July 30, 2009
“ And now I know the difference between bread and Brett. Given the choice, I choose the latter.

Erin @ “Lush: Wine and Spirits”

Bring the Funk!

(Re-posted with Erin’s permission from http://blog.lushwineandspirits.com/. Check it out!)

The other night a good friend of mine invited me over for some beers as part of a club he and a few friends formed. Devoted to tasting and evaluating new beers, Beerhunter is right up my alley. Casual and fun, but truly devoted to serious beers, just like the people in the group.

The meeting coincided with an important junction in my career as a buyer for a retail store: mild obsession. That’s right. Now, the fact of human nature is that we love trends, and go on certain streaks. There was a time in college when I ate samosas every day, although looking back, there was a lot of economic necessity in that habit, too, as the lovely little dumplings were running a buck apiece and filled me up more than most other foods. I digress. Right now, just like everyone else in the beer world, I have been on a funky beer kick. And I do mean funky! As in, wild yeast-and-dirty-sock-smelling funky. Brettanomyces and sour ales funky. I cannot help it. The beers are just. so. good. Fortunately, our beer-drinking customers share my enthusiasm!

So, upon invitation to the Beerhunter meeting, I swore to, figuratively and literally, bring the funk. And I did! I traveled down to Hyde Park, laden with a bottle each of Victory Brewing’s ‘Wild Devil’, which is their Hop Devil IPA brewed with Brettanomyces yeast, and the Jolly Pumpkin ‘Bam Noire’, another of my favorites: a dark farmhouse ale with a little sour tang on the finish. We tasted about nine beers that night, and all were lovely, and quite distinct in style. I am pleased [okay, smug] to note that mine were certainly among the favorites, and I was commended for truly “bringing the funk.” I cannot take too much credit, however–the need for funky beer is somewhat beyond my control at this point.

On an anecdotal side note, I will never forget the first time I heard of Brettanomyces. It was November of 2007, and I was at LUSH on Roscoe preparing for the vertical tasting of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout. I was a relatively newly minted Lushie, and as such, not quite the beer devotee I now am. Greg Hall was in the shop, chatting with Rachel and me, talking about some new projects of his, including a beer that was to be brewed with something called “brett.”

“OO!” I said, trying to participate in the conversation. “What kind of bread are you using?” Rachel and Greg just stared, and then Rachel gently explained what the special yeast is. To say I was a little embarassed would be an understatement. But, time moves forth, and that little project turned out to be Juliet, one of Goose Island’s most successful and sought-after beers.

And now I know the difference between bread and Brett. Given the choice, I choose the latter.

•
July 17, 2009
Beerhunter Does Danse Macabre - Summer Session No. Two 17 July 2009 Called spontaneously Convened at 7:50PM Present: Caitin, Tom Absent (excused): Ben, Dan Feelin’ diseased… I’m joined tonight by Caitlin D., the Camille Paglia of revolutionary death theory, and a dear friend checkin’ in from the West Coast. We started out with the Altenmunster Maibock, a Beerhunter fail in every sense. Pour: Piss poor (quite lit’rly). Head: bald. Nose: “smells like a medieval charnel house, mildewed corpses.” Tongue: “tastes like the warm dregs of my father’s Bud Light from when I was 8 years old, representing everything I hate about beer” (Caitlin). As it warms, we’re picking up some over-ripe (or decaying) banana. All-in-all: a waste of time. Hardly drinkable. Stick with the Einbecker. I find it interesting - or telling, perhaps - that it doesn’t carry the Reinheitsgebot typical of German-produced brews. In place of a quality promise the Altenmunster carries a lame two-word kicker: “Malt Liquor.” Next, the Brunehaut Blonde: The last brew set the bar pretty low; that said, this is a decent Pale Ale. Wet dog in the nose? Caitlin swears that isn’t bad necessarily. Maybe. Its (spiced?) hops bite more like a Flemish Red - a solid, uniform sour - than, say, an IPA. The bitterness quickly gives way to a toasty sweetness. The finish, a highlight of the Brunehaut, typifies Belgian Pale Ales in its crispness, rivalling that of good Pilsners. Caitlin’s summary judgment: “not extraordinary, but given the precedent [set by Altenmunster], it’s welcome like water after a five-day crawl through the desert.” The Goose Island Sophie, a Belgian-style Ale stored in wine barrels carrying orange peel, is a must buy. And you better buy quick: the Chicago brewer has a production limit for this one, ruling out (sadly) the possibilities of bathin’ in it. As for its pour, think Triple Karmeliet - the see-right-through-ya pale yellow. But you’re not getting a Trippel out of Sophie - it immediately has IPA written all over it, of the most floral variety, which turns quickly turns to Papaya juice and “the familiar aroma of a Hawaiian breeze” (Caitlin = Ireland via Honolulu). If that weren’t enough already… biscuits! A papaya KFC biscuit sandwich! Whaaaa…. Incredible. But it’s not exhausted until you reach its final stage, the sourness of white grapes. What a trip.  La Merle faintly smells like cigarette smoke. Or that banana/clove-y aftermath of yeast attacking Belgian malts. In any case, it’s hoppy, bold, and pours the most beautiful, fluffy-headed amber known to the States.  I had it on tap last night at the Map Room… the draft gave it a nectary intensity like apricots which is more subdued from the bottle. More bready this time around, especially in the finish.    By night’s end, I’m teen wolf.

Beerhunter Does Danse Macabre - Summer Session No. Two

17 July 2009

Called spontaneously

Convened at 7:50PM

Present: Caitin, Tom

Absent (excused): Ben, Dan

Feelin’ diseased…

I’m joined tonight by Caitlin D., the Camille Paglia of revolutionary death theory, and a dear friend checkin’ in from the West Coast. We started out with the Altenmunster Maibock, a Beerhunter fail in every sense. Pour: Piss poor (quite lit’rly). Head: bald. Nose: “smells like a medieval charnel house, mildewed corpses.” Tongue: “tastes like the warm dregs of my father’s Bud Light from when I was 8 years old, representing everything I hate about beer” (Caitlin). As it warms, we’re picking up some over-ripe (or decaying) banana. All-in-all: a waste of time. Hardly drinkable. Stick with the Einbecker.

I find it interesting - or telling, perhaps - that it doesn’t carry the Reinheitsgebot typical of German-produced brews. In place of a quality promise the Altenmunster carries a lame two-word kicker: “Malt Liquor.”

Next, the Brunehaut Blonde:

The last brew set the bar pretty low; that said, this is a decent Pale Ale. Wet dog in the nose? Caitlin swears that isn’t bad necessarily. Maybe. Its (spiced?) hops bite more like a Flemish Red - a solid, uniform sour - than, say, an IPA. The bitterness quickly gives way to a toasty sweetness. The finish, a highlight of the Brunehaut, typifies Belgian Pale Ales in its crispness, rivalling that of good Pilsners. Caitlin’s summary judgment: “not extraordinary, but given the precedent [set by Altenmunster], it’s welcome like water after a five-day crawl through the desert.”

The Goose Island Sophie, a Belgian-style Ale stored in wine barrels carrying orange peel, is a must buy. And you better buy quick: the Chicago brewer has a production limit for this one, ruling out (sadly) the possibilities of bathin’ in it. As for its pour, think Triple Karmeliet - the see-right-through-ya pale yellow. But you’re not getting a Trippel out of Sophie - it immediately has IPA written all over it, of the most floral variety, which turns quickly turns to Papaya juice and “the familiar aroma of a Hawaiian breeze” (Caitlin = Ireland via Honolulu). If that weren’t enough already… biscuits! A papaya KFC biscuit sandwich! Whaaaa…. Incredible. But it’s not exhausted until you reach its final stage, the sourness of white grapes. What a trip. 

La Merle faintly smells like cigarette smoke. Or that banana/clove-y aftermath of yeast attacking Belgian malts. In any case, it’s hoppy, bold, and pours the most beautiful, fluffy-headed amber known to the States.  I had it on tap last night at the Map Room… the draft gave it a nectary intensity like apricots which is more subdued from the bottle. More bready this time around, especially in the finish.   

By night’s end, I’m teen wolf.

•
July 11, 2009

Beerhunter Summer Session No. 1

…mostly cravin’ Belgian brew.

Called for: 7:00pm

Convened: 8:00pm

Present: Tom (secretary), Dan (Curator), Ben (music)

1. Pinkus Organic Pilsner: Ben tastes floral hints, perhaps some clove, while Dan notes the constant fizz streaming up after the pour (similar to a personal favorite: Brooklyn Brewery Pilsner). Unfiltered, it’s a murky golden Pilsner that comes with an inundating bready intensity in the nose. Very clean finish and, in spite of its light mouthfeel, carries residual (almost oily) hoppiness on the tongue.

Rebuy, maybe… but a best buy for the price. Something you could drink all night long on a warm summer night. 

2. Stille Nacht (Belgian Style Dark Ale): The pour: jelly-like in its thickness; no head. The nose: complex beyond belief; almost emits a fume - think a bottle of hard liquor; then the raisins (maybe cider apples even) come through real deep. The body: syrupy, but not unpleasant; similar to a Barleywine in its mouthfeel. The tongue: perhaps too sweet (Dan), to the extent that it becomes undrinkable after several sips (Ben); those sips, though, are all intensely delicious (Tom). Beeradvocate calls it World Class. We can understand why, but we’re a little less enthusiastic considering the sweetness bordering on rich dessert.

3. Oerbier (Belgian Style Dark Ale): Kim delivers the crustini and coffee beans. Ben’s got Robert Wyatt singing Italian. We’re happy, buzzed, etc…. thinking, oh nice, on to more hella sweet stuff. But what a disaster. The bottle explodes like champagne, leaving half the ale on our carpet. The remainder, surprisingly, isn’t flat. Dan can’t bring himself to vote it up no matter what, what with it raining all over the apartment and all. But it’s actually great. Ohs Ahs all over the room. Still, ”Too bad I only got two sips of it.” It’s interesting to compare it to Stille Nacht, since the huge difference in taste shows how far a brewery can stretch the flavor profile of one style. The maltiness of the Dark Ale is there; so is the dark amber pour. The aroma even seems about as sugary as the last selection. But the first sip spells Flemish Sour with the buttery mouthfeel, again, of a Barleywine. 

That brings us to the next brew…

4. Vichtenaar (Flemish Red Ale): Looks lake Lake Lenape (for the S. Jersey set) so we’s a goin’ swimmin’. Aroma like molasses (Ben, Dan, Kim). Better, Dan thinks, than La Duchesse. I get mayonnaise spread on radishes in the bite. (Can’t argue with taste.) Completely reminds me of the vegetarian dish (inlcluding, yeah, mayo and radishes) at Publican. Creamy mouthfeel. Ends sugary, as you might expect from the region. Ben’s a bit tongue-tied… his glass tastes like Uncle Joe’s Jerk Chicken.

Dan: “This is a good beer, I like this beer.” Enough said. And now on to the Pre-Session (anticipated) favorite: J.W. Lees does Scotland.

5. J.W. Lees “Harvest” (Lagavulin Cask): Dan’s missing it (says the second selection is closer to Scotch), but Ben and I totally get peat smokiness in the nose. And it’s awesome, buried beneath the fruit boldness of a Barleywine (seems to be a running theme tonight). Dan gets straight Barleywine, but Ben and I are digging the “barleywine + peat = roasted macadamia nut.” Everybody finds it really complex and unique. The smokiness reminds me of a Marzen we tried up at WHPK (yet to be reviewed). 

Overall - it’s a homerun (just as the Phillies win… again).

-t

•
Scotland via Hyde Park: Beerhunter Pre-Session Turns out we might not have to wait for Andrew’s Scotch-hunt report from Duke of Perth…. We’ll review some good Islay produce via tonight’s Beerhunt. Included in our line-up is this interesting find: a J.W. Lees Ale stored in Lagavulin scotch casks since 2006. Needless to say, we’re pretty stoked about tasting this one. It runs pretty high cost-wise ($11.04) and Binny’s on 53rd street currently stocks it along with two others of a Scotch-ale hybrid, one of which comes out of Sherry casks. Sweet seaside peatiness cooked into a cool, dark ale. We anticipate a winner.

Scotland via Hyde Park: Beerhunter Pre-Session

Turns out we might not have to wait for Andrew’s Scotch-hunt report from Duke of Perth…. We’ll review some good Islay produce via tonight’s Beerhunt. Included in our line-up is this interesting find: a J.W. Lees Ale stored in Lagavulin scotch casks since 2006. Needless to say, we’re pretty stoked about tasting this one. It runs pretty high cost-wise ($11.04) and Binny’s on 53rd street currently stocks it along with two others of a Scotch-ale hybrid, one of which comes out of Sherry casks. Sweet seaside peatiness cooked into a cool, dark ale. We anticipate a winner.

•
July 10, 2009
Three Cheers for… De Regenboog! ...alright, so that happened like a year ago. Whatever. It’s been 28 years since we got a win, ok? Bragging rights last at least 12 months. Anyway, it’s also been a while since we updated this blog. In May, I left off with a bottle of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout just as Denver was facing defeat in Game III, and ultimately the entirety, of the semifinals to Kobe and the Lakers. That the Lakers would go on to continue their championship legacy interested me about as much as Young’s brew. The thing’s tasty enough, but there’s something so gimmicky and artifical about the flavor (not to mention the tacky bottling) to be a big turn-off. It’s like Young’s was trying to answer every friend of mine who says, “I’m just not that into beer, you know?” I could see it being a ”gateway” drink of sorts, something that might prove how beer doesn’t have to taste (and look) like bottled piss, but I guess that’s the charm. Once you move on to better brews of a similar nature, you’re not going back. See, e.g., the Belhaven lineup. Ok… if the last post was inspired by an immediate sports experience, this one comes from Phillies ‘08 nostalgia - and hope, of course, for a Phillies ‘09 win. I recently mentioned to someone how close my family lives to Rehobeth Beach, which reminded me of Mr. Calagione and his DFH labratory’s tempting proximity to home. I didn’t get a chance to explore the beerpub on my last visit to South Jersey (it’s just a ride away on the Cape May-Lewes ferry), but I’m making a promise right now: Should the Phillies go all the way this year (and this will be soooo much sweeter if they destroy the Dodgers again), I’ll be cheerleading from Rehobeth, sipping 90 minute IPAs with Philly shoobies vacationing ”down the shore.” That’ll totally beat drinking Miller at Jimmy’s (which kind of tempered the mood that glorious night in October, gotta say). That’s all I have sports-wise for now. Except the look on Brad Lidge’s face: it sort of expresses my discovery of De Regenboog’s ‘t Smisje Dubbel. Oh, man… this is everything I desire in a beer: sweet, warming, full-bodied and balanced with a hop-malt complexity that could make any beer-skeptic wine snob blush. The thing about ’t Smisje is that you can’t dive into it on a full stomach. I mean, it’s full of honey, which makes it a dessert in a sense, but this fine brew is a meal in itself. Super heavy and satisfying. I won’t say so much about its flavor profile: you really have to experience this one for yourself… Trust me! (Check out the Map Room on Armitage and Damen and you might be lucky enough for a taste on tap.) I can tell you that I quickly forgot my two-beer Sunday afternoon limit. Respect to Beeradvocate’s readers, but this gets an A+, a champion beer in my estimate. With a little more consciousness, we’ll be updating the site again with regular Beerhunter meeting minutes. For now, I’m hoping to convince Andrew to weigh in with a “Scotch-hunter” post. We spent a few nights at Duke of Perth last month, and some of the Islay selections were… expensive, yeah… but totally worth it. Speaking of Scotland: to Robyn from Glasgow — I miss you, and uh… please come back with your cute sweater, pretty accent and charming tolerance for pints of Matilda. You had me at “hiccup.” Love, -t

Three Cheers for… De Regenboog!

...alright, so that happened like a year ago. Whatever. It’s been 28 years since we got a win, ok? Bragging rights last at least 12 months.

Anyway, it’s also been a while since we updated this blog. In May, I left off with a bottle of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout just as Denver was facing defeat in Game III, and ultimately the entirety, of the semifinals to Kobe and the Lakers. That the Lakers would go on to continue their championship legacy interested me about as much as Young’s brew. The thing’s tasty enough, but there’s something so gimmicky and artifical about the flavor (not to mention the tacky bottling) to be a big turn-off. It’s like Young’s was trying to answer every friend of mine who says, “I’m just not that into beer, you know?” I could see it being a ”gateway” drink of sorts, something that might prove how beer doesn’t have to taste (and look) like bottled piss, but I guess that’s the charm. Once you move on to better brews of a similar nature, you’re not going back. See, e.g., the Belhaven lineup.

Ok… if the last post was inspired by an immediate sports experience, this one comes from Phillies ‘08 nostalgia - and hope, of course, for a Phillies ‘09 win. I recently mentioned to someone how close my family lives to Rehobeth Beach, which reminded me of Mr. Calagione and his DFH labratory’s tempting proximity to home. I didn’t get a chance to explore the beerpub on my last visit to South Jersey (it’s just a ride away on the Cape May-Lewes ferry), but I’m making a promise right now: Should the Phillies go all the way this year (and this will be soooo much sweeter if they destroy the Dodgers again), I’ll be cheerleading from Rehobeth, sipping 90 minute IPAs with Philly shoobies vacationing ”down the shore.” That’ll totally beat drinking Miller at Jimmy’s (which kind of tempered the mood that glorious night in October, gotta say).

That’s all I have sports-wise for now. Except the look on Brad Lidge’s face: it sort of expresses my discovery of De Regenboog’s ‘t Smisje Dubbel. Oh, man… this is everything I desire in a beer: sweet, warming, full-bodied and balanced with a hop-malt complexity that could make any beer-skeptic wine snob blush. The thing about ’t Smisje is that you can’t dive into it on a full stomach. I mean, it’s full of honey, which makes it a dessert in a sense, but this fine brew is a meal in itself. Super heavy and satisfying. I won’t say so much about its flavor profile: you really have to experience this one for yourself… Trust me! (Check out the Map Room on Armitage and Damen and you might be lucky enough for a taste on tap.) I can tell you that I quickly forgot my two-beer Sunday afternoon limit. Respect to Beeradvocate’s readers, but this gets an A+, a champion beer in my estimate.

With a little more consciousness, we’ll be updating the site again with regular Beerhunter meeting minutes. For now, I’m hoping to convince Andrew to weigh in with a “Scotch-hunter” post. We spent a few nights at Duke of Perth last month, and some of the Islay selections were… expensive, yeah… but totally worth it.

Speaking of Scotland: to Robyn from Glasgow — I miss you, and uh… please come back with your cute sweater, pretty accent and charming tolerance for pints of Matilda. You had me at “hiccup.” Love,

-t

•
May 23, 2009
Game III - Denver vs. Lakers - JR Smith splashes down a third quarter buzzer-beater from way out. Nice! What I’m drinking as it happens: Belhaven Brewery’s Scottish Stout Probably not my first choice on a normal Binny’s trip, but since it’s after 7pm, I ran down to Kimbark and settled for its limited stock. Belhaven is apparently Scotland’s oldest Brewery (1719) and runs a considerable selection (including a Scottish Ale, a style I’m not completely famliar with). The Stout isn’t mind-blowing, but solid and pleasantly complex. (Anyway, not nearly as inspiring as JR Smith’s sprained-calf threes.) It pours an opaque, jet jet black wth little head retention. I get really stoked for beers that look so bold. The aroma comes toasty and sweet. My first sip comes as a surprise: unexpectedly, the flavors attack the front of my tongue - a bitter kick that the roasted aroma hides. Pace the label’s chocolate-y credentials, I’m disappointed by the coco weakness. But not to fret: the roasted triple malts leave little to desire in sweetness (especially as it warms). Candy sugar spread on a slice of whole wheat. Finishes nice and long in a lingering hint of refreshing, almost minty, hops. As I’m warming up - and at 7%, this one really warms - so, too, is Mr. Billups, knocking down four-point plays from outside. It’s the fourth quarter and tied, so I’m off to calm my nerves with the next selection: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout… -Tom

Game III - Denver vs. Lakers - JR Smith splashes down a third quarter buzzer-beater from way out. Nice! What I’m drinking as it happens:

Belhaven Brewery’s Scottish Stout

Probably not my first choice on a normal Binny’s trip, but since it’s after 7pm, I ran down to Kimbark and settled for its limited stock. Belhaven is apparently Scotland’s oldest Brewery (1719) and runs a considerable selection (including a Scottish Ale, a style I’m not completely famliar with). The Stout isn’t mind-blowing, but solid and pleasantly complex. (Anyway, not nearly as inspiring as JR Smith’s sprained-calf threes.)

It pours an opaque, jet jet black wth little head retention. I get really stoked for beers that look so bold. The aroma comes toasty and sweet. My first sip comes as a surprise: unexpectedly, the flavors attack the front of my tongue - a bitter kick that the roasted aroma hides. Pace the label’s chocolate-y credentials, I’m disappointed by the coco weakness. But not to fret: the roasted triple malts leave little to desire in sweetness (especially as it warms). Candy sugar spread on a slice of whole wheat. Finishes nice and long in a lingering hint of refreshing, almost minty, hops.

As I’m warming up - and at 7%, this one really warms - so, too, is Mr. Billups, knocking down four-point plays from outside. It’s the fourth quarter and tied, so I’m off to calm my nerves with the next selection: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout…

-Tom

•
May 22, 2009
Understanding "Phenolic": Jablonsky Sends Beerhunter to School
•
Guest Night: WCW Drops in from Bloomington This report is two months delayed (which explains the sketchy and punctuated character of the minutes). I’m passing responsibility to Ben Germaine Cough-Man who, digging too deeply into Lolita, forgot friends, family and (most egregiously) beer. On the night of our last meeting (3/21/09), Ben’s absence was filled by William, one of my dearest friends and certainly the sharpest young musician / music historian I know. He visited from Bloomington, where he is currently a graduate student in Composition and Conducting. Naturally, we let him DJ. I had the pleasure of living with Will back in the UC undergrad days (so long ago…). He turned me on to Wild Turkey, Schnittke, the French language, Cary Grant and many, many other things too classy for a Jersey kid.  I owe a lot to this cat; I’d like to think he owes me for an introduction to some tasty brews and the pleasure of beerhunting. a.       Georg Schneider’s Wiesen Edel-Weisse To begin, Dan spills the yeasty brew all over the furniture (Ikea). Not a good sign.   Aroma: Pleasant, clove-dominant. Nothing extraordinary in the flavor – “a solid Hefe-Weisen” (Dan); “A- for price” (WCW). Finishes like a shitty Chardonnay. Overall: forgettable. Not a re-buy. b.      Southern Tier’s Unfiltered Ale (Gemini) = Hoppe + Unearthly Aggressive, though pleasant hop aroma. All agreed, the hop bitterness is numbing, unbalanced and results in a “cheap, varnish-like finish” (Will) The separate parts (Hoppe and Unearthly) are much stronger than their whole (Gemini). The latter: C- approaching undrinkable. Not a re-buy. c.       Gaspar Hops done Belgian with Pilsner malt! Will: nice balance in the bitter hops / sweet, toasty malts; fresh, herbal aroma; subtle and simple overall. Dan agrees. Nice clean finish! Refreshing follow-up to the last two brews. Re-buy for sure. d.      KBS (Founders) Stout Dan already feels the thick, heavy mouth-feel in the jet black pour.  Excellent, pick-me-up coffee aroma.  He was really stoked about this quote (his own): “All the good qualities of a stout with little to none of the bad.”   Will gives it an A-, explaining that it “penetrates the unexplored regions of [his] mouth” (nice!) with its “roasted immediacy” and dark chocolate bass tones. Unanimous: re-buy! e.      Brooklyn Local 2  My notes are especially bad for this one (hiccup). I liked it, but I can’t remember exactly why. I can recall only one other response – Will’s: compared to Triple Karmeliet, the Brooklyn brew lacks complexity. That is, it’s too one-sidedly hoppy. Though we didn’t officially vote on its re-buy status, I’d guess a split decision: Tom and Dan for; Will against.    The day after the meeting, Will wrote us the following message: Thank you so much for accepting me into the fold of the Beerhunters’ Blogging Club tonight, as an honored guest. I forgot to mention that I myself have started a  blog: www.willcwhite.com. So check that out! Apologies again for the lack of details in these minutes. Chime in with anything else you might have, fellas. Much appreciated. -Tom

Guest Night: WCW Drops in from Bloomington

This report is two months delayed (which explains the sketchy and punctuated character of the minutes). I’m passing responsibility to Ben Germaine Cough-Man who, digging too deeply into Lolita, forgot friends, family and (most egregiously) beer.

On the night of our last meeting (3/21/09), Ben’s absence was filled by William, one of my dearest friends and certainly the sharpest young musician / music historian I know. He visited from Bloomington, where he is currently a graduate student in Composition and Conducting. Naturally, we let him DJ.

I had the pleasure of living with Will back in the UC undergrad days (so long ago…). He turned me on to Wild Turkey, Schnittke, the French language, Cary Grant and many, many other things too classy for a Jersey kid.  I owe a lot to this cat; I’d like to think he owes me for an introduction to some tasty brews and the pleasure of beerhunting.

a.       Georg Schneider’s Wiesen Edel-Weisse

To begin, Dan spills the yeasty brew all over the furniture (Ikea). Not a good sign.  

Aroma: Pleasant, clove-dominant.

Nothing extraordinary in the flavor – “a solid Hefe-Weisen” (Dan); “A- for price” (WCW). Finishes like a shitty Chardonnay.

Overall: forgettable. Not a re-buy.

b.      Southern Tier’s Unfiltered Ale (Gemini) = Hoppe + Unearthly

Aggressive, though pleasant hop aroma.

All agreed, the hop bitterness is numbing, unbalanced and results in a “cheap, varnish-like finish” (Will)

The separate parts (Hoppe and Unearthly) are much stronger than their whole (Gemini). The latter: C- approaching undrinkable. Not a re-buy.

c.       Gaspar

Hops done Belgian with Pilsner malt!

Will: nice balance in the bitter hops / sweet, toasty malts; fresh, herbal aroma; subtle and simple overall. Dan agrees. Nice clean finish! Refreshing follow-up to the last two brews.

Re-buy for sure.

d.      KBS (Founders) Stout

Dan already feels the thick, heavy mouth-feel in the jet black pour.  Excellent, pick-me-up coffee aroma.  He was really stoked about this quote (his own): “All the good qualities of a stout with little to none of the bad.”  

Will gives it an A-, explaining that it “penetrates the unexplored regions of [his] mouth” (nice!) with its “roasted immediacy” and dark chocolate bass tones.

Unanimous: re-buy!

e.      Brooklyn Local 2 

My notes are especially bad for this one (hiccup). I liked it, but I can’t remember exactly why. I can recall only one other response – Will’s: compared to Triple Karmeliet, the Brooklyn brew lacks complexity. That is, it’s too one-sidedly hoppy.

Though we didn’t officially vote on its re-buy status, I’d guess a split decision: Tom and Dan for; Will against.   

The day after the meeting, Will wrote us the following message:

Thank you so much for accepting me into the fold of the Beerhunters’ Blogging Club tonight, as an honored guest. I forgot to mention that I myself have started a  blog: www.willcwhite.com.

So check that out!

Apologies again for the lack of details in these minutes. Chime in with anything else you might have, fellas. Much appreciated.

-Tom

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After completing two months of painstaking BA research on Nabokov, the Beerhunter team has re-united. To start things right, we’re posting a review of Gulden Draak, one of the first we tasted, and incidentally, among our favorites. It’s an all-in-all solid brew, as our friend Ben Kaminsky testifies below. Happy reading/drinking. Thanks again, Ben! * Gulden Draak 5/22/09Serving Temperature: 50 degrees f Visual Apperance:Nice, dark golden brown tone. Classic Belgian tripple color. Flavor - Cold:First impressions give off heavy malt flavors in the bass tones countered by notes of pine and a sparkling lime or limeade in the acidity. More interesting flavors come through via the aroma with cooked banana not unlike bananas foster, and burnt sugar sweetness reminiscent of the crust of creme brûlée. You begin to notice the intensity of the alcohol as the glass warms. Flavor - Warming:Phenolic flavors dominate the warming glass. This is where you begin to rue that 10.5% ABV. Heavily medicinal. Other potential uses at this stage: facial astringent. Flavor - Warm:Luckily, those phenols slowly fade away bringing the malty sweetness back with its exit. Honey and turbinado sugar yield more complex subtle fruit flavors of apple cider and pear juice. All in all, an interesting brew and one worth experiencing, despite its obvious drawbacks. If you like them strong or if you’re an alcoholic, it’ll probably treat you right. Your brew,Kaminsky

After completing two months of painstaking BA research on Nabokov, the Beerhunter team has re-united. To start things right, we’re posting a review of Gulden Draak, one of the first we tasted, and incidentally, among our favorites. It’s an all-in-all solid brew, as our friend Ben Kaminsky testifies below. Happy reading/drinking.

Thanks again, Ben!

*

Gulden Draak
5/22/09
Serving Temperature: 50 degrees f


Visual Apperance:
Nice, dark golden brown tone. Classic Belgian tripple color.


Flavor - Cold:
First impressions give off heavy malt flavors in the bass tones countered by notes of pine and a sparkling lime or limeade in the acidity. More interesting flavors come through via the aroma with cooked banana not unlike bananas foster, and burnt sugar sweetness reminiscent of the crust of creme brûlée. You begin to notice the intensity of the alcohol as the glass warms.


Flavor - Warming:
Phenolic flavors dominate the warming glass. This is where you begin to rue that 10.5% ABV. Heavily medicinal. Other potential uses at this stage: facial astringent.


Flavor - Warm:
Luckily, those phenols slowly fade away bringing the malty sweetness back with its exit. Honey and turbinado sugar yield more complex subtle fruit flavors of apple cider and pear juice.


All in all, an interesting brew and one worth experiencing, despite its obvious drawbacks. If you like them strong or if you’re an alcoholic, it’ll probably treat you right.


Your brew,
Kaminsky

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March 22, 2009
Restaurant/Beer Review: The Publican Dan: The above picture does not come from The Publican, but it seems appropriate since it does come from my trip to Belgium/France last fall, and The Publican’s extensive beer menu leans heavily on Belgian style ales, as well as some smaller American brewery favorites. The food and atmosphere are also reminiscent of a hip gastro-pub style Belgian beer hall (at least that seems to be what the owners are going for anyway). As soon as you enter the restaurant it become apparent that meat is a priority – giant paintings of pigs hang on the walls, over a row of tables with large doors that swing out into the dining area. Our waiter claimed that the doors are meant to separate the private tables from the rowdy crowd in the rest of the restaurant (sitting at large communal tables), but the doors felt gimmicky and our booth seemed more like a pen than an enclosed private dining space. The menu is divided into meat (mostly pork) and fish, except for a small selection of vegetables. In hindsight probably not the best place to bring Tom, but every vegetable we tried tasted great, especially the pickled beets and the only brussel sprouts I’ve ever actually enjoyed eating. Besides we didn’t really come for the food (well I did but Tom doesn’t care about anything but beer). The farm chicken was excellent, as was the potee (basically a plate with various meats – some kind of sausage, boar shoulder, pork tenderloin). The waiter said the steamed mussels were the best seafood item on the menu, and even my dad (who made it clear before ordering that he does not enjoy mussels) had to eventually give in and agree with him. Maybe the best thing we had all night though, were the French fries – served Euro style with mayonnaise. They were perfect, crispy and hot, probably the best fries I’ve ever had and the mayo (which I usually pass on) complemented them perfectly. If I go back to the Publican, it will be to sit at the bar and order nothing but fries and beer. Anyway, enough about the food, let’s get to what’s really important – la biere. For that I will leave it up to Tom. Tom: As with its decor, the Publican’s approach to beer rides on pretense. To say nothing about the menu, of course: while the international scope is impressive enough (http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/files/drinks.pdf), the 100% markup on all things save draught places the most interesting selections out of reach for experimental types. (Take an example: Brooklyn Brew Local 1 - $25!)  The presentation is standard, but the servers provide sub-standard, even embarrassing, recommendations - a surprise, perhaps, given that one of Publican’s creators is responsible for the Violet Hour. Here’s one telling exchange from our visit: “What goes well with chicken? Try Duchesse de Bourgogne, a beer that tastes of vinegar…” Oh yes… a pint of vinegar to wash down this bird!  Please, bring us your finest beer that has fermented into a salad dressing. That sounds splendid! And could you please say Duchesse de Bourgogne once more? Your French is truly magnifique, sir…  At best there’s an assumption here that anyone can and should take a leap from Heineken (or Stella if you’re “really risky”) to Flemish red ales just by virtue of the “extreme beer” fetish, which seems in fashion these days. Why else would the New Yorker spend so much time on Calagione? At worst, Publican’s servers are pretentious enough to convince themselves that vinegar and beer make a tasty combination (if only it’s described with a french pronunciation). In either case, I believe I speak for Beerhunter’s experience that extreme beer has to be introduced, flavor by flavor. Try a hoppy IPA… or maybe a malty English Brown Ale. Trippels need no introduction after that, I think… and neither do amazing french fries with creamy mayo. So avoid the slaughter pens in the resaurant and cozy up to the bar, where you can find both. A Belgian draft and a cone of crispy chips for 11 bucks… now that’s worth a visit. PS from Dan: To be fair, in my opinion I think Tom might have been a little hard on our waiter. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him pretentious. He was just giving us a suggestion based on his own preference. Although he did not really take into consideration who was asking him (my dad, who knows next to nothing about “extreme” beer, and who stated as such.) Also Duchesse de Bourgogne tastes like prune juice, not vinegar.

Restaurant/Beer Review: The Publican

Dan:

The above picture does not come from The Publican, but it seems appropriate since it does come from my trip to Belgium/France last fall, and The Publican’s extensive beer menu leans heavily on Belgian style ales, as well as some smaller American brewery favorites. The food and atmosphere are also reminiscent of a hip gastro-pub style Belgian beer hall (at least that seems to be what the owners are going for anyway).

As soon as you enter the restaurant it become apparent that meat is a priority – giant paintings of pigs hang on the walls, over a row of tables with large doors that swing out into the dining area. Our waiter claimed that the doors are meant to separate the private tables from the rowdy crowd in the rest of the restaurant (sitting at large communal tables), but the doors felt gimmicky and our booth seemed more like a pen than an enclosed private dining space.

The menu is divided into meat (mostly pork) and fish, except for a small selection of vegetables. In hindsight probably not the best place to bring Tom, but every vegetable we tried tasted great, especially the pickled beets and the only brussel sprouts I’ve ever actually enjoyed eating. Besides we didn’t really come for the food (well I did but Tom doesn’t care about anything but beer). The farm chicken was excellent, as was the potee (basically a plate with various meats – some kind of sausage, boar shoulder, pork tenderloin). The waiter said the steamed mussels were the best seafood item on the menu, and even my dad (who made it clear before ordering that he does not enjoy mussels) had to eventually give in and agree with him. Maybe the best thing we had all night though, were the French fries – served Euro style with mayonnaise. They were perfect, crispy and hot, probably the best fries I’ve ever had and the mayo (which I usually pass on) complemented them perfectly. If I go back to the Publican, it will be to sit at the bar and order nothing but fries and beer. Anyway, enough about the food, let’s get to what’s really important – la biere. For that I will leave it up to Tom.

Tom:

As with its decor, the Publican’s approach to beer rides on pretense. To say nothing about the menu, of course: while the international scope is impressive enough (http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/files/drinks.pdf), the 100% markup on all things save draught places the most interesting selections out of reach for experimental types. (Take an example: Brooklyn Brew Local 1 - $25!) 

The presentation is standard, but the servers provide sub-standard, even embarrassing, recommendations - a surprise, perhaps, given that one of Publican’s creators is responsible for the Violet Hour. Here’s one telling exchange from our visit:

“What goes well with chicken? Try Duchesse de Bourgogne, a beer that tastes of vinegar…”

Oh yes… a pint of vinegar to wash down this bird!  Please, bring us your finest beer that has fermented into a salad dressing. That sounds splendid! And could you please say Duchesse de Bourgogne once more? Your French is truly magnifique, sir… 

At best there’s an assumption here that anyone can and should take a leap from Heineken (or Stella if you’re “really risky”) to Flemish red ales just by virtue of the “extreme beer” fetish, which seems in fashion these days. Why else would the New Yorker spend so much time on Calagione? At worst, Publican’s servers are pretentious enough to convince themselves that vinegar and beer make a tasty combination (if only it’s described with a french pronunciation).

In either case, I believe I speak for Beerhunter’s experience that extreme beer has to be introduced, flavor by flavor. Try a hoppy IPA… or maybe a malty English Brown Ale. Trippels need no introduction after that, I think… and neither do amazing french fries with creamy mayo. So avoid the slaughter pens in the resaurant and cozy up to the bar, where you can find both. A Belgian draft and a cone of crispy chips for 11 bucks… now that’s worth a visit.

PS from Dan: To be fair, in my opinion I think Tom might have been a little hard on our waiter. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him pretentious. He was just giving us a suggestion based on his own preference. Although he did not really take into consideration who was asking him (my dad, who knows next to nothing about “extreme” beer, and who stated as such.) Also Duchesse de Bourgogne tastes like prune juice, not vinegar.

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