Bière de Garth

On Camille Saison: An American Take on a Classic Farmhouse Ale

2012-09-18T18:12:00.000-05:00

Like Chinese food and tacos, most beer styles have been thoroughly “Americanized” in some way or another. Take the classic British IPA, kick up the hops about 20 notches and you have one of the most popular beer styles west of the Atlantic. Or maybe your stout doesn't have enough of a kick to it. Just turn the alcohol dial to 11 and enjoy your imperial stout. Yes, the story of the imperial stout involves Tzars and inter-European trade, but Americans gave “imperial” its broader meaning relating to strong versions of classic styles. It seems no style is immune from the relentless evolution and Americanization. Imperial pilsener, black IPAs, extra hoppy porters, and fruit/coffee/chocolate/herbs/bacon in just about everything in between. Subtly isn't an American virtue.

With that in mind, I share with you a recipe for a style I've not seen previously Americanized in any meaningful way: Saison. Camille Saison, named after the romantic composer Camille Saint-Seans, is a hop forward version of a Belgian saison. With 38 IBUs but only measuring in 5.5% ABV, this certainly isn't your standard saison. Peppery spice and piny citrus dominate the aroma. Pepper and citrus hit the palate strong up front but give way to a balanced profile of yeast, malt, and hops. The high hop content is cleansed by lively carbonation and the light body leaves you refreshed for another sip. Bold, yet quaffable, Camille Saison is a beer that will certainly be added to my regular rotation. Enjoy.

Camille Saison

Camille Saison

Saison

Type: All Grain

Date: 07/05/2012

Batch Size
(fermenter): 5.00 gal

Brewer: Garth Peterson

Boil Size: 6.35 gal

Asst Brewer:

Boil Time: 60 min

Equipment: Pot and Cooler ( 5 Gal/19 L) - Extract/Partial Mash

End of Boil Volume 5.98 gal

Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %

Final Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal

Est Mash Efficiency 87.6 %

Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage

Taste Rating(out of 50): 0.0

Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU
5.00 gal	Atlanta, GA	Water	1	-
2.60 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins)	Water Agent	2	-
2.00 g	Chalk (Mash 60.0 mins)	Water Agent	3	-
1.60 g	Salt (Mash 60.0 mins)	Water Agent	4	-
0.60 g	Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins)	Water Agent	5	-
0.30 g	Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins)	Water Agent	6	-
2 lbs 12.0 oz	Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)	Grain	7	32.3 %
2 lbs 4.0 oz	Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)	Grain	8	26.5 %
1 lbs 6.0 oz	Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM)	Grain	9	16.2 %
0.53 oz	Citra [14.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min	Hop	10	28.1 IBUs
2 lbs 2.0 oz	Lyle's Golden Syrup (0.0 SRM)	Extract	11	25.0 %
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins)	Fining	12	-
0.57 oz	Citra [14.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min	Hop	13	10.0 IBUs
1.00 tsp	Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins)	Other	14	-
1.04 oz	Citra [14.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min	Hop	15	0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg	Belgian Saison (Wyeast Labs #3724) [124.21 ml]	Yeast	16	-
1.0 pkg	Belgian Saison (Wyeast Labs #3724) [124.21 ml]	Yeast	17	-
1.00 oz	Citra [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days	Hop	18	0.0 IBUs

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Protein Rest	Add 6.74 qt of water at 130.8 F	122.0 F	30 min
Saccharification	Add 5.10 qt of water at 192.1 F	149.0 F	30 min
Mash Out	Add 5.75 qt of water at 211.9 F	168.0 F	10 min

Sparge Step: Fly sparge with 2.97 gal water at 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Double step infusion - for light body beers requiring a protein rest. Used primarily in beers high in unmodified grains or adjuncts.

Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Bottle
Volumes of CO2: 2.5
Pressure/Weight: 4.11 oz
Carbonation Used: Bottle with 4.11 oz Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F
Age for: 30.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
Storage Temperature: 65.0 F

Notes

Created with BeerSmith

On Sam Adams Verloren

2012-09-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

Rare beer styles are a bit of an obsession for me. Long before any American breweries were making Berliner weisse, I was making my own home brewed versions and buying the one lonely German import stocked by my local craft beer store. Since then, rare, traditional beer styles have become a point of pride for many brewers.

Much like the revival of classic cocktail bitters, sophisticated beer drinkers are demanding nearly forgotten styles. Among them sahti, faro, wheatwine, and gose. Many of these beers are an offshoot of the Belgian sour craze and have been interpreted by their new caretakers (I've seen wheatwines flavored with everything imaginable, including chocolate, burbon, and lemongrass). Sam Adams Verloren is no exception. Losing it's characteristic long-neck bottle, this light take on a classic sour has been reinterpreted for it's large audience.

A traditional gose bottle.

Out of a standard bomber, Verloren pours a cloudy gold color with a moderate white head that recedes quickly. lingering foam drifts across an amber sea.

Aroma shows savory coriander and a light citrusy sour character. Some light lime citrus in the background.

On the tongue a smooth, bready malt character is backed up by citrusy sourness. The lingering flavor is vaguely reminiscent of fruit loops.

With a moderately light body and prickly carbonation, this is dangerously easy to drink.

Try to take your time and enjoy the subtleties of this unique beer.

On Mikkeller Coffee IPA

2012-08-19T17:51:00.001-05:00

Sometimes a drink can be a game. Take a drink, find out what's in it, and, if you're in to it, try and recreate it yourself. It's a nerdy libation; methodically breaking down a completed unit into its constituent parts to see what ticks. Reverse engineer a drink.

While this may take some time - and many "test samples" - taken alone, I have some help with my latest tasting, Mikkeller Coffee IPA. I know, of course, there must be coffee in there. But Rate Beer also tells me it contains Tomahawk hops, and flaked oats. The hard part, as it turns out, is finding the coffee. Like an adult version of Where's Waldo, the coffee hides itself among many similar flavors.

Coffee IPA pours a dark orange color with a persistent, just slightly off-white head reminiscent of soap suds. Aroma is of hops - citrus - though not at all powerful. No coffee, yet.

The first sip doesn’t bring the coffee forward either. It’s playing hide and seek. I check behind some hop bitterness... no, it’s not there. Next comes some caramel sweetness offsetting the moderately intense bitterness from the Tomahawk hops. Then, at the end, after the sweetness leaves, the bitterness returns, but in new form: coffee. It’s delicate. If tasting blind, it may be easy to miss. But that's part of the fun.

Coffee shows up again in the body. The smooth, thick mouthfeel may be from the flaked oat, but it also supports the feel of a morning cup of espresso. Slightly oily and lingering.

Overall, this is a quality IPA and while hunting for the coffee was fun, I’d prefer something a bit more upfront.

On Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

2012-04-30T14:07:00.000-05:00

The third of my series of Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier's is the strongest of the series in both alcohol content and quality. While the smoke in the weizen played contrary to the heffeweisen character, the smoke in the urbock complements very nicely. Overall this beer is similar to the Marzen, but with a bit more umph and a bolder flavor.

The thick head is the consistency of an egg white foam and a light tan color. The beer itself is dark ruby with just a hint of light shining through the pint glass.

Banana bread and smoke on the nose. The aroma is quite pleasant.

Smoke forward on the palate with sweet caramel supporting. High carbonation thins an otherwise heavy body. The smoke plays an integral part and adds a depth of flavor to an already great beer. I couldn't have asked for a better beer to close out Smoked Beer Month.

All three beers were conservative enough in the smoke for the experience to not be a liquid BBQ. And for that I am thankful. Overall, the trio makes a great introduction to smoked beer land.

On O'Fallon Smoked Porter

2012-04-24T19:30:00.000-05:00

And now for something completely different. Well, not COMPLETELY different, but O'Fallon Smoked Porter is quite different than the classic German rauchbiers I've reviewed so far. Put just about anything in American hands and it gets turned to the extreme (5/3 Burger, anyone?). Sometimes it ends in indigestion, and sometimes it ends in pure deliciousness. Luckily, in the hands of Brian Owens - Head Brewer - O'fallon Smoked Porter falls in the later category.

Smoked porter starts in the aroma with smoked meats, molasses, honey, and alcohol in that order. Quite nice. The smoke is evident, but not at all overpowering as it would be easy to do with such a beer. More BBQ than campfire.

Jet black with a brown head it starts thick but settles to a thin brown hat on top of a black tower of beer.

O'Fallon Smoked Porter

The taste is much like the aroma. The smoke is very unique. Very BBQ like. I never thought I would use catsup in a beer description (at least in a good way) but there it is, catsup!

Of course there are the traditional porter flavors of roast malts and some molasses. Again not overpowering with the smoke but present with a thick, stick to your mouth feel on the palate.

Overall this beer is liquid pork ribs in a bottle but somehow it works. Quite a nice, unique, creative beer. Very appropriate for a St. Louis based brewery.

On Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen

2012-04-16T17:45:00.000-05:00

Last week I reviewed Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen, a smoked beer from Bamberg where smoked beers are a specialty. Today I'm reviewing another Aecht Schlenkerla beer, this time a wheat beer. That's right, April is going to be smoked beer month. Why? Well... why not? Smoked beers are wonderful and I don't think they get the credit they deserve among all the other specialty beers out there.

The world doesn't need another whiskey-barrel aged, sour, one-day-only, double imperial Russian stout. But a nice smoked beer provides excitement and differentiation without being in your face. I can only hope more craft breweries experament with smoke outside of the super strong realm and give a refreshing taste of smoke to complement all those summer burgers on the grill.

When poured krystal style the beer shows a dark amber color beneath a thick head of foam. Adding the yeast turns the color to a murky brown that isn’t quite as pretty, but well worth it in the end.

Spicy yeast phenols volly back and forth with smoke in an aromatic game of tennis that becomes more exciting the longer it lasts. Ultimately it’s the yeast that comes away with the win.

The smoke doesn’t make much of an appearance in the flavor, but in the same vein, traditional heffeweisen flavors are muted by the smoke that is there. Bready wheat malt and some clove anchor the flavor.

Dry and light, this is as refreshing as I’ve ever seen in a smoked beer. However, smoked beer lovers may find the smoke underwhelming, while heffeweisen lovers could find the smoke bothersome. This one never quite comes to a cohesive statement, but the individual elements are there.

On Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

2012-04-10T20:23:00.001-05:00

Aecht Schlenkerla is a classic German brewer that can trace it's lineage back to 1405 in Bamberg, a northern Bavarian town. It's here that the techniques used since before the discovery of the New World still survive. Sure, they use electric pumps, pitched yeast, and giant temperature controlled fermenters, but Aecht Schlenkerla still smokes its own malt in open fire kilns and ages it's beer in oak casks just like all beer was made up until the industrial revolution.

What this means is when you open one of Aecht Schlenkerla's Rauchbiers, you're opening a taste of history. Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, Carl Orff, and Johann Pachelbel all lived in Bavaria and may have drank very similar beers while composing their most famous works. That connection with history doesn't come easy. It only happens through the careful adhearance to strict tradition through multiple generations. Aecht Schlenkerla survived The Reformation, near constant civil war, Napoleonic invasion, economic industrialization, two world wars, and reunification. Any of which could have prompted the owners to change their ways or close shop all together. And the simple fact that they did not, is reason enough to celebrate this fine beer.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen pours a dark golden brown with a white head that settles fairly quickly. Moderate lacing hangs to the glass. Oak smoke aroma backed by caramel and toasted bread notes.

Smoke and burnt sugar (you know, past caramel) start off the taste. Some roasty tones play backup. Non-smoked oak is also apparent in the flavor. Vanilla, marshmallow, toast. Add some chocolate malt and you’ve got a smore.

The palate is on the thick side with some lingering stickyness that doesn’t present as sweet so much as just thick or sticky.

The smoke is well balanced and complements the beer quite well. I hope the history and flavors of this wonderful brewery are kept alive for another 600 years.

On Southern Tier IPA

2012-03-31T19:21:00.000-05:00

I like labels. I've talked about their affect on me before with my post of Milten Gaither's label design for Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. Labels say a lot about the beer you're about to spend your hard earned money on. Good labels - and packaging, in general - should tell you everything you need to know about the product. I'm not talking just about the name, or the description, or the logo on the front. The colour and the shape*. The texture, the size, and even the smell all play a roll in telling you what's inside.

So what does Southern Tier's packaging say about their IPA? Their labels tell me they are very particular about their products. There is nothing on the label that doesn't belong. The simple color scheme makes the 6 packs easy to find on the shelf. Just look for the sea of green (IPA, 2xIPA) or purple (porter) and you're on your way. Southern Tier is very pragmatic and efficient. Nothing is wasted. Everything in it's right place**. If there is a hop addition or a malt used, it has a reason. Nothing is just for the hell of it. The packaging has an organic look. Not to say that their beers are organic in the eyes of the USDA, but they portray an image of care for the environment in a down to earth, practical way. The consistency from beer to beer and from case to bottle to tap tell me that Southern Tier is detail oriented and I can expect that attention to detail to extend to their recipes.

The aroma starts with pine resin and earthiness. Like a walk through a redwood forest. Burnt orange color with a dense head that lingers.

Bitterness is well balanced with a touch of caramel (and honey?) sweetness. Pine and earthy flavors cary through from the aroma. Some minerals appear in the tail. Moderately long finish that isn’t overly sweet or bitter.

The balance stays throughout, never tipping from one side or the other, like a skilled tightrope walker. The medium body feels thick from the hops. I’ll be licking the insides of my mouth for a while.

Overall quite an enjoyable beer whose strength lies in its balance.

*good album, btw.

**good song, btw.

On Crispin Stagger Lee

2012-03-07T21:05:00.002-06:00

Today I take a break from beer and give myself something a bit different to try: Cider. While there are similarities in the production, purpose, and - to some extent - history of these two beverages, cider and beer are very different drinks that test the beer drinker's palate. Accustomed to face contorting double IPAs, stupefying Russian imperial stouts, and sour Belgian's that make Warheads taste like water, the beer drinker may find it difficult to appreciate the subtleties of a fine cider. Cider is a rapidly growing segment of the craft beer world (can craft really claim cider to it's cause?). For 2011 the cider market has grown supermarket sales faster than any of the top 15 beverage alcohol segments with 27.5% growth. This compares to craft beer at 15.1%. True, cider is much smaller (about 20 times smaller) than craft, but it's growth is outstanding.

Premium cider brands such as Crispin have led the charge. Crispin alone saw over 200% sales growth in 2011 and brewers such as Boston Beer have joined the party. The man responsible for some of Goose Island's iconic brands, Greg Hall, has also gotten into the cider game and has planted cider apples in Michigan for his new venture, Virtue Cider. All this means more good cider for good beer lovers. So, in the spirit of broadening my horizons and trying something different, today I review Crispin's Stagger Lee: a blended hard cider aged in rye whiskey barrels.

Stagger Lee pours a cloudy yellow/orange with little head. Legs fall from the glass like wet paint.

The aroma starts with sweet apples. Whiskey is in the background but present. Clove esters. Maybe some banana esters as well, but hard to tell.

With the taste, whiskey, again in the background. Apple juice. The good kind. None of that apple drink mix. This is juicer fresh apple taste. I was hoping for more complexity and depth of character. The whiskey goes very well with the apples and this cider makes for a backwoods colonial history lesson. The whiskey comes out more as it warms; both in the flavor and aromatics.

Highly effervescent and full bodied. Residual sugars linger on the palate.

Overall, the cider/whiskey combo is delicious and I would like to try some of their other barrel aged offerings, but cider is still a bit on the sweet side for my tastes. I look forward to the budding cider industry. There is much to learn about this cousin to my favorite barley based beverage.

On Finch's Secret Stache Stout

2012-02-27T18:57:00.000-06:00

Finch's Beer Company, based out of Chicago, has been open for less than a year and they have already extended distribution to Wisconsin and Indiana. Helped by their accessible Golden Wing (golden ale) and Cut Throat (pale ale) flagships, they are seeing quick success that must be demanded of their (relatively) large brewing capacity. Though the distribution extends wide, I did not expect any but the two core beers to be distributed outside their home market of Chicago. So I was pleasantly surprised to see Secret Stache Stout at my local Woodman's grocery store in Rockford. And as I've said before, I like stouts. So another stout on the market is good news for me.

The bottle represents a departure from their canned mainstays, and the artwork is quite interesting. A finch handing a beer to another bird that is being weighed down by a ridiculously large mustache. The reverse label shows an unlocked padlock sugesting that this may be the beginning of a limited edition series of specially branded brews.

Pouring a very violent pour produced almost no head. What there was was the color of medium toast. "soap bubbles" linger on the sides.

Not much going on aroma wise. Some general roast character and a hint of vanilla.

The taste is of espresso and vanilla. A bit of oak (probably from the vanilla, not actual oak) and alcohol linger in the finish. Medium-thick body and a lot of residual sweetness. This one is built like tank, but at 5.3% you can enjoy all 650ml without waking up the next day wondering what happened.

The low carbonation is perfect for the style. This would do well on nitro.

Overall, a mixed bag. I wish there were more aroma and a touch less sweetness, but the flavor and carbonation are spot on. Not bad for a bomber priced under $5. This is the best I’ve seen from Finch’s thus far.

On Bud Light Platinum

2012-02-25T22:31:00.003-06:00

I know, I know. We're supposed to hate mass market lagers. They represent everything that craft beer is not. Big industrial machines pumping out vaguely yellow, vaguely flavored, slightly alcoholic water. But you know what? I don't care. The way I see it, beer is beer. Luciano Pavarotti, the popular singer, once said "I do not accept that the word 'pop' is a derogatory word. If the word 'classic' is the word to say 'boring', I do not accept it. There is good and bad music." Likewise, there is good and bad beer and just because it is made by a large, international company doesn't mean it can't be good. So when Anheuser-Busch InBev introduced Bud Light Platinum a couple of months ago, I decided I should give it a try. I was not disappointed.

Bud Light Platinum pours crystal clear and golden yellow. Slightly darker than regular Bud Light from what I remember. The snow white head dissipates quickly.

Slightly sour pilsener malt aroma. Flavor of sweet malt. A touch of honey, perhaps, but mostly just clean pilsener malt. Not as much adjunct flavor as regular bud light.

The body is the weak link and it borders on watery, but doesn’t quite cross that line. Highly carbonated and very drinkable.

Overall, it’s good for a BMC beer and I can appreciate it for what it is. This could be my weeknight drinker if it were a little lower in alcohol. But I guess that would defeat the point.

No, it's not the best beer ever, but when taken in context it holds its own. I happen to like light lagers and pilsners and Bud Light Platinum represents one of the best of the style. Miller may be playing catch-up with this one.

P.S. - I'm glad I like it... I had to buy a 12 pack.

On New Glarus Road Slush

2012-02-15T19:11:00.000-06:00

Winter means stout, and in Northern Illinois (and Wisconsin, the home of this beer), winter means ice and snow. So today, in honor of the slush that I lovingly kick from my wheel well, I'm drinking New Glarus Road Slush. I've reviewed New Glarus previously and I have much respect for the brewery. Combine that with my love of low(er) gravity stouts, and this beer makes a perfect match.

Road Slush starts with lots of roasted aroma. Many stouts fall flat on aroma, but no this one. Full roasted aroma. That smell in fall when people are burning leaves... that’s this beer. Full. Warm. Inviting. Other aromatics of raw grain (oats) and a touch of honey.

The first taste brings out more sweet notes than the aroma. The taste of roast is still strong, but not quite as dominant. Coffee, chocolate and cherries come through. Some grain sits easy in the background. Just enough to keep things interesting.

The palate brings a bit too much carbonation for my taste. A beer of this caliber doesn’t need to hide behind 15psi of carbonation. Otherwise, the beer is quite smooth.

Overall, probably not the best oatmeal stout I’ve ever had, but it’s up there. The aroma is this beer’s strong suit and is what makes it unique.

On Mikkeller Single Hop: Simcoe

2011-12-12T21:57:00.002-06:00

Simcoe is the name of the game today. My third in a series of reviews of Mikkeller's Single Hop Series (one and two here) showcases the Simcoe registered trademark hop. Simcoe® can be a hard hop to get. Select Botanicals Group, LLC, the owners of the Simcoe® varietal, have only licensed three farms to grow the hop, all in Washington.

Simcoe starts with spices (pepper), earthiness, and some pine. A bit odd considering the citrus power of Simcoe hops, but the age may be a factor in this. I can't read the code date on the cap, but Rate Beer lists this as a retired style (get it while you can).

The color is dark redish-orange. Reminds me of the color of 70s carpet or upholstery. Moderate head retention leaves thin wisps of bubbles across the surface. In the mouth, caramel malt and piney hops give way to some citrus before mild alcohol finishes the show. The beer is medium bodied with medium-high carbonation. A bit oily.

Overall, this is the best of the single hop series I’ve had so far, but I do wish I had it fresher.

Single hop series reviews:

Sorachi Ace

Nelson Sauvin

On Abbaye de Maredsous 8 Brune

2011-12-05T21:36:00.001-06:00

Today is a day to celebrate. Today is Repeal Day. Seventy-eight years ago today the 21st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which repealed the 18th Amendment ban on the " manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors" was ratified, somewhat ironically, by Utah. The repeal of the 18th Amendment is a reason to celebrate. Not just because it restored the right of Americans to drink, but because it restored the right for Americans to conduct themselves in the manner of their choosing.

The 21st Amendment is not merely about being able to get rip-roaring drunk, it's about the most basic of American rights: freedom. Freedom to drink. Freedom to express oneself through a chosen art. And freedom to experience the wide tastes made available through that artistic expression. And so, today I celebrate.

As it turns out, the dark ages of American beer were just beginning, but luckily today we have a few more options to celebrate repeal day than did the ciserones of 1933. And to that end, I'll be enjoying a bottle of Maredsous 8 Brune, a fine Belgian dubbel produced by Duvel under license from Maredsous Abbey.

The paper wrapping not only protects this bottle from exposure to light during it's 4,100 mile trip to Chicago and on store shelves, but it also implies mystery. What could be behind the paper curtain? It's a present waiting to be opened. Once opened the hefty bottle continues its classic, medieval abbey theme (even though the brand originated in the 1960s), again begging you to taste the history and bygone lifestyle inside.

"Drink Before: 05/2012" on the cork cage. Maredsous 8 presents itself with a dark, dark, ruby red - Nearly black - color and a long lasting, linen colored head with the consistency of whipped egg whites. Moderate lace clings to the glass.

Caramel, honey, fig, molasses, and chocolate dance an elephant ballet of aromas. Each are big and powerful but they gracefully whisp across the nose. The taste is similar to the aroma, but not as forward. Dark fruit and molasses pull forward first, then some honey shows itself. Hop bitterness balances the sweetness just a bit. The slightest bit of yeast autolysis comes in the end but it's not distracting and is perhaps to be expected in a bottle conditioned beer nearing the end of it's drinkability date. Lingering flavors of molasses and caramel present at the end.

Despite the diabetes educing descriptors of the aroma and flavors the palate is kept relatively clean by just enough carbonation and a surprisingly light body. Great beer.

On Goose Island Old Clybourn Porter (two ways)

2011-11-28T17:32:00.001-06:00

On Black Friday I made a stop in at Goose Island's Clybourn Pub to buy their release of King Henry Barleywine. Unfortunately, they sold out in less than 2 hours and had to turn away over 70 people. But I was determined to get some beer so I took a seat at the bar. The opportunity that opened as a result was the chance to try the same beer not only on the typical keg draft system we are used to but also as a cask pour.

Cask ales saw a small surge in popularity a few years ago, but the cost of dedicating an entire tap (with incompatible equipment) to warm, flat beer made it somewhat of a fad and now few places other than a couple of hardcore British pubs offer cask beers. And it's a shame. A properly managed cask beer can be sublime. Heavy carbonation and near freezing temperatures can zap the more delicate malt and alcohol flavors and aromas from otherwise great beers. Being a British innovation it stands to reason that British style beers go great on cask systems, so I had a pull of Old Clybourn Ale from both keg and cask.

The differences in the two pours were apparent right off the bat. While both were a very nice, crystal clear, nearly black ruby color, The head on the cask pour (pictured on the right) was much more dense and formed some mild lacing down the glass, while the keg pour did not.

Both beers exhibited some roasted malt in the aroma but the cask version was a bit more forward in the nose. The taste was similar with roast malt up front with both. The keg version was a bit heavier on the chocolate and coffee tastes and was quite bitter from the roasted malts. The cask version was softer in the bitterness but showed some alcohol and a bit more dark chocolate flavors.

The big difference in the two beers was in the palate. The keg version had medium body and carbonation. Not nearly as smooth as the cask version, which was almost completely flat with just a light tickle of carbonation on the tongue. The cask version was also medium bodied.

Overall I enjoyed both beers tremendously, but the cask version wins this tasting set for both it's superior appearance and more complex flavor.

On Pairings With Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-24T10:12:00.001-06:00

It's the time of year where all the newspapers and bloggers compile lists. The Best... The Worst... The Most... etc. My favorite form of this list is when The Best gets tied to food and drink. The best turkey recipe (Alton Brown's brined turkey is, by far, what I consider to be "the best"), the best mashed potatoes, the best stuffing, the best apple pie, and the best beer to go with the most American of holidays, the glutton-fest of Thanksgiving. The trouble is not everyone agrees on what it is to be "the best". One man's taste symphony is another's 5-year-old-kid-that-found-how-to-open-the-piano.

So today, instead of creating yet another list of beers to have on Thanksgiving, I have taken a cue from Metacritic and created my meta analysis of Thanksgiving beer pairings. You can find my complete list of suggestions here.

Topping the list is Belgian Ales. This category covers Belgian beers from trappists to tripels. Perhaps nothing goes better with food than Belgian beers. They are complex enough to have flavors that both complement and contrast a wide variety of foods.

A distant second goes to the neighboring style of Saison. Saison is another good choice due to it's spicy, complex character and crisp mouth-cleansing palate. This is my personal favorite style for the holiday.

Bronze goes to Brown Ale. Another fine choice. Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit like the roasty and nutty character of a brown ale.

This year I will be going the route of a first Thanksgiving style dinner and drinking Crispin's The Saint, an apple cider fermented with Belgian abby yeast and maple syrup. It is delicious, and a nice nod to that first meal.

On Three Floyds Robert the Bruce

2011-11-21T20:14:00.001-06:00

I don't believe any brewery has created such a devoted homebrew fanboy following as Three Floyds has. It seems every brew they concoct, no matter how wacky (Spazzerak! excepted) becomes an instant classic everyone must drink.

Yes, I have made the pilgrimage to Dark Lord Day, and I enjoy my Gumballhead, but maybe, just maybe, Three Floyds isn't the Alpha King of craft beer. No need to turn Three Floyds into a Shangri-La of beer. Because if you do that, you stop thinking. And when you stop thinking, you turn into another yes-man. Another fanboy. Another boob willing to accept anything with three F's on the label as liquid gold. They deserve more respect than that. Be critical. Be honest. Be sincere.

Take Three Floyds for what they are: another good craft brewery doing what craft breweries do: make good beer. And good beer is what they make, as evidenced by my latest tasting: Robert the Bruce.

The experience starts with bitter malt and a bit of peaty aroma. As a Boilermaker, it saddens me to say that this is the perfect color combination of cream and crimson I have ever seen (such a shame from a Northern Indiana brewery). The head requires a violent pour to generate and it doesn’t last long before retreating to the sidelines.

Clean malt character on the tongue is punctuated by cherry candy, caramel, and a touch of toffee. Sweet throughout and only slightly balanced by a low lying bitterness either from the roasted malts or hops. A bit cloying at the end, but perhaps that is to be expected from the bigger Scottish ales. The medium bodied and lightly carbonated beer goes down smooth but leaves behind a slightly sticky coating. Quite a nice beer.

Well made and delicious - as I always expect from Three Floyds - but more complexity would be appreciated.

On Mikkeller Single Hop Sorachi Ace

2011-11-17T20:32:00.001-06:00

Next up in my Mikkeller Single Hop Series tastings is Sorachi Ace. This is my second exposure to Sorachi Ace; the first being with Brooklyn Brewing's Sorachi Ace. Common to saisons and IPAs, this relatively new hop from Japan is probably known most for its intense lemony aromas. With alpha acids over 10% it can easily be over bitter, but I think Mikkeller has done a good job to keep it in check.

The beer pours a cloudy, burnt orange color beneath a shallow carpet of white foam. Lemon and honey infiltrate the nose with a bit of warm biscuits. Not unlike a crumpet with lemon curd.

Alcohol gives way to flavors of lemon and a bit of grass. Strangely, malt flavors are more apparent in the aroma than the flavor. Hints of grapefruit linger in the finish. This beer is medium bodied and exhibits lively carbonation with generally good balance that tilts to the malt side for an IPA.

Lingering sweetness borders on cloying but doesn’t quite cross that line. This is my second exposure to Sorachi Ace hops, and the flavor is growing on me. I see this beer pairing well with whitefish or sushi.

Single hop series reviews:

Nelson Sauvin
Simcoe

On Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA

2011-11-13T15:39:00.000-06:00

Mikkeller out of Denmark has been performing a great service to aspiring beer afficianatos for quite some time now with their Single Hop Series. This will be the first in at least 4 posts on Mikkeller's single hop series. The idea, for those of you unfamiliar with Mikkeller's devotion to this project, is to brew the same exact beer and only change the hops. From the label:

"For each version, the single hop variety was used in the same weight for bittering, aroma, flavor, and for dry hopping. All 18 varieties of single hop ales in this series were brewed the same week, from the same batches of malt, using the same yeast and fermentation temperatures."

This differs from the Sam Adams Deconstructed project because the Deconstructed series of IPAs highlights the best of each of the hops in the Latitude 48 beer. To highlight each beer, they do not necessarily use the same hoping rates for each of the different varieties, but instead make changes to best suit the individual hops. While this likely creates a more appealing beer as a whole, it somehwhat diminishes the controlled study of a single hop beer series.

With the Single Hop Series we have a great library to evaluate the character of individual hops. Additionally, the Single Hop Series can be used to evaluate malt character. By evaluating not what changes, but what stays the same, it is possible to tease out malt qualities.

Nelson Sauvin starts with an unidentifiable berry candy aroma. Apple bars and bit of funk bring up the rear. Appearance is a cloudy, burnt orange. The dense head recedes quickly. Heavy yeast sediment coats the bottom of the bottle. The flavor brings some caramel malt sweetness which gives way to an odd wine-like character. I like it, but it’s hard to pinpoint. An astringent hop bitterness continues in the long finish. Some alcohol warmth lasts in the back of my throat long after the last sip.

I think this bottle got some age on it from it’s trip from Belgium to Illinois (or I’m late to the party). The code on the top is 5??1010. If fresh, it would no doubt be better. The Nelson Sauvin hops are quite unique and I look forward to seeing them used more widely in the future.

Single hop series reviews:
Sorachi Ace
Simcoe

On Boulevard Sixth Glass

2011-11-07T19:46:00.000-06:00

A special thanks to Tim for bringing this to me straight from Kansas City.

There comes a time in the development of every good beer drinker, home brewer, craft brewer, chef, and foodie where they develop a mild - or major - obsession with all things Belgian... at least when it comes to edibles. Weather it be pommes frites with untold combinations of aioli or beers with untold combinations of complex flavors, the Belgians know how to create amazing flavor combinations. Sixth Glass from Boulevard Brewing, like many American craft beers, takes on the challenge of crating a beer that stands up to the centuries of beer tradition found in Belgium. They have succeeded.

Sixth Glass is a complex "Quadrupel" ale and part of Boulevard's Smokestack Series. The devil and lightning bolts on the early 20th century tonic-style label should serve as a warning to the elixir inside. Sixth Glass proves to be as alluring as the snake oil pedaled at general stores one hundred years ago. Just a sip turns into just a glass and just one more.

Sixth Glass pours the color of autumn leaves on an overcast day. The tan head sticks around just long enough to make some moderate lacing. A bit of coffee aroma immediately gives way to caramel and honey.... figs. A touch of ethanol reminiscent of rum.

For taste, alcohol right off the bat. Gives way to caramel and dried fruit candy. Sweet but somehow dry at the same time. Probably due to the spicy yeast character. Mouthfeel is vinous with alcohol warmth to match and at 10.5% ABV, it’s not far off on it’s intoxicating powers either.

Overall a quite complex beer that keeps you toasty - and tipsy - on a cold winter day. I suggest this beer for an alternative to red wine at a cheese tasting or with Spanish tapas. This is a sipper that should make an interesting pairing to many fatty foods. I wish I had some more bottles of this. It should only get better with age. The best by on this bottle was 01/17/13. Another year would have done wonders. That said, this beer was highly enjoyable.

On Half Acre Lager Town

2011-11-03T13:49:00.001-05:00

Half Acre Lager Town

When I think of Chicago and beer, I don't think of Goose Island, or Old Style... I think of Half Acre. These guys put out an amazing number of different beers each year, many of them brewed just once. The creative output of this small brewery is reflected in their use of amazing label art. Each beer has a unique label that is nearly impossible to walk by without purchasing.

I recently stopped by Half Acre's North Center brewery and picked up a growler of their current limited offering, Lager Town, an Oktoberfest... er, Novemberfest, style lager first tapped on October 28th. The beer starts with clean malt aromas with a hint of toast. Maybe a touch of esters, but it could be my imagination. The small, white head quickly recedes to the sidelines revealing a dark, burnt orange beer underneath. Malt dominates for sure, but it has more earthy hop character than I am used to for the style - which is not at all a bad thing.

This one starts out sweet and cuddly but gradually matures to a dry and pleasing end like a relationship between two old friends. A welcome change to some of the more cloying Oktoberfests from many American craft brewers. Full bodied with moderate carbonation, this well balanced Oktoberfest is very comforting on a wet, cold day.

On Beer Judging

2011-10-31T18:18:00.000-05:00

First things first, if you haven't subscribed yet, please take a moment and do so. You can subscribe by email or the RSS service of your choice on the right side of the screen.

I had the opportunity to steward at Chicago Beer Society's 20th annual Spooky Brew beer competition this past weekend and had a great time. There were so many good entries and I was fortunate enough to get to sample many of them. The winner was Ray Gonzalez who made a wonderful, slightly fruity kolsch that beat out two-time Samuel Adams Longshot winner Rodney Kibzey's Blackened Hops - which scores a respectable 95th percentile on RateBeer.

But Black IPAs aren't a style category in BJCP competitions. They must be entered in the infamous catch-all Category 23, "Specialty Beer". During our lunch break I got a chance to sit down with some national ranked judges and talk to them about what makes a good beer. Their response was that, in beer judging at least, a good beer isn't one that tastes the best, but one that meets the specific guidelines the best. Yes, that seems obvious, but it's a shame. So many great beers don't get the recognition they deserve because they don't fit exactly what the style guidelines say.

I'm not saying that style guidelines are totally useless and judging should be a free-for-all. That gets you into other troubles (Exhibit A: 11 of RateBeer's top 15 beers are barley-wines or imperial stouts). A better approach, as is the case in most situations where there are two less than perfect choices, is compromise (Exhibit B: The Great Compromise). Let there be room in the judging process for stylistic interpretation and innovation. Let's say I brew a Northern German Altbier, as it stands right now I will lose points if it tastes stronger than 5.2%ABV. But perhaps that is exactly what makes the beer work with the rest of the recipe. It's still a Northern German Altbier, just stronger. Of course care must be taken and anything too far out would still have to be reflected in the score, but such a rigid system is unnecessary. In the end, great beers will win and sub-par beers will not, but when it comes down to which great beer gets to go to the best of show round, a nod to the creativity and innovative capacity of the brewer would create a much more interesting competition.

On Atwater Grand Circus

2011-10-27T20:49:00.000-05:00

I had never heard of Atwater Brewery before today, though they have been around since 1997. I needed something to go with my giant burrito I purchased across from my local wine/craft beer store and this can caught my eye. The retro-style printing on the can from this Detroit based brewery was reminiscent of PBR, but inside was an IPA. Intrigued, I made my purchase. At 4.2% ABV Grand Circus is definitely on the light side for most of the American craft IPAs that many of us have come accustomed to, but more in line with standard British versions.

Some light earthy hops and sweet corn in the nose. A touch of caramel. Shaving cream foam sits on top of a crystal clear light amber sea of beer. The head lingers for a long time, lifted by the constant bubbles from beneath.

Taste is light with little hop flavor. I get mostly bready malts and some undefined fruitiness. Bitterness is a bit overpowering with no flavor backbone. Seems to be bitter for the sake of being bitter. Light bodied and goes down smooth.

Overall it’s not that great of an IPA if you are looking for complexity and powerful flavors, but it would be good session beer for watching a ballgame or having a drink with "the guys". This paired well with the spicy burrito I had for dinner. Something to complement the food without getting in the way.

On Vermont Breweries II

2011-10-26T20:20:00.000-05:00

I just got back from my trip to Vermont and I have to say that the people in Vermont not only know how to make a great beer, but they are very welcoming. More than one dairy farmer was willing to talk to us for an extended period of time while we soiled their milking rooms and asked all sorts of dumb farming questions about their goats.

Of course the highlight was the beer. We managed to get to 6 different breweries and try beers from two others. While Magic Hat and Harpoon were nice, they were a bit bigger breweries than I was looking for. I had my best overall experience at The Alchemist, a brewpub turned production brewery with an amazing double IPA. The Alchemist's brewpub was destroyed by the flooding from hurricane Irene, but luckily for them (and all their customers) they were already building their production facility just up the road. The production facility opened two months ago and they have been brewing their flagship Heady Totter exclusively until they can get their pub back up and running.

Two other locations really surprised me: Trapp Lodge and Norwich Inn. Both brew exclusively for their in-house hotel/resort locations. In the case of Norwich Inn, which produces traditional British ales, production is only 4 barrels per batch and if I remember right they only make around 400 barrels per year.

This contrasts sharply with our next stop, Harpoon, which has a 100 Barrel series. I enjoyed their Dočesná, but Leviathan Imperial Rye stole the show. This proved to be a complex beer where the rye and fruity hops play off each other like a long volley in a tennis match.

The Long Trail was our first stop, and I was a bit underwhelmed. I enjoyed their pub with a view of the canning line, but the beer was very average. Not bad by any means, but nothing spectacular either. I had the sampler with my delicious bacon cheeseburger as well as a glass of Triple Bag, a thick strong ale. I bought a bottle of Imperial IPA, but I have not tried it yet.
Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to visit McNeil's and Rock Art but I had a glass of McNeil's at dinner and brought some Rock Art home with me. Perhaps more on the beers I brought home in a later review post.

Not a bad showing, I think. Beer, cheese, welcoming people. Well done, Vermont. I hope to be visiting again some day.

On Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

2011-10-20T14:48:00.000-05:00

It's cold... And cloudy... And rainy. Not a torrent, just a drizzle. Just enough to be annoying. Sounds like porter weather. The roasty malts and alcohol should keep me warm. And since it's my day off, I can have one. I am fortunate enough to have access to one of the best beer bars in the midwest and possibly all of America: The Map Room in Chicago. This bar prides itself on a large selection of specialty beers and a knowledgable staff.

Looking at the menu board I find a lot of Belgians and imperial IPAs. A downside of the unique beer bar is it's sometimes hard to find something "normal" - the beer equivalent of comfort food. Luckily they had a porter. The porter on tap: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald. A beer as mysterious and unexpected as the sinking of the ship it's named after.

The aroma starts with chocolate covered caramels and a bit of coffee.

The Beer is black with an off white head that quickly recedes to a thin layer atop a sea of black. Minimal lace but a large meniscus around the inside of the glass.

Tastes of dark fruit and roasted malts dominate but with a grassy/piney hop note. Medium bodied with a slick texture that coats the mouth. Carbonation is average.

In the end, the hop flavor is a little distracting and I’d like to see more roasty malts, but overall this is a good beer for a such a dreary afternoon. Not the best of the style, but I would definitely order again.