Malt & Barley Chronicles

Unfiltered India Pale Ale -- Long Trail Brewing Co. (Bridgewater Corners, VT)

2010-07-16T03:09:32Z

WAIT, WAIT, THIS CAN'T BE!!!!

Yes, the Chronicles have finally found an American-made pale ale worth recommending. (Long-time readers may know that the Chronicles have a major aversion to over-hopped ales, particularly those using citrusy hops.) Perhaps the extra yeast, or the fact that it originates in Vermont instead of the West Coast, makes a difference. But I can safely say that Long Trail's Unfiltered IPA has earned a place in my rotation.

Characteristics: Deep gold color, varying from translucent to cloudy (depending on amount of yeast stirred from bottle); medium body, light-to-medium carbonation; tart orange and vanilla flavors at the beginning are moderated by yeast into a grapefruit finish.

Minor Gripes: Since this isn't an English bitter, the hoppy finish is still present and sometimes overwhelming (depending on temperature). And it's unclear (pun intended) whether one is supposed to spin the yeast out of the bottle (like weissbiers) or not. I tried it both ways and preferred the yeasty version.

Bottom Line: Make no mistake, this is an American IPA. But it's a mellow version, eschewing the mega-hop arms race for drinkability and a mellowness that might skew closer to the original IPA (where hops were a preservative, not just an agent for bitterness). And in an age where Sierra Nevada is supposedly on the low end of the IPA spectrum, Long Trail's Unfiltered IPA is nearly unimaginable.

Rating: 6.25 / 10

Disparate interests vs. absurd stereotypes?

2010-06-26T14:35:49Z

A tech-focused news site offers advice to the English on which beverages to consume while watching the World Cup knockout match between England and Germany. Polite chortling ensues.

Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew -- Kiuchi Brewery (Naka, Ibaraki, Japan)

2010-05-11T03:30:00Z

I am a ginger fanatic. I also have an interest in creative East Asian beers -- I enjoy sushi and pad thai too much to suffer with pale yellow lagers for the rest of my life. So when I spotted a ginger-brewed beverage in the Hitachino Nest stable, that was pretty much an automatic purchase.

Characteristics: Cloudy reddish-brown color; light-to-moderate carbonation with average head; medium body; mildly sweet opening sets the stage for the ginger to build across a yeasty-biscuit middle for an almost peppery finish. It takes time for the ginger to emerge.

Minor Gripes: Depending on your tolerance for yeast, be careful when pouring since there's a sediment in the bottle. And definitely do not drink this one straight out of the bottle, straight out of the refrigerator... this is probably best consumed from a snifter/tulip glass, approaching room temperature.

Bottom Line: A noble experiment that doesn't quite reach the finish line. I'd like to try this with 50% more ginger in the mash, so that the bite is there at a cooler temperature -- but I also eat pickled ginger without sushi. And I do wonder about quality control in the bottling and labeling at Kiuchi -- the first bottle I tasted was so bland that I may not have gotten the right beverage. (That's happened to me before with Hitachino Nest. I loved the first couple Red Rice Ales I tried -- reddish, medium-bodied experiments on the amber ale theme... but later bottles were thin, cloudy, straw-yellow, and utterly lacking in flavor.)

Rating: 5 / 10

FWD: Coming Soon, To A Music Snob's Fridge Near You

2010-05-06T00:23:26Z

Courtesy of old friends Maura.com (currently guesting at The Awl) and Dan R.: news of a Moog-styled beer. If I collected bottles or analog synths, this one would most definitely be a keeper. Instead, I will rely on my friends in the Carolinas to hang on to a six-pack for me until I make a southern roadtrip in a few months...

Eibauer Schwarzbier -- Eibau Privatbrauerei I.S.A. (Eibau, Germany)

2010-05-05T02:18:28Z

I enjoy schwarzbiers (literally, "black beers") -- the malty, slightly sweet cousins to standard pilseners. And though I didn't notice it on my previous visit, Berlin seems to be awash in this particular style. Eibauer (literally and nominatively) hails from Eibau, near the Czech and Polish borders.

Characteristics: Brownish-red color; medium carbonation and head that dissipates fairly quickly; light-to-medium body; consistent flavors of biscuit, malt, yeast, and a little sugar throughout with a little hoppy bite in the finish.

Minor Gripes: Lagers are steady but unexciting (unless hopped within an inch of their lives). In particular, the black lagers follow enough of a formula that distinguishing among them is a challenge.

Bottom Line: Schwarzbiers are a saving grace for those who generally shun yellow lagers and pilseners but find themselves in Germany. Though Kostritzer is my standard reference point, I would certainly choose Eibauer without hesitation.

Rating: 6 / 10

20 Things Worth Knowing About Beer

2010-04-23T13:16:49Z

The Oatmeal demonstrates how printed infotainment should be done... this time with a handy guide to beer.

(Proper reviews will resume soon, including my Oct. 2009 tasting sessions in Portland, OR and the winter 2010 business trip to Berlin.)

La Folie Sour Brown Ale -- New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, CO)

2010-02-12T04:57:03Z

One of my few regrets about living in New York City is the relative scarcity of certain breweries... and New Belgium is prominent on that list. Fat Tire is their best known brew, and 1554 Black Ale is my favorite of their everyday listings. But they've recently launched the "Lips of Faith" series of 22 ounce concoctions that are serious, special beers. And on my maiden voyage to the storied BevMo, I decided to grab two different bottles and then retire to my hotel room for a quiet evening of tasting.

Characteristics: Brown and slightly cloudy with red highlights; light-to-medium body and carbonation; intense sourness from start to finish, in the crab-apple and balsamic vinegar categories, with minimal discernable hops or malt traits.

Minor Gripes: The 22-ounce bottle doesn't always lend itself to a careful pour -- so the yeast that settled in the bottom of the bottle can come rushing out at the end. And there doesn't seem to be any reason for a 6% ABV.

Bottom Line: Sadly, I feel defeated by this beer. I've enjoyed Flanders Sour Ales before, but La Folie seems to ask (and answer) the question of whether it's possible to be too sour. Maybe they could have skipped that last year of fermentation...

Rating: 4.75 / 10

Quick Post: Distilled Geography

2010-01-30T17:41:36Z

Courtesy of Strange Maps, here's a peek at which beverages are most prominent across Europe.

The closest equivalent I know in the US is the classic "what word do you use to describe a carbonated, sugary beverage" map.

Bourbon County Brand Stout -- Goose Island Beer Co. (Chicago, IL)

2010-01-22T04:19:38Z

After my excitement at the Innis & Gunn oak-aged ale, I decided to take a flyer on this Goose Island special. It's easily among the densest beers I've ever sampled -- a heavy-duty imperial black ale aged in bourbon barrels. Goose Island first cooked up this beer as its 1000th batch at its original brewpub, with the batch I'm tasting being from their 2008 vintage (two bottles sampled over the past month).

Characteristics: Brownish-black, opaque color; almost no head or carbonation; exceptionally thick body; flavors that range from vanilla to the best burnt caramel ever to a more pedestrian creme brulee to slightly-burnt toast to charcoal-filtered alcohol. (Did you get the idea that there's a major charred element to this one?)

Minor Gripes: I was disappointed at the utter lack of carbonation in my two bottle. Some head, some bubbles would have helped lighten up the body and mouth-feel. A champagne-style bottle with a cork would be far more appropriate, especially since Goose Island claims this one can be aged for up to five years. And I'm not sure that this needs to be a 13% ABV.

Bottom Line: The Bourbon County Stout is not for everyone... imagine that a boilermaker were a shot of Beam dumped into a flat, fully-settled Guinness. But if you like rich, complex, hearty beverages, this one is well worth your time (and the cost -- $7-ish for a 12-ounce bottle).

Rating: 6 / 10

Wolaver's Alta Gracia Coffee Porter -- Otter Creek Brewing (Middlebury, VT)

2009-12-30T03:10:50Z

Heavy duty brew from the Wolaver's Organic side of Otter Creek Brewing. Coffee beans used in the brewing process are sourced from the Alta Gracia farm community in the Dominican Republic.

Characteristics: Dark blackish-brown color, nearly opaque; low carbonation and minimal head; thick body that's almost syrupy at times; fairly consistent mix of coffee and chocolate malt flavors, with coffee and slight hoppiness coming out in the finish and vanilla emerging as the beer warms up.

Minor Gripes: None. Amazingly, the beer is consistent across all temperatures.

Bottom Line: This beer is awfully close to the platonic ideal of a coffee stout/porter(*). If you like your iced coffee to be black and thick, this could be your next favorite beer.

Rating: 8 / 10

]]> (*) I realize Wikipedia isn't exactly an authoritative source, but this article does seem relevant... the commentary on oatmeal stouts is particularly tough (if helpful from a "truth in advertising" perspective).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stout

That said, I will continue to distinguish based on what titles the brewer uses, and by overall heaviness/style when in doubt (e.g. nobody's calling Guinness or Beamish a "porter" any time soon).