BrewDog Paradox Smokehead
This is the second BrewDog Paradox I’ve tried. The last one, the Macallan was weird and great and peaty all at the same time. The Smokehead was as I had hoped, amazing.
As the name implies, this beer is smokey. Kinda like starting the coals in a chimney stack thing, the smoke simmers and slowly builds and dissipates.
Pouring dark as night with very little head. Smokehead is a Single Islay malt Whisky made by Ian Macleod Distiller. From what I read the whiskey is a s smokey and peaty as the beer. This stout has so much going on.
There is the obvious, smoke. But there are so many layers to the smoke. There is the coals in the chimney, then the marshmallows on the fire, then the ash pancakes, and then the day after smell on your clothes. I love it all. Then there is the aroma of cedar blocks that you place between your sweaters to keep moths away. All of this sits kind of on top of a deep rich chocolate/coffee stout. There is some saltyness going on too.
So, I then made one of the best pairings in my life! I made a fresh batch of ice cream in the ice cream maker. Inspired by SoCo in Great Barrington, I bought some dried mission figs and mashed them up with some cream off the top of the whole raw milk I got at Cricket Creek Farm. The figs and the smokey beer, match made in heaven!!!
This was well worth the $12 I forked over for it. I would drink another anyday.
Long Trail Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout
June 29, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
Well, the mother loves coffee so I thought the Long Trail Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout might be one that she might like, and man did she like it. I wasn’t as big of a fan as she was but it was a fine stout.
Pours black as night and the aroma is more dark chocolate than coffee. The head was very dirty looking, looked cool but like milk foam on dark coffee that has mostly dissolved into the coffee. There is some coffee there, don’t get me wrong, but it is more bitter than roasty toasty.
Overall, sipped it while watching the lamest movie ever, Serious Moonlight with Meg Ryan, not that she was ever a great actor but WOW, her acting skills have gotten considerably worse since I last saw her. The screenplay was good just the acting and casting sucked.
Fine beer, sucky movie
BJCP Class #2
June 28, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
So we had our second BJCP Class. Tonight, we were supposed to talk about water, yeah interesting I know. Instead, we talked about troubleshooting. More specifically, we made bad beer foul. Our fearless leader, Chris, received a kit with little viles of vile. These concoctions are added to Coors Light to mkae the off-flavours that we need to be able to identify. We need to be able to know what Diacetyl, DMS, and Mercaptans taste like. Why Coors Light? Because it is the most neutral beer out there. In other-words, it brings the least to the table.
So the real fun is that I brought my mom! She kept hearing about the homebrew club and the BJCP class, I was glad to be able to bring her. She was not so interested in tasting the bad beers but that was fine, I encouraged her to smell them and for most of these off flavours, the real offness is in the aroma more than the flavour.
Once we were done with the nasties we moved onto pilsners. We looked at German, Czech and American Pilsners. My faves were the Czech Pilsners. In the same vain as the Zatec I had the otherday these hoppy malty goodnesses bring big flavours and deep colours to the table. The German beers are more of a tasteier version of US lagers. In regards to the USA, we were unable to find any American Classic Pilsners. Most US pilsners are in the Czech or German style and not Classic American. This was interesting to think about. Part of that has to do with adjuncts as well. Craft brewers in the US shun adjuncts but early US brewers had to use what was available, often including adjuncts such as corn.
What a great night!
Zatec Bright Lager
“For a thousand years, the Zatec region west of Prague (Praha) has been known for the fine quality of the hops grown there. Sometimes known in English-speaking regions by the German name, Saaz, these hops represent pure elegance and are one of the keys to a beer that has been renowned for centuries.”
The reason I drank this beer? 2 words, Saaz Hops. Went with the mother and her sister to 20 Railroad in Great Barrington to watch the US loose to Ghana in the World Cup. The football and the beer were great. Yes, I know, the US lost. They lost because they played like crap, compared to Ghana. I might not be a big footbal fan but I know when I see a team not on their game, they were not on their game.
20 Railroad is a cool little pub tucked down an alley in the heart of Great Barrington. I knew they had TV’s, good beer and decent food. The atmosphere was alive with the new football madness that has taken over the US.
The Zatec Bright Lager pours a deep gold colour, more gold than golden. First brewed in 1004 this Czech Pilsner has the aroma of walking through a field of grains n a sunny day. There are grass notes and a grainyness to the aroma. Saaz hops are not really a bittering hop, so the result is a mild earthy grassy flavour. The Saaz hop is used extensively in Bohemia to flavor beer styles such as the Czech pilsener. Saaz hops accounted for more than 2/3 of total 2009 hop production in the Czech Republic (thanks Wikipedia for the stats)
Zatec Bright Lager only crossed the pond in 2007. “Made from local Czech two-row barley and local hops, Zatec is produced via very traditional, labor-intensive means: a double-decoction mash, open primary fermentation, and 45 days of lagering before packaging. It is medium-bodied, with natural, soft conditioning; a hedonistic fresh herbal aroma; and a flavor that is the best of pure grain and spice, with a solid malt middle. Clean, sparkling, and quintessentially thirst-quenching” (BeerAdvocate) Seriously though, after a thousand years of brewing they better be good at making the stuff.
I had my Zatec Bright Lager with 20 Railroad’s baked Brie. The brie was sweet and smothered in maple syrup. The bread it came with left something to be desired but I was drinking liquid bread and could not complain.
After the game finally ended, 34 min of extra time was needed to break the tie, we headed to SoCo Creamery for ICE SCREAM!! Their ice cream, which inspired me a few weeks ago to get a maker and make my own, well their prices inspired me, was a delight as always. If you are ever in the GB make sure to drink and lick on railroad street.
Southern Tier Brewing Company Hop Sun
June 26, 2010 by kevin · Leave a Comment
You know it’s Summer in Upstate NY when the 6-packs of Hop Sun start rolling out. I visited Southern Tier Brewing Company about a year ago and they have become my favorite NY brewery. Southern Tier is known for their more experimental line of “big beers” that come in 22oz bottles, but I have found that their year-round and seasonal “normal” beers are exceptional as well.
Hop Sun is Southern Tier’s unique summer seasonal brew. It is an American-style wheat beer that’s been dry-hopped to give it an extra kick. The color is a pale gold and the beer is very bright, almost looking like sunshine in the glass. The head is stark white and fades pretty quickly, leaving minimal lace on the glass. Don’t quote me, but I think Southern Tier uses exclusively Columbus hops and the smell of this beer reflects that.
This beer has a wonderful floral hop aroma that invites that first sip and many after. As far as flavor goes, Coors can suck it; this actually is the most refreshing beer on planet earth. American wheats on their own can tend to be bland, with a mild flavor and not too much depth to accentuate the wheat. By adding the extra hops to this beer, Southern Tier has created a masterpiece.The wheat is a perfect canvas for the hop flavors, and the combination of mild wheat with pungent, floral and slightly bitter creates THE perfect summer beer.
Bring some Hop Sun to your next cook-out to supplement the usual shitty canned beer and see what your guests think. Highly recommended.
Sam Adams Cherry Wheat
June 25, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
Went to a BBQ Friday night at a friends house and one of my other friends, who I promised I would not name, brought a beer he had been wanting to try. Happened to be, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. I had seen it and been interested so I was game! As soon as we got to the party we cracked open the beer. It was our friends moving party so there were no glasses to pour into, all packed and all, so we just drank right out of the bottle, I know, gasp! Before I took a swig I did take a wiff and it smelled kind of musty and dank with an acidity that I could not place.
I placed it once I drank and almost spewed this shit across the picnic table on unsuspecting guests (no I actually held it in but just barely). What an awful beer (this is why I am not naming the friend. It wasn’t his fault, there was no way for him to know that this beer was going to be this bad) The Sam Adams Cherry Wheat tastes like cough syrup watered down and rotting. Always one to really give something a fair shot, I tried to drink this 3 more times, well one more if you count the swig I took thinking it was the Troegs Hop Back I started drinking after this failure.
I guess they use real cherries, I didn’t think so, from Traverse City in Michigan. These Traverse City Cherries are known for their tartness and rarely eaten fresh,
“Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary and the first European settler in the Traverse City area, also became the first cherry grower when he planted a cherry orchard on Old Mission Peninsula in 1852. Perhaps he planted it as an agricultural experiment or maybe he did it to help satisfy his own sweet tooth. Then, quite unexpectedly, the cherry trees grew. Native Americans and American settlers alike were amazed that the trees had thrived on the peninsula. For the cherry trees, as it turned out, the sandy soil as well as nearby Lake Michigan tempering the Arctic wind in winter and cooling the hot air of summer provided an excellent growing environment.
Today with 3.8 million tart cherry trees, Michigan produces 70 to 75 percent of the tart cherries grown in the United States. In 1998, a particularly good year, that figure was 76 percent and meant that 228.5 million pounds of the total U.S. 302 million pounds went to processors. Leelanau County, in fact all the counties in the Traverse City area, grew most of these. These tarts, mostly of the Montmorency variety, were grown for pies, preserves, jellies, juice, dried fruit and other products; seldom for eating fresh.”
The tartness was not the issue here. The problem was, I think, diacetyl (which often presents as butter taste) with the tart cherries. I think that this is what gave it the cough syrup taste, the combo is the problem. Now, I might be wrong but I wont try this one again any time soon.
Even though the beer was bad the party was great. We had amazing grilled ribs with mystery “moving time” marinade and risotto, also made on the grill. The risotto was GREAT! And the Troegs Hop Back that I switched to was perfectly paired with the dinner.
30th Anniversary – Fritz And Ken’s Ale
June 24, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
For Sierra Nevada’s 30th Anniversary they decided to collaborate with other top brewers to create a line of fine ales. The spirit of collaboration is realized in this amazing brew by Fritz Maytag, of Anchor Brewing Company, and Ken Grossman, of Sierra Nevada. Two of the founding fathers of American craft beer together, can’t be bad can it.
This Imperial Stout couldn’t get any darker, black as used motor oil and cushioned with a big dirty tan head this is one dark beer. The aroma of toasted barley is very earthy. There is also a presence of dark burnt chocolate. This is not a sweet stout, it is a dry bitter stout. The mouthfeel is smooth and dry. Fairly viscus but light as well. The finish is dry.
Very nice beer, well done oh honorable brewers.
Field Mouse’s Farewell
June 24, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
Went to Ye Olde Forge with Ye Olde Mother and had a delightful saison on tap, Field Mouse’s Farewell from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project in Cambridge, MA.
According to Pretty Things, “It’s a late spring seasonal beer: French, rustic, 7%, full of different grains: Rye, Oats, Wheat and Barley. Like what a mouse would eat. The hops are Strisselspalt from Alsace, and Bramling Cross from England, and we combined Belgian and English yeast strains. Oldy woldy worldy.”
This was a very yeasty saison, as it should be. Little bubbles remind my mother of champagne (I can see that too). Bringing up the rear are citrusy hops making this a nice refreshing dry brew. The beer went perfectly with my Buff Orpington wings (wings flavoured with turmeric, honey and curry) on a nice warm summer day. One thing is that you don’t really notice all of the grain. From the description above you might think this is a grainy malty beer, it is not. It is, Oldy woldy worldy though.
There was a huge downpour while I nursed my beer, we left refreshed and happy from fine beer and fine food.
Also, this beer has its own song, duh… Listen to Field Mouse’s Funeral (Smuggling Saucisson) by Dad Travers Tape Recorder here (seriously good music folks.)
Sam Adams Noble Pils
June 24, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
So, what do I look for in a fine pilsner? Something that doesn’t taste like a standard American Pilsner. In walks, Sam Adams Noble Pils, the pilsner I dont mind drinking at all.
The recipe calls for all five varieties of Noble Hops! WOW.
Hoppier than many IPA’s the pils pours a beautiful amber yellow colour with a decent head and the aroma of fresh hops. Crisp to the last sip, this is a great pils. The malty goodness is present as well giving a decent body to this light dry brew.
This is the new Sam Adams Spring brew. The company has long asked for drinkers to vote on the beer lineup, “The voters’ response to the new Noble Pils was so enthusiastic that the brewers have decided to make Samuel Adams Noble Pils the new spring seasonal brew. It joins Samuel Adams® Summer Ale, Samuel Adams® OctoberFest and Samuel Adams® Winter Lager in the brewery’s year round seasonal line-up.” (reported by BeerNews)
Very well done.
Light Lagers at BJCP Class
June 22, 2010 by justin · Leave a Comment
Week two of my BJCP class at Berkshire Homebrew Supply, hosted by the Berkshire Homebrew Association and it is Lager night.
We started off discussing the malting process and tasting some malted barley, really quite yummy. Would be nice in a bowl for breakfast! There is some great info, and photos about the malting process on the The Maltsters Association of Great Britain website.
After discussing the technical stuff we moved onto the light lagers (BJCP Category 1).
American Standard – Yuengling Lager
Munich Helles – Spaten Premium Lager
In reverse order starting with DAB closest to you
My favorite of the night was the DAB. I had never had DAB before and it is also the first Dortmunder I have had, to my knowledge. After what seemed like a review of lack of taste and skunks, I was happy to encounter something that had some flavour, was light and smooth. There was some hint of fruit, I think bananas, which is not true to the lager style so that makes one wonder, when look at beers for being true to style.
All of the beers we had were pale straw yellow, except the Yuengling Lager which has more of an amber hue to it. They were all in green bottles, except for the Bud Light which was bad enough in a can.
It was an interesting night and really educational looking at different styles of lagers and trying to identify their subtle differences.
I leave you with a mock commercial for DAB, HA!!!!