Brewpubs – Cervejaria Burgman in Sorocaba, São Paulo

The Burgman "compound" is amazing. As we drove through the gates we were presented with the options of walking straight into the brewery, or heading up a small flight of stairs into a dance club. The music in the club was a little too loud for an old fart like me, so we elected for option A. Just behind the front door is a bar and dining area, and beyond that is the brewery itself. The dining area has perhaps a dozen tables, a refrigerator full or bottles, and a couple televisions broadcasting soccer. Inside the brewery is additional seating, another small bar, and a good sized gift shop. The brewery is massive and beautiful and a great place to enjoy a pint. Shiny tanks and kettles flank the room, and kegs line the walls. There's even a small children's play area. The gift shop had every piece of brewery merchandise you could ever want, including shirts, hats, aprons, glasses, bottles, kegs, card games, and cutlery sets. Overall I can't imagine an environment more conducive to drinking a pint or three.

Burgman’s beer is slightly better than most Brazilian microcervejarias. Their Lager is a bit sulfury and tastes a like cooked corn, and their Flanders Red doesn't even have the suggestion of sourness (it is more of an amber ale). Their Black is way too sweet and their Stout is a bit thin, but their IPA (pronounced "ee-pah" as if it were a word and not an acronym) is nice and their Weiss is brilliant. The prices were reasonable and ranged from around R$5 to R$8 per pint.

The menu is mostly just variations of meat (sausage, steaks, cow knees, etc.) My friend and I shared a massive pile of fries covered in melted white cheeses. I don't know if this puts me in a good position to evaluate their food, but what we had was decent.

It would be an absolute pleasure to give Burgman an amazing review, but sadly and unfortunate incident marred my experience at the very end. Near closing we asked our waiter to call us a taxi (Brazil has a "zero tolerance" policy on drinking and driving). Instead of calling a cab, they called a "friend" with no license and no meter. Who knows what this guy intended to charge or where he was actually going to take us? We would not get in the car and the staff at Burgman argued with us for over thirty minutes while a legitimate cab was dispatched. Apparently this is fairly common in Brazil and can be dangerous. Overall Burgman was great, but I am very disappointed with this unethical practice. This is why my "service" rating is lower than I would like to see. As much as I enjoyed the place, I will never go back. Please be aware.

In addition, I had another regrettable surprise after I wrote this review. The staff at Burgman told us that they were owned by the same guy that brews at Micro Cervejaria Bamberg, which is about 20 minutes away by car. I had the good fortune of meeting the brewer at Bamberg (who makes amazing beer), and he informed me that he has nothing to do with Burgman. I’m not sure I understand the deception, but it has also left a bad taste in my mouth.

Av. Eng. Carlos Reinaldo Mendes 5025

Sorocaba, 18013-280
15 3218 1818
http://www.cervejariaburgman.com.br/

-Matt

Cooking and Drinking – Beer Shrimp Boil with Cocktail Sauce

Beer Shrimp Boil

48 oz. Recommended Beer

2 lbs. White Shrimp (tail-on)
2 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the beer to a boil.  Rinse the shrimp and add them to the beer.  Starting at three minutes, check individual shrimps for pinkness throughout.  Once achieved, strain the shrimp and pour them into a large serving bowl.  Cover with the Old Bay and toss to coat the shrimp evenly.  Add salt and pepper according to preference.

Chef’s Note:  It is the opinion of this author that there is little to no difference in the final outcome of shrimp boiled in an expensive all-malt pilsner, and a cheap can of American adjunct lager.  It may be financially wiser to enjoy your expensive craft beer with the shrimp, and boil it in something that costs half the price. 

Cocktail Sauce

0.5 cup Ketchup

1 tbsp. Horseradish
2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in a serving bowl and refridgerate.

Beer Recommendation: 

Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA) – Pils

Czech Style Pilsner (available year round)

Just because this one comes via a boiling pot, doesn’t mean you need to remove yourself from the party.  Imagine yourself standing solo beside your stove, monitoring shrimp color, while the backyard party rages on outside without you.  Sad and lonely, isn’t it?  Now imagine yourself sporting a BBQ apron, an oversized slotted spoon in hand, a cold beer occasionally kissing you on the lips, and an entire party virtually under your thumb.  More awesome.  This victory can be achieved by picking up that old beer filled shrimp hot tub and rocking it straight on top of your barbeque.  It may be a bit charred by the end of the process, but it’s a small price to pay for BBQ immortality *.  Once complete, your stock can only go up when you drop that six pack of Lagunitas’ Pils on the picnic table beside your marine conquest.  The simply named Pils is clean and clear with a light graininess and mild Saaz hoppiness that should satiate even the most timid hop adversary.  Long live the craft lager. 

* Of course, this drama can be avoided entirely if you’ve got one of those fancy side burners on your grill.  Enjoy your get-together.

Glassware – Pilsner Glass

ABV – 6.2%
Serving Temperature – 40 to 45°F

Possible Substitutions: 

Bohemian Brewery & Grill (Midvale, UT) – Czech Pilsner

Czech Pilsner (available year round) 

This fizzy liquid gold out of the Great City of Salt is a refreshing treat for hot summer days.  The hops are crisp, the malt is biscuity, and the low ABV makes it über-sessionable.  Great beer from a great little brewery.

Oskar Blues Brewery (Lyons, CO) – Mama’s Little Yella Pils

Traditional Pilsner (available year round) 

Oskar Blues, the original craft can proponent, takes a step back from their normal bold flavors to make a nicely balanced lager.  This all-malt pilsner smells like fresh cut grass and tastes like a dream.  Perfect lubrication for freshly boiled shrimp.

Last Resort: 

Your local Czech or American style pilsner.

 

-Matt

Beer Bars – Luxalune Gastropub in Winnipeg, Manitoba

My initial impression as I walked into this bar was one of slight concern.  I was welcomed by a three foot stack of cardboard six-pack holders, a couple of beat up pool tables, a giant “Spin the Wheel”, two dozen abused booths, and a life-sized cut out of the Most Interesting Man in the World.  The interior was painted in black and punctuated with a handful of television screens featuring hockey.  The furniture was pretty worn and the bathroom was beat absolutely to hell.  I was not travelling with beer people and I was worried that I may lose some credibility here.  My colleagues and I apprehensively took a seat and began to thumb through a menu.

The owners of Luxalune apparently brew their own beer under the banner Farmery Estate.  The beer is an all-malt lager, and to add a twist to this story, they even grow their own barley in the fields of Manitoba.  So this is what I started with.

I was a bit surprised when this beer came to me in a 12 ounce bottle with an empty Mason jar.  I’m at the source and it doesn’t come in draft?  Farmery Premium Lager is sweet, corny, and easy to drink.  I guess the beer is decent attempt at what it was trying to be even if it’s not generally my cup of tea.  And I wasn’t impressed with the empty jar, but I guess there are worse offenses to be made in a beer bar.

When the beer came we ordered food, and this is when Luxalune started to shine.  Almost everything was presented in “tapas” format, so we ordered a bunch of different items for the table.  Out came pub fries, several vegetarian pizzas, and an incredible beer-blueberry-Brie cheese combination.  The food was fantastic.  All of it.  We ordered food, and then ordered a second round.  I can’t speak highly enough of their menu.  Absolutely wonderful.   

Luxalune indicates that they have 150 beers available, but to me it looked like only eight of these are on draft handles (and two of them were blank on this particular evening).  Their international selection was mildly uninspiring, but the list of Canadian bottles was brilliant.  There was Russell Brewery, Driftwood, Phillips Brewery, Granville Island, and Parallel 49 from British Columbia.  They had Big Rock from Alberta and Unibroue from Quebec.  Waterloo, Muskoka, Double Trouble, and Mill Street represented Ontario.  Yukon was there from Yukon, as was Pumphouse from New Brunswick.  And of course Manitoba was there with Half Pints and Fort Garry.

In a nutshell… Luxalune looks a little questionable, but they’ve got a great Canadian beer list and amazing food.  I would go back in a heartbeat and recommend it to anyone looking for a local pint.

734 Osborne Street
Winnipeg, MB R3L 2C2
204-453-0222
http://www.luxalune.com

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – A Homebrew Recipe

Part of what I want to do for this comprehensive guide is to come up with an interesting Belgian Pale Ale recipe.  I have had enough of these beers over the past few weeks to know what I like, and hope to be able to design a recipe that plays to all my preferences. 

I noted in my “Concurrent Analysis” some of the elements I enjoy in a good Belgian Pale Ale.  These include an interesting complexity in both the nose and flavor, and a yeast-derived fresh apple character.  I also commented on a few things I would like to see more of.  The BJCP guidelines note that the style could include a both a “toasty, biscuity, nutty malt flavor” and an “orange- or pear-like fruitiness”, but I have found most of my commercial examples lacking in these areas. 

I assembled a grain bill that I hoped would give me that “toasty, biscuity, nutty malt flavor” I’m looking for.  Instead of going with straight Belgian Pilsner in my base, I swapped out two pounds for Maris Otter.  I’m estimating that this will give me both the Pilsner character I like, and the “biscuity, nutty” flavor I’m looking for.  The Munich is for more malty flavors, and Caramunich is for that plus color and body.  I probably could have gone with more Munich, but I wanted to keep my original gravity down as low as possible.  I’m a huge fan of session beers, and I want this to be one of them.

For the hops I had two objectives; use at least two different varieties to add layers of flavor, and make sure neither of them is Saaz (I have a hard time with the flavor of Saaz).  I ended up with Styrian Bobek for the bittering addition, and both Fuggles and Styrian Bobek for the aroma.  I went with Fuggles because of the woody and floral aroma, and Styrian Bobek because it sounds like a Lord of the Rings character.  Both are referenced in the BJCP style guidelines as acceptable for the style, so I should be relatively on target (Styrian Bobek is substitute for Styrian Goldings).  I intentionally overshot the IBU range by about ten points because I enjoy a little bitterness in these beers, and I’d like the hop character to last for a couple months.

I’ve seen several Belgian Pale Ale recipes that include sugar or honey additions, which to me seems out of character.  Save the extra sugar for the Blonds.  But what I am going to add is a little bit of freshly grated orange zest to push the orange-like character I’d like to see more of.

So anyway, here is my Belgian Pale Ale recipe.  I’ll report the results once it’s in my pint glass…

human.analog

Ingredients

7 lbs. Belgian Pilsner Malt
2 lbs. Maris Otter Pale Malt
1 lb. Caramunich Malt
4 oz. Munich Malt
1 oz. Fuggles (60 minute)
2 oz. Styrian Bobek (30 minute)
1 oz. Fuggles (15 minute)
2.3 oz. Fresh Orange Zest (10 minute)
WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast

Specifications

OG:  1.045
IBU:  39
SRM:  9

Directions

Mash at 153°F for 60 minutes.  Batch sparge with balance of required water.  Boil for 90 minutes and pitch at 72°F.  Ferment in primary for two weeks, holding temperatures in the mid- to upper-60°F’s, add geletin and store it cold for one more week.  Remove from fallen debris, carbonate, and serve.

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – A Concurrent Analysis

I have just surpassed the halfway point in my Belgian Pale Ale Project, and I thought this would be a good time to stop and reflect on what I’ve learned so far.  Thus far the project has included…

Avery Brewing Company - Karma (#1)

Hangar 24 Craft Brewery - Belgian Summer Ale (#2)
Brouwerij De Koninck - De Koninck (#3)
Blue Moon Brewing Company (Coors) - Rounder (#4)
Monkish Brewing Co. - Galaxy Defender (#5)
Abbey Beverage Company - Monks’ Ale (#6)
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales - Luciérnaga (The Firefly) (#7) (9/21/13)
Brouwerij de Musketiers’s - Antigoon by Robert Wiedmaier (#8)
Perennial Artisan Ales - Hommel Bier (#9) (9/27/13)
Eagle Rock Brewery - Unionist (#10)
Uinta Brewing - Monkshine (#11)
Brewery Ommegang - BPA (#12)
Mikkeller - Årh Hvad?! (#13)

I intentionally picked this style of beer because it is not one that I am intimately familiar with, but I am starting to feel like this experience gap is being bridged.  Thus far I have learned to expect a strong apple or cider character both in the nose and on the tongue.  I have come to anticipate a Pilsner malt flavor with a controlled Saaz bite on the finish.  I look forward to beers that are mildly sweet, but not cloying.  This latter attribute, along with a low alcohol presence, makes them very drinkable.  It is well described as an “everyday beer”.

Most of the Belgian Pale Ales in the first half of this project have had very simple flavor profiles, and with a couple of them this quality has actually presented itself as a negative.  When everything is in perfect balance and nothing dares to stand out, the beer lacks personality and quickly becomes boring.  This style could be a good gateway beer to craft beer virgins, but when it’s dumbed-down to favor the assumed lowest common denominator, there is really no reason to drink a second one. 

I have also discovered that this beer is a delicate creature and does not age with grace.  Many of my bottles have unfortunately been well past their prime.  Freshness is highly desirable.  More draft options would be nice, but it’s not an excessively popular style and it doesn’t seem to end up on many handles.

What I have come to enjoy about this style is the fresh apple quality that comes from fermentation.  Antigoon and De Koninck are great examples of this.  I also really appreciate breweries that have taken this style and really made it their own.  This category is not known for excessive complexity, but there are a couple of skilled brewers that have wrapped their offerings in a at least a couple of layers.  Årh Hvad?!, Firefly, and Galaxy Defender are all examples of beers that use the style as a foundation, but feature their own unique personality.  BPA also has enough going on to stay interesting from top to bottom. 

There are a few things that I hope to see more of through the balance of this project.  One would be more malt complexity.  The BJCP guidelines note that this style “has an initial soft, malty sweetness with a toasty, biscuity, nutty malt flavor.”  That has not been my experience at all; in fact, malt character has been completely absent among these initial thirteen.  I would also like to find fruit flavors in addition to just apples and pears.  For example Galaxy Defender has an amazing grapefruit character, and BPA has hints of papaya.  The guidelines suggest that Belgian Pale Ales “may have an orange- or pear-like fruitiness”, but I have found precious little citrus in my glasses.  Ultimately I’m not searching for big bold flavors, but some depth in the aroma and taste would be very welcomed. 

 I have greatly enjoyed exploring this style over the past few weeks and expect to more than just drinking over the next two months.  My plans include some cooking, pairing, and homebrewing.  Should be fun.

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Mikkeller’s Årh Hvad?! (#13)

750ml bottle decanted into an oversized snifter.  6.8% ABV.

Appearance:  Stained oak.  Brilliantly clear.  Thick, bumpy head and beautiful lace (4.75/5).

Aroma:  Immediately following the pour I pick up some acidity from the Brettanomyces.  Once that settles out a bit, the aroma becomes very earthy.  It’s like fresh cut apples in a flower shop.  I could smell this all day (4.5/5).

Taste:  So many layers to pick apart… the earthy character does not taste old and damp; it’s bright and alive.  As it warms flavors like pepper, smoke, wood, and chalk come and go.  Fresh and funky.  The Brett has dried this beer out considerably, and there is a nice hop bit in the aftertaste (4.75/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, medium carbonation.  There is also a touch of puckering quality from the wood flavor (4.5/5).

Overall:  This is the first Belgian Pale Ale I’ve had with Brett in it, and I absolutely love it.  It is an amazing beer and was perfectly timed in this project.  I understand this style well enough now to know what the rules are, and what Mikkeller has done to intentionally break them.  Årh Hvad?! is apparently Mikkeller’s tribute to Orval (it’s actually pronounced similar to Orval in Danish), and translates to “oh what?!”  The base is perfectly in line with the style, and the wild yeast adds a lively personality.  I am enamored with it (4.75/5).

-Matt

Belgian Pale Ale Project – Ommegang’s BPA (#12)

12 ounce bottle decanted into a tulip.  6.2% ABV.

Appearance:  Big, fat, soapy bubbles cover a reservoir of dirty copper.  The head is substantial and apparently has the idea of being the last one to leave the party (3.75/5).

Aroma:  Very yeasty with a citrus chaser.  I get the characteristic apple aroma as well, but I really have to hunt for it (3.75/5).

Taste:  I immediately see the pilsner malt base, which is quickly complimented with pineapple and papaya.  This is followed by a citrusy, American hop bite that rides the line between subtle and noisy.  Nothing lingers.  It’s very dry and super-easy to drink (4.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Light body, medium carbonation.  A touch of astringency in the finish (4.25/5).

Overall:  This is the perfect example of a beer that is designed to be restrained, yet remains interesting.  None of the flavors jump out and hit you over the head, but there is enough going on in there that you are highly motivated to finish the pint.  I really enjoyed this beer and have ranked it among my favorites for the style (4.25/5).

-Matt

Cooking and Drinking – Black Garlic Burgers

I thought I should throw this recipe/pairing up before it really starts getting cold outside.  It was designed to be the centerpiece of the “Backyard BBQ” menu my mom and I had assembled.  It’s kind of interesting for me to dig up a hamburger recipe today because I have since become a vegetarian, but we did test it out with the suggested pairings and I remember it being fantastic.

If you haven’t had black garlic before, you are missing out.  It’s an amazing combination of garlic, molasses, and sweet dried fruit.  I was introduced to it at the downtown San Diego location of Karl Strauss.  They make a black garlic fondue with Cambozola cheese, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, a cream sauce flavored with their Red Trolley Ale, and, of course, black garlic.  Unbelievable.  My mom found an online specialty food store that sold black garlic, and immediately found a home for it in this burger recipe she developed. 

Enjoy!

Black Garlic Burgers

2 lbs. Ground Beef

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

2 heads Black Garlic (cleaned and mashed)

1 Egg

0.25 cup Milk

Salt and pepper to taste

8 Hamburger Buns

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except buns).  Cover and refrigerate for two to four hours.  Preheat grill to low heat.  Form meat into eight patties.  Cook burgers on grill to desired level of doneness (keep the lid closed as much as possible and flip patties minimally).  Serve on buns. 

Chef’s Note:  Black garlic can be kind of hard to come by.  Rest assured that it is worth the effort, but if your hunt ultimately ends unsuccessfully this same recipe (and beer pairing) works beautifully with regular minced garlic.  Just use the same quantity as called for in the instructions above.

Chef’s Tip:  Tired of your perfectly formed burger patties turning into fat balls of beef on your grill?  Try this… press a deep thumbprint in the middle of each patty before you close the lid.  As the meat cooks, it will fill in the hole and retain its burger-like shape.

Beer Recommendation: 

Bootleggers’s Brewery (Fullerton, CA) – Black Phoenix

Chipotle Coffee Stout (limited availability)

The relationship between chili and beer has come a long way since Crazy Ed Chilleen was hand-dropping Serrano peppers into his Cave Creek Chili Beer back in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  Over the past decade, chili has slowly earned a reputation as a respectable addition to beer when it’s not used as a novelty.  Dogfish Head uses Ancho chilies to balance out the cocoa sweetness in their Theobroma.  Stone complimented the spice of cinnamon with Anaheim peppers in the 11.11.11 addition of their Vertical Epic series.  And Cigar City Hunahup’s Imperial Stout is delicately laced with both Ancho and Pasilla chilies.  There are also breweries that provide spiced variants of their core beers.  Goose Island has been known to heat up their Bourbon County Stout.  Ballast Point frequently does the same thing with its Sculpin IPA.  These modifications often come as welcome deviations from some of our favorite brands.  For those of you that still want to shock your friends, or strip the paint off the side of your house, they still make Cave Creek Chili Beer in Tecate, Mexico.  But if you’re interested in experiencing the flavor of a well made beer that also has chili, please see below.

Bootlegger’s is a small-batch, craft brewery in Orange County, California.  They are well known among beer enthusiasts for creative style bending and interesting use of ingredients.  One of their creations that does a little of both is Black Phoenix.  Chocolate malt, roasted barley, and oats are teamed with both Arabica coffee and Chipotle peppers to give the brew a delicious roastiness, a hint of smoke, and gentle warmth on the finish.  These flavors come together with the savory hamburger and the sweet, molassesy black garlic to create an amazing pairing.  Drinking it slow and allowing it to warm will give you different perspectives on the chili.

Glassware – Pint Glass

ABV – 6.7% ABV
Serving Temperature – 45 to 50°F

Possible Substitutions: 

Rogue Ales & Spirits (Newport, OR) – Chipotle Ale

Amber Ale (seasonal availability; spring)

In 1575, Spanish author Juan de la Cueva wrote about a Mexican dish that was a combination of beer and seedless chipotle peppers.  This passage served as inspiration for Rogue to blend smoked chili into their American Amber Ale.  The result starts malty, moves into smoky, and quietly fades away with a touch of heat.

Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA) – The Vixen

Chocolate Chili Bock (limited availability)

The Vixen was one of four initial offerings in Sam Adam’s limited “small batch series”.  It’s like a scaled back version of their Chocolate Bock, with cinnamon and almost a suggestion of pepper flavor.  Take a sip, wait ten seconds, inhale, and it suddenly comes alive.  This base beer, perhaps more than any other recommendation, compliments the unique sweetness of the black garlic and ties everything together beautifully.

Last Resort: 

Your local chili or chipotle beer.

-Matt

Beer Events – Barrel Aged Beer Day

IPA Day is August 1^st.  Sour Beer Day is the second Saturday in September.  International Stout Day is November 8^th.  Well beer lovers, you’ve got a new “Day” to add to your calendars.  Starting this year, the first Friday in October will be recognized as Barrel Aged Beer Day.  This new celebration of all things stored in wood was spearheaded by The Bruery in Placentia, California and is designed to raise awareness of this incredible cellaring technique.  The idea is for breweries and restaurants to coordinate special releases and/or events with the purpose of introducing exciting new flavors only available through the barrel aging to their patrons. 

I will be commemorating the inaugural Barrel Aged Beer Day by sharing a Café Royale from Williamsburg Alewerks and a Big Bad Baptist from Epic with friends around a campfire.  I can’t wait for the festivities to begin.

Merry Barrel Aged Beer Day!

-Matt

Beer Bars – Tap 42 Bar & Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Tap 42 is a well designed craft beer bar that’s about a fifteen minute drive off the beach in Fort Lauderdale.  It has indoor seating (that I didn’t see much of), and a spacious outdoor area with bar and dinner tables.  There were apparently forty two beers on tap, and the menu laid out my options nicely.  During my visit they offered a handful of local beers from Cigar City, Florida Beer Company, and Funky Buddha.  There were other east coast options from Dogfish Head, Ommegang, Yuengling, Brooklyn, Magic Hat, Harpoon, SweetWater, Angry Orchard, Victory, and Terrapin.  Bell's seemed to be the only mid-west representation, and Left Hand, Oskar Blues, and Breckenridge were there for the Rockies.  Abita wrapped up the south.  Everything else, like Lagunitas, Stone, Sierra Nevada, Coronado, Ballast Point, Rogue, and Anderson Valley was from the west coast.

We dropped by on a Wednesday night and there was an hour and a half wait for a table on a Wednesday (apparently Wednesday is “Lady's Night”).  I was impressed that it wasn’t terrible hard to get my hands on a pint while we waited despite the crowd.  My only complaint is the noise.  The four hundred simultaneous, alcohol fueled conversations resulted in a constant roar so loud that I had to scream at my friends to maintain a conversation.  I’m not sure Tap 42 can do much to manage that, or if they would even care, but after two hours yelling got pretty old.

I had an amazing veggie burger that was clearly made in-house, with roasted brussel sprouts.  My friends enjoyed their meals as well.  When we were done we asked them to call a cab and it arrived quickly.

I would have absolutely loved this place if I didn't have to scream for two and a half hours to maintain a conversation.  I guess it’s a sign of my age that I complain about the noise at “Lady’s Night”, but this is where I’m at. Maybe next time I’ll try Tuesday…

1411 S. Andrews Ave.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316

954-463-4900

http://www.tap42.com/

-Matt