Nøgne Ø, Jolly Pumpkin & Stone Special Holiday Ale

January 6th, 2010 beckel

Here I hold one of the most intriguing and illusive collaboration ales of 2009 with a mere 20 cases making their way to my state of Minnesota. This bottle was brewed and bottled in Norway at the inventive brewery of Nøgne Ø with the help of the wild brewers of Jolly Pumpkin and always intense Stone Brewing Company. While I was unable to sample this ale last year when the first batch was brewed at Stone I am very pleased to have the opportunity to sample this the 2nd time around. Most of the unique ingredients used in this brew are local to the regions of the three breweries including Michigan chestnuts, white sage from Southern California, and Norwegian juniper berries. Both Stone and Jolly Pumpkin also brewed this ale on their setups this year but I do not believe either will make it into my local market unfortunately. However if you live near California or Michigan you might be lucky enough to find some. On to the good part. This ale pours a very opaque dark brown hue that appears black until you bring it to light. A relatively tight light brown 3 finger head is slowly created but quickly opens up and fades with in about 3 minutes leaving only a small ring of carbonation around the surface of the ale. Aroma is quite interesting with a herbal spirit like quality that i believe is coming from the juniper berries and somewhat reminds me of a gin but with different esters. A modest amount of alcohol is noticeable as well as gentle roasted notes. Flavor is very unique with strong herbal notes of sage, caraway and juniper easily showing their way through the solid malt profile of this ale. Finishing with a delicate nuttiness and a bit of alcohol. The combination of malted barley, rye and oats delivers a wonderfully clean and smooth mouthfeel but frankly I wish I could taste them a bit more over all of the herbal notes present in this ale. Clocking in at 8.5% ABV this is certainly a winter warmer and an easy one to drink at that with a relatively light body for the style. Over all this is a rather sweet herbal ale with very little bitterness present but enough roasted esters to give it a bit of contrasting flavor. An interesting and creative ale with a multitude of ingredients that certainly shows the skill and creativity of the brewers. If I manage to stumble upon a bottle brewed by Jolly Pumpkin I would be very curious to see what some aging in their lovely funky oak barrels might do to this recipe. While I am still in search of a Holiday Ale I particularly love I will give this ale plenty of credit for potential. If you are a fan of herbal holiday ales and dig juniper berries this might just be the ale for you, if you can find it. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Nøgne Ø, Jolly Pumpkin & Stone Special Holiday Ale

Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse

November 24th, 2009 beckel

Today I have a beer I should have enjoyed some time ago but never got around to purchasing, until last month or so when I noticed there was still one bottle left on the shelves of The Four Firkins. It is the Schneider brewed version of a set of collaborative ales by Hans-Peter Drexler of the fore mentioned Schneider Weisse (or G. Schneider & Sohn as they call their brewery) and Garret Oliver of Brooklyn Brewingg. Apparently Hans was a big fan of Brooklyn’s hoppy East India Pale Ale and Garret admired the delicate balance of flavors in Schneider Weisse so they decided to have some fun and brew two very similar hoppy Weizenbocks with different varieties of local hops and release each through their distribution networks. I have not had the opportunity to sample the Brooklyn version  but I am quite excited to try this version which was brewed with an equal amount of Pale Wheat Malt and Pale Two-row Barley malt, hopped with Hallertauer Saphir for aroma and Hallertauer Tradition for bitterness then further dry hopped with3 more pounds Hallertauer Saphir per barrel for a week. Thirsty yet? I know I am. This ale pours a lovely hazy apricot hue and is only slightly translucent. Head was smaller than I expected of a wheat beer creating under two fingers of tight white head, though I didn’t pour particularly vigorously. On the other hand the head retention is superb leaving me with about a millimeter of tight bubbles for more then the last 15 minutes. Aroma is quite delicious, full of gentle banana, clove, and other herbal aromas I expect from the style as well as a very refreshing citrus and floral note from the Hallertauer hops in addition to a small amount of alcohol. Hop flavors come through delightfully contrasting balancing wonderfully with the wheat in the ale creating many citrus like flavors ranging from grapefruit to apricot and perhaps other light pitted fruits. The delicious and delicate wheat flavors we expect from a brew like Schneider Weisse are showcased wonderfully even with the assertive hopping allowing delicious gentle bread notes to flourish and grow. A variety of spices are present and play a nice balancing role to the solid hop profile. When I first read that this ale was only 40 IBU I was a bit surprised, but after sampling it is very apparent that though this is a wonderfully hopped ale with delicious citrus and floral notes, it is only gently bitter. I find the mouthfeel of this ale to be a bit more on the syrupy or sweet side but i think it is largely to do with the fact that this big beer has such a light body. Even at 8.2% ABV this is one drinkable ale, but be careful as the alcohol is only modestly notable. Definitely a solid ale that I will happily drink more of if I can find it. A wonderful example of what can happen when people work together; the solid complexities of a brewery that has been making traditional German beers for over a century and the wonderful hop assertiveness of many progressive American breweries. If you dig wheat beers and don’t mind some quality hoppy presence or even better yet if your scared of wheat beers and want to try something you won’t regret this is the beer for you. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse

Beer Here Dark Hops

November 1st, 2009 beckel

I found this bottle of Dark Hops from the brewers of Beer Here who hail from Norway a month or so ago on the shelves of The Four Firkins. I also picked up a bottle of their Pumpernickel Porter but that will be for another day. I know very little of the Beer Here Brewery but if you can read Norwegian perhaps you can learn a bit more about them at their web page above. The Dark Hops bottle states that it is a hoppy black ale and lists it’s ingredients simply as “water, barley, rye, sugar, hops and yeast”. While also noting that “hops were harmed in the making of this beer”, which I can dig, so long as they were treated in the most humane way possible. This ale pours an incredibly dark black color that is completely impenetrable by light, producing a massive tight creamy dark brown head that is over four fingers and fades quite slowly, leaving only a small amount of lacing around the glass. Aroma is incredibly rich, smelling of dark roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, toffee and a solid dose of alcohol. A strong does of hoppy citrus & floral notes prevail in the aroma  but still takes a back seat to the massive dark roasted notes. Dark roasted malt and burnt coffee flavors are noticed first followed by plenty of alcohol and finishing with some serious floral and citrus notes from the Zeus and Saaz Hops used in this brew. An additional sharpness is added by the use of rye in the grain bill and compliments the hops quite nicely. A decent amount of sweetness is present but I still find myself overwhelmed with dark roasted coffee notes even though there are plenty of other flavors present. The combination of roasted and citrus notes occasionally creates a somewhat tart flavor that is really quite unique and enjoyable. The 8.5% ABV of this beer is partially masked by the melody of flavors present but is a bit overpowering even for my tastes, though it does smooth out a bit as I progress though the bottle. Body is somewhat heavy but less viscous than most ales that are this dark. Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth. Simply this is one interesting ale. At first I found the contrasting flavors to simply be too much, particularly in the roasted malt and alcohol categories. After drinking most of the bottle I must say I find some of the flavor profiles present very intriguing and unique, but could perhaps use a bit of fine tuning. If you love coffee and dark roasted malts as well as India Pale Ales this might just be the perfect beer for you. Unquestionably the most coffee like and hoppiest IBA (India Brown/Black Ale) I have ever had the opportunity to consume. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
Beer Here Dark Hops

Nogne O Tyttebaer

October 5th, 2009 beckel

So September was a long month with few posts. Full of wonderful beer events such as ABR, Where the Wild Beers Are and the always enjoyable Surlyfest. This year the day of Surlyfest was wonderfully warm, hot even. With enough sun to make even the most cynical Minnesotan forget that winter is approaching. No rain was present which was a lovely change from last years event. This year everyone received five drink tokens to get their massive .5L + steins full of delicious Surly offerings including Furious, Bender, Cynic Ale, Coffee Bender, Hell, and of course Surlyfest. A good show indeed, can’t wait for Darkness Day. Where the Wild Beers Are was an experiment in sour yeast digestion. Though I have them written down I have no where near the patience to transcribe all of the wonderful beers I consumed that evening. All I can say is as if a keg of Cantillon Iris wasn’t enough the forty or more other sour beers available certainly were. Cheers to Jeff and Tim for organizing this again, I can’t wait for next year. ABR consisted of all kinds of wonderful brew as usual including some impressive offerings from many of our local brewers. But by now you’ve read everyone else’s ABR post so lets get to the beer at hand.

A Small Portion of the SurlyFest Crowd
A Small Portion of the SurlyFest Crowd

Omar Cycling the Evening Away
Omar Cycling the Evening Away

Lining Up For Beer at Where The Wild Beers Are
Lining Up For Beer at Where The Wild Beers Are

De Proef Flemish Primitive Flight
De Proef Flemish Primitive Flight

A Small Sampling of the Wonderful Brews Consumed
A Small Sampling of the Wonderful Brews Consumed

Coors Light Can at ABR
Coors Light Can at ABR

Tyttebaer which translates to lingonberry (sometimes referred to as Scandinavian Cranberries) is a collaborative brew between Nogne O and Mikkeller both wonderful brewers of Scandinavian origin. When I first heard about this collaboration I was incredibly excited by the concept of a Wild Ale brewed with an interesting fruit such as lingonberries particularly as they are a fruit very commonly used in the regional cuisine of the brewers. Upon finding this beer at The Four Firkins Sean had nothing but good things to say making it even easier for me to shell out the hefty $15 dollars or so for this lovely green labeled .5L bottle. Pours a beautiful red hue that is similar to the color of a cranberry and very opaque. A solid four fingers of off white head with a slight pint tint is produced, consisting of large bubbles that dissipate quickly. Aroma is full of incredibly pungent fruit aroma of lingonberries that consists of both sweet and sour notes. Grains are difficult to detect but a bit of wheat smoothness is notable. Tastes largely of lingonberries with a deliciously mild tart note produced by a combination of the fruit itself in addition to Brettanomyces Yeast and Lactobacillus. A small amount of sweetness is present and the wheat dominate grain bill really allows the flavors to shine. Body is medium and the mouthfeel is rather dry which is quite nice. With a solid 8% ABV and delicious cranberry like flavor this ale is sure to satisfy even with its price tag and very limited availability. Probably not the beer for those who detest fruits being used in brews but a wonderful introduction into quality Lambic or Sour Ales that won’t burn your tounge off with over the top sweet or sour notes. Unquestionably a delicious beer that shows the skills of these wonderful brewers. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Nogne O Tyttebaer

Lefebvre Barbar

September 3rd, 2009 beckel

Today I have what is sure to be an interesting Belgian brew produced by Lefebvre Brewery. I found this 11.2 oz beer on the shelves of The Four Firkins and had no clue what it was aside from the neat ancient looking symbols on the bottle and the very reasonable price tag of just a couple dollars. After reading a bit it appears Lefebvre has a very long family history dating back to 1876 but this particular brew wasn’t distributed until more recently in 1996. Barbar is said to be based on ancestral knowledge of the brewer and was crafted with some very interesting ingredients including honey, bitter orange, coriander, wheat and of course water, barley, hops (Hallertau & Styrian) and their unique yeast strain. This ale pours a unique hazy brownish copper hue that is very opaque but doesn’t appear tio have any sediment present. Head is a solid four fingers of tight pure white bubbles that slowly dissipates leaving a solid millimeter of head on the surface even after over ten minutes and a small amount of lacing around the glass. Aroma is also quite unique, smells strongly of rich spicy honey, oranges and caramel. This is unquestionably a sweet beer but the gentle coriander and alcohol notes do a decent job making the aroma a bit more dry. Flavor is much lighter than the aroma but still contains plenty of herbal notes, a moderate does of honey, soft caramel, a good deal of pale malty sweetness which is contrasted by a nice light wheat character and gentle citrus hop notes. Body is quite light for such a strong ale and the mouthfeel is nicely carbonated and not overly sticky particularly considering the honey used in this brew. With an ABV of 8% this isn’t something you can drink all day but the sweet flavor of the brew may make you think otherwise. If you enjoy Belgian Strong Ales and are looking for something with additional sweetness and spices this might just be the beer for you. The aroma of this beer really blew me away though the flavor in contrast seemed a bit lackluster, regardless this is a neat ale that shows you can make a successful brew with unique ingredients. Something I would happily consume again, particularly at a reasonable price. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Lefebvre Barbar Honey Ale

Dieu Du Ciel Rigor Mortis ABT

September 1st, 2009 beckel

I have not managed to sample many brews from the Canadian Dieu Du Ciel Brewery but those that I have were complex and enjoyable. To add to their creative brews they tend to have mythical and magical themed labels that depict nature and fantasy and this bottle surely emphasizes this with one intense portrait. Rigor Mortis ABT is a Quadrupel that is inspired by the strong brown ales brewed by Trappist monks. This ale pours a very dark brownish amber hue that appears black from a distance but a rich dark amber when brought to light. The head of this opaque brew is a fluffy off white hue and consists of tight bubbles that open up quickly but last for many minutes and retains a small puddle on the surface almost indefinitely along with some nice lacing. Aroma is quite nice. Malt aromas are dominate but not overly sweet and actually quite dry. Alcohol comes in and out but is not particularly strong considering its 10.5% ABV. Decent bitterness is present but seems to be coming more from dark malts than hops. Everything from dark fruit to coffee to tobacco are present in the aroma of this beer but all are amazingly subtle and balance off one another quite well. Additionally yeast notes are very dull but still add an additional herbal component. Tastes largely of gentle dark pitted fruit, clean malty sweetness, a hint of caramel and a gentle dose of alcohol. I find the flavor of this brew incredibly interesting. On one hand I am a bit surprised there are not more distinct flavors playing off one another as one will often find in many Belgian Strong Ales, particularly Trappist Ales. However at the same time there is something quite enjoyable and comforting about the basic flavors present and the power of simplicity. The mouthfeel of this brew is well carbonated and somewhat creamy yet quite clean. Body is a bit heavy but appropriate for the style. Less yeasty than I would expect for a Trappist inspired brew but likely more similar to traditional Abbey Ales of the past, if only I could go back in time. If you enjoy Strong Belgian Style Ales you will most definitely enjoy this simple yet delicious brew. As far as food pairings are concerned I think this beer might actually be an amazing candidate as it will not overpower the flavors of your food yet cleanse the palate wonderfully. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Dieu Du Ciel Rigor Mortis ABT

HaandBryggeriet Dark Force

August 21st, 2009 beckel

Though this is the first time I have sampled a beer from the brewers of HaandBryggeriet I am ever so excited for a number of reasons. HaandBryggeriet consists of four Norwegian brewers who operate out of a small 200 year old wooden building in Drammen, Norway. I have seen their brews on the shelves many times but never justified purchasing them as they are limited production and imported making them cost a pretty penny. On this beer however I took exception and couldn’t help but grab the last bottle off of the shelves of The Four Firkins. Dark Force has one crazy style description on the bottle “Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout”. So if being the first brewers to make an Imperial Wheat Stout wasn’t enough this one is also double extreme! Jokes asside I cant wait to hop into this brew. This bottle of awesomely named beer happens to be Batch NR 144 which was brewed in March of 08. This beer pours a very dark black color that is completely opaque not even allowing a small amount light to penetrate through the surface. Head consists just over two fingers of tight creamy bubbles that are the color of rich chocolate and slowly dissipate creating larger bubbles as the minutes pass but leaving almost no lacing. Smells strongly of rich roasted dark malt with some gentle coffee and chocolate notes and a decent alcohol hint. Tastes heavily of dark roasted  malt with a slightly sweeter finish of gentle wheat notes and a soft citrus like character in the end. Mouthfeel is slightly creamy reminding me a bit of a milk stout but with less lactose, body is medium making it quite drinkable for an Imperial Stout though its 9% ABV makes it more of a sipper. This is certainly one of the more  interestingly flavored Imperial Stouts I have had the opportunity to sample and if it were more available I would happily consume it more regularly.  If you are into big dark beers and want to try something quite unique this beer is definitely worth your time. If this beer is any example of the quality of brews produced by HaandBryggeriet I might just have to open my wallet a little wider in the future and grab some more of their tasty beverages. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

HaandBryggeriet Dark Force

St Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale

August 13th, 2009 beckel

Prior to purchasing this brew I knew nothing of the makers of St Ambroise, McAuslan Brewery other than the fact that they are from Montreal, Canada which is stated on the bottle. After some quick reading it appears they started brewing in 1989 and have had continued success branching out to their current nine varieties of bottled beer. I decided to pick up a four pack of this intriguing beverage at the recommendation of Alvey of The Four Firkins and after a quick taste it was an easy sell. This interestingly styled Apricot Wheat Ale pours a completely translucent light apricot hue and produces a solid two plus fingers of white head that last for a few minutes. Aroma is of gentle alcohol and rich sweet apricots with just a hint of wheat. Apricot flavors are forward but balanced by plenty of wheat and other grains that add a dash of sweetness but is still grainy enough to provide a somewhat hearty mouthfeel and avoid turning this brew into a sweet mess. Body is relatively light and with a 5% ABV it is certainly an easy to drink beer. Though I detect almost no hops the grains present in this brew seem to add a gentle bitter note to wrap up the flavor of this beer. Not a style of beer I would typically drink a ton of but a good example of how to make a tasty fruit beer that is very palatable. A dandy stepping stone for someone who really likes apricots but may be a bit weary of beer, or better yet the perfect beer for someone who enjoys fruits and beer but doesn’t want to be subjected to a syrupy mess. I am pleased with the way the brewer has managed to accentuate an enjoyable wheat base with some serious fruitiness yet balance it well enough that I would happily drink many of their brews, particularly on a nice warm day such as today. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

St Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale

De Block Satan Gold

August 6th, 2009 beckel

When I saw this little bottle on the shelves of The Four Firkins a few months ago I couldn’t help but pick it up. One look at the picture of Satan smirking back at you holding a cup of this brew was more than enough to justify the few dollars spent. Knowing nothing about this beer or its brewery De Block other than the fact that they operate out of Merchtem-Peizegem, Belgium I decided to look them up. Apparently this family run breweries history dates back to the 14th century and they produce a number of interesting looking beers including a Satan Red Ale. But you can read all that on their website, onto the beer. Poured straight into a tulip at just under room temperature this beer produced about three fingers of loose highly carbonated white head that faded very quickly leaving little lacing around the glass though more carbonation easily builds up when swirled. Color is an attractive hazy golden hue that is moderately translucent when brought to light. Aroma is quite alcoholic and reminds me a bit of a white wine in some ways and is accompanied by light fruit notes. Flavor is remarkably less alcoholic than the aroma but still present up front but is nicely contrasted by fruity flavors such as apricot and a gentle flavor that reminds me of caramel and even more so toffee as well as some light bready yeast notes. From the aroma of this brew I really didn’t expect a particularly pleasant experience but after taking a number of sips this really is one interesting and nicely flavorful Belgian Strong Pale Ale. The body of this brew is medium and the mouthfeel is very clean, provided the 8% ABV doesn’t get to you first this should be an easy beer to consume. I had no idea what to expect when I opened this bottle but I am pleased to say I have really enjoyed it and would definitely purchase it again. Alcohol is a bit more noticeable than in some beers of the style such as Duvel [review] but I didn’t find it overly offensive, just a bit startling in the aroma. If you enjoy Golden Belgian Ales and are not opposed to alcohol I think you too will enjoy this brew. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

De Block Satan Gold Belgian Ale

Sidre Brut Tendre – Eric Bordelet 2004

August 1st, 2009 beckel

Though this blogs focus is beer I certainly enjoy a variety of fermented beverages from a delicious single malt Scotch to a well crafted cider such as we have here. Yesterday The Four Firkins hosted a Crispin Cider tasting and while there I couldn’t help but go home with a good deal of cider including this bottle I have here in front of me that was suggested by Sean. From Googling a bit I have had a hard time finding much information on this brew other than it is brewed by a well known French wine maker, is certified organic and is brewed with a wild wine yeast so lets get straight to the tasting. Color is a typical translucent golden hue that you would expect from a cider. About a millimeter of white head was formed on my first pour but faded very quickly. On the second pour I was able to produce a solid finger and change that lasted for much longer but still only a few minutes before settling to the surface of the cider and leaving a nice white circle around the glass. Aroma smells mostly of wine alcohol which makes sense and a little bit of apples. From first impression the flavors in this brew are simply amazing. I get flavors of what I figure is wine yeast first followed by a gentle fermented note that reminds me of olives but is not offensive (particularly as I don’t care for olives) and is likely present due to aging. Then comes in a wonderfully sweet and smooth apple flavor that finishes dryer with some nice carbonation in the finish. The mouthfeel of this brew is smooth and creamy it is really quite amazing. Body is very light to compliment the 4% ABV and make this an incredibly drinkable beverage, I wish I had more. This is simply an amazing beverage that I am glad to have had to opportunity to sample. If it were more available I would happily consume it again to see what the other varieties and years yield. If you have ever enjoyed a cider or are partial to white wine and want to try something new try to find one of these brews. Bottle # 153/05. Give it a shot and ride your bike.

Sidre Brut Tendre Eric Bordelet 2004