Witbier Triple Threat Match

     Hope everybody had a great Fourth of July. Went too fast didn't it? Well, whatever you all did, hope you enjoyed yourselves. Beer? Yes, this is a blog about it, and the beer today I will review is a style of beer called Witbier. Witbier is a style of beer from Bavaria, meaning "white beer", which gets its name from the yeast and wheat proteins that stay suspended, giving the beer a hazy, cloudy, appearance. This type of beer is very light and refreshing on hot days like the ones that have been hovering around us lately. I will review three very good American brewed Witbiers.
     First up, from Dexter, Michigan, comes the Calabaza Blanca. A rich, artisanal brew, this hazy number is modeled more after a Belgian Biere Blanche (basically a Belgian variation on the Witbier style). At 4.8% ABV, this guy is oak barrel aged, with a spice character and hazy goodness. The color is a hazy yellow-orange, a nice foamy head, with a smooth spicy start, and a nice, dry and citrusy finish.
      The second beer reviewed is from Cleveland, Ohio, called Holy Moses White Ale, from Great River Brewery. Named after the founder of the city, at 5.4% ABV, this beer is as refreshing as it is complex. The kicker? Like other Witbiers, it is brewed with coriander spice and orange peel, but Chamomile is placed towards the end of the brewing. The result? The chamomile gives the beer a nice herbal and floral boost, making it a more refreshing brew. You can smell the chamomile at first scent, blending in quite well with the orange zest and coriander.
      The third and last beer in this blogpost is closer to home, from Easton, Pennsylvania to be exact. The beer is called, quite simply, Blanche. This beer is also modeled on the Belgian Biere Blanche. This one checks in at 4.6% ABV, and uses Cacao orange peels to blend in with the coriander spices, thus giving a tart, but spicy taste. This one also has a wonderful haziness, although lighter than the two others mentioned beforehand. It is also surprising mild.
      Now, which one wins? I will go with the Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca. It is so unique and so full of flavor. It is well balanced, and goes beyond the call of duty, well, for a Witbier/Blanche anyway. I can also drink this with dinner, primarily one with grilled chicken or game hens and garden salad. not to say the Holy Moses or Blanche are bad, they are both also outstanding. They just won't hold a candle to the Calabaza Blanca. Well, there you have it. A Witbier triple threat match with three great beers, and one tough winner.
For more information (if you care) :

www.weyerbacher.com
www.greatlakesbrewing.com
www.jollypumpkin.com

Rosee D' Hibiscus

   Today's beer review is on Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel's Rosee D' Hibiscus. Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel, from Montreal, Canada, has won accolades at many beer festivals for there beers, and this one continues that tradition. This one is a wheat beer, brewed with spices and hibiscus flowers. The color is a light, pink-red hue. Upon first sniff, you can really smell the hibiscus, some rose water, as well as some coriander. Upon first taste, really tangy, light, with a little bit of sweetness, perhaps from the flowers. There are also hints of nutmeg and vanilla here as well. The mouthfeel is light and refreshing, very thirst quenching indeed. Food pairings: Fruit salads, garden salads, soft, creamy cheeses.
    The Rosee D' Hibiscus is one unique beer, full of flavor and originality, all at about 5% ABV. Upon first taste and scent, you can see why it is a medal winner. With a combination of unique ingredients, this one defies categorization. Don't let the name fool you. The beer is that good.

Sixpoint Apollo

    It's been awhile hasn't it? Well, I'm back with a brand new review based on a beer that has been getting some well deserved attention: Sixpoint's summer seasonal brew, Apollo. For those of you who want to know what or who Apollo is, he is the Greek god of the Arts. For those who want to know about the beer, well, here  you go: It is a light, refreshing twist on the near-ancient Kristallweizen.
    At first pour, it has a nice light and glowing golden yellow hue (light SBM for all of you beer geeks out there). More than likely, that hue is pretty inviting. Nose wise, I smelled wheats, grains, and citrus, all of which complimented each other very well, having me think of a "citrus bread funk" scent. Mouthfeel: Very smooth and easy drinking, no heaviness here. Light on the palate and very cleansing. Now for the taste: a nice citrus twang, with a little bit of sweet tart sting at the end. It also benefited from having a nice grain aftertaste, which added some character to an already character-filled weissbeir.
    Now onto food pairings. since Apollo is sort of an unofficial hybrid of a Kristallweizen and Hefeweizen (yes, there is some yeasty, nutty goodness in this beer, but in slight amounts), I would recommend salads, grilled chicken, and mozzarella sticks.
   Sixpoint has done it again. These guys continue to brew and can beers that really push the bounds of what one brewery can do with they are given. Whatever they get, they really give beer drinkers some good gifts. Since it is named after a god, it is a great offering which leads me to ask a question: Do gods drink beer? Weren't some gods worshipped with beer during those nights of ancient debauchery? Whatever the case, the Apollo is a canned gift from above.
   

NYC Trip - Four in one

    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!

21st Amendment Monk's Blood Dubble style

  You all know me, I am down for anything new to try, especially when it comes to beer. Today's review is on a canned beer called Monk's Blood, from 21st Amendment Brewery, straight out of San Francisco. A great brewery in its own right, they can every beer they have ever produced. Cans are better for beer anyway because they keep sunlight out, which can harm beer (green and clear bottles suck), and keep its fresher longer. When I saw that they had a canned dubbel, I was kind of surprised. Canned Belgian beer? So I decided to buy some and get myself a review.
   At first pour into my glass (this glass is necessary), it has a nice rich, brown hue. At first smell, there are malts, some baked bread and oak. Very rich indeed. Then there is the taste. Very well done, with the roasted malts, oak, brown sugar, and figs coming together to make a rich and succulent dubble that stands up to its brown glassed brethren. So tasty and decadent at the same time. I just love the way 21st Amendment puts a total effort into all of their beers. From light and fruity (Hell or High Water Watermelon Wheat) to wintry and warm (Fireside Chat) to hoppy (Brew Free or Die), this brewery really makes sure they are just as satisfied with their beers as much as their customers are. I'm one of them, and thanks for giving a damn about your drinkers guys. Monk's Blood keeps that winning streak going.
  Food pairings: Roasted and smoked meats and game, barbecue, and for you cheese lovers, French Morbier.

Beer Review: Bete Blanche Tripel by Elysian Brewing

  As I said late last week, this blog will be about beer only. Well, here we go: this review will be about Elysian Brewing Company's Bete Blanche Tripel. Elysian Brewing Company is based out of Seattle, Washington, has been brewing beer since 1995, at the genesis of the craft beer revolution of the mid to late 1990s. This offering, a Belgian Style Tripel, is a new arrival to my store and occupation space, the Wine Library. The cool art of the label had me hooked. Okay, not really, but the big ingredient on the label sure as hell did: Belgian Candy Sugar. Belgian Candy Sugar? That's right, this a tripel with some sweetness. Keep in mind, most Belgian brews will have some sort of a sweet component, whether it be dried figs, brown sugar, or molasses, in small hints. This one is no different.
  At first pour, the color is a faint orange-yellow, kind of like a sun-beaten pile of hay. Now the nose. There is some malty sweetness on the nose, as well as some lightly roasted wheat and grains. The taste, as I explained earlier, will have some sweetness. But that sweetness blends in with the wheat and grain mouthfeel of this beer. It doesn't overpower, it blends right in, adding a caramel like oomph to that wheat and grain. In turn, the wheat and grain combination helps keep that sugar in check. Let's not forget the hops also corral the sweet wheat of this beer, and gives it a balanced finish like no other tripel I have ever had.
  Now on to food pairings. This tripel is best with cheese like St. Andre (rich and creamy), or spicy Cajun cuisine(to balance the sweetness). Another note about this brew: it is a spring seasonal.
  Elysian Brewing has become a cult brewery out west, and now their travels eastward will solidify that status and make it legendary. I am currently eyeing their Immortal IPA, which also looks like a winner. Hell, looking at their website, everyone of those beers seem legendary. It looks like I have favorite new West Coast brewery. For more information on the brewery, check it out at : www.elysianbrewing.com

Beer for brunch? Why the hell not!

    As I take a mini-break from Holiday Hell and Brimstone, I want to relate to you the lovely brunch I went to this past Sunday. I took a trip across the river to the world famous Blind Tiger Alehouse (281 Bleecker Street in Manhattan). This was a Founder's Brunch, where of course, the beers on special were from Founder's, a brewery from Michigan (that deserves all of their accolades). Anyway, I ordered pancakes, eggs overeasy and sausage, and washed it down with three beers, two from Founders, and one from Dieu Du Ciel (a brewery from Canada) .
   The first beer I had was the Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout. Now I see (and taste) what employees and customers have been raving about. This stout is loaded with rich cocoa, smoky maple, and sweet molasses. It went down so smooth and neat, it actually enhanced the syrup on my pancakes (battered with Brooklyn Weisse BTW).
  The second beer I had with brunch was CBS' heavier older brother, the Kentucky Breakfast Bourbon Stout. I've had this beer before, with its intense richness, the sweet spice of the bourbon, deep color and smooth stout flavor. Much, much bigger and creamier than CBS, Kentucky Breakfast Bourbon Stout just beckons you to take a ride.
  Lastly, Dieu Du Ciel's Solstice D'Hiver helped finish brunch off right. A barleywine style, this little motherfucker packed a punch. Full of herbs, spices (vanilla for one), sweet elements (raisins, honey), this one was the best beer I have ever had from this brewery. The color, with its dark brown tone, just gives you the impression of being a stout, but one sip will leave you feeling otherwise. Brunch was great, Blind Tiger as always, fantastic (see ya 12/31!), and interesting patrons and their conversations keep me open and inclusive. Just the way a Sunday should always be.

P.S.  For those interested about more information about the beers I reviewed and the Blind Tiger Alehouse, here you go:
Founder's Brewery: www.foundersbrewing.com
Dieu Du Ciel: www.dieuduciel.com
Blind Tiger Alehouse : 281 Bleecker Street, New York, New York www.blindtigeralehouse.com