Hello all! Almost two weeks ago, I went out to the city across the river and went to one of the hottest new spots in the city: Beer Authority NYC, right around the Port Authority station on West 40th Street and 8th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. This place is HUGE, with three floors, a forth-coming growler station, a rooftop deck (also forth-coming, but with NYC politicians being NYC politicians, who knows when), and an awesome beer selection. But this blog is about the beer, and not the restaurant/bar (no offense to the owners), so I will now tell about the four beers I had that day (I wrote them down with details).
First, I had the Flying Dog Underground Atlantic Lager. One of my favorite breweries, Flying Dog never disappoints, but I had never heard of this one. A gentle 4.7% ABV, this one hell of a lager. It is not only refreshing, but it has a certain bite and filling body that makes it seem heavier than it is. The hops are subtle at first, but then come on strong towards the end. This beer is going to be a killer this upcoming summer, I can tell you that, by the reactions of beer reviewers on-line and in person. Food pairings: Salads, grilled poultry and seafood.
Next was Cigar City's Maduro Brown Ale. This brewery from Florida has become a cult phenomenon of sorts around the beer community for years now, and is slowing trekking out of the Sunshine State and heading northward. I heard so much about this particular brew, so I plunkered down for it. A first sniff, the oats, malts, and hops really come alive, with such a rich, toasty, and roasted amalgamation. Sipping this beer, well, it was better than I envisioned. I had to sip it, because it was so fucking good. The roasted malts and toasty oats really came together, giving this beer a unique flavor and taste like no other beer can deliver. I can have this beer with a special dinner or the holidays (Think turkey or smoked ham). As with other brown ales, this one has some sweetness, but more malty than sugary (could be the cocoa). Florida's best kept secret is now one of the country's greatest treasures. Smoked meats and dark chocolate work best with this beer.
The next beer I tried was from Anderson Valley Brewing (yep, named after a valley in California). I have had a couple of their beers (Boony ESB was delicious, the Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout was a bit flat), but the name of this next one got my attention: Horn Of The Beer Barley wine. With a name like that, it better be good (it also didn't help that is was 81 degrees outside and I was ordering a Barley wine). Anyway, at 8.6% ABV this Barley wine seemed a little lighter compared to some others of its type (Brooklyn Brewery's Monster and Weyerbacher's Blithering Idiot come to mind), but it had something special: A lasting sweetness. Yup, this barley wine had some residual sweetness at the end of each sip, adding to a surprisingly full body and rich hops. Was I sure this one was less than 9% ABV? It really had a great flavor, and balanced mouth feel (think hops and pine syrup with a dash of nutmeg), strong complexity, but it still won't touch the two barley wines I mentioned above. Food pairings: Use as an digestive, and if you must pair it, a strong cheese like a Stilton works best.
The final beer of the day was Lagunitas Brewery's Wilco Tango Foxtrot, or more affectionately, WTF. Lagunitas is a brewery that doesn't fuck around when it comes to making beer. From Maximus to Little Brown Shugga to the Frank Zappa Series (shame on the estate for stopping those), this brewery always takes the bar and raises it. Now on to the beer. An American Strong ale of the brown kind, this one packs a punch from all corners. The nose is very big, with coffee, cocoa and some orange peel hitting me up good. The taste has a port meets citrus digestive meets cocoa, with a roasted hop kick at the end (although the hops are very subtle here), hence the name of this brew. WTF am I drinking here? A one of a kind, take no prisoners, don't give me no bullshit kind of beer, that's what. It is also seasonal. Food pairings: Roast beef, lamb, dinners with fruit sauces.
I know it seems like it was a lot, but I had good time in a good place with great beer. For more information about these beers, here are some websites:
Flying Dog Brewery - www.flyingdogales.com
Cigar City Brewing - www.cigarcitybrewing.com
Anderson Valley Brewing Company - www.avbc.com
Lagunitas Brewing Company - www.lagunitas.com
Also, if want to know more about food and beer pairings, you can taste and try on your own at your place or favorite bar, or for less of a headache, do this: www.craftbeer.com/pages/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/pairing-chart. Click "Download PDF" when you get there, and you're all set. Peace, folks!
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