Drinking Now

Beer Flight at Selma's RSM

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Weekly ALEment

Three Philosophers (2011 Quadrupel) 

Quick Facts

Brewery: Brewery Ommegang

Beer Style: Quadrupel (Belgian Quad)

Origin: Cooperstown, New York, USA

ABV: 9.8%

IBU: N/A

Glassware: Tulip / Snifter

Serve Temp: 50°

Brewer’s Profile: Belgian Style Blend, Cherry

Summary

Color is a dark brown, coffee-like color. Pours smooth and clean with a medium golden head that dissolves relatively quickly. First aromas are of spices, cocoa, and hints of caramel. The flavor of the beer is filled with sweet caramel, floral, and a hint of the signature cherry flavor boasted in the profile. Medium carbonation, but is very light on the tongue and leaves a spicy taste in your mouth.

I love a good beer full of good malty flavors, and this beer has lots of good caramel malt, and cocoa flavors. Although I could catch small hints of the cherry flavor, I was hoping to catch more of it on my palate. Still, this beer had a great balance of other flavors that made it extremely enjoyable. As a side note, with the high alcohol content, it definitely gets stronger toward the end. For that reason, I stuck to one glass with dinner J

http://www.ommegang.com/index.php?mcat=1&scat=4

I'm Back!

It’s been about a month since I’ve posted my last blog. I’ve been on blog hiatus because I’ve recently been trying to reduce sugar and gluten in my diet in order to see more results from my weekly workouts. I have seen results, but I also never intended on completely eliminating beer from my diet. I love beer! What better time to pick up where I left off than the holidays. The holidays should be filled with spending time with your family, great food, and fantastic beer.

I celebrated the start of my holiday weekend yesterday when I met my boyfriend for lunch at The Globe in Garden Grove, CA. This is a newer gastropub in Orange County with some great food, and an authentic Belgian beer selection. I chose to have a glass of the Affligem Blonde that was on tap; perfect light lunchtime beer.

Check out The Globe if you’re ever in Garden Grove, it’s a great place!

http://www.theglobeoc.com/

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Weekly ALEment

Old Stock Ale (2009 Cellar Reserve)

Quick Facts

Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.

Beer Style: Old Ale

Origin: Fort Bragg, California, USA

ABV: 12.5%

IBU: N/A

Glassware: Pint Glass / Tumbler

Serve Temp: 40°-45°

Brewer’s Profile: Oak, Burbon, Malty

Summary

Color poured is a dark brown with a slight hint of copper. Very thin, light head that dissipates quickly. You don’t have to bring the glass too close to your face to get a good smell. The aroma is very strong, almost booze-like, with some hints of sweet malt and caramel.

I've read a lot of hype on this beer, but to be honest, it’s definitely not something I would put on my favorites list. From the first sip, the only thing that came to my mind was, “this tastes a lot like whiskey!” I expected some burbon or alcohol flavors, but I guess I just didn’t expect it to be that strong. Any other flavor of the beer was overpowered by the intensity of the alcohol on my lips. Not that I dislike whiskey or any other liquor, but when I’m drinking a beer at dinner I would like for it to be a little less “boozy.” I even tried to pair this beer as recommended with a cheese assortment. The cheese is supposed to balance out the flavor of the beer. I found myself eating more cheese than sipping, however. None the less, my boyfriend loved this ale, and proceeded to drink what I could not finish with the rest of our dinner  J

Weekly ALEment

Snicklefritz         

Quick Facts

Brewery: The Bruery (Provisions Series)

Beer Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Origin: Orange County, CA, USA

ABV: 10%

IBU: N/A

Glassware: Snifter / Tulip

Serve Temp: 50°-55°

Brewer’s Profile: Spice, Ginger, Citrus

Summary

Color poured is a light brown with a golden hue and a medium golden head. Beer was cloudy with some noticeable sediment. With the first sniff, impressions of honey and malt come to mind; it’s a very sweet and inviting aroma. Citrus and honey are among the first brief tastes that you get when you first start to drink. The secondary flavor is full of spice and it stays with you for quite some time. Medium carbonation seems to help pass along the complexity of the sweet and spicy flavor.

This was another beer from The Bruery that grabbed my attention. As part of their Provisions Series, it’s a special brew among a variety of small batch beers that are only made once. The name is also intriguing and kind of fun to try to say. It’s true to the style of the Belgian Strong Pale Ale, with the emphasis on “Strong.” With the ABV of 10%, this is one beer that’s recommended to share. After one glass, you could definitely feel the effects of this Belgian beer. As far as flavor, I loved the complexity and balance of this beer. It starts off smooth and finishes off with a pleasant aftertaste. This beer had many flavors to enjoy, and I’m sure you can keep finding a new flavor each time you have this beer. However, you may want to have this one along with a pretty hearty dinner!

Drinking Now:

Smashed Pumpkin beer floats with vanilla ice cream.

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Weekly ALEment

Imperial Brown Ale    

Quick Facts

Brewery: Bayhawk Ales

Beer Style: American Brown Ale

Origin: Orange County, CA, USA

ABV: 7.2%

IBU: 18

Glassware: Pint Glass

Serve Temp: 45°-50°

Brewer’s Profile: Chocolate, Molasses, Roasty, Vanilla

Summary

Bayhawk Ales is the largest microbrewery in Orange County. It’s very popular and a favorite microbrewery among locals. Unfortunately, I will have to report my first “bad beer blog” from such a highly rated microbrewery.

I don’t have much to say, really, because I didn’t have a chance to taste the beer. The profile sounded appealing, and I do love a good Brown, but I never got past the visual aspect of the pour. Needless to say, all you have to do is take a look at the picture to get the idea. Once we poured the beer, a thick off-white chunk of “crap” was found floating at the top. The thought of Egg-Drop Soup came to mind when trying to describe how the beer looked. I did take a small sniff from the glass and it was a pretty sour/foul smell. We dumped the entire beer down the drain.

I’m sure that it was not the intention of the brewery to put “crap” in their beer, and I do feel disappointed that I have to blog about a beer I couldn’t even try. But this is what I encountered and I must report. I do hope to someday try the Imperial Brown Ale as it was intended to taste. Just not anytime soon, I think.

Drinking Now

Noble Ale Works in Anaheim, CA

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Weekly ALEment

Loakal Red

Quick Facts

Brewery: The Bruery

Beer Style: American Red Ale

Origin: Orange County, CA, USA (Available only in Orange County)

ABV: 6.9%

IBU: 35

Glassware: Pint Glass

Serve Temp: 45°-50°

Brewer’s Profile: Centennial hops, sweet malt, oak-aged

Summary

Color poured is a light brown, rich copper with a golden thick head that seems to stick around for a decent amount of time. When you first bring the glass to your nose, you immediately catch a whiff of the smoky oak flavor with some hints of spice. With the first sip, you start to notice the bitterness of the hops along with a splash of citrus flavor and spice. The bitter easily transitions to a warm flavor of oak and a sweet caramel finish. Medium bodied, with some light carbonation and a crisp finish.

Ok……So I have tasted this beer before. I first tried this beer in a flight when I visited The Bruery in Orange, CA recently. Justin, a friend and I had tasted some great beers that afternoon, but this one caught my attention. And since you can’t really fully enjoy the flavor of a beer from a small sample, I decided to bring this one home to further explore. Once you’ve tried this beer, you can fully appreciate the perfect balance between the bitterness and the sweet. I think it’s important for a red ale to have this balance. It’s also important that the flavor sticks around for a while, and not just wash away after each sip. The Loakal Red, definitely, had more complexity with a full glass that I didn’t get with the sample. I’m actually slightly disappointed in myself that I didn’t buy another bottle. I guess I’ll have to make another trip soon!

Weekly ALEment

Una Mas Amber Lager (Seasonal)

Quick Facts

Brewery: Left Coast Brewing co.

Beer Style: Vienna Lager

Origin: San Clemente, CA, USA

ABV: 6.4%

Glassware: Pilsner / Flute

Serve Temp: 40°-45°

Brewer’s Profile: Roasted Malt, Sweet

Summary

The color of this beer pours a very attractive copper / golden color. There is a light, thin head with a slight golden hue. The overall look of the beer is very pleasing to the eye. When you first taste the beer, you notice the toasty malt flavor right away; followed by some hints of smoky sweet, and caramel. The beer has very deep flavor, which is surprising for how light it feels, and there is no lingering bad aftertaste.

I have to admit, lagers can be hit or miss for me. Some I really enjoy and some I just completely avoid. In the spirit of trying to have an open mind, I picked this one up at your local Total Wine & More and decided to give it a real chance. The brewer describes the beer as a “lager styled after the popular amber lagers south of the border,” and that summary is pretty spot on. I was very impressed with the amount of flavor, and the fact that it was very true to its description. We kept the “south of the border” experience going the whole night by grilling up a great pollo asado dinner.

Drinking Now

Sampler flight @ Alcatraz Brewing Co., Orange, CA

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Beer Brain

Important Terms

Brewing has not only become an art, but it has also become a very specific science. If you’re new to beer (such as I am), or if you’re not very familiar with the brewing process, you may get lost in some of the lingo or terminology. This week we’ll take a look at some of the major terms that everyone should know; even if you’re just the occasional beer drinker.

Ethanol Fermentation (Alcoholic Fermentation): Without getting knee deep into college Chemistry, Ethanol Fermentation is one of many types of fermentation. It’s a natural process that converts forms of sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) into a form of energy. The byproducts are ethanol and carbon dioxide. Beer is created (fermented) in closed containers with a lack of oxygen present. Therefore, the yeast actually performs the fermentation instead of oxygen (known as anaerobic respiration). 



Hops

Hops: The flower cones of the plant are used to create a bitter flavor in beer, and it also helps preserve the beer. Hops were originally cultivated in the 8^th and 9^th centuries in Bavaria and other parts of Europe. 

Adjunct: A fermentable ingredient such as honey or sugar that is used to increase the alcohol content of the beer or add flavor. Grains such as corn or rice can be added to give a lighter flavor.

 
Malt: Germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process called “malting.” Malting is when barley is soaked in water, germinated then dried with hot air to stop the germination.



Malted Barley



Specific Gravity: The density of a liquid (or solid) compared to the density of water. Specific gravity (SG) of pure water is 1.00 @ 60°F. Measurements of SG can be taken before fermentation (original gravity), and after fermentation (final or terminal gravity).

International Bitterness Units (IBU): The interpretation of a “bitter” flavor when drinking beer. Although, for practical drinkers (such as myself), this may be a confusing interpretation. “Bitterness” can be less noticeable in a beer with a higher quantity of malt when comparing another with less malt.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV): The good stuff! A measure of the amount of alcohol in a beer – rated in %.

Cask: Closed, barrel shaped container. A cask is the original method for storing and serving beer. Beer served from a cask will be unfiltered and unpasteurized.



Cask



Weekly ALEment

Allagash Tripel Reserve       

Quick Facts

Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company

Beer Style: Tripel (Belgian)

Origin: Portland, Maine, USA

ABV: 9%

IBU: N/A

Glassware: Goblet / Snifter

Serve Temp: 40°-50°

Brewer’s Profile: Honey, Passion fruit, Herbal

Summary

Color is very golden when poured with a creamy head that stays through. First, there are hints of herbs and spices followed by a smooth creamy flavor with banana. I believe the long smooth texture is carried out by the presence of honey. Some reviews of this beer suggest small hints of apricot. However, if they are present, the flavor of the herbs and banana indeed overpower any notes of another fruit.

This is a very, very good beer! There are many high ratings of this beer and after you taste it, it is easy to see why. I had this beer with a delicious steak dinner, and its creamy head and smooth texture lasted until long after the end of the meal. Definitely a beer you can enjoy with a dinner from the grill or oven. I purchased one 750ml bottle, and it is enough to split between two people (one full glass each person). The high alcohol content goes unnoticed until a little while after you have finished your glass. It may be too creamy and rich, however, to have more than a couple of glasses per person.

Beer Brain

ALES & LAGERS

Beer essentially falls into two different categories: Ale and Lager. From those two categories follow many different “beer styles” within each category. This week, we won’t get into details on beer styles; we will focus on the three main differences between the two categories: types of yeast, fermentation temperature and time, and additional ingredients.

Yeast:

Ale is produced from “top fermenting” strains of yeast. Lager is produced from “bottom fermenting” strains of yeast; however, on very rare occasions ales can also be produced from “bottom fermenting” yeast.

Temperature & Time:

Ales ferment at higher temperatures (60° - 75°F) which, in turn produces a quicker fermentation period (78 days or less). Lager comes from the German word “Lagern” which means “to store.” Lagers are fermented for much longer periods of time at cool temperatures (46° - 59°F).

Additional Ingredients & Flavor: 
Ales typically contain higher amounts of hops, malts, & roasted malts. The ale yeasts are known to produce by-products called esters, which are “flowery” and “fruity” aromas. Lagers tend to be more traditional – fewer adjuncts. Unlike Ales, the Lager yeast produces fewer by-products and does not contribute to the flavor of the beer. This allows for other flavors to pull through (malt, hops, etc.).

Drinking now:

Lazy Dog Bavarian Hefeweizen - brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, CA.

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Taste of Brews - Long Beach, CA



My Favorite Finds:

Black Star – Double Hopped Golden Lager

Whitefish, Montana

Anderson Valley Brewing Company – Summer Solstice

Mendocino County, CA

Hangar 24 Craft Brewery – Alt Bier

Redlands, CA

Butchers Brewing – Mucho Aloha

Irvine, CA

Drinking Now

Friday night dinner beer

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Introduction

I <3 Beer! I just don’t know a whole lot about it. I am eager to learn as much as I can about it. However, I haven’t always been this fascinated with the beverage. Outside of Coors Light or Michelob Ultra, I rarely traveled outside my comfort zone when it came to trying different beers. It’s sad to say that in the past, a beer was simply something to wash down a plate of crappy food or something that was too spicy.  Only in the last handful of years have I really begun to appreciate the complexity and flavor of beer. The concept of ordering a “flight of beer” was really foreign to me, and I couldn’t understand why people would order something like that. I just wasn’t a big enough fan.

I decided to give beer a chance. So whenever I went to a restaurant, or someone’s home, I would attempt to try a beer that I’ve never tasted before. After opening my mind, I discovered a whole new world of flavor.  It’s amazing what a few small steps can do to expand a person’s thinking. Now I truly enjoy beer! Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things in life that give me pleasure, but few can be changed and sampled in such a variety as beer can be.

I like adventure and an ever-changing world. I love trying new things, and breaking out of my comfort zone. When I get bored of the daily routine, I try to shake things up as much as I can. A dynamic perception is important.  Monotony is what I fear, so I will run from it when I can! This is why I have chosen to share my beer explorations with the world.

Please leave comments, suggestions, pictures, and fellow stories.

Bottoms up everyone!