Better Drinking

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.

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.

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...;)

Labels: beer reviews

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.

Labels: beer reviews

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...

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.

Labels: beer reviews

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.

Labels: beer reviews