CALIFORNIA UNCOMMON
Have you had any good beers lately? Here are some brief reviews of a
few beers from the Golden State (you know, the one south of us). Some
are available at Burlingame Grocery. Others were courtesy of beer
hunter Scott Leonard, who recently made a California trip. There are
some good beers "south of the border." There are some bad ones, too.
Firestone Double Barrel Ale
(Firestone Walker Brewing, Los Olivos, CA):
This amber ale featured a solid malt profile from five different
kinds of malts and good hop balance from Saaz and East Kent Goldings.
The label claims that the beer's "distinctive complexity" is "brought
about through our exclusive, patented, oak barrel fermentation." I
don't know how exclusive the process is, but a few oak notes appear on
the nose and the palate. This is a nice, drinkable beer and is well
worth seeking. (5.0 percent alcohol by volume)
SLO Amber Ale
(SLO Brewing, Paso Robles, CA):
This was a
better-than-average amber ale with plenty of hop aromas and flavors. It
went well with spicy Korean food. This brewery used to have a mediocre
reputation; apparently they have a new brewer and this year they won a
silver medal for their Oatmeal Stout at the Great American Beer
Festival. The brewpub is in San Luis Opisbo; the brewery is in nearby
Paso Robles, near the central California coast. (alcohol unavailable)
Prohibition Ale
(Speakeasy Ales and Lagers, San Francisco):
This was
a fairly strong, hoppy ale with some caramel malt notes. Joel Rea
reported that the beers were rather mediocre at the brewpub, but Scott
and I found this bottled example to be very tasty. (6.1 percent alcohol
by volume)
Ragwater Ale
(Lagunitas Brewing, Petaluma, CA):
This beer features
the slogan, "Keep it Dark." It did indeed pour dark and a little
murky. Fresh hops dominated the aroma. The flavors, unfortunately,
were not very appealing. The malt was missing, the hop flavor and
bitterness were too assertive, and the beer had a dry, scratchy,
cardboard character. Scott and I were unable to finish the 22-ounce
bottle. This brewery makes some good beers, but my advice is to stay
away from the aptly named Ragwater. (OG 1.056; 47 IBU; alcohol
unavailable)
Lagunator Solstice Ale
(Lagunitas Brewing, Petaluma, CA):
This beer
features the slogan, "I'll Be Bock," but it is definitely an ale, not a
true Bock. It was a good, hoppy, West Coast Ale, with a noticeable
alcohol punch. Nevertheless, it was dangerously drinkable. (OG 1.072;
36 IBU; 6.8 percent alcohol by volume)
Double Bastard Ale
(Stone, San Marcos, CA):
This whopper of a beer
from the San Diego area is an even stronger version of the notoriously
potent Arrogant Bastard Ale. There is lots of malt, even more hops, and
even more warm alcohol notes. The label features the warning: "If you
can even contemplate, on any level at all, the remotest possibility of
consuming a fizzy yellow beer in your miserable future, then DO NOT buy
this bottle. Instead, leave it for a worthy soul who has already
matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those who are in the know
lovingly call Liquid Arrogance." This is a relatively expensive brew at
$5.25 for a 22-ounce bottle. (10 percent alcohol by volume)
Tahoe Organic Amber Lager
(Truckee, Truckee, CA):
This beer features
the slogan, "The way it was in 1862" on its attractive, colorful label.
It also says that the beer is "faithfully brewed with certified organic
malt and hops, yeast, and clear mountain water, with no preservatives,
additives, or pasteurization." After all that, I must dutifully report
that neither Scott nor I could drink more than one mouthful of this brew
because it had an overpowering diacetyl aroma and flavor. Something
went dreadfully wrong somewhere. (alcohol unavailable)
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A TASTE OF QUEBEC
Have you had any good beers lately? Here are some brief reviews of a
beers from one of my favorite breweries in the world, the Brasserie
Unibroue of Chambly, Quebec, near Montreal. These were courtesy of my
very good friend Shawn Murphy, professor of journalism at the University
of New York-Plattsburgh. (Shawn, incidentally, started me on the road
to ruin by introducing me to the world of homebrewing and later
accompanying me to Denver for my first Great American Beer Festival
nearly ten years ago.)
La Gaillarde:
This orange-hued ale is brewed according to a
16th-century recipe that features a blend of grains, lots of spices and
only a small amount of hops. The name means "the strapping woman" and
refers to the brewsters who made most of the beer in olden days. It won
a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute in 1996. (5.0 percent
abv)
Raftman:
This beer is brewed with whiskey malt. It has a subtle
character and robust, full-bodied maltiness. I found it to be a good
brew, but not exceptional. I thought it would be more smoky. It won a
gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute in 1995. (5.5 percent
abv)
Kamouraska:
This was a light straw-colored, highly carbonated brew
with a very light but satisfying aroma and flavor profile. It was very
drinkable yet fairly potent. (6.0 percent abv)
St. Hubert:
This beer is similar to a classic Belgian Tripel. It is
very pale and has aromas and flavors dominated by the yeast rather than
the malt and hops. The name comes from the name of a street in Montreal
where one of Quebec's premiere restaurant chains was born. (6.5 percent
abv)
1837:
This is a classic Belgian Tripel, somewhat thin on the malt
profile but with a light, honey-like sweetness and plenty of alcohol.
Its only fault is that the carbonation is a little too high. The beer
is named in honor "of past heroes who gave their life for country and
freedom in the Battle of St. Eustache." This is some episode in Canadian
history that I know nothing about. (7.0 percent abv)
Eau Bénite:
This is an unconventional Belgian Tripel, made with corn
in the grain bill. With its huge head and exotic aromas and flavors,
you won't confuse this golden brew with Budweiser. It is very fruity,
with complex yeast notes from its triple fermentation. The name means
"holy water." (7.7 percent abv)
Sans Nom:
This is an even stronger Belgian Tripel. It is also a
little darker in color than Eau Bénite, with even spicier yeast notes.
The name means "nameless." I call it great. (9.0 percent abv)
Quelque Chose:
This is a wonderful, sweet, spicy cherry beer,
intended to be mulled. The recipe for this beer was inspired by one of
my all-time favorite brews, Liefmans Glühkriek, but Quelque Chose is
even darker, stronger, and fruitier. The brewers soak the cherries in a
bitter beer for several months before blending them with another beer
made with highly roasted malts. Following the recommended procedure, I
served mine warm, in a coffee cup, after 90 seconds in the microwave.
The result was delicious. The name means "something." It surely is.
(8.0 percent abv)
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NEW BELGIUM BEERS
Have you had any good beers lately? Here are some brief reviews of
beers from one of my favorite breweries in the world, the award-winning
New Belgium Brewery of Fort Collins, Colorado. Recently, these beers
became available here in Corvallis at Shop 'n' Go. I have also seen
them at the Oasis Grocery in Eugene; and I have heard reports of Fat
Tire appearing on tap around town. I was delighted to learn that New
Belgium's beers have made it to Oregon. They are truly special.
Bière de Mars:
This cloudy, orange-hued ale is based on the French
Bière de Garde style. It features an extraordinary variety of
ingredients, including a special yeast strain, several barley malts,
oats, wheat, and lemon verbena, a fragrant South American herb. This
beer is refreshing and delicious. The brewer's idea was to brew a March
beer that would represent the transition from winter to spring.
1554 Brussels-Style Black Ale:
At a glance, this muddy, dark brown
beer seems to be some kind of Porter, but the brewers insist that it has
nothing in common with Porters or Stouts. Indeed, it is definitely a
Belgian brew, with fruity, phenolic, and slightly acidic properties.
The brewers say that they use a lager yeast at warm temperatures. They
also admit to using 60 percent specialty malts in the grist, just enough
hops for some bitterness, and some "secret spices." I give 1554 a mixed
review: the beer in one of my bottles seemed oxidized; another was
fresh and tasty.
Fat Tire:
This Pale Ale is New Belgium's flagship beer. It is made
with Dutch Laaglander malt and has a the flavor of freshly baked
biscuits. It is extremely popular in Colorado and, from what I've
overheard from OSU students, it seems to be taking Corvallis by storm.
Fat Tire is a very drinkable, very satisfying, everyday beer.
Sunshine Wheat:
This very light Ale is something of a cross between a
Belgian Witbier and an American Wheat. It is golden in color, not pale
and cloudy like an authentic Witbier. Also, the coriander and Curaao
orange peel aromas are very subtle. But it is much more flavorful than
a typical American Wheat. This finely crafted brew makes an excellent
summer thirst quencher.
Blue Paddle Pilsener:
This is a European Pils, with a clean malt
profile and the nice blend of floral Saaz hops. The brewers point out
that it is an all-malt beer, and in that respect it is superior to most
of Belgium's rather mediocre Pilsners. Blue Paddle has won several
awards, and it ranks among my favorite American interpretations of the
classic Czech lager.
Abbey:
This is arguably the best American version of the Belgian
Dubbel style. Dark, reddish brown in color, it features a thick white
head, just like its Belgian cousins. The aromas and flavors are also
true to form, with fruity notes ranging from bananas and figs to coffee
beans, caramel, and cloves. It is slightly sweet, with a touch of smoky
phenolics. New Belgium Abbey is strong and delicious.
Trippel:
This version of a Belgian Tripel rivals some of the best
examples from Belgium. Hazy, light gold in color, it pours with a
chunky white head. Spicy Saaz hops dominate the nose, which also
reveals a genuine Belgian yeast strain. The flavor is dominated by
lightly sweet malt, some woody overtones, and a bit of a citrus bite.
New Belgium Trippel is a delightfully tasty beer that packs a punch.
HOW NOW BROWN ALES
Have you had any good beers lately? Here are some brief reviews of
American Brown Ales, the hoppier cousins of Newcastle Brown Ale and its
English cousins.
Moose Drool Brown Ale:
This is a solid example of the style, with a
slightly roasted character and plenty of Northwest hops for balance.
Moose Drool is brewed by the Big Sky Brewing Company of Missoula,
Montana, but bottled by the Portland Brewing Company.
Pyramid Best Brown Ale:
This is certainly not the best version. Its
dark enough to be a Brown Ale, but it lacks the chocolate and roasted
malt character that I like. It is thin, slightly grainy, and rather
lifeless. The Pyramid Brewery is in Seattle.
Downtown Brown Ale:
This is my favorite. It has a solid malt
profile, with lots of chocolate and roasted malt aroma and flavor and
the right amount of hops for a balance of flavor and bitterness. Nutty
and slightly sweet, it is very drinkable on its own, but goes well with
soups and sandwiches. The artwork on the label is also a delight.
Downtown Brown is from the Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, California.
Wolaver's Brown Ale:
This "Certified Organic" beer has lots of
promise, but honesty compels me to report that I was able to drink only
half a bottle before pouring it out. The beer had no real aroma or
flavor notes except for alcohol. It was as if someone had poured
Everclear in a huge vat of brown-dyed Coors Lite, and then bottled the
result. Wolaver's is brewed and bottled by the Panorama Brewing Company
of Ukiah, California.
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar:
This is one of my favorite dessert
beers. It really belongs in a class by itself. It is a well-made
American Brown Ale, made slightly sweet and very distinctive by the
addition of hazelnut extract. It reminds me of German chocolate cake in
a bottle. Hazelnut Brown Nectar comes only in 22-ounce bottles and is
brewed by the Rogue Brewing Company of Newport, Oregon.
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SOME OF SEATTLE'S FINEST
New to Shop 'n' Go in Corvallis are three beers from the highly regarded
Elysian Brewing Company in Seattle. They are sold in 22-ounce bottles.
The Wise ESB:
This is a solid, amber ale, similar in profile to
another American version of an Extra Special Bitter, Anderson Valley's
Belk's ESB. It features a fruity, full, malt profile. The hop aroma is
slight but the hop flavor comes through at the end of the taste. The
hop bitterness is actually moderate, which is actually the way it should
be with this somewhat confusingly named style. For lots and lots of hop
aroma, flavor, and bitterness, think India Pale Ale. Chinook, Cascade,
and Centennial hops are present. The original gravity is 1.058; alcohol
strength is 6.1 percent by volume.
The Immortal IPA:
Speaking of India Pale Ales, here is one that
manages to be reasonably well-balanced without compromising on the hop
intensity that many microbrew lovers in the Pacific Northwest have come
to adore. The original gravity is 1.063; alcohol strength is 6.6
percent by volume.
Perseus Porter:
This is fine example of a Robust Porter, with a Black
Patent malt aroma, sweet chocolate malt notes, and a lots of roasted
flavor. It's not a Stout, however, and there are no burnt qualities. A
modest amount of bittering hops are evident, but they are not overdone.
This well-balanced and very drinkable beer won a Gold Medal in the 1999
Great American Beer Festival. The original gravity is 1.058 and the
alcohol content is 5.7 percent by volume.
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FAB FIVE SUMMER BEERS
Recently, in a magazine article, Michael Jackson listed his favorite
five beers for summer. Inspired, I endeavored to list my favorite five
summer beers this year, all of which are currently available in Oregon:
Hoegaarden Witbier:
The original and still champion of the Belgian
White Beer Style, "who-gar-ten" has the perfect combination of light
spiciness to go with a dry finish. A perfect substitute for iced tea,
this beer goes well with summer snacks and salads, or by itself. A
great beer to sip in the shade.
Blue Paddle Pilsener:
How about a Czech-style Pils from a brewery
called New Belgium that is located in Colorado? This one's a winner.
Few beer styles are more refreshing on a hot summer day than an
authentic Pils, and they beat American macro beers by a mile when one
has worked up a thirst, either from mowing the lawn or biking across
town.
Eau Bénite Tripel:
Care for something stronger, but still light in
color and body? Try this "holy water" from Unibroue, Canada's fabulous
producer of Belgian-style ales. It's a non-traditional Tripel, with a
little corn in the grist, but it's none the worst for it. All the right
notes are present, from the fluffy white head to the fruity, authentic
Belgian yeast aromas and flavors. This dangerously drinkable concoction
finishes at 7.3 percent alcohol by volume.
Wiesen Edel Weisse:
This mouthful of beer name means "meadow royal
white." It is a stronger-than-average Bavarian Wheat Beer from the
Schneider Brewery, the makers of the famous Aventinus Weizenbock. Hazy
dark gold in color, this full-bodied version has subtle banana esters
and lots of spicy notes. It finishes at 6.2 percent alcohol by volume.
Rodenbach Alexander:
Ah, Rodenbach. This exquisite version of the
famous Flemish Red Beer is flavored with cherries and just may be the
ultimate dessert beer. Its tartness threatens to pucker one's cheeks
together but there is just enough malty sweetness and carbonation to
keep that from happening. Musty, oaky notes come through as well. It
may not be to everyone's liking, but for those with slightly
sophisticated palates, Rodenbach Alexander is, as the songwriter Cole
Porter would say, "delightful, delicious, de-wonderful."
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FROM BEER HUNTERS
Here are some brief reviews of beers which I recently obtained from
fearless beer hunters. The first two, imported from Colorado, were
courtesy of Ingeborg Reed. The second two, from California and
Massachusetts, respectively, were donated by Scott Leonard. Thanks beer
hunters!
Scarab Red Ale
(Oasis Brewing Company, Boulder, CO)
This is a solid beer from one of Colorado's best microbreweries. It won
a gold medal in the Red Ale category in the 1999 Great American Beer
Festival. It is bright copper-colored, and makes a nice crackling sound
in the glass (Fred Eckhardt tells us to listen to our beer). The nose
was reminiscent of freshly baked bread. The flavor is rich, with lots
of toasted malt notes. There is very moderate hop flavor and
significant hop bitterness on the finish. Yes, there is such a thing as
Red Ale; it is the native beer style of Ireland. I also recommend from
Oasis the Capstone ESB, Tut Brown Ale, and Zoser Oatmeal Stout. In
addition, Oasis brews a Scotch Ale, an Imperial Stout, Nileator
Doppelbock, and Snoasis, a spicy winter brew. If you are ever in
Boulder, check out the brewpub. It features a cool Egyptian motif, a
50-foot green marble bar, great food, and views of the Rockies.
Blackjack Porter
(Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO)
This, simply put, is one of Colorado's best beers (sorry Coors). It won
the gold medal in the Brown Porter category at the 2000 GABF. It is a
beautiful, deep brown with reddish hues, and has a tan head.
Wonderfully complex, it features caramel, fruity, chocolaty, and smoky
aromas and a rich, roasted but not harsh malt flavor. This Brown Porter
is not as hoppy as our Black Butte Porter, but that suits me just fine.
I love the chocolate malt. The brewery is named for the Southern
Arapaho Indian chief Niwot, or Left Hand. Its other beers of note
include Sawtooth Pale Ale, Deep Cover Brown Ale, Imperial Stout, and the
fascinating Juju Ginger Ale. (6.4 abv)
Sudwerk Pilsner
(Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch, Davis, CA)
Here's a good American version of the German Pils style, with plenty of
Hallertauer hops in the aroma and a dry, crisp finish. Smooth and very
refreshing, it smells and tastes very authentic (the brewery uses yeasts
from Weihenstephan, Germany.) This beer won the gold medal in the
European Pilsner category in the 1995 GABF. I sure wish we could buy
the Sudwerk beers in Oregon. Sudwerk makes excellent versions of
Hefeweizen, Helles, Märzen, Maibock, and Doppelbock. And the brewpub is
also worth visiting: it has seating for 250 people inside and another
250 in the Biergarten, with copper brewing equipment inside the circular
bar.
Ipswich Original Ale
(Ipswich, MA)
This beer is a cloudy gold with orange tints, and there was lots of
sediment from the pour. Fresh, fruity hop aromas dominate the nose. It
features a fruity, citrusy, malty flavor, with a fruity hop background.
It finishes rather tart with an assertive English (Kent Goldings) hop
bitterness. This has recently been released in 12-ounce bottles;
formerly it was available in half gallon "growler" jugs. Ipswich is an
old New England town just north of Boston.
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2001 FALL REVIEWS
Groot Voorst Signature Ale 1999
What happens when the Dutch brew a Belgian Monastic Ale? In this case,
the result is very good. This beer has plenty of the aromas and flavors
one would expect from a class Trappist Ale, and I loved it. For
starters, the package is something special: a 750 ml bottle, snugly
corked and caged, with a little wooden shoe on a string draped around
its neck. The beer is dark, murky brown with chestnut hues, and pours with a huge,
crackling head (Fred Eckhardt tells us to listen to our beer). The
aromas are similar to the best monastic brews-fruity, phenolic, and
reminiscent of exotic cheeses. The flavors are even more intense. They
remind one of bittersweet dark chocolate, anise (black licorice), and
sweet malt. There is only a little hop bitterness in this medium-bodied
beer. The alcohol is obvious and its warming effects linger after each
sip. Rich and potent (11 percent alcohol by volume), Groot Voorst is a
great dessert beer. For more information, see www.hollandbeer.com
Young's Double Chocolate Stout
For a few weeks Young's Double Chocolate Stout was available at Shop 'n' Go in Corvallis. My only regret is that I did not buy more bottles, because it is out of stock and may not be back for awhile. This beer, from the famous Young's Ram Brewery in London (makers of Ram Rod and Old Nick Barley Wine), was first released as an Easter specialty in the spring of 1997. It is brewed with Mars Otter and Chocolate malt, Fuggles, East Kent Goldings, and Styrian Goldings hops, and extract of cacao. At five percent alcohol by volume, it is very drinkable. The aroma is chocolate and licorice, the palate is sweet chocolate malt, with very little roasted or bitter flavor. The finish is slightly woody and dry, like Young's other beers, but the dominant flavor is chocolate fudge. This beer is extremely delicious and worth seeking.
New Belgium Frambozen
New Belgium Frambozen is still available at Shop 'n' Go. This beer is based roughly on Liefman's Frambozenbier, a tart, Flemish Brown Ale flavored with raspberries. This version is not as sour as the one from Belgium, nor does it have authentic lactobacillus character of the original. But it is a very well made beer, and the raspberries are subtly sweet, not cloying like many American fruit beers. This is a good winter specialty brew.
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