A Real Life Beer Tasting

A few blog posts ago, I discussed hosting your very own beer tasting. In spite of your loyal readership and ability to digest my sage wisdom on the subject, the best way to learn how to host a beer tasting is to attend a beer tasting. That is exactly what I did last night.

The event was hosted by a local wine store in my neighborhood called Wine Styles. Interestingly enough, the owner of the store is a beer guy, who just happens to own a wine store. He gets very passionate about beer and it shows. There was no theme to the selections; just a collection of interesting beers (some local, some not so much) that he was able to acquire and share with the beer lovers.

The first beer in the lineup was a French blonde ale from the Brasserie la Choulette les Sans Culottes. It was expectedly Belgian, smooth and refreshing like a blonde ale should be. A good start to be sure.

I love me some collabo-brews

Next up was a collaboration beer by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, DE, Stone Brewing Co in San Diego, CA and Victory Brewing Co in Downingtown, PA called Saison du BUFF. This beer was truly a jewel, crispy like a farmhouse saison but with the clear hoppy influence of Dogfish and Stone. This is what happens when hopheads go Belgian. And the incorporation of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme into the beer was a nice touch. Very nice.

Third was a local (for Northern Virginia) contribution called New River Pale Ale by the Lost Rhino Brewing Co in Ashburn, VA. New River is a smooth, sweet and balanced hoppy American-style pale ale that is highlighted with citrus and pine notes. Quite good.

Hello, I'm Johnny Cask

Then there was another Dogfish Head contribution in the form of their 75 Minute India Pale Ale. This beer is excellent. It is made by combining their 60 minute IPA and their 90 minute IPA, along with maple syrup. It is bottle conditioned, dry-hopped and naturally carbonated. Take my advice – GO FIND THIS BEER!!!

After the 75 Minute, we were given Troegs Brewing Co’s (from Hershey, PA) Nugget Nectar Imperial Amber Ale. The name won’t clue you in to this, but this beer is very hoppy. It’s a lot like their HopBack Amber Ale, but with more intensity in the malts and hops departments. For a hophead such as myself, this beer hit the spot.

The next beer in the lineup was the Boont Amber Ale by the Anderson Valley Brewing Co in Boonville, CA. This is a very well-balanced amber ale with mild hoppiness, but the real story is the beer’s color – a gorgeous deep copper color. Absolutely beautiful! (and delicious too)

Another Colorado craft beer

The finale was a Cocoa Porter by the Tommyknocker Brewing Co in Idaho Springs, CO. This was another delicious brew with sweet roasted malt and chocolate notes (and perhaps a touch of coffee too). It’s one of the better porters I’ve ever had – I highly recommend it.

Overall, the beer tasting was a success. These are the kind of beer events that make beer appreciation worth the effort. I am looking forward to the next beer tasting at Wine Styles.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

Barrel-Aged Magic

As you begin your quest into the crafty universe, you may notice that there are a lot of brews that claim to be “barrel-aged.” Perhaps their name indicates something to do with an oak barrel or bourbon barrel, or even a wine cask. But what does this mean exactly? Are they actually incorporating wooden barrels into the brewing process?

Spoiler Alert! The answer is yes.

Barrel-aged craftiness inside the Bruery in
Orange County, CA

Beers are sometimes aged in barrels to achieve a variety of effects in the final product. Sour beers such as lambics are aged in wood (usually oak) barrels similar to those used to ferment wine. The wooden vessels allows for secondary fermentation to take place because wild yeast live in the wood and are allowed to join the brewers yeast in devouring the sugars and enzymes in the wort. The method of aging beer in used wine barrels has expanded beyond lambic beers in recent years to include saisons, barleywines, and blonde ale. Typically, the barrels used for this have previously contained aged red wine (particularly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and pinot noir).

The beer equivalent of the warehouse at the end of
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Other beers are aged in barrels which were previously used for maturing spirits. Porters and stouts are sometimes aged in bourbon barrels, which impart some of the bourbon flavors into the beer. Some breweries are experimenting with other varieties of beer and bourbon barrels, such as the Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine which makes a Belgian tripel that is aged in a Jim Beam barrel. Another common spirit-aging barrel that is commonly found in the brewing world is a rum barrel, which creates a very unique and complex flavor note when used to age beer. The Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado makes a pumpkin ale that is aged in a rum barrel, creating a spicy, pumpkin ale with candied molasses and delicate oak notes.

There are countless other examples of barrel-aged brews out there and one thing they all have in common is unique flavors that cannot be attained any other way. If you’re looking for something truly different to delight the palate, you cannot go wrong at the bottom of a barrel.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

Preaching the gospel

LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS

As an enlightened member of the craft beer community, one of the solemn duties that I enjoy the most is spreading the word… passing enlightenment to those who are still in the darkness of corn-based yellow beer.

An example of this occurred at the local Wegmans grocery store yesterday as I was trolling around in the craftiness section, looking for something wonderful for the evening’s festivities. I decided on Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Maximus IPA (because it’s delicious) and as I put it onto the conveyor belt at the checkout, it became clear to me that the young lady behind counter had no idea what this was. Maybe it was her gross mispronunciation of Lagunitas, or the inquisitive nature in which she was trying to determine if this product required an ID check, but something told me that I needed to proffer knowledge.

8.2% ABV - Raging mouthfull of hops - May remove enamel from teeth - Yum yum

After correcting her pronunciation (LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS), I explained that this was a super-hoppy India Pale Ale made by a brewery in Petaluma, California. She asked me what an IPA was, and why this beer was $10.00 for a six-pack. I told her the story of the British over-hopping their pale ales in order to preserve them for the long sea voyage from London to India and how that translated into a style of beer that grows in popularity every year. I told her about pale malts versus dark roasted malts and how that applies to beer color. I explained to her that the $10.00 price tag was worth it because, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for, and in this case, I was getting 100% malted barley mash as opposed to mash that was filled with corn in order to cut down on cost. Not to mention the fresh quality ingredients and meticulous attention to detail that the Lagunitas brewers put into this brew.

She seemed genuinely interested in what I was saying, even though I admit that I tend to go full-on beer geek in these situations and can get a touch long-winded. In the end, I’m not sure if I converted her, but the simple fact that she is now aware that better alternatives exist is good enough. You can lead a horse (person) to water (craft beer), but you can’t make him (or her) drink.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

Beer History 101: Ninkasi

An artist's sketch recreation of the original clay
tablet... these Sumerians look pretty happy

One of the earliest records of beer in human civilization appears in the clay tablets depicting the Sumerian written language… specifically a poem entitled “Hymn to Ninkasi.” The poem, which was written around 1800 BC, is essentially a recipe for making beer. A translation from the University of Oxford describes combining bread, a source for yeast, with malted and soaked grains and keeping the liquid in a fermentation vessel until finally filtering it into a collecting vessel.

Ninkasi was the ancient Sumerian matron goddess of beer. According to Sumerian legends, she was born of sparkling fresh water and made to satisfy the desire and sate the heart by daily preparing beer. As far as deities go, it sounds like she was pretty useful to have around. Read for yourself:

Hymn to Ninkasi

Borne of the flowing water,

Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag,

Borne of the flowing water,

Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag,

Having founded your town by the sacred lake,

She finished its great walls for you,

Ninkasi, having founded your town by the sacred lake,

She finished it's walls for you,

Your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud,

Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake.

Ninkasi, your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud,

Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake.

You are the one who handles the dough [and] with a big shovel,

Mixing in a pit, the bappir with sweet aromatics,

Ninkasi, you are the one who handles the dough [and] with a big shovel,

Mixing in a pit, the bappir with [date] - honey,

You are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven,

Puts in order the piles of hulled grains,

Ninkasi, you are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven,

Puts in order the piles of hulled grains,

You are the one who waters the malt set on the ground,

The noble dogs keep away even the potentates,

Ninkasi, you are the one who waters the malt set on the ground,

The noble dogs keep away even the potentates,

You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar,

The waves rise, the waves fall.

Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks the malt in a jar,

The waves rise, the waves fall.

You are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats,

Coolness overcomes,

Ninkasi, you are the one who spreads the cooked mash on large reed mats,

Coolness overcomes,

You are the one who holds with both hands the great sweet wort,

Brewing [it] with honey [and] wine

(You the sweet wort to the vessel)

Ninkasi, (...)(You the sweet wort to the vessel)

The filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound,

You place appropriately on a large collector vat.

Ninkasi, the filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound,

You place appropriately on a large collector vat.

When you pour out the filtered beer of the collector vat,

It is [like] the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates.

Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the filtered beer of the collector vat,

It is [like] the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates.

Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing - The father of
modern microbreweries

Using the above text, one could literally recreate the ancient recipe embedded within the poem. In fact, back in the early 1990s, Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, CA and Dr. Solomon Katz of the University of Pennsylvania made craft-brewing history by reproducing the brew on the ancient clay tablet. The resulting beer was served in bulky clay jugs with lengthy drinking straws – just like the Sumerians used to do.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness (and ancient beer goddesses)… Cheers!

Keeping Your Craft Beer Crafty: Part 4 - A Beer Tasting

Perhaps the most important aspect of drinking quality beer is the social aspect. And now that you know the dos and don’ts of storing, serving, and tasting craft beer, it’s time to invite your friends over and hold your very own beer tasting event.

Make sure to judge appearance too

There are a few options when holding a beer tasting: You can sample different beers in different styles (pale ale, hefeweizen, india pale ale, barley wine, etc.). Or you can taste a whole bunch of beers that are in the same style, like "pale ales" (this is called a "horizontal" tasting). Or you can compare several examples of the same beer from different years (called a "vertical" tasting – this one works best with higher ABV aging ales or vintage-marked labels).

If you're planning to try several different brews, you'll fare better by drinking "samples" of each (say, three to four ounces) instead of whole bottles. Try four-ounce servings, which will allow a standard 12oz. bottle to be shared among three people. Even then, it's probably best not to try more than 10 beers in one sitting as your taste buds won't be able to go much further, regardless of whether the rest of your body can. Be sure to use glasses that leave plenty of room for swirling and sniffing (and which ideally curve in towards the top, to concentrate aromas). Jot down your impressions of each beer's aroma, color, flavor, aftertaste and other qualities.

A line of deliciousness

Finally, if you're sampling beers in the same style, you may want to compare a few at a single time. Consider tasting in "flights" of around three beers, recording your impressions of each. If you're sampling different styles of beer, on the other hand, always start with the lowest-strength, lightest-flavored (and usually lightest-colored) brew. Work your way up to richer, more powerful examples. This way, one beer's flavor won't overpower another's. And remember to have lots of plain, cold water on hand: It will help refresh your palate between brews, as well as keep you from enjoying the tasting too much.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

From Sea To Shining Sea

Planning a trip and worried you won’t be able to find your favorite regional crafty beverage? Fear not. The great thing about the craft beer community is that it spans the USA… literally from coast to coast! Here’s a silly little map that someone on the interwebs put together that shows some of the regional rock stars of craft brewing.

The Unites States of Beermerica

Obviously, this map doesn’t depict all of the breweries out there, or even the best breweries that each state has to offer. But it does illustrate the greater point. The key to success is to do a little research before you leave and locate the beer culture. Look for brewpubs for your meals and local breweries to tour (if you have time). Finding these brewers will also give you an idea of what to look for at the local grocery stores and premium beer stores. You can also ask around when you arrive, but it’s important to ask the right people. Try the staff at the premium beer store as they are usually knowledgeable and well plugged-in to the local scene.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!

Erin Go Brew

A drop or two will do

Drinking green beer is a well-known tradition among those who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. But how exactly does one go about turning the beer green? It may be obvious, or it may be shocking how simple it is, but the secret to green beer is green food coloring. Ta dah.

Most sources on the inter-webs report that anywhere from one to three drops of green standard-issue food coloring will do the trick. It’s important not to overdo it as too much food coloring may stain the enjoyer’s teeth, not to mention that you might taste the food coloring. Basically, drop your food coloring into the glass before you pour so that the act of pouring will evenly distribute the color throughout the brew.

One contributor suggested using blue food coloring as opposed to green, as most beers are at least some shade of yellow which, when mixed with the blue, would make green (remember art class). I’ve found that this does work, but the head will be blue, which isn’t very St. Patty’s like.



As beautiful as the Irish countryside

As for which beer to choose, obviously, the darker the beer, the harder it will be to turn green. Guinness is a classic Irish dry stout and a St. Patrick’s Day main stay. But as it is jet black, the best you’ll get from coloring it is green head. There are several lighter Irish beers you could use instead, such as Harp Lager or Smithwicks Irish Red Ale which are much easier to turn green.

If you want to make green beer for your friends at some sort of St. Patrick’s Day party, I would experiment first in order to get it right. It depends on what kind of beer you’re using and how green you want it to be as to how much food coloring to use. If you’re greening up your beer for your own personal use, than who cares how it turns out. Have fun with it. Sláinte!

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!