With the holidays approaching I took the time to drink some winter seasonal brews to see which ones will find a home in my fridge the next couple months. I judged these beers on a 5 point scale with 1 being a drain pour and 5 being a Winter Classic.

21st Amendment Fireside Chat
Winter Warmer
7.9 % ABV

First off, I love the can label art. Pours a deep burgundy with a big tan head. Pleasantly smells of winter spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, with a lightly burnt toast aroma. Mellow malt flavor throughout with subtle notes of chestnuts. Spices are not overwhelming, but add a nice flare. Makes me crave some chocolate chip cookies or a cigar.

Score: 4 / 5

Troeg’s Mad Elf- 2008
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
11% ABV

The holiday beer that gets major hype each year. This particular bottle is from 2008, so with a few years age it has really mellowed out. Smelled like juicy juice, which I loved as a kid, but I was expecting to be slammed with cherries and booze. Likewise in the taste I expected a slap in the face and only get a flick of flavor. Honey, sweet malt, and chunks of cherry are there, but dialed down. Doesn’t live up to the hype.

Score: 3 / 5

Fegley’s Rude Elf Reserve
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
10.5% ABV

Christmas in a bottle, big holiday spices in aroma and flavor including nutmeg, cinnamon, gingerbread, and allspice. Probably a bit too much spice cause it gets old after half a bottle. At 10.5 % it’s relaxing with a nice long warmth in the finish.

Score: 3.5 / 5

Flying Dog K9 Winter Ale
Winter Warmer
7.4% ABV

Rich caramelized malts highlight this winter ale. No holiday flash in regards to spices, just a malty delight. Notes of toffee and dark bread. Good amount of hop bitterness in the finish. 7.5% ABV feels lighter. Quite enjoyable

Score: 3.5 / 5

Ithaca Cold Front
Belgian Dark Ale
7.2% ABV

Strong bready aroma supported by spicy yeast character. A hearty ale highlighted by its Belgian nature. Big malt base featuring notes of clove and banana and ending with a moderate hop bite. Alcohol strength is well hidden. Solid brew, reminds me more of a dunkleweizen.

Score: 3 / 5

Lancaster Winter Warmer
Old Ale
8.9% ABV

Intriguing aroma of dark fruits, specifically figs and dates with a wisp of raspberry. Flavor is malt driven. Dark fruits, raisins, and toffee lead the way.  Rich body, with a slick feel and a tingle of alcohol warmth. I could see myself sipping on this next to the fireplace on a cold wintery night.

Score: 4 / 5

Weyerbacher Winter Ale
Winter Warmer
5.6% ABV

Soft nose, faint hints of chocolate and dark malt. Initially I taste some weird spicing, almost like spruce. Taste like a weak porter. Malty with hints at toffee and wood. Thin body completes a lackluster effort. Not really feeling this one

Score: 2 / 5

Great Lakes Blackout Stout
Imperial Stout
9% ABV

In both nose and flavor bittersweet chocolate and roasted malt reign. Coffee notes and vanilla beans also dance around in this dark beauty. It’s so rich, smooth and creamy, the body is just impeccable. Warming finish makes this a great nightcap or a great accompaniment to a rich holiday dessert.

Score: 4.5 /5

Long Trail Hibernator
Scottish Ale
5.6% ABV

Faint malt in the aroma, was hoping for more. This seems to be a soft version of a Scottish Ale. Sweet malts are present with bready, caramel notes. Maybe get some honey in there. Feels a bit too light on flavor and attitude.

Score: 2 / 5

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Imperial Stout
10 % ABV

A luscious, silky smooth stout. Roasted malts, dark chocolate, and espresso blend wonderfully. Really boozy and warming. Hints of  tobacco and dark fruits complete this Holiday treat. This is consistently one of my favorite beers every December.

Score: 4.5 / 5

I often times stress to family and friends the benefits of pairing beer with food. They are honestly two perfect compliments. Any meal, any time of the day, there is a beer that can take your food to the next level. In my endless quest exploring the marriage of beer and food, I recently attended a Brewery Ommegang Beer Dinner at the Jamison Pour House. This was the first of hopefully many beer dinners the JPH.

Upon arrival, my Dad and I were promptly seated and given a commemorative Duvel glass and bottle opener. The room was small, benefiting only about 25-30 guests, which made for a more personal and interactive setting. As we waited for the dinner to begin, we were served Gnomegang, a collaborative effort between Brewery Ommegang and their fellow Duvel USA brand affiliate  Brasserie d’Achouffe. This is a wonderful Belgian Strong Pale Ale featuring yeast strands from both breweries. The flavor is full of peppery spice, primarily clove, and a fruity yeast character. The beer is not shy in reminding you of it’s 9.5% abv strength. Forget easing into the drinking, I give JPH props for starting the night off with a bang. As we finished our sampling, Megan, the brewery representative arrived. She was responsible for guiding us through the dinner with history and factual information pertaining to the beers. She became a great resource helping explain the complexity of flavors and how they are particularly suited for each dish.

The first plate was a Thai chicken salad. Being one to typically ignore salad, viewing it as just a waste of stomach space, I was surprised how enjoyable this was especially paired with Ommegang Witte. The mandarin orange slices harmonized with the orange zest and lemon tart of Witte with enough bready malt flavor to match the crunchy chow mein noddles thrown about the greens. Witte is soft and light bodied providing nice support for a light starter dish. A long dry finish helped clear the palate with each bite making me crave another. A new fact I learned is that it’s not pronounced “Wit” as in short for Witbier, but “Wit-teh”.

Our second paring was a lump crab cake with remoulade and Ommegang Hennepin. The remoulade sauce elegantly weaved its way through the the tangy citrus notes of Hennepin. The beer balanced the mild spice of the crab and with enough effervescence to wash the palate clean.

Up third were delicious bison sliders in a merlot reduction sauce. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the sauce was just subtle enough to tease the palate, but not overwhelm the flavor of the meat. Needing a rich full bodied beer to cut through such a hefty plate, Ommegang’s flagship beer, Abbey Ale, was served. This beast contains notes of caramel, figs, and even licorice. This was a wonderful addition to the burgers, adding another element to the meat, bringing out more flavor, and creating a full sensory experience.  I will remember Abbey next time I am manning the grill.

By the fourth plate my stomach gauge was nearing full. We were served tortellini Alfredo with shrimp. As delicious as it was, I was too bloated to eat more then a couple bites. It’s creamy texture, was too much to handle, despite efforts to fight past my eating exhaustion. Paired with it was arguably one of the best beers in the world, and a defining Belgian beer, Duvel.

As Megan explained, Duvel means “devil” in Flemish. Originally it was intended to be named Victory Ale, in honor of WWI. As the owner went around town giving people an opportunity to try the beer, he would say it was a “devil of a beer”, mainly because of it’s deceptively strong alcohol content.  Inebriation can quickly sneak up on you beacause you literally will have trouble denying yourself another round for this world class beer.

For desert we were served a piece of chocolate cake with cherry filling paring with Three Philosopher’s. This is one dish I was particularly excited about because I’m a huge sucker for beer and desert. The rich flavorful context of many deserts can really be accentuated by the right beer. No doubt this was ridiculously good. Each sip of Three Philosphers revealed layers of caramel and chocolate malt with cherry that worked wonders next to the cake. Somehow I managed to find enough room in my stomach to enjoy this to the full extent.

To cap off the evening, we were offered a sampling of Rare Vos. By this point my gut was hanging over my belt, and I was pretty buzzed. Thankfully my Dad was responsible for driving home. Overall, JPH did a great job with this dinner. I hope they continue to provide an outlet for people to become educated on beer and food pairings. Additionally, Megan was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide that really added to the experience. 5 plates and 7 beer samplings for $55, I’d say this was money well spent.

My last home brew turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. I had hoped for a big roasty porter, but thanks to that bastard Diacetyl, I was left with a buttery mess. I managed to improve the situation by filtering each bottle through fresh coffee beans as it is being served. The strong coffee bitterness helped mask the unwanted butterscotch flavors. Although my friends enjoyed the porter, I was determined to brew a beer I could be proud of and one that didn’t need any intervention.

I decided to brew a hefeweizen, perfect for the hot Summer months. My main interest in brewing is to create unconventional recipes that incorporate unique ingredients. In the spirit of brewers like Shorts and Dogfish Head, I wanted to make a hefeweizen that swayed toward the unusual side of things. With the help of a couple buddies, we concocted a recipe that included five different spices; coriander, orange peel, hibiscus, lavender, and rose hips.  We had no idea what impact the spices would have, or how they would blend together. We basically said screw it, threw all the stuff in the pot, and hoped for the best.

A month later I cracked into my first Garten Grove Hefe (see the Sublime Song). Pours a cloudy light copper, a couple shades darker than anticipated. Nice thick head that has great retaining power. Long stretching lace streams down the glass. Very pleased overall with the appearance. Flowery is probably the best word to describe the aroma. Lavender is in full force as well as rose hips. Get a faint whiff of hefeweizen yeast. The one spice that seems to be the lead dog in this beer is Lavender and to a fault. I would definitely like to re-brew this using a significantly less amount, in order to give the other spices more room to shine. It still tastes pretty damn good nonetheless. Banana bread and a sweet malty backbone compliment the array of added spices. Get a touch of lemon and mango in there as well. The carbonation is high with a light body that makes for easy drinking. The finish is dry. Overall, I am really happy with the results of Garten Grove and anticipate it being even better next time I brew it. This was my sixth time home brewing, and probably the best one to date.

Aroma 7/10 Appearance 4/5 Palate 5/5 Flavor 6/10 Overall 14/20
Total: 3.6/5

Abita Wheat

Pours golden yellow yet fails to produce the large white head I associated with a wheat beer. The aroma is way off base, reminding me of a Budweiser. The skunky corn smell is cringe worthy. To win my approval, Abita’s really gotta step up their game in the flavor. Drum roll…….. bust! This is a boring lager under the disguise of a refreshing Summer Wheat. Usually when I do not get what I expect I begin to inspect the back label for an indication as to what the brewer was attempting to accomplish. Ah ha, this is a wheat lager, as opposed to the ever delicious unfiltered wheat ale I expected. This filtered lager with a pinch of wheat results in a Bud clone. I guess my bad for the misinterpretation and higher expectations. I would get into the flavor, but it’s much easier to just picture any mass produced dive bar lager.

Aroma 4/10 Appearance 3/5 Palate 3/5 Flavor 4/10 Overall 11/20
Overall: 2.5/5

Abita Satsuma Harvest Wit

Pours a cloudy yellow orange with a small white head. Aroma indicates wheat, with a nice spiciness of a hefe yeast strain. Big carbonation blasts through your palate, as citrus fruits trail behind. Now if I only knew what Satsuma was. After some much needed Wikipedia research on this alien fruit, I have learned that Satsuma is a Japanese citrus fruit similar to Mandarin orange. There are traces of orange, melon, and lemon, so I can see how Satsuma plays a role, I just wish it was a little more dominant. Hops are evident, but restrained as they should. Overall, pretty tasty Summer option.

Aroma 7/10 Appearance 3/5 Palate 4/5 Flavor 6/10 Overall 14/20
Total: 3.4/5

Lake Placid Hefeweizen

Clear blue skies, a large picturesque lake, rolling green mountains, and a canoe. That’s just the label, lets hope the beer also can transplant me to some Summer getaway. Pours a darker shade of orange, like tangerine on the top half, cloudy and golden on the bottom half. Head is minimal despite gentle pour. Bit of an odd wheat bread aroma that mingles with a sugary candy sweetness. Partners in crime, banana and clove provide flavor upfront. A solid amount of wheat malt settles in with clean fruity esters. As far as German Hefeweizens are concerned this is a pretty good American representation.

Aroma 6/10 Appearance 3/5 Palate 4/5 Flavor 7/10 Overall 15/20
Total: 3.5/5

Blue Point Summer Ale

Pours a brilliant gold with perfect clarity. A white head dissipates quickly. Really not much in the nose, faint pale malts and grains. Very crisp clean flavor causes me to take extra big gulps far too quickly. Very refreshing in this dead heat of Summer. As I guzzle away I barley notice the light toasted malts, and ever slight fruit sweetness in the back. High carbonation with a thin watery body. I basically can see myself pounding out like 15 of these on a Summer afternoon.

Aroma 6/10 Appearance ⅘ Palate ⅘ Flavor 6/10 Overall 13/20
Total: 3.3/5

Southampton Keller Pils

Pours cloudy and faint orange. Big bright aroma of sweet malts and fresh fruits, particularly orange and lemon. Hoppier then expected, featuring a nice pine twang which is an immediate plus.  Flavor has a dominate sweet pilsner malt presence that lends to a bitter and clean finish. Get lots of butterscotch notes which turn me off just slightly. Reminds me more of an English bitter. Southampton typically kills it, but this beer falls into the land of mediocrity.

Aroma 7/10 Appearance 3/5 Palate 4/5 Flavor 6/10 Overall 14/20
Total: 3.4/5

Otter Creek Summer Ale

Pours a clear straw yellow. Really struggling to get anything out of the nose, which in a way is better then smelling any off scents. There is a trace of lemon zest and not much else. The flavor slaps you with a burst of lemon. After the first sip I was hoping this wasn’t some cheap artificially flavored lemonade beer hybrid (see MGD 64 Lemonade, shit iis whack). Thankfully, this isn’t, however, it’s also not anything to rave about either. It is a bit too sweet and tart with a metallic aftertaste. Body is thin and watery.

Aroma 5/10 Appearance 3/5 Palate 3/5 Flavor 5/10 Overall 13/20
Total: 2.9/5

Here are a random six beers I picked up, that may have some summer drinking potential.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale

Pours a golden hue with lively carbonation. A loosely built white head packs on top leaving scattered lacing along the glass. Hops break through into the nose, peaking my interest. The flavor highlights the hops, piney, fruity, orange and lemon peel, with a bit of alcohol warmth. At 7.5% ABV I’d prefer a bit less alcohol (I want to drink this all day!). Nonetheless, this is a delicious beer. It is categorized as an American Pale Wheat Ale. As far as I’m concerned there is far too much hop presence to detect any wheat flavor. Odd style classification, but I was never one to care about that anyway.

Aroma 7/10 Appearance 4/5 Body 4/5 Flavor 7/10 Overall 16/20 Total: 3.8/5

Weyerbacher Blanche

Pours a very faded yellow color, almost white. Spunky aroma of coriander, lemon peel, and Belgian yeast. The flavor is bright and refreshing for a hot summer day. Fruity upfront, with bursts of orange and lemon. Spices come through in the middle with coriander, banana, and clove. The body is light, with quenching carbonation. Really delightful, its full of flavor yet still light and easy drinking. I’d recommend this to my friends who think Blue Moon is the greatest beer since Corona with lime.

Aroma 7/10 Appearance 4/5 Palate 5/5 Flavor 8/10 Overall 17/20 Total: 4.1/5

Southern Tier Raspberry

I’m not a big fan of berry beers, but am always willing to try another, especially when it’s from a prolific brewery like Southern Tier. Projects a radiant golden color with excellent clarity. Smells distinctively of raspberry, oh so sweeeet. Based on the aroma I’d expect the flavor to be dominantly berry. However, the taste is like a pilsner with only a dash of raspberry. Crisp and refreshing, slightly tart, with a dry finish. Bit skunky in the end. Light body, feels a bit watered down. I’d pass this onto a girlfriend, unless paired with the right food.

Aroma 6/10 Appearance 5/5 Palate 4/5 Flavor 5/10 Overall 13/20 Total: 3.3/5

Bells Oberon

The bottle artwork itself speaks of Summer. Pours a hazy golden yellow, white cap falls quick. Small bubbles jam packed. Coming through in the nose are pale malts, soft biscuit, with a touch of lemon grass and zesty spice. Clean and crisp flavor across the palate. Simple and light, ideal for summer refreshment. Glimpses of orange and malt sweetness initiate the flavor as citrusy hops linger throughout. Also displays some grainy flavor edging on wheat. High carbonation keeps the palate lively, and the drinkability is ridiculous. Would pair great with a salad, fish, or chicken. Bell’s has a winner with this Summer brew.

Aroma 7/10 Appearance 4/5 Palate 5/5 Flavor 7/10 Overall 17/20 Total: 4.0/5

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice

Pours a red copper color. A big whiff of caramel malts comes my way, lots of sweetness. I am a bit confused at this point because based on the name I thought I was getting a bright yellow summer beer like the others. I’m left wondering what style of beer this even is. The aroma is an accurate indicator of the flavor. Caramel malts lead the charge. Light bodied, with a soft bread middle, and a pleasing amount of sweetness to entice another sip. Hints of vanilla find their way. Little evidence of hops. Smooth creamy texture goes down with delicate ease. I soon discover this is a Cream Ale, which makes sense based on my description. Nice execution for a style I am typically less then impressed with, but not something I’d reach for these coming months.

Aroma 6/10 Appearance 4/5 Palate 4/5 Flavor 6/10 Overall 15/20 Total: 3.5/5

River Horse Blonde

Sunshine yellow gleaming in the glass, a Summer beauty. Tons of active bubbles race around. Not much offered in the smell, pale malts, soft graininess and a dash of sweetness. Very straightforward and approachable flavor, with simplicity in mind. Lacking any fruitiness, or hops, just straightforward crisp dry palate with light malt sweetness. I could drink a case of this like it was Miller Lite, however, I am looking for a little more flavor and character in my beer.

Aroma 6/10 Appearance ⅘ Palate 4/5 Flavor 6/10 Overall 14/20 Total: 3.4/5

Winner: Weyerbacher Blanche. I will definitely be drinking more of this soon.

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be serving wine and champagne, but no beer. Apparently beer is not an appropriate beverage to be served in the presence of the Queen.

No Fun!

A few weeks later we had our first interview with Philadelphia’s own Dave Hause, singer and guitarist of The Loved Ones. Dave graciously took a moment between tour dates in support of his recently released, solo album Resolutions to sit down and enjoy a few brewskis.

Dave just returned from a tour in Australia with a few punk scene legends, The Bouncing Souls and Hot Water Music. I’ve been a fan of the Loved Ones for years and was stoked to meet Dave and get his opinions on craft beer. Being in a touring band, one has the opportunity to not only see the world, but to drink a whole lot of local craft. I was interested to get Dave’s insights on beer and it’s relevance (if any) to the world of rock and roll.

We met at one of my favorite local restaurants, The Iron Abbey in Horsham, PA. In our company was Dave’s wife, Erica, along with Bobby and our friend Tommy. Be sure to check out doeslikemusic.com, which covers parts of the interview dealing with Dave’s music/tour/album/etc…Also, Philly Beer Scene Magazine http://www.phillybeerscene.com/ covers an excerpt of this interview, mostly written by Bobby.

As we ate delicious food and talked about Dave’s new solo album and tour we sampled four beers. Our first sampling was Sixpoint Sehr Crisp. Dave had mentioned he was  a fan of lagers so we decided to start with a flavor he was accustomed to. Sehr Crisp is a German styled Pilsner. This happened to be a good choice as Dave commented that it “goes down real smooth, it’s nice and crisp –something I’d want to have at the ball game.  It’s right up my alley.”

I’d have to agree, Sehr Crisp should be served at Citizen’s Bank Park. Actually, I take that back, Sixpoint is in New York, we need to reserve the Bank taps for Philadelphia brew. Either way, this is a tasty pilsner that Dave scored 4 stars out of 5.

No wonder Dave is into lagers, while on tour he and his band mates frequently kick it with beers like Yuengling and PBR. When I asked how they decide what to drink before and after shows Dave said that it is pretty much up to the “rider” to get the alcohol. Before a show, each band gives the rider a shopping list of random stuff to pick up, like food, snacks, and beverages. Dave likes to throw in at least one joke item to bust the rider’s balls (a lamb for lamb sandwiches perhaps?) The rider tends to always pick up a few thirty packs of cheap beer among other staples like vodka and Jameson.

Next up was Matt & Phin’s Extraordinary Ale.  “This beer is kinda grassy; I don’t know if that’s an appropriate, often used term, but it’s pleasant, I enjoy.” If Sehr Crips is a ballgame beer, Matt & Phin’s is a mowing the lawn beer. However, Dave was not fond of the “perfume-esque after taste.” Overall he scored this American style Pale Ale from Southern Tier (another New York brew) a 3 stars out of 5.

After only knowing Dave for about twenty minutes I realized he just a straight up cool dude to have a few beers with. Interviewing him is like hanging with a friend, as you are able to jump in and out of conversations and shoot the shit. I learned that he is genuinely very passionate about his music and career.

For our third brew we traveled outside of New York to California, with a beer to raise the hops lever. Dave said he wasn’t crazy for hoppy beers, but was willing to give Bear Republic Racer 5 a try. I for one love IPA’s and was anxious to get Dave’s impression. After several sips he seemed to be into it.

“As a newer fan to craft beer, or someone who is used to drinking traditional beers, I feel this could be a beer to eventually turn me over to the hop-side.” That is exactly the response I had hoped for. For many people hoppy bitterness is a flavor that takes getting used to. Although Dave enjoyed the Racer 5, he could only see himself drinking one in a sitting. On the other hand, his wife Erica loved the hoppy flavor saying she’d drink 5 to Dave’s 1. Dave’s score: 3 stars out of 5.

Our last sample brought us back to Philadelphia with a local favorite Yards’ General Washington’s Tavern Porter. “I like it, it’s dark and I pick up a sweet, roasty taste.” He also agreed that there are hints of chocolate with a caramel malt edge. In the end he gave Yard’s a resounding 4 stars out of 5, and claimed it to be his favorite of the night.

Concluding our sampling, Dave shed some light on how craft beer does and doesn’t always fit into the lifestyle of a touring musician.  “Sometimes craft beer just isn’t available in certain bars I play around the country, and around the world; you’re stuck with pounders.” However when touring the country he often will request the local beer to drink. “What I like about craft beer is it’s all about the flavor, not having 7 or 8 them.”

I was curious to know if the old rock star mentality of getting shitfaced before and after shows still existed today. Dave responded that it does not happen so much with The Loved Ones. As much as he enjoys to drink before (and during) shows, he keeps in in moderation because he realizes he has a job to do. “It wouldn’t be fair to the audience to have some guy wasted , playing sloppily and not at his best.” Who doesn’t respect that? Dave brings real integrity his work. Partying hard is inevitable with the lifestyle of a musician, but it’s best to save it for after the show.

Dave and Erica were an absolute pleasure to hang out with. As Dave displayed his passion and enthusiasm for music, I was able to share my similar feelings for craft beer. I hope Dave continues to seek out local beer while on the road, and gets to experience the adventure and thrill that is craft beer.

You can catch Dave Hause currently playing around the country, in support of his solo material, recently released on Paper + Plastick Records and available on www.davehause.com.  You can also check him out with The Loved Ones, http://www.thelovedonesband.com/