When rating beer; Why rate what you hate?

Go to any online beer rating sight such as BeerAdvocate.com or Ratebeer.com and take a closer look at some of the reviews for styles that you don’t particularly care for, or even hate, for that matter.

What you will find are some pretty harsh words and low rating scores for beers that were brewed in strict accordance to the style in which they were intended.

For example, one person rating a De Cam Oud Gueze from Belgium wrote; “Cloudy orange with almost no head. Sour notes and basement aroma, stale and earthy. Very (!) dry and acid-like mouthfeel that made it impossible for me to enjoy it. Disappointing.”

That person gave it a 2 out of a possible 5 rating. Huh? After having described the De Cam Oud Gueze for what it’s supposed to be (a sour beer), he/she slammed it hard. It’s one thing to not appreciate a certain style, but to criticize it when it is, in fact a great representation of the style is just wrong! BTW-I’m not a fan Gueze, but I can’t give a poor rating to a beer that captures the style characteristics to perfection.

Here’s another crazy rant and rating for the very classic Rauchbier Aecht Schlenkerla Urbock; “oh, god. I AM NOT A FAN OF THIS STYLE> I COULD NOT FINISH THIS> Sorry, I do not like it. This is a very strong version of the smoke style. Not even after 5 very hot spice nuclear wings can I get the taste out of my mouth and nose. If you are not a fan of smoke beers, please, stay away.”

Rauchbier is a SMOKED BEER! This guy gave it a one. A one? For being the classic representation of the style, he gives it a one? That’s crazy!

It’s one thing to slam a beer when you feel it doesn’t live up to your expectations of what the style is supposed to represent. Or maybe you can or dole out a low score when a certain beer totally misses the boat, even within its style range. Hell, it’s fine to kick the ass of an Adjunct Lager made by Mass-Mega-Brewers of bland suds, because they brag in their advertising about how great they are, when in fact, they suck.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it is absurd to attack something for being exactly what it should be. Does a vegan get all persnickety when he knowingly bites into a juicy hamburger and screams in horror, “THIS TASTES LIKE MEAT!!!!?” Well, probably. I suppose that’s a bad analogy, but you get the point. If you hate it, don’t rate it! If you feel you MUST comment on your dislike for the style; fine. Just don’t mark it down for being true to the style.

Ok, where did I put that Cranberry Lambic?

Cheers!

Beer style of the week; Rauchbier and other smoked beers

Week 31

Ahhh! What beats a cozy beach fire on a cool late summer’s eve? Sweatshirts standing by, but not needed quite yet. Just sitting on a comfy log, poking the fire with a stick. Mussels and shallots steaming in a pot of buttered beer. Smoked chicken and sausage with peppers and onions slowly grilling off to the side, and the company of family, and friends. To round out the pleasure, some Rauchbier, or other Smoked Beer to cool the fire’s heat and/or warm oneself against the cool sea breeze. Ahhhh!

As beer is considered food, Rauchbier should be considered BBQ.

Rauch (pronounced, rrrrowsch) is a fun German word to say. It feels German in every way. Burping while Bellowing out, “RAUCH!!!!” shows the world that you are a very sophisticated cosmopolitan traveler.

Originating in and around Bamberg, Germany in the 1500’s, the Rauch (Smoke) bier was created by roasting green malt over beech wood fires. Literally all beer must have had some smokiness as kilning ovens used to roast malts weren’t invented until the industrial revolution. That aside, it’s a style that nearly died out as brewers modernized and caved to the trends of the days. Thankfully, a few brewers in Bamberg continued brewing the style using traditional methods. Today, Rauchbier and other smoked lagers, Scotch ales and porters in varying degrees of smokiness are landing in our packies. The smokiness levels descriptions run the gamut from a faint wisp of smoke on the horizon to licking your chimney clean with your tongue.

Smoked beer goes very well with, (drum roll please!) smoked meats and cheeses. Grilled and roasted meats, sausages and root veggies also pair nicely.

Land of Origin

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock – Bamberg, Germany – 6.6% ABV

This pours a rich dark teak color, and despite a rather hard pour, the mostly large bubbly head dissipates, forming a thin beige ring with very little lace. A wonderful smoky malt and slight hop and faint alcohol aroma lasts a fair amount of time, eventually giving way to a pleasant morning after campfire smell. Full bodied and lightly sweet and amply hopped. Robust Maltiness blends well with citrus and spicy hop bitterness. This is an acquired taste that I've acquired while tasting and rating this fantastic brew!

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen – Bamberg, Germany – 5.4% ABV

Closely resembles an Oktoberfest with a deep smoky flavor and aroma. Its smokiness is more pronounced than its Urbock brother as a result of being less hoppy and about 20% less ABV. There is no missing this depth of smoke. Nice Rauchbier to nibble cheese with.

West Coast

Stone’s Smoked Porter – Stone Brewing – Escondido, California – 5.9% ABV

The unusual tar tinted dark brown color requires careful examination. The full smoky (not overly so) malt is the star of the show. The fairly high hops with light a metallic and somewhat grapefruity bitterness deserve some attention as well. Lightly sweet with a dry edged body. A hint of dark chocolate and coffee offer contrasting flavors to offset both the malt sweetness and hop bitterness. A smoky edge is more apparent in the aroma than in flavor. A light hop floral bouquet and sweet malt give way to a comforting smokiness. The beige/tan head dissipates at its own slow pace then lingers as fine lace. Flavors merge, blend and congenially mingle together. Well Done!

Alaskan Smoked Porter – Alaskan Brewing – Juneau, Alaska – 6.5% ABV

It pours a very dark mahogany with a thin beige head and leaves a fair amount of lace. A big smoky, malty aroma rises up and sticks around for a while. A smell of floral hops and hint of pine settle in the background, then fades away. Rich, lightly sweet malt is beautifully balanced by a pleasant smokiness. Espresso, dark chocolate and a bit of caramel sweetness, blend nicely with a wild and raw hop bitterness. A German familiar with his beloved Rauchbier may be disappointed in the lack of a powerful chimney-like smoke, but this lower percentage alder wood smoked malt is more subdued and reliant on the quality of malt and hop characteristics as well.

Weyerbacher Fireside Ale – Easton, Pennsylvania – 7.5% ABV

12oz dark brown bottle. No freshness date.
Served in a nonic tumbler.
Pours a dark amber cola color with an overly enthusiastic beige head, with lots of lacing.
The smell is a unique mix of smoke, macerated berries, dried malt and resinous hops. A light whiff of rose petals and peat moss inch through.
The flavors follow the smell. The tastes are carried within the fizzy effervescence, bursting with flavors which tantalize and tease the taste bud spectrum.
Nice beer for a smoky BBQ!

New England Smoky Brews

Samuel Adams – Rauchbier – Boston, MA - 5.7% ABV

12 oz. brown bottle. Freshness date etched on label.

Served in a tall cylindrical mug. It pours an orange-hued amber with a real fast-fading off-white head and not but a few specks of lacing.

The distant smell of smoke over a dry maltiness. A little citrusy and a bit of metallic hop aroma along with cut hay follows.

The smokiness is at first subdued, but as it warms becomes more influential to the overall taste. Sweet malt and a lightly citrusy hop inch forward. It is very similar the Oktoberfest, except for the smoked barley malt.

This is a very easy-drinking Rauchbier, and one I'm sure will bring more brewers into the mix. Coming soon, Imperial Rauch!

Smuttynose Scotch-style Ale (Big Beer Series) – Portsmouth, New Hampshire – 8.2% ABV

It pours a dark leathery brown with a solid beige head and a fair amount of lacing. The aroma is largely of smoky malt, with some molasses and a bit of hops in the background. The malt is thick, lightly smoky and sweet, and a wee bit chalky for my liking. The hops are sort of lost within malt body. A mild tea-like bitterness doesn’t make a note-worthy impact. This brew lacks a peaty and Scotch-like quality normally associated with the style. The presence of alcohol is barely noticeable, though the results of a pint are undeniable.

Grab a couple different smoky brews and head out to your favorite campsite or beach fire pit and see if your perception or smoked beer doesn’t change drastically.

Prost!!!

Quote: “Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world.” -Kaiser Wilhelm

A Taste of French Craft Beer

All in one place: http://greatbrewers.com/event/95515

The Jimmy Carter Commemorative Golden Beer Coin

It came to me in a dream. I was thinking about all of the great beers we have in New England when I drifted off…

To commemorate one of the most important presidential bills ever signed, we offer this Limited Edition, one of a kind, Jimmy Carter Commemorative Golden Beer Coins. The images on the coin show; A likeness of Jimmy Carter, some sort of engraving depicting Barley and Hops, a mug of beer and the year 1978.

Homebrewing Legalized! - On October 14, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed bill H.R. 1337, creating an exemption from taxation for beer brewed at home for personal or family use. Why is this SO important? In 1933, Prohibition finally ended as the 21st Amendment went into effect. Hooray! Right?

Not so fast, Beer Boy or Girl. The absence of two key words, “and beer” from the repeal that legalized home winemaking, made homebrewing a criminal offense in the eyes of the law. Then, finally after forty five years of presidential dillydallying, and oh, a few major wars, Jimmy Carter, 39^th president of the USA, did the righteous thing. He signed a bill that has had profound effects upon the brewing industry as we know it today. This effectively ended Prohibition!

Just weeks after the law went into effect, homebrewing advocates Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen launched the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) in Boulder, CO with the publication of the first issue of Zymurgy (the branch of applied chemistry dealing with fermentation, as in winemaking, brewing, the preparation of yeast, etc.) Magazine.

This enthusiastic and creative outpouring of homebrewing (so to speak) directly led to the micro and craft brewing revolution. Some of those early homebrewers went on to create small breweries. And from those breweries flowed real beer. Unlike the mass-produced bland suds we were previously stuck drinking, these lovingly crafted beers had an enchanting appearance, lovely aromas and deep, complex flavors. Homebrewers were free to re-create authentic, flavorful beer styles previously available only overseas in places like the UK, Germany, France or Belgium.

We should raise a glass to the peanut farmer from Georgia every time we taste a wonderfully crafted beer.

Let’s declare a national holiday! Jimmy Carter Beer Day! As a day to make beer, buy beer, drink beer (responsibly), frolic about and celebrate beer! Ok, forget the frolicking part. That’s just wrong!

To order your coin, send a “Please Rush” request to;

Where’s my Damn Jimmy Carter Commemorative Golden Beer Coins?

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington DC 0XXOO

Cheers! And good luck!

Beer style of the week; Belgian Pale Ale

Week 30

As promised, when we covered Pale Ales way back in week one of our series, we bring you a style that is maybe the most loosely interpreted and wide ranging of all your popular beer styles.

The Belgian Pale Ale, (and I’m going eliminate some that go by the “name”, but miss the target completely) is a solid year-round ale. When the style criteria are met, Belgian Pales are especially good ales to bridge the seasonal change from summer to fall or spring to summer.

Dull golden to pale copper in color with a frothy effervescent head and lots of sticky lacing is common ground. Resinous and/or citrus rind hop nose, coupled with dry malty, woody and/or barn aromas. Hop forward flavors are supported by a solid maltiness. Some sweetness (not overly so) is the norm. Dry and clean finish with a bit of an edgy, cutting yeasty bite in the throat. Refreshing, yet substantial. Accompany foods or stand alone.

The Belgian Pale is one of the few Belgian styles that originated elsewhere, as an answer to the British Pale Ale, but of course brewed with Belgian, barley, hops, yeast and water. And as is common practice in Belgium, a little dose of citrus and/or spices may be added. The ABV ranges from between 4.5% - 7%. Although, there are those fringe Belgian Pales that are rated as low as 3.5% and as high as 7.5% ABV, we have ignored them because they cloud the style to obscurity.

The Belgian Pale Ales pair well with white meats with light sauces, pate, mellow cheeses, Thai, Indian or spicy Chinese dishes, or light buttery cakes or cookies, or creamy custards.

Land of Origin

Orval – Brasserie d’Orval – Abbey de Notre Dame, Orval, Belgium – 6.9% ABV

11.7oz brown bottle. Freshness date on label. Served in an Allagash goblet.

A true Abbey Trappist Beer!
It pours slightly cloudy orange-hued copper color with a frothy white head and loads of lacing.
Smells of spices, cloves, fruit cup and distant bananas, followed by malt and wood and resinous hop.
Flavors are wide –ranging from, fruit cup, spices, citrusy hops, and sweet malt. A little candi sugar rolls in as it warms, as does some alcoholic fuminess.
An effervescent fizziness fades from the first pour and becomes very velvety and rounded.
Just a beautiful beer and the benchmark for the Belgian Pale Ale style.

Witkap Pater Singel / Stimulo - Brouwerij Slaghmuylder – Ninove, Belgium – 6% ABV

Reminiscent of a White Ale, this Abbey Single Ale is light gold to straw in color with a fine little bubbly head. Trails of lace slowly slide down with some spotty stickiness. The fizzy effervescence hides the true malt body. Wild hoppy flavors abound with sharp bitter citrus, acidic and piney esters. Some noticeable yeasty clove-like flavors lasts throughout the glass. The brew slowly transforms as the lightly sweet malt sneaks into being, creating a mild fruity taste and smoother mouthfeel.

Westvlereten - Brouwerij Westvleteren – Westvlereten, Belgium – 5.8% ABV

Served in a Westvlereten Goblet. Another true Abbey Trappist Ale from the Holy Grail of Belgian Brewers.

Pours a pale cloudy golden with a rocky snow white and lots of sticky lacing.
A yeasty Brett smell rises, but is soon overtaken by smells of green wood, sweet malt, resinous hops and a hint of banana and distant barn.
The flavors are complex and separately distinct at first gulp, and then begin the harmonious blending and mingling. Resinous Belgian hoppiness, citrus rind, caramel malt and spiced rum form as one and invite large gulps and noisy lip-smacking. The candi sugar sweetness is the unifying factor here. It’s central in all the outward flavors. By the time the initial effervescence wears down and the ale mellows, it’s gone! And you wish you had another!

Harpoon Belgian-style Pale Ale – Harpoon Brewing – Boston, MA

12oz brown bottle. Freshness on bottle.

Pours a clear, shiny amber color with an off-white, fast-fading head. Some patchy and sticky lacing lasts throughout.
A yeasty and citrusy smell rises at once then rolls into a sweet malty, hoppy mix. A light smell of wild flowers sneaks in, along with a hint a ripe fruit.
A taste of nutmeg and cinnamon quickly vanish within evenly balanced malt to hops tastes. A light yeasty flavor also fades, leaving me with the impression that I’m drinking an English-style Pale Ale, and only imagined the Belgian-ness. It’s there, but restrained.

This is that ale that I mentioned as one that bridges spring to summer, or summer to fall in fine fashion.

Worth seeking out:

Smuttynose Star Island Single – Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Rare Vos - Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, New York

Hitachino Nipponia – Kiuchi Brewery – Ibaraki, Japan

Salut!

Quote: “In Belgium, the magistrate has the dignity of a prince, but by Bacchus, it is true that the brewer is king." - Emile Verhaeren, Flemish writer, 1855-1916

EEK!!! There a fungus in my Lager!!!

But he's a cute little bugger!; http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2011/08/22/raise-your-pints-to-the-patagonian-fungus-that-helped-us-to-brew-lager/

Beer style of the week: Kolsch & Altbiers

Week 29

Although it’s a warm August day, we clearly see several undeniable signs that fall is fast approaching. The shelves of our local packies are filling up with Autumn Ale, Pumpkin Ale and Oktoberfest.

But damn it! It’s still summer! As much as I LOVE fall beers (and winter and spring beers), there are still interesting beer styles, which bring us refreshing libation from the dog days. The Kӧlsch and Altbier styles can cool the heat as well or better than any Witbier, Pilsner, Vienna Lager, or any light summer brew out there today.

The Kӧlsch style began in Kӧln (Cologne), Germany. The first official record of the style was in 1918. However, records of a pact signed by Gaffel Brewery (famous Kölsch brewer) and 21 other guilds declaring their independence from the nobles of the day dated in 1396, suggests that maybe the style goes back much further.

Kӧlsch is unique in the brewing world in that it is brewed as top fermented as an ale, then cold-conditioned (lagered) as a lager. Crisp, dry, light, yet pleasant aromas and flavors are its hallmark. Pale straw to golden colored, lightly floral scented, herbal with a mildly lime citrus bitterness, light to medium-bodied dry maltiness. Lovely!

The Altbier, from rival city, Dusseldorf is a similarly-styled beer (top fermentation, followed by lagering); although the Alt is brewed with bit more of a hop bite and a darker-roasted barley, making it similar to an English Pale Ale in appearance, yet totally German in character. Sticke Alt is a ramped up Altbier. Just a tad more malt and hops, but not in an Imperial sense.

Though perhaps a twenty minute car ride distance apart, (10 if my wife is driving) the folks in Kӧln and Dusseldorf are fiercely loyal to their home-town beer. To them the differences between their biers are dramatic. Just for fun, order a Kölsch in Dusseldorf or an Altbier in Cologne. You may set off a brouhaha! (Or is that a brewhaha) Ha ha…heh…

Kӧlsch From the land of origin

Reissdorf – Kӧln, Germany – 4.8% ABV

16.9oz brown bottle. No freshness date.

It pours a clean straw/golden color with a foamy, slow-fading snow-white head and some trailing and patchy lacing.

A mildly fragrant dry malt smell is noticed upon a fairly hard pour. A faint aroma of cut hay lasts.

A surprisingly sweet and firm malt body lives within its rather weak appearance. The delicate hop profile has a light lime-like quality with just a hint of a metallic tang.

This is a brew that requires a more careful examination to identify subtle flavors and fragrances. Nothing except the appearance profile jumps out as obvious or easy to characterize.

Gaffel Becker – Koln, Germany – 4.8% ABV

Gaffel is as fine an example of the Kölch style around. By all appearances it looks to be a thin and weak beer, but it has a surprisingly ample body and is fantastically gulpable. The hoppy aroma dissipates rapidly so catch it early. There's an ample dose of hops which balance nicely with the malt about halfway through the glass. Nice white head doesn't last too long (could have been that I drank it from a pint glass instead of an actual Altbier glass).

Authentic Altbiers

Pinkus Organic Alt – Pinkus Mueller Brauerei – Munster, (North of Dusseldorf) Germany – 5.2% ABV

Interesting dull gold with a nice foamy/frothy head and trails of sliding lace. The aroma is faintly of yeast, malt and hops. The malt is lightly sweet with a trace of herbs. Lightly lime-like citrus hops with a hint of cloves. The alcohol peeks through from time to time. Becomes sweeter and more evenly balanced throughout. This is a gulpable beer. I kept raising my ratings as I drank it.

Frankenheim Alt – Privatbrauerei Frankenheim – Dusseldorf, Germany – 4.8% ABV

11.2oz brown bottle. Dated.

It pours a lovely deep brown amber color with a big foamy beige head.

A doughy malt aroma dominates. Fragrant citrusy hops linger in the background.

A substantial biscuity and bready malt house flavors of toffee and brown sugar.

The hops are a combination of citrusy bitterness, metallic bite and peppery spices. A light herbal quality increases its presence as it warms.

This is a smooth and rounded beverage. It goes well with sausages and breaded veal dishes.

New England Kӧlsch and Alts

Long Trail Ale – Bridgewater Corners, Vermont – 4.6% ABV

This is an Altbier. Shiny copper and loaded with malty flavor. A yeasty and hoppy aroma finishes with a light herbal malt and pleasant finishing hop. The sharp metallic hop bite is as bright as an IPA without being bitter. Nice white head. Best described as a cross between an Oktoberfest and Pale Ale.

Kenmore Kӧlsch Hingham Beer Works – Hingham, MA. 4.5% ABV

Served in a tall cylindrical tumbler.
It pours the palest golden straw color possible with a snow-white head. Lots of sticky and trailing lacing throughout.
A cut grass smell is upfront, followed by a bit of barn hay and dried malt. A light whiff of citrusy hop mixes in, as does a faint metallic smell.
The malty dextrose taste is noticed first. Lime-like citrus and a touch of a metallic tang poke through.
Dry and crisp at early, it's very balanced as it warms.
So nice!

McNeill’s Alle Tage Altbier – Brattleboro, Vermont ABV unknown

This could be called an alt Alt bier, because this one is a little darker, a little hoppier and a bit more astringent than is typical of the style. It pours a hazy brown. A decent beige head sits atop. The malt body is smooth and substantial. A light sweetness balances sharp-edged bitter hops a somewhat astringent medicinal quality. It finishes clean and dry.

Sticke Alts

Uerige Sticke - Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei GmbH / Zum Uerige – Dusseldorf, Germany - 6% ABV

I haven’t had the pleasure. It comes highly recommended. Please let me know where I can find some!

Long Trail Double Bag – Bridgewater Corners, Vermont – 7.2% ABV

12oz brown bottle. Served in a nonic tumbler.

It pours a shiny tan mahogany color with a fast-fading beige head. Some patchy and sticking lacing.

The aroma is certainly malt forward. Sweet malt followed by limey citrus and mixed fruit cup. A bit of rummy fuminess advances.

The sweet honey-like malty backbone could easily double as a Dopple bock. The German citrusy and metallic tangy Nobles hops and Alt yeast are what keeps this in the Altbier family. The 7.2% ABV makes it a Sticke.

Zum Wohl, Prost, Gott segne Sie!

Quote: “He who drinks beer sleeps well.

He who sleeps well cannot sin.

He who does not sin goes to heaven.

Amen” – German Monk