In Beer Retail - Small Things Come in Small Packies

We’ve all seen the ads for the Giant Super Beer Inventories at the Mega-Super-sized Liquor Stores.

Full Page ads stating things like; “Check out our 4,000 ADD-inducing Beers from around the World!!!!”

Or, “We Got Twenty Aisles Full of Beer – Foreign and Domestic, some from places even NASA can’t identify!”

Or, “We’ve got enough beer to create a foamy sea large enough to sail the US 7^th Fleet upon!!”

It is impressive, no doubt! But, it can also be a bit overwhelming and, for the most part, an impersonal and confusing experience. Row upon row, aisle after aisle. So many beers, so small a liver!

Now there are some occasions when it’s actually fun to drive the twenty or thirty miles, grab a basket at the entrance to the Super Mega Beer store and peruse the endless array of beers. Hmmm, I’ll take one of those and one of these, and two of that, and oh, wait I need to try that one, and so on, until your forearm begins to cramp and you go for one of the over-sized shopping carts found in every one of these stores.

Thirty beers later and you realize you haven’t made the slightest dent in their inventory, but have made a giant impact upon your wallet. So you trudge your way through the smoky haze to the checkout counter and patiently wait in line. (BTW- how is it possible that all of these mega-stores have cigarette smoke pluming down the aisle from the warehouse? Is it mandatory for someone to be smoking at all times?).

Finally, at the checkout counter, the clerk who looks as though she just escaped from a maximum security institution, only not as personable-looking, begins scanning your selections, but only half are readable by the barcode scanner. She glares at you as does the line of customers piling up behind you. She sends Scruffy, the store nitwit to go find a price for your Dominus Vobiscum Brut. “Huh?” grunts the clerk. “Says here it’s made in Canada. Why don’tcha just buy a case of Molson instead?” And on and on it goes until all your selections have been tallied and your pockets emptied.

Finally, safe at home, bottles sorted and cellared, the anticipation mounts as you plan to pair your new found Les Frères De La Bière / Thiriez XXtra (Saison) with some fresh picked mussels. Hmmm, even better, steam the mussels in the beer with a little garlic, butter and shallots! Oh Boy! Finally, you pop the cork and…who farted? You look around. You’re alone in the room. You sniff the mussels. Fine. You sniff the beer. Not so fine. You check the date on the bottle. The date has faded off. It has probably sat on a shelf since the Carter Administration. So sad.

Enter the small local beer packie. Two to three beer aisles, tops! Logically laid out displays. Varied enough assortments and most importantly a knowledgeable person to ask questions of or to provide recommendations to. One such place, A Taste for Wine and Spirits in Cohasset, MA embodies the best attributes of the Small Local Beer Packie. Proprietor Manager Bruce Sinclaire greets you by name with a genuine smile as you enter. You drop off your empties in the back room. It doesn’t matter whether or not you purchased those beers at his place. He accepts them and gives you credit for having cleaned and counted them. None of those highly inefficient bottle and can return machines that we find crunching away in the Mega-Super Store, which fail to read the barcodes most of the time (even if you purchased them in that very store). Oh boy, 15 cents back on my 35 returns!

Bruce is a wine guy (try not to hold that against him). He’s the sommelier of the store, but he’s a very willing, fast-learning student of beer. Like every small packie with a deep and abiding respect for beer, A Taste for Wine and Spirits employs a go to beer expert, Mark McGuinness in this case, to make sure there are plenty of great beers on the shelves, displayed in an attractive and easy to navigate manner. Bruce has a cleaver gradient color scheme painted on the walls leading customers naturally to their wine preferences. Whites to the left, reds to the right. Lightest, to darkest. Simple, yet refined! Then, right down the middle…Beer!

What the small beer store lacks in the quantity of beer, they make up in the quality of their selections. Part of that quality control requires the rotation of stock, making sure the customer is satisfied after they leave the store. Friendly, caring service, good fresh beer, convenient…What a novel approach!

Let’s take a visit to a Small Local Packie, south of Boston in the town of Hingham, MA.

Ralph’s Derby Street Liquors located within the upscale Derby Street Shoppes (the spelling, “Shoppe” alerts you to the fact it’s boutiqueish) fits all the criteria of a great Small Local Packie. Owner, Sommelier Ralph Hersom has traversed the wine world in impressive fashion from San Francisco and Napa, to owning an upscale sister store in New York. He brings his experience, for not only wine, but also for high-end liquors such as single malt scotch, bourbons, rums and tequilas.

Knowing a good thing when he sees it, he has Beer “Guru”, Ryan O’Malley managing the smallish, yet excellent beer selections. Both Ralph and Ryan share in their customer’s enthusiasm for fine adult beverages. It’s always a pleasurable experience walking through the doors into a well thought out and well-laid out store. It sets the tone for a pleasant purchasing experience. Friday evenings are reserved for beer tastings, and Ryan helps guide you through the samplings in a knowledgeable and friendly way. Lighter, milder beer first and on up through the bigger, full-flavored brews. Ryan knows beer and he knows his store’s demographic. Many of the high-end beers from Belgium, UK, West Coast, East Coast and New England areas are right here. What a treat! There are also enough fine local selections to keep my interest and budget in order.

Visit A Taste for Wine and Spirits at 380 Chief Justice Cushing Highway (Route 3A) in Cohasset or call 781-383-0059. Beer and/or wine tastings are offered on Friday evenings. Nice food pairing samples and advice are offered as well.

Ralph’s Derby Street Wine and Spirits 94 Derby Street Hingham, MA 781-749-WINE – www.derbystreetwine.com

If you enjoy pleasant, stress-free beer shopping experiences, you need to continue to support your local packie. Please let our readers know about your favorite(s) Small Beer-respecting Packie. Spread the good word!

Cheers!

Quote: “He that buys land buys many stones,

He that buys flesh buys many bones,

He that buys eggs buys many shells,

But he that buys ale buys nothing else”. – English Medieval song

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project - Once Upon a Time

Once a Upon a Time- December 6th, 1855 - East India Porter.
An olde beer style is revived from a recipe for Porter dated December 6, 1855.
This video shows clips from the Boston Launch Party at Deep Ellum in Allston, MA

Beer Style of the Week - Porter (In honour of the Royal Wedding)

Week 12

We did just brush upon Porters in our profile, a few months back about the Stout style of beer that sort of migrated into its own unique style during the mid-1800’s. For those of you who missed it, here’s the brief history of the Porter style;

The dark Porter was a beer that was popular amongst the river and street porters of London in the early 1700s. The Porter style, as written in some publications was originally a blend of what was named, the Three Threads. This was a blend of ale, old ale and a potent beer called Twopenny (the cost per quart). Sometimes Porter was referred to by the name “Entire Butt”, based upon it having all the blends together in one beer. An aged, stronger Three Threads blend became known as Stout Porter, and in time, shortened to “stout”. In many circles of the day, the name porter and stout became interchangeable. Many Porters today have drifted into the lager family of beers, while stouts remain loyal to the ale family in which they were born and bred.

English Porters true to the style can be a fairly complex beer, with toasty Pale, Crystal, Chocolate and or Brown (sometimes smoked brown) barley malts that display tastes of chocolate, rye toast and strong coffee. There can be a fair amount of bitterness, but it’s usually a pretty balanced beer. A slightly astringent or tart fruit taste can be added via the yeast strains and/or by adding live bacteria to the brew process. The sweetness level is normally subdued yet varied with tastes of licorice, molasses or honey. Some brewers add real chocolate or Coffee during the brew process to accentuate stronger flavors. True Porters range in ABV from around 4.2% ABV on the low end to 6.2% on the high end. Baltic, Robust or Imperial Porters are a subject unto themselves and will be profiled in early winter when that style is more in season.

Jolly Olde England and Surrounding Isles

Fuller’s London Porter

12oz dark brown bottle. Freshness date on back label.

Pours a roofing tar/brown-tinged black with a tan fast-fading head.

The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee billows out. Smells of toasted brown bread and dark roasted malt are lasting.

Flavors of deep roasted barley malt, rich coffee and dark chocolate flow together in the full creamy body.

The ample hop bitterness has a tea-like, and light citrus bitterness.

A nice, easy to drink Porter that tastes more potent than its listed 5.4% abv. Decadent!

St. Peter’s Old-Style Porter – Bungay, Suffolk, UK – 5.1% ABV

Nice olive green flask-style bottle. It pours a red tinged dark chocolate color. The beige head of various sized bubbles fades to a constantly thin-rimmed coating. I enjoy the coffee and chocolate aroma. The whiff of malt, light smoke, burnt caramel and hops are present as well. Chocolate malt with sweet caramel and mild coffee mingle quite nicely. A pleasant citrus bitterness and light taste of plums provide some balance. Nice Porter!

Finland

Huvila Porter – Malmgard, Finland – 5.5% ABV

16.9oz dark brown bottle. Freshness date on label. Served in a nonic pint glass.

A pitch black liquid rests beneath a thick foamy tannish head, with loads of sticky lacing.

A smell of strong coffee rises at first pour, followed by smells of dark chocolate, licorice and floral hops.

The flavor profiles mirror the aromas, almost to a tee. Speaking of tee, I mean Tea. A taste of strong black tea edges forward, as does a slightly citrusy bitterness.

The body is thinner than it appears, but this is normal for the style, so no harm done.

This is a very gulpable brew!

New England Porters

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter – Boston, MA – 5.8% ABV

12oz brown bottle. Freshness date etched into side of label.

It pours a roofing tar color with a beige/tan head that fades to a thin permanent coating.

The aroma of strong coffee leaps out. A smell of bitter chocolate vies for attention as does a whiff of dry dark roasted malt.

Toasty malt flavors are supported by tastes of strong coffee and dark chocolate.

This brew is fairly hoppy for the style. A bitter resinous hop taste mingles with a dry hop and peppery spiciness.

I wonder why this brew isn't offered in its own 6 pack and/or on draught.

Geary’s London Style Porter – Portland, Maine – 4.2% ABV

Its pours an almost pitch black with a thin beige head on top. Aromas of smoky campfire wood (the next day), malt and light floral hop bouquet are right in line with the style. The malt taste is akin to blackened toast, strong coffee and bitter chocolate. The hops have that unmistakable Geary's raw and wild bitterness. A citrus peel and light metallic bite add a nice edgy character to the brew. This Porter could use a dose of sweetness and the body is a bit thin, but I wouldn't hesitate to try it again...and again.

Berkshire Brewing – Coffeehouse Porter – Deerfield, MA. 6.2% ABV

Sampled LOTS of this at the source. Pours...you guessed it; black coffee with a light tan head and some sticky lace. The aroma is, of course, mostly coffee, with some malt and hops. A substantial caramel sweet malt body and abundantly hopped with fairly sharp spicy and mild citrus bitterness. Chocolate notes and a hint of camphor astringency. It borders on a Robust Porter, but I thought you should have a better idea of the possibilities this style can go into. This is a highly gulpable brew!

Worth mentioning is the Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter from Vermont and Newport Storm Blizzard Porter from Rhode Island. Both tasty beers in their own right!

Don’t fear the dark Porter! It really is an approachable beer. Very fluid and toasty and roasty! Flavorful, but not overly so. Great with a variety of cheeses and salamis or grilled meats and veggies. It also pairs nicely with vanilla ice cream or rich, creamy caramel-based puddings.

God save the Queen! God save our Porters!

Quote: “And what this flood of deeper brown,

Which a white foam does also crown,

Less white than snow,

More white than mortar?

Oh, my soul! Can this be Porter?” – The Dejeune

Beer style of the Week – Schwarzbier (Black Beer) – Week 10

We haven’t visited Germany as the foundation for one of our Beer styles of the Week in quite some time. So here we have a lager style so unique to the south eastern region of Germany that very few countries have taken a serious stab at capturing the execution of the original idea. Schwarzbier may be one of the, if not the oldest scientifically proven beer styles in Europe. While we know that lagers are a relatively new style when compared to ale, lager (which means cellared) have been brewed for quite some time, although not in the controlled brewing conditions and methods we understand today. A crock found in 1935 in an ancient burial ground dated from around 800 BC in west of Kulmbach, Germany contained residues of blacken barley bread used for brewing Black Beer. If it was brewed and fermented in a cool cave or cellar, we can be sure it was a lager. Today’s Schwarzbier is firmly in the lager family.

Today Black Beer falls into many different style ranges, from the original Schwarz lager, to the paler cousins from Bavaria, the Dunkel, to Black Ales, and Black IPAs, to the amped up “Imperial” Blacks.

The Schwarz, in general terms is a mellow, medium-bodied black lager. It ranges in color from a slightly transparent black to a ruby-hued cola color. The bitterness to malt ratio is fairly balanced. There is typically very little fruity or citrusy notes. Light smokiness in aroma and flavor is common. A proper Schwarz is very gulpable and goes well with a wide variety of foods. All the smells and aromas are subtle. Nothing jumps out and grabs you. Instead, you find what lies inside by searching and savoring.

Germany

Kostritzer – Thuringen, Germany – 4.8% ABV

11.2oz dark brown bottle. Freshness date stamped on back label.

Served in an over-sized handled mug.

It pours a burnt cola color with a tannish beige head and lots of webby lacing.

The aroma is of clear and clean toasted malt. A light whiff of distant wildflowers is imagined (or real?)

True to the style, it's a delicate balance of slightly honey sweet toasted malt and mildly resinous and metallic hop. A little alcohol hints in the aftertaste.

This is one mellow fellow! Looks are deceiving!

So very drinkable! Try this with really spicy dishes and/or a variety of cheeses and salamis.

Monchoff – Kulmbacher, Germany 4.9% ABV

This very Black Beer is dark black coffee in color. The almost oily herbal malt is medium in body. The pleasant slightly fruity, malty, hoppy nose is a joy to breathe, though act quick, it doesn’t last. Amply hopped with Pilsner-type bittering hops. Dry yet lightly sweet with a hint of apples. Nice mix of malt and hops make for a balanced brew. Restrained yet bursting with flavors with a little effort.

South of the Border (Many Germans have migrated to South and Central America the past hundred years and have brought with them the beer styles they have been accustomed to)

Brazil

Xingu Black Beer – Santa Maria, Brazil – 4.7% ABV

Big dark bottle. No freshness date.

It pours the darkest red-hued mahogany possible before blackness. A bubbly tan head fades fast. Very little lace. Sweet malt aroma, with a vague smell of apples in the background

A sweet syrupy thick malt is doughy and a bit smoky.

Amply Hopped with a very unique pectin, herb and citrusy taste. A honey sweetness reemerges towards the end. It feels more potent than its listed 4.7%.

Mexico

Modelo Negra – Mexico City, Mexico – 5.4% ABV

Ha ha! Negra is really a Munich Dunkel Lager, not a Schwarzbier.

New England

Magic Hat Demo Black IPA – Burlington, VT – 6% ABV

12oz brown bottle. Freshness date stamped on bottle neck.
Served in a standard pint glass.
It pours a mahogany-hued black with a fading beige head, along with some splotchy lacing.
Smells of cut dry pine and slightly burnt rye toast, mingle with citrusy and resinous hops.
Unlike a Schwarzbier, the hop flavors are upfront and dominant. Citrus, spruce, resinous and metallic hops are strong, but reluctantly give way to a fairly solid malty body. Rye toast and graham crackers with a touch of honey follow in behind the hops. A little boozy alcohol staggers in and joins the party, but sort of off to the side, belching and hiccupping now and then, but not totally inappropriate.
Nice beer to pair with grilled meats and veggies or spicy Asian dishes.

Black Hops – Blue Hills Brewery – Canton, MA – 6.7% ABV

12oz brown bottle. Served in a standard pint glass.

It pours a root beer black with a fast-fading tan head, along with some patchy lacing.

Smells or burnt rye toast, sweet malt, resinous and citrusy hops mix around, and come and go at will. A little dose of rummy fumes sneaks in and lasts throughout.

The flavors are balanced like a Schwarzbier, but unlike a Schwarz, the flavors are big and in your face. There are no subtleties here. Like loud but lovable cousins, this beer is difficult to ignore, but easy to get along with. And you look forward to future visits from them. This is a very liquid ale. Goes down real fast in large gulps.

Good stuff!

White Birch – Indulgence Ale – Imperial Black Ale? – Hookset, NH – 9% ABV

22oz dark brown bottle. Bottled on date on front label.

Served in a tall nonic glass.

One of the tannest heads I've ever seen floats atop an impenetrable brown-tinted black body.

Smells of chocolate, coffee, licorice, root beer, wet gym socks, chimneys, with a bit of citrus peeking through, are all jumbled together.

The flavors are a bit all over the place as well. Cocoa, coffee with cream, fruit cup, banana bread, molasses, resinous and citrusy hops and warming alcohol blast around without any thought of balance or harmony, but then why not just make a really BIG freaking beer??!!?!??

It's not really a Schwarz or Imperial Schwarz or an Imperial Chocolate Stout, or anything in between. It is what it is. A BIG Dark Mystery Beer!

Prost!!!!

Quote: “The selling of bad beer is a crime against Christian love.” - The law in the City of Augsburg, Germany – 13^th century

Beer Style of Week – Tripels (Triples) Week 9

Besides the fact that the term Tripel in regards to ale comes from the region known as the lowlands between Netherlands and Belgium and that it is a Strong Pale Ale, there remains some confusion about origins of the Tripel designation. One theory is that in the past, brewers from the Lowlands marked three XXX’s on a cask of their ale to indicate its strong ale (around 9% ABV). Another plausible theory (and correct for today’s definition) is that the Tripel is brewed with three times the amount of malt and /or three different malts. It’s probably safe to assume that all these theories are true. Original Tripels were dark Strong Ales. Today’s version is quite pale, like a thick, golden, oily Pilsner in Color, with thick and creamy white heads. They are a little tricky in that they may appear mild because of their light color, but in reality they range from around 7.9% - 11% ABV. Anything below or above those marks should be considered fringe Tripels at best. Hey, there needs to be some parameters set for the consumer, right?

Although Tripels are malty by design, they are usually fairly hoppy with a fair amount of sweetness, which in turn makes them balanced. Some Tripels blend spices such as coriander into the mix.

Tripel Summary: Pale golden oily color. Foamy white head. Spicy and citrusy hop nose, with sweet caramel, bready and yeast aroma, with a hint of banana. Big sweet malty taste. Assertive spicy and citrusy hop flavors. Solid alcohol punch. A good beer to settle down with and slowly enjoy on a chilly evening. Pairs well with a variety of cheeses and cured meats. It also, goes well with rich, creamy desserts, or well-made dark chocolates.

From the Lowlands

Trippel Karmeliet - Brouwerji Bosteels – Buggenhout, Belgium – 8.4% ABV

This is one of your typical full malted, abundantly sweet, nicely hopped, fragrant, alcohol warmed, richly decadent beers.

Poured into a large wine goblet at Public House.

A deep hazy orange-hued amber color settles beneath a full lush white head. Fragrant floral hops, sweet malt, spices and a warm breath of alcohol billow forward. Full sweet caramel and candy sugar are quite noticeable. Clove, coriander and orange zest mingle in the background. A light lemony bitterness offers some ballast to offset the almost oily rich sweetness. Mild warming alcohol is present throughout. This is a very nice dessert, or sitting by the fire beer. Very rich!

Westmalle Trappist Tripel – Malle, Belgium – 9.5% ABV

A strong brew, this authentic Trappist Tripel. Deep leathery orange with fine fizzy head and lasting lace. Yeast, sweet malt, hops, alcohol and earthy aromas. The deep rich malt invites heavy gulping (though beware!). High in complex hops. Lightly sweet and heavy bodied. A yeasty flavor is lingering behind the bitter and peppery tastes. A hint of banana is detected late in the smell and taste profile. Strong brew! Whew!

New England Tripels

Allagash Triple Ale – Portland, Maine – 9% ABV

12oz stubby brown bottle. Served in an Allagash Goblet.

Define the Tripel style and this brew will sit smack dab in the middle of the definition.

Slick golden-hued amber with a snow-white on top and gobs of sticky and trailing lacing.

Smells like a Tripel! Sweet malt, citrusy and resinous hops, light clove and banana bread aromas. Just a light whiff of rummy alcohol is noticed.

The flavors of caramel, banana bread, orange and grapefruit bitterness, and a nice light rum alcoholic kick going down.

The body is a tad thin for the style, but holds up well throughout.

Allagash really does a remarkable job of capturing the essence of the Belgian style, and this Triple is no different.

Featured Tripel

Pretty Things – Fluffy White Rabbits

22oz brown bottle. Freshness date stamped on cap cover.

Served in a Chimay goblet.

It looks like a dull caramel candy drop with a snow-white head on top. Not much in the way lacing.

The aroma is Tripel all the way. Caramel candy, woody, resinous, citrusy lemon zest, yeasty and bready at once. A slightly medicinal bandage smell (in a comforting way) is in the background. Lovely!

It is hoppy for a Tripel, but it says so on the label, so be ready for a resinous, citrusy blast. A taste of white rum and sweet caramel are steadying influences, but really can't, or don't care to compete. A light taste of banana bread slides in and stays till the end. The candy sugar inches forward as it warms.

The body is fairly substantial and slightly oily. It's meant to be quaffed, not gulped, but it's hard not to take huge slugs now and then for the fuller effects.

Somehow I suspect that Brewer, Dann Paquette understands this phenomena when he brews certain styles in his own off-the-path way and just smiles a knowing smile realizing the consumer will somehow “get it”. I’ll get some more!

There are plenty of cool and rainy nights on the calendar, so be sure to keep some Tripels handy!

Salut!

Quote: “At first he wished to drink sherry, but I begged him to do no such thing…The landlord allowed himself to be dissuaded, and after a glass or two of ale, confessed that sherry was a sickly, disagreeable drink…” – George Borrow – 1803-1881