SUMMER TASTING NOTES

[Rich Pawlak]

We're right in the damn middle of summer now, and the good beer is flowing .

So what's been tantalizing your taste buds this summer? Give us your reviews.

For me, this summer has meant savoring each of the 9 different hop varietal IPAs from Philadelphia area micro Sly Fox, to celebrate their 9th anniversary.

So far, they've issued: Centennial IPA, Target IPA, Cascade IPA, Styrian IPA, East Kent Golding IPA, and 4 others are yet to be issued (Amarillo, Fuggles, Simcoe) including their Imperial IPA in December.

All delicious, puckery wonders. The most recent, Target IPA, is wonderfully tart, yet has a very nice malt counterpart that really surprises, and gives the beer amazing balance.

So let the tasting notes begin!

[Okbrewer]

What a timely topic! I just wrote up the following tasting notes for my beer club newsletter:

The rain put a damper on recent plans to play golf. It rained most of the day so the course was pretty soaked, but by golf time the sun was shining. Tim and I had a decision to make. Should we go ahead with our plans to play golf, even though we would have to miserably trudge around the sopping wet course? We did what any true duffers would! We said the heck with golf and opted instead to retreat to my house for beer and cigars!

Now, I’m not bragging or anything, but the selection of beer at my house is pretty darn good! Not only is my dedicated beer fridge full, but so is every possible storage space around the house! I’ve got homebrew, microbrews and imports galore. Making a decision on what beer to drink is sometimes as perplexing as deciding whether or not to play golf in the rain! But when Tim and I get together the choice is an easy one. We jump straight to anything Belgian or Belgian-like, and often segue into Barleywine to go with the cigars. This day was no different!

We started with a Duvel, and we were not disappointed. The Duvel was followed by New Belgium’s TransAtlantique Kriek. It had a taste reminiscent of cherry cough syrup. Interesting, but a sub-par offering considering the other beers available from this brewery. After a quick palate cleanser we foraged around the fridge and found what would prove to be the best beers of the day: Rochefort Ales!

These Trappist Ales are seldom seen in these parts, and the three samples I have were purchased on a visit to Kansas City.

Rochefort ale goes against the Trappist tradition somewhat by not offering Dubbels and Tripels. Rather, the three main Rochefort beers seem to be very similar to each other with variable body and strength among them. The different beers are conveniently named by a simple numbering system. We sampled Rochefort 6, Rochefort 8, and Rochefort 10 in alphabetical order (inside joke!).

Rochefort 6 is the softest and driest of the bunch with an alcohol content of 7.5 percent by volume. Like the other Rochefort beers, the head on Rochefort 6 is thick and creamy. The color of this beer is a beautiful copper. But it is this beer’s aroma that makes a major impact on the senses! It is earthy, sweet, malty, and somewhat fruity, with just a hint of hop presence. The aroma suggests that this will be a big, flavorful beer, but that is not really the case. The flavor is complex with caramel, fruit, and hints of raisins. But the body is rather delicate and the mouthfeel somewhat on the thin side. It’s actually quite a refreshing beer.

Rochefort 8 scores an alcohol content of 9 percent by volume. It has a medium brownish copper color with a much more robust flavor than Rochefort 6, but the aroma is actually a bit more subdued. The body and alcohol warmth are also more evident in Rochefort 8, and the flavor of dark fruit is quite pronounced. The alcohol lingers long into the finish. And it keeps on going and going and going!

Rochefort 10 was by far our favorite. It has a dark brown color with lots of chocolatey aroma and fruity flavors. It has a substantial body and mouthfeel and, at 11 percent alcohol by volume, the alcohol profile is a major component in the flavor of this rich ale. This beer is very similar to 6 and 8, it just has much more of everything. The alcohol in the finish is just as evident as in the 8, but here it finishes much more dry. This is definitely a beer that would benefit from some aging.

Needless to say, we were extremely pleased with each of the Rochefort offerings. These were the highlights of the afternoon. Anything that would follow could only pale in comparison so we torched the cigars and poured the Bigfoot! Ahh! A “Cascade” of flavors to complement the cigars! Bigfoot is always a delight. We sampled 2002 and 2003 vintages, but by this time we were too, uh, well, we just didn’t feel like taking tasting notes. We ended the day with an Old Nick, and likewise, the nuances of this beer are but fleeting memories! What a way to spend an afternoon! Much better than traipsing around a soggy ol’ golf course!

[malarkey]

Started the holiday weekend right: Had a Manny's Pale Ale with lunch sittin' outside at the Roanoke Inn

This is the first beer I've had from that brewery, and I liked it. Unfiltered, evenly balanced (IOW, for you east coast Luddites, its NOT over hopped). I'm looking forward to trying some of their other stuff.

[cdh]

My summer witbier just came out of the fermentor and went into my force carbonating toy yesterday, so by this afternoon it had absorbed enough fizz to give it a try. I brew a not too shabby witbier if I say so myself. Not up to Celis standards yet, but quite tasty. Mine has a little too much in the way of body, I think. Celis (my gold standard) is quite thin, yet very flavorful... This batch has the tart tangy citrus-ness of a wit down, but the mouthfeel is a little too dense, which obscures the tanginess, which is what witbiers are all about.

Following quickly on the witbier's heels, a summer dark beer just went into the fermentor today, taking advantage of the leftover belgian wit yeast from the previous brew. This is a modified witbier... modified to be pitch black and with a little denser body to go along with its imposing visage. But this is still a wheat beer at its heart, and should have the tart crispness that all wheats share... I'm looking forward to see how it turns out this year, since I've played with the hops and spices in it since I last brewed it. This time around, there are coriander, orange peel and sweet woodruff in there, in addition to the hops. The hops themselves are a little different as well-- Willamette as the bittering hop and Styrian Goldings as the finishing hop... should make for a nicely spicy flavor profile combined with everything else in there...

My recent commercial beer tastings worth talking about have been Unibroue's Trois Pistoles, a dark, fruity belgian style beer from Canada... quite tasty indeed, and a few of the widget cans of Young's Oatmeal Stout, which turns out quite nicely from the widget cans, actually-- chocolatey and rich with chewy mouthfeel and lovely long finish.

[Mayhaw Man]

Currently around my house the beer of choice seems to be various wheat beers in a couple of different styles.

Abita Wheat-very clean, very refreshing. Lots's of people seem to enjoy it with a hunk of lemon and it has enough body to stand a bit of ice (I know, herecy, but you should try it before you knock it).

Paulaner Hefewiezen is an entirely different animal from the Abita, but still quite delicious. Tons of body, a dark hue, and a little bit of a hop bitterness that is absent from most of the "American Style" wheat beers.

I used to like the Celis White quite a bit, but sadly it is no longer available here (or anywhere for that matter). I loved all of that orangy/clovy aroma.

[Rick Cook]

Hi Mayhaw,

The Celis label was revived by Michigan Brewing Company and Celis White medaled at GABF last year. I still haven't tried the "new" Celis, though.

Rick

[Mayhaw Man]

Not available here.

If you ever want to hear the story of a train wreck, catch me when I've got more time and I will tell you the long and terrible saga of Celis's purchase by Miller and it's subsequent and unavoidable demise. A shame really. They were nice people -his daughter was great and Pierre was a brewer's brewer. Charming and a veritable Bible of brewiong knowledge and history. They built a beautiful place with all of that money and Miller more or less forced them into the ground.

I wonder what happened to the brewery? Austinites?

[Rick Cook]

I've heard bits and pieces of the story. I'd love to hear an informed account. I was fortunate to meet Pierre once, not long enough for more than a picture, but he was a very genial guy.

Rick

[Rick Cook]

Tasting notes, eh? I just reviewed 1996 Alaskan Smoked Porter for Christmas in July.

Very dark brown, almost black, with mahogany glints around the edges...firm, dark tan head...nose rich with smoke, and surprisingly, powdery malt...not a drop of sediment in the bottle...fine body – round and buoyant, with sprightly carbonation...flavors of roast and dark chocolate abound, with the sherry flavors from the oxidized malt adding a winy character...the smoke is still very pronounced, intertwined throughout the flavors and adding a beautifully long, dry finish, in addition to a lingering smoke aftertaste.

Alaskan Smoked Porter has tremendous aging potential. Two more bottlings and I'll have a 10-year vertical.

A smoke probably would have gone nicely with the ASP. I currently have Romeo y Julieta Churchill tubos and the Robustos Montecristo did for the 2000 Habanos series, but the '96 ASP warranted individual attention.

Rick

[Rich Pawlak]

Last night I had the fifth of Sly Fox Brewery's special IPA's, the Simcoe IPA, at 7.0 ABV, a powerful, lip puckering brew, very robust and bracingly bitter, and actually not easy to do anything but sip---slowly. A mighty beer, and mighty good, and currently on tap at the Grey Lodge Pub in NE Philly..

[nately]

Anyone know if Celis White is available in the San Francisco bay area?

Here's what's new-to-me recently:

Rogue American Amber - a nice, hoppy amber ale, but can't hold up to the classic St. Rogue's Red, which is more balanced and is just better overall.

Ayinger Brau-Weisse - a great wheat beer, with a pleasant fruitiness and light spice, like a good white ale. I've only had it out of the bottle, can only imagine what it's like fresh.

[Okbrewer]

I was in Ft. Worth last week and picked up some new beer at Central Market. Sampled so far: Lagunitas IPA Maximus! Big, no, huge floral/citrusy hop nose, with hop flavor and bitterness as well, deep copper color with balancing caramel maltiness, all in a 22oz bottle! I really enjoyed this beer.

The other I tasted was North Coasts Old No. 38 stout! What the Maximus had in hops, this stout shouts in roastiness! Deep dark, almost black in color with garnet highlights, the first thing that is experienced is the roast on the nose, and it follows through from first sip to the finish. I appreciate a good stout and this is one of the best I've had in a long time. It is what I was hoping to taste in Boulevard's dry stout, now available in bottles. But, alas, the Boulevard gets bowled over like a locomotive by that ol' #38!

Also picked up some Allagash Dubbel and New Belgium's Blue Paddle pils and their Loft. Also an assortment from Avery and several Belgian varieties including Hoegaarden.

Now available in OKC, Westmalle and Grimbergen!

Last night I sat out on the deck and enjoyed two bottles of New Belgium Tripple and a cigar.

Bob R in OKC

[pennbrew]

I've recently tasted a few brews from Lakefront Brewing in Milwaukee...

[Mayhaw Man]

I've recently tasted a few brews from Lakefront Brewing in Milwaukee...

and.............?

[Okbrewer]

and is Lakefront where the interview was held!!? Let us know the scoop, Guy!

I've been to Lakefront and enjoyed their beers with my good friend Frank, aka MediumHurt.

[Rich Pawlak]

We may be breaking brewing news in the Midwest!

[Okbrewer]

My friend Tim and I sat out back with cigars and beer again tonight. First up was New Belgium's Loft, an interesting beer with good hop presence but more coriander and perhaps orange peel making its perfumey presence known in both the aroma and the flavor. A very light, airy beer, very refreshing. Followed by Westmalle Triple with its caramel and cotton candy flavors with a slight alcohol burn to the finish. We mixed things up by next going to the Old # 38 Stout again. Very tasty stout! That was followed by another North Coast beer, Old Stock Ale, 2003 vintage. All I can say about this beer is OH MY GAWD! The remaining bottles have already been put away to be tasted again at a later date, this one will age nicely! Wrapped up the evening with Allagash Dubbel. A very fine effort! Well carbonated, deep amber color, rich malt with some fruity flavors, and a drying alcohol finish. Another great evening out on the deck!

[MEDIUMHURT]

Which Lakefront beers did you have Penn?

[mighty quinn]

anyone had ephemere apple flavored ale?? had this over july 4 th weekend and i'm hooked now. smells like apples up front and one would expect it to be very sweet but it's really very light and crisp. also has a cool fairy on the label.

[Okbrewer]

I have a bottle of the Ephemere (F M AIR) but have not yet sampled it, almost popped it last night but didn't. I've heard good things about it and it's good to know that you also enjoyed it. Maybe this weekend!

[slbunge]

I've recently tasted a few brews from Lakefront Brewing in Milwaukee...

Rats! I recently moved from Milwaukee and Lakefront was my local favorite. If you are ever in Milwaukee, the bar/restaurant at the brewery (officially called the Palm Garden) is a great place to have their whole line on tap and quite fresh. It will also give you a chance to peak into the brewery and see the old Bernie Brewer house, slide, and beer-mug from County Stadium where the Brewers used to play. Their lawyers won't let the public use the slide though.

I like all of their beers but my favorite summer beer from Lakefront is Klisch Pilsener. Malty throughout with a clean, hoppy finish.

Anyway, now that I'm on the east coast, I've been running through Harpoon's selections. Their summer beer is a Kolsch (can't figure out how to do an umlaut) I believe and is quite tasty. Drinkable and slightly fruity with no sweetness.

More exploration to come if I find a store with a decent local selection.

[malarkey]

anyone had ephemere apple flavored ale?? had this over july 4 th weekend and i'm hooked now. smells like apples up front and one would expect it to be very sweet but it's really very light and crisp. also has a cool fairy on the label.

IMHO Ephemere is THE ultimate summer beer. I can't believe you've never tried it Bob-o!

Quinn: Better buy it up now, rumor has it Sleeman will discontinue that one.

[Rich Pawlak]

Which Lakefront beers did you have Penn?

Rumor is that pennbrew (Guy H) did more than taste the Lakefront beers, Frank.

I think we'll let Guy break the news here.

[theakston]

Just found my beer of the Summer:

3 Floyds Gumball Head - American Wheat beer.

Amarillo Hops and American Red Wheat.

Named after a cartoon street fighting punk cat (pictured on the label)

5% ABV about 20 IBUs

I had this at the 3 Floyds visit to RFD here in DC (they have a different brewer each week for the Smithsonian Summer beer sessions - I'm now a fully certified lush! )

This was awesome. Beautiful floral hops with a fruity citrus (bergamot?) flavor. Way hoppy for a wheat beer, but well balanced with the sweetness of the wheat.

Nick said"...well wheat beers are boring and I wanted something more assertive". It certainly is - this is a real winner and I drove out to a good beer store the next day to get some more of this. This will be my house pour for the rest of the Summer provided the supplier can keep up with my demand.

[john@thebar]

Thank you, theakston, I thought it was just me! I'm an ale fan, not at all a drinker of wheat beers; but I was coerced into trying this brew and I find it delicious. As a matter of fact, it's even worth close to the $5.00 per bottle they charge for it at the liquor store!