Belgian Pale Ale Project – Eagle Rock’s Unionist (#10)

22 ounce bottle decanted into a tulip.  5.4% ABV.

Appearance:  Tarnished gold.  Cloudy body.  Almost completely flat (2/5).

Aroma:  Smells like fermented apple juice.  If I dig I can find a little bit of clove and cinnamon.  I also pick up a very faint whiff of vinegar (2.75/5).

Taste:  Very watery and thin.  Not a lot of flavors to describe.  There’s some of the apple that’s in the nose, a bit of pilsner malt, and a hint of Saaz bite on the end.  As the beer nears room temperature, the apple and pilsner seem to switch positions on my tongue (2.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, almost zero carbonation (2.25/5).

Overall:  First of all, I’m not sure what happened to the carbonation in this beer.  I’m assuming this was the result of a leaky crown, and not the intended volume of CO2.  Secondly, I’m struggling with the blatant simplicity.  On the label Eagle Rock describes it as “easy-drinking”, but I would argue that it has been made so “easy” that it has been stripped of any character or personality.  I might as well be drinking the Blue Moon version.  Belgian Pale Ales aren’t supposed to be an unsolvable enigma, but there’s just nothing to this beer.  I didn’t hate it, but I would never pick up another bomber (2.5/5).

-Matt

Beer Events – L.A. Beer Week: Smog City Brewing Co.’s “Rarest of the Rare”

I'm generally a pretty harsh critic of the beer scene in Los Angeles.  Up until Golden Road exploded a year or two ago, there were very few breweries up there worth noting.  Not none... but very few. 

Being the skeptical judge that I am, it seemed rather hypocritical for me not to at least show up when someone is making an effort to improve things.  So with this idea in mind I decided that I should probably find an event to attend during this year's L.A. Beer Week.  My schedule limited my participation to the "Rarest of the Rare" event at Smog City Brewing Co. yesterday, and in the end I'm very glad it did.

Smog City first started by brewing in 2011 in the excess tank space at Tustin Brewing, and just this year opened up their own brewery and taproom in a little industrial park in Torrance.  A decent buzz has already developed around these guys, which was amplified last year when they won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for their Groundwork Coffee Porter. 

The "Rarest of the Rare" ran from noon to 8pm on Saturday September 28th, and was a full showcase of what Smog City has been working on over the past couple years.  They had 19 beers available, four of which were on cask.  Their options ranged from a Sour Red Rye, to a Sour Blonde, several Saisons, a handful of bourbon barrel aged beers, three IPAs, a Pils, and more.  Many of the beers were limited to only five gallons for the whole event, and they were only available on a first come, first serve basis.  

We got there a little after 1pm, and the place was already packed.  The roll-up door was up and people were spilling out into the parking lot.   There was a hot dog truck parked at the front of the building selling gourmet tubed-meat.   Inside we were immediately greeted by the walk-in cooler to our left and a nice collection of tap handles.  There was a thin bar mounted against the opposite wall where people could set their glasses down while they stood and talked.  Beyond that the brewery opened up with all of their equipment, tanks, and racks of barrels.  Scattered throughout the concrete and metallic sanctuary was additional tables and seating; much of which seemed to be fashioned out of old barrels and used shipping materials.  

The crowd was amazing.   The main bar had a line that wrapped around upon itself and took 20 to 30 minutes to navigate through.  There was a second makeshift bar set up on the other side that was pouring from casks, and that had a pretty sizable crowd as well.  Finding a place to set your drink down was tough, but hovering around a desirable spot generally got you in after a short wait. 

I started with the cask line and my buddy went for the main bar.  I ended up with four ounce sample pours of Quercus Circus and Weird Beer.  Quercus Circus is a Belgian Blonde that spent the first 19 months of its life in Viognier, Chardonnay, and Zinfindel barrels, was then blended with a Saison fermented with lactobacillus, and finally cold conditioned.  It’s a brilliant straw color without a lasting head.  It’s sour on the nose, with hints of champagne and lemon Kool-Aid.  The sourness in the flavor is well restrained with a bit of tobacco and leather in the finish.  It also has a touch of a Limoncello taste that I really liked.  The body and carbonation levels were both very light.  Overall, this was an incredible beer.  Definitely the highlight of my day.

Weird Beer lived up to its name.  Its looks like a light, pulp-free orange juice.  The aroma is straight Vicks VapoRub.  I honestly have no idea what combination of ingredients could cause such a smell, but that’s what I got.  It tasted a little bit like Vicks too, but it also had a delicate grassy foundation that I found very pleasant.  This one also had a light body, but it was a bit more heavily carbonated (it wasn’t cask).  I enjoyed my four ounce half-glass of this one, but definitely wouldn’t go back for a full pour.

I also had a chance to taste their Kumquat Saison.  I really enjoyed it, but was too busy socializing to take any tasting notes.  But I remember it tasting fantastic. 

Overall this was a great event.  I was very glad to see such a large crowd in this young brewery.  I hope that this is a good sign of things to come for Smog City.  I am fortunate to have them on my radar now, and will keep them in mind whenever I’m in the neighborhood.  Or better yet, I could even make the beginnings of a decent little “Southern L.A.” brewery tour with this place, Monkish Brewing, and Strand Brewing, all of which are within about four miles of each other. 

It looks like I may need to start changing my opinion of the Los Angeles beer scene…

 

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Perennial Artisan Ales’ Hommel Bier (#9)

750ml bottle decanted into an oversized snifter.  5.9% ABV.

Appearance:  Soft, soapy head over a brilliant copper body.  Beautiful (4.25/5).

Aroma:  The first impression is one of Pacific Northwestern hops.  The second is the spice and earth and fresh vegetation that one would expect from a pushy Belgian hop strain.  There’s a touch of kumquat and apple cider on the backend.  Very inviting (4/5).

Taste:  Very little stands out.  A little citrus, a little apple, and a little caramel.  The American hops wind up in the aftertaste, and then gently fade to black.  It’s light and refreshing, but not mind-blowing (3/5).

Mouthfeel:  Light body, medium/high carbonation (3.75/5).

Overall:  In Brew Your Own magazine, Jamil Zainasheff suggests that when you are designing a Belgian Pale Ale you should not “use citrusy or catty American-type hops, as they seem to clash with, rather than, accentuate, the phenols and ester from fermentation.”  I think that’s a little bit of what’s going on here.  I definitely don’t hate it, and I recognize that Perennial is not trying to make the purest example of the style, but there is a touch of “clash” that I couldn’t put my finger on until I read Zainasheff’s comments.  Ultimately this beer is kind of like me… pretty to look at, but ultimately ever-so-slightly disagreeable (3.25/5).

-Matt

Beer Bars – Trappeze Pub in Athens, Georgia

As I left my hotel on foot, I was worried that this sleepy little town had already fallen asleep for the night.  I waded through the thick humidity and cicada buzz until I turned on Washington, which appears to be Athens' downtown drag.  It wasn't exactly packed, but I was relieved so see some signs of life.  In Athens' defense, it was 11pm on a Monday. 

When found my destination and walked in the front door I was immediately enveloped in the smell of a very old building.  Must and dampness lay like a thick fog in this place.  The hardwood floors are deeply stained and above are a combination of black and white ceiling tiles.  The bar is a glorious piece of art.   The top is shiny lacquered wood, the sides are covered with a beautiful aluminum paneling, and the draft handles appear to have randomly sprouted up over the years like wildflowers in a meadow.  Behind the bar is wooden shelving covered in old tap handles and glassware.   High backed booths surround the outside facing walls and brewery propaganda adorns the wall.  Underground hip hop and rock I've never heard plays on the overhead and the lights are dim.  A chalkboard lets me know what's fresh on tap, and three different refrigerators show me what bottles are available.  A couple of marionettes hang from ceiling for visual punctuation.  It looks like there is more space available here, but the rest of it is closed for the evening. 

Trappeze features 31 draft handles and a wonderful bottle selection.  Most of the full pours run from $4 to $6, which I consider extremely reasonable.   The nice young man behind the bar provided me with the recommendation of Cherry Street's Dirty Frenchman's Saison which apparently comes from a homeless little co-op out of southern Georgia.   It was nice, so I decided to try their Hoppy Balboa vs Apollo Double IPA (the brewery recently hosted a tap takeover).  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the glassware changed with my order. 

The rest of the local draft list tonight starts and stops with a lot of Terrapin beers.   For the east coast they've got a little Brooklyn and Dogfish Head.  There's some New Belgium and Boulevard from the middle of the country.   California is represented with Stone, North Coast, Anderson Valley, and Sierra Nevada.   They've also got a couple draft ciders. 

They serve food, but unfortunately the kitchen closed before I got there.  I guess I'll have to eat like a fasting monk tonight.

Overall I'm extremely impressed.   This is a business that truly values good beer and doesn’t believe in gouging their customers for them.  I wish I could have seen the entire building and gotten something to eat, but this is my fault for coming in late on a Monday.  The bartender recommended a couple bottle shops for me and even wrote down what to look for.  I wish more beer bars were this friendly.

In the unlikely scenario I’m ever back in Athens, I will definitely set up camp here again.

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Brouwerij de Musketiers’s Antigoon by Robert Wiedmaier (#8)

11.2 ounce bottle decanted into an oversized snifter.  6.8% ABV.

Appearance:  This has got to be one of the longest lasting heads that I’ve ever seen.  When I first decanted it was about a finger deep, and it never really went away.  Towards the end it thinned out some, but the surface was never anything but white.  Incredible lacing down the sides of the glass.  The body is a rich, murky tan (4/5).

Aroma:  My first impression immediately following the pour was very bready, almost like pizza dough.  But that cleared out relatively quickly and was replaced by the aroma of fresh pressed cider.  As the beer warmed the malt came in, and blended nicely with the apples (4.5/5).

Taste:  Toffee and pressed apples.  A little peppery.  I catch a whisper of Saaz-like bitterness on the back end, but it’s very reserved.  Slightly sweet, and finishes surprisingly clean (4.25/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, medium carbonation.  A touch of astringency that feels like it may have come from the grain husks (4.25/5).

Overall:  Druon Antigoon was a fabled giant who guarded a bridge on the Scheldt River in Antwerp.  If you needed to cross, you had to pay his toll.  If you did not, he would cut off your hand and throw it in the river.  Things went south on the giant’s toll-collecting career when he encountered Brabo, a Roman soldier who challenged the giant and paid him back for all the hands he cut off by lopping off his.  This fateful scene is graphically portrayed on the label (the beer’s name is even written in the giant’s blood).  With that Belgian mythology lesson behind us, I would highly recommend Antigoon.  Definitely one of the best Belgian Pale Ales I’ve had thus far.  Between the bready malt, and the fresh cider taste, it was the perfect pint for fall (4.25/5).

-Matt

Cooking and Drinking – Summer Shandy

Here’s another recipe from the beer cookbook/pairing guide that my mom and I worked on a couple years ago.  This beer mixer was intended to open up a very nice “Backyard BBQ” menu that we put together.  A Shandy is a brilliant way to quench your thirst on a hot day.  If you’ve never had one, I would highly recommend it… and not the Leinenkugel version.  Take the time to press the lemons and mix it yourself.  Even people who generally don’t like beer will thank you for this Shandy recipe.

Summer Shandy

4 oz. Fresh Lemonade (recipe below)

12 oz. Recommended Beer

Fresh Lemonade

1 cup Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)

0.75 cups Baker’s Sugar
3 cups Water

Squeeze lemons until one cup of juice is collected.  Run juice through a strainer to remove the pulp and seeds.  Add water and sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and refrigerate. 

Mix the lager and lemonade and gently stir until combined. 

Beer Recommendation: 

August Schell Brewing Co. (New Ulm, MN) – Lakemaid

American Lager (seasonal availability; May)

Charcoal briquettes; check.  Matches; check.  Sprinkler for the kids to run through; check.  Holy crap… it’s hot outside.  There may be no better beverage to welcome your friends into this sizzling summer paradise than an ice cold Shandy. 

Though there are dozens of versions of this refreshing beer cocktail, the classic concept is a simple mixture of beer and lemonade.  The Shandy has been floating around Europe for few hundred years and the name is said to come from the German word “schande”, which, ironically, means “shame” or “disgrace”.  This embarrassing namesake likely stems from the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 where adjuncts and “impure” additions (like lemonade) were banned from brewing.  But despite this undesirable baggage, it has lived on as a revitalizing, low alcohol, sweet and citrusy infusion that people can enjoy on a hot day and remain somewhat sober.  For that reason, Shandies are a favorite of cyclists and barbeque enthusiasts.

The key to a good Shandy is fresh lemons.  You’ve got to squeeze those guys yourself and then get that juice down to just above freezing before you mix your drink.  The colder the better.  August Schell’s (they of fishing lure fame) Lakemaid makes a perfect conduit for this concoction.  Only available in limited quantities in the Upper Midwest at the beginning of fishing season, this lager is crisp, clean, and literally designed for refreshment.

Glassware – Imperial Pint Glass

ABV – 4.8%
Serving Temperature – 35°F

Possible Substitutions:  

Wasatch Brew Pub & Brewery (Park City, UT) – 1^st Amendment Lager

American Lager (available year round)

This all-malt lager celebrates our freedom of religion, press, and expression by being crazy clean and crisp.  Its Utah regulated alcohol restriction makes this Shandy even more “sessionable”, so go ahead and have a couple.

Great Northern Brewing Co. (Whitefish, MT) – Black Star Double Hopped Golden Lager

American Pilsner (available year round)

Black Star also makes a nice Shandy.  The delicate noble hops add a little bit of floral spice to the bouquet (from the later addition of the titular “double hopped”) and the pilsner body is a perfect platform for sweet lemonade.

Last Resort: 

Your local American lager or pilsner.

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Jolly Pumpkin’s Luciérnaga (The Firefly) (#7)

750ml bottle decanted into a tulip glass.  6.5% ABV.

Appearance:  The color of toasted peanuts with a persistent, white head.  So persistent, in fact, that it tried to climb out of the bottle as I was settling down to enjoy my glass.  The foam eventually breaks into smaller islands, but the heavy carbonation remains.  Beautiful Belgian-lace.  The body is stormy and impossible to see through (3.5/5).

Aroma:  Dry cloves and sweet cider.  Very musty.  A hint of orange peel pith.  Almost smells like a Saison (4/5).

Taste:  Peppery and citrusy.  Kind of yeasty.  Sharp bite on the back end.   Ever-so-slightly sour and very drinkable (4.25/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, heavy carbonation.  Slightly dry and astringent (3.75/5).

Overall:  So it was not until I got this beer home and was cracking it open that I realized that there was a sticker on the back that indicated “Bottled 06-27-2012”.  I know this beer comes out in June, but two Junes ago?  Ruh, roh.   Can a 6.5% alcohol beer survive 15 months?  Well, I bought this beer from the refrigerated section at Whole Foods and I think the proper storage environment has treated this beverage very well.  I’m guessing the bottle conditioning chipped in some too.  I actually really like it.  To me it tastes a little more like a Saison than a Belgian Pale Ale, but it’s on the darker side and maybe not quite as dry.  The label calls it an “artisan pale ale brewed in the Grand Cru tradition”.  I say it qualifies.  Overall… well done, Jolly Pumpkin (4/5).

-Matt

Beer Bars – Bridge in St. Louis, Missouri

I recently stumbled into this place after enjoying a Cardinals game at the beautiful Busch Stadium in St. Louis.  It is adjacent to a large book store and features minimal signage out front.  The interior is clean, modern, and urban, and absolutely bathed in darkness.  I was immediately presented with a large, V-shaped, wooden bar that accommodated about a dozen seats.  There are also some tables and chairs scattered here and there, and an entire elevated seating area that I did not really get a good look at.  The tall brick wall behind the bar is covered by shelving that stores much of their bottles and glassware (there is a library-like ladder to get at the higher stuff).  There is additional glassware hanging from above along with some interesting chandeliers.

The Bridge boasts that they have over two hundred beers available, and 55 of them are on tap handles.  Their draft selection included many local breweries like 2nd Shift, 4 Hands, Civil Life, Perennial Ales, Schlafly, Charleville, and Urban Chestnut.  The Midwest was also well represented with Arcadia, Bell's, Founders, and New Holland.  West coast breweries included Brouwerij West, Deschutes, Firestone Walker, Green Flash, and Rogue.  From the east side was He’Brew, Southern Tier, and Stillwater.  Colorado made a good showing with Avery, Great Divide, Left Hand, New Belgium, and Ska.  And there were even some internationals like Belhaven, St. Feuillien, Weihenstephan, St. Bernardus, Van Honsebrouck, Young’s, Thornbridge, and Kiuchi (not very often do I see Japanese kegs floating around places like this).  All in all, I was not left wanting for much.

I gave their list a quick look, but mostly relied on staff recommendations.  The bartender was extremely friendly and very well educated.  I was in the mood for a Saison and was pleasantly surprised to hear that they had three on tap.  I regret not scanning through the bottle list, but I guess now I have a reason to go back. 

I was pretty focused on drinking and socializing, so I didn’t get a great look at the food menu.  But I did want some cheese, so I asked the bartender for a recommendation there as well.  I ended up with a great selection of four different stinky cheeses that worked perfectly with my beers.  The cheeses were about $6.50 a piece, but they were cut fairly generously, and came with dried fruit, nuts, and bread.  Perfection.

Overall I was very impressed and would highly recommend it to any good beer enthusiast.

1004 Locust St.

Saint Louis, Missouri 63101
314-241-8141
http://thebridgestl.com/

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Abbey Beverage Company’s Monks’ Ale (#6)

12 ounce bottle decanted into a tulip glass.  5.1% ABV.

Appearance:  The color of an aging penny.  Overcast inside.  It’s got the suggestion of a head that never really becomes one.  The cloudiness clears up as it gets closer to room temperature (2.5/5).

Aroma:  Prunes and figs.  There’s some bready malt back there too.  Sadly, I’m getting a lot of “wet cardboard” as well, which tells me its oxidized (2.25/5).

Taste:  Oh, boy… is this oxidized and infected?  It’s got a wild yeast dryness to it.  I get some raisins, some plums, and maybe some vegetables too?  I swear I taste a little bit of carrot and cabbage.  This is all followed by a harsh bitterness.  I guess this could be an early hop charge, but I’m not entirely certain it was intentional.  It tastes out of place, as does everything else (2.25/5).

Mouthfeel:  Light body, light carbonation.  Very thin and slightly astringent (2.5/5).

Overall:  So, this is probably another poor victim of poor retailer storage, but I’m guessing there are problems with this beer that predate the distributor.  It doesn’t taste to style, nor does it taste like something I’d ever want to drink again.  It’s just generally unpleasant.  This is the first beer I’ve had from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, but after this one I’m not sure I’ll be racing out to get any others (2.25/5).

-Matt

Killing a Layover: Good Beer at the Airport – RIC (Richmond International Airport)

The airport in Virginia’s capital is a modest operation.  There are just over twenty gates that are serviced by half a dozen airlines.  The building is shaped like the handlebars on a bike with a separate terminal at either end.  In between the “handles” is a little seating area and a couple restaurants.  One is an Applebee's, and they have a few decent drafts available.  I saw Fat Tire and Yuengling.  They’ve got a couple Sam Adams beers too, including Boston Lager and a seasonal (which was Octoberfest at the time).  It’s also worth noting that this was the only place in the entire airport that I found a truly local beer, which was Brown Ale by Legend BrewingCo.  I liked seeing that.

In the “B” terminal (Delta, Air Tran, United, and JetBlue) there is a fairly large eatery called the Club Level Grill located near gate B5.  It looks like they offer stereotypical pub food like fish, burgers, wings, nachos, and turkey wraps.  All the food appears to be in the $10 range (plus or minus a couple bucks).  They also have eight draft handles.  About half were industrial lagers, but they were also pouring Guinness, Fat Tire, Sam Adams, and Yuengling.  They offered a few crappy bottles too.

Both terminals host a little Samuel Adams Celebrates Richmond cantina.  I visited the location in the “B” terminal, but both of them appeared to be fairly comparable.  They were pouring Sam Adams’ Boston Lager, Cherry Wheat, and Octoberfest (or whatever seasonal was in season).  They also had Newcastle Brown, New Belgium Shift, Guinness, and Yuengling.  The beers you don’t want included Michelob ULTRA, Coors Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, Heineken, and Blue Moon.  It was nice to see that they were also offering one of their newly acquired ciders from Angry Orchard.  The bottle list was Coors Light, Blue Moon, Sam Adams Light, Guinness, Heineken, Corona, Bud Light, Amstel Light, Miller Light, and O’Douls.  There were several wine options and a full spirits bar. 

Their food menu was made up of burgers, sandwiches, a couple of salads, chicken fingers, fries and rings.  They also serve a few breakfast items until 10:30am.  Most of their food items appear to fall in the $7 to $9 range.  Their vegetarian options were limited to a veggie burger and a fresh mozzarella sandwich. 

I hate to report that the service here was awful.  It took nearly ten minutes just to get someone to look at me, and I was sitting at the bar with a credit card laid directly in front of me.  Despite the fact that they appeared to be at around 25% capacity, the staff looked absolutely overwhelmed.  It’s a good thing I didn’t want anything to eat, because I had to ask for a menu and later had to flag down two different people just to get the opportunity to pay for my beer.  I’m not sure what was going on, but I got the idea my patronage was bothering them.  My Octoberfest was served in an “imperial” shaker glass that cost me $8.16 plus tip (which I’m not sure was deserved).

While I was enjoying my pint they were tapping a Sam Adams “limited” called White Lantern.  I asked the bartender what it was, and she had absolutely no idea.  She offered me a little sample, and it appeared to be some sort of citrusy witbier.

I’d like to say that next time I’m passing through Richmond I’ll buzz over to Applebee’s and grab a pint of that Legend beer, but to be honest I’m just not a big fan of Brown Ales.  I suppose that I’ll probably head back into the Sam Adams Celebrates for a little more abuse.  I like most of their seasonals, and maybe I’ll stumble into another “limited” draft that they don’t know about.  They also had their Boston Ale on the menu, which I enjoy but didn’t see a handle for.  I’d probably suffer through more crappy service to get some of that.

 

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Monkish’s Galaxy Defender (#5)

Growler poured into a tulip glass.  6.4% ABV.

Appearance:  Stained leather.  Brilliantly clear.  Covered by a thick, white head that slowly dissipates into a thin ring that paints lacing all down the sides of my glass (4/5).

Aroma:  Papaya and grapefruit pith.  There is a floral aroma hidden deep in the glass as well (4.5/5).

Taste:  Grapefruit and orange juice.  Very citrusy.  I get a little bit of that Belgian yeast character late in the aftertaste.  It’s hard to explain, but this beer is full of life.  Amazing (4.25/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, medium carbonation (4.5/5).

Overall:  Here it is!  This is what I’ve been missing through the first few beers of this project… freshness!  I picked up this growler directly from the Monkish taproom and it’s beautiful.  I recognize that this beer is not strictly true to the style guidelines (it goes way over the mark on hop aroma), but it definitely falls within the parameters I set up for this project.  It’s just an Americanized version of the style.  I have no problem with that.  So far it’s definitely my favorite (4.25/5).

-Matt