Game Changers

SHERMAN ON THE MOUNT

It's time we got back to the America we all loved. When men were men and women were women and kids were kids and red, white and blue and flag and country and patriotism and rugged individualism and God...well, as long as we're talking about the RIGHT God.

God help us! The Silly Season is upon us. That time when hyperbolic hysteria reigns. We've already been steeped in God fearin', tax hatin', Etch-a-Sketch wavin' rhetoric to the point where you're ready to pull out your Constitutionally guaranteed six-shooter and blast a Real 3D hole through your widescreen TV (then post the whole thing on Youtube - now THAT'S a viral video I'd watch.) And this is just the beginning! This is just the Republicans firing broadsides at each other - a little family squabble. Wait til a winner is picked and the real un-civil war begins.

There's one thing I can absolutely guarantee - patriotism and nostalgia will reign. And among the plethora of political ads you will find images that look like they were taken right out of the 1950's, shot on Super 8 film: grainy, jumpy images. You know, nostalgic.

The truth is, while "new" is not always synonymous with "better" - neither is "old." For some things, the "good ol' days" may indeed have been good. But not when it comes to American beer. From post-WWII to the '80's, American beers all began to become boringly similar.

But after decades of dominance by the big brewers, "craft brewing" clawed its way into the beer drinker's lexicon. Suddenly there were options - something other than light and lighter lagers out there. Beers with flavor. So who were the game changers in this case? As early as 1965, Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco was able to cling to its own individuality thanks to Fritz Maytag, who purchased the brewery at that time. He flew in the face of the "blanding" of  American beer and resisted Anheuser-Busch monopolization of breweries by not selling out and continuing to produce Anchor's unique beers. Soon, home-brewers discovered that European ale recipes offered more variety and more taste than American mega-brews. There was a whole world of beers out there other than light lager. Brew pubs began to emerge and gradually micro-breweries. The early pioneers, besides Maytag, were Pete Slosberg and Mark Bronder of Pete's Brewing Company (Pete's Wicked Ale), Jim Koch (Sam Adams), and Larry Bell (Kalamazoo Brewing Company - now Bell's Brewing Inc.). Sierra Nevada Brewery opened in 1980 as well, and has been on the vanguard of cutting edge brews ever since. These companies started small in the 1980's and grew, for the most part, through word-of-mouth. If I had to guess, I would say that probably the first real micro-brew I remember trying might have been Pete's Wicked Ale (now contract brewed by Matt Brewing Company, maker of Saranac).

Craft beer sales grew through the '90's and continue to grow today. This past year (2011) volume has increased a whopping 13% while retail sales have jumped by an impressive 15% (thanks to BOTB friend, Jeff, for pointing us to craftbeer.com for this info). More and more beer drinkers are experiencing the joy of choice. In 1900 there were 1,751 breweries in the US. Prohibition in 1919 all but ruined most of them (some survived by producing soft drinks). The post-Prohibition high was 498 in 1940. But by 1983 the number of US breweries reached its nadir  with only 80 active breweries. Worse still, 92% of the country's beer production was controlled by only six breweries: A-B, Miller, Heilemen, Stroh, Coors, and Pabst. Even worse than that, they all made essentially the same beer!

By February of this year, the number of  breweries operating in the US had topped 2,000.

Choice is a beautiful thing!

H-Block Brewery

In celebration of those aforementioned beer pioneers and home brewers, the beers we tasted this month are beers you won't see on your store shelves any time soon. H Block Brewery in Oswego (and Buffalo), New York is a brewery which is currently on the ground floor. Justin Pylak and his partner in Buffalo are in the process of putting together a workable business plan in the hopes of building their business into a viable regional brewery. Right now, the beer is brewed in Buffalo, then Justin carbonates and bottles it in Oswego for distribution in the part of the state. They hope to make serious progress early this summer. In the meantime they have been finding investors and getting their beers out to various venues for tastings. 

Both partners are college seniors right now. The plan is to open in Oswego. Justin dropped off a mixed case of some of their beers for our expert analysis. As usual with us, opinions were mixed and varied depending on the beer style. The unanimous favorite, as you might guess, was the IPA. So without further ado, here's what we found.

By the way, at the end of each style we have helpfully provided ideas for possible names. H-Block has yet to settle on a theme, so name choices are pretty up-in-the-air. Kind of like picking out a name for your first-born. Any of you are welcome to add any ideas you may have.

MIXED BERRY WHEAT

As you well know, faithful reader, this would not be the style of beer we would choose. We have often bemoaned both fruity beers and wheat beers. But as always we tried to keep an open mind.

      COLOR: Pale yellow, wheat.

      POUR: Not a big head, but nicely carbonated.

      AROMA: Scent of fruit mixed with hay. Very spring-like.

      BODY: Light, thin.

      TASTE: Light and sweet, with very pronounced berry notes.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: For us, we'd leave it on the shelf. It would be interesting to see what someone who liked this style would have thought.

      COMMENTS: "Bland. Tastes like a berry wheat; Best on a hot summer day served very cold; It's a light wheat beer; For those who like berry wheats it would score very well."

      SUGGESTED NAMES: Barry White Wheat; Berry Patch Brew; 

H Block Summer Cooler.

H Block Bock

Bocks tend to be more malty than hoppy, they can have a rich flavor and complex notes. The BOTB Guys appreciate that.

      COLOR: Unfiltered amber to brown.

      POUR: Decent head with a fair amount of lacing

      AROMA: Nice mellow kind of maltiness you would expect from a bock.

      BODY: Medium

      TASTE: Tended toward the sweet end of the spectrum, with malty notes. It was sweet in a good way, however, and not like a fruit infused sweetness.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: Right in between the "I Could Drink This!" mark and "Can't Get Enough!" 

      COMMENTS: "Not a bad beer; Very drinkable; Nice; It's a good bock; I like it, it's good."

      SUGGESTED NAMES: H Block Bock is pretty good in and of itself (nice alliteration); Get Bock (ala The Beatles); Bock to the Future; Full Bock (thinking football, here - could be a whole line of bocks, from Quarter Bock to Half Bock to Full Bock - with the Full Bock name reserved for a double bock perhaps - just spitballin' here).

Red Ale

An appropriate beer for the day after St. Patrick's Day as red ales are generally associated with Irish ales. 

      COLOR: Unfiltered amber, and not quite as red as we expected.

      POUR: Decent head

      AROMA: Very faint aroma of malt.

      BODY: Thin to Medium

      TASTE: Initially balanced, but had a somewhat bitter finish. There were also notes of malt and nuts.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: Fell short of "I could drink this!"

      COMMENTS: "There is no big flavor here; It's smooth and malty; Pretty well balanced; Kind of like a Killian; A session beer; It's a pretty beer."

      SUGGESTED NAMES: Red Sun At Night; Scarlet O'Hara; Crimson Tide (continuing the Football theme).

Oktoberfest

An Oktoberfest in March is a rare thing indeed. But there it was and taste it we did.

      COLOR: Tended toward the golden side of amber.

      POUR: Less than a decent head, but nonetheless had a bit of a head with some lacing.

      AROMA: Fairly neutral - neither hoppy nor malty

      BODY: Medium

      TASTE: Primarily balanced, not overwhelmingly malty nor hoppy. There was a slight citrus-y hop note.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: Again, didn't quite make it to "I could drink this!" Very similar to most of the Oktoberfests we reviewed in the fall.

      COMMENTS: "Basically it tastes like an Oktoberfest is supposed to taste; I don't really care for it - the problem is it's brewed too 'middle of the road' for me; Not a strong beer - makes me think of a wheat beer; Another good session beer; Hit the expected Oktoberfest notes."

      SUGGESTED NAMES: Calm Before the Storm Oktoberfest; Harvest Home; Harvest Moon; Winter's Edge Oktoberfest; All Hallows Festivus, Kick-Off Autumn Brew).

IPA

No surprise here: this was our favorite of the bunch. Justin had wanted to send a Rye IPA as well, but it had not finished in time much to our disappointment. 

      COLOR: Nice buckwheat/honey color.

      POUR: Decent head with big bubbles, semi-lingering lace.

      AROMA: Definitely could smell the hops

      BODY: Medium

      TASTE: Somewhere between balanced and hoppy bitterness. There is a bitter finish to this beer with notes of citrus-y grapefruit.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: Can't Get Enough!

      COMMENTS: "Not a lingering hops taste, but a nice hops presence; Maybe the best beer he brews; The more of this I drink, the better I like it; I could drink this, actually; There is a fuller taste on the front of the beer than at the end."

      SUGGESTED NAMES: Blizzard of '66 IPA; Cold Front IPA; Lake Effect IPA; Ontario IPA; Nine Mile IPA; Atomic IPA; Nuclear IPA, Hale Mary IPA (what can I say, I like football.)

Oatmeal Stout

Our final H Block was a dessert beer of sorts, their oatmeal stout. One expects notes of malt, coffee, chocolate, toffee - a hearty dark beer.

      COLOR: Beautiful deep black and opaque

      POUR: Decent head with nice lacing

      AROMA: Caramel syrup/malt.

      BODY: Thick full.

      TASTE: Sweet, with notes of roasted malt and oatmeal.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: I could drink this!

      COMMENTS: "Holds to form - very recognizable; Tastes like an oatmeal stout; Pretty good stout; Not an overly sweet finish; A little watery in the middle where you expect a fuller flavor."

      SUGGESTED NAMES: H Block Breakfast Stout; Storm Warning Stout; St. Lawrence Stout; Fort Ontario Stout; Whiteout Stout, Linebacker Stout.

Many thanks to H-Block Brewery for providing us with these samples. We hope our critiques are helpful. Our advice to our loyal readers is the same as always - support local craft brewers. Every one of these brews is better than what you will find on the shelves from the mega-brewers.

A Little Unfinished Business...

When we reviewed Scottish Ales in January, our friends at Leinenkugel had none available at the time. However, their limited release Wee Heavy Scotch Ale - part of their Big Eddy Series - was available in March and they kindly sent us some. This was the first of the 2012 Big Eddy series. It was a big beer to kick off March's meeting, but we were thirsty and up for the task.

Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scottish Ale

      COLOR: Unfiltered brown to mahogany

      POUR: Scant tan head with some lacing

      AROMA: Very malty

      BODY: Full and thick. It filled the mouth

      TASTE: Quite sweet. It is brewed with eight malts and grains. Lots of malt was noted, with some caramel, and a hint of cherry or other dark fruit.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: "I could drink this!"

      COMMENTS: "This should be a winter beer; A good dessert beer; Definitely a good Scottish ale; Complex - hits a lot of the regions of the tongue."

UPCOMING...

Saranac's 4th Annual Prohibition Party - April 27th 6-9 PM. Tickets are $40 if purchased by April 20th ($45 after that). Half the price of the ticket is tax deductible as proceeds will benefit the St. Elizabeth Medical Center Foundation.

Admission includes:

-Saranac Beverages (worth the price of admission right there)

-Hors d'oeuvres

-a 1930's costume contest

-silent auction

-live entertainment: local musicians: Lawless, Strung Sideways, Crushing June, and Rocky Graziano

Up next: Double Bocks (or Doppelbocks)

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

The Big Boys

SHERMAN ON THE MOUNT

Choice. That is one of the perks of living in America. Choice of religion (or none at all), political affiliation (or none at all), where to live, how to live, who to marry (or not). This choice extends into what we eat and drink as well. There are a great variety of restaurants from fast food to slow cooked. It is in large part a direct result of a free market. And that's a good thing. But it can also be a double-edged sword. During the post World War II baby boom explosion (of which Yours Truly was a part) the demand for quick and easy meals grew. A consequence of this demand was what I like to call "the blanding of the American palate." TV dinners, American cheese, cake mixes, prepackaged foods of all types, Jello, canned soups all made their way into American kitchens. The mantra for such items was "when shooting for the masses, aim for the middle." It became important not to offend anyone, so the more middle-of-the-road one could be with a product, the better. Spicy, strong flavors were avoided at all costs.

3.2% Beer

And this became the mantra of the big beer companies as well. Volume was everything. Produce the most for the least cost per unit. What this meant was an increased production of lagers (which are faster and cheaper to make), the use of inexpensive adjuncts such as corn or rice in place of barley (which both lowered the cost and lightened the body and flavor) and a reduction in the use of costly hops (which significantly lowered the IBU of these beers.) All of this meshed nicely with returning servicemen (who would become the target demographic), many of whom by now were used to drinking the 3.2% beer brewed specifically for the military.
Good news for the big breweries. Bad news for good beer.
Today choice has returned to the world of American beer. Ironically, the country that once was considered to be at the bottom of the beer barrel (so to speak) by the rest of the world has risen to the very top. Try to find the diversity of beer styles anywhere else in the world. Big beers, small beers, light beers, dark beers, IPA's, Porters, Stouts, Bitters, Belgians, Pilsners, Lagers, Ales, Wheats, Ryes, Imperials - and nearly any combination thereof. You name it, we brew it.
Choice is a good thing. It's the American way. Right up there with Truth and Justice and...

...this guy!

Which brings us to...

Imperial IPA's (or Super Beers!) 

By now, I'm sure most of you out there are familiar with the oft repeated story of IPA's: beers developed specifically to survive the long ocean voyage from England to India. Without refrigeration, beer (an important commodity for the British military stationed in India) often went bad. Upping the hops and the ABV created a hearty beer that could make the trip.

But what's an Imperial IPA? Big beers can be, among other things, Imperial Stouts, Imperial (or Double or Extreme) IPA's or Barley Wines.  First there were Imperial Stouts - these were originally brewed specifically for Russian royalty. They were, as the name might suggest, Stouts with the added kick of hops. But then sometime in the 1900's came Bass's No. 1 Ale which might be considered the first Barley Wine. It was rich and somewhat sweet and stronger than typical beer. Now jump to 1985 and Sierra Nevada, that crazy upstart brewery making those strange "microbrews," came up with the first American Barley Wine - Bigfoot Ale (S-N has released it as a spring seasonal and, by the way, it's excellent). As American craft beers, despite the best efforts of the mega-brews to indoctrinate the masses with their "Lite is Right" message, began to distinguish themselves through the bold infusion of hops, the natural progression was to amp up the IPA formula with even more hops and a bigger alcohol profile. These became know variously as Imperial IPA's, Double IPA's or Extreme IPA's. The meaning of the word "Imperial" when used in conjunction with beers has morphed from an indicating of royalty to meaning, basically, "big" or "bold" or "strong."
In general, an Imperial IPA will have a bold hop aroma at the pour. The taste should open with the grapefruit, piney tang of the hops up front. Then, depending on the formula, some will balance that out more than others. But, hops should be at the forefront, with a nice bitterness and a warming finish.

We met to take on the Big Boys at the home of Gerry and Donna on a sunny February 26th. Just another day in the paradise known as Central New York. Being unapologetic hopheads, we had been eagerly anticipating taking on the Imperials - and we were not disappointed. We were down a man as Herb and Pat were wintering in Florida - Herb doing his own bit of recon work down there. Nevertheless we soldiered on without him. We strapped on our helmets and bellied up to the tasting table.

SAMUEL ADAMS THIRD VOYAGE

Boston Beer Company (AKA Sam Adams) has a fine line-up of year-round brews, but their limited release series of big beers are tremendous. While Sam Adams is not nearly the size of AB or Miller/Coors, they do have a national presence and they show what can be done with top notch facilities. 

     THE BEER FACTS: 8.0% ABV - 80 IBU'S - Hops: Cascade hops (3 types from different growing regions around the world), Simcoe. 

     WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Bright and intense with a vivid punch. The unique conditions of soil, moisture and sunlight from each (growing region) yield subtle differences that makes this beer a complex medley of hop notes."

     POUR: Decent head, average staying power, maintains lacing

     COLOR: Clear, amber.

     AROMA: Hoppy, with aromas of alcohol and malts.

     BODY: Full/thick

     TASTE: Hop bitterness. Taste notes of grapefruit, alcohol, malt, bread and nut.

     OVERALL IMPRESSION: CAN'T GET ENOUGH!

     COMMENTS: "It's hoppy with a good malt backbone; That's a good beer; Earthy, Sam Adams has a reputation as a small brewery gone big, but this beer is its redemption - a true craft beer; Sam Adams' limited release beers are great!"

HI.P.A. FROM MAGIC HAT

Magic Hat's flagship beer is their #9 Not Quite Pale Ale - which in my opinion is not quite their best beer by a long shot. HI.P.A. is part of their IPA On Tour. We were concerned that it would pale by comparison with some of the bigger beers, but it help up quite well.

   

     THE BEER FACTS: 6.7% ABV - 70 IBU's - Hops: Columbus - Yeast: English Ale - Malt: Pale

     WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "HI.P.A. begins and ends with big, bountiful bites of hops, hops and more hops while maintaining the barest hint of malty middle in the mouth."

     POUR: Decent head, noticeably unfiltered.

     COLOR: Honey/gold

     AROMA: Citrusy

     BODY: Medium 

     TASTE: Bitter initially, but finishes sweet. Taste notes: citrus/grapefruit.

     OVERALL IMPRESSION: Fell between "I could drink this" and "CAN'T GET ENOUGH!"

     COMMENTS: "I like that it's unfiltered - the translucency; Even though it's a smaller beer, it held up well; Compared to the other beers this evening, it's a fine session beer."

GREEN FLASH BREWING COMPANY'S IMPERIAL IPA

Green Flash Brewing Company is located in San Diego. This was the first beer we've tried from this brewery.

     THE BEER FACTS: 9.4% ABV - 101 IBU's - California State Fair 2009 1st place Imperial IPA 

     WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "San Diego IPA, as it has come to be known by many, is pale in color, super-hoppy, high-gravity, yet a highly quaffable ale.Our Imperial IPA is created in this new tradition with intense hop flavors and aromas from a unique blend of Summit and Nugget hops."

     POUR: Better than decent pour, but not quite Guinness class. Great head with good lacing.

     COLOR: Honey and cloudy

     AROMA: Hoppy

     BODY: Medium plus; doesn't hit full, and probably closer to medium.

     TASTE: Hop bitterness. Notes of grapefruit and a bit of yeast.

     OVERALL IMPRESSION: "CAN'T GET ENOUGH!"

     COMMENTS: "Hops dance right on the back of my tongue; Complex; Very nicely balanced; Warming; Fills the mouth; Hits the taste buds - an explosion; A really nice beer; Aggressive, yet sensitive."

HOPPIN' FROG'S MEAN MANILISHI DOUBLE IPA

Another brewery first for BOTB, Hoppin' Frog is out of Akron, Ohio. You gotta' love any brewery that has a name that plays off "hops". They claim that their double IPA weighs in at 168 IBU's! An interesting claim since there is no real gauge beyond 100. 

     THE BEER FACTS: 8.2% ABV - 168 IBU's 

     WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Explore the extremes of hops, and experience all of their bitterness, flavor and aroma with this Double IPA. An extreme, super-assertive and satisfying amount of American hop character is balanced with a toasty, caramelized, intense malt presence."

     POUR: Decent head.

     COLOR: Cloudy amber

     AROMA: Hoppy

     BODY: Relatively full-bodied

     TASTE: Big hop finish, with undertones of malt, alcohol and a slight caramel kiss.

     OVERALL IMPRESSION: a cautious "Can't Get Enough!"

     COMMENTS: "This dances on my tongue even more than Green Flash; Tasty; If somebody doesn't like hops, this will drive them nuts; I could ...drink that!"

SOUTHERN TIER 2X IPA

Located in Lakewood, NY, Southern Tier is one of our favorite breweries. And their 2x IPA is one of their best.

     THE BEER FACTS: 8.2% ABV - 84-86 IBU's  - 4 types of hops and 3 types of malt.

     WHAT THE BREWERY SAYS: Not quite an imperial, but certainly not a standard India Pale Ale. Our double IPA is a hop lovers dream. Citrusy and clean with an incredible finish.

     POUR: Decent head

     COLOR: Almost a pale yellow.

     AROMA: That wonderfully delicious grapefruit hops.

     BODY: Just above medium.

     TASTE: Very balanced with some hints of malt, but the citrus/ grapefruit hides  it.

     OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: "CAN'T GET ENOUGH!"

     COMMENTS: "Very well blended hops to malt; Outstanding; Southern Tier, they make good beer; This very nicely frames the hops; Crisp; Wonderfully clean; I could drink that!" 

FIRESTONE DOUBLE JACK DOUBLE IPA

Lucky to have made it to the meeting as it resided in my beer fridge in the cellar for a week or so! I loved their Union Jack IPA so when I saw this one I grabbed a couple.

     THE BEER FACTS: 9.5% ABV - 100 IBU's - Hops: Warrior, Columbus, Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe. Malts: Premium 2-row, Munich, Simpson's Light Crystal. 

     WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: Double Jack IPA is our first ever Imperial IPA. It features a big malty middle to cloak the high alcohol and mouth puckering hop bitterness. Huge tangerine, grapefruti and juicy fruit aroma blossom over the herbal blue basil and malt earthiness of this aggressive beer. Best enjoyed in moderation.

     POUR: Better than decent head

     COLOR: Unfiltered honey

     AROMA: Citrus/grapefruit hops

     BODY: Full

     TASTE: Bitter, grapefruit with hints of toffee.

     OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: "CAN'T GET ENOUGH!" (In moderation, of course)

     COMMENTS: "Translucently mystical aura; I love the Jack - Double Jack is even better; Creamy and rich; This is a good find; Almost stings; Bites you right back; Arrgh!"

MIDDLE AGES 10TH ANNIVERSARY DOUBLE IPA

Middle Ages is another nearby favorite of the BOTB guys. Their 10th Anniversary was first brewed in 2005. It has remained a popular staple of the Middle Ages fleet. Herb is normally our Middle Ages connection, and it just wouldn't be right if we didn't have something from this brewery. 

     THE BEER FACTS: 10% ABV - IBU's uncertain - up there though (60 - 80).

     WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Brewed in the style of an American Double IPA in celebration of our 10th Anniversary. This beer is golden in color, has medium to full body, intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. Ten additions of American hops are made throughout the brewing process."

     POUR: Better than decent head with tight bubbles.

     COLOR: Cloudy golden amber

     AROMA: Bready/yeasty.

     BODY: Full/thick

     TASTE: Balanced, with notes of malt, bread and nuts.

     OVERALL IMPRESSION: Between "I could drink this" and "CAN'T GET ENOUGH!"

     COMMENTS: "I could drink this; You wouldn't know it's 10%; Middle Ages must be using a different yeast for this, there is no banana flavor; It's a tribute to Herb; This didn't disappoint; It fills the mouth; Complex; Doesn't bit; Typical of Middle Ages, without the banana aroma and undertaste often associated with English style brews."

     

HEADY TOPPER FROM THE ALCHEMIST BREWERY

The Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, Vermont, brews only this beer which is available in 16 ounce four-packs of cans (see previous blog re. Cans vs. Bottles.) 

     THE BEER FACTS: 8.0% ABV - 120 IBU's

     WHAT THE BREWERY SAYS: "The Alchemist Brewery is our new 15 barrel small production brewery specializing in fresh unfiltered IPA's. We are currently focused on brewing one beer perfectly, Heady Topper, our flagship Double IPA."

     POUR: Decent head

     COLOR: Unfiltered amber

     AROMA: Grapefruit hops

     BODY: Medium
     TASTE: Grapefruit, tropical fruit, piney, slight bitterness

     OVERALL IMPRESSION: "CAN'T GET ENOUGH!"

     COMMENTS: "A nice beer; The can has 'truth in advertising;' It definitely cleanses the palate; Our 8th Imperial of the day AND this impressed us!; This is a terrific beer; Very complex beer; One of those brews that fills the mouth; Amazingly balanced taste; I get a bit of coffee with cream taste - it is nice and creamy; I really love this style of beer, with the unfiltered look and the big hoppy flavor; Terrific beer."

We finished off the day with one of Mike's home brews - excellent as always. No matter how many times we tell Mike he is depriving most of America of his creations, he sticks with his day job and brews for fun. Luckily, he shares...

     

This may have been the first time we did not have so much as a mediocre beer. They were all excellent. We really couldn't rate them. My suggestion: give them all a try and see what you think!

SHOUT OUT TO SARANAC'S "WHAT ALES YOU"

Picked up this year's Saranac What Ales You mixed 12 pack and was very impressed. I've often voiced my mixed feelings about mixed 12's. I like the idea of trying several different styles, however it also means that you can be stuck with two or three beers you just don't care for (yes, Cherry Wheat Raspberry Lager Heffeweisen, I'm talking to you!). But in this case, Saranac has provided six tasty ales and no losers. For the hop lovers, there's their Pale Ale, IPA, and White IPA, while for those who prefer the maltier side there's their new Single Malt Scottish style ale, Irish Ale and an excellent Stout.
Well done, Saranac, well done!

UNO'S WINGS AND SAM ADAMS

The BOTB guys and wives spent a great evening at Uno's Tuesday, pairing Sam Adams beers with Uno's wings. We sampled Sam Adam's lager, Alpine Spring, Latitude 48 IPA and Whitewater IPA. (We begged off the Cherry Wheat, thank you very much, and Uno's was kind enough to supply more IPA - perfect!)

Coming up next - We take a look at H Block Brewery's brews.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

     

     

      

Scotch Ales

Sherman on the Mount

Can Cans Battle Bottles for Best Beer?

The Great Beer Debate

Many years ago, before the Glorious Craft Brew Revolution, when all beers in the US strictly adhered to the commandment: "Thou shalt not produce beer other than lager," the biggest debate among beer drinkers may have been the cans vs. bottles argument. The general thinking was that beer from a can had a kind of metallic undertaste or aftertaste. Something you would never get from a bottle. I must admit that I always preferred bottles, assuming there was something to the whole metallic taste theory. This is not to say that I never drank beer from a can. Honestly, they are just too damn convenient. Cans stack better, are easier to store, transport, aren't as likely to break (and if they do, you don't have to worry about broken glass). But when it came to a preference, the hierarchy of the best way to drink a beer was always: 1. Draft, 2. Bottle, 3. Can. Any serious beer drinker knew that. It was tantamount to beer gospel.

However, there are some flaws in the reasoning here which of course most draft/bottle snobs failed to consider (I include myself in this group). Draft beer was always considered to be the primo way to consume beer. Yet, how is draft beer shipped and stored? Basically in giant cans! So why does no one complain about a metallic taste in draft beer? Secondly, what is the biggest enemy of beer? Well, there are two: light and air. Traditional beer bottles are tinted brown for a reason: to keep as much light out as possible. Some breweries use clear bottles for no good reason other than marketing (think Miller's old "champagne of bottled beer" ads  when they were trying to corner the female market with the clear bottles which were supposed to be somehow classier than the brown ones) but most tint the bottles to keep light at a minimum. And bottle caps, especially the twist-off type favored by the mega-brews, are not always completely air tight. 

So, what does keep out 100% of light and air? You guessed it. Cans! Which is why many craft brewers are beginning to offer some of their beers in cans. Sort of testing the waters. And the truth is, the interiors of modern cans are all lined with a polymer coating so that beer and metal never come in contact.

I mention all this because this month one of the beers we are tasting is Old Chub, a Scottish Ale brewed by Oskar Blues Brewery out of Colorado. Oskar Blues was the first craft brewer to offer beer in cans. Right from the start Oskar Blues bucked the craft beer trend of bottles only, feeling that cans were the best way to keep beer fresh. It also set them apart in the ever growing and ever more competitive world of craft beer. And Oskar Blues produces beer which deserves to be fresh. Additionally, we check out a couple of beers which are bottled in clear bottles. Did that have an effect on the taste? 

I think it would be interesting to do a bottle vs. can Battle some time. The problem is there are not yet enough craft beers produced in both bottle and can to get a good sampling. I suppose we could always compare Bud and Miller and Coors and Corona in bottles and cans. But we'd have to wait until Hell freezes over for that - so don't hold your breath.

This and That - Some Beers Worth Trying

-Saranac has come out with a new IPA - Saranac White IPA. It is a hybrid IPA and Belgian White. I was dubious, to say the least, at first and was quite prepared to dislike it. I have found very few wheat beers that I particularly care for. I picked up a bottle at Wegman's make-your-own-six-pack section, figuring if I hated it I wouldn't be stuck with five more. I found I liked it a lot more than I thought. It's a cloudy white color, quite carbonated with a nice piney, grapefruit hops scent. While there is a bit of coriander taste, it doesn't dominate. It has a very dry, refreshing finish to it. In talking with other BOTB guys, the reaction was mixed. No one hated it, but no one loved it either. I found it an interesting change of pace and one of the best wheat beers I've ever had.

-Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron - A deep, dark, roasty, rich brown ale. At 12% ABV it's not lawnmower beer by any stretch of the imagination. It is a very complex, rich ale with nice solid malt backbone. Definitely a sipping beer. It's aged in Paraguayan Santo Palo wooden tanks which imbue it with hints of caramel and vanilla.

-Firestone Union Jack IPA - Simply a terrific IPA! A hops explosion. If you are a hophead, you'll love this one. It has won back to back wins at the Great American Beer Festival. We'll be judging their Double Jack at our next meeting. Should be good.

On With the Show - This is it

Our January meeting was at Grindstone Brewery, otherwise known as the home of Mike and Diane Watkins. This month we decided to take on Scottish Ales, a first for us. The Scots play hard. For a good time they like to toss very large poles called cabers. They drink pretty hard too, tossing back some robust brews. 

A Wee Bit About the Wee Heavies (and Other Scottish Ales)

In general Scottish Ales traditionally were categorized according to strength as follows:

          Light (60 Shilling) Under 3.5% ABV

          Heavy (70 Shilling) 3.5% to 4% ABV

          Export (80 Shilling) 4% to 5.5% ABV

          Wee Heavy (90 Shilling) over 6% ABV

Scottish ales tend toward the malty and sweet end of the spectrum - with the Wee Heavies generally being full-bodied, rich and roasty. In many ways similar to traditional Christmas ales.

We used a rating sheet which was an amalgam of some of the others we have used. It allows us to rate color, pour, aroma, body, taste and overall impressions on a continuum, with milestone features at the beginning , middle and end of each. For example, let's look at "Pour." On the far left it states: "Some lacing with little head," at the center is simply, "Decent Head," and on the far right it states, "Guinness Class." Overall Impressions range from "Leave it on the shelf," to "I COULD DRINK THIS!" to "Can't Get Enough." There is, of course, the single most important section - "Comments" where we are allowed to wax in purely subjective fashion upon each selection. 

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY - OLD CHUB

Providing a solid argument for canned beer, Old Chub is Oskar Blues' take on  Scottish style Strong Ales. 

   
      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Oskar Blues Brewery located in Longmont, CO. ABV 8% - Scottish Strong Ale - Gold Medal 2010 World Beer Championships; Top rated Scottish beer by Beeradvocate.com; World's Second Best Canned Beer - Details Magazine.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: This Scottish style Strong Ale is brewed with a bodacious amount of malted barley and specialty grains, and a dash of beechwood-smoked malt...A head-turning treat for malt heads and folks who think they don't dig dark beers."

      POUR:  Not much of a head. A little foam with a bit of lacing

      COLOR: Very dark, rich mahogany - approaching black.

      AROMA: Fairly neutral with a nice hint of malt..

      BODY: Full

      TASTE: Sweet and malty as expected in a Scottish ale. Notes of malt, toffee and chocolate. 

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: I COULD DRINK THIS!

      COMMENTS: "It's like a liquid Heath Bar; A nice dessert beer; It's a 'feel good' beer; It warms - all the way down; It's more of a snow blower beer than a lawn mower beer; Wow! This is a big beer; A sippin beer/ book by the fire beer; It covers all the taste buds, a complex beer."

SAM ADAMS WEE HEAVY - BOSTON BEER COMPANY

Boston Beer Company comes through with the the strongest of the evenings beers.

      

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by The Boston Beer Company located in Boston, MA. 10% ABV - 30 IBU'S. 2-row Harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland Pale Malts. Zeus Hops.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "...inspired by both traditional Scotch Ales and Scotch whiskies, for a combination of deep roasted flavor and earthy smoke character."

      POUR: Decent head a bit of a carbonated look to it.

      COLOR: Similar to Old Chub - very dark, mahogany color.

      AROMA: Very malty.

      BODY: Full

      TASTE: Sweet - strong chocolate character with hints of toffee.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: I COULD DRINK THIS! (with the caveat that you probably shouldn't drink too many!)

       COMMENTS: "You could chew this; Nice label; Tastes like a strong porter; Heavy stuff; Slightly sweet; Drink a glass of this with David Letterman, then go to bed; I really like it; It's a well made beer; Complex, and amazing from a somewhat 'main stream' brewery!"

BELHAVEN SCOTTISH ALE - BELHAVEN BREWERY

Belvaven Brewery is located near Dunbar in Scotland. It is the only Scottish Ale from Scotland in the bunch we tasted. 

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Belhaven Brewery near Dunbar, Scotland. 5.2% ABV - Belhaven has been brewing since 1719.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Malty and hoppy, we at Belhaven love the classic Scottish Ale and we've been brewing it longer than any of the other beers we produce. Delivering a sweet, smooth and creamy finish, Scottish Ale has a stunning ruby color in a glass. Magic"

      POUR: Not much of a head, some lacing.

      COLOR: Amber.

      AROMA: Vaguely "skunky" scent. 

      BODY: Medium

      TASTE: Somewhat bittersweet. Notes of lemon, yeast were detected. An unpleasant "skunky" taste was also there.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Leave it on the shelf!

      

      COMMENTS: "Perhaps a strong argument for not using clear glass bottles; Do you think too much light got to it?; Maybe it's been on the shelf too long; Be interesting to taste this in Scotland, see if it was better."

KILT TILTER - MIDDLE AGES BREWERY

Right in Middle Ages' wheelhouse here with the Sottish Ales. Kilt Tilter is one of three Scottish style ales brewed by Middle Ages. The others are Highlander Scotch Ale (a brown ale at 5.4%) and The Duke of Winship, a hybrid Scotch Ale/Porter (6.5%).

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Middle Ages Brewing located in Syracuse, NY.  9.0% ABV - Scotch Style Ale brewed once a year.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "A Scottish 90 Shilling ale. Brewed only once a year, this ale is rich and full, with a dryness that is beautifully balanced with a classic malt sweetness."

      POUR: Once again, not a pronounced head.

      COLOR: Deep red to mahogany.

      AROMA: Malty with a hint of banana.

      BODY: Full, thick.

      TASTE: Starts sweet, but finishes with a little bitter bite. Notes of malt and banana and a hint of toffee.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: CAN'T GET ENOUGH!

      COMMENTS: "Middle Ages has got their act together; Balanced; This seems to be brewed by someone who likes English Ales; They certainly don't need to apologize for this; This is delightful."

HIBERNATOR - LONG TRAIL BREWING

The Vermont brewery has been producing this unfiltered Scottish Ale since 1995.

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Long Trail Brewing Company, Bridgewater Corners, Vermont. 6.0% ABV 25 IBU's  - Malts: 2-row,Wheat, Crystal, Caramel, Black. Hops: Nugget and Mount Hood.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS:  "This robust and hearty brew will take the bite from a cold winter night."

      POUR: Nice big head. Not quite Guinness class, but impressive none the less. 

      COLOR: Unfiltered amber.

      AROMA: Balanced.

      BODY: Medium

      TASTE: Again, balanced with a bready taste and some notes of citrus - mostly lemon.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: CAN'T GET ENOUGH

      

      COMMENTS:  "Nice, easy to drink; Unfiltered; a session beer; It's fresh linen on a spring morning; I can drink a lot of this; It's just good; Vermont does a great job of promoting their own."

KILT LIFTER - MOYLAN'S BREWERY 

Not to be confused with Kilt Tilter, this big Scotch ale out of California had us all buzzing (in a good way.)

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Moylan's Brewery located in Larkspur, California. 8.0% ABV 25 IBU's - Malts: American 2-Row, Crystal Malt, Durst Vienna Malt,  Munich Malt, Special B Malt, Acidulated Malt.   Hops: East Kent Golding.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "The ORIGINAL KILT LIFTER SCOTCH ALE is robust and strapping, brewed with both balls, taking big beers to a whole new level. Rich malt balances perfectly with delicate hops to provide a concentrated and intense flavor... this is one beer that lives up to it's name (and no peeking!)"

      POUR:  Unfiltered with a decent head - right in the middle of our spectrum.

      COLOR: Amber leaning toward red.

      AROMA: Malty sweet.

      BODY: Medium.

      TASTE: Complex that is balanced with a nice bitter bite to it, despite being a Scotch ale. Hints of citrus interspersed with nut and caramel were detected.

      OVERALL IMPRESSION: Fell right in between the "I could drink this!" middle and the "Can't get enough." So overall a very positive impression.

      COMMENTS: "Delicate hops taste; Big blast; Riding the wave; One of my favorites; Not too sweet; Not a big banana smell; A true traditional Scottish ale."

RAILBENDER ALE - ERIE BREWING

Railbender Ale is the flagship beer of Erie Brewing out of Erie, Pennsylvania. It won a bronze in 2008 and the gold in 2009 for Scottish Ales in the Great American Beer Festival.

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by The Erie Brewing Company located in Erie, Pennsylvania. 6.8% ABV  26 IBU's 

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "(Railbender) features a deep malt flavor, caramel sweetness lingering in a soft hop flavor.

      POUR: Unfiltered with a decent head with nice tight bubbles.

      COLOR: Dark amber.

      AROMA: Malty, nutty.

      BODY: Medium.

      TASTE: Balanced with malt and barley tones.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: I COULD DRINK THIS!

      

      COMMENTS: "Nice, easy to drink beer; not a bad beer at all; clean tasting beer; pretty balanced - not too hoppy and not too malty; A good aftertaste; There's a light malt sweetness to the aftertaste; Hops clean up the finish; There might be a barley malt taste."

SKULL SPLITTER - ORKNEY BREWERY

A big beer from Quoyloo, Scotland. Random fact: the beer gets it name from Thorfinn Einarsson, the 7th Earl of Orkney.

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Orkney Brewery located in Quoyloo, Scotland. 8.5% ABV - Malts: Pale ale malt, Crystal and Chocolate Malt. Hops: East Kent Golding.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Skull Splitter is our strongest ale...Sophisticated, satiny smooth with a deceptively light character, it is a tribute to our colorful forebear."

      POUR: Decent to excellent head.

      COLOR: Amber.

      AROMA: Malty with notes of banana.

      BODY: Medium.

      TASTE: Mix or malt and a warming spice flavor with hints of banana from the English yeast.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Scored close to the "Can't get enough!" end.

      

      COMMENTS: "Tasty, complex: Starts sweet - finishes dry; Warm; I like this a lot; It sits with you nicely; Really good beer; Smooth; I like this beer - in all honesty, I do; The aftertaste is worth the swallowing; I'm setting sail for Scotland, and I'll need a bigger boat; I'd buy that!"

INNIS AND GUNN OAK AGED BEER

Another flagship brew, this one from a brewery out of Edinburgh, Scotland. Also, the second to be shipped in clear glass bottles.

      THE BEER FACTS: Brewed by Innis and Gunn located in Edinburgh, Scotland. 6.6% ABV - As the name suggests, the beer is aged in oak for 77 days. The beer has won three consecutive Modern Monde gold awards.

      WHAT THE BREWER SAYS: "Like the world's great wine and whiskey makers we strive for depth of flavor, complexity and mellowness in every beer we produce...the 77 day maturation imparts flavors of toffee, vanilla and oak (to) compliment the beer's backbone of luscious malt and fruity hop notes."

      POUR: Head was nearly nonexistent.

      COLOR: Golden.

      AROMA: Honey and oak.

      BODY: Thin and light.

      TASTE: A sweetish Scotch whiskey taste that variously includes toffee, butterscotch, oak, honey and vanilla.

      OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: Tended toward the "Leave it on the shelf" end.

      COMMENTS: "Tastes like a shot of liquor to me; It didn't jump at me; It's nothing I would seek out; Maybe an occasional beer; I don't know that you'd actually find it in my refrigerator."

In a side note, a different 4-pack of Innis and Gunn's was purchased at a different store. The beer had a strong skunky smell and taste. The conclusion might be that, while the clear bottles are pretty and allow you to view the contents, the damage done by light might not be worth it. I much prefer plainer bottles and better tasting beer!

      

IN CONCLUSION

Tallying up the results, it appears that Middle Ages Tilt Kilter came out on top, just nosing out Skull Splitter and Moylan's, and inching past Samuel Adams' Wee Heavy. Those four scored very well, as did Oskar Blue's Old Chub. All of them were relatively big beers (ranging from 8% to 10% ABV) that would be considered sipping rather than session beers.  

Of the "smaller" beers, Hibernator beat out Railbender, though both were tasty brews. Ironically, Belhaven and Innis and Gunn - two of the three beers actually from Scotland - did not fair well at all. Both earned a "leave it on the shelf" ranking. Perhaps not coincidentally, both were bottled in clear glass. I wonder how they would have been from a can?

ON DECK

Next up for the BOTB Guys are Double IPA's. Strap on a helmet boys!

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys