famous) double white I was a sophomore in college. I had bought the 22 oz bomber from Bavarian Beverage in Elmsford, New York. These bombers are on every table in the brewpub—filled with olive oil. Now you can buy six packs of double white in many more places than you could back then (they’re even at my local Harris Teeter and Giant supermarkets in Arlington, VA). Back in the days of its bomber release, the words “secret ale” were printed on the bottle. I originally thought that Southampton was in England, perhaps a brewery funded by a king or member of the monarchy. Well Southampton is in England, but not the Southampton Publick House. It has taken me six years to make it out to the pub but I was like a kid in a candy store once we got there. Despite having had Southampton’s double white many times since they were last only offered in bombers, I had yet to try it on draft. My fiancé ordered the double white and it did not disappoint. With the amazing flagship double white on draft, in combination with the three specialty beers—Deluxe Saison, Abbot 12 and the VIC Porter—I can honestly say that the over-300 mile trip was well worth the travel. A pilgrimage to this special place is a journey I look forward to making again next summer.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-51670392591862113132010-08-03T22:23:00.007-04:002010-08-05T20:42:31.714-04:00Ch ch ch changes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMFUAwZHydHjt_3fQ7xTWZq9ED_X2eVlbisV3QxwKEBDl42_hccYFAxxO51uH-8WHtKcnmWTLOp0fGoY903X0vVfwZPPy1RShrmytsFMIYZwL7W8mNjkbZfMDIwAKmPuTJjPAKM68grVT/s1600/GEDC0117.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMFUAwZHydHjt_3fQ7xTWZq9ED_X2eVlbisV3QxwKEBDl42_hccYFAxxO51uH-8WHtKcnmWTLOp0fGoY903X0vVfwZPPy1RShrmytsFMIYZwL7W8mNjkbZfMDIwAKmPuTJjPAKM68grVT/s200/GEDC0117.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502086964203457010" /></a><br /><br />By Michael Stein<br /><br />East Hampton has changed. There are more retail stores on Main Street than ever before. While the town of East Hampton is no stranger to commerce, the stores and shops have historically been varied. Where once was Barefoot Contessa, a prepared food store owned by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Garten">Ina Garten</a>, now stands a clothing store. Where Long Island Sound once stood (East Hampton’s sole record shop), now stands a clothing shop. Where Ralph Lauren now stands, there once was a toy store, complete with kid-sized Boogie Boards and dozens of kite varieties. Coach came. Tiffany’s came. The list goes on.<br /> <br />Was there a shadow committee of fashion-Nazis conspiring to make East Hampton a Mecca for Long Island shopping? Maybe. Though it’s highly unlikely.<br /> <br />Amongst other things I’ve noticed, <a href="http://www.bluepointbrewing.com/">Blue Point Brewing Company</a>, the only Long Island brew I can buy in Virginia, has switched to twist-off bottle caps. Last summer I needed a church key to open their tasty IPA, <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/764/20168/">Hoptical Illusion</a> during a righteous beach drum circle in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Mill,_New_York">Watermill</a>. This summer I could crack the beer with a flick of the wrist. “Who cares about such a subtle change?” You may ask. The truth is likely that not many care, but as a homebrewer I care. I choose to reuse my glass bottles.<br /> <br />Blue Point can no longer serve as a vessel for my homebrew; one beer and the brown glass goes into the blue bin. Some metropolitan restaurants, such as the newly opened <a href="http://dcbeer.com/2010/06/29/meridian-pint-opens-thursday/">Meridian Pint</a>, have chosen to offer up their glass, in particular their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/Meridian-Pint/122568392584">750 milliliters bottles</a> to homebrewers. Such reusable methods are often overlooked but are of great interest to those wishing to reduce and reuse. While relatively “cheap” brand-new bottle sales can be found over the internet, many homebrewers choose to bottle in 750 ml bottles, if not for their <a href="http://www.byo.com/component/resource/article/1941-corking-belgians">“authentic”</a> Belgian appearance, then for their gift-like presentation.<br /> <br />I wonder what the switch from sealed caps to twist-off means? Does it mean greater access? Could it mean that more beer can be consumed with a twist off cap? Certainly Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite all have twist off bottle caps. Could it just mean the brewery is spending less on its bottling operation? Maybe. Chances are I’m reading too much into it.<br /> <br />I called <a href="http://peconicbeverage.com/">Peconic Beverage</a> in Amagansett, just to see how much a keg of Blue Point’s award-winning <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/764/2318">Toasted Lager</a> cost. $180. A keg of <a href="http://beermadeclear.blogspot.com/2008/07/yuengling-lager-reflection-not-review.html">Yuengling Lager</a>? $92. Such is the parity, or lack there of, with Lagers. Such is the parity or lack thereof with macros vs. micros.<br /> <br />With all this talk of change on my recent vacation, it got me thinking back to my first year as a student in Selinsgrove, PA at Susquehanna University. Somehow our freshman Writing and Thinking class had gotten on the subject of beer. Professor Tom Bailey was discussing a recent visit to New York City (this was in 2002) Yuengling had been offered at a bar as a “standout beer.” At $5.00 a pint, the marketing of “standout” might have been offered as to account for the cost. Sure, Yuengling was tastier than Bud, Coors or Miller, but you could have a Bud Lite for $3 and then buy a Metro Card to take you to Brooklyn, the Bronx or Queens with your left over money (where beer would indubitably be cheaper). Professor Bailey was genuinely surprised at how pricey Yuengling had become. Of course at that time you could get a pint of lager in Selinsgrove for $2.50, before I knew the difference between macro, micro and <a href="http://www.lugwrenchbrewing.com/search/label/nanobrewery%20interviews">nano</a> breweries.<br /> <br />I’m not sure when Yuengling switched to twist off caps. But I know that when I first started drinking <a href="http://beermadeclear.blogspot.com/2009/04/imperial-red-ale.html">Lagunitas’</a> brew, they had a twist off cap. Now I’m finding more and more that their caps are pry off, which is of great benefit to me as a homebrewer. As most homebrewers agree, a pry off cap keeps a seal much better—over long periods of time—comparatively to a twist off.<br /> <br />What’s your experience with bottle caps? Can you recall a time when there was no such thing as twist off? Were you alive the time the “beer tab” was a handy dandy new invention? Perhaps it is the obsessive eye for detail, but we choose to discuss these differences in beers because in the end, I would argue, the better the homebrewer the more exquisite her/his attention to detail.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-64082988733374210402010-07-01T16:23:00.005-04:002010-07-01T16:30:25.957-04:00The Session #41<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcO_PPM_jM1hmbjT66cUiCH9FCJOVu_EG46z7k_XTt6WbEQsSWLprB5NuH2osQL7dmAsRRtIfFxq5z2EC9PnKgxpp_yWyd3tTqwLGA6vTnO_tzi5BRQ0tD_Pf9bf-zJlc8blJn8Fsf01sd/s1600/Tom+%26+Hugh.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcO_PPM_jM1hmbjT66cUiCH9FCJOVu_EG46z7k_XTt6WbEQsSWLprB5NuH2osQL7dmAsRRtIfFxq5z2EC9PnKgxpp_yWyd3tTqwLGA6vTnO_tzi5BRQ0tD_Pf9bf-zJlc8blJn8Fsf01sd/s200/Tom+%26+Hugh.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489037757260780882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K8voQ8Esg-QoDHUhMYqpFDgVRRIFluRTT2xVibkYsvrL6auKJDB8Qd0x9P8qDWSZCctpCRRr3EaZaM9KktXTA3zvnHlv6FJyPZ_SWouuH7MtsaK1-QGjx3ZoXXpJz7IeULgEtzjmputp/s1600/The+Session.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K8voQ8Esg-QoDHUhMYqpFDgVRRIFluRTT2xVibkYsvrL6auKJDB8Qd0x9P8qDWSZCctpCRRr3EaZaM9KktXTA3zvnHlv6FJyPZ_SWouuH7MtsaK1-QGjx3ZoXXpJz7IeULgEtzjmputp/s200/The+Session.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489037575011520978" /></a><br />By Michael Stein<br /><br />During the middle ages (as far back as 1295 to be exact) a “Letter of Marque and Reprisal” was essentially a license to wage a private war; to seize as much booty as a captain could get his grubby meat hooks on. The King would allow his captain to seize an enemy’s ship and in return proceeds would be split amongst the crown and the looting privateer. Such was the “Letter of Marque,” it gave the lowly sea-fairing captain imperial permission to loot and load spoils. The word’s etymology helps give its modern-day meaning connotation: in Germanic ‘mark’ is a ‘boundary’ or a ‘boundary marker.’ While the days of Sir Captain Francis Drake looting for Spanish doubloons are long over, boundaries and markers still exist separating home brewing from professional brewing. And while the gaps between home brewing and commercial brewing can be vast they are in many ways the most manageable they have ever been (at least in America).<br /><br />So why start with the high seas? To shed light on a craft brew inspired by a home brew (the point of The Session #41) of course! One of Maryland’s beloved craft breweries has produced a beer known as the “Letter of Marque.” This beer, brought into production with an annual competition, blurs the lines between home brewing and commercial brewing. As Hugh Sisson, Heavy Seas’ founder, states on his product:<br /><br />Winners from our annual “Letter of Marque” homebrew competition will work along side our brewmaster to create a yearly special release. Historically, a Letter of Marque was a document that made a Pyrate a legitimate privateer. Our Letter of Marque makes a home brewer a legitimate professional!”<br /><br />The Letter of Marque series, produced annually by Heavy Seas, is a perfect example of a craft beer inspired by home brewing. While the craft beers produced by Heavy Seas are themselves extraordinary medal-winning libations, their Letter of Marque is both an homage to the crazy creations of home brewers AND a way to lend legitimacy to brewers who never believed their recipes would be bottled and shipped across state lines to a wider audience.<br /><br />Sometimes a wider audience is not the end goal of a home brewer or a craft brewer. Such is the beauty of <a href="http://www.lugwrenchbrewing.com/2010/06/importance-of-local-homebrew-shops.html">brewing locally</a>. Sharing with friends who are within your area code is important—you may be surprised by the amount of home brewers in your area. I certainly was when I attended this month’s DC Homebrewers meeting (http://www.dchomebrewers.com/). If you want to enter your home brew in a competition that will give you grand syndication there are a number of ways to do it. There’s <a href="http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/competitions/great-american-beer-festival-pro-am">the Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am</a>, Heavy Seas’ “Letter of Marque” competition and of course Sam Adam’s LongShot Competition for starters. <br /><br />As “good” beer drinkers know, craft brewing has always been influenced by home brewing. In most cases, home brewers are ahead of the curve in terms of their choices for both “marginal” and “exceptional” home brew recipes. It was not always like this however. And even today, “good” beer drinkers struggle to make sense of the stranglehold ABIB (Anheuser-Busch InBev) still possesses on the market. I would argue that it is a critical mass which has kept ABIB in business, but American microbrewers and American home brewers have been chipping away to convert the masses. Once the majority of commercial beer drinkers have been baptized by cannon fire (<a href="http://www.lugwrenchbrewing.com/2010/03/clipper-city-brewing-tour-baltimore-md.html">Loose Cannon</a> fire that is!) the zealous lot who appeared rogue “hopheads” will become main-stream. Such is the shift in American cultural memory—such is the shift within the home brewer’s memory. Figures like <a href="http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-001575.html">Bert Grant</a>, founder of Yakima Brewing begin to fade as monoliths like Charlie Papazian continue to trail blaze. Had I not attended an O’Dell Brewing Company <a href="http://dcbeer.com/2010/06/11/northern-exposure-odell-brewing-co/">tasting</a> recently hosted by Doug O’Dell, the myth of a man who carried around a vial of hop oil to flavor the Bud, Miller or Coors he was drinking would still be as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster. However off-kilter his antics may have appeared, Bert Grant belongs to a long line of “beer activists” for lack of a better descriptor.<br /><br />The world needs these kinds of people. And the world needs home brewers. In the end, the recipes and formulations home brewers create continue to shape the craft beer community and indeed the world. We should honor the prophetic words of Michael Jackson as he interpreted Yakima Brewing Company’s label “brews of such quality made for very special pubs, which in turn sustained wonderful neighborhoods, creating marvelous cities, contributing to magnificent countries, adding up to a beautiful world.”Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-71588145639674369202010-06-17T12:20:00.002-04:002010-06-17T12:22:03.504-04:00Le Petite Saison by Twisted Pine: a new session beer for summerby Jonathan Kosakow for Examiner.com <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtALghtBW8RbOqpueAmYVKEJezxzFo3FeHSXOdymYpiOi5AYncq0OXQoDRI8YPUAk8mnevpAKHmPeCd7ihhkgiGdiBzwqBe23JgSJqDRIyon7h6eXNrYaiciWCS9G98zT10XEOIpLx33BA/s1600/saison.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtALghtBW8RbOqpueAmYVKEJezxzFo3FeHSXOdymYpiOi5AYncq0OXQoDRI8YPUAk8mnevpAKHmPeCd7ihhkgiGdiBzwqBe23JgSJqDRIyon7h6eXNrYaiciWCS9G98zT10XEOIpLx33BA/s200/saison.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483778450709038370" /></a><br />The <a href="http://www.twistedpinebrewing.com">Twisted Pine Brewing Company</a> sits in a part of town without too much foot traffic. Located at 3201 Walnut, a quick turn from 30th Street, the brewery and Ale House are just a bit off the beaten path – but not too far. And that style is distinctively Twisted Pine.<br /><br />In the fifteen years since its opening, Twisted Pine has strived to make their beer just a little bit different, though they still manage to attract a healthy sized crowd by staying true to form. Starting with a simple recipe and adding an ingredient or two to spice things up, they satisfy both the regulars and the more adventurous types. <br /><br />Available in 22 oz. bottles as of June 1, Le Petite Saison is a solid example of the simplicity that Twisted Pine has perfected. Though the Belgian saison style of beer has more recently become a great collaboration of yeast and spices, often showcasing faint notes of fruitiness, it was traditionally a beer for farmers to relax with after a long day, something simple yet satisfying. <br /> <br />Le Petite Saison lives up to its pastoral tradition. Light in color and cloudy because it is unfiltered, it takes the majority of its flavor from the yeast, a bread-like taste and texture. As it warms, a subtle hint of apricot and pear is also present. It finishes with a touch of hops, but not one so strong that the bitterness is overpowering, as many find is true with hoppier ales. <br />Though a majority of people will say that summer is a time for a lighter beer like Corona or Bud Light, Le Petite Saison will serve the same purpose of refreshment while also providing a distinct and satisfying flavor. <br /><br />Like a good brewery should, Twisted Pine continues to evolve every day. In a time when most small companies are scaling back their operations, this brewery is only looking forward. Having just received their food license, the Ale House has plans to put together a thoughtful menu by early July, and with their 15th Anniversary party just a couple of weeks later, it looks to be a good summer at Twisted Pine.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-66828398975828421002010-06-10T18:53:00.004-04:002010-06-10T19:01:49.834-04:00Beer in Boulder. Part 1: breweriesby Jonathan Kosakow for Examiner.com<br /><br />Aside from the countless hiking trails, bike rides, coffee shops, restaurants and overall beauty of the culture, one of the many things that makes Boulder, CO such a great place to live is the fresh, local beer. And, while walking into your favorite restaurant or bar may be the easiest way to get a sampling of what the town has to offer, some people prefer to go straight to the source. <br /><br />There are a number of breweries in town who serve all of their beers on tap, and others that like to offer a little nosh on the side. Here's a comprehensive (and alphabetical) list for those of you want just a little bit more freshness in your mug:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.averybrewing.com">Avery Brewing</a> is open for food and drinks 7 days a week from noon until 10pm. Tours are free every day at 4pm Monday thru Friday and 2pm on weekends, and there is live music every Thursday and Sunday. Tap Room located at 5757 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boulderbeer.com">Boulder Beer Company</a> was Colorado's first microbrewery. The Wilderness Pub offers dining hours Monday thru Friday from 11am until 9pm, with free tours at 2pm as well. Check their <a href="http://www.boulderbeer.com/calendar.htm">calendar</a> for events like live music and beer festivals. 2880 Wilderness Place, Boulder.<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.mountainsunpub.com">Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery</a> has two locations in Boulder and one in Denver. The Mountain Sun and Southern Sun in Boulder both brew their own beer, while the Vine Street Pub in Denver is currently working on that very project (not to be completed for some time, according to an employee of the Pub). All three provide a diverse menu and live music weekly, just check the <a href="http://www.mountainsunpub.com/calendar.htm">calendar</a>. Mountain Sun is located at 1535 Pearl Street, Boulder; Southern Sun is at 627 South Broadway, Boulder; and Vine Street Pub is at 1700 Vine Street (corner of 17th Ave), Denver. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.boulderdrafthouse.com">The Boulder Draft House and Colorado Brewing Company</a>, formerly Redfish Brewing Company, is open daily at 11am for food and drinks. Check their <a href="http://www.boulderdrafthouse.com/BD_Music.html">events calendar</a> for live music and happy hours, including a weekly "Reggae Wednesday." 2027 13th Street (between Spruce and Pearl), Boulder. <br /><br />Though it's not exactly beer, <a href="http://www.redstonemeadery.com/">The Redstone Meadery</a> specializes in Mead, also known as honey wine, that is brewed in a form very similar to beer (but you'd better talk to the brewmaster about that one). You can visit the Meadery for tours weekdays at 1pm and 3pm and Saturdays at 12:30. Or, if a tour's not your thing, just visit the tasting room Monday thru Saturday starting at noon. 4700 Pearl Street, Boulder.<br /><br />Walnut Street's <a href="http://www.walnutbrewery.com/">Walnut Brewery</a> features food, beer, and weekly trivia every Thursday night. Tours of the small microbrewery within the restaurant can be arranged by appointment. 1123 Walnut Street (between 11th Street and Broadway, one block south of Pearl Street), Boulder. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.twistedpinebrewing.com/">Twisted Pine Brewery</a> specializes in 100% natural, unpasteurized brewing. Their experimental style lends itself to many full-flavored beers, available to drink in the Tap Room or in your living room. And, they've got the MLB package for all your baseball viewing needs. 3201 Walnut Street, Boulder.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-21387796767808145212010-06-07T11:36:00.005-04:002010-06-08T09:28:19.304-04:00Oskar Blues Brewery – Lyons, CO<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c6VLyYoJJ3m2UYqm-Wvz1czrKhnDwy_kDfWXqEYgYEV2NZ-Inq60mH7auZAddCz-lk2qWTZk0dMwWlRuI-tMMaWINCrsRQtE4MoLSMdhN53VWbJ1-0c3ojjC5jhz7RfzFVu_ZNQJ756G/s1600/chub.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c6VLyYoJJ3m2UYqm-Wvz1czrKhnDwy_kDfWXqEYgYEV2NZ-Inq60mH7auZAddCz-lk2qWTZk0dMwWlRuI-tMMaWINCrsRQtE4MoLSMdhN53VWbJ1-0c3ojjC5jhz7RfzFVu_ZNQJ756G/s200/chub.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480175191954590402" /></a><br /><br /><br />By Jonathan Kosakow<br /><br />A few miles outside of Boulder, Colorado is a small town called Lyons. In Lyons, among other things including a couple of biker bars, elk jerky for sale, and a small river, is a hometown brewpub with a far reach. Oskar Blues Brewery boasts such nationally distributed beers as the Old Chub Imperial IPA, Gordon Ale, Mama’s Little Yella Pils, and their flagship beer, Dale’s Pale Ale. All of these beers, when not on tap, are sold in cans. So, you can enjoy an ice cold Dale’s on the golf course, at the turn, while tail-gaiting, or anywhere else that doesn’t allow glass containers (a school library, for example). <br /><br />Inside the bar/restaurant/arcade (yes, arcade, read on for details later…), you can expect to be pleasantly surprised by even more beers generally not available to the outside world. The “One Nut” Brown Ale, for instance, is a perfect example of the delicate balance that brown ales often lack: it has all the nutty flavor you’d expect, but is not too overpowering and goes down smoothly with a clean finish. (Interesting side note: the beer may or may not have been named in honor of Lance Armstrong). <br /><br />There is much more to say about Oskar Blues Brewery. They boast a regular schedule of live music and a wealthy selection of both bar food and, for the classier crowd, ginger salmon. There is a bar downstairs with pool tables and televisions. Oh, and the arcade – just in case your seven-year-old has had one too many home made root beers – has Tron, Ms. Pacman, and a somewhat impressive selection of pinball machines. The bathrooms also don’t smell bad. But I’d go just for the beer.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-34005027796098922312010-06-05T00:02:00.004-04:002010-06-05T00:08:21.989-04:00The Session #40 Session Beer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxtg9r4CnDAeKGQTmMJ6WuGXhFHrDefKNWPdSwkwGNFQaiZTOHssE6NK9rwCVbvx5AT_hxJ3ga4zPEUIX4CNce-u9XEsK8ybddimKXog2-WDAtJca6D6bQp5eTjZ94tkP0LJG2oQj2TpR/s1600/Fuggles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxtg9r4CnDAeKGQTmMJ6WuGXhFHrDefKNWPdSwkwGNFQaiZTOHssE6NK9rwCVbvx5AT_hxJ3ga4zPEUIX4CNce-u9XEsK8ybddimKXog2-WDAtJca6D6bQp5eTjZ94tkP0LJG2oQj2TpR/s200/Fuggles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479136064963603602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpteVQTA9ShEj2MsiFzBnPBIwDtk2p2w6_kldboXcDQo8a0yOaGulWbB8zWCT-cXQxH3nIW_ARAtRlbrfSE_D1LOECppLVAHnKZsSOj9VrppcymYR2Fja_h_BlKVI62PscHHFEeMdZ0-jF/s1600/Session+Logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpteVQTA9ShEj2MsiFzBnPBIwDtk2p2w6_kldboXcDQo8a0yOaGulWbB8zWCT-cXQxH3nIW_ARAtRlbrfSE_D1LOECppLVAHnKZsSOj9VrppcymYR2Fja_h_BlKVI62PscHHFEeMdZ0-jF/s200/Session+Logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479135822164727186" /></a><br /><br /><br />Session beer. It’s relative. It’s as relative to Americans as<br />Thanksgiving, which in historical fact, had little to do with the<br />spirit of camaraderie and togetherness that Americans now associate<br />with the holiday. At our Thanksgiving table we have a bevy of<br />nap-inducing deliciousness: candied sweet potatoes, salty stewed<br />artichokes and creamed corn and while very few at the party are brave<br />enough to touch it, we keep a Jello mold ring of cranberry sauce<br />because that’s what Grandpa Jim loved and we all loved Grandpa Jim.<br /><br />For many, session beer is simply beer that is highly drinkable.<br />Certainly “drinkability” and low alcohol content are all part of the<br />cultural understanding of what makes a session beer. However, for me,<br />a session beer is a beer that is more defined by the occasion than the<br />style. There are countless occasions that call for a session beer.<br /><br />My session beer is a beer that calls for no particular fuss. It’s good<br />to go—right out of the bottle (or can). Sure, it may have desired<br />glassware, a tulip or a snifter, but often I’ve found the best<br />“sessions” were not one predicated on which beer was drank.<br /><br />To me, “sessions” are all-encompassing conversations which start with<br />beers but end with opinions; on politics, culture or the nature of<br />good and evil. Session beer is beer that knows its role. You can drink<br />it warm, as sometimes sessions will drag on late into the evening. In<br />these conversations debate is so intense that everything else in the<br />world, save your conviction, becomes unimportant.<br /><br />One of the earliest “sessions” I can remember occurred while I was 18.<br />It was my great aunt’s 90th birthday so up to Ft. Kent, ME, a town<br />bordering Canada, my family of New Yorker’s went. Once we arrived at<br />our cousin’s house, Rob, my cousin who was 16 at the time, informed me<br />that aunt Precilla was the only one in his immediate family who voted<br />for George W. Bush. When we got to Aunt Precilla’s cabin my extended<br />family was drinking Coors Light, Bud Light and Shipyard IPA. I had<br />never seen a brown bottle with such an artistic label. I saw my older<br />cousins drinking it and nobody objected to me having a few.<br /><br />After several hours of political diatribes and philosophies bantered<br />about, folks were tired out. 90-year-old Aunt Precilla gave each one<br />of her children a big hug and all was well despite the evening’s chaos<br />of conversation. During the lull, I came to find out from my Uncle<br />Phil that our distant relatives were actually rum runners in the<br />illegal alcohol trade. One relative in particular went beyond the<br />simple racket of running booze in trucks across the border into New<br />England and became the captain of a “contact boat”, the small ships<br />that took liquor from the big boat, floating outside U.S.<br />jurisdiction, and brought the Canadian whiskey into Maine. Throughout<br />the course of the history lesson I had a few Shipyards.<br /><br />Then a few more and then a few more.<br /><br />A few turned into too many and too many was then followed by a few<br />champagne toasts and long story short I was VERY dehydrated the next<br />day. But in the midst of my first monster “session” I came to love<br />Shipyard IPA for its then-odd smelling and strange tasting flavor. I<br />think part of the mystery, beyond the fact that I had yet to try an<br />English-style American IPA at that point in time, was the fact that<br />the beer actually tasted different at different points in one bottle.<br />When first pulled, freezing-cold, from the cooler it had an unfamiliar<br />fruity flavor. Being completely unfamiliar with fuggles at the time, I<br />suspected the picture on the bottle was of a Maine blueberry bush<br />without blueberries. The single-hopped brew at a mere 50 IBUs made me<br />cringe! I’ve since had barley wines weighing over 100 IBUs. But yet I<br />was certain that somewhere in the brewing process blueberries were<br />added. As it got warmer, the fruitiness dissipated. The beer tasted<br />more bitter and fuller.<br /><br />This fuggle-only beer initially demanded attention. Throughout the<br />course of the evening the beer got out of the way and discussions took<br />over. Discussions of politics and great grand-cousins; booze smugglers<br />of some local acclaim.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-60275939104374388242010-05-07T00:24:00.006-04:002010-06-03T09:48:51.061-04:00The Session #39 Collaborations<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqUpixnjNomQGMYnFO2o39Ae-TyLs8DCMIdekIzZy7En3Phry7bk4TKN4Gz9zx5MwGcm5BH5cCiEggWU1zg7xmB_7vz0BPvXnelx239wnY1ETVZJ0fHifso2p9xzeOFjJrMYdc4vszLla/s1600/The+Session.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqUpixnjNomQGMYnFO2o39Ae-TyLs8DCMIdekIzZy7En3Phry7bk4TKN4Gz9zx5MwGcm5BH5cCiEggWU1zg7xmB_7vz0BPvXnelx239wnY1ETVZJ0fHifso2p9xzeOFjJrMYdc4vszLla/s200/The+Session.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469717673195112850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIUWIqlBg7MTjS5EOXIbVybB3x_2S2PxSJQ1Jv65tC0ikyw6MVuEAhZiXwa_AhEUp8fASpDoHH9tzD3tsclA97bGujaEES6lGQBcV3XsVnQrJ2nHJ_vIHesOfEu5lAmq01bhHPvPQ8XtG/s1600/P1050818.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheIUWIqlBg7MTjS5EOXIbVybB3x_2S2PxSJQ1Jv65tC0ikyw6MVuEAhZiXwa_AhEUp8fASpDoHH9tzD3tsclA97bGujaEES6lGQBcV3XsVnQrJ2nHJ_vIHesOfEu5lAmq01bhHPvPQ8XtG/s200/P1050818.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468383981460719634" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjD21ayBQhAOshhTW89lVooQqpIJcPp2ZvjguX_jztnHssNpudw8eeYwRBxrLZNLeN-ydttxD7MS6eGxikFfl_OotiZk6HgnJ3UW0h-3y0V10c2_kYYCUmQJ_qqLOSiw8ZxhH58a04QPD/s1600/P1050851.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjD21ayBQhAOshhTW89lVooQqpIJcPp2ZvjguX_jztnHssNpudw8eeYwRBxrLZNLeN-ydttxD7MS6eGxikFfl_OotiZk6HgnJ3UW0h-3y0V10c2_kYYCUmQJ_qqLOSiw8ZxhH58a04QPD/s200/P1050851.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468383980060962754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsusif8AOMZJFxYidB2ufpA_PhHgWtnb0qrcBD5ZemSFoNDvXyOg-BC9BYm-cD0GSNBDtc0062LbqjEcbcqAByXxVg2tmhsE3Lgz1mxKTVvSlXHuns5K_74qEnB8WA0X3ond3FyJy4bvo/s1600/P1050841.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsusif8AOMZJFxYidB2ufpA_PhHgWtnb0qrcBD5ZemSFoNDvXyOg-BC9BYm-cD0GSNBDtc0062LbqjEcbcqAByXxVg2tmhsE3Lgz1mxKTVvSlXHuns5K_74qEnB8WA0X3ond3FyJy4bvo/s200/P1050841.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468383970317926466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4erMWfcNW2833IeplBrHyBj-NE0qgX7UyM3sGk5_4709BGXuWjtZQHmPfl9u1hor2ieib2yMTKxriowBOfUWD7jGyO-96E6ZsmMyEIhRUxfOynvwbnEW5Qug_KcrmX3NGgcEJraex92Mg/s1600/P1050888.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4erMWfcNW2833IeplBrHyBj-NE0qgX7UyM3sGk5_4709BGXuWjtZQHmPfl9u1hor2ieib2yMTKxriowBOfUWD7jGyO-96E6ZsmMyEIhRUxfOynvwbnEW5Qug_KcrmX3NGgcEJraex92Mg/s200/P1050888.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468382745613707970" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://mariorubio.hoppress.com/2010/04/06/announcing-the-session-39-collaborations/">This Session brought to you by Mario Rubio and hop press</a><br /><br />Queen and David Bowie. Peanut butter and jelly. American ale hit with one or two strains of Belgian yeast. Some things just go better together.<br /> <br />Such is the nature of collaboration. When two or more solid individual items come together to create something even better; this is collaboration at its finest.<br /> <br />While collaboration is in theory always a good thing, I would argue that the prospect of creating something great out of two already great things doubles the risk involved in creation. So, with that in mind, I turn my attention to two collaborative efforts I have recently, profoundly enjoyed.<br /> <br />One of these efforts is created by "professional" brewers, the other by "amateur" homebrewers. The first fantastic collaborative offering was created by brewmasters Adam Avery and Vinnie Cilurzo (Batch #3 brewed in February 2009). Avery is the brewmaster of Avery Brewing and Cilurzo the brewmaster of Russian River Brewing. Both two phenomenal left-coast breweries in their own right. When both brewmasters recognized they had a "Salvation" ale in their lineups, they decided it was time to break bread and not teeth. Typically whenever a brewery has a product name identical to another breweries', legal action is taken. Typically litigation or arbitration is required in these cases which is great news for the attorneys representing the breweries, but tends to turn up bad news for one of the brewers. So in the spirit of collaborative efforts, the dual-brewmaster beer was titled "Collaboration Not Litigation Ale." This name could not be more fitting.<br /> <br />The beer is billed as a "Belgian Strong Dark Ale" which is a bit of a misnomer as the beer isn't particularly dark. It's color is closer to an amber-blonde; more so than the typical brown or coffee colors most associate with a Belgian "Dark Ale." There are great fruity hints, beyond esters, which entice the palate with figs, raisins and dates. The yeast strain provides the classic Belgian taste that has come to bear great resemblance to the legendary Trappist ales. While the malts dominate the flavor profile, there are strong peppery and sweet character notes that give the malt-body a fairly light feel on the tongue. The carbonation is not amazingly high yet still a bit higher than is standard for a Belgian Strong Dark Ale.<br /> <br />The second beer I want to call attention to is another collaborative brew created in an international vein. This recipe incorporated German Malt, American hops, English hops, two and half pounds of Mexican and Colombian brown sugar and a French company’s English-style yeast. Despite the global nature of the ingredients, all parts of the recipe were actually purchased in Arlington and Philadelphia. The brown sugar or "piloncillo" as it is often called had a pound and a half hailing from Mexico and another one pound imported from Columbia. These sugars were purchased at El Chaparral, a supermarcado in Arlington, VA. The German Malt, English and American Hops, Pennsylvania water and SAF Ale 04, Whitbread English Ale Yeast Strain, were all purchased in the Keystone state. We purchased the lion's share of our ingredients from acclaimed Philly-based beer store "Home Sweet Homebrew" located at 2008 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.<br /> <br />The pilloncillo (via Mexico and Columbia), added enough octane whilst in the kettle to jack up the alcohol content and provided a 1.080 Original Gravity reading. In addition to the spiked alcohol content, the sugar provided a complexity and a dry finish to the uncarbonated beer when sampled going from the primary fermenter into the secondary.<br /> <br />The brewers, Doug, Joe and the author all anxiously await the final product of a truly collaborative ale. While waiting, we brewers raise a toast to one another with an Avery "Collaboration Not Litigation Ale" knowing that Russian River Brewing was cool letting Avery Brewing get the beer out of their brew house so long as it was doled out to the masses in the best collaborative fashion.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-78289937799093408922010-03-30T13:12:00.003-04:002010-03-30T13:25:20.915-04:00The Session # 38 OR Beer Blogging Fridays<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhTBKa-3ue1cNd3x5dlm_Z9ktfyAdj0v82rNcPfdhI8CF4WM6wvENMs7GEV78QjVtvi6BeyxYKsXSRPd4MGKY9wzYDf3p-arhN58uqS3900M5JljDXd78rggakK-NPLhpFV7KRFktb9FJ/s1600/Mike+%26+Bob.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhTBKa-3ue1cNd3x5dlm_Z9ktfyAdj0v82rNcPfdhI8CF4WM6wvENMs7GEV78QjVtvi6BeyxYKsXSRPd4MGKY9wzYDf3p-arhN58uqS3900M5JljDXd78rggakK-NPLhpFV7KRFktb9FJ/s320/Mike+%26+Bob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454476236556991986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYAmjvzxgOPyeQobDQMgdjC4kCgTbp4FVHHSx0afEZDXfzDAcPBTiIny5IUk62cGFIvzQRSi1khyygO4h8Wa3CRS7z0Kgo2blCcH3CoL8Fr-MmXLXNeSIDLWcVH3By2Y3IV47oszH43J_/s1600/The+Session.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYAmjvzxgOPyeQobDQMgdjC4kCgTbp4FVHHSx0afEZDXfzDAcPBTiIny5IUk62cGFIvzQRSi1khyygO4h8Wa3CRS7z0Kgo2blCcH3CoL8Fr-MmXLXNeSIDLWcVH3By2Y3IV47oszH43J_/s320/The+Session.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454475990554907042" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.beersearchparty.com/?p=2865">The Session # 38</a><br /><br />Sweetwater Tavern’s barrel-aged Desert Imperial Stout is a beer I have recently tasted that deserves a place on a pedestal. Better yet it deserves a cool, dark place in your cellar. With a dry finish, this stout has a flavor profile more complex than most $30 bottles of wine. This stout is to the Imperial style what Rodenbach is to Flanders sour. While the stout is fairly demanding on your tastes buds, I think this beer is an outlier in the cask aged category. This stout stands out primarily because it has an incredibly layered flavor profile and is complex without cloying: I was pleased to taste flavors completely distinct without any hints of whiskey or wine. Second, because it had been aged for several years, I didn’t feel that it needed further aging. This is an amazing beer at over two years old. I wonder if the yeast used is a vigorous strain…it’s nearly as dry as a Sauvignon Blanc!<br /><br />I should let the reader know that I sampled the stout at the Brickskeller’s Annual “Strong Ale Tasting Extravaganzee.” Nick Funnell, Sweetwater Tavern brewmaster, was brought on stage in addition to Sweet Water Tavern’s two other brewmasters on February 23, 2010.<br /><br />Any non beer geek shouldn’t be put off by the fact that a black beer has a khaki-colored head. Indeed, this is nothing uncommon in the world of beer. However, amongst beer style-purists, a stout has a white head, only porter features the darker off-white head. Is it remarkable for a stout to have an off white head?… Not necessarily. Is it remarkable that this one does? Absolutley!<br /><br />Unfortunately, this beer is only available on draft, so you will never be able to sample the beer I had the privilege of tasting on February 23, 2010. <br /><br />Of course, Nick Funnel is a brilliant brewmaster. However, there are still many “brewmasters” with GABF Silvers whose libations I DO NOT quaff. For more of Nick, check him out at the National Geographic Society’s May 5th event. <a href="http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/special-events/2010/05/05/wine-vs-beer/">Tickets can be purchased here.</a>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-52367634352560408772009-10-11T10:41:00.004-04:002009-10-11T11:07:03.764-04:00Flying Dog Woody Creek White<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfDKr1i_m0W3n_Wop5PQaDoeC27KcUv5CxHXxRAU_LSYi5Czx-9W3xpVD91N7nXBPQIMTRRqaaUZxc0rUi5zkqIvTQSH0MYXiaoA90NjmNi3gLoI8uaYTXiTx5zy201Gv-6YyVV0KxhVr/s1600-h/Woodys+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfDKr1i_m0W3n_Wop5PQaDoeC27KcUv5CxHXxRAU_LSYi5Czx-9W3xpVD91N7nXBPQIMTRRqaaUZxc0rUi5zkqIvTQSH0MYXiaoA90NjmNi3gLoI8uaYTXiTx5zy201Gv-6YyVV0KxhVr/s320/Woodys+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391357493970768386" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CMike%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->Flying Dog Woody Creek White Belgian Wit 2009
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<br />by Michael Stein
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<br />If Hoegarden is your gold-standard of white or wit beers, Flying Dog Brewery’s <a href="http://www.flyingdogales.com/Beer-Woody-Creek-White.aspx">Woody Creek White Belgian Wit</a> gives the legendary <a href="http://www.hoegaarden.com/fr/productinfo_witbier.html">bière blanche</a> a run for its money.
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<br />The golden liquid is like a blissful Belgian kiss from an artisanal well. Its fresh-tasting spiciness is evidence enough, yet should you need further proof you will have to sample some after eating habanera enchiladas doused in jalapeno-seed sauce. Despite the light color, the beer has good taste, a strong hint of coriander followed by spices. A good test of a Hefe or Wit is how it tastes when it is warm. And while I wouldn’t recommend drinking warm beer, whenever I get to the end of a Pualaner Hefeweizen, though it is not as frosty and hazy as when it was first poured, Paulaner’s spice is still highly detectable. This beer tastes less spicy at its end compared to when it is first poured at the peak of its most frosty-hazy freshness. Like Paulaner, Woody’s Wit is perfect for a summer session on a steaming hot day.
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<br />Not too long ago, an American craft-brew beating out a Belgian was a hilarious thought. Today, <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place> can brag to the French about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Judgment-Paris-California-Historic-Revolutionized/dp/0743297326/ref=pd_sim_d_1">a French wine being second-rate to its American cousin.</a> (I’d like to think that that fact alone makes up for our attempt to white-wash <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s favorite fried food and re-dub them “freedom fries.”) Based on the merits and the solid taste of the Flying Dog brew, I think its high time <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> rock the boat in the pond and create wakes for the Belgian gold-standard. However comparing Flying Dog to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anheuser-Busch_InBev">InBev</a> is a lot like the matchup between David and Goliath.
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<br />Distribution aside, it is no small feat that the Flying Dog Brewery has out-classed the Belgian brewers at their own wit. A <a href="http://www.flyingdogales.com/Legend-FlyingDogStory.aspx">beer company</a> that started in <st1:state st="on">Colorado</st1:state> and produces beer in <st1:state st="on">Maryland</st1:state>, Flying Dog refers to the town of <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Woody</st1:city></st1:place> Creek, CO (Hunter Thompson’s death location) as the “Gonzo Ground Zero”. The bottles bear Thompson’s quote, “good people drink good beer.”
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<br />If the bottle is believed, that good people do in fact drink good beer, the good folks at Enron must have been drinking 12-month old warm Schlitz Ice Bull. That is not to say that there are not good folks working for Anheuser-Busch, or InBev, but the good people that brew Flying Dog have a solid lock on the wit bier.
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<br />Beyond the taste, Flying Dog is a very user-friendly beer. The beers even comes with a handy flavor-scale printed on the 6-pack. Traditionally, we’d have to judge a beer by its ABV % and occasionally, its IBUs if we needed to know how bitter or hoppy it was. In fact, most beers don’t bear their IBU count at all, as it is reserved typically for IPAs or other more heavily hopped beers. The Woody Creek White tapers off at 4.9% ABV and 17 IBUs. Next to the flavor scale, pitting “Malty” and “Hoppy” at odd ends of the spectrum, is another little scale that appears to be a color scale. The color scale pits “Light” at one end and “Dark” at the other. Ironically enough, both x’s wind up at the same place on both scales, towards the “light” side, and towards the “Malty” side. However, I would be surprised to find a Flying Dog beer that is lighter than the Woody Creek White. Perhaps the <a href="http://www.flyingdogales.com/Beer-In-Heat.aspx">In Heat Wheat</a> is lighter, but that’s the only one I could imagine lighter than Woody Creek White.<span style="">
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<br /></span>Enjoy your Flying Dog brews! The <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Woody</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Creek</st1:placename></st1:place> is a summer seasonal, so while you may need to go a bit further to find the Woody Creek White (most distributors may have gotten rid of their last case) the Flying Dog Sampler is sold in most supermarkets these days. And you should not be disappointed by any of their brews. Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-36249493156901188972009-10-08T20:44:00.005-04:002009-10-09T09:58:48.788-04:00Allagash Interlude<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLijlIMTtt9KWKl6Ivm3uoY2RKlrjPWBknDx_9CMRQmoCsAvmrTVsUWM57GrQctnYJc97VUF5GDcMwuilyvvjxDtxV3yns6JK1hFVRUSNIOVXAhCiTQ2ZrkqP2NdvCMJMnj0UKvlLmhyphenhyphenM/s1600-h/dsc02805.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLijlIMTtt9KWKl6Ivm3uoY2RKlrjPWBknDx_9CMRQmoCsAvmrTVsUWM57GrQctnYJc97VUF5GDcMwuilyvvjxDtxV3yns6JK1hFVRUSNIOVXAhCiTQ2ZrkqP2NdvCMJMnj0UKvlLmhyphenhyphenM/s320/dsc02805.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390397386593325378" border="0" /></a>Allagash Interlude - 2007<br /><br />by Dan Raposo<br /><br />This bottle has been bouncing from home to home with me after I picked it up at my favorite brew store (BBC liquors in Smithfield, RI) a couple years ago during my first trip back to college for homecoming weekend. I can't really say why I've avoided it for so long, but I do know why I opened it. Other reviews on this beer spread throughout the internet always mention the fruity and wild complexity the beer offers, and I knew it would match perfectly with a meaty Brazilian dish I had for dinner.<br /><br />As you pop the cork the beer starts to fix, coming to life from a long hibernation of 5 years of barrel aging and another 2+ years in the bottle thanks to me. Giving it a hearty pour, the foam rises to the top of the glass and settles into a nice, thick, rolling foam, releasing the magnitude of aromas. Fruit - sour apple, strawberry or perhaps notes of cherry, but definitely grapes from the wine barrels this beer is aged in. Upon first taste the beer is tart but then sweet, both from those same fruity tones. Bubbly in the mouth, it goes down smoothly with a dry finish. The end is the only point you remember the brews 9.5% ABV, and you probably wouldn't even notice if you never read the label, or this review.<br /><br />After a couple more pours, I swirl the bottle and pour the sediment to finish off a wonderful drink. This definitely changes the tone of the beer, as it becomes a little harsher, and more of the Brettanamyces yeast really comes through.<br /><br />Overall, Allagash does a great job of mixing a Belgian strong ale with the fruity notes of most Belgian ales and American wilds. I wish I had another bottle I could cellar for another 2 years.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-91062926066835225052009-05-10T23:29:00.006-04:002009-05-14T09:26:26.496-04:00Selinsgrove Brew Pub- Stealth Triple<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5ygNHbnwVeyCssm46OIMKWn6Yd2ZSpL_gfI5b2OGSVOND0SoGvFkeWCBgvZEWLBW1C89YZ5m-xM9EN2g38qkuTBx4tvKClW7h1q6CPzc8SHlawyqP0h1VIRLvnhpZokdKve7152LD0c3/s1600-h/SGB+002.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5ygNHbnwVeyCssm46OIMKWn6Yd2ZSpL_gfI5b2OGSVOND0SoGvFkeWCBgvZEWLBW1C89YZ5m-xM9EN2g38qkuTBx4tvKClW7h1q6CPzc8SHlawyqP0h1VIRLvnhpZokdKve7152LD0c3/s200/SGB+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335471749117156610" /></a><br />By Michael Stein<br /><br />The Selinsgrove Brewpub is a lot like J.R.R Tolkien’s description of the Shire…it’s a safe refuge and a reliably consistent place of merriment…and oftentimes one finds himself surrounded by men with hairy feet.<br /><br />The reason so many of the pub’s locals are so consistently jovial in large part comes from what folks refer to as “the triple.” It is one of the flagship ales and a solid staple, almost always on draft at the <a href="http://www.selinsgrovebrewing.com/ondraft.html">Selinsgrove Brewpub</a>.<br /><br />The beer has had at least two different variations within the last six years. My first visit to the Shire...err I mean brewpub...back in 2003, I enjoyed the “Stealth Triple X.” The suggestion came from the whispering lips of the toothless older gentleman who had just left his wooden seat in the dining room in front of the fire. It was he who first recommended it to me, “definitely gotta get the Stealth Triple” stated this educated beer-drinker whilst stumbling up the pub’s limestone steps on his way home.<br /><br />The second version was the “Organic Triple,” an even tastier brew, seemingly appealing to the whole Green trend. I’m not sure if this was ever the “official” title, as for something to be certified organic it needs (amongst a sea of bureaucratic red-tape) USDA approval, like the <a href="http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/pinkus_beers.html#weizen">Pinkus Hefeweizen</a>.<br /><br />This review is of the year-round draft now offered simply as the “Stealth Triple.” The first sip brings forth a strong Belgian taste, a true abbey-style beer fashioned in the vein of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimay_Brewery">Chimay</a> or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delirium_Tremens_(beer)">Delrium Tremens</a>. Despite the subtle taste of alcohol, there is a detectable honey-sweetness in the brew, a pleasant-tasting yeasty aroma very similar to the way the beer smells. My nostrils detect a deep bready wild and yeasty smell. The bready smell leads me to believe that there is some yeast set afire! It almost tastes as if there could be some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus">lactobacillus</a> in there.<br /><br />These wild yeasts are found in Belgian <a href="http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/lindemans.html">Lambics</a>. The Stealth Triple I first tasted back in 2003 had visible sediment just the way Delerium Tremens did. I’m not sure there is any visible sediment in this version, though it seems to be better blended and (on purpose) void of any yeast sedimentation particles. On the palate, one picks up notes of bananas and cloves. It’s a refreshing brew, and while I would never hold its heavy ABV against it, it is the perfect beer for ruminating on a drunken summer evening. However, it also serves the same job in the wintertime.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.happyrobot.net/robotchow/backintheday.asp">Back in the days</a> (in Belgian society), the beer you drank was indicative of your place within society. The Peasants drank ale, the Abbey’s drank doubles, and the Cardinals drank triples. I’m pleased to say that the Selinsgrove Brewpub’s Triple is intended for townsfolk and visitors alike, regardless of hierarchical order or social class.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-30602813976336240382009-04-12T18:03:00.005-04:002009-04-12T18:56:18.951-04:00Amish Four Grain Pale Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Dr2XB5X-GbmxGprdRyDq0hMZlnHWJPmrcMnybA2Dz-9-8aOy18jfUAFsf7s167EcidoiQFB73m1FCdNQCfmkZqUQp7zlaZvyTg5VqQV6xGn6-1UdNIvB6-C6KzuODXogc-5EcLwWwKjJ/s1600-h/Beer+pics+003.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Dr2XB5X-GbmxGprdRyDq0hMZlnHWJPmrcMnybA2Dz-9-8aOy18jfUAFsf7s167EcidoiQFB73m1FCdNQCfmkZqUQp7zlaZvyTg5VqQV6xGn6-1UdNIvB6-C6KzuODXogc-5EcLwWwKjJ/s200/Beer+pics+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323934949036162498" /></a><br />by Michael Stein<br /><br />Going to college in Selinsgrove, PA afforded me the privilege of constantly being surrounded by the Amish. You could find them setting up their stands on Saturday morning for the Selinsgrove farmer’s market. You could notice them biking through town, or riding their horse-drawn buggies along Interstate 80; this to me was the most dramatic display of their faith in God’s hands, because huge 18-wheelers whizzed by at 80 miles an hour. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Amish during my time interacting with them, it’s that their as loveable as they are sheisty.*<br /><br />Now that may be a gross generalization of all Amish, as I know there are many reliable Amish who are roof and furniture builders, as well as trustworthy farmers. So the Amish I speak specifically of are a group of Amish that live just outside Selinsgrove, who run a certain supermarket, where such goods as Ranch Dressing and Honey Nut Cheerios are often sold in April, when there expiry date was back in January…I’m just sayin’.<br />Just because they don’t pay taxes or don’t fight in our wars, doesn’t mean that all of them are shady…just a specific few in the Snyder County Area. (I’m pretty sure that I don’t have to worry about that Amish family seeing my article about them, however they do own a grocery store so I suppose anything is possible).*<br /><br />All of this aside, the Amish are a fantastic Religious group who’s positives far outweigh their negatives. A recent trip to Pennsylvania got me in the mood to sample some local beer. We here at Beer Made Clear like to think globally and drink locally. My desire to do so steered me in the direction of <a href="http://www.lancasterbrewing.com/ourbeer.html">The Lancaster Brewing Companies</a>’ sampler pack. The beer I chose to review is the Amish Four Grain Pale Ale.<br />The beer has a pretty timid smell, although subtle, there is a definite yeasty, oaty smell to it. The stench of the beer is a bit more pilsner and less hoppy than detected in your Sierra Nevada, or Saranac Pale Ale.<br /><br />The first sip is all bread, the wheat, oats and rye taste like several different malts on one palette. As John Trogner brags about all of his <a href="http://www.troegs.com/mad_elf.htm">Mad Elf</a> batches tasting the same, I would imagine that Lancaster may not be such control freaks about blending. I’d be curious to see how Lancaster handles its brewing process; do they believe like Troegs, that a “good batch” implies that there are bad ones being served out there? Regardless, the beer tastes well blended.<br /><br />The beer pours with medium head and decent amounts of lacing. Pours with a very light brown color comparable to, but lighter than, a Lager.<br /><br />The beer’s malts are almost overpowering all other ingredients in the beer. There is an almost grape-like taste to the beer, reminiscent of the aftertaste of a <a href="http://www.troegs.com/trogenator.htm">Troegenator</a>. There is also something in this beer that is quite similar with all other Lancaster Beers in their sampler pack; it’s an almost sour-skunky-grape type finish. It’s hard to put this flavor into words, but the end taste of the beer is present in the Hop Hog, the Strawberry Wheat and the Milk Porter. It’s also a taste common in ABC beers, particularly their <a href="http://www.abcbrew.com/harrisburg/brewery_flagship.htm">Mountain Lager</a>.<br /><br />Overall this beer is quite tasty and one I would purchase a case of. I’m pleased to say that the Lancaster Brewing Company did not exploit the Amish name and make a bad tasting beer. This beer would be delicious without the computer, without the TV and even more scrumptious with the lights off.<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />*<span style="font-style:italic;">None of these facts are technically verified. However, there are multiple witnesses who can attest to the Amish selling groceries past expiry date.</span>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-69939659370129853102009-04-11T22:02:00.006-04:002009-04-12T18:58:06.786-04:00Imperial Red Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWCq9qWjQT3zOo7ZWrpEoA5Bgf78iWieCN31jf78NX2f5nDdIK2-X0KgmgkuB0_0wh-5NEixpF7wcsM4K8ap6jghFGQthC2GF0u7tdzD-boy8cf-zIEYrJVU_7vg_QM4EuXskpaqb_l1Z/s1600-h/Imperial+Red+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWCq9qWjQT3zOo7ZWrpEoA5Bgf78iWieCN31jf78NX2f5nDdIK2-X0KgmgkuB0_0wh-5NEixpF7wcsM4K8ap6jghFGQthC2GF0u7tdzD-boy8cf-zIEYrJVU_7vg_QM4EuXskpaqb_l1Z/s200/Imperial+Red+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323619469416842706" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CMIKEST%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C05%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} span.il {mso-style-name:il;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">by Michael Stein
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<br />I hate red beers. They are a testament to the average and boring. Red beers are the dregs that the inexperienced <span class="il">beer</span> drinker reports as exotic. Despite this reputation I must sing the praises of the Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Imperial Red Ale for breaking the boring red mold.
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<br />Lagunitas’ Imperial Red declares on their bottle, “this Special Ale is, in reality, a reconstructed exhumation of the very first ale that we ever brewed way, way, way back in 1993.” Since being introduced to the Lagunitas Brewing Company’s beers a few short summers ago, I have witnessed their distribution grow. Founded in 1993, the
<br />company relocated from Lagunitas to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Petaluma</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>. And as I have seen their selection grow at many east-coast distributors, so too have I witnessed their myth spread. Many claims have been passed down via word-of-mouth, however all hyperbole becomes unnecessary when one tastes their <span class="il">beer</span>. Roland Barthes, French cultural theorist, would
<br />have found fascinating the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mythologies-Roland-Barthes/dp/0374521506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238258052&sr=1-1">myth</a> that Lagunitas has created.
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<br />In <i style="">Mythologies</i> Barthes discusses how red wine became the national drink of the French people, the drink for every occasion. It is cooling in the summer months and warming in the winter. But by definition a drink cannot encompass two opposite descriptions. This is analogous to the myth surrounding Lagunitas and their flagship IPA (India Pale Ale).
<br />
<br />According to the IRI (Industrial Research Institute) Lagunitas Brewing Company’s IPA is the best-selling IPA in the state of <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>. In a state riddled with craft-breweries, the majority of whom offer their own take on an IPA, this is no small feat. However, I grow uneasy calling Lagunitas’ most well-known <span class="il">beer</span> their best <span class="il">beer</span>. This is
<br />where my taste differs from most, for me their Imperial Red is their best <span class="il">beer</span>, and if it were not a seasonal offering I would drink it year-round. According to their <a href="http://www.lagunitas.com/beers/index.html">website</a> its next approximate release will be in August 2009.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br />On the bottom of the six-pack another message appears. “We often describe our ales as having the luxuriant aromas of broccoli, kerosene, and burning tractor tires while bragging about their stagnant and pond-water flavors.” Further down, “[R]ed is a color, not a <span class="il">beer</span>—and while the taste buds want what the taste buds want, you cannot taste a color.” Aside from the tongue in cheek, there is greater irony in that every Red Ale I’ve ever had has not been red, but a dark brown color.
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<br />Lagunitas’ Imperial Red pours with a medium head, and as the glass fills the head spreads thin. Little bubbles of carbonation pop up and float atop the head. The first taste is indeed high gravity. Kerosene, broccoli, however you want to phrase it, this <span class="il">beer</span> has bite! The second sip takes me from bitter to sweet; rich, robust caramel and toffee tones bring the palate back to pleasure. But by the third sip it’s back to bitter. This <span class="il">beer</span> is truly bizarre!
<br />
<br />The mouthfeel has an odd level of lightness, it must be the 84.2 IBUs (International Bitterness Units) that makes this <span class="il">beer</span> so balanced. The <span class="il">beer</span> is very well-hopped, just by smelling it, the nose picks up a rich floral bouquet. This is out of the ordinary for a Red Ale, as the Irish Red traditionally relies on roasted barley. Most Irish Reds or Red Ales tend to have stronger barley and malt palates and less bite or bitterness. As I swill the brew in my cheeks, “whirl pooling” the <span class="il">beer</span>, I pick up some sweet creamy notes. These notes dissipate as the high gravity ale goes down the gullet. The flavor is like a Tale of Two Tastes.
<br />
<br />If Charles Dickens had this <span class="il">beer</span> in Victorian England, there would have been much more fighting and far less writing. The Lagunitas Imperial Red is surely a Dickensian-<span class="il">beer</span>. While this flavor is crafted for an Adirondack chair on vacation, its 7.8% ABV (Alcohol by Volume) would be sure to have the most seasoned <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city> pub dwellers red-in-the-face after a few pints of Imperial Red.</p> Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-77840670913848505652009-01-14T09:49:00.007-05:002009-01-16T13:07:45.201-05:00Heartland Brewery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjwWwKHXAZJFKH-lI9BhdW33Ggfb7TJ0X2yl6CTeAq5ZxIB4ghyphenhyphenLqCWKgg_jC26e0K55Qhej6YIOJlbJxDMn1gACnJvZCpccs2bRMF2LxhypN-NohcTVNwXgOOomfjD7d9ItFXxn-AXFO/s1600-h/6516.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjwWwKHXAZJFKH-lI9BhdW33Ggfb7TJ0X2yl6CTeAq5ZxIB4ghyphenhyphenLqCWKgg_jC26e0K55Qhej6YIOJlbJxDMn1gACnJvZCpccs2bRMF2LxhypN-NohcTVNwXgOOomfjD7d9ItFXxn-AXFO/s320/6516.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291193430964588402" /></a><br />by Jonathan Kosakow<br /><br />The first time I went to a Heartland Brewery, I had high expectations. "A brew pub in New York City?" I thought. "How could you go wrong?" Well, I'll tell you how you could go wrong: by walking into a Heartland Brewery with high expectations. <br /><br />On this first visit I ordered the flight of beers, and was able to sample all of their brews within an hour. Needless to say, I was drunk by the end of this, and most likely slurring my speech. Luckily, the friend I was with followed suit, and neither of us was trying to sleep in the other's bed (his name is Andrew, and he has his own big boy bed). Towards the end of the sampler, I could hardly tell the difference between the stout and the porter. I thought this was just because my senses were dulled by the hour's worth of alcohol I had imbibed, but since then I have been proven wrong.<br /><br />For whatever reason, I have gone back to the Heartland Brewery a number of times since then, and I am always disappointed in their beer. At this point, I feel like I have tried just about all of the 20-odd concoctions they have hastily thrown together, and for the life of me I can't remember ONE that stands out above the rest. Aside from the flashy logos that they assign to each new recipe, there is literally no reason for me to even read the description of each beer, besides fro the sake of being polite.<br /><br />I've assessed the problem over and over in my head (I know, there are more constructive things I could be doing, but I won't defend my useless analytical leanings), and what I've come up with is that the Heartland Brewery is not a spot for beer lovers. Hell, it's hardly a spot for New Yorkers. It is a spot for tourists, for people looking for a theme, for people more interested in decor and surroundings of a restaurant than in what they are ingesting. The Heartland Brewery is more concerned with making money than making beer, so they follow the simple recipe for that: over-advertise, overcharge, under-work (that is nothing against the wait staff or bartenders, the service is actually quite good). So, I realize now, that this is less of a review of a beer or a brewery than it is of a tourist trap. Sorry to everyone, if I've wasted your time.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-16390813837235750102009-01-10T18:45:00.005-05:002009-01-13T09:29:06.556-05:00Fireside Nut Brown ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RGEAzeSAkh0XZZ1OGUyu9laYDbChCqryPTOwfnoXt_Lyr0Zm-PUxfXt94oa45Bvw7CPWrYUz0Ga8prJayup0Jaz-neiyB1_bbT1_lBI7VLY3cXm9BzYSw0uWHW1tXsnhGKkuSRjbsiOi/s1600-h/P1030443.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289818808892860274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RGEAzeSAkh0XZZ1OGUyu9laYDbChCqryPTOwfnoXt_Lyr0Zm-PUxfXt94oa45Bvw7CPWrYUz0Ga8prJayup0Jaz-neiyB1_bbT1_lBI7VLY3cXm9BzYSw0uWHW1tXsnhGKkuSRjbsiOi/s320/P1030443.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Reviewed by Michael Stein<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI1-S1dB0k2w8cV2dnDfZF8CuW3G4IdeXVU7HULjZOJFhysG9tEg7LSjpOJ5SKaBB6rrU8uBaTma25RTlXB03vDM7ATGiU86UF4azHK5qxir-gkThNInB3GIP-WuexSNZkqcrwK_tNZgf/s1600-h/P1030441.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289818804425779970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI1-S1dB0k2w8cV2dnDfZF8CuW3G4IdeXVU7HULjZOJFhysG9tEg7LSjpOJ5SKaBB6rrU8uBaTma25RTlXB03vDM7ATGiU86UF4azHK5qxir-gkThNInB3GIP-WuexSNZkqcrwK_tNZgf/s320/P1030441.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zNNBhDdPz0R3ZeHjSvCkcRsrVVX-DYOMPXp4s-JlMIAq5C0XClzmcGVFyFA39j4TXMILhCGSqvDSEan70FnImHVFW9RiJ3s9m8_pNW6lS7Qa-Su9b7KWKc8itjA1agFm4k1pXGaQo8Sv/s1600-h/P1030440.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289818796265963074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zNNBhDdPz0R3ZeHjSvCkcRsrVVX-DYOMPXp4s-JlMIAq5C0XClzmcGVFyFA39j4TXMILhCGSqvDSEan70FnImHVFW9RiJ3s9m8_pNW6lS7Qa-Su9b7KWKc8itjA1agFm4k1pXGaQo8Sv/s320/P1030440.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;font-family:arial;font-size:13;" ><p><br /></p><p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span> In the vain of all things manly and kickass, Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown Ale is a touch of brown testosterone in a bottle.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>So its only fitting my girlfriend's father blessed me with a case as a belated Christmas gift.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>I've stretched the four six packs out over the course of a couple of weeks and cherished its every drop, but this just goes to show the beer's versatility.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>The truly nice thing about this brew is the fact that the glass I filled one and a half times, I killed in about 6 sips.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>So just to juxtapose, it's a beer that tastes delicious for hours on end, beer after beer. I can attest to this personally, as I spent a good deal of Thanksgiving Day doing so.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>The beer has a 4.9% ABV, so it's a cut above your standard, but still lighter than most pale ales.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>However, as this case tends to cost around $30.00, I would recommend chipping away at the delectable "ale" at a snail's pace.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>But as I like to say, this beer was the best price, free ninety nine!</p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Upon first sip the beer has a sweet, caramel and almost hints of bitter bubblegum taste.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>My girlfriend would probably tell you this beer tasted like molasses.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>The taste is maple, definitely a strong taste of maple syrup.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>The irony in all of this, is that the current most-recent reviewer over @ ratebeer, writes "Notes of chocolate, nuts, hazelnut, but it seems very forced, i.e, artificial. Thin mouthfeel. Metallic finish. A strange brew that will appear to women and rubes who think they're drinking something exotic or high class." HA!<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>And I thought I was chauvinistic!</p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">When talking with fellow beer-guy Chris K., last week, he mentioned that he felt the Leini's Sunset Wheat was fantastically refreshing at first sip, but that the taste of orange and copper overcame the beer's appealing flavor by the end of a long night…a long night of say, playin' some bass kickin rhythm & blues and funky drums for hours whilst killin' a case.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>I know how he felt, but still I'd prefer a happy hour's worth of Sunset Wheat over a say, Shock Top, or Blue Moon any day.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>On a hot summer day, a Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy would be the only thing better!</p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">At the Second sip, its clear; coffee, and definitive caramel, almost comparable to a Duncan doughnuts hazelnut iced coffee taste.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>But sometimes I like drinking those and therefore I like drinking this beer.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Also of note, another similarity to Shock Top, Leinenkugel's was purchased in 1988 by Miller Brewing, although Leinenkugel's began making their "craft brews" in the 1980s.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Shock Top is owned by Anheuser-Busch and was first introduced in 2006.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>I'm not certain, but I believe the Fireside Nut Brown ale is less than a year old, as it is a winter seasonal, only released in November and December (however you may be lucky enough to find it in October or January as well).<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Just like the Summer Shandy, this Leinenkugel's beer is under two year old, but you can count on it to be around to stay.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>So try to drink a toast to either summer or winter, year round.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Prost!</p></span>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-80655773683800397952009-01-09T10:24:00.019-05:002009-01-10T15:40:44.003-05:00Samuel Smith's Organic Lager<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd3QE7ZeCB-KQHpvEA1_xm5HNcRscJJs2mFkUjR7NDWMvIotCZq-VQEqHKoCBiGfRjWFETNYZ8i0KPSLUbTECWmhZuZZTfhzRGcqJ1Aif_Q3rX98IVOK6LjPlgg3kTM_TROa4m56meZ_8/s1600-h/ss_ol_bot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 90px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkd3QE7ZeCB-KQHpvEA1_xm5HNcRscJJs2mFkUjR7NDWMvIotCZq-VQEqHKoCBiGfRjWFETNYZ8i0KPSLUbTECWmhZuZZTfhzRGcqJ1Aif_Q3rX98IVOK6LjPlgg3kTM_TROa4m56meZ_8/s320/ss_ol_bot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289388450743544946" border="0" /></a><br />by Jonathan Kosakow<br /><div><br /><div>I sat down for dinner with some family in an Upper East Side Vegan restaurant the other night (could I sound more white?), and the first question we all asked was what they had at the bar. OK, the first question<span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" > </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span">I</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" > </span>asked was what they had at the bar. As I perused the beer list, I noticed something that I should have assumed from the beginning: everything was organically produced.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've had some experience with organically produced beers in the past, mainly at the Selin's Grove Brewing Company, as well as through the Pinkus and Peak Organic brews, but here in front of me was a list of organic beers most of which I had never heard of. I'm sure you can imagine the feeling of ecstatic ecstasy that engulfed me. I'm also sure you can imagine the dread when I realized that each beer was a minimum of $7, and disappointment when I came to my senses and realized I couldn't in good conscience drink the entire list while sitting down to a quiet dinner with family. </div><div><br /><div> </div><div>Organic beers are a trend quickly gaining popularity in the beer industry. According to the <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/07/09/organic_beer_sales_grow_anheuser_busch_enters_market/">Associated Press</a>, sales of organic beers rose 111% between 2003 and 2005, and has continued to rise since then, prompting even companies like Anheuser-Busch to test a couple of their own.</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt rushed to order, which is probably a good thing as otherwise I would have spent an easy twenty minutes debating with myself, but I settled quickly on a brewery which I have some familiarity with, and a beer with which I had none. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>When I poured <a href="http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/samsmith_organic.html">Samuel Smith's Organic Lager</a> into my glass, I noticed how smoothly it flowed, and how delicate it looked. I let it sit for just a few seconds before the head settled perfectly. The color is uncharacteristic of most lagers, but more like a slightly-thicker-than-normal Pilsner. Upon first sip though, it was clear that this was no Pilsner. It's full flavored, with a light yet slightly creamy palate, and washes down your throat smoothly. Similar to the other organic brews I've sampled, this Lager tastes incredibly fresh, and was the perfect accompaniment to the light meal customary to a Vegan dinner. However, I would not limit this beer to always play the role of "good company" - it is one suitable for any occasion. It has what Bud Light claims to have: drinkability. It goes down smoothly and sits in your stomach lightly, but doesn't lack the delicate balance of hops and malt to be called "good quality." It may not be easy to find, and it may not be cheap, but I fully recommend giving this one a try. </div><div><br /></div></div></div>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-36356091211210559442009-01-07T09:10:00.014-05:002009-01-07T10:05:04.349-05:00Bethlehem Brew Works<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYD_SwcraWECvomYfr6kU4Jl9looxJvJPHhBmVldI9yaU7FHbq2mZouPB-gkd_HT7yHR-DWedwyXF-a9AW2HQnZVYnp9V2HVUCCWG0UoOE8ccGx5mPnaQ5_idulGJwKP5O7mLDf9xBHfz/s1600-h/Bethlehem+Brew+Works.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYD_SwcraWECvomYfr6kU4Jl9looxJvJPHhBmVldI9yaU7FHbq2mZouPB-gkd_HT7yHR-DWedwyXF-a9AW2HQnZVYnp9V2HVUCCWG0UoOE8ccGx5mPnaQ5_idulGJwKP5O7mLDf9xBHfz/s320/Bethlehem+Brew+Works.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288558549668732050" border="0" /></a>by Dan Raposo<br /><br /><br />BBW Pumpkin Ale<br />BBW Fegley's E.S.B.<br />BBW Steelgaarden Wit <br /><br /><br /><br />It seems that every family has their <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lackey</span>. The person that gets stuck driving the others to and from the airport, gets the last minute groceries on holidays, you get the idea. Well in my family, I'm that guy. It's not so much because I'm a pushover, but mainly because I don't mind doing the errands nobody else wants to do, especially when they involve long drives and new places. Lucky for me, one of these such excursions led me to Bethlehem Brew Works in Bethlehem, PA.<br /><br />A friend of my family's, who happens to be a priest, flew up from Florida to visit an old friend at his first parish in Bethlehem. My dad was supposed to drive him the 2.5 hours from CT to PA that Saturday morning, but the chauffeur duties inevitably fell to me (and of course my visiting girlfriend) We got there just after 10am, and after a short visit to the Church, my girlfriend and I took off to let the priests catch up. Fulfilling my need to explore, we drove around the town for a while until I saw Bethlehem Brew Works, shining like the Star of Bethlehem leading me to a refreshing beer experience. Sorry for the Jesus talk, but with the priests and Bethlehem, I had to work that in somewhere. Don't worry, it'll be the last bad reference to the Christmas story I make. And so, without further ado, the three gifts from the wise men of Bethlehem Brew Works. (I lied)<br /><br />When I order a seasonal brew like a Pumpkin or a Holiday Winter, I want distinct and robust flavors of whatever is supposed to set the beer apart. So when I ordered the Pumpkin Ale I was hoping for something hearty, full of the flavors that make the fall season, pumpkin, cinnamon, something!!! What I got was a dweeb of an Ale with a hint of pumpkin. No spices, no robust flavors, nothing. If they were trying to create a lighter ale using pumpkins, something you could drink all night, they succeeded. But I'm not buying it, it was weak, light, and simple. My girlfriend loved the hint of pumpkin though, so I let her finish it.<br /><br />After the Pumpkin Ale I decided to step it up a bit to protect my manhood, so I ordered the Fegley's ESB. The ESB gave me hope for BBW and did so by kicking my ass. The ESB is a British style amber, but not pale skinned, bad toothed type British, more like a British pit bull, with rabies. When you first taste this red amber ale, the sweet but complex malts caress and tickle the taste buds, then the succulent hop variety sucks the sweetness right out, leaving you dazed and confused, like you were just hit by a baldheaded British rugby thug, and then woken up by his hot sister. Overall, a highly enjoyable beer.<br /><br />After the ESB I thought I would chill out a bit with the pubs most popular beer, the Steelgaarden Wit. I thought I was getting a relaxing Belgian wheat, but what I got was a complex and spicier version of this very traditional style. When poured, it looked just like an unfiltered wheat, hazy and golden in color but then when tasted, the chamomile and coriander took the beer to a new level, giving a typically simple style a fuller and much deeper taste.<br /><br />Bethlehem Brew Works also had an interesting variety of fruit infused beers, which my girlfriend tried and I avoided after the first sip. Then after a few beers and some hot wings I got a call from the church and quickly remembered.... I had to drive the priest back home.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thebrewworks.com/bethlehem-brew-works/">The Bethlehem Brew Works Website</a>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-13695088344031551782009-01-06T17:15:00.005-05:002009-01-06T17:44:22.655-05:00Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0inxcVLaUFiLAhv1tEJKwLR5hgvGcGmsqvXBalM-R2lIbE8PmK7dpFvg6ooNCmDloRy6f-eXtreh4iuPe1TVarXLHX2msIkKkqxgCLi4G7SK6Re2VAfKehvY30czgT-C7etISo1bFe2df/s1600-h/Leine-Summer-Shandy-log.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0inxcVLaUFiLAhv1tEJKwLR5hgvGcGmsqvXBalM-R2lIbE8PmK7dpFvg6ooNCmDloRy6f-eXtreh4iuPe1TVarXLHX2msIkKkqxgCLi4G7SK6Re2VAfKehvY30czgT-C7etISo1bFe2df/s200/Leine-Summer-Shandy-log.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288315012830484050" border="0" /></a><br />By Matt Vekasy (circa July 25th, 2008)<br /><br />It was a hot summer day in July and I took the day off to help my brother and his wife move. I showed up bright and early w/ a box o' coffee and we got to work... watching the movers do everything. (Lesson: helping people move who have hired movers is awesome). The moving was finished by noon and my brother and I made a trip to the grocery store and the liquor store. I picked up a 6-pack of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy. I've had their sunset wheat before, but I wanted to try something new. I quickly realized that I had grabbed my new official summer moving beer.<br /><br />This beer was so crisp and refreshing that by two beers in I wasn't thirsty for beer anymore. I can't tell you about the appearance or smell because I was parched and just drank it right out of the bottle. But I can tell you that this beer made me happy and after moving (alright not moving, but it <span style="font-style: italic;">was</span> a hot day) all morning, Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy quenched my thirst. I remember not knowing what a shandy was when I bought it, but Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy tasted more like beer than of a wine cooler and left me refreshed and recharged.<br /><br />I have since learned that Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy is a mix of lemonade and beer. More info can be found below:<br /><a href="http://www.leinie.com/summer_shandy.html">Official website</a><br /><a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/710/36010">Beer Advocate review</a>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-90996965594001788842009-01-06T00:00:00.001-05:002009-01-06T00:29:12.309-05:00SBC Fairfield Red<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOXD4D5wPFb1B4IZQdHU451kcXZz5qpPd9Ahg8lwqtSnWqwsJLFD_d71nzmbXtKFRWKpkGqa861WUYzQKYJ1uwz-mphtWIMskRec5eEIZJEXKqgRoZvL9KtJguiyexE-tbWtofC3jzN2b/s1600-h/sbc"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOXD4D5wPFb1B4IZQdHU451kcXZz5qpPd9Ahg8lwqtSnWqwsJLFD_d71nzmbXtKFRWKpkGqa861WUYzQKYJ1uwz-mphtWIMskRec5eEIZJEXKqgRoZvL9KtJguiyexE-tbWtofC3jzN2b/s200/sbc" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288027274473061906" border="0" /></a>by Dan Raposo<br /><br /><br />I just moved and in the midst of all the junk I found a couple bar napkins with almost illegible chicken scratch on them. Fortunately for me they were beer reviews and fortunately for you now I can post them. From what I can remember, and what I can understand from the napkin, it was a Friday sometime this summer when I drove up to Fairfield, CT to drop off some stuff for work. To my surprise and delight the office was across the street from the great Southport Brewing Company, which is as good as it gets for brewpubs in Southwestern CT.<br /><br />It was one of those days where you want to be outside. 80 degrees, sunny, and driving around all day in my Jeep with the top down made me thirsty. I walked in to find a cute brunette behind the bar and thought my day couldn't get any better, until I remembered I have a girlfriend, and that she will probably read this at some point. Oh well, she'll probably laugh right.... A light refreshing beer and cool conversation, what better way to take the edge off a hot day, right? Wrong, the barkeep was pretty dull and bored me with her talk of grad school and other nonsense, and even worse, she missed the mark with her recommendation, the SBC Fairfield Red. (Just saved myself with the gf) I was instinctively puzzled by her recommendation, but I always trust a bartender's recommendation.<br /><br />While I was really looking for something light and refreshing, this was a red....and this is about the point where my f'in cat tore the napkin apart. No I'm serious, the rest of the napkin has claw and teeth marks all over it with bits and pieces missing. I mean, the little guy is pretty cool most of the time, but really, a napkin? How is a napkin entertaining or a tasty treat?<br /><br />Thankfully the Red was the only beer I drank at this sitting, so I can actually remember the situation and the beer. Light and refreshing doesn't quite describe this beer. In fact, it packed quite a punch, sucking what little moisture was left in my mouth from the dry conversation with the serving wench. I'm not trying to be harsh, but the beer started it, until of course I took another drink and realized it was quite good. After the initial bite, the Red really settled down and gave a great mixture of flavors, none if which I can really recognize because thats not really my thing. Oaky, nutty, a hint of caramel....sure, why not. What I do know is that the Fairfield Red tastes complex, with many flavors coming together, in and out at different times, packing a punch at first but finishing sweet and smooth, unlike this review and the napkin it was written on.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-16620548699197752372009-01-05T18:20:00.010-05:002009-01-06T00:32:11.374-05:00Recession Beers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9-jqHpGVh7g-LV4ZlEWaETjNa7nrBYNHnFk5EDddUIGUNUJ9zy00X5FzZUAuMls805M9uwFiEDMnLj3ma_KRHXwxjF7p7cXU6dT0mHahdnJf3IK8iRxd5WePPMSAcIcoBfp_OPaoWtTC/s1600-h/PBR+Can.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9-jqHpGVh7g-LV4ZlEWaETjNa7nrBYNHnFk5EDddUIGUNUJ9zy00X5FzZUAuMls805M9uwFiEDMnLj3ma_KRHXwxjF7p7cXU6dT0mHahdnJf3IK8iRxd5WePPMSAcIcoBfp_OPaoWtTC/s200/PBR+Can.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287969374606192450" border="0" /></a>by Jonathan Kosakow<br /><br />In these times of financial peril, alcoholics and non-alcoholics alike are feeling a pinch on their leisure activities. Unfortunately for those of us who enjoy a beer with actual taste, having to watch our wallets also means often having to abstain from those rare bottles that our distributor picks up on a one-time-only basis. Now, you might be saying "Jonathan, how dare you drink a cheap beer!" or even "Dude, you've changed," but never fear my dear friends, I am simply a slave to the world around me, and am no different from you. We must adapt to our financial situations or be bitterly tossed off the island in Darwin-esque fashion, only to find out that all we had to do was eat pig testicles to win the million dollars. It is necessary to save a dollar here and there so that when the time counts, we can throw our shoulders back and our chests forward and buy the pretty girl on our left a Malibu and Pineapple Juice for $9.50. So with that said, I bring to you my very short list of beers that, even in a recession, we can enjoy to their fullest potential, without smashing the piggy banks our mothers gave us for our 5th birthday with the hammers our fathers gave us for Christmas later that year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pabst Blue Ribbon</span> - At my local grocery store (Key Food in Astoria on 30th Avenue at the corner of 43rd Street - a fine establishment, I suggest you take a walk through), a 12-pack of PBR goes for $7.99 plus tax. Pick up a bag of chips on top of that, and you and a friend can each throw in $5 and be set for the night (or at least until halftime on Sunday). If you ask me, this is the best deal you can find. Though Natural Light and Milwaukee's Best might be a dollar cheaper, a cold can of PBR will go down smoothly with a hint of malts and hops, and will have far less chance of giving you an ulcer from the acidity. Some of you might prefer a Budweiser (or for the ladies, a Bud Light), but my question to you is, why spend $15 on a taste you can have for half that? And hell, in 2006 it won back that "Blue Ribbon" for the first time since 1893. Now that's quality that lasts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yuengling Lager</span> - For Beer Guys like Tom and Chris, they can pick up a case of this delicious Lager at their local Pennsylvania distributor for under $25 (that's about $1 per beer), and for me here in New York, a 12-pack of long necks generally goes for about $14 (in cans for $12). That's not bad considering Coors and MGD sell for closer to $16 or $17. It also tastes like heaven.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Miller High Life</span> - It may not live up to it's slogan, but the "Champagne of Beers" does go down smoothly when drunk (drank?) from the bottle (the can leaves a lot to be desired, besides the aftertaste of cheap aluminum). I couldn't tell you how much it costs these days, but I do know that the lightness in your wallet will feel worth it when you start getting a little light headed at around 10 this evening.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Colt 45, 40 oz. - </span>Two dollars and twenty-five cents for forty ounces of beverage. That's cheaper than a bottle of "designer" water, whatever the hell that means. Speaking of water, here's another way to save money: pick up your jock and drink from the tap. Einstein did it, and so should you. (Note - I'm only guessing that Einstein drank from the tap).<br /><br />Now, there are other options of course, but to be honest I'm just too lazy to do the "research" (by research I mean it's Monday evening and I don't feel like getting tanked just to educate you lazy cheapskates on how to save a couple bucks but still get a good buzz). Take my advice, or don't, see what I care, but don't come asking me for a dollar unless you put it to good use.Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-55126190498930020922008-10-19T16:36:00.006-04:002008-10-19T19:25:39.360-04:00Lagunitas Imperial Red<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWwAGrDs5o-IbA7XJIuRZhAOn5pj0ELQSj25vRPxDQ5eWlfssGvqoMxFL16AE2IFiKoWp3Apgst2q6mRnnycxqL-ybPCCez16Q_0h7ZVypExlakUcR29_Flq_qJk4C2UTfIZ4nbUR-ev4/s1600-h/Beer+006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWwAGrDs5o-IbA7XJIuRZhAOn5pj0ELQSj25vRPxDQ5eWlfssGvqoMxFL16AE2IFiKoWp3Apgst2q6mRnnycxqL-ybPCCez16Q_0h7ZVypExlakUcR29_Flq_qJk4C2UTfIZ4nbUR-ev4/s200/Beer+006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258999460404941954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnW-L2eHaWwgJ5j-WZ9IZ5_SvUsU7AbBd197KTE_2LtJXy7pzn5-sdD3Mf9u6Y7bv81zVQcpomh_WBtW70Mu05Ik7Wk9kF346KrqSUZ827u7C5pVYHL4Z08ic-MLVBYeKKTvPbO4R_YyB/s1600-h/Beer+002.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnW-L2eHaWwgJ5j-WZ9IZ5_SvUsU7AbBd197KTE_2LtJXy7pzn5-sdD3Mf9u6Y7bv81zVQcpomh_WBtW70Mu05Ik7Wk9kF346KrqSUZ827u7C5pVYHL4Z08ic-MLVBYeKKTvPbO4R_YyB/s200/Beer+002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258971304560600274" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">by Michael Stein</p><p class="MsoNormal">Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Limited Release</p> <p class="MsoNormal">7.2% ABV</p> <p class="MsoNormal">84.20 IBU</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Lagunitas claims on their bottle that “[T]his Special Ale is, in reality, a reconstructed exhumation of the very first ale that we ever brewed way, way, way back in 1993.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hyperbole aside let the record show I have been a big Lagunitas fan, since being introduced to them a few short summers ago.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And as their distribution has grown, so has their myth, as rightly it should.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, I would argue that this is no mythology that Roland Barthes would have ever found disagreement with (as it is based on one truth: good tasting beer is imperative!).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>On the bottom of the six-pack appears another message, “We often describe Our Ales as having the luxuriant aromas of broccoli, kerosene, and burning tractor tires while bragging about their stagnant and pond-water flavors.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With that in mind, and as much as I enjoy their beers, I am constantly concerned that they will taste the same.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That their IPA will in-essence become their Czech Style Pilsner.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>A brewery that boasts a “Czech Style Pilsner” has big shoes to fill.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Given the history and geocentric attribution of the Pilsner to the Czech town of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Plzeň</st1:place></st1:city>, an hour and change from my father’s birth place, it is risky for an American brewer to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Just like a true Czech Pilsner that can only be found inside the CZ, the American Pilsner title takes on distinct flavors which often seem lost in translation when they cross the <st1:place st="on">Atlantic</st1:place>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I digress, lets get back to the Imperial Red.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As read on the bottom of the six-pack, “Red is a color, not a beer—and while the taste buds want what the taste buds want, you can not taste a color.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is true you can see for yourself with photographic exhibit B. If color really mattered however, Killian’s would be a competitor with this Red.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Which, sarcasm aside, is a hilarious thought.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Upon first taste in the snifter, pours with medium head, thinly spread with first pour, settles on and second pour finishes the bottle, still mild carbonation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Carbonation bubbles actually protrude and sit atop the head and the first taste is indeed high gravity.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Kerosene, broccoli, however you want to phrase it, this beer has bite!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As I pen this paragraph the second sip takes me from bitter to sweet, rich robust almost caramel or heath and toffee tones bring the palate back to pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Back to bitter by the third sip, this beer is truly bizarre!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s as if there are somewhere between 64 flavors in two tracks of tastes, depending on how you drink it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you gulp down the gullard, like you are swilling hooch, you are sure to get the bitter before it goes down.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you swill in your cheeks, essentially “whirpooling” the dark amber, almost brown brew, you are sure to pick up some sweet creamy notes, before the gravitas, “the truth” the high-gravity Ale puts forward.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I mean it’s almost like a Tale of Two Tastes here.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Lagunitas Imperial Red, which boasts “Limited Release” on its six-pack, is surely a Dickensian-beer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Something tells me that if Charles Dickens had this beer in Victorian England, there would have been much more fighting or vacationing and far less writing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While this flavor is crafted for a lawn chair on vacation, its 7.2% ABV would be sure to have the most seasoned <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city> pub-dwellers rowdy after five or six pints of Imperial Red.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Interestingly, the lacing is not so strong mid-beer but let the photographic evidence show hard-proof that their commitment to IPA level of IBUs, shines through at the end.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You can see as the beer clung to its Chimay Snifter even after the beer had been drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Truth be told, this critic of the greater beer-buying public needed an apple or two after it, because today is Sunday, and this beer-critic has things he’s got to do, he cant just sit around and drink beer all day, heck naw, that’s called vacation!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Plus there’s only one Imperial Red left, and this magic brew will go great with dinner!</p>Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392827606070976773.post-29452802497882051592008-07-31T23:19:00.006-04:002008-07-31T23:54:23.858-04:00Tooleden<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfXGsYXMnNLY58j8mwjd6FKdXvGFuBBjq5ECSSCKOkWD6YeLHz7yZYAEcemUTwS0em_X8VT7Vb9CxH5vWxpuDsl_1XvX7667UTLyLeBi-deYbkj9u7cg3CxuA11cnB5pD-bllesLllMkQ/s1600-h/CIMG0521.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfXGsYXMnNLY58j8mwjd6FKdXvGFuBBjq5ECSSCKOkWD6YeLHz7yZYAEcemUTwS0em_X8VT7Vb9CxH5vWxpuDsl_1XvX7667UTLyLeBi-deYbkj9u7cg3CxuA11cnB5pD-bllesLllMkQ/s200/CIMG0521.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229391564758107250" border="0" /></a><br />by Matt Vekasy<br /><br />Now you may be wondering what Tooleden is. Well Tool is a definition of a gardening hoe and Eden is a garden. So this is a review of my own homebrew I call Tooleden or "Hoegaarden"<br /><br />Tooleden is a Belgian white brewed with coriander and bitter orange peel. It does not pour as straw colored as Hoegaarden, but rather with a bit more of an orangish hue. It poured with a great head and the aroma is very much like a wheat beer. It tastes very much of a wheat beer with a hint of orange and the beer burp definitely has an orange taste.<br /><br />Now you can't find this beer at your local beer store, but if you come to Boston I've still got about 40+ bottles left as of this posting.<br /><br />(On a side note, I also have my Oktoberfest in my primary fermenter and I am thinking of brewing a Black Cherry Espresso Stout for the winter)<br /><br />FG: 1.011<br />ABV: 4.56%<br />(Recipe and notes available upon request)Beer Made Clearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15148995749393943971noreply@blogger.com0