Some Excellent Summer Samples!!!!!!!!!!

Some Excellent Summer Samples!!!!

Some HIGHLIGHTS of my summer tastings {so far} as there is still a lot of summer to go!!!!!

 Hello everybody. I hope that you are having a most excellent summer season of fun in the sun and of course, while doing that, tasting some good summer season craft beers. Since my last post was on different types of summer ales, I figured that would share some of my favorite beers that I was lucky enough to try on my journey while I was on a 5 city Midwest book tour.

So first out of the gate, from Revolution Brewing, (Chicago) Their Ghost Ride Kolsch was stunning. Coming in at 5.3% ABV, this light straw colored beer was very crisp, with flavors of bread, with a coriander lift up front that tapers off with slight citrus notes.

 

Next up, from Perrin Brewing, out of Comstock Park, Michigan (near Grand Rapids, MI), was their Blackberry IPA. This purple hued, slightly tart beer is brewed with ripened blackberries, and uses a slightly bitter hop added to the recipe that is grown in Michigan. It has an overall floral bouquet, but the taste is absolutely amazing with the tartness of the blackberries complimenting the bitterness of the hops very nicely.

 

 From Kuhnhenn Brewing in Warren, Michigan come two delicious beers. The first was a limited release grapefruit wit. This wheat forward beer has just the right amount of grapefruit added to give it the “spot on” tartness the makes it stand out. Not being overly citric with fruit either, this is definitely one of the most refreshing beers that you could have on a hot summer day.

 

 The other beverage from Kuhnhenn was their Simcoe Sillier. A spruced up version of their Simcoe Silly, this beer, made with simcoe hops, has tropical fruit flavors that explode into a swarm that plays perfect against the spicy overtones. Great drinkable ale!!!!

And lastly, from Stumblin’ Duck in Chesterfield, MI comes the most perfect lime shandy ever. A spin on the typical lime beer, this wheat beer (not a hefeweizen though) has a breadiness on the nose that mixes with the citrus of the limes. Once sipped, the lime bursts forward in a way that you might think it could be a margarita and then the subtle wheat flavors round it out towards the end reminding you that it is a beer. But alas, no salt and no tequila required!!!!!!!  Another winner!!!!!

So drink a couple of beers (but not too many - no hangovers :( ) and enjoy the SUMMER, and as always, RAISE A PINT OF ALE!!!!!!!!! CHEERS  

Summertime Beers = Summertime Flavors

Summertime Beers = Summertime Flavors!!!!!!!!!!!

Well fellow beer drinkers, now that the 4^th of July has come and gone, and the summer seems like it is half over (even though it has really just begun) we should delve into some of the summer ales that are on the market before it is too late and we need to change up and start with the autumn ales and lagers.  

There are definitely some great new recipes that breweries are experimenting with to keep the flavors (pun intended) of the warm weather flowing (another pun intended) to quench that burning thirst.

First up, while not relatively new, sour beers tend to pop up more often during the warmer summer months. With using certain strains of bacteria, and aging them in barrels, a sour taste emerges. A nice chilled sour can be the perfect accompaniment to any meal, or even as a digestive.

Gose ales, which originated in Goslar, Germany, are top fermenting ales the are characterized by the use of coriander and salt. While not as sour as a direct sour beer, there usually is a slight sour essence to them. Lactic acid is added to the wort before primary fermentation. This adds a very unique flavor that creates a very unique beer. Berliner Wiesses’ are another type of sour beer that are usually brewed with fruit to mellow out and balance the sour flavor. Sometimes a tart fruit such as pomegranate is used for that purpose.

Shandies have also become very popular in the more recent years with all types of fruits being used now. Back in the day, lemon was the most popular fruit used in the brewing process for the Shandy. The wort is fermented with different types of fruit as to infuse the ale with sometimes a sweeter flavor along with the flavor of the desired fruit. Nowadays, you can find Shandies that use, the aforementioned lemon, lime, grapefruit, and a slew of other types of summer fruits. 

The Kolsch is another type of popular summer beer as well. The Kolsch is a warm fermenting, cold lagering, type of beer usually brewed with different types of pilsner malts which gives them their light quality. While the Kolsch can also be found around the fall for the autumn tasting, I prefer to have a Kolsch in the summer. Its light crisp flavor, low IBU, and clean taste, goes great with an afternoon outdoor BBQ.

Another year round (yet once again, I think works best in warmer climes) is the ever- lasting IPA. Every once in a while I am in the mood for the hop train. Whether you like hoppy or semi-hoppy, the added flavors of the hops (whether, citrus, pine trees, etc.)along with the clean crisp taste, is always a winner in the summer.

So now that we have some of the great summer types of beer explained, what the hell are you waiting for? Get out in the sun, kickback on the water, and pick up a few variety cases from your local market and get sampling. There are a whole lot of summer beers to try!!!!!!! 

Enjoy the summer, and as always, RAISE A PINT OF ALE!!!!!!!!! CHEERS  

Arthur's Day

Happy Arthur's Day

 

In 1755, Arthur Guinness opened a brewery in Leixlip, Ireland. With the 100 pounds that he inherited from his godfather, Arthur Prince, who was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Cashel. He definitely was on to something of a grand scale which he probably did not know of at the time. In 1759, he left the brewery to be run by his younger brother and headed for Dublin.

 

Today, September 26th is a VERY important day in the history of Ireland and of course in the history of beer. On this day in 1759, Arthur Guinness went to the city of Dublin and opened up the Guinness brewery at St. James's Gate in the heart of Dublin. With the signing of a 9000 year lease on the land, this meant that the brewery would never leave its address. It was on that day that the empire of the modern Guinness brewery was founded.

 

In the first few decades of the brewery, Guinness experimented with brewing different types of beer. After numerous attempts, by the late 1790's he created the recipe that is the mainstay of the brewery. In 1798, the brewery's only type of beer was the famous stout (porter) that is brewed to this day.

 

In the more recent past they have started to brew different varieties of the original beverage including Guinness Black lager (which is a cold-brewed lager), but the main ingredients have always remained. The original famous beer is one of the most produced beers and largest selling brands in the world.

 

So in honor of the 26th of September, at 17:59pm (5:59pm), if possible, wherever you are, raise a glass, have a moment of silence and toast to one of the greatest innovators in the world of beer and brewing. Little did Arthur know what would become of the brand that he created!!!!!

 

I was fortunate enough to celebrate Arthur's Day in 2012 at the Brazen Head Pub in Dublin (actually, The Brazen Head is THE OLDEST pub in Ireland - but you will just have to wait for "Pubs To Have a Pint In: Dublin" for all of the historical goodness and photos of The Brazen Head). This black tie event was packed to the roof with fans of Guinness all willing to drink and pay homage to "Uncle Arthur."

 

While in Dublin, I also took the tour of the brewery and became a "certified pourer" of Guinness on draught. There actually is a trick to pouring Guinness. With the back pour, nitrogen is added to the mix to accurately fill out the head of the beverage. It is supposed to be poured in a certain way so that the foamy head on the beer develops just right. A bit to learn indeed!!!!!

 

Some trivia about Guinness:

 

The color of Guinness is NOT black. It is actually a very dark ruby red which can be seen when tilted into the light at just the right angle.

 

The original 9000 year lease which was signed by Arthur Guinness can still be seen . It is mounted under a glass floor in the center of the Guinness Storehouse to be seen by the masses of visitors.

 

In 2006, Guinness Draught became the official beer for the Irish Rugby team.

 

Contrary to popular belief, Guinness beer is NOT brewed with the water of the Leffe River that flows through Dublin. The water is from the meadow and hills that surround Dublin.

 

Guinness Draught does taste different where you drink it. You can taste a slight different between a pint that is poured in a pub in the USA and in London, but you can still taste a slight difference between a pint that is poured in London and in Dublin.

 

In 1939, Guinness sent all the British troops in the British Expeditionary Forces a bottle of Guinness to be enjoyed with their Christmas dinner.

 

My friend Art's favorite beer is Guinness. (Take that Art!!!!!!!!!!!)

 

HAPPY ARTHUR'S DAY

Enjoy a pint, Cheers - Charles

OKTOBERFEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The One and Only Original Oktoberfest..........

Well fellow beer snobs, it is that time of year again. The wonderful time of year to celebrate the coming of autumn, Halloween, and the colder weather. What better way to celebrate this time then with an selection of fine fall brews at an Oktoberfest celebration. The best way I can think of to ring in the season!!!!!!

Now of course, if you can make it to Germany (the birthplace of the Oktoberfest) then more power to you. If not, throw one of your own parties. All you really need is some good friends, good food,  and a great selection of Oktoberfest beers.

Munich, Germany is THE home of the celebrated event of the fall season. Started in 1810, it is a 16 day festival that starts towards the end of September and runs through the first week of October. The festival attracts more then 6 million locals and tourists every year and it keeps on getting bigger. With carnival rides, games, mountains of food, and of course rivers of beer (in 2007 nearly 7 million liters of the golden liquid were consumed), it is definitely one of the biggest parties in Europe. Originally, the festival ran through the first Sunday in October, however, with the reunification of Germany in 1994, the schedule was altered a bit and now the festival culminates on October 3rd which is German Unity Day.

Started in 1810, the first party was actually for the wedding of King Ludwig to his new Queen Theresa. Held in what was know as "Theresa's Gardens" (and still is), all of the citizens were invited to attend. In the years that followed, an agricultural show was added as well as horse racing to promote German culture. The annual opening kick off parade which started in 1850, has roughly 8,000 marchers all dressed in traditional German costumes, is one of the highlights of the entire event. One new tradition that started in 1950 was the tapping of the first keg. At 12:00, the mayor taps the keg which is accompanied by a 12 gun salute. That is respect for the brew!!!!!!!!!

Traditional German food is always served which includes, Hendl (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Knodel (potato or bread dumplings), and Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes). You will also find the assortment of sausages, krauts, and Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda which is a spiced cheese-butter spread.

Now this is a very important fact. Only beer that is brewed in Munich and which conforms to the Reinheitsgebot may be served in the tents at Oktoberfest. What is the Reinheitsgebot? This important (and hard to pronounce - if you do not speak German) word is the Purity Order of Bavaria. Sometimes referred to as the German Purity Order, it is a regulation of the production of beer in the Holy Roman Empire. Instated in 1487 by Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria, this order stated that beer could only be made with 3 ingredients: Water, barley, and hops. The order was passed to keep the other grains available (such as wheat and rye) so they could be used for baking bread, and thus not have a shortage and a spike in bakery prices. We Germans do like to drink!!!!!!!

The brewers that can produce beer under this order are Paulaner, Spatenbrau, Lowenbrau, Hacker Schorr-Brau, and Augustiner-Brau. These beers will be the only beer that one will find being served at Oktoberfest. Any of these fine beers pair very well with the German cuisine that is served. Or if one prefers, they can always skip the food to save more room for the liquid diet. Although, that could have some very intoxicating effects which are accelerated.

While I have never been to Munich for Oktoberfest, I was fortunate enough to attend the Oktoberfest in Dublin (hey, the Irish drink like fish too!!) on the Docklands 2 years ago. Judging by how insanely fun and festive that was (once again the Irish) I can only imagine Munich is escalated by a factor of 100. This is one party that is definitely on my bucket list. Munich AND ESPECIALLY the beer tent better be ready for me when I arrive. 

So get ready to throw back a couple of Oktoberfest brews and have a great time. Speaking of the beers, in my next post I will write and rate some of the more popular and not so popular types of Oktoberfest beers.

Cheers and HAPPY OKTOBERFEST, Charles..............

Back and Forth or Are We There Yet.........

Back and Forth

or

Are We There Yet........

With this blog I am probably going to alternate between topics from time to time. This way I can mix it up a bit whilst keeping all of my avid readers on their toes with information. Luckily, all the topics are connected with one another so that makes cross-referencing easier as well, along with how pubs, breweries and beer are all interconnected.

With the first batch of posts, I wanted to explain a brief history of the pubs. The second batch was to start to explain the different styles of ales and lagers and how they are created using the varying methods of brewing techniques. While I might still touch on these subjects in future posts, I thought that it was important to at least cover these topics before branching out and digging into the finer details of both of those areas. These details include rating or reviewing certain types of beer or taking the reader through an imaginative description of a pub. I want the readers to experience the pubs as best they can without actually being there. Or hey, if you are there then the more the better!!!!!!

With reviewing the beer I will explain the qualities of the beverage including taste, nose, consistency, etc. However, being the beer snob that I am you can expect to see a lot of hard to find and slightly lesser known brands. Of course I will also review more popular brands (such as Guinness for my friend Art - who keeps on pestering me!!!!), but most people know and have tried a lot of the more major brands out there and besides, it is always fun to get out, explore and try something new.

When explaining the pubs, I will try to be as detailed as I can to give the reader as much of an idea of what the pubs look like inside and out that is possible. Of course, any historical facts or trivia that I know of will also go along with it. That is all part of the fun. I would also love to share and incorporate some of the wonderful photos that I was able to capture from these watering holes. However, while I do not want to give away the pubs that are in the book itself (at least not yet) I will focus on ones that I still think are excellent examples of the pubs that are illustrated in the book. These pubs are just as magnificent, and probably would have been included in the book, well if I could have made it near infinite anyway. But, had I included all of the pubs that I wanted, it would have made the book way too large and too heavy. 

So in the upcoming posts, I am going to move back and forth between all of the connected topics that this blog is all about. Those topics of course being PUBS, BEER, and BREWERIES.....

Cheers, Charles

Typers of "Beer" - Stouts and Porters

Stouts and Porters

Stouts and Porters are intertwined with their history since they first started being brewed in the 1700's. In that age, Stout was the first term used that became a generic term describing the strongest or "stoutest" beers with an alcohol content averaging around 7% - 8% by volume. The name porter started to be used about fifty or so years after stout and described a beer that was made with roasted malt, made in a variety of strength [of alcohol], and had a darker brown hue. In fact, once the term porter was being used regularly, the stronger of those beverages were labeled "stout porters". It would have been totally possible to brew a "stout pale ale" or "stout pilsner" just as long as the alcohol content was high enough. So actually, a stout, up until more modern times, was a term that was used to label only the strongest of beers. Today though, a stout has become a category all to its own, yet still related to a porter.

While there is some debate as to whether stout and porter should be two separate categories (because technically "stout" refers to a "strong" beer), it was the Guinness brewery, who, in 1820, started to brew their famous version which they labeled as a stout. Because it was so popular (and still is) this term "stout" once again was generically used in reference to generally describe just a very dark beer regardless of its alcohol content. So today, there are beers that are labeled as stouts and porters, each with varying alcohol strengths by volume. 

Stouts and Porters are both brewed using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, and yeast. The malt used is called black patent malt. This type of malt has been roasted in a kiln until the point that it has become carbonized. This blackening of the malt is what gives the brew its dark color and some of its flavor which usually contains some subtle hints of ashy undertones. These two varietals of beer can be brewed in to many different styles. Since historically the name porter came to be an alternative to stout, there really are not too many differences between the two these days. But "Stout" has become the "normal name" that is used for this style of beer. These are some of the more popular types.

Irish Stout - This varietal is very rich, heavy bodied, and very dark in color. It has a maltiness to the nose and carries a bitter flavor of coffee and slight chocolate. It has a medium alcohol content. Guinness is arguably the most famous of all the stouts - definitely the most famous in Ireland. Having been to the brewery at St. James Gate in Dublin, I have a sweet spot for this stout. A few fun facts about Guinness is that it is injected with nitrogen which gives it its white creamy head and contrary to popular belief, Guinness is not black in color. If you hold it just right up to the light it is actually a very dark ruby red. How is that for some beer trivia!!!!

Oatmeal Stout - as one can guess by the name, oatmeal stout, is brewed with a portion of oats (usually 30% - but it can vary) along with the malt during its brewing process. The beverage usually does not taste of oats, but rather the oats effect the body of the brew. It gives the liquid a smoother body because of the high protein and gum content of the oats. These two factors increase the viscosity of the liquid which results in a smoother drinking beer. It is sometimes a wee bit sweeter as well due to the slightly increase in sugar content from the oats.

Imperial Stout - also known as a "Russian Stout" this is another dark colored beer but the alcohol content is much higher (usually around or over 9%) then its Irish cousin. Notes of coffee and bitter malt can be found.

Other styles of stouts that are popular are Coffee Stouts, Chocolate Stouts, and the other rare varietal (although, they are becoming more popular again - as a novelty) , the Milk Stout. This version is the "sweetest" of the stouts because of the addition of lactose, which is a sugar derived from milk. The lactose is unfermentable and this adds to the heavier body of the beer, but also adds to the higher calorie count as well. So this beer is probably not the best choice to have multiple pints of for someone trying to watch their figure. Well, they can imbibe, it just might add another mile to the treadmill!!!

I must also mention the OYSTER STOUT. This rare and almost extinct style is the oddest of the styles: It was also more common in Japan. It is rumored that oysters are put in the barrel during the conditioning process. This gives the brew a briny/salty taste. Actually, that is very believable considering some of the ingredients that I have witnessed (and helped) put in to certain craft brews myself.

Porters are generally dark in color, heavy, and full-bodied, but as I mentioned, the alcohol content will vary between the different breweries that produce them. They generally are brewed with the same ingredients as stouts, although, certain special ingredients could be added as well: For example, pumpkin or pumpkin spice for an Oktoberfest style. Probably the most well-known style is the Smoked Porter in which the malt is dried over an open flame or liquid smoke might be added to the brewing process.

Thanks and CHEERS - Charles

Types of "Beer" - Lager

Lager

The word Lager actually is German for storage. However, in the world of the brewing industry, a lager is a type of beer that is fermented with slow acting yeast that continues it fermentation duties and conditions the lager while being stored at low temperatures. Some brewed lagers in certain countries also have different adjuncts added to the fermentation process to some times "thin out" the body of the beer, to add balance to the proteins that are introduced from the strains of yeast used, or to raise the alcohol content of the lager. In medieval times, the beverage was cold stored, or "lagered", in the colder months. In fact, in some parts of Europe, brewing lager in the warmer months of spring and summer were actually banned because the extra heat would have undesired effects which would lead to the production of an inadequate tasting lager that would not sit well on the taste buds.

During the late 1800's, the rise in lager production steadily outgrew the production of ale. With the invention of refrigeration systems, this made it possible to brew and store lagers at colder temperatures year round until it was ready to be served cold.

Lagers are generally separated in to two main categories: Pale Lagers and Dark Lagers.

Pale Lagers consist of styles such as Pilsners, Bocks, and Marzens. The characteristics of each style of pale lagers are different. The process of brewing pale lagers started in the 19th century, when the technique of brewing pale ales was applied to the traditional lager brewing process.

Cream Lager - Sometimes referred to as a "Cream Ale" (because it is top-fermented) this is a slight variant on a pale lager. They are brewed to be light and are generally a pale golden hue. Cream Lagers are cold-conditioned for longer periods of time to reduce the fruity esters and give the brew a "cleaner" flavor. Sometimes an adjunct such as rice is added to lighten the body even more.

Pilsner - Pilsners are pale lagers that are a very light-bodied, blond-golden hued color with very, very slight hoppy bitterness.

Bock - A bock is a style of pale lager that is generally light copper to brown in color. With an aroma of toasty malt notes on the nose, this medium bodied beer contains a rich toasty flavor sometimes with subtle hints of caramel. It is stronger [in alcohol content] but generally very close in the "slight - to - none" bitterness of its pilsner cousin. Bocks can also be divided in to subcategories such as Dopplebocks, Maibocks, and Eisbocks. The different characteristics in the sub-styles have to do with differences in the brewing and fermentation process.

Marzen - Marzens are lagers that tend to be medium to full bodied but can be light golden to dark brown in color. A malty aroma and flavor are normally present, but they tend to be a bit more bitter then pilsners or bocks. This type of beer is very popular in the autumn, especially around Oktoberfest.

Dark Lagers are the varietal that started the "lager" brewing process. These styles were medium to full bodied, amber to dark brown in color, and carried with them aromas of toast and a sweet maltiness. Dunkels and Schwarzbiers are styles of dark lagers. 

Dunkel - Dunkel, being German for dark, as you can imagine is a very dark, full bodied lager. With a malty flavor and medium alcohol content (generally around 5% by volume), Dunkels are extremely popular through most of Europe. Dunkels get their distinct malt flavor from a process called decoction mashing. During the brewing procedure, a portion of the grains will be returned to the mash which raises the temperature. This boiling extracts more starch from the grains and creates a richer flavor of malt. Dunkels can also be divided in to sub-styles.

Schwarzbiers - These "black beers" are full bodied and carry slight hints of chocolate and coffee in the nose and taste. The dark color comes from the malts which are roasted heavily to a very dark hue. This style of beer is a great accompaniment to pretzels, sauerkraut, and bratwursts. This combination is a must for all of our relative Germans out there. Once again, this type of beer can also be brewed in to different sub-styles.

Thanks and CHEERS!!!! - Charles