Better Drinking

Homebrew update 2008-2009

2009-04-20T19:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I last posted, but that does not mean that the goal of drinking (and thinking of) better beer does not continue. It just means I am lazy when it comes to making updates on this blog. No further excuse needed.

In light of the fact that I'm currently sitting on my front porch brewing beer, I'll use this moment to report on my homebrew activities over the past few months.

My rather ambitious plans to brew 24 beers in 2008 was reduced to 15, due to both monetary and time considerations. Generally speaking it was another good year. There were a few that were less than I had hoped for, but all were drinkable and nothing went to waste. This, in itself, is an accomplishment, though credit cannot go to the brewer, but rather to God's sweet providence.

A few notable, and exceptional beers (also due to God's sweet mercy) were as follows:

Indian Brown 2008 - this was my first attempt at making a high-hopped beer, yet balanced with a malty body. Dogfish Head and Terrapin provided the inspiration, and my own version came out better than anticipated. A thorough hop flavor from start to finish, but not astringent or harsh. A very nice evening beer, comforting and relaxing.

Oktoberfest 2008 - this was my very first lager, and though I was not as pleased with the result as hoped for, it was received well and did not stick around long.

Berliner Weisse 2008 - one of the more challenging aspects of this hobby is to make it palatable, literally, to my wife. To this end, I acquired a unique yeast capable of making the Berliner Weisse, and let it age 6 months. Yes...6 months. Needless to say, it was not all she had hoped for, so I ended up adding some raspberry flavoring, creating a pseudo-fruited lambic which is tolerable to her. I did save some of the original unflavored batch, and was quite pleased with the funkiness of the brett.

Smoked Porter - this was a shot-in-the-dark without knowing what you're aiming at. Seriously...the Alaskan Smoked Porter is the defining beer for non-German smoked beers, but it is very difficult to find outside of Alaska, so after reading a BYO article about smoked beers, I put together a recipe and went for it. This was one of the best beers I made all year, and definitely am going to duplicate this one for 2009.

Imperial Stout 2008 - variation #5, this beer continues to evolve and change, this year's vintage particularly smooth since I let it age for 6 weeks before bottling. In fact, I put a few of these away and have been taking them out in small doses. Yesterday, I enjoyed one of these with a cigar on the front porch, listening to the rain hit the new metal roof. God gives simple men joy in simple pleasures.

Biere de Noel 2008 - this is the 2nd year vintage for my biere de garde Christmas recipe, and since I was able to exactly duplicate the 2007 version, this is a new holiday staple. I gave a number of these away for Christmas, and most said that one bottle was not enough. I agree.

2009 is a new year and the brewing has been good so far:

Dopplebock - another true lager, I aimed for the very high mark of Ayinger Celebrator, and was quite pleased with the result, though I will let others judge whether I hit my target.

Indian Brown 2009 - I used a different yeast, out of necessity, but the familiar powerful hop character was a welcome friend in cold weather. Particularly good with spicy dishes.

Biere de Garde 2009 - another spring staple, this one has gone rather quickly, being just good plain beer, refreshing and enjoyable.

Old Ale - Wyeast released another unique yeast strain, and I decided to go for it (this is beer #70 is my repertoire). This one takes 6 months to age, so the expected result will not be fully ready until fall 2009. Also, this one is being dry-hopped and aged with wood chips, so I have great hopes. Small sample tastings are very good. Further report to come.

At present, I've got a Munich Helles aging, a Chocolate Stout brewing, and another batch of Imperial Stout 2008, made with a friend who felt compelled to get 2 cases for himself.

Also, this Friday is the inaugural meeting of a homebrew club that I have hopes for. More news on that later.

I trust that if you are regular reader of this blog, you recognize that this writer and brewer gives all glory and success to God, since a man has nothing unless it has been given to him. The above was merely subjective reporting, not boasting. God gives us temporary gifts and the wherewithal to enjoy them. Let us continue to raise our glasses while we can, and be thankful for every success and failure knowing that He is good to us.

Beer review - Duck-Rabbit Barleywine

2009-01-28T20:28:00.004-05:00

I left work early today and headed over to Taco Mac Suwanee to get some Duck-Rabbit Barleywine, 3 vintages available on draft for one-time event. Not only did I contribute to my slowly growing passport club list, but I got a chance to speak with Fred from Tappan Street, and Paul the headbrewer at Duck-Rabbit. Thank you gentlemen for your work.

Barleywine is originally an English style, a "big" beer with lots of malt and hops, not a traditional session beer, but an evening digestif or perhaps a dessert replacement and/or good complement for a fine cigar. The American versions tend to be "souped up", especially when it comes to hops, and often alcohol levels. While I enjoy well-hopped beers, I am not a "hop-head" so more often than not, the American barleywines appeal less to me than the English versions. It is also tends to be a cooler weather beer, so winter seems appropriate for this quick review.

Taco Mac Suwanee was packed, a good sign given the general state of the economy, and the fact that they use my employers POS equipment, though I do not frequent this store, so have no idea what normal Wednesday evenings are like. Many were ordering the barleywine and I saw many full (and empty) glasses, the sample size being 6oz.

The following reviews are for vintage years 2007, 2008, and 2009. I drank them in reverse age order (youngest first), which one of the bartenders appreciated since apparently many of the other customers were drinking them in chronological order.

Regarding all three - appearance was a clear, reddish amber, minimal carbonation in the body, though the head was more or less typical for a draught beer. Mouthfeel stayed relatively consistent throughout, medium to full without an over abundance of carbonation. Many beers rely on significant amounts of carbonation to lift flavors and aromas onto the palate and into the nose, which is normal. But barleywines, and other big beers, should not be so carbonated and when they are, they become nearly undrinkable since the beer itself is already filling...one does not need CO2 to "fill the corners".

Nose and taste are what distinguished these vintages:

2009 - the nose is profoundly hoppy, though muted to some degree by a sweet malt. Taste is a rich maltiness, combined with a heavy dose of up-front hops, a good mix neither of which dominates.

2008 - the nose is significantly less hoppy and even the malt was somewhat muted. The taste was similar to the 2009, except that the hops had moved to the back of the palate rather than the front. In other words, in the 2009 the hops were front and center along with big malt, while in the 2008 the malt was no less pronounced though the hops were a bit more evenly spread from mouth to swallow.

2007 - the nose was slightly more hoppy than the 2008, but less than the 2009, though the malt was much clearer than any of the others. This one was the warmest (all 3 poured at the same time, this one being consumed last) so perhaps that effected it. Needless to say, the malt had a more mature flavor, the aging process definitely mellowing out the harder edges. The malt sweetness was slightly more pronounced and the hops were present but very subdued. Minus the lactic character, this one reminded me more of an old ale.

Overall, a good experience. I enjoyed all three, each on it's own merits, especially given the 6oz sample sizes. While I am not a raving fan of barleywine in general, Duck-Rabbit has crafted yet another fine beer. Kudos to brewer and host.

Beer review - Pipeline Porter

2008-09-22T17:06:00.002-05:00

Some friends of mine recently took a trip to Hawaii, and all I got was...well, I actually was quite pleased to receive a liquid gift from Hawaii. Even the logistics of this must have been a Herculean task, given the TSA's propensity for suspicion in all of the wrong places. Nevertheless, the beer (and my friends who may have risked life and limb to transport it) survived the trip, and I am quite happy to write a review for my first Hawaiian beer.

The Pipeline Porter comes advertised as a limited released, made with 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee. For the beer and coffee drinker, this would seem like a great match. The bottle is also decorated with an "island fashion", complete with palm trees and surfer on the beach. Surfing must be thirsty work...

Pipeline pours a very dark brown, but not quite black, with a small, quickly dissipating head. This was a fairly "hard" pour, but head retention is not there. I suspect that oils from the infused coffee contributed to this.

The nose is an underlying malt sweetness, but predominately a mild roasty coffee aroma.

Mouthfeel is medium, with low carbonation. I would almost call this beer thin due to the lack of effervescence.

The taste is dominated by a strong coffee backbone, placed in a mild malt body. Not quite pure coffee in taste, I was reminded more of raw coffee beans or freshly ground coffee, as opposed to freshly roasted coffee. There are also some tobacco flavors, though they are very vague. There is no discernable hop character or flavor at all. As the beer warms, the coffee flavor becomes much more pronounced and the malt takes a back seat.

I liked this beer at first, but it became less enjoyable as it warmed. Not to say it was bad, but the total experience was lacking in a kind of fullness that I hoped for. Somewhat thin, the flavors are not contained within the form well. Especially towards the end, I was reminded much more of a coffee stout than a porter, the hop character and rich malt flavor being the distinguishing factor for the style. It is a limited release, and therefore more a novelty beer, so I can accept it as such. It would have made a good compliment to Tiramisu no doubt.

Pipeline was good, but not worth making a trip to Hawaii for. But a very special thanks to MR and SR for their generosity and kindness to think of me, especially when they thought of beer...;)

Beer review - Alaskan Amber Ale

2008-08-13T16:50:00.002-05:00

Our family recently took a bit of a vacation out west, and went to see some of Michelle's family in Arizona and Texas. After roughly 4500 miles of driving, I am happy to report that we're still sane and I'm not afraid to do it again...but the next road trip will be at least a year or more from now. I'll spare the details of the vacation, but we all had a good time and visiting with family was a blessing.

As in all things, I tend to see beer in the most mundane of things. So having the opportunity to find a few things not normally available in GA, I present the following review.

The Alaskan Amber Ale is actually an alt, which from the German means "old". Categorically an ale, the alt is a distant cousin the the English Brown ale, though cleaner in character (being fermented at slightly cooler than cellar temps) and usually has a more discernable hop character. American Brown ales, in contrast to both, tend to be maltier and hoppier.

But needless to say, the alt is not uncommon beer, yet neither is it overly common in the US, craft-drinkers tending to prefer a bigger flavor profile. This should not be so, since the "plain" should be as enjoyable as the "extreme".

The Alaskan Amber pours a very light brown color, crystal clear, with a soapy-looking 2 finger white head. The head did not stick around for long, but left an adequate lacing on the empty glass.

The nose is almost non-existent, revealing a very mild toasty malt aroma after warming up a bit.

A thin, but effervescent, mouthfeel seems appropriate.

Mild malt, toasty and somewhat biscuity, is the predominate flavor with very little hop character. The hops do come out later, as the beer warms, but nothing profound. It is somewhat sweet, and reminded me a little bit of tea. I actually kept looking for more, attempting to pull out what I thought was a plain and somewhat unadorned beer. But the next thing I knew, the glass was empty. All that time trying to geek out over flavors, and the glass was drained. Refreshed and now disappointed that the glass was empty. In fact, the 5.3% ABV makes it even more "regular".

And frankly...this is the Alaskan's unique charm. Unassuming, this is an excellent session beer, one that does not require great thought or concentration to enjoy. If you have access, buy a six-pack or two and share with a friend.

Stone Brewery goes green

2008-08-11T16:34:00.002-05:00

Economic necessity drives Stone to be more environmentally conscious. Very cool stuff

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080802-9999-1mc2beer.html

I found this article via Beer Advocate...

Beer review - Two Hearted Ale

2008-07-29T16:17:00.002-05:00

I enjoy giving away homebrew to friends, family, and fellow-imbibers. First off, to truly enjoy any hobby one must share it with someone. It's really hard to explain my fascination with, and pursuit of, beer to the non-drinker. So I share with all who will partake and usually do not visit other homes without bringing some liquid gift, unless I know them to be abstainers.

But more importantly for me personally, fellowship always seems a little better and the conversations a little longer over a beer or three. Needless to say, many of my friends also drink beer and usually show up at the house with all sorts of good beverages, familiar or new. (To those of you reading this, who usually bring us wine...keep it coming...we'll drink that too...)

Last week an old friend of mine (he's not that old, but we've known each other for something like 16 years) came over for dinner, along with several other newer (and younger) mutual friends, and brought me a "random" six pack from his fridge, none of which were consumed that evening, due to the homebrew I insisted they drink. In return, he insisted that I keep his offerings and as one of them was new to me, decided to write a review.

From Bell's Brewery, the Two Hearted Ale is an American IPA. It sports a fish on it's label, along with a 7% ABV invitation and the following blurb..."an IPA well-suited for Hemingway-esqe trips to the Upper Peninsula..." Never been to the UP and never met Hemingway...but I'll drink the beer regardless.

An orangeish, somewhat cloudy pour, caused by what seemed like a significant amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. For a commercial beer, anyway. A generous white head forms quickly and slowly dissolves to a fine lacing on the edges of the glass and the surface of the beer.

The nose is an extremely aromatic floral hop with hints of a citric sharpness. As the beer warmed, the wonderful aroma of hops continued to waft from the glass, with little help from the carbonation. (see below)

Mouthfeel is surprising full, on the moderate side, with low carbonation, slick and creamy.

The mouth's full malt body is non-existent in terms of taste, but is quickly bathed in a strong citric and piney hop flavor that dominates each mouthful, start to swallow. But it is not unbalanced or astringent, leaving the palate thirsty after each sip. The 7% ABV is noticeable relatively quickly, and brings a pleasant and complimentary addition to an already excellent beer. It was gone in no time, and found myself wishing for another. Refreshing and enjoyable, hop-heads who like balance to their beers should seek this one out.

And special thanks to BH for sharing this treat with me.

Beer review - Chambly Noire

2008-07-22T17:45:00.000-05:00

One of my brothers recently chided me for buying somewhat exotic, at least non-standard, beers for evaluation instead of the tried-and-true session beers that are the usual fare for beer drinkers of all palates. The comment was made in jest, though it is undoubtedly true in my case. In another context, I told someone, in light of a sermon recently heard, that my tastes ran to the Epicurean while my budget was much more Stoic in nature. Nevertheless, I am still not averse to getting less, though better, beer for the money simply to try something new. Which leads me to the review here.

Last week I had some training classes close to the city, which led me past Green's package store everyday, a place with one of the best overall selections of beer in the metro-Atlanta area. Needless to say, I resisted going all but one day since a trip to Green's is like a trip to the candy store. Which I lament more, the Stoic budget or the Epicurean palate, is not quite clear to me, though both are a part of my sanctification and for my good. Trying to balance these things is always tricky but fortunately, as is my habit, I checked the "bargain" rack and found 2 bottles of Unibroue's Chambly Noire, which I readily purchased.

The Chambly Noire bottle, like most Unibroue products, is a collaboration of utility packaging and attractive art. The ABV is listed at 6.2%, a Belgian dark ale. I also noticed the "best before" date was 3/21/08, which might explain it's bargain status. But a beer of Unibroue's stature should not degenerate that quickly, so I felt confident the product would be suitable for consumption and review.

The beer pours a dark, tea-like brown with touches of ruby at the edges of the glass. A fizzy white head quickly disappears to a thin lacing that adorns the surface of the beer and the glass throughout the session.

The nose is similar to many Unibroue products; sweet, slightly yeasty, with hints of raisins definitely and other undefined fruit, though not citric or cloying.

Mouthfeel was surprisingly thin, though the carbonation kept the mouth "full" and acted to keep much of the flavors alive in the nose and on the palate.

The taste was an almost dry, sweet, malt, prickly carbonation bringing out plum, raisin, and subtle undefined spices. There is a familiar Unibroue yeastiness, though it is considerably subdued in the Noire.

Overall, I found this good...but it suffers by comparison. The experience was similar when I had the Blanche de Chambly; not a bad beer, but nowhere near the excellence I enjoy in La Fin Du Monde, Maudite, Don Dieu, or Trois Pistoles.

A good offering from Unibroue, but very tame if you're familiar with the products that made their namesake legendary.

Beer review - Duck-Rabbit Porter

2008-07-03T13:20:00.004-05:00

Reviewing a session beer is not as much fun as something a bit more exotic. Being what they are, a great deal of thought should not expended into the flavors or aromas on experiences; one just drinks and enjoys. A liquid companion to any number of tasks where two things can be done at once and our attention is on that other thing, not the liquid that compliments it.

That is, unless we mentally start cataloging other beers in similar categories, perhaps ranking the one we're currently enjoying against any number of historical drinks, measuring all relevant data points against BCJP standards and deciding how this one stacks up against the competition. At this point, "session" beer is just another meaningless beer geek term, where everything is analysis, consideration, and contemplation. Welcome to my world. So...regardless of their broader definitions, especially for this blog, a beer is still a beer in need of review.

Duck-Rabbit Brewery bills themselves as the "dark beer specialists". They appear to be a small-scale operation out of NC, and been here in GA for several months, though this is first time I've tried their beers. Part of my delay was in which style to choose, not seeing a sample pack available, but I eventually settled on what is probably my favorite beer from our English brethren, the porter. Granddaddy to English and Irish stouts, the porter is the first mass-produced beer of Industrial England, the preferred drink of the working class. Porter production went to near-extinction after WWII, only to be revived by American home and craft brewers in an attempt to taste a bit of history.

Duck-Rabbit's version pours a very dark brown, nearly black with a relatively small off-white, one-finger head that seemed to dissipate rather quickly, leaving a soapy lacing that accompanied the rest of the session.

The nose is full of roasty, slightly burnt malt, with vague vapors of chocolate and coffee.

Mouthfeel was medium, not overly carbonated but creamy with some "rough" edges. I later found out that the creaminess probably comes from the oats added to the mash.

The same roasted malt presence in the nose dominates the taste, accompanied by a slightly burnt character. There is also a very vague notion of wood and tobacco that may have been the hops coming underneath the malt. My glass was empty in no time, and a very nice aftertaste of burnt malt lingered as a reminder.

I found this to somewhat rough and raw, and thoroughly enjoyable. A true session beer in any season and an excellent porter.

Beer review - Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

2008-06-16T12:11:00.002-05:00

While I can be a traditional, draw-within-the-lines kind-of-guy, I can and do appreciate the occasional modern art masterpiece (translation: big and ugly) or atonal musical composition when the mood strikes. My taste in art has no discernable name or standard, but I like what I like. Not an original statement, but a truthful one.

Taste itself is not neutral, so I'm not arguing for the absence of standards altogether. But I am arguing that a truly objective standard in things "indifferent" (as opposed to clear Scriptural teaching) is all but humanly impossible, making our judgments in such matters a combination of personality, providence, and culture.

The same goes for food and beer, both of which I consider to be art forms, so when breweries like Dogfish Head continually crank out great beers that do not conform to established standards, my conservative notion of "rules" is left floundering, while my palate is expanded, creating the desire for more of the same rule-breaking.

Alas, being a food and beer anarchist is not such a bad thing sometimes.

Dogfish Head's latest (at least to be released here in GA) is their Palo Santo Marron, which advertised as an American Brown Ale. The bottle claims the beer was aged in gigantic wooden barrels (10K gallons), the largest built in the country since Prohibition. Surely a unique entrepreneurial endeavor...but does all the hype measure up?

The Palo Santo pours a very dark brown, as close to black without being so. The pour produces an attractive 2-finger brown head, that slowly dissipates into 1-finger, but leaving a creamy residue in the glass.

The nose is a strong and rich malt, with a solid dose of wood, vanilla, and a tinge of alcohol.

A thick creamy mouthfeel coats the tongue, and is nearly devoid of carbonation.

Powerful brown malts dominate the flavor, initially, only to be mixed and complemented by wood, vanilla, various dark fruits, and a slight alcohol burn. No discernable hop presence, not even in bitterness. This is extremely complex and trying to nail it all down would be difficult for my palate, but as the glass drains and the beer warms, the complexity increases, especially the woody character. The alcohol also becomes more prevalent, though not annoyingly so like in some beers I've had.

About 3/4 of the way through, the alcohol pleasantly reminds you of it's presence (12% ABV) and the warming sensation is akin to port, but without any real sweetness. Or rather, the sweetness of the rich malt is offset by the other flavors making an exquisite drink to both imbibe and savor.

Much, much bigger than a traditional brown ale, though not as harsh as a barleywine, and more mellow than an old ale, the Palo Santo is a fabulous beer that should be reserved for special occasions, a digestif to wrap up your day. For those who are less alcohol tolerant, I would recommend sharing with an appreciative friend. I have no doubt these will age well, and though I drank 2 (1 was shared) out of the 4-pack, my intention is to purchase some more and age for upcoming Christmas festivities.

Hats off to Dogfish Head for this wonderful beer, and thanks to JN for telling me to go and seek this out. I would have found this eventually, but in this case, sooner is better than later.

The Altstadter

2008-06-10T10:56:00.035-05:00

This past weekend, Michelle and I went up to Helen GA to celebrate 20 years of marriage, which says far more about God's grace than a sinners inclination to stick with a promise. We are both happy and content, but know that we cannot claim personal victory in covenant faithfulness, and that God alone preserves marriages for His own glory.

We chose Helen both for its proximity to home and for financial reasons, being relatively frugal and broke, which go well together as personal characteristics. However, frugality is itself a relative term so when it comes to beer (and sometimes food), I am downright decadent and indulgent by some standards. Regular readers of this blog know that I am not averse to paying $5-7 for a 12oz bottle of beer, though those special treats are not consumed with any weekly regularity. Needless to say, going to Helen practically required having good German food and beer.

Helen, as a town/city/village, itself is nothing spectacular, being a Bavarian-looking place, while keeping the American tourist in mind for its consumers. As such, I have had friends speak of their Oktoberfest experiences in Helen whilst drinking American light beers and eating chicken wings. Not that I have anything against either one of those things, per se, but everything in its place and context. While traveling to Munich would have been preferable, the budget just did not support such an endeavor.

After doing a little research, mainly looking at food and beer selections on-line, I selected the Altstadter, not having any first-hand reviews or recommendations, not even knowing exactly where it was, though Helen is not a large place. Much to our liking, the restaurant was within walking of where we spent the night. It is a relatively small place, richly decorated, and much to our surprise, sparsely populated for a Friday evening at 6pm. There were a pair of ladies sitting up front, unabashedly raving about the beer selection, which was a great comfort to me. We sat at the very front at a small table with a view of the sidewalk and magnificent pine tree, which just happens to be the largest in the state of Georgia.

Michelle started (and finished) the evening with a Berliner Weiss, the 1809 version brewed by Weihenstephaner. This was a 16oz bottle, mistakenly advertised as a 11.2oz bottle, but was served with the obligatory raspberry syrup and proper goblet. Michelle actually prefers her Berliner without syrup, but the occasion seemed ripe for a compromise. 8oz was drank with syrup, 8oz without, both delicious. My first beer of the evening was Monchshof Schwarzbier, an excellent black beer which relies on hop content for bitterness, as opposed to English dark beers which use roasted malts to achieve similar results. As such, schwarzbiers are a dark "lighter" beer, perfect for all occasions, but especially when flavor is required without the heaviness of content.

Our food selections were the Pig Wings Plate and the house Reuben (I know - not really German), which we ended up splitting so that we could sample the whole lot between us. The Reuben was excellent, the sauerkraut well balanced between sweet and sour. A Pig Wing is a broiled pork knuckle, dark, tender meat served with two different dipping sauces, one barbeque, the other made with Gorgonzola cheese. The German potato salad was also excellent, vinegar and corn syrup giving a sweet and sour mix similar to the sauerkraut.

When finished with the 16oz of schwarzbier, I ordered the Schlenkerla Urbock Rauchbier, 16oz of rich, smoke flavored beer. The mouthfeel was full, the taste like malt and smoked meats. After the meal we sat and talked in leisurely manner, nursing our beers, reminiscing over 20 years of God's grace. We saw many pass the posted menu on the sidewalk, stopping occasionally to read the contents, but none came to eat or drink. Being in the mood for dessert, but not yet at that moment, we decided to walk through town and check out some of the shops. After meandering for a while, the mood for dessert finally overcame us and we headed back.

There was only one other couple there, and the same server seated us on the other side of the dining room. We ordered (and split) a piece of an excellent chocolate cake (Chocolate Madness Cake), and my portion was complimented by a 11.2oz bottle of Celebrator, the creme-de-la-creme of Dopplebocks, the German equivalent of a chocolate stout. Fully satiated, we walked back to the hotel.

I would highly recommend the Altstadter to anyone in the area, though you need to call to verify their hours; and I get the impression they are open for dinner only. All of the beer was bottled, as opposed to draft, but this is a minor thing and actually is a better guarantee of freshness given the lack of high traffic, especially since the appreciative drinkers (and eaters) should be well rewarded for choosing such quality. Also, kudos to our server, Sara, who answered Michelle's questions about the culinary preparations, and who spoke the language of good beer.

We had a good evening of food and drink, a great anniversary weekend, and we still serve an awesome God who gives all such gifts to the undeserving.

Funky beer

2008-04-23T19:15:00.000-05:00

By funky beers I mean that broad category of malt beverages that truly push the limit of what is considered "beer". The most easily recognized "funky" beers are lambics, the Lindemans label/brewery being the most accessible and popularly enjoyed.

To be sure, this is a good start but most of these beers are artificially sweetened, which removes the edge that these beers have in their rawer form. Lambics are joined by Oud Bruin, Flemish Red, Berliner Weisse, and the newest addition, American Wild Ale. All of these have several common characteristics, though each are unique enough to describe individually.

First things first - what makes these categories similar?

All of these elements are considered Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is the technical name for ale yeasts, that class of living organisms that produce beer at warmer temperatures. Before refrigeration, these were the main beer yeasts used, though their categorization as such did not occur widely until Louis Pasteur's work.

Dominion has enabled brewers to isolate certain characteristics unique to country, region, even brewery. (Related but slightly different is Saccharomyces uvarum, lager yeast, which likes colder temperatures, and is generally not responsible for "funky" beers.)

As for the specific beasties to make such beers, there are two:

Brettanomyces bruxellensis - "brett" for short, this is a strain of yeast that produces the bulk of the "funk", including flavors and aromas described as "leathery", "sweaty horse hair", "barnyard", and even "wet dog in a phone booth". Usually considered a contaminant, it operates after regular fermentation (when Saccharomyces cerevisiae goes dormant), consuming the residual sugars, producing it's unique flavor and aromas. Various strains have been isolated including Brettanomyces lambicus and Brettanomyces claussenii, which are used in lambics and some old ales, respectively.

Lactobacillus - "lacto" for short, is actually a bacteria that converts sugar to lactic acid. If like sourdough bread, pickles, kimchi, cheese, or sauerkraut, then in principle, you know what the lacto produces in beer. Generally speaking beers with lactobacillus tend to be very refreshing in warm weather and make great aperitifs because they get your saliva glands working.

But enough of the technical...what about the great beers made with these creatures?

Starting with the least "offensive" to the taste buds try:

Lindemans Framboise, Kriek, Cassis, Peche, and Pomme (Raspberry, Cherry, Peach, and Apple) - these are artificially sweetened lambics with just a tinge of funk, and a favorite of the ladies even though you men can enjoy them as well. (Don't let your pride dictate what flavors you enjoy.)

But these may be too sweet for your palate; if so, move up to:

Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Bayerischer Bahnhof Gose - a unique style of German beer flavored with coriander, salt, and slight lacto presence

Dogfish Head Festina Pêche - an excellent American version of the Berliner Weisse style, with peach flavor to boot

Weihenstephan 1809 Berliner Weisse - a very light, crisp, sharp beer without a significant malt or hop flavor. But is it beer? Sure is, and Napoleon called it the "champagne of the north".

A step up the ladder would be Oud Bruins (old browns), produced primarily in East Flanders, sweeter and more beer like because of the malty character:

Monk's Café Flemish Sour Red Ale - not a red ale (see below), but a bit sweeter than others in this category

Petrus Oud Bruin - slightly funkier oud bruin

Liefmans Goudenbond - crème de la crème of oud bruin - sweet, sour, malty, and very drinkable

Liefmans Kriekbier - the Goudenbond base, but with a healthy dose of cherries - excellent

Liefmans Frambozenbier - the Goudenbond base, but with a healthy dose of raspberries - even more excellent

One more step up (or down) the funk ladder is the Belgian Red Beer, acidic and sour, a specialty from West Flanders that can be aged as long as 3 years in huge oak barrels before going into bottles. The most wine-like beer in the larger group.

Duchesse De Bourgogne - a great example of a Flanders Red, slightly sweet, with a milder acid character than Rodenbach

Rodenbach Classic - the "brand name" of the Flanders Red style, a blend of aged and new ales - sharp and refreshing

Rodenbach Grand Cru - an aged ale, particularly good and slightly more mellow than the classic version

One of the best classic fruit lambics I'd had is Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus, which is incredibly sour and nothing like the sweetened versions listed up top.

The American Wild Ale category was invented (more or less) to accommodate brewers who were intentionally using Brett and funky yeasts, but were not doing so in the traditional Belgian way. Lambics, strictly speaking, can only be produced in the Senne Valley. I have only had one, Jolly Pumpkin's La Roja, which Michelle and I both enjoy, though its a bit tangy even for Michelle. Most of these are being produced on the West coast, so I'm just waiting for Russian River brews to come to GA.

Finally, the top rung of funky beers is the gueuze, the driest, harshest version of funky beer available. These are extremely carbonated, are unblended with any fruit, and absolutely must consumed at a relatively warm temperatures to fully appreciate. Try both the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Lindemans Cuvee Rene Gueuze, both of which are exquisite and, unfortunately, expensive.

Consider this your starting point - go forth and experiment.

Bottle conditioning beer

2008-04-07T15:00:00.002-05:00

A friend recently asked me about priming sugar for bottle conditioning beer and the following is my response. I share it here for your continuing beer education.

Brown sugar would be ok for priming. The goal is to have the living yeast consume sugar in a sealed container, a byproduct of which will be CO2. Any sugar will do, though the type of sugar will effect the time it takes to carbonate and contribute additional flavors. The "problem" usually is in the yeast, not the sugar.
In a highly attenuated* beer, the priming sugar will be the only food left for the yeast, which will result in lower carbonation and perhaps will take longer to produce what you want. In a beer with low attenuation, you will end up with lots of carbonation, quickly.

For bottle-conditioned homebrews, think about a low attenuated beer, like a wheat beer or perhaps many of the Belgians - lots of carbonation. And then think about a low attenuated beer that's been sitting for a while. Not only does it have the priming sugar, but it (the yeast) will continue to eat the residual sugar left in the bottle. Pop the cap - boom!! I've had a few like this, especially the last few beers of a given batch.

The great thing about a beer that ages for several weeks or months before bottling, like my raspberry sour, is that it has almost no residual sugar left, meaning the addition of priming sugar at bottling will practically guarantee that carbonation will not run crazy as it continues to condition.

*Attenuation - the degree to which the yeast consumes sugar during fermentation

In the fridge - 4/5/08

2008-04-05T20:21:00.002-05:00

It's been way too long between posts, but enough excuses. Here's what's in the beer fridge tonight:

Sam Adams Boston Lager - a great "regular" beer, especially good with pizza.

Sam Adams Black Lager - another great SA beer; drink with hearty meat and potato dishes.

Dogfish Head Midas Touch - quite interesting, almost wine-like...not an everyday beer, but pushes the boundaries of what beer is.

1809 - a Berliner Weisse...Napoleon called it the champage of the north.

Dogfish Head Festina Peche - a Berliner Weisse-style beer, done Dogfish style. Refreshing in warm weather, the lacto makes it a good aperitif.

Strongbow - not a beer, but one of the best ciders available; this is Michelle's favorite.

O'Hara's Celtic Stout - the beer that introduced me to real beer...my first beer love.

Paulaner Oktoberfest - creamy, malty, delicious, and a lager to boot. Ale snobs, take note.

Sweetwater IPA - not only a local beer, but one of great east of the Mississippi IPAs.

Jolly Pumpkin La Roja - an American Wild Ale, full of sour fruit flavors...mouth puckering and yummy.

Raspberry Sour (homebrew) - my own version of a fruit beer, with souring lactobacillus to balance out the sweetness. A favorite amongst many of my friends, especially the ladies.

Dunkelweizen (homebrew) - brand-new homebrew, barely 2 weeks in the bottle. Extremely dark, roasty with chocolate and banana overtones. I expect this will age well, though it won't keep since I'll be drinking it...;)

Belgian Strong Ale (homebrew) - I intended this to be a tripel, but it ended up too sweet. Nevertheless, a pretty decent Belgian Ale, about 7.5% ABV.

And...in the queue...

Indian Brown Ale (homebrew) - my first attempt at a Brown IPA...tasted great at bottling, can't wait to try it fully carbonated.

That's it for now...until next posting, drink better.

Craft beer on the rise in Japan

2007-10-20T09:19:00.000-05:00

"A society of craftsmen..." I love it.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/travel/21beer.html?ex=1350619200&en=651ef4adc4a956f2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Sierra Nevada disappointment

2007-10-16T15:27:00.000-05:00

I was very disappointed to find out that the Sierra Nevada Brewing financially supports the local Planned Parenthood clinic in Chico. It is certainly not a great mystery that so many people, and their companies, would proudly label themselves as being "pro-choice" in this day of declining public morality and justice, but this is too much for me.

In this case, Sierra Nevada will have to make their otherwise excellent beer without my support.

http://culbreath.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/sierra-nevada-brewing-company-and-abortion/

Beer snobbery

2007-09-07T15:10:00.000-05:00

An excellent article highlighting the dangers of being a genuine beer snob as opposed to enjoying beer for its own sake. (Minor language warning)

http://www.lewbryson.com/buzz0907.htm

Beer in space

2007-07-31T13:31:00.000-05:00

After allegations that astronauts flew drunk, NASA's rules on alcohol are under scrutiny. The agency currently doesn't allow its astronauts to imbibe in orbit, but over the years of crewed space travel, many astronauts have enjoyed a tipple.

In 1969, Buzz Aldrin took communion after landing on the Moon, sipping wine from a small chalice. In the Moon's feeble gravity, he later wrote, the wine swirled like syrup around the cup.
Small amounts of alcohol were apparently allowed on the Soviet space station Mir, and when Russian astronauts joined the International Space Station, there were some grumblings about the decree that it be dry.

That hasn't stopped some researchers from working on ways to brew and serve alcohol in space, however.

Graduate student Kirsten Sterrett at the University of Colorado in the US wrote a thesis on fermentation in space, with support from US beer behemoth Coors. She sent a miniature brewing kit into orbit aboard a space shuttle several years ago and produced a few sips of beer. She later sampled the space brew, but because of chemicals in and near it from her analysis, it didn't taste great by the time she tried it.

Beyond the challenge of producing beer in space is the problem of serving it, says Jonathan Clark, a former flight surgeon and now the space medicine liaison for the National Space Biomedical Research Institute in Houston, Texas, US.

Without gravity, bubbles don't rise, so "obviously the foam isn't going to come to a head", Clark told New Scientist.

The answer, Dutch researchers suggested in 2000, is to store beer in a flexible membrane inside a barrel. Air can be pumped between the barrel and the membrane, forcing the beer out of a tap. Astronauts could then use straws to suck up blobs of beer.

Unfortunately for thirsty astronauts, beer is poorly suited to space consumption because of the gas it includes. Without gravity to draw liquids to the bottoms of their stomachs, leaving gases at the top, astronauts tend to produce wet burps.

"That's one of the reasons why we don't have carbonated beverages on the space menu," NASA spokesperson William Jeffs told New Scientist.

Jeffs says no research has been done on the effects of alcohol in a microgravity environment. But he says: "There may be differences in alcohol absorption and metabolism in space, which makes one suspect that there may be differences in the effects of alcohol in space."

Clark says medications sometimes have unusual effects in space, which "run the gamut from increased to decreased reactions".

So, should astronauts be allowed to drink in space? "It depends on the length of the mission and any cultural norms," says Jay Buckey, a former astronaut who studies space physiology at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, US.

"Mine was a very short mission," says Buckey, who spent 16 days aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1998. "I didn't see any need for it."

Original article at:
http://space.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12388&feedId=online-news_rss20

Good beer - providence or natural law?

2007-06-29T14:10:00.000-05:00

You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earthand wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. Psalm 104:14-15

The picture you see is my first attempt at growing hops in the backyard, these being of the Brewers Gold variety which is used in English and Belgian beers as a bittering hop. I also have a Fuggle vine growing, though it has not produced discernable flowers/cones yet. A late bloomer I suppose. The other picture is of the back deck complete with many of the green and growing things Michelle has been cultivating since earlier this spring. Some things have come up very well, some not as well as expected. As I started to expound in my last post, these things are clear indications of Providence, the outward manifestation of God's guiding hand in the affairs of men and though our planning, preparing, and cultivating are necessary work, the results belong to Him alone. When things work out well, we tend to forget this and attribute success to our own resources and to "natural" law, as if the universe operates on principles that are somehow independent of God.

(For the theologically conversant - I do realize that "natural law" is commonly used to describe the uniformity of nature, but I am critiquing the practical atheism that often accompanies such ideas, since the Bible clearly teaches that "natural" causes are in fact Divine causes. The uniformity we observe is merely the "regular" consistency of God, while other "miraculous" events should be subtitled under the same consistency, though a broader definition of consistency and a humble, teachable spirit is required to appreciate it. There is nothing inconsistent about Jesus turning water to wine or healing someone of a grave disease, given that He was God Incarnate, maker and sustainer of "natural" laws.)

But when things don't turn out well we should be reminded both of our inability to accomplish everything we intend, as well as the fact that God may be trying to get our attention. Several illustrations will make my point.

One of my last batches of beer was a biere de garde, a recipe that is fast becoming a staple for my homebrew palate. I am gratified to know that most who have tasted it have enjoyed it. And so my confidence grew, perhaps with a bit of pride. After all, I've not had to dump many batches of beer. Until…this particular batch was made with a slightly difference recipe, but nothing profoundly out of order. Fermentation, bottling, and storage went without incident, until the 2-3 week mark, which is the "usual" time for carbonation to develop. Much to my disappointment, at the 2 week mark there was no carbonation and at 4 weeks there is a little more but not enough to create the flavor and palate for which it was intended. It may yet come into its own, albeit late, or it may be destined for fertilizer.

I can go with two reasons for failure here - Jeff made a mistake or God withheld His favor (at least for now). The first reason is likely in this case, but not always the correct cause. The second reason is definitely true, though not necessarily linked the first. In other words, God can withhold a good result from being produced because of a mistake I made, due to my fallibility, or He can withhold that result just because He wills it, despite the proper preparation and execution. This does not make God capricious but is a reminder that the uniformity of causes (natural law) is not as clear cut as we would like it to be and is not dependent on human categories. Job learned this lesson quite painfully, the facts of which are recorded in Scripture for us to learn without the benefit of his experience, as should all such warnings and lessons be applied.

The other illustration goes to my back deck and the passage in Psalm 104 quoted above. God makes the green things grow because the cows need to eat and man needs food, ointment, and drink for his whole health, body, mind, and spirit. We consider the growth of food as "natural" or worse, a "right" to which man is privy, due to the "natural" law of hunger. Yet God is the originator of such growth and as a consequence, He is the originator of well-fed cows and healthy people. (God also gives enjoyment of food and drink, which itself is a grace. Woe to the man who eats and drinks yet is not satisfied - see Ecclesiastes 6) The clear import is that food and drink, when in short supply, may or may not be caused by faulty human activity, but certainly comes directly from God, whether through secondary agencies or not, meaning He is also the originator of sick cows and unhealthy people.

This may seem a very verbose way of stating an obvious truth, but our actions and attitudes often overlook that human faithfulness can often times produce bad results. We're not accustomed to thinking that way because our commitment to "natural" law, which assumes when the money is placed in the machine, the candy bar predictably comes out. Yet God is not beholden to us; quite the opposite.

So where does this leave us? It leaves us in the humility we were born to, creatures dependent upon God for everything. This may sound like overstatement, but in my own life I sense that the practical atheism of my day-to-day expectations is much more prevalent than I would like to imagine. Rain and drought, the growth of hops, peppers, and herbs, and the magnificent yeast that produces beer all belong to God, not the weatherman, scientist, farmer, or brewer. This should make our enjoyment of such gifts even more delectable since even with all our sinfulness, God does not give us what our offenses deserve and what our finiteness cannot produce.

The next time you drink, consider the brewer's work, the equipment he uses and its design and fabrication; the skill required to use equipment, create a recipe, bottle, deliver, and get it to the store; the ingredients and the rain needed to grow living things, the dirt in which it is nourished; the farmer who must tend to all aspects of its growth and contend with conditions far beyond his control. Many, many things which could go wrong and don't. All of these things in order for us to eat and drink, all of these things under the control of a benevolent God who amongst gifts uncountable, gives us beer.

Imbibe and enjoy with sobriety and in remembrance of such things, your mind firmly fixed on Him. For the profane and self-righteous, this is foolishness since beer is merely a happy accident of superior human effort wrangling with natural law. Yet for the humble Christian, beer will never taste better when enjoyed as a divinely ordained gift meant to cheer man's heart, unnaturally pleasant in a corrupt and fallen world.

Planning for good beer

2007-06-08T14:07:00.000-05:00

I drank my last 2006 Imperial Stout homebrew last night, brewed on 10/28/06, bottled on 11/9/06, approximately 6 months old. It was both an enjoyable and melancholy event, the beer excellent in its own right and yet the last of its generation. The flavors were smooth, refined, and satisfying, the providence of time being very good. The beer went down nicely in the cool of the evening whilst smoking my pipe and reading a big thick book on the front porch, as seemed fitting for such a beverage. As a friend of mine mentioned the other day, this particular stout requires respect; the ABV hovers somewhere in the high 8% to low 9% and is bold and aggressive. Such a beer deserves to be imbibed while mulling over deep things.

Upon continued reflection, it occurred to me that good beer (homebrew or otherwise) is a result of several factors, some of which are more or less under our influence and those that are not. (I am speaking here about brewing, not running down to the package store.) Those elements we do not control are mysterious, unknowable and totally belong to God. Our response should be abject humility. Those elements under our influence are still under God's control, requiring an even harder kind of humility, yet this does not absolve us of personal responsibility to bring particular plans to fruition, so far as it depends on us. Things like planning, budgeting, thoughtful consideration of the end product, and so on. In a broad way, even planning beers for holidays, personal events, and seasons requires a bit of forethought, especially when bottle conditioning is taken into consideration.

I have been contemplating the production of some unique beers, most of which require up to a year of secondary fermentation, not including the bottle conditioning. Some brewers may balk at such time-frames, but patience is required for such creations. Of course, talent and skill are required as well, which is one of the reasons I have only done small experiments up to this point. No sense in taking 6 months to find out my beer is best used for fertilizing the lawn. I've had a few poured down the drain, but thankfully not many. Yet good brewers have always had bad batches of beer, whether their fault or not, and accept it as part of the learning process. Like in life, it’s the willingness to move past failures that separate the mediocre from the exceptional. This does not mean that dumping 50 gallons of homebrew somehow guarantees success but rather that the fruit of success is born in the shadow of failure.

The message is not merely for the aspiring brewer though. Those drinking, the true patrons of the brewing arts, should be mindful that every glass raised is a result of labor, of providence, of sweat, and oftentimes, of failure. Whether in London, Prague, Brussels, Munich, or Portland, the challenges and results are the same. But also remember that good planning was involved. A poor product is not intentional and things we do not prefer are driven by marketing not a lack of skill or attention to detail.

The Beer Advocate guys would say "Respect Beer", which is true. But to that I would add "Respect Brewers". God not only shares his grain, hops, yeast, and water with us, but gives us folks who undertake such labors with passion, joy and diligence.

Enjoy beer, respect brewers, and thank God for both.

Beer review - Kriekbier

2007-04-23T14:50:00.000-05:00

Liefmans Kriekbier is categorized as a "fruit beer" on BeerAdvocate.com, true as far as it goes, but it would be a mistake to consider this another "seasonal" beer, whereby fruit flavor is added to an otherwise standard base. This beer is almost a category in itself; it starts as a Flanders Oud Bruin then sour cherries are added to an almost completed beer and it is fermented/aged for another year. The result is something akin to a lambic, but not spontaneously fermented, as the cherries themselves initiate the secondary.

Kriekbier comes lovingly wrapped in its own tissue paper, a sturdy green bottle, holding just over 12oz, with easily identifiable label with all the pertinent information. The cork had "2004" printed on its side, and the wire cage had a "2014" date stamped on it, probably indicating a 10 year shelf life. Removed the cork with a loud "pop" and poured a dark ruby/brown with a fast growing but relatively quickly dissipating head. Wisps of lace along with a thin white foam remain on the top.

Nose is a mix of fruit sweetness, cherry, lactic sourness, and slight barnyard/earthy aroma. Mouthfeel is medium; both a smooth creaminess and sharp carbonation are present, but neither thick or thin.

Taste initially is a mouth-puckering sourness that evolves into a rich, sweet cherry flavor, with hints of wood. No hop or malt character can be discerned, though the underlying oud bruin character provides a bulk of the body. Most cherry flavored beers I've had tend to be medicinal or phenolic, probably an association made from consuming cherry-flavored cough syrups as a child. But the Kriekbier is sweet, yet balanced enough with the sourness to be complex and refreshing. This would be excellent anytime, but particularly good after a long day's work outside during the spring or summer.

Another great (and classic) beer from Liefmans, I really need to learn to make this kind of beer. It is something that Michelle and I can both enjoy. It's fairly pricey, but definitely worth the experience. Buy, pour, drink, enjoy, repeat.

Long live Flanders

2007-04-18T11:31:00.001-05:00

Whether you enjoy Belgian beers or not, this bit of news is very interesting. It would seem that the rise against the socialism of the EU, rarely reported on in US papers, is more than alive. It also dispels the notion that Western Europeans, as a whole, are much more "liberal" than Americans. More likely is that European politicians are much more liberal than their constituencies, which is not really all that different than here.

As for the beer, Saison and Biere de Garde are mainly produced in French-speaking Wallonia and French departement Nord-Pas de Calais (originally called French Flanders after the Dutch-speaking population), but most all other Belgian styles are produced in West and East Flanders.

While political changes are only incidental for the benefit of man's spiritual well-being and need, the decentralization of civil authority cannot be a bad thing in itself. Long live Flanders!!

http://www.flemishrepublic.org/pdf/flemishrepublic_2007-17.pdf

Beer review - La Bavaisienne

2007-04-17T16:06:00.000-05:00

Though I do not like the idea of a "favorite" style of beer, I would have to say that biere de garde approaches something near the mark. I'm not sure, but it may be the "rustic" drinkability similar to the English bitter and pale ales that introduced many of us to the broader orbit of the beer world. It may be it's uniqueness not only being a French style, whose Gallic pride in culinary liquidity are usually in reference to wine, but also to it's relatively rarity. In the world of beer, biere de garde simply does not have the name recognition that Pale Ale and Stouts do. However, that may be changing, so while I am not on the knife-edge of future trendiness, I do expect to see more and more of this style in the market as well as more and more American brewers (including this writer) attempt their own interpretations.

There are actually a variety of color interpretations (pale golden to dark amber) and alcohol levels (anywhere between 5-8%), so an exact description may not be fully possible. However, it is kissing-cousin (more or less) to the Belgian Saison, both of which are considered farmhouse ales; clean, sturdy, malt-based beers with a low hop profile, the Belgian Saison being the spicier of the two. From what beer historians know, they were originally brewed in the fall and laid down over the winter (the name itself means beer for storing), and broken out in the spring time for consumption by farm hands during the planting season. For this reason alone I believe it was a lower gravity brew, though we cannot be sure. Belgian and French brewers (this particular area of France borders Belgium and remember an international border is just a line on a map) did not write down their recipes very often, not being overly concerned with style. It was just "beer" to them, and so it should be to us.

La Bavaisienne is currently one of the highest rating biere de garde on Beer Advocate, one of my main reasons for pursuing this beer. It pours a light brown color with a large frothy white head, and much carbonation. I drank from my Chimay goblet, which made the beer very attractive and inviting. The nose is slightly spicy, but toasty and earthly as well. Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, yet well carbonated and not thick. Taste is a toasty, biscuity, slightly earthy and yeasty, with an undercurrent of prickly orange-like spice that does not distract from the malt. The toasty malt profile is unusual, as is the hop presence, for this style. Very smooth and grainy, with a subtle caramel flavor from front to back. Finishes mildly dry, with touches of sweet spicy alcohol that reminds you of the 7% ABV.

Overall, this is an excellent offering, but far too expensive to be an everyday session beer. Buy for special occasions and perhaps try with a mild pork dish or chicken. This particular version was probably heavier than others I've had, but 3 Monts, Jenlain, Castelain, and Gavaroche are also excellent choices should you choose to branch out and experiment.

Enjoy.

Beer review - Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait

2007-03-22T16:31:00.000-05:00

The gueuze style is more or less an unblended, unsweetened lambic, very carbonated, crisp, dry, and of course, sour. But "sour" is not entirely correct, anymore than saying that Pale Ales or Bitters are simply "bitter". It is a way to distinguish them from other beer styles perhaps, but a single adjective hardly encompasses the totality of the drinking experience. Unless of course that word is simply "good".

The Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait is exactly what it purports to be…a dry, crisp, old-style beer, that probably has more in common with champagne and perhaps some dry wines, at least to those who didn't know beer could be so complex.

This one pours a brilliant golden, with an immaculate white head, the glass obviously bursting with a heavy carbonation.

The smell is of that familiar funkiness that can be only be described as grassy, earthy, funky, and slightly acidic, with a clean malt base. No hops could be discerned.

Mouthfeel is puckering, crisp and dry, very carbonated, and very full, considering the effervescence.

Taste initially hits the saliva glands with an acidic sourness and a citrus-like fruitiness that is also sweet. But not too sweet, and neither is the sour character overly developed, at least not so much to think you're drinking liquid sweet-tarts. It's far too complex for that. Rather, all of the funky aromas and the citrus fruitiness, along with a sour-ish malt result in a very complicated, yet easily drinkable, beer. I let this one sit out for at least 30 minutes before consumption, and by the bottom of the glass, the warmth made it more drinkable than when I started. Shame it was only 12oz.

The sweetness is not too sweet, balanced by the sourness, yet neither significantly dominated. For comparison, imagine a really good IPA, where the malt balances out the hops, and they work together. A really hoppy beer without a good malt base is usually too much, and even really malty beers need some hop to keep them from being too sweet. So it is with the Oude Geuze…not too sweet, not too sour.

If you're interested in trying something really different, pick up a bottle. I will warn you that a 12oz bottle is $7, so perhaps your adventurousness only goes so far. This is not an everyday beer, but certainly a worthy one for special occasions.

Dogfish Head comes to GA

2007-02-27T16:04:00.000-05:00

Amongst beer aficionados, Dogfish Head ranks right up there as one of top craft breweries in the US. Founder Sam Calagione has created not only a reputation for good beers, but non-traditional, experimental beers that push the limits of style. For a traditionalist like myself, this is dangerous water since I tend to be a "paint within the lines" kind of guy. But being a homebrewer myself, I am beginning to appreciate the subtler elements of the craft simply through trial-and-error and curiosity. The goal is not always to make an exact duplicate of "X" style or label, but to make something like it, that is both recognizable to a stranger and yet uniquely...unique. As a brewer, it is unlikely I will ever achieve this level of artisanship. But as a taster, learning to apprehend and appreciate complex beers is ever a challenge, however silly it might seem to the uninitiated.

This brings me back to Dogfish Head, which just last week entered the Georgia distribution market. The reputation for good beers was almost from word of mouth alone since I've previously only had their Chicory Stout, which I picked up in Chicago last year. From the various selections available here, I chose two, the Indian Brown Ale and the Raison D'Etre. Both are hard to exactly pinpoint on style, though broadly speaking one is a brown ale, the other a Belgian dark.

But the broad description of each is really where it ends. Both of these beers are very complex. There is so much going on, especially as they warm, that I would hard pressed to accurately describe the flavors. The Indian Brown is malty, nutty, hoppy, with touches of peat. The Raison D'Etre tastes like a Belgian dark, but has a vinous quality reminiscent of wine. Normally, I am "distracted" with dinner, a movie, a conversation, etc, when drinking, but both of these beers really captured my attention more than usual. This is not to wax poetic or to make it seem like a religious experience, which it certainly was not. But it was beyond the norm, and well worth the extra time to ponder.

But as someone once quipped on Beer Advocate, less geeking and more drinking; we can write reviews all day, but the celebration of beer is found in the drinking.

Go, and soberly appreciate such wonderful gifts.

A good use of bad beer

2006-09-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

Very entertaining...hooray for Milwaukee's Best

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmBRZ7UR3Rw

Beer review - Mendocino Imperial IPA

2006-07-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

Back in December, we had our Winter Tasting and one the selected beers was Mendocino's Imperial IPA. This beer was not amongst my favorites, being very astringent and unbalanced in this reviewers opinion. Since no one bought the extra 2 bottles (apparently the other participants agreed with me), I resolved to age them to what would become of the flavor. After 7 months of aging and a week of refrigeration, it was time to review.

This Imperial IPA comes in a decorative bottle and is only available in winter as their seasonal offering. It is listed as 9% ABV, and this bottle was a 2005/6 vintage.

The appearance is a lovely gold-orange hue, but cloudy, nominal indications of carbonation, topped off by a sufficient brownish-white head.

A rather vague, sweetish malt aroma lingers in the back of the nose, while a big floral hoppiness dominates aroma. The smell comes across as a big beer, balanced in favor of late hopping.

Mouthfeel is a medium-full thickness, smooth and almost creamy. Definitely a big beer.

The taste had significantly changed, as the astringent hop flavor was much subdued, though it definitely rules the overall flavor. The malt is evident, not so much in flavor, but more in a thick mouthfeel, making this beer still somewhat unbalanced. It is definitely a "big" beer, but many of the I2PA's I've had, tend to juggle a large hop character with a underlying sweet malt, which makes the beer all the more drinkable, even at 9% ABV. A good example of this is Rogue's I2PA. One interesting characteristic was that the ABV was not manifest in either an alcohol "slickness", nor even in effect. Usually I can tell when I've drank a high gravity beer, but this one's impact was minimal.

Overall, the aging process made the Mendocino much more drinkable, but still not balanced enough. And since this is my blog, I'll go on record as saying that too many American brewers are trying to make the "big beer", but end up making something that is not representative of the style, nor is it enjoyable as a 12oz experience. Ultimately, with human limitations in mind, drinking beer is about enjoyment and refreshment. While the experience of individual beers and drinkers ends up being a largely subjective experience, the BJCP standards exist for a purpose and "beer without rules" may be fun to experiment with, but often fall short of enjoyment.

There is one more Mendocino which I plan to consume in December, so we'll see what one year does.

Beer tasting - UK versus US, UK styles

2006-07-14T10:17:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, July 7th, was our latest tasting, a UK versus US taste-test, in several UK styles. One of the interesting things about BJCP standards is that many of the British styles produced here in the states actually have their own category. For example, a Northern English Brown Ale is an entirely different category as the American Brown Ale. While this makes for a somewhat unfair comparison, it does highlight the differences between what respective brewers are trying to emphasize.

For the most part, American styles are bigger and bolder, placing greater emphasis on the hop character or a fuller body. Our tasters reported mixed results. In some styles, the bigger character (either hop or malt) was a distraction or too potent, making the "traditional" interpretation a better session choice. And many rightly pointed out that they were completely different beers, the brown ales being a prime example. In others though, the "bigger" beer made for more a filling treat, one that offered more satisfaction flavor-wise. As always, there is that element of subjectivity to beer drinking that makes one person's evening aperitif, another's session beer. So it goes and so it should; if we all liked the same thing, the beer world would be a very boring place and I would not be doing such events.

We also had new faces at this one, which is always encouraged, making my emphasis on education more prominent than usual. It is not really good enough to pour a bunch of samples and hope for the best. An appreciative drinker is one that ponders the flavors and aromas presented, and listens to the experience of the taster next to him. Sobriety is definitely required, but so is an attitude of learning. Over the years, I've found that what one person can taste or smell becomes noticeable only after announcing it, many of the subtleties being hidden in complexity. This is what makes such events important educationally, since every palate is different and more often than not, a beer with friends places the emphasis on fellowship, which is not to be denied in its importance.

That being said, here is a list of what we tasted:

Fullers London Pride Pale Ale
vs
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Young's Old Nick Barleywine
vs
Anchor Old Foghorn Barleywine

Samuel Smith IPA
vs
Sweetwater IPA

Fullers London Porter
vs
Anchor Porter

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale
vs
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
vs
Thomas Hooker Porter

St. Peter's Cream Stout
vs
Sam Adams Cream Stout

Guinness Extra Stout
vs
Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout
vs
Terrapin Oatmeal Imperial Stout

My hope is to cover German beers in late September and perhaps one more tasting in December. Thanks to Bob and Dorothea Horton for hosting, again, and to Michelle and Dorothea for all of the food and snacks, which were excellent as usual. And certainly my thanks goes to everyone for their participation. Without willing tasters, there would be no tastings.

Hope to see you next time.

Beer review - Moosbacher Kellerbier

2006-07-03T09:59:00.000-05:00

I'm doing some prep work for a German tasting in a few months, and came across a fairly rare style of German lager. Beer Advocate describes the style as such:

A rather old, rare, and unique German beer style, Kellerbiers are unfiltered and unpasteurized lagers that date back to at least the Middle Ages. The beer is matured, unbunged (beer is exposed), in deep vaults. The final product is a smooth, naturally cloudy beer that's rich in vitamins (from the yeast). Hop bitterness can be high and alcohol will vary.

Review as follows:

Bottle is a 500ml work of art, lovely dark brown with it's own rubber-sealed ceramic cap. All the important information is printed on the label, including things the government thinks you should know but likely the drinker could care less about.

The appearance is an opaque brown, quite clear and almost sparkling with carbonation. Whatever the style originally was, this was not a cloudy beer and there was little to no sediment in the bottle. My guess is if this was keg or barrel conditioned, the sediment stayed there.

Not unlike many German lagers, generally speaking, the nose is dominated by a clean malt aroma sprinkled by a subtle hop. There was also a distinctly nutty aroma, and perhaps even a vague notion of tobacco. It was inviting.

Mouthfeel was medium, with moderate to heavy carbonation, refreshing and smooth.

A toasty, sweet malt is prominent, not unlike a brown ale, with a much more German character. That nut and tobacco evidence in the nose also develops in the palate, though very subtlety. There is also a mild hop character that is less pronounced than many German lagers I've had, but added a pleasant dimension to the whole experience. The carbonation, as mentioned earlier, made the whole beer enjoyable.

Too rare and not cost efficient enough to be a session beer, this was a good German lager that had character and flavor that, in my opinion, was a step above many of the other bottom fermented offerings from that country. I recommend that you try this one, even if only once.

American dishwater versus German beer

2006-06-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

The AJC reports on German discontent with American beers being promoted, instead of local fare.

Full text here -

Munich, Germany — In the cavernous back room of Munich's famous Augustiner beer hall, Heiko Hofrichter sits at one of the long wooden tables, takes a sip of his thick brew, and explains why German soccer fans just can't swallow the fact that America's Budweiser is the official beer at World Cup stadiums.

"For Germans, Bud tastes like watered-down beer. It's not beer," complained Hofrichter, 24, a graduate student from the city of Nuremberg.
"It's Spülwasser!" cried Robert Paustian, 32, from another table in the boisterous beer hall, using the German word for dishwater.

Other Germans haven't reacted so politely. Since Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser paid $40 million for the "pouring rights" at the 12 World Cup stadiums across the country — meaning most of the beer served will be the American brew — anti-Bud Web sites have flourished, calling for a boycott of Budweiser. Chat rooms for German soccer fans have been flooded with complaints about the prospect of having to replace a local pilsner with a Budweiser draft during the month-long tournament.

"If it's a German World Cup, the beer sponsors should be German," said Harald Paustian, 30, who was drinking a beer with his brother on a recent evening.
It's no secret that Germans love their beer — they are the globe's second-largest per capita beer consumers, behind the Czechs. Beer halls like Augustiner in Munich's central district are popular spots for all generations. It's not uncommon to see a family of four sharing a wooden bench with a rowdy group of post-game fans. Summer beer gardens can be found in almost every city and village across the country.

Most Germans know from memory the differences in the size and shape of the glasses in which regional beers are served. Schoolchildren can recite the year — 1516 — when Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV introduced the Beer Purity Law, which set the standards for how beer was to be brewed and still is followed today.

"We respect the Germans' pride in their beer," said Tony Ponturo, vice president of global media and sports marketing for Anheuser-Busch. "But we are proud of Budweiser and what it's about. We think this is about giving consumers a choice."

But perhaps nowhere is the disappointment over Bud's presence stronger than in Munich, where the opening World Cup match will pit Germany against Costa Rica on Friday. This is the Bavarian city famous for its Hofbrauhaus and yearly Oktoberfest. Drinking songs have been written about the city's historic beer halls.

Making matters worse, locals here say, is the other big American sponsor in the stadium. McDonald's will be the main food vendor of the World Cup. Some German ticket holders say it's bad enough they will be sipping Budweiser at kickoff. But instead of pretzels, sausages and mustard, fans fear they'll only have French fries and Big Macs. "It's like going to an American basketball game and having Nuremberg sausages. It's just not right," Hofrichter said.

The decision on Budweiser's corporate sponsorships for the World Cup was made long ago, before Germany was named the host country, according to the tournament organizer, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA. Each of the 12 stadiums may serve local and regional food specialties in addition to McDonald's.

And there is one concession here for those who are decidedly anti-Budweiser. Last year, Anheuser-Busch and Bitburger, a German brewer, reached an agreement that allows Bitburger to serve beer within the stadiums at a ratio of 30:70. German courts ruled that Bud sounded too similar to the short form for the German beer, "Bit." So the two companies came to a compromise, where Bud would retain the sole rights to advertise within the stadiums, while Bit would be allowed 30 percent of sales.

Ponturo admits that the German market has been hard to crack. Bud has about 2 percent of the beer market in Europe, he said, but accounts for less than 1 percent of beer sales in Germany. But lighter beers are making inroads, partly because younger people are more health-conscious. Beer sales inched lower in Germany in 2005 while sales of beer mixed with lemonade and other flavorings inched higher. Full-bodied beer remains predominant, but even the German brewer Beck's has begun marketing a light beer in Germany.

The debate over Budweiser at the World Cup isn't simply more anti-Americanism in a country whose population opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. It's largely a matter of taste. Many here say they just can't understand why anyone would want to drink Budweiser while in Germany.

"We don't make anything that you can compare it to. We just don't make that kind of beer. Why would we, when you can drink this?" Hofrichter said as he raised his glass of a local wheat beer.

Goose Island Brewery

2006-05-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

On a recent business trip to Chicago, I had the very good providence to be taken to Goose Island Brewery, where nothing remotely related to business was discussed. The topic of conversation, unbelievably, was beer. My own likes and dislikes, the technique of brewing (of which I am an amateur), and styles of beer in general. Needless to say after several days of travel, meetings, hotel rooms, and rental cars, it was quite pleasant to take a break, especially so in the form of a brew pub. I don't really know much about Goose Island Brewery, but if you happen to be in Chicago, make the effort to visit and quaff a few beers.

I ordered 8 different 5 oz samples, which is really the best way to try a variety of new beers. I didn't write down notes (even I'm not that much of a geek) but here are the mini reviews:

Summertime Kolsch Bier - light and fruity, this one was very refreshing but not as crisp as some kolschs I've have. A good warm weather beer.

Nut Brown Ale - sweet but clean, this is a good drinking beer without surprises or fanfare.

India Pale Ale - not being a hop-head, I don't usually favor the IPA style, but this one was relatively subdued making it good for my palate, but not necessarily best in class

Myebock - With the addition of rye to the mash, this is their version of a German maibock, except they used an ale yeast for a lager style beer, something that Rogue does with Dead Guy Ale. The rye made it interesting, but not terribly unique. I think a lager yeast would have brought out those flavors more distinctly.

Matilda - this is their version of a Belgian Pale Ale; good, but not very descript in terms of flavor or aroma. It was good, but it tasted like a homebrew. This is not an insult, just an observation.

Trippel - Better than Matilda, this one is an American interpretation of a Trippel, high gravity, sweet and clean, but not clean enough since the spiciness was way too quiet. Maybe 5 oz was not enough...

18 year ESB - Not an 18 year old beer, but their anniversary brew, cask-conditioned at that. Very smooth and balanced. Not a lot of carbonation, which is just perfect for a cask-conditioned ESB. I could have drank some pints of this.

Oatmeal Stout - Very dark, with a nice creamy head, this one was thick and loaded with malt, coffee, and chocolate flavors. By way of taste, the oatmeal is mostly hidden (not unusual), but manifests itself in mouthfeel and head retention. Good stuff.

Overall, I can't complain. One of my vendors was paying, so I was happy to drink. Of course, I'm happy to drink even when paying for my own. If you live in place that has them, support your local brew-pub.

Unibroue's new beer

2006-05-12T07:33:00.000-05:00

Unibroue has released a new beer and Beer Advocate has the scoop...check it out.

Forbes Coolest Beers

2006-05-03T07:38:00.000-05:00

While Jeff is away on business I'll keep the blog current with a slideshow from Forbes magazine (go figure, Forbes) on their selection of the 'coolest' beers

Click Here to start the show, there are buttons at the top of the page for controlling the speed of the slide progression....

Also of note is a statistic from Kirin, the Japanese Brewer; beer drinkers consumed about 40 billion gallons of beer in 2004.

Beer, on sink tap

2006-04-14T12:23:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jason for finding this humorous article. That is, except the mention of expensive beer, which should be a crime.

The selling of bad beer is a crime against Christian love. -- Law, the City of Augsburg, 13th Century

Restaurant and Beer Review - from Jason

2006-04-06T07:02:00.000-05:00

The other night we decided to try a new Italian restaurant in my little town of Hoschton. New restaurants are a bit of a novelty in Hoschton for a couple of reasons. One, it’s a small town with mostly crappy restaurants that change as often as my 6 month old's diaper, and not much more appealing. Second, the town has been going through a bit of a makeover and several new businesses had raised the hopes that some good eats might be on the horizon. Trepidation was replaced with hope as we pulled into the parking lot and the outside of Vinny’s Italian restaurant actually looked appealing to the eye with large white columns reminiscent of the old Athens Pizza chains. As we were seated in the rather small but clean dining room with Italian décor, we were starting to get excited; a nice restaurant we might be able to visit more than once.

The last ‘Italian’ restaurant we visited was recommended by a ‘friend’ although our friendship needed mending after a visit to this now closed establishment. There is no point giving you the name of the place since they are out of business but on our first and last visit I decided to try the Chicken Parmesan. What I got was a Tyson chicken patty covered with ketchup and some spaghetti noodles. My wife ordered a calzone that was elegantly served on a paper plate that quickly turned into part of her meal as the heat from the cheese and the blade of her plastic knife tore through the paper and fused with the cheese and bread.

The menu at Vinny’s, however, had a full selection of Italian entrees and salads and the wine list was surprisingly large for a small town restaurant. I decided to try the veal parmesan and an Italian beer called Birra Moretti. While my first instinct is to have wine with Italian food, our evening plans called for some running around with the children and wine leaves me feeling very relaxed; the last thing you need to feel while running errands with three girls under the age of 6. I really didn’t know what to expect as I had never tried Italian beer but the look of it did not give me much hope. The appearance was that of a traditional American lager; pee colored and bubbly. We had a friend with us that night who ordered a Budweiser and the look of both beers was exactly the same. In fact, I still wonder if they mixed ours up and I was served his instead. There is a Simpson’s episode in which Homer gets to tour the famous Duff Beer brewery. The scene opens with three giant vats being filled via tubes with Duff, Duff Light, and Duff Draft labeled on the vats. As the camera pans away we see a single tube feeding the other three. This is the best illustration I can think of to describe my Moretti experience. The taste was much like the look as described above. I really couldn’t tell the difference between this and any other nameless, tasteless American lagers. For all I knew the three taps in the kitchen for Budweiser, Miller Lite, and Moretti were being fed from the same keg.

The food, however, was excellent with delicious Italian fare and a desire to go back to try another dish with wine; something the Italians may know something about. If you visit Hoschton in the near future, be sure to check out Vinny’s but skip the Moretti.

The discipline of appreciation

2006-03-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

Do you remember your first beer? Do you remember your response? If you're like me, that memory is probably not very good. If you're like me, you drank an adult beverage as a teenager, and you drank something less than well-crafted. Beer was nasty, at least the beers widely available and to those of us less than legal drinking age. More specifically, those beers were usually acquired by raiding someone's Dad's fridge or bought by someone's older brother. But wherever it came from, you didn't really enjoy it - you drank it because your idiot friends did and it seemed like wisdom and joy at that moment. The only appreciation you had for beer was that someone else bought it and you never got busted for drinking it. However, an adult beverage like beer, and I am talking about well-crafted beverages here, is an acquired taste, a taste that requires a bit of discipline, insight, and thought.

Now, let's ask another question - what was the beer that introduced you into the broader orbit of the malt and hop world? Whatever it was, it shook up your expectation and presented a challenge to the taste buds that required re-categorization of beer itself. Beer can taste like this? And so begins a journey that never really ends; the discipline of appreciation. Of course, I'm using beer as the prime example, but the principle is applicable to any number of things. The things we eat, and enjoy, change and shape over the years and it does take years to appreciate certain things. Picky eaters become connoisseurs of things that their fathers couldn't threaten them to eat when they were children. This principle even applies to people, in that it requires discipline (and love) to deal with certain people we interact with on a regular basis. In fact, I would argue that love is the triumph of appreciation and enjoyment for the "otherness" of others, over and above the appreciation and enjoyment for self. Those who appreciate only self are not very likeable people.

But back to my main point here. Appreciation takes effort and discipline, especially if we are to expand our palate to the point where any number beers are good, depending on the context and circumstance. And here, proverbially speaking, is what separates the men from the boys because I'm not just talking one style, but all of them. The well-rounded palate enjoys lagers and ales, darks and lights, barleys and wheats, cold and room-temp, carbonated and flat, sweet and sour, and so on. Favorites may have a place, but it takes discipline to truly appreciate things we don't consider as such. And with any discipline, it takes time. No one becomes a master at anything in a few months; we must invest patience and time into those things that are worth mastering.

You may be asking yourself - does the word "appreciation" or "discipline" really belong in the same context as beer?

Only the disciplined will know that.

Site Update

2006-03-24T07:10:00.000-05:00

As noted below, comments are working again. However, about 24 seconds after getting the comments working, we received junk spam comments. I am enabling word verification for comments from this point forward. I apologize for the extra hassle but what the heck would you do in a situation like that?

Carbonnade Flamande recipe

2006-03-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

As promised, here's one of the recipes from the Belgian tasting. Excellent stuff - thanks Susan!

Carbonnade Flamande (Belgian Beef Stew)

4 pounds lean beef stew meat
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons duck fat (or olive oil, but duck fat is SO much better!)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
2 tablespoons ground sage
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cube stew meat into 1.5” squares. Season liberally with thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of fat in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Add one-third of stew meat to skillet and sear all sides. After meat is well browned (about 6 minutes), add 1 tablespoon flour to meat and stir well, browning flour. Remove meat and place in a Dutch oven or other large casserole dish. Repeat process until all meat is done, adding 1 tablespoon of oil per batch. It is important to sear the meat well over a medium-high heat; this browning process will give the stew its robust, meaty flavor.

After all meat has been transferred to the Dutch oven, heat the last tablespoon of oil in the skillet, adding:

3 large sweet onions (about 4 lbs.) peeled and sliced thinly.
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 rib celery
1 carrot, peeled

Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add:

1½ tablespoons sugar to the onions, and continue cooking 5 more minutes.

Add:

14 oz. beef broth
2 750-ml bottles Ommegang Belgian-style Abbey Ale (Reserve yourself a glass to enjoy while you cook, and pour the rest in the pot!)
4 bay leaves to the skillet. Deglaze and bring mixture to a boil.

Add entire contents of skillet to the Dutch oven. Simmer, covered, over medium heat until beef is tender and pierces easily with a fork, about 90 minutes. Remove and discard celery rib, carrot, and bay leaves. Stir in:

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Simmer, uncovered, until reduced to sauce consistency.

Prepare and refrigerate a day ahead for better flavor. Serve warm with mashed potatoes, baguette, and a Belgian Dubbel.

Serves 6.

Attack of the lagers!

2006-03-21T20:29:00.000-05:00

For the aspiring beer geek, nothing could be more detrimental to a well-developed palate than to assume that lagers are all terrible beers. This is certainly not true. For the beer lover, the various styles of beer should be neither good nor bad but better or worse, to be enjoyed as the occasion calls for it. There are bad beers within all styles and categories, so let us dispense with the idea that ales are the only true beers. Interestingly enough, the average mainstream lager drinker could probably say that their beers are the only true or good beers. But we'll leave that one alone for now.

Lagers, as a broad category, are those beers which employ a bottom-fermenting yeast, operative primarily in cooler temperatures. Before the advent of refrigeration, top-fermenting beers (ales) were the only ones produced, and those mostly in the fall or spring, and only in temperate climates. If the weather were too cold or hot, the yeast would not perform it's duty. Lagering, which is a German term meaning to store, was discovered somewhat accidentally when German brewers stored their spring beers in very cold caves during the summer months. With the advent of biochemistry and isolation of specific strains of yeast that best operated in colder environments, a whole new style of beer was born. These tended to be lighter beers, and flavors were much cleaner and refined.

For the ale drinker now, a world of only dark beers would seem like a paradise. But much of the brewing was very inconsistent, the flavors and aroma not being regulated by strict yeast strains, yielding varying degrees of success. Lagering changed all that, and combined with the science, brewers were able to make to new, clearer beers. The technology employed to create such creations was applied to all styles of beer, benefiting the old and the new. Truth to be told, ales progressively fell out of favor as they represented the old world, and lagers came to dominate the markets, probably associated with the progressive spirit in which they were born. Ales have made a come-back, but lagers still dominate the beer landscape. So rather than ignore them, the student of beer will become familiar with them.

What follows is are a few tasting notes on a few "mainstream" beers I wanted to try. A few of you have told me that you'd like to see my review of Michelob Ultra. I did in fact drink one of these several years ago, but did not realize it was beer until I finished. More like carbonated, unfiltered tap water from the back of chicken farm. The Miller Lite someone gave me a several years ago did not taste like beer at all, and all the politeness in the world could not make me finish it. A neighbor gave me a Steel Reserve one hot day last summer, but found it quite devoid of character, though it did give me a little buzz. Which is really what mainstream lagers are about, so I guess that one could be considered a success.

Most of the other lagers I have had also fall into a rather bland category of "beer", somewhat akin to ordering "food" at Longhorn's Steakhouse. Corona, Heineken, Red Dog, Budweiser, and Icehouse are all rather boring. There were some I hadn't tried though.

Starting early in February, I drank a Peroni and a Sapporo, side-by-side. Both were golden clear, relatively low carbonation, a thin mouthfeel, and not much flavor at all, except a clean malt.

About two weeks after that, I drank a Stella Artois and a Kirin, side-by-side. The results were very much the same as above. Of these 4 beers, the Japanese lagers were far better overall, though I would not necessarily choose any of them as a "favorite". To the contrary, none of them had anything in particular that was appealing at all. I kept waiting for them to get interesting, but it never happened. Even when warm, no flavors or aromas stood out.

Next, I tried a Brooklyn Lager and had a whole different experience. A very nice copper color, crystal-clear with moderate carbonation. Aroma is a very clean floral hop. The mouthfeel was medium thin, but the flavor was a very crisp malt with a good hop aftertaste. A refreshing beer.

After that, I drank a Pilsner Urquell, a Czech beer that prides itself on being the original Pilsner, which is a particular type of lager, the last true style of beer invented. The Urquell is good, but not as good as the Brooklyn.

Other lagers to try would be:

Sam Adams Boston Lager - crisp and clean, lots of flavor for a "mainstream" beer.

Paulaner Oktoberfestbier - drink anytime, not just in October. Full mouthfeel, creamy, delicious.

Weihenstephaner Original - clean and crisp, Bavarian style lager. Good on a hot day when you don't want a wheat beer.

Sam Adams Black Beer - this is a schwarzbier, or black beer, full of taste but not heavy. Einbecker and Kostritzer also make good, and original, German versions.

Celebrator Dopplebock - the king of dopplebocks, and really, all lagers. Paulaner's Salvator, Weihenstephaner's Korbinian, Spatan's Optimator, and Sam Adams Double Bock are also worth imbibing.

Ayinger - try the Jarhundert-Bier and Altbairisch, Munich Helles and Dunkel respectively. Excellent stuff if you want light or dark Munich-style lagers.

As you can see, there is much to choose from and my list is not attempting to be comprehensive. Now, go and investigate the lager world. You may be surprised.

Technical note from Punisher

2006-03-14T21:35:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the intrusion but I wanted to let you know that the thoughts (comments) links are not working. I am aware of it and am working to correct it...

Belgian beer tasting

2006-03-06T10:24:00.000-05:00

Last Friday March 3rd was our Belgian tasting and we had a great turnout. One of the tough things about beer tastings in general is being limited by the local market availability. Fortunately, we've been blessed with a great selection in general, and kudos to Adam at Green's on Buford Hwy, who keeps the shelves stocked with some excellent choices.

Belgian beers present their own challenges since Belgium has such a huge variety of styles, and various interpretations of those styles from many different brewers. In short, you have to draw a line somewhere in the sand and hope it turns out well. The attendees seemed to enjoy the mix. While not every beer suits every individual taste (we shouldn't expect that anyway), the overall response was good and I am grateful for every person who participated.

I am especially grateful to Hampton and Susan Groover for hosting this event. Susan wanted to do most of the cooking, and everything turned out great. In fact, she owes me a few of the recipes so they can be posted here. And not only was their home open to us, but their children were present with us all night, which if you're new to whole tasting experience, should tell you something about the tenor of our events.

As to the beer itself, here is a list of what we drank, by name and style:

Orval, Belgian Pale
Hoegaarden Original, Witbier
Jenlain, Biere De Garde
Saison Dupont, Saison
Westmalle Tripel, Tripel
Duvel, Belgian Strong Pale

Goudenband, Flanders Oud Bruin
Rodenbach Grand Cru, Flanders Red Ale
Liefman's Frambozenbier, Fruit Lambic
Lindemans Gueuze Cuvee Rene, Gueuze

Grottenbier, Belgian Dark
Chimay Red, Dubbel
Trappistes Rochefort 8, Belgian Strong Dark
St. Bernardus Abt 12, Quadrupel

I didn't get any photos this time, but hopefully when we do this again, my photographer will be back in town. Please check the blog periodically for updates, new reviews, and maybe an article or two.

And again, thanks to those dedicated few who keep coming to these events and for motivating me to do better and better. I hope to meet the challenge.

Beer review - Left Hand Imperial Stout

2006-03-02T22:21:00.000-05:00

I saw this at Green's the other night while shopping for the Belgian tasting and since I enjoyed the Left Hand Milk Stout so much, thought I'd give it a whirl.

Left Hand pours a dark brown, opaque around the edges. Small head that dissolves into a fine lacing over the top.

Smells like chocolate, coffee, and a vague sweetness, nothing terribly defined but inviting.

Mouthfeel is full - thick and rich with only moderate carbonation.

The taste is all malt; chocolate and coffee dominating with a slight hop in the aftertaste. Not super sweet but not very well-balanced in terms of a bitterness and fruit flavor that an imperial stout should have. The 10% ABV is noticeable only a slight slickness that the mouth gets used to by glass-end.

Overall, a good beer though a bit one-dimensional in terms of presentation. The big exception to this one would be price - Left Hand is expensive and if you're going to spend the money on an Imperial Stout, buy Sam Smith's. But try Left Hand at least once. It's new the Atlanta market and perhaps the price will drop soon.

February 24th

2006-02-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

As previously reported, February 24th is the day when Gouden Carolus Grand Cru is brewed. Brian and I drank some tonight, 2005 vintage, though we don't particularly care anything about the Holy Roman Emperor. This is one year old beer that was just fantastic. And of course, the fellowship with good friends was great.

What did you do this evening?

Beer review - Goudenbond

2006-02-24T16:23:00.000-05:00

About two weeks ago, in anticipation of our upcoming Belgian tasting event, I went and bought several unique beers so that I would be taste-educated for my attendees. This beer is a Flanders Oud Bruin, which translated is "old brown". Even more translated, this would be somewhat akin to an old ale, though in the sour Belgian style. Not as a sour as a Lambic and not as funky as a Flanders Red, this is a really interesting style that I found personally quite good.

The Goudenbond is lovely to look at, hand-wrapped in tissue paper, printed with the brewery and beer name. The bottle itself is reminiscent of a wine bottle, purple label with all the usual information, including a 8% ABV warning. Mine was a 375ml bottle (12oz is 355ml) and I now know why there is an extra 20 ml in the bottle (see appearance).

Pours a dirty-looking reddish-brown color with a decent head that dissipates quickly. Before I knew what I was doing, the bottom of the bottle yielded an amazing amount of sludge that quickly clouded up the beer even more. The large chunks of scum (that's really the best way to describe them) did not sink to the bottom, but hovered in suspension. For the uninitiated, it might seem like a bad thing, but it did not affect the taste and that gunk contains all kinds of good vitamins and yeast. So, here's to the health of the drinker!

A sweet, funky, and undefined fruitiness arises from the glass. Perhaps a bit of woody, but definitely fruity and definitely funky, though not as strong as a Lambic or Flanders Red.

The mouthfeel was right in the middle of thick and thin, with only wisps of carbonation. Not flat mind you, but definitely only minimal effervescence.

A very complex taste - sweet and fruity, cherries and grapes coming through, balanced with a mild sourness and a woody flavor. The alcohol is completely hidden and never manifested itself in flavor, though the effects were felt by bottle-end.

Refreshing without being airy or light, complex without being unapproachable. A great Belgian beer and one of my new picks for special occasion beers. Drink, enjoy, repeat.

Beer Review - Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter

2006-01-30T16:27:00.000-05:00

This excellent beer comes in a gigantic bottle, one liter I think, that was mutually shared with Josh, Sarah his wife, and of course, the reviewer. I had heard about this one from Beer Advocate, especially since it was the number one rated American Porter in their numerous reviews. It is now number four. I had seen several other Thomas Hooker products on the shelf here in GA recently, but the Imperial Porter is a new one for local shops. Mine was bought at Pop's, Hwy 141.

One of the interesting things that Josh and I discussed on Saturday night whilst drinking this beer, was the concept of the bomber size bottles (16, 18, or 22oz) and 12oz bottles. Sure, we mused, one could drink three beers in a single setting, but sometimes one would suffice. Or maybe, three different beers. Anyway, the point was that the larger bottles are not like wine after opened and really need to be drank in one sitting. So, the moral of the story was if you buy big bottles of beer, be prepared to drink it all or plan on sharing with an appreciative friend. If you're the one buying, your friend will be even more appreciative.

This beer pours a lovely dark brown, with a decent off-white head. Very dark with a full glass, somewhat opaque towards the bottom. Head rentention was decent, and it mellowed into a foam film leaving good lacing to the bottom.

The nose is a rich maltiness, combined with hints of coffee, chocolate, and hops. There is something vaguely burnt in the character, but nothing overly pronounced.

The mouthfeel is full and filling, but not quite chewy. Not rough, but not smooth either.

Taste is the nose duplicated, big malt character with chocolate and coffee flavors filling the mouth completely. The swallow and aftertaste reveal a well-balanced hoppiness that is both unexpected and pleasant. About 1/3 of the way through the glass, a familiar tinge of alcohol starts to press forward and the 7.8% ABV is uncovered.

An excellent beer, and as I understand, a seasonal, so pick some up and enjoy it while it lasts.

Beer review - Samuel Smith Imperial Stout

2006-01-11T17:30:00.000-05:00

Here's an old review I did back in August 2004 and only slightly edited - enjoy:

There comes a time in the life of a beer drinker when he re-assesses what good beer is and the standard by which certain styles should be judged. Stouts, or rather the dry variants, are inevitably compared to with Guinness. IMO, the draught (can and bottle) versions of Guinness fall significantly short in the taste department, something very metallic and processed in the palate. The bottled extra stout version is an improvement, though in this reviewers opinion, Rogue's Shakespeare Stout and O'Hara's Celtic Stout are far better representatives of the style, without diminishing the value of Beamish and Murphy's either.

Though I prefer the sweet stouts (Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout, St.Peter's Cream Stout, Sam Adam's Cream Stout), my personal standard of stout, as a total class, was significantly raised with my tasting of Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout last night. Samples purchased by FM for me (thank you brother!!) at Sonny's in Braselton (corner of 211 and 124) have thus far proved to be the only supply I've seen in Georgia.*

The beer pours an intimidating darkness and thickness that oozes with malt aroma, as well as undefined fruit smell that even my 15 year old daughter discerned. The head was not too dark, but solid, and left some nice lacing; the 550ml bottle would not quite fit into my stout glass at once. Taste was unbelievable; malty, creamy, dry, a little bit of hop, licorice, coffee, and bitter chocolate. The 7% ABV was subdued and added just the right touch without overwhelming the palate. Didn't take long to finish and was disappointed when the glass was empty. A top-notch brew definitely suited for an after-dinner or a dessert accompaniment, though a stout lover would enjoy it anytime. Though I did not eat anything with this bottle, a food pairing would have to be something strong because the powerful flavors would just simply overpower any mild flavors.

I should also mention that on Saturday night I enjoyed a 12oz bottle of Old Rasputin Imperial Stout which comes across more like a barleywine with its thick, chewy flavors, lower carbonation, and much larger roasted malt presence. In the opinion of this reviewer, Old Rasputin is a good beer, but in a class of stouts, does not match the sheer enjoyment of Sam's Smith's version.

Remind the beer shops you frequent to start carrying this gem of a beer.

* - the current GA beer laws took effect in July 2004, and at time of writing, not many of the higher gravity beers were available.

Beer review - Scaldis Noel

2005-12-28T22:33:00.000-05:00

I served this at the winter beer tasting, but a good friend bought me a whole bottle, afterwards whose consumption provided fodder for this review. A special thanks to F.M. for the beer; this review is for you.

The Scaldis is a quadrupel, a special category of Belgian usually characterized by a darker color and higher gravity. This one in particular is brewed with the holiday season in mind, a very festive 8.48oz bottle, complete with blue foil wrapping and what appears to be the brewery covered in snow. The 12.5% ABV is clearly advertised, either a warning or invitation, depending on your penchant for such beers. This is no session beer, but an evening “sipping” beverage meant to close the day well. As this review is being written in the presence of a recently emptied glass, my day has closed particularly well.

This beer pours a cloudy, though somewhat opaque brown, with a small head but generous lacing. Doesn’t look all that different from many quadrupels or Belgian darks I’ve had.

The nose is a mix of sweet malt and spices, mostly peppery though very a complex mix of many undefinable aromas, at least to this reviewer.

Mouthfeel is medium-full and very carbonated, much more so than expected since this one does not pour with a large head.

The taste, initially, is dominated by a malty sweetness, with a complex mix of spice and hop in the background. As it warms, the alcohol character becomes evident and the malt and spice/hop flavors change in their prominence, the spices becoming more dominant and the maltiness becoming slightly more subdued. The alcohol character is also mild, lending only a slight slickness to the mouth.

Overall, well-balanced and quite enjoyable. This might make a good one to lay down for a spring or summer session to see what complexities arise from aging. Expensive, but definitely worth a bottle for the serious geek. Enjoy.

Session beer, defined

2005-12-14T21:07:00.000-05:00

Good, brief article from our friends at Beer Advocate - minor language warning.

Beer review -Brooklyn Winter Ale

2005-12-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

Two days before Thanksgiving I went to the beer store in search of something to enjoy whilst on parole from work. You would think that alcohol sales were getting ready to be outlawed and people were buying up the last barrels; the place was a zoo. Anyway, I happened to notice that Brooklyn Brewery has a holiday gift pack. Since their winter ale only available in said gift pack, and I happen to like Brooklyn beers, I bought one.

The winter warmer style is actually pretty broad; the BJCP allows for a broad range of interpretations but they are generally darker and thicker than usual. That is, whatever "usual" might mean, especially if you're as much as a beer geek as I am. I also decided to drink this instead of coffee on Thanksgiving morning, just after breakfast. Hey at 10am in Georgia, it really was 5pm in England.

This winter ale pours an opaque brown with a one-finger, off-white head. By mid-glass, the head was gone but did leave a decent lacing and "ring" on the beer's surface.

Nose is mildly malty with a very subtle spice background. Nothing terribly pronounced, but nothing overwhelming either. The spice aroma grows as the beer warms.

A medium mouthfeel with relatively low carbonation. It is not thick, but definitely a bit chewier, consistent with the winter warmer style.

Taste is very complex - toasty malt, accented by anise and ginger. There is definitely some hop in the aftertaste, making this somewhat unusual since by style, the spices come through much clearer than hops. As it warms up the flavors are much more pronounced and complex, the hops and spices clearer mid-mouth through swallow. Finishes with an interesting mix of full and dry, the malt and hops pretty well balanced. The 6.9% ABV is pretty well hidden, but comes through with a warmer beer.

Overall, a sturdy beer, but not the best holiday brew I've had. It's a good compliment to the Brooklyn gift pack, since it's a seasonal, but nothing I'd miss during the year. But don't let that deter the reader since you probably need to expand your palate, and the gift pack also includes the Black Chocolate Stout. It'll be a win-win situation.

Enjoy!!

Beer tasting - Winter and Seasonals

2005-12-05T16:09:00.000-05:00

The 5th and final beer tasting of this year was held at our house last Friday, December 2nd. We had a medium size crowd anxious to try the newest category, winter and seasonals. When I first put my list together, my fear was that the monotony of having 16 different spiced beers would result in boredom. But as it turns out, only about 1/3 were considered "winter warmers", a very broad style of beer according to BJCP standards, and the rest were a good mix of English and Belgian styles, and a dopplebock thrown in for good measure. With the exception of one (Ale Mary), all of these beers are only brewed during the winter months and with the 14% ABV law change only 18 months ago, most of them were not available last year. Less than half of these were known to my tastebuds before the event. A little risky, but everything turned out great.

As usual, Michelle came through in excellent form with home-made snacks and especially so as the hostess, since we're usually in someone else's home. The attendees were happy to be there, or at least pretended to be, and I certainly appreciate everyone's participation, as always. Our beer list was as follows:

Sam Adams Winter Lager
Sam Smith Winter Warmer
Anchor's Our Special Ale
Ale Mary
Sweetwater Festive Ale
Avery Old Jubilation Ale
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Mendocino Winter Ale
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Delirium Noel
Corsendonk Christmas Ale
Golden Carolus Noel
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
Scaldis Noel
Samichlaus

My daughters (Ashley and Mandy) took a few pictures - here they are:

Nathan enjoying even the last drop

The food table was the center of conversation

Michael enjoys his beer, while Sarina waits for a sip

Adrian, David, Blake, and Joe - future pro beer judges

The aftermath of empty bottles

Thanks again to everyone for your support; beer education is tough work but as long as folks are willing to drink and learn, we're happy to keep pouring!!

Beer review - Two Flanders Red Ales

2005-11-23T21:05:00.000-05:00

I did a review earlier this year of the Monk's Cafe, and recently have been sampling a few of that style. What follows are brief reviews of two more from the same brewery, Brouwerij Verhaeghe, in Belgium.

Verhaeghe Echt Kriekbier

Pours a clear red, a quickly dissipating head, leaving only wispy lacing that does not stick. The nose is a fruity, lactic sourness. Mouthfeel is relatively thin and moderately carbonated. Taste is rather funky and fruity, sour and slightly alcoholic. The beer is flavored with cherries, which gives it a rather medicinial flavor to the overall taste.

Vichtenaar

Pours a redish brown, darker than the Kriek, and generated no head or lacing at all. The nose was similar, except the fruit and funk is balanced by a woody aroma not present in the Kriek. The mouthfeel was a bit fuller and reasonably carbonated, which surprised me since it poured so "flat". The taste was similar to the Kriek with it's fruity sourness, but was sweeter and not medicinal. The wood aroma comes though on the tongue, which seems to cut through the whole beer, making it smoother and almost wine-like.

Overall, both very interesting, though not what I would call session beers. Refreshing and crisp, these beers are not for everyone. But learn to appreciate all styles of beer, so don't be afraid to give one of these a shot.

Beer review - Fantome Saison

2005-11-14T17:26:00.000-05:00

I bought this beer at the same time as the Dupont Saison and finally got around to drinking it. I have come to appreciate this style of beer, though too late this year for the appropriate season. That is the traditionalist side of me; drink the right beer in the right season, with the right meal, and so on. However, there is also that "buck the system" side of me that says drink beer in whatever season you want to, and don't sweat the formalities. There is merit in both, and since I drink stouts in the summer, I can certainly drink saisons in the fall.

As I did not mention in the aforementioned review, the saison is a Belgian farmhouse ale, brewed in the winter, consumed in the summer. It is meant to be "sturdy", meaning full-flavored, complex, and capable of refreshing the spirit without being simplistic or dull. A picnic brew if you will. It can be higher gravity (over 8% ABV), but oftentimes runs in what I call the normal range, 5-7% ABV. OK, enough of that.

The Fantome pours a hazy golden, effervescent, with a frothy white head. A nice lace is produced as the glass is drained, and on the second pour (I was drinking a 750ml bottle), sediment from the bottom of the bottle adds to the haze.

The nose is a rather subdued peppery aroma, mixed with the sweetness of a Belgian. There is vague notion of sourness, though it is obvious there is a high level of complexity here.

Mouthfeel is medium-thin to medium; smooth, not slick, and well-balanced with carbonation. This just screams for warmer weather and outdoor drinking under the sun.

Taste is very reminiscent of the nose; a very smooth malt sweetness, sprinkled with a peppery spiciness, while a tinge of sourness floats in the background. There is also a kind of flat or sour floral flavor that must be the hops, intentionally low profile in a beer like this. The flavor from taste to swallow is very consistent throughout. No surprises here. The 8% ABV is mostly absent from taste, though it makes itself known about halfway through the bottle very quietly. A nap would have been nice, but my notes would have been incomplete.

Overall a great beer, and better than the Dupont in this reviewer's opinion. And while I certainly recommend this beer, for a price accessible saison more as a session beer, try Ommegang's Hennepin, a great representation of what American brewers can achieve through patience and skill.

Drink better and certainly drink good saisons!!

Beer Review - Lion Stout

2005-11-02T12:16:00.000-05:00

Lion Stout comes with a serious pedigree - it's recommended and endorsed by Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter. The exact relationship between Jackson and the Ceylon Brewing Company is not known to me, though the web has some interesting articles about this beer. My own wonderings are primarily limited to why he would endorse a beer from Sri Lanka, rather than his home country of England. But, does it really matter? Aren't you just interested in whether this is good beer or not? Indeed, good questions. But less geeking and more drinking...

One line I did really appreciate from Jackson was this one:

"Tea was not enough to quench the thirst of the Scottish tea-planters, who established what became the Ceylon Brewery Ltd., possibly as early as 1860 (it was certainly in operation by 1881)."

Leave it to my Scottish kinsman...

The Lion pours jet black with a generous tan head, which slowly dissipates into a nice lacing that sticks to the glass throughout the session. As the glass drains, the blackness seems to fade into a dark brown, still beautiful to behold.

The nose is an interesting mix of fruity malt, vague notions of chocolate, and an extremely vague notion of smokiness, all blended nicely to suggest something complex. As it warms, a subtle wood aroma develops but this is not as noticeable as the sweet malt profile that grows with temperature increases.

The mouthfeel is nicely full without being chewy. Creamy, smooth, and not overly carbonated. I would say right on target for a stout.

Taste is dominated by a sweet malt fullness, complemented by a mix of chocolate, prunes, and coffee. There is just a slight tinge of bitterness, maybe sourness. But only "just". Taste is primarily the same from beginning to end, from first touch of the tongue through the swallow. Not overly complex, but straight-forward without being simplistic. This is a very nice sweet stout, well-balanced and delicious. There is an 8% ABV attached to this beer, which one feels mid-beer and afterwards, but well hidden in the taste. Warmth enhances these flavors somewhat, but I drained my glass rather quickly so there wasn't much time to full appreciate it. Maybe next time, I'll have two in a row.

Lovers of sweet stouts should enjoy this one. Reasonably priced, this is available lots of places. Keep some on-hand for all occasions.

Beer review - Saison Dupont

2005-10-27T15:34:00.000-05:00

The saison style is yet another incredible selection that comes from the Disneyland of beer, Belgium. This is typically more of a summer beer but Josh has been bugging me to try this so I finally broke down and bought a bottle. Ok…I'm at least one season late, but I'll be ready for next year.

Saison Dupont comes in a lovely green bottle (my bottle was green) and nice checkerboard label advertising the usual suspects in terms of name, ABV, government-imposed boilerplate, and a blurb about the beer itself. Another fun feature is the cork, as opposed to a cap, making this beer at least equal to wine in terms of presentation. Hey, wine is sold in a box and I've yet to see any beer packaged this way yet. Still, the cork seems to impart some sense of maturity to what is otherwise considered a juvenile beverage.
But...Au contraire...

The Dupont pours a cloudy yellow, hazy and thick, with a very generous white head that decreases throughout the session, but does not fully dissipate.

Sweet malt and tons of spice dominate the nose. A rather complex mix of aromas, though clearly defined pepper smell comes through most clearly. Warming only intensifies this.

The mouthfeel is medium, light, refreshing and extremely effervescent.

Taste is a subdued maltiness up front, then punishes (in a good way) the tongue with a powerful spiciness that dominates through swallow and aftertaste. There is a slight sourness here as well as a dull hop flavor, but are largely drowned out by a peppery taste. The beer improves dramatically in terms of taste and general complexity and in retrospect, I should have let this warm up a little more before starting the review. It was too cold to start with and was really enjoying this by the end of the glass.

An excellent beer, especially for warmer weather. Bring it to a spring picnic and savor the day.

Homebrew tasting - October 14th

2005-10-20T14:28:00.000-05:00

The following message is from Michael Roth, who recently hosted a good homebrew tasting:

The homebrew tasting went very well last Friday night. We had 13 for the tasting including a new beer appreciator - Sarah Doster!

Food was excellent and in abundance - various wings, dips, chips and humus, pigs in a blanket, stuffed mushrooms, cheese & crackers, Michelle's famous BBQ meatballs, Dorothea's famous pizza dip, Rosemary potatoes, veggies and dip (eat your hearts out).

Yours truly started things off with a beer I had presented fresh at the last tasting and has really mellowed and smoothed over time - our BBS Scottish Ale. Next was our BBS Hazelnut Brown Ale.

Jeff was next presenting two wonderful brews: an Imperial Porter and an Oktoberfest (both were very tasty).

Chuck Greenwald then described and we sampled his Wee Heavy Scotch Ale which has only gotten better with time!

And I finished things off with my two latest: a BBS Choco-Vanilla Stout and BBS clonebrew of Bert Grant's Perfect Porter. (for those of you who aren't aware, BBS = Braselton Beer Snobs) ;-)

We actually had two more beers planned from Josh Cunningham who unfortunately was not able to attend the tasting. Maybe next time!

Our thanks to all those who attended and all who brought their homebrews to sample.

Looking forward to more.

Michael (& Sarina)

Beer review - Brasserie Des Rocs Grand Cru Belgian Special Brown Ale

2005-10-19T15:33:00.000-05:00

I found this at Green's amongst the veritable candy-shop selection of excellent brews they offer. It looked interesting and was modestly priced at $2.99 for a 11.2oz bottle. Ok…modest for me. Yet, this sort of thing is not an every day beer, so I can "afford" to drink like this occasionally. Besides, my homebrew hobby yields much cheaper results that constitute the bulk of my beer intake. But reviewing a session beer is somewhat boring. This sort of thing makes it fun. Ironically, when doing a little more detail research, I found that ratebeer.com had zero reviews and beeradvocate.com only had one review of this exact beer. Bob Townsend did a nice write up in the AJC, but I would say that based on the number of reviews, its fairly rare or at least not widely known.

Ok enough…on to the drinking.

This Belgian Strong Dark Ale comes in a plain looking bottle, adorned with a nice label that contains what looks like a church or abbey. It's probably the latter, as this beer is a commercial version of an abbey ale. It pours a hazy amber color, swirling and cloudy, accompanied by a huge, off-white head that dissipates slowly and steadily. I drank this one from my Duvel tulip glass so as to maximize bouquet and appearance.

Nose is a big Belgian malt aroma, mixed with a combination of spice, earth, and a kind of lactic funkiness.

Mouthfeel is medium to medium-full, bigger as it is warms. Creamy and smooth, yet also grainy.

Taste is initially a big, full sweet malt, balanced by a tickling spiciness. The aroma complements the taste, with elements of wood, earth, a sour hop flavor, and a vague notion of alcohol, yet all very well-balanced and subdued. No one flavor dominates here. As it warms up, the flavors and aromas become more pronounced and the 9.5% ABV is more evident than at start.

Overall, an excellent beer but far too expensive and rare to be enjoying on a regular basis. For a good alternative, try Unibroue's Maudite, which is just as complex, cheaper and more widely available. Go for it.

Beer review - D. Carnegie & Co. Stark Porter (1997 vintage)

2005-10-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

Ok, as promised I broke into the vaults and opened a bottle of this very vintage beer, mainly for comparison with the Sinebrychoff. While not perfectly an "apples-to-apples" evaluation, primarily because of the beer's age, it did highlight a few things both about the nature of aging beer in general, and specifically which one I liked better.

A word about aging beer. Aged beer tends to mellow and blend flavors to make somewhat harsh beers much more drinkable. It makes really good beers even better and more complex. This is especially true of many Belgian ales. But it also tends to destroy the carbonation, so if you must drink beer with effervescence, do not attempt what I describe below.

This D. Carnegie comes in a small, rather unadorned bottle and plain yellow label. "Stark" is strong, indicating its baltic origin, Swedish to be exact. This is a 8.82oz bottle, smaller than normal and definitely not enough.

Appearance is a extremely dark brown, just about black but for the edges which allowed a small amount of light to come through. I poured this straight into the glass (no tipping) and while a few bubbles formed, there was virtually no carbonation at all. No hiss when opening and no fizz when pouring. After settling in the glass, what I would describe as a very light lacing formed across the top and down the glass as it was consumed.

The nose is a combination of sweet malt and dark fruits, like plums and/or raisins. As it warms a nice chocolate and very subtle coffee aroma comes through.

No carbonation in the mouthfeel - this beer is flat. But rather than that being bad, it highlights the smooth, velvety, medium body.

Upfront, the taste is a mix of sweet malt, chocolate, and fruit, with a nice malty aftertaste that lingers. No bitterness and no discernable hop character. As I recall from the 2004 vintage bottles I've had, the age seems to have mellowed the very mild hop to nothing at all. Yet this is not disappointing, unless you're a real hop-head or devoted robust porter fan. The smooth chocolate flavor becomes more pronounced as it warms, and coats the tongue and mouth with a silkiness that begs for more than just 8.82 ounces.

Smooth and creamy, this is a great beer to imbibe and at only 5.5% ABV, this could easily be a session beer. However, the word I hear is that the brewer has gone out of business and so what you see on the shelf is what you get. The last time I was down at Green's (Buford Hwy), they still have a few of 1997s and a decent amount of the 2004s. Get it while it lasts.

Beer review - Sinebrychoff Porter (2003 vintage)

2005-09-23T15:25:00.000-05:00

This beer has the reputation as being one of the better Baltic (or Imperial) Porters on the market, and being a fan of porters in general, I decided this was worthy of review. A brief history is in order here. The porter was originally a London beer, probably made by mixing several versions of beer of varying strength into a single concoction that became a favorite amongst porters and other physical laborers of the 19th century. It also has the distinction of being the first beer produced as a result of the industrial revolution; the first "modern" beer, if you will. The baltic or imperial porter came about as a stronger versions were designed to withstand the sea voyage to the Baltic regions. Here endeth the abbreviated history lesson. Now…on to the drinking.

The Sinebrychoff comes in a lovely bottle, complete with royal seal, a store made label indicating it's 2003 vintage. It pours black, dark and shimmering, with a nice tan head.

The nose is a malty chocolate mixed with a burnt dark fruit aroma. By dark fruit I mean something akin to plums, dates, etc. It is not a light or wispy fruitiness at all.

Mouthfeel is medium, slick with low carbonation, but not flat. Creamy but not chewy.

Taste is a very complex mix of chocolate and coffee, but mixed with a kind of light smokiness and wood, finishing with a bittersweet chocolate taste. The fruitiness may come from the hops, but the taste of hops is not really there.

Overall, a good beer but at 7.2% ABV, not a session beer. I hope to compare this with another Baltic porter soon. Stay tuned.

Beer review - Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (04-05 vintage)

2005-08-24T17:23:00.000-05:00

I've been raving about this beer for a year so it seems appropriate to do a full review. And I know that of my four beer geek friends who read this blog, at least three of them have had this. Please speak up and comment about whether you agree with my assessment. Of course, if you don't, 'tough'…but let me know anyway. It makes me think someone is reading.

Brooklyn Brewery reports this being made in the Imperial Stout category, but many (including myself) tend to think of it as an American Double Stout, which may be about the same thing under a different, more modern, name. But however you classify it, this is one great beer made by the talented folks in NY. The wild thing about this brew is that they do not add any chocolate to the recipe (like with Young's Double Chocolate Stout). All these wonderful flavors are merely from the water, grains, hops, and yeast. Here we go...

Appearance is a shimmering pitch black, dark ruby on edges of the glass. A small brown head forms but doesn't seem to last. This is really the only tell-tale sign of a beer that was bottled probably 9 months ago.

The nose is a grainy malt mixed with tinges of hops and a nice wafting of alcohol, the 7.6% ABV coming through clearly. As it warms up, a liquid chocolate aroma develops quite nicely.

Mouthfeel is a slick, medium to medium-full, though very moderately carbonated. The inside of the mouth and tongue are coated with a viscous fluidity that invites the drinker to keep coming back for more. The carbonation has diminished compared to when I had these last year, but the change is a welcome one as my feeling was the fresh bottles were too carbonated for the style.

Taste…what can I say? A rich, creamy, sharp, and roasty chocolate flavor hits upfront, followed by a taming hop bitterness that remains from swallow to aftertaste. Very complex flavor with chocolate, hops, and a wood-like characteristic, all mixed with that subtle bite of alcohol, which really comes through when warmer.

Overall a fantastic beer. Drink on cold days, drink on warm days under an air conditioning vent. Drink with a cigar, drink with dessert, drink as dessert. But whatever you do, drink it thoughtfully, slowly, and with much joy. Such attitudes befit this excellent beverage. And don't be afraid to stock some away and drink later. It ages very well and such rewards belong to the patient.

Homebrew tasting - August 5th

2005-08-08T18:10:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, we hosted another beer tasting (our 7th event since last year), but this one was unique in that it was comprised completely of homebrewed beers. I have attached a few pictures below. Because it was a relatively small group, Michelle decided that she wanted to fix everyone dinner, instead of the customary snacks, and we held the event at our house, which is small but cozy. At least we think so.

A special thanks to my fellow brewers who were so eager to share their malt creations, and to everyone who drank virtually every drop that was poured. The reality is that we're all amateurs, but ready to learn more. If you get the inclination to host a beer tasting, let me know and I'd be happy to facilitate it for you. If not, invite me as a participant as I don't often pass up an opportunity to drink good beer with care and contemplation, and especially with good fellowship.

The beer list was as follows:

Sam

Oatmeal Pale Ale (receipe by Marek Szramel)

Josh

Kolsch
American Pale Ale

Michael

Porter
Scottish Ale
Maple Nut Brown Ale
Cream Stout

Jeff

White Beer
ESB
Saison
Belgian Strong Ale
Top-fermenting Dopplebock (made with Kolsch yeast)
Dunkel Weizen
Chocolate Stout

Here are some pictures; enjoy!!

Michael and Nathan goofing off with yours truly before the event.

Dinnertime - caesar salad, grilled teriyaki chicken, rosemary potatoes, homemade yeast rolls, and later, homemade chocolate cheesecake.

Admiring the view.

Eager-to-learn drinkers.

Lamar enjoying to the last drop.

Josh sharing his recipe secrets.

Michael sharing his recipe secrets.

Jeff savoring the aroma.

My Belgian was alive...literally!!

Sam likes the Belgian.

Sarina begs for more, Lamar enjoys what he's got.

Another shot of the tasters.

The end.

And an extra special thanks to my photographer, Ashley. Thanks sweetie.

Beer review - Jenlain Biere De Garde

2005-07-28T08:31:00.000-05:00

I picked this up at Green's, having wanted to try a biere de garde (French Ale) from the old country. My first of this style was New Belgium's Biere de Mars, which I particularly liked but is only available seasonally, and not in Georgia. The style itself is fairly unique being from France, much better known for it's wine than it's beer. But the French beer culture is certainly alive, especially in the northeast corner on the border of Belgium, that veritable land of beer for the disciplined and developed palate. And a special thanks to BH for helping me enjoy this treat.

Came in a 750ml green bottle, with a relatively simple black label, corked not capped. The beer's appearance was a brilliant light amber, very clear, complimented by a nice white head that did not stick around long but did leave a nice lacing in the glass.

The nose was an interesting mix of sweet, subtle malts, and a light fruitiness. It was reminiscent of champagne, but much more subdued.

Mouthfeel was crisp and carbonated, light and refreshing. Made for warmer weather.

The taste was most interesting. An earthy, malt sweetness up front, mixed with a very complex mix of citrus flavors and mild hoppiness, finishing dry. There is also a slightly alcohol taste coming through, almost medicinal, but pleasant. The aftertaste was extremely unique; upon swallowing there is brief rush of carbonation and then the mouth and throat feels completely empty, like the beer has evaporated. I usually like the lingering taste of beer after each sip, so the Jenlain surprised me in that there was none. It was not unpleasant, but definitely different.

At $4 bottle, it's a good investment and a lot cheaper than champagne or wine. Overall, a very good beer recommended for summer evenings. We drank it without food compliment, but it might be good with fish or chicken dishes. Here's to better drinking!!

Beer review - Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale

2005-07-28T08:26:00.000-05:00

I've a habit of picking some fairly interesting and unique beers for review here, and what follows is no exception. Perhaps a brief of note explanation is in order. My wife Michelle is not a huge beer fan but over the several years it has taken me to grow into a confirmed beer geek, she has tried much of what I bring home (or make), and has developed a palate for some of the more rare beers available. In particular she likes the sour stuff; a nice Berliner Kindl is her favorite. But it is mixed blessing; we can enjoy a beer together, which is good, but cost and availability of these things makes it difficult to stock up. Drinking Budweiser would be cheaper, but not nearly as fun or tasty.

Beer Advocate has this to say about the style:

A Flanders Red, are commonly referred to as the "red" beers of West Flanders. Belgian Red Beers are typically light-bodied brews with reddish-brown colors. They are infamous for their distinct sharp, fruity, sour and tart flavors which are created by special yeast strains. Very complex beers, they are produced under the age old tradition of long-term cask aging in oak, and the blending of young and old beers.

So anyway...on to the review.

Monk's pours a hazy brown, swirling with a yeasty haze. A nice white head forms but quickly dissipates into lacing, though it did not stick around for the entire session.

The nose is a funky sourness, with some vague fruitiness. There is something else going on in the background, very subtle, but I couldn't tell what it was.

Mouthfeel is thin, but nicely carbonated. You can feel the bubbles quietly stirring if you pause before swallowing.

The taste…whoa buddy. Sour and lactic, initially puckering, but mellowing into a nice tartness. Some cherry and what could be granny smith apples is also coming through. Warming up, the flavor becomes more pronounced and less severe on the palate. A dull hop flavor is fighting with a subtle malt flavor, but the sour wins. No hint of bitterness, nor of spice.

Overall, a crisp refreshing beer, probably worthy of warm weather enjoyment. Michelle ended up drinking at least 1/3 of the glass, so add this one to her list!!

Beer Review - Gouden Carolus, Grand Cru of the Emperor

2005-07-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

Before starting my beer review, an extra special thanks to LJ for buying me this bottle of beer. Friends are good, but friends who buy friends beer are better. Unless they buy them Bud Lite. Then friends should be keel-hauled by their friends. But still, a gift beer is still a good thing in general. And also a special thanks to BMM for helping me drink this bottle. I know it's hard work sharing good beer, but someone has to do it.

This 750ml bottle of Gouden Carolus is brewed every year on the 24th of February, the birthdate of Charles the Fifth, who in turn drank this beer before fox hunts because it inspired rider and steed with enthusiasm, creating the best possible atmosphere in which to kill small, wily animals. Given the prestigious origin of said beverage, we can safety say that the current anathema against drinking and driving did not originate with Charles, nor would he likely be pleased by the government warning on the bottle about not mixing alcohol and fox-hunts. Needless to say, a great big dark bottle (vintage 2004) looking intimidating, was ready to be uncorked and enjoyed.

The appearance was an amber-red liquid, almost like a Georgia creek after a good rain, but with a slowly forming white head, tinges of red mixed in. This poured quite thickly without a lot of "splash", like some great rich treat finally ready for what it was made for.

The smell was very malty, sweet with tinges of spice. Something like oak or wood came to me as well, though it was not well defined. No discernible hops.

Medium-to-full mouthfeel; nicely balanced carbonation with an almost syrupy thickness. But not too much, not too little.

Taste was very nice. Big malt upfront, earthy, more of that wood aroma shows up here too. A nice sweetness permeates the whole thing from first taste to swallow with no bitterness at all. The malt was mostly like dark-meat fruits, like raisins and plums, though those flavors did not immediately come to mind in terms of actual flavor. Just a kind of subtle fruitiness that was definitely not "light". Also, none of the roasted malt flavor you might expect in a stout or porter. This was the big malt you find in other Belgian strong ales, sweet, thick, and powerful. The 10% ABV is nicely hidden and complements the whole experience.

All in all, an excellent beer worthy of all kinds of special occasions. I recommend getting a few bottles and laying them down until some worthy event calls for a worthy beer. Enjoy.

And now, for something completely different

2005-07-13T15:01:00.000-05:00

Last year, someone on the original Sharpening Iron forum posted a somewhat strange story (link here) about a Russian truck carrying beer that sunk into a river. In honor of that adventure, I whipped up the following poem. A blast from the past, enjoy!!

While crossing the frozen river Irtysh
The weather was warmer than driver had wished
And sunk a big truck, laden with beer
Oh, the anguish and sorrow, mingled with fear

Driver and partner made it out just in time
Shaken, but cold, scared, but alive
But, alas! the beer, sank down the cold edge
Of a frozen, impenetrable, liquefied fridge

But the boys of the Army, Russian by name
Showed up for a rescue, ready for fame
16 brave lads, divers and crew
And a old faithful tank, a T-72

The bottles and kegs they saved in a flash
But the poor truck was lost, a write-off of cash
The Rosar Brewery took their beer back
And will sell at a discount, demand with no lack

So next time you're toasting, remember the few
Who braved the cold river to save a malt brew
The brave Russian boys of a rescue-type crew
And their old faithful, Soviet T-72

Private property and freedom of association

2005-07-07T13:50:00.000-05:00

The article posted here is not about beer per se, but brings up the issues of freedom, accountability, responsibility, and what we would call in plain Southern, common sense.

The "nanny-state" mentioned here is the same thing that Rushdoony called the "messianic state"; we must resist it, especially in our thinking.

Of winebibbers and tax-collectors

2005-06-29T14:42:00.000-05:00

One of the more challenging aspects of the Christian faith is living in the world, yet not being of it. Fundamental misconceptions of "spiritual" and "world" skew not only the discussion, but often make us hypocritical as we hold mutually exclusive concepts in tension. A few definitions probably should be in order. "World", as the Bible defines it, in context, is not the sphere of plants, rocks, drinks, cars, cellphones, and playing cards. But, "world" is collective man in his ethical disobedience to God's Word, and now-natural disposition to replace the True and Living God with another of his own making, bringing to mind Paul's warning in Romans 1 about the folly of worshipping the created thing rather than the Creator. Following this definition, being "spiritual" as opposed to "worldly" means to use and interact with the creation in manner consistent with God's Word, enabled by grace through faith in Jesus, trusting in His merits alone.

Practically speaking what this means is that Christians will be often be seen participating in things that non-Christians do, though their motivations and purposes are often different or even guarded. Christians attend movies and listen to music; they may not (and often, should not) see or hear everything that comes down the pike. The Christian should guard his heart. The list here could be so expansive as to include virtually every human endeavor, save those things which are sinful in themselves; there is no room for a Christian hitman or thief. The point is that from an outside perspective it ought to be difficult to distinguish a Christian from a non-Christian, especially when it regards general cultural activities. We all need to eat, drink, clothe ourselves, cut the lawn, check the oil in the car, and feed the dog. The primary difference between the believer and non-believer then is not so much what he does, but rather why he does it. Motivations are complex things and hard to accurately predict or interpret, and in some respects, the Spirit-led Christian life is all but unseen to men in their rebellion. (John 3:3) Yet the fruit of that spiritual life is visible (Matthew 7:16ff) and plays an important role as God uses it both to woo sinful men to Himself, and condemns them when they do not repent of their own sinful behavior.

When it comes to drinking alcohol, many Christians take an untenable position. While many admit that there is no direct command not to drink in the Bible, it should be avoided because it can lead to drunkenness. Of course, no one avoids food because it could lead to gluttony, and the shame of our hypocrisy speaks very clearly here. We are extremely selective in our attempt to avoid "worldliness", and in the process we create an artificial set of rules that have no basis in the Bible. We end up avoiding people and places that often need our presence, the very salt and light Jesus commanded us to be. How can we be influencing and setting an example if we have relegated ourselves to the enclaves of our own ghettoes, fearful to tread out on the proverbial sidewalk from the relative safety of our own homes and churches?

Which brings me around to what I really wanted to say. The title of this particular rant refers to something that Jesus was called, as well as some of the company He kept during His earthly ministry. Consider that the Eternal One, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Triune God come in the flesh, associated with what was considered the worst element of 1st century Jewish society, and was accused of being a drunk because He imbibed with them. I'm not suggesting that we all start drinking with the worst elements in our society (is that WWJD?), but if Jesus did, why can't we do even less? Are we afraid to hang-out at the local pub for fear of being spotted? Are we afraid we might hear someone say a bad word? Are we afraid of being a called a drunk?

As a profession or hobby, have Christians avoided brewing for similar reasons? Or do we brew with a Christian "audience" in mind? Even if that were possible, it is not desirable. I personally see a direct correlation between the historically declining Christian participation both in brewing and drinking, and it's degradation as a profession and as a culinary enjoyment. Instead of phenomenal beers made self-consciously to God's glory, we have watered-down substitutes because either we're feeling too guilty to really enjoy beer, or too ignorant to be concerned about it. We don't really enjoy good beer because developing a palate really takes time, and besides that, it's really so worldly and unspiritual. This attitude is not limited to alcohol of course, which explains why in a day-and-age of multi-million dollar Christian book and record publishing, the Christian Church is more irrelevant than it's even been in this country.

How do we turn the tide? How do we avoid the oft-made accusation against the Church as trying to restrict alcoholic beverages, rather than promote their God-honoring purpose of making man's heart glad? Grace, patience, time, education, and hope. One person at a time, one family at a time, one church at a time, slowly and steadily. Postmillennial beer, as it were. Perhaps one day by God's grace, the Church's celebrations and liberty to use that what God has freely given will be seen and misunderstood as drunkenness by the truly worldly. Our Puritan forefathers were often accused of being both too temperate, as well as too liberal. But wisdom is vindicated by her children; we should wear such disdain with a quiet and holy dignity, and celebrate God's goodness…with a beer.

Favorite favorites

2005-06-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

From time to time, I am asked about my favorite beer. My usual answer is, 'it depends'. What time of year it is? What time of day is it? What is the occasion? What am I eating with it, if at all? Who am I drinking with? A list of my personal tastes could be very large, so I've decided to list some of favorite favorites, but not necessarily beers I drink all of the time, and in no discernable order.

Everyone's a critic, so if you don't agree, lift your own glass for the right reasons; joy in creation and the Creator.

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout - cream of the crop when it comes to sweet stouts, best on cool evenings in fall and winter, accompanied with home-made meat pie. A 12oz bottle is not really big enough; buy a bomber and savor. Smooth and creamy, absolutely a shame when the glass is empty.

Paulaner Hefeweizen - the best wheat beer on the planet, hands down. Excellent warm weather brew, especially when beer is nice and cold. American hefeweizens just can't touch this one. If on vacation on the beach, it's ok to start at 10am with one of these.

Ayinger Celebrator - the king of dopplebocks, black as midnight, incredibly malty, just like a liquid dessert. As a lager it needs to be cold when imbibing, and pairing it with food is fine, but tends to distract from it's own meal-like quality. I recommend this one with like-minded friends in the evening, while discussing theology or another high-minded pursuit.

Hennepin - outside of Unibroue, Ommegang is one of the best Belgian brewers outside of Belgium. This beer is refreshingly crisp, light, and good anytime of day. True to the Saison style, it is dry, spicy, carbonated, yet not overpowering as some Belgians are. If you can handle the 7.5% ABV, drink the 750ml over an hour, along with a good book. A great wind-down-your-day beer.

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weisse Dunkel - the best dunkelweizen I've ever had, like drinking chocolate milk. Imagine all the characteristics of a great German wheat beer, mixed with chocolate, cloves, and bananas. Maybe that doesn't appeal to you, but I could drink this stuff all day. The best time to imbibe is right when you get home, waiting for dinner.

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - a great, big beer from the talented Garrett Oliver. Incredibly complex, chewy and powerful, excellent with dessert. Also bold enough to handle a cigar paring, though I recommend a maduro. Best on a fall or winter evening around a nice campfire, with friends or family. Buy some and cellar them for a year. It's still great.

That's it for now; enjoy.

Beer review - Fuller's London Porter

2005-06-16T15:43:00.000-05:00

Fuller's is probably more well-known for their ESB or Pale Ale, but the beer in consideration here is, in this reviewer's opinion, one of the finest examples of a modern porter. That is, if you can find it. I've had this served in bottles at two different locales in northeastern metro Atlanta, but the distribution channel seems to be shifting things around so it may be harder to find than previously.

This particular bottle was a "bomber", bought while in Arizona back in February. A very nice, unique bottle with the words "Independent Family Brewers" molded into the glass. A regal label, complete with a griffin at the top, describing the contents of the bottle and where is was made. While "cash redemption" for the bottle is available in several states, a homebrewer like myself doesn't throw away bottles unless they are twist-off. No, the only real desecration to the outward appearance was that darn government label insisting that pregnant truck drivers risk birth defects while driving with the surgeon general. I am firm believer in truth-in-advertising, but some things I just don't want to know.

A dark brown ale with ruby tinges in the light, this beer adorns the glass with grace and invitation. A tan head formed nicely and though it did not last long, a nice lace was produced throughout the session.

A sweet, almost syrupy, aroma arises, mixed with thick malt and chocolate overtones. Not too roasty, like a stout would be, but a good prelude to what's coming in the taste. A very slight bitterness wafts in as it warms.

Mouthfeel is smooth and velvety, carbonated with just the right mix. Not too heavy, but definitely not light.

Without exaggerating too much, imagine a beer with chocolate syrup. Yes, it's really that good. Not in the same category as Rogue's Chocolate Stout, but a creamy, delectable beer, worthy of dessert or dinner. To balance the powerful chocolate flavors, there is roasted barley, as well as some mild hops, which add a pleasant bitterness mid-mouth, in the swallow and the aftertaste. As it warms, the bitterness becomes somewhat more pronounced, as one might expect, but the overall flavor does not change, making this an absolute treat from first sip to staring at the bottom of an empty glass, somewhat wistfully.

Overall, an exquisite beer, one of my favorites in it's class, even above the excellent Anchor Porter and Rogue Mocha Porter, both of which are more American-style in terms of flavor and aroma. If you can find it, order and enjoy.

Enjoy responsibly

2005-06-13T21:34:00.000-05:00

On my to work, coming and going, I pass a “package” store, a strange title to me for a place that sells wine, beer, and liquor. One would almost be inclined to think there was something sinister or criminal going on that the owner would be afraid to name the type of product customers are shopping for. The joke about Baptists and Methodists not recognizing each in the liquor store comes to mind. Anyway, on the marquee, besides advertising some special of the week, is an oft-used phrase in the “package” business; enjoy responsibly.

Without quibbling too much, I do take issue with the thrust of what is called “responsible”. In most cases, we focus on the second table without a consideration of the first. In other words, we place offenses against man with a solemnity rarely given to God. How often are we saddened when hearing about a death caused by a drunk driver? Usually we are, and rightly so. But are we just as moved when the gift of alcohol is abused in general, and God’s commandment is disregarded? For every one drunk driver there are 10 more who get home unscathed. There are 20 more who use alcohol as a crutch or to drown the misery of life. Do we weep for these?

And not only weeping, but do we resolve to provide testimony on how to honor the Creator in His gift of alcohol? Do we show the watching world how to be responsible to both God and man? Sadly, our answer is no. Instead of honoring Him, we disregard the gift as if the problem were in the bottle rather than us.

The next time you drink, resolve to truly enjoy responsibly; ponder your duty to man and to the God of the Bible, Who will require us to be responsible whether men are looking or not.

Best beers

2005-06-13T07:37:00.000-05:00

Men's Journal recently made of list of the best beers...definitely worth taking a look at.

Thanks to Frank for the link.

Beer review - Duvel

2005-05-31T20:13:00.000-05:00

Duvel, or "devil" in Flemish, is one of the premier Belgian Strong Pale Ales available today. I picked up a one of the gift packs left over from Christmas (on sale of course), which included (4) 330ml bottles of beer, plus an excellent Duval glass.

A distinctive, stubby, dark brown bottle with a rather unadorned label which reads "Duvel", something about the year 1871, a little red dot with the ABV (8.5%) superimposed on it, and two notes about being bottle conditioned, and "pour unhurriedly". On the back is a 3-step instruction on how to pour, as well as the standard government boilerplate warning about beer causing birth defects in impaired ability truck drivers, or something like that.

Pours a brilliant, clear yellow, like a cheap lager. But even poured slowly, which I thought I was doing, a massive, thick, meringue head formed and nearly overflowed the glass, despite the fact that the bottle was only half empty. Took 10 minutes just to get all the beer in the glass.

The nose is a tart, flowery, spicy aroma, with a yeasty undertone. There is so much going on here it's hard to describe. Some fruit coming through, though what I cannot say with any accuracy.

Mouthfeel is crisp, light, and very carbonated.

Taste is, well...wow. What was just described as the aroma meets the palate, and then start working together in a symphony of flavors and aroma. A sharp, apple-like flavor comes in and is over taken by a yeasty layer, only to be replaced by a peppery spice that is sour at the same time. Extremely complex and difficult to describe.

There are still chunks, literally, of foam sitting on the surface of beer, despite the glass nearly being empty, and the entire glass is laced over from top to bottom.

This has to be the most complex beer I've ever had. Would not recommend it with food, as it really needs to be savored all on its own. Some will tell you that the 8.5% ABV will sneak up on you, but they must be lightweights; I feel fine.

Expensive? Absolutely. But do I recommend this? In the words of Napoleon Dynamite; "Heck yes!"

How to review beer

2005-05-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

Todd Alstrom has written a great article on how to review a beer.

Check it out.

(Contains minor language)

The unnatural separation

2005-05-26T20:45:00.000-05:00

There is a tendency to categorize the alcoholic beverage into its own "class" of material good, rather than simply another type of food and drink. This is especially true of Evangelical Christians. Reasons for this are legion, but I’m going to narrow it to two.

First off, alcohol is often the cause of many social ills and most would not want to be associated with such an instigator. However, the abuse of a thing is not the same as the use of a thing. The fact that alcoholic beverages do cause real pain and grief in people’s lives does not prohibit its Biblically lawful use, any more than gluttony should prohibit us from eating. Food and drink, all kinds, are held out to us as a good thing, to be received with thanksgiving, a testimony of God’s goodness to all creation. But rather than set the pace with a good example before the world, saints have shunned alcohol for fear of being associated with winebibbers and the resultant social problems associated with drunkenness have become epidemic. We should be leading the charge, rather than a retreat. If people of the Word, who have access to God’s specific instruction in all areas of life, do not teach by example, who will?

A second reason, related to the first, is a misunderstanding of the Christian’s use of the natural world. We read early on in Genesis that God created all things good and that man’s task was to take dominion (subdue, make it fruitful) of all things, for the purpose of displaying His glory. Man’s fall into sin hindered our duties, but did not take away our responsibility. In I Corinthians 3:21-22, Paul tells us that the world belongs to us, meaning that everything that God intends for the world through Christ (which is the salvation of men and the end of the power of sin) is ours for use. In other words, we are free to use all of creation so far as we obey Christ and His Law-Word, as He now reigns over all things as King.

To be sure, redemption is spiritual, as it impossible to bring about by human means, originates from God, and it is not "visible" in a way that can be quantified materially. But the material world is also being redeemed. Our spiritual life affects the whole man, not just something inside of us. Yet we think we’re more "spiritual" when we avoid alcohol or certain types of food. But as we’re reminded in I Corinthians 8:8, we are no better if we eat than if we don’t. In short, abstaining from alcohol does not make one more sanctified or holy. Sanctified drinking and eating is done with restraint and sobriety, not with abstinence.

And amidst all this, remember fermentation is a “natural” process that must be “unnaturally” suppressed under normal circumstances. The exercise of dominion is that power to control those processes to a specific end, namely the making of beer. The wild yeast in the Senne Valley (near Brussels, Belgium) may produce some exquisite lambics, but most of the time such organisms do not produce such consistency and must be tamed to bring about a certain result. Man’s obedience to the dominion mandate is seen very clearly in the production of beer. Check out this list of products from White Labs; each strain brings out a variety of flavor and aroma characteristics that would be impossible to produce without purposeful design. In the old days of beer making, brewers did not understand how yeast worked but knew that it did and called it “godisgood”. Today we know how yeast works and have made it do better things.

God is indeed good to us; let us not separate good things out from that which is declared good, but separate ourselves unto real righteousness as we drink unto the Maker.

Beer review - Uerige Sticke Alt

2005-05-23T08:31:00.000-05:00

I should emphasize at the beginning that this beer, to the best of my knowledge, is not available in GA. This bottle was picked up on our February trip to AZ.

The "alt" style originates in Germany in the city of Dusseldorf, and simply means "old". In this case, "old" is contrasted with the "newer" lagers Germany is mostly known for, as opposed to that aging bottle of Heineken in the back of your fridge which is truly old. An alt is a top fermenting ale in the same general category as an English brown ale, though the flavors are a bit more crisp.

My Uerige Sticke came in a beautiful 11.2 oz bottle with a re-sealable ceramic cap. Very ornate, only marred by the government warning label recommending that pregnant mothers and their children should not drink while driving heavy equipment. Must be a problem in Germany.

Pours a lovely brown, somewhat hazy, but much more transparent than a brown ale. The head was white, thin but dense.

The nose is a slightly bitter malt, perhaps some caramel.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, an interesting mix of a moderately thick ale, with the cleanness of a lager. Much like a Kolsch, for those in the know.

Taste is malty, slightly roasted, faint hints of coffee and chocolate. Hops add good balance, preventing the sweetness from being dominant. Finishes clean and slightly dry. Leaves a pleasant aftertaste, reminding the drinker to finish the glass.

A fine example of an alt, but nothing to make a trip to Germany, or even AZ, over. At $4.45 per bottle, this will be a good memory of a good beer, but not a session brew.

A day without beer...almost

2005-05-21T20:26:00.000-05:00

We spent most of the day up at Lake Lanier, celebrating my oldest children's birthdays, both belated, Ashley's 16th and Seth's 13th. The weather was rather dreary until about 3pm, but in the company of some friends, it was nonetheless a pleasant event. And not a drop of alcohol was consumed.

Normally this kind of event brings out a bottle, as I consider the drinking of beer to be consistent with celebration, fellowship, and rejoicing. But occasionally there is none to be had. This is a good thing...which may be strange to say on a blog devoted to better drinking. Yet abstinence from a good thing is sometimes a good thing because it reminds us that good, in the eternally beneficial way, is not found in the temporal. Abstaining for the sake of joy; now there's a concept worth pondering. Of course, that means finding balance since enjoyment of anything is not found in unbridled consumption nor in total self-denial. It means knowing when "to", and when "not to". Today was "not to" and it was a fine day.

And it doesn't count that amongst the party favors we gave away, I gave beer to the men. The Sam Smiths were received with joy, but slight disappointment as they were not chilled.

I conclude with the "almost" since I did in fact have one of my brown ales (which is maturing more into a brown porter) with my dinner of sliced seasoned pork and swiss on toasted sourdough. What does that mean? Nothing. It was a good dinner and good near-conclusion to the day. A night cap of my new dunkelweizen will make it complete.

A brief explanation

2005-05-19T16:11:00.000-05:00

Taking the Bible at face value, one must contend with a great number of truths that God has communicated. One of the fundamentals can be summarized as, "Everything is theological". This is just another way of repeating Romans 14:23, which places all human activity within one of two realms, sinful against God, or faithful to God. For my purposes, given these statements, I say that beer is theological. What this means is that our drinking, our brewing, and our thoughts and words about beer ought to reflect the glory, grandeur, and goodness of the Creator.

In our current culture, "christianizing" something usually means to downgrade it in order to make it palatable, or turn it into something that it's not meant to be. We're not interested in doing that here. Beer should reflect God in it's creative and complex production, as well as in it's joyful consumption. Drunkenness is exactly a sin because it causes us to forget that God requires obedience to His Word, and tells the lie that the created thing can fill a void made by and for the Creator alone. In other words, being drunk dishonors God and the creation which reflects His name. But when imbibing correctly, God's name is held up in honor, His law is obeyed, and His glory is put on display for us to see.

And we still get good beer, which is really only a fleeting by-product in all of this. So stick around and while enjoying the temporary, perhaps He will grant a glimpse of the Eternal.

Recent new beers

2005-05-19T12:24:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe not that recent but check out these beers:

Mississippi Mud - a black and tan from NY (southern beer brewed in Yankee-land?). Dark, but easy drinking. A decent beer that even "light" beer drinkers can stomach.

Yeti Imperial Stout - a big stout that is not as good as Sam Smith's Imperial, but better overall than Old Rasputin. Malty, hoppy, thick, and tasty.

Terrapin's Shake-n-Bake Imperial Oatmeal Stout - whoa...a big oatmeal stout brewed with coffee. Extremely tasty, consistent with the style but a little too thin for an imperial. Available only on tap, but worth a pint.

That's it for now...

Welcome Aboard

2005-05-18T15:14:00.000-05:00

Makarios will be doing most of the posting after this one so check back often for tasting information, reveiws, and general chicanery...