Greek to Me

Greek Beer? 

                                

If you were to make a list of countries you think of when you think about beer, in all likelihood Greece would not be on that list. Wine? Why not? Ouzo? Oh yeah. But beer? Not so much so. In fact even the most ardent of beer geeks would no doubt struggle to name a Greek beer, not to mention a Greek craft beer. So on a recent excursion to a couple of Greek Islands (Mykonos and Santorini) I was curious about Greek beers and if there was anything resembling the craft beer revolution we have experienced here in the states.

Fearing it might be a while before a truly tasty beer crossed my lips, I started our journey with a Wailing Wench from Middle Ages at the Syracuse airport. It's a delicious way to begin any journey

A Wench before flying.
At the Middle Ages
Pub - Syracuse airport.

and the main reason I don't complain when my wife insists on getting to the airport early.
                                                                                  
We flew Turkish Air out of Kennedy. I am so used to flying various American airlines where you pay an outrageous amount for lousy beer, that I forget that most foreign lines serve beer, wine and liquor for free. Anyhow, the beer on this flight was Tuborg, a Danish beer with a worldwide presence. It's a fairly typical German-style lager. I soon discovered that it was one of the more popular beers in Greece. Virtually every restaurant and taverna sold Tuborg as well as Heineken. Those two beers, along with Mythos and Alfa, two Greek mega-brews, are as omnipresent as Bud and Coors here, . Mythos Brewery is a subsidiary of  the Carlsberg Group which also owns Tuborg. Whereas Alfa is brewed by Athenian Brewery which contract brews Heineken and Amstel among others. All part of the tangled web woven by the various mega-brews out there (though, amazingly, neither InBev nor MillerCoors seem to have a piece of the action here, which would explain the welcome dearth of Bud Light).

I tried Mythos and found it drinkable. Essentially a German style Lager with a bit of a hop punch to it. Alfa, on the other hand, I found pretty much tasteless. Reminded me of an American mega-brew light beer. It was on tap at this one bar and I was trying to decide what Greek beer to try. The guy behind the bar said, "Alfa is a very good beer. I'd go with that." I did and realized the guy didn't really know what good beer was!

On the island of Mykonos I was resigned to drinking Mythos or wine, when I happened upon a taverna, along the shore on the outskirts of Mykonos Town, with a sign out front listing specials: Greek wine and CRAFT BEER! I had to stop in. The place was called Captains and about ninety percent of its seating was outside overlooking the shore. I went in and asked about their craft beers. The woman behind the bar thought I said "draft beer" and said, "Mythos."  As I was trying to explain what I meant, a guy named Apollo, apparently a manager there, intervened. He knew exactly what I wanted and enthusiastically ushered me over to a cooler filled with beer. Of course it contained Mythos, Alfa, Amstel, Heinekin - but he quickly dismissed all of these and pointed out some beers brewed by smaller craft breweries. I picked up a bottle of Marea Double Malt Ale from Elixi Brewery out of Attiki, Mary Rose Red Ale from Septem Microbreweries in Paleo Faliro, Athens, and Volkan from Santorini.

All three beers I liked. I felt they all had a sort of unique taste. I'm not sure if it is the water or what. Volkan may have been the most unique. Brewed with grape honey and citron leaves and water filtered in volcanic stones, it was really very refreshing. While not particularly hoppy, it - as well as the other two - was flavorful.    

Once we made it to the Island of Santorini, we had an opportunity to visit a craft brewery. Within easy walking distance from our hotel was the Santorini Brewing Company. They brew and bottle three (and sometimes four) beers. Their three main beers are Yellow Donkey, Red Donkey and Crazy Donkey IPA. They also brew a White Donkey, which is a wheat beer. They were out of it on the day we visited, which was alright by me. I enjoyed the other three beers. Yellow Donkey is a blonde ale with an ABV range of 5.0% to 5.2%. IBUs come in at 19, but with an exotic international mixture of hops - Aurora and Styrian Golding from Slovania, Cascade from Oregon, and Motueka from New Zealand - the beer comes across as a very refreshing, citrus-forward ale. 

Red Donkey (ABV 5.5 - 5.7%, IBUs 26) is a Belgian Pale Ale again utilizing Styrian Golding hops from Slovania, but this time paired with Citra from Oregon and Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand. The use of a Belgian-style yeast strain complements these hops nicely. The result is a fruity pale ale that is not an over-the-top Belgian style.

Crazy Donkey IPA (ABV 5.8 - 6%, IBUs 50) not surprisingly was my favorite of the three. It was the first and, as of 2012, the only IPA produced in Greece. Cascade and Nelson Sauvin hops make this a very solid IPA. Very drinkable with nice hints of citrus and pine. Great beer to have while enjoying views like the one below.

NO THEME, JUST BEER

This month we decided on a kind of "theme-less" transition into fall. There's just so many Octoberfest beers you can try and even fewer Pumpkin Ales we really want to try, so we just all brought some good beers we hadn't reviewed before. 

DIRTY PALE ALE

(Formerly Dirty Blonde Ale)

ADIRONDACK BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Adirondack Brewing, Lake George, NY; STYLE: American Pale Ale: ABV and IBUs: Unavailable; HOPS:  Cascade, Centennial.

What the Brewer Says: "Dirty Blonde Ale is a frisky, unfiltered, American hopped session ale, with a big-bubbled head and loads of character. Brewing with American ale yeast keeps her casual, flirty and never boring. Enormous Cascade and Centennial dry hops lend a strong grapefurit aroma and a pleasant citrus flavor - this is a great mouth-pleasing year-round beer."

Color: Cloudy, unfiltered straw or wheat

Pour: Decent, bubbly head

Aroma: Bready/yeasty

Body: Toward the light/thin end 

Taste: Balanced with hints of citrus and lemon

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This.

Comments: "Nice mouthfeel; Not heavy; Sessionable; Pleasant; Enough hoppiness to keep it interesting; Bitter on the end; I would actually buy this although I usually avoid Blondes, other than my wife; Nothing objectionable."

NOT YOUR FATHER'S ROOT BEER

SMALL TOWN BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Small Town Brewery, Wauconda, IL; STYLE: Ale brewed with spices; ABV: 5.9%.

What the Brewer Says:"Silky, smooth and satisfying finish is unmatched in flavor. It appeals to craft beer aficionados as well as those who don't typically drink beer but crave something unique."

Color: Mahogony

Pour: Creamy, impressive head. Full and bubbly but doesn't last. Disperses quickly.

Aroma: It smells like root beer. Vanilla.

Body: Between Medium and Full.

Taste: Sweet, vanilla, sarsaparilla, sugar.

Overall Impression: Doesn't fit the usual mode so we're going off chart on this one. We all said we wouldn't buy it as a beer. Dan tried it with ice cream for a root beer float and said it was great. As far as root beer is concerned, most of us agreed it was one of the better tasting root beers we've had. In fact we did a side-by-side comparison with a (non-alcoholic) boutique root beer and the general consensus was that Not Your Father's was superior.

Comments: "The alcohol is not really noticeable, maybe a bit at the end, but when you try it side-by-side with the soft drink, you can taste it; They make a 10% ABV version of this, I wonder how different that would taste; Better root beer than root beer; Just too sweet for me to take seriously; I'll bet this could get kids in a lot of trouble; It would be easy to overdo it with this if you really liked root beer."

HOP KNIFE

TROEGS BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Troegs Brewing, Hershey PA; STYLE: Harvest Ale; ABV: 6.2%; IBU: 87; MALTS: Crystal, Pilsner, Vienna; HOPS: Cascade, Chinook, El Dorado - DRY HOPS: Centennial, Citra, Columbus; YEAST: Ale

What the Brewer Says: "Hop Knife Harvest Ale recognizes the time-honored tradition of hand-harvesting at the peak of maturity. At the end of fermentation, the beer flows through our HopCyclone releasing a bounty of preserved citrus rind, crushed jungle and tropical aromas."


Color: Straw / honey

Pour: Somewhat less than Decent Head which didn't last.

Aroma: Pine

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Hoppy with strong notes of grapefruit, pine and earthy flavors.

Overall Impression:. Between "I Could Drink This" and "Can't Get Enough"

Comments: "The surprise of the day for me so far; Strongly hopped; Hardly any malt to it; A big vehicle for the hops; Tastes as good as it smells; This and Perpetual are my favorite Troegs"

SCULPIN IPA

BALLAST POINT BREWING,COMPANY, SAN DIEGO, CA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American IPA; ABVs: 7.0%; IBUs: 70; HOPS: Hopped at 5 separate stages; AWARDS: Multiple awards including a gold in the 2010 World Beer Cup.

What the Brewer Says: "Our Sculpin IPA is a great example of what got us into brewing in the first place. After years of experimenting, we knew hopping an ale at five separate stages would produce something special. The result ended up being this gold-medal winning IPA, whose inspired use of hops creates hints of apricot, peach, mango and lemon flavors, but still packs a bit of a sting, just like a Sculpin fish."

Color: Lightly filtered wheat

Pour: Decent off-white head

Aroma: Hoppy - grassy/fresh hay and pine

Body: Slightly more than Medium

Taste: Nice - tastefully bitter, not sharp, with citrus notes.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Tastes like a double; Full flavor; Fills all the senses / hits all the spots; This is s-o-o-o-o-o good; I'm thinking this is the best IPA on the planet; As a battle - maybe I'd like to put it up against Flower Power from Ithaca Brewing and see how it fared."

WROUGHT IRON IPA

ABITA BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Abita Brewing, Abita Springs, LA; STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.9%; IBU: 80; MALTS: Pale Ale; HOPS: Apollo, Equinox, Mosaic.

What the Brewer Says:"Abita Wrought Iron IPA embodies the resilient, indestructible nature of New Orleans. This India Pale Ale is forged with the intensity of Apollo, Equinox and Mosaic Hops. Brewed with pale ale malt for a golden color as bright as iron from a fiery forge."


Color: Cloudy golden

Pour: Better than decent head which dissipates quickly.

Aroma: Hoppy floral

Body:  Beyond Medium

Taste: Hoppy bitter bite with hint of cloves, toffee with a spicy citrus finish. Bready malt taste with some grapefruit.

Overall Impression:  Close to "Can't Get Enough" but not unanimous

Comments: "Well malted; Big malt backbone; Probably the biggest Abita I've ever had; Bitter on the end; Best Abita I've ever had; A little rough, not very smooth - some edges; Nice full-flavored beer, big taste, I like it."

TRICERAHOPS

NINKASI BREWING COMPANY

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, OR; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.0%; IBUs: 100; MALTS: 2-Row Pale, Munich, Carahell; HOPS: Chinook, Cascade, Summit, Centennial, Palisade.

What the Brewer Says: "Tricerahops is double everything you already love in an IPA. More hops, more malt body and a highter gravity define this Double India Pale Ale. Fiercely flavorful, guaranteed to satisfy."

Color: Cloudy buckwheat honey

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Sweet / malt, maybe a bit of hay

Body: Full

Taste: Strong hop bitterness, pine, grapefruit, earthy, floral, a bit of toffee malt for balance

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "If I were to drink this, I'd have to wear a chastity belt (?); Great flavor; I'm in heaven with this beer; Big, big taste; Hop bomb; Sneaky 8%; I may have a new favorite beer; Wow!; You'll want a driver after a few of these." 

PACIFIC GALAXY DIPA

SARANAC BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Saranac Brewing Company, FX Matt Brewing, Utica, NY, STYLE: Imperial IPA; HOPS: Galaxy, Pacific Jade, Vic Secret

What the Brewer Says: "Brewed with tropical and fruity hops of Australia and New Zealand...this Imperial IPA showcases big passion fruit, lychee and mango hop character with subtle notes of black pepper, herb and spice."


Color: Wheat

Pour: Beyond Decent Head

Aroma: Hay, grassy

Body: Full

Taste: Fruit and spice and everything nice. Hints of butterscotch.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Tastes like an 8.5% - the alcohol comes through - in a good way; Doesn't taste like most Saranacs; Orgasmic!; Really good beer - lots going on in there - a full range of flavors that just fill the mouth; Bravo, Saranac!"

PALATE SHIFTER

CAPTAIN LAWRENCE

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., New York, NY; STYLE: American Double / Imperial IPA; ABV: 9.00%

What the Brewer Says: "Hops and lots of them. The aroma is bursting witht he classic citrus and pine aroma of American-grown hops. the flavor is dominated by a hoppy bitterness, with just enough malt to make you want to take another sip. (Formerly known as Captain's Reserve Imperial IPA.)"


Color: Unfiltered pale yellow, almost green.

Pour: Just shy of Decent Head

Aroma: Hay, grassy, clean

Body: Full

Taste: Toffee, caramel, alcohol, with grapefruit and citrus notes, bitter hop

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "You could put this in a shot glass; I would want to drink this in the comfort of my home surrounded by concubines; This beer will sneak up on you; Well balanced, especially with the alcohol content; Not as sophisticated, but a little slap in the face; Nice grapefruit/citrus flavor against a solid malt backing; Nice beer."

RESULTS

As you can see, the three big beers - Palate Shifter, Pacific Galaxy and Tricerahops - plus Sculpin were all hits with us. All four were right in our hop-bomb wheel house, delivering big hop taste in a complex full-bodied beer. 

Wrought Iron  we were split on. While most of us agreed it was the best Abita we've had, not all would seek it out. 

Troegs Hop Knife we all found to be a tasty, easy-drinking beer, while Adirondack's Dirty had just enough of a hop kick to place it in our "I could drink this" level of beer.

Not Your Father's Root Beer was an interesting change of pace. Most felt it was the best root beer they'd ever had and your enjoyment would be entirely based on whether or not you liked root beer.

Next month: Scary Beers.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

Backyard Brews - A look at Some New York State Beers

CENTRAL NEW YORK - A NEW 'LAND OF HOPORTUNITY'?

Once upon a time, Central New York was the country's leading hop producer. In the mid 19th century, the place for hops was Central New York. Not the Pacific Northwest, but all the way 'cross country on the opposite coast. Unfortunately, three blights - two natural and one human borne - combined to doom a once booming industry. In 1909 sphaerotheca humuli - a mildew struck hop farms followed in 1914 by an attack of aphids. The coup de grace came with Prohibition, one of the greatest examples in our history of cowardly politicians bowing to the whims of a vocal minority.
Prior to prohibition New York State was rife with small, regional breweries. Take a look at some of these pre-prohibition New York breweries:

Though that by no means is a complete list, it begins to show the number of lost breweries since only two of those are still in existence: Genesee and Utica Club (West End Brewing Company - known now for their Saranac line of beers). Some were done in by Prohibition while others were quashed by the mega-brews - either bought out or put out of business.

So it is great to see, like the Phoenix of myth, both hop farms and regional breweries rise from the ashes of their respective ancestors to breath new life into New York's venerable brewing history. This month we delve into some of the latest brews - from small, regional breweries to larger ones with a national presence - to appear in Upstate New York .

BONOBO SESSION IPA

CRAFT BREWERS

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Craft Brewers, Honeoye Falls, NY; STYLE: Session India Pale Ale; ABV: 4.5%; IBUs: 48; MALTS: Superior Pilsner, GoldPils Vienna, Aromatic Malt; HOPS: Bravo, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo, Mosaic, Sorachi Ace

What the Brewer Says: "Light on alcohol but not on flavor, this session ale presents a beautiful golden color. Predominant lemon and pineapple meet and carry into a distinct pine finish. The specialty malts add a biscuity complexity to this ale perfectly suited to paradise. This is your go-to IPA to enjoy over an entire evening or afternoon."

Color: Pale yellow gold

Pour: Somewhat better than a decent head

Aroma: Big flowery hop nose

Body: Medium

Taste: Strong hoppy bitterness with strong notes of citrus, lemon, grapefruit and pine. bit of malt balances the beer.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "A lot of flavor for a session beer; Full flavor; Color leads you to think there's not much malt, but there's a nice breadiness there that compliments the hops; Lots of hop flavor for a Session; There's no "monkeying around" with this session beer; Actually, I like it better than Founder's All Day, and I like Founder's All Day a lot."

DACKER ADIRONDACK ALE

DAVIDSON BROTHERS BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Davidson Brothers Brewing Company, Glens Falls, NY; STYLE: Scotch ale: ABV: 6.2%

What the Brewer Says: "Dacker is a heavily-modified scotch ale that morphed into a completely different style after four generations of being brewed in the Adirondacks. At present, it is similar to a Scotch ale, with a stronger hop presence and correspondingly less maltiness. A very flavorful beer with definite subtle points. It'll teach you something new every time you take a drink."

Color: Orange/Copper

Pour: Decent head with light yellow lasting lacing

Aroma: Bready/metallic

Body: Medium

Taste: Sweet malty flavor with hints of toffee, slight hop. Bready, biscuit, toasted malt.

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "Nice malt presence - not overly heavy, though; A little clove and British yeast taste; Could be a lawn mower beer; Very pleasant; I could drink this; Nice clean finish; It's got that toffee taste you kind of expect from a Scotch ale; Bit of a hop bitterness there, but not much."

 SINGLE BATCH #2 IPA

MIDDLE AGES BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse, NY; STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.3%; HOPS: Centennial

What the Brewer Says: "We make dozens of different beers throughout the year. While many are available all year round, many others are brewed seasonally or even just once a year." Single Batch #2 is one of those.

Color: Dark honey

Pour: Decent head with nice off-white lacing

Aroma: Floral / soap aroma

Body: A bit more than Medium

Taste: Balance and complex with a nice mix of malty and citrusy notes

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Very drinkable; Good mouthfeel; I've never had a Middle Ages that I didn't like; Good hop presence, but nice malt presence as well; Nice hop-bitter after-taste that stays with you; Subtle at the beginning; More of a West Coast style than most of Middle Ages other brews; Aroma and taste reminds me somewhat of Flower Power."

DISTRUPTION NITRO

SARANAC BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Saranac Brewing, Utica, NY; STYLE: American Brown Ale; ABV: 7%; IBUs: 25; MALTS: North American 2-Row, Munich, Crystal, Chocolate; HOPS: Northern Brewer, Fuggles, East Kent Goldings

What the Brewer Says: Disruption is a nitro infused Brown Ale, brewed with a distinctive mix of caramel and chocolate malts. Northern Brewer and Eastern Kent Goldings hops balance the deep maltiness, imparting their own rich earthy-fruitiness."

Color: Dark brown almost black. Very dark for a Brown Ale

Pour: Decent tan creamy head

Aroma: Malty, bready

Body: Full

Taste: Mostly sweet redolant of chocolate, coffee, caramel notes

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "It's tastes more like a good porter or stout than a Brown Ale; I think it's a Brown Ale only because they decided to call it one; I really like how smooth it is; Give me a Stout or a Porter with that rich coffee/chocolate taste and you can call it whatever you like; Real creamy with a bit of earthy bitterness to counteract the sweet; Nice beer; I just love a beer that has a big taste like this."

IMPERIAL BLACK IPA

GENESEE BREW HOUSE

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Genesee Brewing Company, Rochester, NY; STYLE: Imperial Black IPA; ABV: 8.0%; MALTS: Caramel, Black; HOPS: East Kent Goldings

What the Brewer Says: "Heavy in caramel, roasted and black malts, this Imperial Black IPA is balanced with an intense bitterness from East Kent Goldings hops"

Color: Dark mahogany, nearly black

Pour: Guinness Class with big, rich dark head and lots of lingering lacing

Aroma: Sweet, molasses, caramel

Body: Full

Taste: Sweet toffee, caramel and coffee initially with a bitter hop bite at the end

Overall Impression: Between I Could Drink This and Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Bitter bite at the end there; Can taste the alcohol; Has a British vibe; Definitely new direction for Genny; Not your Grandfather's Genesee; I hope they continue in this direction; A really rich, full-bodied beer, one that you want to just sip on; It seems to lean more toward the malt than the hops, but then you get a bit toward the finish."

THIRD IPA

SKEWED BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Skewed Brewing, Watertown, NY; STYLE: Imperial IPA; ABV: 8.7%; IBUs: 123

What the Brewer Says: "A hop-centric Imperial IPA with bursts of lemon and a resinous-spice finish."

Color: Golden honey

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Malty/bready

Body: Medium

Taste: Balanced with hints of grapefruit and horehound

Overall Impression: Just shy of "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "doesn't taste as big as it is; Could sneak up on you; Nice beer, I like it; a little malt boost; Strong bitter after-taste; Drinkable, edging toward sippable; Definitely a winner."

TEST BATCH IPA #3

GENESEE BREW HOUSE

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Genesee Brewing Company; STYLE: Imperial IPA; ABV: 9%; IBUs: 100

What the Brewer Says: NA

Color: Wheat

Pour: Guinness Class head

Aroma: Resin, yeast but not a big aroma

Body: Full

Taste: Big bitter finish with citrus notes, alcohol warming

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "This is from Genesee? Malt, then alcohol, then bitter hops; A "hot" beer; Big bitter finish, A sipper for sure; Not a big nose - but there's no question there's a lot of hops; It's a beer that reminds me of a good scotch - nice to sip before bed; Doesn't taste like the Genesee River and that's a good thing; Wow! I'm just so used to Genesee making lighter German lagers, it's great to see them jump into the big beer arena; Their bigger beers seem to lean more toward British beers as far as taste profile goes - though much bigger than most of the Brit brews."

2015 BELGIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY ALE

OMMEGANG BREWERY

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Brewery Ommegang ; STYLE: Dry Hopped Tripel; ABV: 9.2%

What the Brewer Says: NA

Color: Hazy golden orange

Pour: Near Guinness Class heat - white head that quickly settles

Aroma: Bottom-fermented yeast, pilsener

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Initially sweet with hints of cloves, coriander and orange as well as banana.

Overall Impression: Falls short of "I Could Drink This"

Comments: "I wouldn't seek this out; One of those beers where you either like that style or you don't and I just don't; I don't mind this one, actually; There's a spiciness that follows the sweet malt that I kind of like; It's that banana taste that is common to many of the Belgian brews I just don't care for; Really liked the last few Ommegang's we've tried - Hop House, Nirvana - thought they were really good; There's no question that among Belgian-style fans Ommegang is greatly revered."

RESULTS

We had three beers we rated "Can't Get Enough!" Two - Middle Ages Single Batch #2, and Genesee Brew House Test Batch #3 - were big test batch beers available only at the brewery, while one - Bonobo Session IPA was a low ABV beer.

Top 3: Bonobo Session IPA - We really liked this session IPA - a bigger taste than we generally find in sessions.
            Middle Ages Single Batch #2 - Another tasty beer from Middle Ages - big beer with a West Coast vibe - a bit of a departure.
            Genesee Brew House Test Batch #3 Imperial IPA - The Genesee Brew House series is a real departure for Genesee, which has made its mark with German-style lagers. This is a big, bold IPA with a nice warming alcohol hit to it.

Next:   Skewed Brewing 3rd IPA - Just shy of "Can't Get Enough!" this is a delicious big IPA. It didn't taste like an 8.7%.

Then:   Genesee Brew House Imperial Black IPA - Another good one from the Brew House. The beer has a definite British vibe with a nice blend of malt and hop.

ICDT (I Could Drink This): Saranac Disruption Nitro - We felt this was much closer to a Stout or Porter than a Brown ale. A terrific Stout or Porter with big taste of dark chocolate.
                                              Davidson Brothers Dacker Adirondack Ale - A pleasant beer that didn't really knock our socks, but certainly drinkable.

Also: Ommegang Independence Day Ale - This came up shy of I Could Drink This primarily as a result of personal preference - none of us are particular fans of Belgian-style ales. If you are, you will no doubt enjoy this.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

Vermont Comes to Central New York

A TASTE OF VERMONT

I happened upon an online article from USA Today. It was one of those "top 10" type articles and they listed their top 10 states for craft beer. It includes the states you would expect - California, Washington State, Oregon - but missing from the list is one I expected to see: Vermont. Vermont was one of the early adapters to craft beer. You could get good beer in Vermont while some of those   other states were still stuck in the Mega-brew malaise that had overtaken the country. Then I realized the list was based on the number of craft breweries in each state, from #1 California's 268 to #10 Illinois' 54 (New York came in a respectable #8, by the way, with 72 and growing). Vermont has, according to the Vermont Brewer's Association, 38 craft breweries. But look at the size of Vermont compared to the size of, say, California or Oregon.

Being our neighbor to the East (and having a BOTB member whose two sons reside in that state and regularly supply us with Vermont brews) we have become quite familiar with Vermont's wealth of good beer. I began to tick off the Vermont breweries whose wares we have had the opportunity to sample: The Alchemist, Burlington, Crop Bistro, Fiddlehead, Harpoon, Hill Farmstead, Long Trail, Magic Hat, Northshire, Otter Creek, Lawson, Norwich Inn, Switchback, Rock Art, Wolaver's, Zero Gravity. So I dug a little deeper and found that as of 2011 Vermont had the greatest number of breweries per capita of any state in the Union. That was more like it! To paraphrase Huck Finn, you can't swing a dead cat in Vermont without hitting a brewery.

This month the BOTB guys had the opportunity to sample Vermont beers from Long Trail, Otter Creek, The Shed and Wolaver's. Some strayed from our hop-centric wheelhouse, meaning they aren't our mug of beer, but they might be yours. As usual, we give you an objective look at five aspects of the beer (Color, Pour, Aroma, Body, and Taste). We then give our Overall Impression which ranges from "Leave it on the shelf" (not one we'd buy) to "I Could Drink That" (a good, solid brew) to "Can't Get Enough" (Excellent beer we would actively seek out). Our last section is our Comments where we fire off-the-cuff and sometimes off-topic and occasionally off-color opinions in a sort of stream of consciousness (perhaps approaching unconsciousness) free-for-all.

And remember, our opinions are filtered through the taste buds of Guys who love hoppy beers.

Here's what we found:

WILDFLOWER WHEAT

WOLAVER'S FINE ORGANIC ALES

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Wolaver's, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: Pale Wheat Ale; ABV: 4.25%; IBUs: 15; HOPS: NA; MALT: NA; SPECIAL INGREDIENTS: Honey and Chamomile flowers 

What the Brewer Says: "Wildflower Wheat is a delicious, unfiltered wheat ale brewed with organic chamomile flowers and a hint of pure, organic honey."

Color: Golden

Pour: Slight head with some lacing

Aroma: Not a strong aroma, slight floral and a bit of wheat

Body: Light

Taste: Zesty. Slightly sweet, with a bit of lemon and honey.

Overall Impression: Alas, we would Leave it on the Shelf.

Comments: "Light tasting; Can taste the honey in it; A nice picnic beer; Would rather drink this than a Shandy; Crisp finish; The honey gives it an interesting taste that kind of separates it; Not really a wheat fan, and 15 IBUs is a bit light weight for my taste; A summery, easy to drink kind of beer should be served cold on a hot day."

SUMMER ALE 

LONG TRAIL BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT; STYLE: Session Ale; ABV: 4.3%; IBUs: 32; MALTS: Pilsner; HOPS: Citra

What the Brewer Says: "An unfiltered golden ale made to chill out summer's hottest days. Remarkably light on the palate, with a soft Pilsner malt character and a distinct citrus hop aroma deriving from dry-hopped additions of Citra hops. Each sip finishes with a refreshing bitterness that invites another. At 4.3% ABV, this golden beauty is a truly quaffable drinking experience."

Color: Straw

Pour: Decent head with sustained lacing

Aroma: Floral

Body: Somewhat light

Taste: Citrus, with hints of lemon after a light malt opening

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Nice bitterness to it; One of the better summer ales I've ever had; A lot to be said for a session beer in the summer; In a lawn chair, ice cold...nice; Comes through at the right time; If you weren't yet into craft beer this would be a good 'gateway' beer; I would actually take this to a summer party; It's nice to see a summer ale with a little bite to it;  A good, easy-drinking beer, well done Long Trail."

OVER EASY

OTTER CREEK

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Otter Creek, Middlebury, VT; ABV: 4.6%; IBUs: 40; HOPS AND MALT: NA

What the Brewer Says: "A brand new addition to Otter Creek's year-round lineup... Look for it in six-packs and 12 packs."

Color: Straw

Pour: Somewhat better than Decent head

Aroma: Sweet grapefruit, citrus 

Body: A bit more than Light

Taste: Nice bitter hoppy edge, with strong grapefruit/citrus notes

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Bitter finish; Certainly nothing objectionable here; Tasty; Better than many of the session IPAs I've had; Nice kind of grapefruit/orange taste to it with a great IPA bitter bite; I'm a fan; It's a session so not complex, but really good sort of more-than-one-beer beer."

MOSTLY CLOUDY

 4.7LONG TRAIL

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT; STYLE: Belgian Witbier; ABV:4.7%; IBUs: 12; MALT AND HOPS: NA 

What the Brewer Says: "A mostly cloudy body is capped with a light, fluffy head that reveals soft notes of  citrus and spices. Whether you prefer partly sunny or mostly cloudy, this brew will happily keep your glass half full." 

Color: Unfiltered gold

Pour: Big, Guinness class head

Aroma: Spicy, soap

Body: Light

Taste: A bit sweet and citrusy, hints of lemon

Overall Impression: Leave it on the shelf

Comments: "This is one of those tough ones, I don't really care for Belgian Witbiers, and this is solidly in that taste profile, so if you favor those, I suppose you'd like this. I'm not a fan; Champagne effervescence; Faint coriander taste; Has to be icy cold to drink; Watery mouthfeel; Typical of Belgian Witbiers."  

LONG TRAIL ALE

LONG TRAIL BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT; STYLE: Amber Ale - German Style Altbier; ABV: 5.0%; IBUs: 28

What the Brewer Says: "First brewed in 1989, Long Trail Ale is a full-bodied amber ale brewed with our top fermenting house yeast that yields a complex, clean flavor."

Color: Copper

Pour: Decent, bubbly head

Aroma: Caramel, malt, nutty

Body: Light to Medium

Taste: Roasted malt, caramel, nutty

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "This is one of those beers I remember having in the early years of craft beer; It's one of the beers that got me into craft beers; Nice, nutty, malty flavor; A comfort beer; Kind of reminds me of some good Oktoberfest beers."

FRESH SLICE

OTTER CREEK BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: Belgian Style White IPA; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 45 

What the Brewer Says: "A summer sipper built for lawn chairs, lawn games and lawn mowing, Fresh Slice  features the spicy, estery flavor profile of Belgian yeast laced with the juicy hop flavors and aromas of American hops."

Color: Hazy orange

Pour: Slight head with some lacing

Aroma: A little spicy and citrusy

Body: Light

Taste: Orange, grapefruit, citrus and strong coriander

Overall Impression: A divisive lean toward Leave it on the Shelf

Comments: "One of those beers some will love some will not, I didn't particularly care for it; Strong Belgian yeast taste; Doesn't have the hop presence for an IPA; Too much coriander; Not my first choice; I'm not getting the coriander as strongly as you guys, I thought it was okay; I'd take this over Magic Hat #9; If you're a Belgian fan, you'd like this."

BACKSEAT BERNER

OTTER CREEK

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.0%; IBUs: 68 

What the Brewer Says: "The first year-round IPA in Otter Creek history, Backseat Berner is an American beauty that's loaded with juicy hops. Like Oslo, Brewmaster Mike's 150 pound Bernese mountain dog that adorns the label, Backseat Berner is your everday companion for life's adventures."

Color: Hazy orange

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Grassy

Body: Medium

Taste: Grapefuit and grass, with hints of toffee, caramel, butterscotch

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!!

Comments: "Delicious!; Perhaps the best Otter Creek beer I've ever had; Real nice mouthfeel; Nice, pleasing beer; I'd buy this in a heartbeat - in fact I'm going to be looking for it; I'd put it on my front burner."

MOUNTAIN ALE

THE SHED

The Beer Facts: BREWER: The Shed Brewery, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: English Strong Ale; ABV: 7.4%; IBUs: 35; HOPS: Mt. Hood, Northern Brewer 

What the Brewer Says: "This unfiltered English Strong Ale is a medium to full-bodied ale, with pronounced caramel and toffee notes, followed by a roasted finish."

Color: Amber

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Caramel

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Malty with hints of toffee and caramel. Nice bit of hop to it.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Really nice brown ale; Reminiscent of British style beers; Like Newcastle on steroids; Toffee/caramel backbone with slight hop presence; Malty presence that just stays in the mouth; Not an IPA, but we love it; Sweet beer that would appeal to people who don't want a hoppy beer, but want a beer with flavor."

LIMBO IPA

LONG TRAIL BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co.,Bridgewater Corners, VT;STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 7.4%; IBUs: 80

What the Brewer Says: "A big mouth-watering IPA brimming with all the flavors and aromas of the new breed of hops coming from Australia and the Pacific Northwest."

Color: Orange/Amber

Pour: Decent Head with lingering lace

Aroma: Straw, grass, tropical fruit, some pine 

Body: Approaching full

Taste: Balanced with a nice bitter bite, a hoppy finish with hints of bread. A warm alcohol presence.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!!

Comments: "I really like this beer; It's been in my fridge since they came out with it; Absolutely delicious; Nice name, too; Long Trail's finest!; I like it better than their regular IPA, and I like that; Terrific; It's got a nice complexity that you just can't get in some of the session IPAs; You also gotta' love that it is reasonably priced, I've had some double IPAs that cost a lot more that weren't half as good."

THE RESULTS

If you've been following us at all, you probably could have guessed the results, but here's a quick breakdown from favorite to least.

1. LIMBO IPA - This was an absolute winner. It's a terrific, full-flavored IPA - strong enough to have a bit of an alcohol warming without being so strong that you can't have a second one. 

2. BACKSEAT BERNER - It was a tough call between this and Limbo.  Both are right in our wheelhouse. Like Limbo it is a complex beer with a solid malt foundation supporting tasty citrus/hop notes. Our favorite Otter Creek.

3. MOUNTAIN ALE - This one surprised us as it isn't an IPA and it isn't extremely hoppy, but we all were taken with its big malty flavor highlighted by toffee and caramel notes. Classically British, but bigger than most Brit beers. Having said that, there was also enough of a hop presence to set it apart from other brown ales. A delightful beer.

4. OVER EASY - We found this to be a very pleasant, easy-drinking Session Ale, as hoppy as many session IPAs we've tried. At 4.6% we saw this as an excellent summer golf cart/lawn mower/boat beer.

5. LONG TRAIL ALE -  Many of us remember this beer fondly as one of our early craft beer experiences. A solid balanced Amber Ale.

6. LONG TRAIL SUMMER ALE - This is a summer ale with a surprising amount of hop presence. One of the better summer ales we've had.

7. FRESH SLICE - The strong coriander presence in this beer was a bit of a turn-off for us. We wouldn't seek it out but it is representative of the White IPA style.

8. WILDFLOWER WHEAT - The honey gave this a unique taste, still a bit of a lightweight for our tastes.

9. MOSTLY CLOUDY - Loved the name, but not so much the beer. Again, strictly a question of personal taste here. If you like Belgian-style, low IBU beers often served with a lemon or orange slice, you'll like this. But as unapologetic hopheads, this just wasn't what we look for in a beer.

Up Next:
The BOTB Guys look close to home as we check out some of the latest New York State brews.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys