It's summertime, so I would imagine a lot of people out there are looking for a light, refreshing beer to sip on, but one that still has a little more flavor than a mass produced lager.
Enter wheat beers, the perfect summer sippers. Wheat adds a little bit of weight to the body, especially if the beer is served unfiltered (most are), but also adds some refreshingly juicy citrus and fruit flavors.
Below is a little break down of some of the more popular wheat beer styles.
Hefeweizen is a German beer style, kind of the classic wheat beer. Hefeweizen literally means yeast and wheat. As far as wheat beers go, they are actually pretty full bodied, but their refreshing banana, citrus, and clove flavors make them still very drinkable, and a great summer beer. Hefeweizens are traditionally unfiltered, meaning there is a haze from the yeast left from brewing, and if served in a bottle, there may actually be a sediment left at the bottom of the bottle. Although hefeweizen is one of a handful of styles with exemptions to the (in)famous German beer purity laws, the exception allows them to be made with wheat, but not other additives. So all of those delicious orange, banana and clove flavors are actually coming from the combination of the wheat in the mash and the particular yeast strains used. There isn't actually any fruit or other extra flavorings added!
Wit Bier is a Belgian style wheat beer. Wit bier actually translates to white beer, not wheat beer as many people assume. Wit beers tend to be pretty light bodied, with orange, coriander, and sometimes even anise flavors. They are also served unfiltered, but because of the higher proportion of wheat, and the particular yeast strains used, they are usually a very pale off-white to straw color, as opposed to the bright orange to dark brown color of a hefeweizen. Unlike the Germans, the Belgians are not bound by law or tradition to limit what they brew with, so many wit beers are actually brewed with orange peel, coriander, star anise, or other adjuncts to add flavor.
Berliner Weisse is a sour wheat beer originally from Berlin. They are very low in alcohol, and have tart, lemony flavors. They are traditionally served with a sweet syrup from either raspberries or woodruff. If you don't mind a very tart flavor, these are great summer beers as their low alcohol and crisp acidity make them super refreshing (and you can have a few). Traditional berliners are not brewed with any fruit, so the tartness comes from the particular yeast strains used to ferment the beer.
American Wheat is kind of a catch-all phrase. It can either mean a wheat beer in any of the styles above (or any other style, for that matter), which is brewed in America, or it can mean a unique wheat beer (again, brewed in America), which doesn't really fit into a traditional European style box. Some tend to be hoppier than the traditional styles, but again, there are no hard and fast rules.
Hopefully this helped you understand the world of wheat beers. Now get out there and refresh yourself with one. As always, please feel free to leave questions or feedback in the comments, or let me know if there is a specific topic you'd like me to cover!
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Monday, July 18, 2016
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Dry Hopping, Wet Hopping, Fresh Hopping?!?!
Just thought I would take a minute to clarify some potentially confusing terminology. Dry hopping and wet or fresh hopping are both actually pretty easy concepts.
The most important thing to understand is that in this case, wet and dry are not opposites, and in fact don't even refer to the same part of the process!
So let's start with dry hopping.
DRY HOPPING is when hops are added after the boil, usually either during or after fermentation. These hops can be fresh, dried, or pellet hops. Dry hopping eliminates a lot of the loss of hop aroma. That means that dry hopped beers tend to have very fresh, often floral (although depending on the variety, it could also resinous, citric, earthy, or any other hop-derived aroma) smells to them when you pour a glass or crack open a bottle or can. Dry hopping allows less time, however, for the hops' alpha acids to incorporate in the beer (and does it without the added element of heat), meaning that some of the hop flavors (especially the bitterness) don't necessarily carry over. It also means that if a dry hopped beer is left to sit for too long (especially after being opened or poured), the aroma is likely to seep out of the beer faster than hops added during the boil.
WET HOPPING is actually the same thing as FRESH HOPPING. Wet hopping can occur at any stage of brewing (so yes, you can wet/dry hop a beer!!!). Wet hopping refers to the fact that fresh hops, right off the vine, are used, without being dried or turned into pellets or oils. So these beers tend to be seasonally available, shortly after the hop harvest in the breweries' area. The hops can still be added in the boil, or can be used for dry hopping to give really fresh, floral aromas to the beer, or both. Like dry hopping, these beers are best enjoyed fresh, as without drying or processing, fresh/wet hops will love their flavors and aromas quickly.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you all found this informative. If you did, like it, share it comment on it! Also, please feel free to leave questions or suggestions in the comments for any drink-related topics you'd like me to cover!
The most important thing to understand is that in this case, wet and dry are not opposites, and in fact don't even refer to the same part of the process!
So let's start with dry hopping.
DRY HOPPING is when hops are added after the boil, usually either during or after fermentation. These hops can be fresh, dried, or pellet hops. Dry hopping eliminates a lot of the loss of hop aroma. That means that dry hopped beers tend to have very fresh, often floral (although depending on the variety, it could also resinous, citric, earthy, or any other hop-derived aroma) smells to them when you pour a glass or crack open a bottle or can. Dry hopping allows less time, however, for the hops' alpha acids to incorporate in the beer (and does it without the added element of heat), meaning that some of the hop flavors (especially the bitterness) don't necessarily carry over. It also means that if a dry hopped beer is left to sit for too long (especially after being opened or poured), the aroma is likely to seep out of the beer faster than hops added during the boil.
WET HOPPING is actually the same thing as FRESH HOPPING. Wet hopping can occur at any stage of brewing (so yes, you can wet/dry hop a beer!!!). Wet hopping refers to the fact that fresh hops, right off the vine, are used, without being dried or turned into pellets or oils. So these beers tend to be seasonally available, shortly after the hop harvest in the breweries' area. The hops can still be added in the boil, or can be used for dry hopping to give really fresh, floral aromas to the beer, or both. Like dry hopping, these beers are best enjoyed fresh, as without drying or processing, fresh/wet hops will love their flavors and aromas quickly.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you all found this informative. If you did, like it, share it comment on it! Also, please feel free to leave questions or suggestions in the comments for any drink-related topics you'd like me to cover!
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Tasting Notes: Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge
Appearance: Pours a slightly brownish, slightly transparent red. Effervescent, with lots of small bubbles, but a very thin head, although it does retain that slight head fairly well.
Aroma: Mostly tart. I get tart cherries with a hint of sweet vanilla as well.
Mouthfeel: Pretty thin on the palate, and the effervescence really shows. You feel the bubbles across the tongue, and the beer doesn't really linger for long.
Flavors: Definitely tart up front. Get a little bit of vanilla and oak in the mid pallate, with a lingering dry, tart, finish. The tart at the beginning of the palate to me was more fruit-driven, especially cherry, while the finish is an almost vinegar-like acidity.
Overall: I really enjoyed this one, but I am a huge fan of sours. This is a great example of the Flemish red style, but if someone didn't know better, and thought they were getting a non-sour beer, it would be quite the shocker.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Sour Beers
So I thought I'd write a bit about one of my favorite "styles" of beer, if it can really be called that, as well as what is certainly one of the most interesting beer styles out there.
There's a lot of confusion as to exactly what a sour beer, or wild ale, is, so I figured I'd run through the way I like to think of sours. In my mind, three things contribute to the making of, or identification of, a sour beer, also called a wild ale: flavor, technique, and the organisms used to make the beer.
Flavor
Sour beers, believe it or not, come in a variety of flavors. I like to think of two main "types" of flavor you can expect to find. On one end of the spectrum, you incredibly acidic and tart notes. This can come in the form of a tart, citric flavor, a tartness similar to a tart apple or berry, or even a vinegar-like acidity. On the other end you have funk. These are the flavors and aromas that wine geeks would call "barnyard, haystack, horse blanket," etc. Both are important parts of sour beers, and can be present on their own, or combined with each other.
On the extreme tart end, you'll find traditional berlinerweiss, as well as many fruit beers. The tartness can come from the fermentation and brewing process, or from the addition of fruit, which can be added specifically to add tartness, or to feed the microorganisms which create tart flavors in sour beers.
On the other end, you have funky wild ales. Think the funky, earthy, flavors of a saison, but on steroids.
Most sours fall somewhere in between the two extremes, with perhaps the best example of both types of wild flavors complementing each other being the Flanders sours, both red and brown.
Technique
Traditionally, sour, or wild ales, were created using spontaneous fermentation. That means a wort was created, and then left to be fermented by the yeast and bacteria that was in its natural environment. While these included some yeasts related to our modern brewing yeasts, which eat sugar and create alcohol and carbon dioxide, they also included all kinds of other things which added their own, unique flavors.
This spontaneous fermentation could come in the primary fermentation (when you're actually making beer out of malt), or could come in the form of a secondary fermentation, where a beer is aged either in an un-sterile oak barrel, or out in the open, allowing wild yeasts and bacteria to eat up any residual sugars. Often, fruit is added after the initial fermentation both to flavor the beer, and to provide more food for these wild yeasts.
The Microorganisms at work
The most important factor is the actual yeast and bacteria involved, especially in modern brewing. In fact, most brewers no longer use truly spontaneous fermentation. Instead, we generally add the same types of yeast which traditionally were responsible for spontaneous fermentation on purpose. One of the things that makes sour beers so interesting is that the three main types of yeast used for this purpose, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus, are traditionally though of as causing flaws in both brewing and wine making. In fact, they are three of the main yeasts that traditional brewers and winemakers struggle to keep out of their tanks.
This explains in large part why these beers aren't really spontaneously fermented any more. First of all, in order to get those yeast strains into a beer, and keep other more harmful beers out, you'd have to find the perfect environment. Second, that environment would pose a huge risk to any non-sour beers you had brewing in the same brewery.
So, instead, these three, and perhaps other, "wild" yeast strains are added by the brewer to the beer (before, during, or after primary fermentation), in order to make sure they wind up where they are supposed to be. These yeasts, however, unlike most modern brewer yeasts, are still unpredictable. They can die unexpectedly, or can go truly wild, turning a good beer into vinegar. Sour beer production requires constant monitoring by brewers and technicians, both to make sure the souring microorganisms are well fed and healthy, and to make sure that the end result is both safe and enjoyable.
Essentially, much like blue cheeses, sour beers may seem scary to some. What is really happening is that a brewer is deliberately spoiling their product in order to achieve a unique and interesting product. Then again, all alcohol and cheese production is essentially the deliberate spoilage of the base ingredients. Blue cheese and sour beers just take it to the extreme, both in process and in flavor.
There's a lot of confusion as to exactly what a sour beer, or wild ale, is, so I figured I'd run through the way I like to think of sours. In my mind, three things contribute to the making of, or identification of, a sour beer, also called a wild ale: flavor, technique, and the organisms used to make the beer.
Flavor
Sour beers, believe it or not, come in a variety of flavors. I like to think of two main "types" of flavor you can expect to find. On one end of the spectrum, you incredibly acidic and tart notes. This can come in the form of a tart, citric flavor, a tartness similar to a tart apple or berry, or even a vinegar-like acidity. On the other end you have funk. These are the flavors and aromas that wine geeks would call "barnyard, haystack, horse blanket," etc. Both are important parts of sour beers, and can be present on their own, or combined with each other.
On the extreme tart end, you'll find traditional berlinerweiss, as well as many fruit beers. The tartness can come from the fermentation and brewing process, or from the addition of fruit, which can be added specifically to add tartness, or to feed the microorganisms which create tart flavors in sour beers.
On the other end, you have funky wild ales. Think the funky, earthy, flavors of a saison, but on steroids.
Most sours fall somewhere in between the two extremes, with perhaps the best example of both types of wild flavors complementing each other being the Flanders sours, both red and brown.
Technique
Traditionally, sour, or wild ales, were created using spontaneous fermentation. That means a wort was created, and then left to be fermented by the yeast and bacteria that was in its natural environment. While these included some yeasts related to our modern brewing yeasts, which eat sugar and create alcohol and carbon dioxide, they also included all kinds of other things which added their own, unique flavors.
This spontaneous fermentation could come in the primary fermentation (when you're actually making beer out of malt), or could come in the form of a secondary fermentation, where a beer is aged either in an un-sterile oak barrel, or out in the open, allowing wild yeasts and bacteria to eat up any residual sugars. Often, fruit is added after the initial fermentation both to flavor the beer, and to provide more food for these wild yeasts.
The Microorganisms at work
The most important factor is the actual yeast and bacteria involved, especially in modern brewing. In fact, most brewers no longer use truly spontaneous fermentation. Instead, we generally add the same types of yeast which traditionally were responsible for spontaneous fermentation on purpose. One of the things that makes sour beers so interesting is that the three main types of yeast used for this purpose, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus, are traditionally though of as causing flaws in both brewing and wine making. In fact, they are three of the main yeasts that traditional brewers and winemakers struggle to keep out of their tanks.
This explains in large part why these beers aren't really spontaneously fermented any more. First of all, in order to get those yeast strains into a beer, and keep other more harmful beers out, you'd have to find the perfect environment. Second, that environment would pose a huge risk to any non-sour beers you had brewing in the same brewery.
So, instead, these three, and perhaps other, "wild" yeast strains are added by the brewer to the beer (before, during, or after primary fermentation), in order to make sure they wind up where they are supposed to be. These yeasts, however, unlike most modern brewer yeasts, are still unpredictable. They can die unexpectedly, or can go truly wild, turning a good beer into vinegar. Sour beer production requires constant monitoring by brewers and technicians, both to make sure the souring microorganisms are well fed and healthy, and to make sure that the end result is both safe and enjoyable.
Essentially, much like blue cheeses, sour beers may seem scary to some. What is really happening is that a brewer is deliberately spoiling their product in order to achieve a unique and interesting product. Then again, all alcohol and cheese production is essentially the deliberate spoilage of the base ingredients. Blue cheese and sour beers just take it to the extreme, both in process and in flavor.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
What's with Hops and Aging?
This is a topic that causes a lot of confusion, and understandably so.
The question usually comes from people who are just getting into craft beer, enough that they have tried various styles, and have done some reading about the history of beer, brewing, and various ingredients.
"If hops are a preservative, why do people say it's best to drink IPAs and other hoppy beers fresh?"
Well, here's where it's important to separate the way hops got into beer from the reason that we use them today.
Hops were originally used as a preservative in beer. This was before pasteurization and refrigeration, and especially refrigerated transportation and storage, were a thing. Hops kept harmful bacteria out of our ancestors' beer, which is the origin of their use in beer.
The safety of beer, however, no longer depends on hops. We now have pasteurization, effective packaging, and refrigeration from the brewery right through the consumer. So while it is true that beer was originally hopped for preservation, this is no longer the case. Yes, it's even true that some popular styles of beer we drink today have their origins (in a loose, rough, kind of way) in beers that were intended to have an incredibly long shelf life while traveling through various climates.
That being said, many beers, and in particular those styles originally intended for long life and travel (IPAs), are now hopped more for flavor and aroma than anything else. In fact, there are hops bred and engineered to emphasize particular flavors. Individual flavors from hops, like any other flower, don't hold up particularly well with age. They don't go bad, per se, they just don't fade.
So the reality of it is, if you were to open two beers, the same in every way, but one hoppier than another, and leave them out for a week, the hoppier beer might be "better," "safer" or "fresher" than the unhopped beer in a scientific way. It is less likely to be affected by harmful bacteria, or to make you sick. On the other hand, while it hasn't necessarily gone bad, it is unlikely to have the same citrus, pine, resin (think marijuana), or grassy notes that it had when it was fresh.
The same principal goes for aging beers still in their containers. Hoppy beers don't go "bad," and in fact, are probably less likely to do so than some of the beers we age (in barrels or in bottles) more frequently, but they also aren't as great. In fact, since many of the beers we age are more malt (sugar) focused, brewers generally have to make sure they have a significant alcohol content, and are also constantly testing barrel aged beers for the presence of harmful bacteria. You probably wouldn't have to be as vigilant if barrel aging an imperial IPA. On the other hand, the very fresh, floral, piney, grassy, skunky, or other flavors that make people go nuts for IPAs would be lost
So, the answer is that hops are, in fact, a preservative. They are, however, used in "hoppy" beers more for flavor and aroma, which fades over time. You would be perfectly safe drinking an IPA that has been in your fridge for a few months. It's just not going to have the clean, bright flavors it would have if drank while fresh.
The question usually comes from people who are just getting into craft beer, enough that they have tried various styles, and have done some reading about the history of beer, brewing, and various ingredients.
"If hops are a preservative, why do people say it's best to drink IPAs and other hoppy beers fresh?"
Well, here's where it's important to separate the way hops got into beer from the reason that we use them today.
Hops were originally used as a preservative in beer. This was before pasteurization and refrigeration, and especially refrigerated transportation and storage, were a thing. Hops kept harmful bacteria out of our ancestors' beer, which is the origin of their use in beer.
The safety of beer, however, no longer depends on hops. We now have pasteurization, effective packaging, and refrigeration from the brewery right through the consumer. So while it is true that beer was originally hopped for preservation, this is no longer the case. Yes, it's even true that some popular styles of beer we drink today have their origins (in a loose, rough, kind of way) in beers that were intended to have an incredibly long shelf life while traveling through various climates.
That being said, many beers, and in particular those styles originally intended for long life and travel (IPAs), are now hopped more for flavor and aroma than anything else. In fact, there are hops bred and engineered to emphasize particular flavors. Individual flavors from hops, like any other flower, don't hold up particularly well with age. They don't go bad, per se, they just don't fade.
So the reality of it is, if you were to open two beers, the same in every way, but one hoppier than another, and leave them out for a week, the hoppier beer might be "better," "safer" or "fresher" than the unhopped beer in a scientific way. It is less likely to be affected by harmful bacteria, or to make you sick. On the other hand, while it hasn't necessarily gone bad, it is unlikely to have the same citrus, pine, resin (think marijuana), or grassy notes that it had when it was fresh.
The same principal goes for aging beers still in their containers. Hoppy beers don't go "bad," and in fact, are probably less likely to do so than some of the beers we age (in barrels or in bottles) more frequently, but they also aren't as great. In fact, since many of the beers we age are more malt (sugar) focused, brewers generally have to make sure they have a significant alcohol content, and are also constantly testing barrel aged beers for the presence of harmful bacteria. You probably wouldn't have to be as vigilant if barrel aging an imperial IPA. On the other hand, the very fresh, floral, piney, grassy, skunky, or other flavors that make people go nuts for IPAs would be lost
So, the answer is that hops are, in fact, a preservative. They are, however, used in "hoppy" beers more for flavor and aroma, which fades over time. You would be perfectly safe drinking an IPA that has been in your fridge for a few months. It's just not going to have the clean, bright flavors it would have if drank while fresh.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Why is my beer hazy, or even muddy looking?
So, you've probably read my post on sediment in beer, but if not, that's okay.
Every once in a while, the sediment or haze gets extreme, or, if you've had the beer before, unusual even for the particular beer you're drinking.
This is usually the case in draft beers which are unfiltered or undergo secondary fermentation in the keg, and there's a few reasons this happens.
First of all, it is perfectly natural, and perfectly normal, and not a sign of a flaw in the beer, and definitely not that the beer is unsafe to drink.
As the post above discusses, sediment or haze is usually caused by the dead yeast cells remaining in an unfiltered or bottle/keg conditioned beer. This is why unfiltered beers, such as hefeweizens, wit beirs, and various Belgian beers are usually hazy and opaque.
On the other hand, sometimes the haze goes beyond opacity to actually make the beer darker, or almost muddy in appearance. While in hefeweizens, these beers usually pour within the normal color range for the style, and unless you are familiar with the particular beer you're drinking, you might not even notice, it can be particularly alarming in Belgian wit beers, golden ales, tripels, etc.
The reason this happens is fairly simple. Dead yeast cells are heavier than water and the other things that make up the majority of your beer. If a keg of beer sits stationary for a while, the yeast will start to make its way toward the bottom of the keg and become concentrated there, causing a darker, more murky appearance.
The way kegs work is that the beer being pulled from the tap is actually coming through the stem of the barrel from the bottom of the keg. This means that, depending on how long a beer has been sitting in a color, and how it was stored, the beer can be darker at either the beginning or the end of a keg.
If a keg has just been tapped, and is pouring with a muddy color, it is likely a sign that the beer has been in the bar's cooler for a while, and has been stored upright. Luckily for us, most unfiltered beer styles are not harmed, and may actually get better, from aging. On the other hand, if the keg gets darker toward the end, it is usually a sign that the beer has been on tap for a while, or was stored upside down before being tapped. In fact, many brewers recommend that their unfiltered beers either be stored upside down, or are agitated just before serving. The reason is that this way, the yeast is concentrated at the top of the keg. If the keg is on tap for a reasonable amount of time (a few weeks), the yeast will slowly settle, and the beer shouldn't pour "muddy" at all. On the other hand, if the beer is particularly popular, and moves quickly, the yeast concentrated at the top of the keg won't have time to settle/spread throughout the keg, and when the end of the keg is reached, the beer which was formerly at the top of the keg will have a high concentration of sediment, and will pour with a murky/muddy appearance.
As mentioned in my sediment post, I have heard (from very unscientific sources, of course), that the dead yeast cells are actually very nutritious. In most draft beers, they may affect the mouth feel of the beer, but honestly, if you were to blind taste the "bottom of the barrel" against a glass from the middle of the keg, you wouldn't know the difference.
So don't let the dirty/muddy appearance of that beer scare you. Enjoy it!
Every once in a while, the sediment or haze gets extreme, or, if you've had the beer before, unusual even for the particular beer you're drinking.
This is usually the case in draft beers which are unfiltered or undergo secondary fermentation in the keg, and there's a few reasons this happens.
First of all, it is perfectly natural, and perfectly normal, and not a sign of a flaw in the beer, and definitely not that the beer is unsafe to drink.
As the post above discusses, sediment or haze is usually caused by the dead yeast cells remaining in an unfiltered or bottle/keg conditioned beer. This is why unfiltered beers, such as hefeweizens, wit beirs, and various Belgian beers are usually hazy and opaque.
On the other hand, sometimes the haze goes beyond opacity to actually make the beer darker, or almost muddy in appearance. While in hefeweizens, these beers usually pour within the normal color range for the style, and unless you are familiar with the particular beer you're drinking, you might not even notice, it can be particularly alarming in Belgian wit beers, golden ales, tripels, etc.
The reason this happens is fairly simple. Dead yeast cells are heavier than water and the other things that make up the majority of your beer. If a keg of beer sits stationary for a while, the yeast will start to make its way toward the bottom of the keg and become concentrated there, causing a darker, more murky appearance.
The way kegs work is that the beer being pulled from the tap is actually coming through the stem of the barrel from the bottom of the keg. This means that, depending on how long a beer has been sitting in a color, and how it was stored, the beer can be darker at either the beginning or the end of a keg.
If a keg has just been tapped, and is pouring with a muddy color, it is likely a sign that the beer has been in the bar's cooler for a while, and has been stored upright. Luckily for us, most unfiltered beer styles are not harmed, and may actually get better, from aging. On the other hand, if the keg gets darker toward the end, it is usually a sign that the beer has been on tap for a while, or was stored upside down before being tapped. In fact, many brewers recommend that their unfiltered beers either be stored upside down, or are agitated just before serving. The reason is that this way, the yeast is concentrated at the top of the keg. If the keg is on tap for a reasonable amount of time (a few weeks), the yeast will slowly settle, and the beer shouldn't pour "muddy" at all. On the other hand, if the beer is particularly popular, and moves quickly, the yeast concentrated at the top of the keg won't have time to settle/spread throughout the keg, and when the end of the keg is reached, the beer which was formerly at the top of the keg will have a high concentration of sediment, and will pour with a murky/muddy appearance.
As mentioned in my sediment post, I have heard (from very unscientific sources, of course), that the dead yeast cells are actually very nutritious. In most draft beers, they may affect the mouth feel of the beer, but honestly, if you were to blind taste the "bottom of the barrel" against a glass from the middle of the keg, you wouldn't know the difference.
So don't let the dirty/muddy appearance of that beer scare you. Enjoy it!
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Tasting Notes: Hangar 24 Gordgeous
Aroma: Smells like when you lick the knife (am I the only one that does this) after cutting the first slice of a pumpkin pie. A hint of pumpkin, a lot of fall spices, and even a little bit of graham cracker which reminds me of the crust. Also do get a whiff of the alcohol on this one, which comes in at 8.5% ABV.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light on the palate for me. Goes right down, with no viscosity.
Flavors: The alcohol is the first thing I taste on this one, then it goes into some nice, roasty, coffee flavors very quickly. I get a lot of the pumpkin pie flavors again in the finish, which lingers for some time. It is more of the spices than the actual pumpkin. I get a lot of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and clove, with just a hint of pumpkin.
Overall: I'm not normally a pumpkin beer fan, and I love this one. The combination of the high alcohol and the porter base beer mean there's a lot of strong flavors going on in this beer even without the pumpkin. The flavors are all strong, clean, and pleasant. The alcohol hits hard at first, but doesn't burn or come with cloying sweetness. The beer then moves cleanly into a classic, roasty, almost bitter coffee/porter flavor. It finishes with a wonderful pumpkin pie, fall spiciness. The flavors are different enough that none become overpowering, but because they seem to progress in order, they also never clash. This is definitely one of my fall favorites!
Monday, November 10, 2014
Tasting Notes: Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
Aroma: Strong coffee with a hint of chocolate as well. The aroma is more like coffee beans than already-brewed coffee.
Mouthfeel: Flows pretty freely over the palate for coming in at over 9% ABV, although it does coat the tongue toward the finish, and the astringency dries the palate for the finish as well.
Flavors: Initial flavors are strong on coffee, like a fresh brewed, black coffee. Very strong coffee flavor, and none of the chocolate I picked up in the nose. As the beer rests, the bitterness changes from a coffee bitterness to a hoppy astringency. Finishes with just a touch of heat from the relatively high ABV, and a dry, astringent pucker from the hops.
Overall: Not an easy-drinking stout for sure. At almost 10% ABV, and with a healthy dose of both coffee and hop bitterness, this one is probably better served in a snifter than a pint glass, but hey, I'm at home and not driving anywhere, right? Definitely not a smooth transition from someone whose only exposure to stouts is Guinness or something similar. A serious beer with a lot of complementary flavors. The bitterness is prominent, but not overpowering, and the interplay between the hops, the dark malt, and the coffee is fun. The bitterness never goes away, but it does morph as the beer sits on your palate, which makes it a little intriguing and more interesting than some other stouts, or some other "bitter" beers. Probably not an everyday choice for me, but definitely a great beer for a fall night.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
What's With the Sediment in My Beer?
This is a follow up post to my post on sediment in wine, A lot of the same questions apply to beer, and some of the answers are very different. What is the sediment in my beer? Is it good? Is it bad? Should I drink it?
First, what is the sediment? Like wine, there are a couple of answers to this. The most common answer is that it is the yeast remaining in the beer. This happens for two reasons. One is because a beer was bottled unfiltered. The other is that a beer went through bottle conditioning. There are some situations in which a sediment or haze could be a sign of bad handling of the beer some time between brewing and consumption. Mostly, though, this is a deliberate choice by the brewer, whether traditional or untraditional to the particular style of beer. Unfiltered beers have dead yeast cells (lees) deliberately left in the beer in order to contribute to the flavor, color, and body of the beer.
Bottle conditioned beers undergo a secondary fermentation, usually with the intention of adding carbonation naturally, in their bottle. The dead (or, in some fresh, bottle conditioned beer, even living) yeast obviously remains in the bottle.
In terms of if the sediment is good or bad, with the exception of beers which are not intentionally hazy, the haze and sediment is usually a good thing.
Should you drink it?
Well, that's really quite a subjective question. The lees add flavor, body, and texture to a beer. They are also, apparently, quite nutritious, offering protein and lots of vitamins. That being said, I'm a big texture person, so too much can leave a chalky or gritty mouth feel. This is why, at a great beer bar, the server will ask you, before serving you a beer which throws sediment, if you like the sediment.
My personal preference varies on the size of the bottle the beer comes in. That sounds strange, right?
Well, if a beer comes in individual serving bottles, and has been poured properly, and is agitated ever so slightly before service, the sediment is spread out throughout the beer and quite manageable. If, however, the beer is served in a large format bottle (like a 750ml bottle), and has been sitting upright, ALL of the sediment is likely to be present in the last glass served. That's a bit much for my personal taste. Similarly, draft weiss beers and belgians often throw a lot of sediment, even enough to turn them from pale gold to hazy gray in color, toward the bottom of the keg, particularly if they are served upright. Those last few glasses are a bit too much sediment for me.
At the end of the day, if you are drinking a Belgian beer, a wheat beer, or even some British styles, chances are the sediment in your beer is harmless at worst, and tasty at best. It's really your choice whether to indulge or stick to just the liquid!
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Why are Belgian Beers So Strong
So I read something interesting the other day that I thought I would share. Ever wondered why Belgian beers, many of which were originally, or still are, brewed by priests, monks, and nuns, are so strong? Seems counter intuitive, doesn't t? Especially since most monastic breweries also produce a "patersbier" or "fathers' beer" which is very low alcohol, and which is what the actual monks drink.
Well, this is an interesting example of laws changing the history of the drinking world forever, and not always in the way intended.
In 1919, a socialist lawmaker named Emile Vandervelde encouraged the passing of a law (named after him), which sought to reduce the negative affects of alcohol on the working class. The Vandervelde law outlawed restaurants and bars from serving distilled spirits, and limited retailers to selling a minimum of two liters of distilled spirits to a customer, making it a more expensive investment than buying smaller quantities.
The law did not apply to beer, and thus, brewers started brewing stronger beers, adding candi sugar, more malt, wheat, oats, and other ingredients to raise the gravity (sweetness) of their mash, thus also increasing the alcohol content of the finished product.
The craziest part of this story? The Vandervelde Law wasn't repealed until 1984!
Well, this is an interesting example of laws changing the history of the drinking world forever, and not always in the way intended.
In 1919, a socialist lawmaker named Emile Vandervelde encouraged the passing of a law (named after him), which sought to reduce the negative affects of alcohol on the working class. The Vandervelde law outlawed restaurants and bars from serving distilled spirits, and limited retailers to selling a minimum of two liters of distilled spirits to a customer, making it a more expensive investment than buying smaller quantities.
The law did not apply to beer, and thus, brewers started brewing stronger beers, adding candi sugar, more malt, wheat, oats, and other ingredients to raise the gravity (sweetness) of their mash, thus also increasing the alcohol content of the finished product.
The craziest part of this story? The Vandervelde Law wasn't repealed until 1984!
Monday, March 24, 2014
Tasting Notes: Chimay White (Cinq Cents)
Appearance: Pours a hazy, light gold with a hint of orange. A pillowy, eggshell head. Great retention and really nice lacing.
Aromas: I get banana nut muffin, with the yeastiness, the breadiness, the banana, and a hint of sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body, but with a nice effervescence and foaminess that lightens it up on the palate.
Flavors: I get a little bit of a fresh yeast flavor, along with a hint of banana, although not as much as I got on the nose. Also a bit of apricot. Definitely a bit of sweetness, but finishes dry. A bit of coriander and baking spice as well.
Overall: Definitely a great beer. Its 8% alcohol is masked nicely by a variety of yeast-driven flavors, from a fruitiness to a breadiness and finishing with a refreshingly dry bit of spice. No one element overpowers the other. Very balanced, with everything Belgian styles have to offer, without anything becoming too much.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Brewery & Tasting Room Review: New Glarus Brewing Company
Unfortunately I lost my phone between my visit and now, so there's no photos here...
That being said, I recently visited New Glarus briefly, and below are what I think every New Glarus fan should know about their brewery and tasting room:
The brewery is beautiful, both inside and out. It is in a Swiss-looking farmstyle building, situated in the hills above the actual town of New Glarus. The outside is stunning, and definitely worth a photo op. The brewery itself consists of two parts for visitors. The first is the brewery, gift shop, and tasting room (upstairs). When you enter, you're in the gift shop and tasting room. They sell lots of neat New Glarus, Wisconsin, and beer related stuff here, as well as have a small bar at the registers where you can buy their beers by the pint, or in tasting flights. Either way, you get to keep the glass. At $3.50 for three three ounce pours, the flights are a steal. They usually have five or six of their brews on tap, so I always get two tastings so that I can taste them all. When you purchase the tasting, they give you a wristband with little tabs they pull off for each beer. You can refill them at your own pace (more on this later). On both of my visits, they had their two most popular beers (Spotted Cow and Fat Squirrel), a few other year round brews, and at least one specialty beer on tap.
The brewery tour is self-guided. It begins in the back of the gift shop, and then leads you through a small room with their many awards and medals on display (if Dan or Deborah Carey happen to read this, if you keep doing what you're doing, this room will need to move or expand in the not-too-distant future!). You then go into the brewery itself. While most of the equipment is either roped off or behind glass, it is all visible. The staff in the brewery are very friendly, and will explain anything you have questions about. You are free to walk around at your leisure and explore the brewery, beer in hand, and, since it's self guided, you don't have to pace your drinking to your exploring. When your glass is empty, you simply go back, refill it, and start where you left off.
The other part of the facility is their beer depot, located downstairs off the parking lot. Here you can buy their beer for consumption at home or elsewhere. It is minimalist and very functional, but the prices are great!
Pros:
- Friendly, knowledgeable staff throughout the building. They will answer your questions, and can answer both in depth questions or simple ones, without making you feel stupid.
-You're right in the middle of the action.
-It's beautiful. The equipment is well maintained, and the views from both inside and outside of the brewery are wonderful.
-Obviously, the beer.
-Prices: Great beer at amazing prices.
-Walking around on the tour with a beer in your hand
-Since it's self guided, you can time your flight as you'd like.
Cons;
-The self guided tour is best suited for people with intermediate knowledge of the brewing process. For those with little knowledge, there isn't any signage or information about what you're actually looking at. If you don't know what a mash tun, lauder tun, fermenter, bright tank, and packaging line look like, you might not get a lot out of the tour. On the other hand, since it is self guided and they can't have people in the way of making their amazing beer, if you have a more advanced knowledge of brewing, you are kind of far away from the action, and might not get to see or learn the intricate details you're interested in. Both of these are somewhat offset by the friendliness of their staff, who will all (even the brewers) stop what they're doing to answer any questions you may have (if you happen to catch one). I would suggest that they continue to offer the self guided option, but a) put up some signs explaining the brewing process and equipment) and b) offer guided tours with brewery staff for those more interested.
-There's not really a good place to sit and enjoy a beer. If you're shopping for souveniers or wandering around the brewery, this is fine, but if you're not done with your beer or flight when you're through with these activities, a couple of barstools would be nice. In all fairness, I've only ever been in the winter, and they have a great patio off the gift shop which appears to have plenty of seating, and even an outdoor bar, not to mention an amazing view. So maybe this is only a seasonal problem.
-With only 6 taps, and most of them with their more popular and/or year round beers, if you're already familiar with New Glarus, you might not get to try some of their more interesting beers before you buy them.
-The beer depot seems to be out of certain beers every time I've been. I guess this is a good problem to have. Also, the staff are very helpful with this. If you're looking for a particular beer, they can tell you if and when they will have it in stock again. Or, if it's a seasonal beer, they will make recommendations of places nearby that may still have some, since the brewery depot often sells out before other retail locations.
Overall: All of the cons seem to have a mitigating factor, so I would say this is a pretty great experience. Definitely something worth checking out once. Make room in your luggage or trunk, though, because their swag is pretty cool, and the beer is amazing, so it's hard to leave this place empty handed.
That being said, I recently visited New Glarus briefly, and below are what I think every New Glarus fan should know about their brewery and tasting room:
The brewery is beautiful, both inside and out. It is in a Swiss-looking farmstyle building, situated in the hills above the actual town of New Glarus. The outside is stunning, and definitely worth a photo op. The brewery itself consists of two parts for visitors. The first is the brewery, gift shop, and tasting room (upstairs). When you enter, you're in the gift shop and tasting room. They sell lots of neat New Glarus, Wisconsin, and beer related stuff here, as well as have a small bar at the registers where you can buy their beers by the pint, or in tasting flights. Either way, you get to keep the glass. At $3.50 for three three ounce pours, the flights are a steal. They usually have five or six of their brews on tap, so I always get two tastings so that I can taste them all. When you purchase the tasting, they give you a wristband with little tabs they pull off for each beer. You can refill them at your own pace (more on this later). On both of my visits, they had their two most popular beers (Spotted Cow and Fat Squirrel), a few other year round brews, and at least one specialty beer on tap.
The brewery tour is self-guided. It begins in the back of the gift shop, and then leads you through a small room with their many awards and medals on display (if Dan or Deborah Carey happen to read this, if you keep doing what you're doing, this room will need to move or expand in the not-too-distant future!). You then go into the brewery itself. While most of the equipment is either roped off or behind glass, it is all visible. The staff in the brewery are very friendly, and will explain anything you have questions about. You are free to walk around at your leisure and explore the brewery, beer in hand, and, since it's self guided, you don't have to pace your drinking to your exploring. When your glass is empty, you simply go back, refill it, and start where you left off.
The other part of the facility is their beer depot, located downstairs off the parking lot. Here you can buy their beer for consumption at home or elsewhere. It is minimalist and very functional, but the prices are great!
Pros:
- Friendly, knowledgeable staff throughout the building. They will answer your questions, and can answer both in depth questions or simple ones, without making you feel stupid.
-You're right in the middle of the action.
-It's beautiful. The equipment is well maintained, and the views from both inside and outside of the brewery are wonderful.
-Obviously, the beer.
-Prices: Great beer at amazing prices.
-Walking around on the tour with a beer in your hand
-Since it's self guided, you can time your flight as you'd like.
Cons;
-The self guided tour is best suited for people with intermediate knowledge of the brewing process. For those with little knowledge, there isn't any signage or information about what you're actually looking at. If you don't know what a mash tun, lauder tun, fermenter, bright tank, and packaging line look like, you might not get a lot out of the tour. On the other hand, since it is self guided and they can't have people in the way of making their amazing beer, if you have a more advanced knowledge of brewing, you are kind of far away from the action, and might not get to see or learn the intricate details you're interested in. Both of these are somewhat offset by the friendliness of their staff, who will all (even the brewers) stop what they're doing to answer any questions you may have (if you happen to catch one). I would suggest that they continue to offer the self guided option, but a) put up some signs explaining the brewing process and equipment) and b) offer guided tours with brewery staff for those more interested.
-There's not really a good place to sit and enjoy a beer. If you're shopping for souveniers or wandering around the brewery, this is fine, but if you're not done with your beer or flight when you're through with these activities, a couple of barstools would be nice. In all fairness, I've only ever been in the winter, and they have a great patio off the gift shop which appears to have plenty of seating, and even an outdoor bar, not to mention an amazing view. So maybe this is only a seasonal problem.
-With only 6 taps, and most of them with their more popular and/or year round beers, if you're already familiar with New Glarus, you might not get to try some of their more interesting beers before you buy them.
-The beer depot seems to be out of certain beers every time I've been. I guess this is a good problem to have. Also, the staff are very helpful with this. If you're looking for a particular beer, they can tell you if and when they will have it in stock again. Or, if it's a seasonal beer, they will make recommendations of places nearby that may still have some, since the brewery depot often sells out before other retail locations.
Overall: All of the cons seem to have a mitigating factor, so I would say this is a pretty great experience. Definitely something worth checking out once. Make room in your luggage or trunk, though, because their swag is pretty cool, and the beer is amazing, so it's hard to leave this place empty handed.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Fat Squirrel
Appearance: Pours an opaque, hazelnut brown, with a thin head, which leaves nice lacing, but dissipates from the beer fairly quickly.
Aroma: Malty, bready.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light for a brown ale, and very effervescent carbonation feeling.
Flavors: Coffee, bread, almonds, hazelnut. Pretty balance between the coffee, the malty/bready notes, and the nutty flavors. Finishes with a crisp hoppiness, and a lingering hint of coffee.
Overall: Pretty balanced beer, and not as heavy or full bodied as one might expect from a brown ale. The bottle-conditioned effervescence give it a lightness on the palate which make this a great beer for even a hot summer day. All the flavors one would expect from a nut brown, without the heaviness that usually keeps me drinking these only in the winter.
Aroma: Malty, bready.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light for a brown ale, and very effervescent carbonation feeling.
Flavors: Coffee, bread, almonds, hazelnut. Pretty balance between the coffee, the malty/bready notes, and the nutty flavors. Finishes with a crisp hoppiness, and a lingering hint of coffee.
Overall: Pretty balanced beer, and not as heavy or full bodied as one might expect from a brown ale. The bottle-conditioned effervescence give it a lightness on the palate which make this a great beer for even a hot summer day. All the flavors one would expect from a nut brown, without the heaviness that usually keeps me drinking these only in the winter.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Tasting Notes: Monk's Cafe Flanders Red Ale
Appearance: Pours a dark, opaque red-brown. Very large, very airy light brown head, which lingers and gets more frothy/foamy.
Aroma: Tart cherry, a little bit of butter.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light bodied, although lingers a bit on the roof of the mouth.
Flavors: Cherry, only mildly sour, a little bit of butter/creaminess. Finishes with a very strong metallic, iron note.
Overall: Decent Flanders red. Not as mouth-puckeringly sour as some, but also not overly sweet. A little creaminess/butter from lactic acid, and pretty drinkable for a sour. Overall, not my favorite example of the style, but a good, balanced, drinkable sour.
Aroma: Tart cherry, a little bit of butter.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light bodied, although lingers a bit on the roof of the mouth.
Flavors: Cherry, only mildly sour, a little bit of butter/creaminess. Finishes with a very strong metallic, iron note.
Overall: Decent Flanders red. Not as mouth-puckeringly sour as some, but also not overly sweet. A little creaminess/butter from lactic acid, and pretty drinkable for a sour. Overall, not my favorite example of the style, but a good, balanced, drinkable sour.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
What does gravity have to do with booze?
So, what does gravity have to do with booze anyway? More specifically, what are original gravity and final gravity, and what do they mean?
Basically, these are measurements which relate to the sweetness, the dryness, and the alcohol content of a beer or wine.
Measuring actual sugar and alcohol content precisely and scientifically is a very complicated and expensive process. By using gravity (more specifically, the original (OG) and final (FG) gravities) brewers and winemakers can estimate these measures.
Sugar is heavier than water, so by using a hydrometer, brewers and winemakers can estimate the sugar content of their juice or wort through the original gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.000. So, a hydrometer which rests slightly higher than it would in pure water (say, in juice or wort) would measure something like 1.050 or 1.060. The higher the original gravity, the higher the sugar content of the juice or wort.
Alcohol, on the other hand, has a lower specific gravity than water. As fermentation progresses, the specific gravity of the wort or juice drops as well. Through their own and other brewers' and winemakers' past experiences, brewers and winemakers know what the expected final gravity for a given style of beer and wine is, based on the wort or juice, as well as the particular yeast strain. During fermentation, they can use a hydrometer to check the "attenuation" or the degree of fermentation, of their product. Each yeast strain, as well as grain or grape recipe, has a different expected or target attenuation. That is, what percentage of the sugars will be turned into alcohol?
What does this mean for us as beer or wine drinkers? Well, sweetness (as opposed to fruity flavors, which can come from esthers even in dry wine) is a measurement of the sugar remaining in a finished beer or wine. Essentially, this is the result of two decisions the brewer or winemaker makes: how much sugar to start with (original gravity), and the degree to which the sugars will be converted into alcohol (attenuation), which affect the final gravity of a beer.
Final gravity is a direct correlation to sweetness, and is also a good measure of what the mouth feel of a beer will be like, more or less, since the heavier a beer, the heavier the body will be.
All other things being equal (original ingredients, or at least the original gravity of them), a higher alcohol beer or wine will be drier than a low alcohol beer or wine, as more sugar was converted to alcohol. Meaning that if you want to make a sweeter beer or wine, there are three ways to do it.
1) You can add more sugar (malt/grain or grape juice) at the beginning of fermentation, or pull water out of your juice to concentrate sugars. This will result in a higher OG, meaning more fermentable sugars. Even after attaining the same degree of attenuation, this beer will have a higher final gravity, meaning both more sugar and more alcohol, than a beer with a more watered down, less sweet base.
2) You can stop fermentation, by either using a yeast strain with a lower alcohol threshold or lower expected attenuation, or by actually forcing fermentation to stop by removing yeast or changing the temperature or environment to stop fermentation. This will create a lower alcohol, sweeter product.
3) You can add sugars during or after fermentation. Depending on whether the goal is more alcohol and more sugar, or just a sweeter product, this can be done at various times during fermentation. In winemaking, this is known as chapetalization, and is prohibited in certain regions and styles in old world winemaking. If you add the same type of sugar (grape juice for wine, or malt/grain for beer), before fermentation is completed, you will wind up with a higher alcohol, sweeter product. If you add the sugar after fermentation is completed, the ABV will remain steady, and the final gravity, or sweetness of the product, will increase. Alternatively, you can add other types of sugar. This is common in Belgian styles, where candy sugar, which is not fermentable by ale yeasts, is added to the wort to create a sweeter finished product, without limiting the fermentation of the sugars in the wort.
Basically, these are measurements which relate to the sweetness, the dryness, and the alcohol content of a beer or wine.
Measuring actual sugar and alcohol content precisely and scientifically is a very complicated and expensive process. By using gravity (more specifically, the original (OG) and final (FG) gravities) brewers and winemakers can estimate these measures.
Sugar is heavier than water, so by using a hydrometer, brewers and winemakers can estimate the sugar content of their juice or wort through the original gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.000. So, a hydrometer which rests slightly higher than it would in pure water (say, in juice or wort) would measure something like 1.050 or 1.060. The higher the original gravity, the higher the sugar content of the juice or wort.
Alcohol, on the other hand, has a lower specific gravity than water. As fermentation progresses, the specific gravity of the wort or juice drops as well. Through their own and other brewers' and winemakers' past experiences, brewers and winemakers know what the expected final gravity for a given style of beer and wine is, based on the wort or juice, as well as the particular yeast strain. During fermentation, they can use a hydrometer to check the "attenuation" or the degree of fermentation, of their product. Each yeast strain, as well as grain or grape recipe, has a different expected or target attenuation. That is, what percentage of the sugars will be turned into alcohol?
What does this mean for us as beer or wine drinkers? Well, sweetness (as opposed to fruity flavors, which can come from esthers even in dry wine) is a measurement of the sugar remaining in a finished beer or wine. Essentially, this is the result of two decisions the brewer or winemaker makes: how much sugar to start with (original gravity), and the degree to which the sugars will be converted into alcohol (attenuation), which affect the final gravity of a beer.
Final gravity is a direct correlation to sweetness, and is also a good measure of what the mouth feel of a beer will be like, more or less, since the heavier a beer, the heavier the body will be.
All other things being equal (original ingredients, or at least the original gravity of them), a higher alcohol beer or wine will be drier than a low alcohol beer or wine, as more sugar was converted to alcohol. Meaning that if you want to make a sweeter beer or wine, there are three ways to do it.
1) You can add more sugar (malt/grain or grape juice) at the beginning of fermentation, or pull water out of your juice to concentrate sugars. This will result in a higher OG, meaning more fermentable sugars. Even after attaining the same degree of attenuation, this beer will have a higher final gravity, meaning both more sugar and more alcohol, than a beer with a more watered down, less sweet base.
2) You can stop fermentation, by either using a yeast strain with a lower alcohol threshold or lower expected attenuation, or by actually forcing fermentation to stop by removing yeast or changing the temperature or environment to stop fermentation. This will create a lower alcohol, sweeter product.
3) You can add sugars during or after fermentation. Depending on whether the goal is more alcohol and more sugar, or just a sweeter product, this can be done at various times during fermentation. In winemaking, this is known as chapetalization, and is prohibited in certain regions and styles in old world winemaking. If you add the same type of sugar (grape juice for wine, or malt/grain for beer), before fermentation is completed, you will wind up with a higher alcohol, sweeter product. If you add the sugar after fermentation is completed, the ABV will remain steady, and the final gravity, or sweetness of the product, will increase. Alternatively, you can add other types of sugar. This is common in Belgian styles, where candy sugar, which is not fermentable by ale yeasts, is added to the wort to create a sweeter finished product, without limiting the fermentation of the sugars in the wort.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Tasting Notes: Uinta Birthday Suit 20th Anniversary
Photo uploader is not working for me right now, so I will put it in later, sorry about that.
Appearance: Pours a deep, hazy, brown, which, when you hold it up to the light, has a ruby tint to it. Decent sized, off white head, but dissipates fairly quickly.
Aroma: All over the place. A little bit of chocolate, a little malty sweetness, and a lot of berry tartness.
Mouthfeel: Light, bubbly, effervescent.
Flavors: A little bit of tartness up front, more green apple style than anything else, and actually a little astringent/bitter, like the skin of an apple (not hop bitterness). To me, after the initial tartness, there was a stale, earthy, and slightly metalic flavor. Crisp finish, although the metallic flavor lingered for a little while.
Overall: Not for me. The sourness is not quite prominent, and instead of balancing or complementing it, their choice of malts played down the tartness, and to me left a lot of flavors that come across almost as off flavors. Stale beer, vegetal, metallic, and earthy. I love sours, and I love some Uinta brews, but this is one I would almost certainly not buy again.
Appearance: Pours a deep, hazy, brown, which, when you hold it up to the light, has a ruby tint to it. Decent sized, off white head, but dissipates fairly quickly.
Aroma: All over the place. A little bit of chocolate, a little malty sweetness, and a lot of berry tartness.
Mouthfeel: Light, bubbly, effervescent.
Flavors: A little bit of tartness up front, more green apple style than anything else, and actually a little astringent/bitter, like the skin of an apple (not hop bitterness). To me, after the initial tartness, there was a stale, earthy, and slightly metalic flavor. Crisp finish, although the metallic flavor lingered for a little while.
Overall: Not for me. The sourness is not quite prominent, and instead of balancing or complementing it, their choice of malts played down the tartness, and to me left a lot of flavors that come across almost as off flavors. Stale beer, vegetal, metallic, and earthy. I love sours, and I love some Uinta brews, but this is one I would almost certainly not buy again.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Flavor Sources in Beer
So, when tasting anything, it's important to know what you're looking for, and what different flavors came from, and what they mean. So here is a basic break down of the main flavor sources for beer. I'll start with the four main ingredients of beer, and then cover some extras.
Water is one of the four ingredients allowed under the German purity laws, and is an ingredient in every beer, and one which is often overlooked. Having pure, relatively soft water is important to the brewing process, because it allows the yeast to act as expected, as well as the hops, malt, and any other ingredients to express fully. Certain breweries like their beer to have certain minerals because it provides or highlights certain flavors. In most beers, water is not a significant source of flavor. If it does provide a flavor, it will be an earthy, mineral, or metalic flavor usually. It's important to understand, though, that the type of water used can make it impossible to brew a good beer, or certainly to brew certain styles of beer. The good news is that modern technology allows impurities to be filtered out, and minerals to be added back in.
Malt is another of the four "pure" beer ingredients. Malt is barley which has been partially germinated in order to release emylase, which in turn converts starch into fermentable sugar. Malt provides the bulk of beer flavor, and is necessary for the production of alcohol. Malt can be dried either just enough to stop germination, or it can be kiln dried and roasted, toasted, charred, or even burnt, to varying degrees. It can also be smoked. The degree of toasting on the finished malt determines the color, as well as flavor, of the finished beer. Malty flavors include cereal, bread, corn, and sweetness. Darker malts can also provide coffee, chocolate, caramel, toasted, nutty, and smokey flavors.
Yeast is the third "pure" beer ingredient. Yeast turns sugar into CO2 and alcohol, in its most basic function. The fermentable sugars which yeast consumes, however, have many components which are not directly turned into CO2 or alcohol. These are protein chains, acids, and other congeners which provide specific flavors, known as esthers. Certain yeast strains digest certain esthers and reprocess those. Others are unable to consume those same esthers. When we talk about yeast flavors, we are not talking about flavors that come from actually consuming yeast. We are talking about the esthers that particular yeast strains were unable to fully break down, and which remain in the finished beer. Common yeast-derrived flavor groups are fruit and certain spices. Almost any fruit flavor is yeast derrived. Black pepper, clove, and corriander are also fermentation and yeast derived flavorings. More extreme examples of yeast flavors, coming from wild or deliberately souring fermentation, are barnyard, funk, leather, and even sour or vinegar flavors. It is important to note that many off flavors are also yeast or bacteria derrived, and these flavors come from processing which has allowed un-intended yeasts access to beer.
Hops are the final "pure" beer ingredient. They were used primarily as a preservative originally, although with modern techniques, they are no longer necessary for that purpose. They provide important flavor and aroma characteristics, depending on the variety, as well as at what stage of the brewing process they are added. Hops can basically provide five things, or, for most strains, and certainly most beers (which use a blend of hops), a combination of them. Aroma, bitterness, citrus, pine/resin and grassy/floral flavors. Hop aroma can span the range of the other four, but it is important to note that certain hop varieties, and ways of hopping a beer, can contribute more to aroma then flavor. It is possible to have a beer with a very in your face hop bouquet which is much more subtle with actual hop flavors. Bitterness is an overall contribution to hops, and all hops provide a certain level of bitterness, but some varieties, and some beers, highlight the hop bitterness rather than the nuances of hop flavor and aroma. Citrus hops tend to lean toward grapefruit, and provide a refreshing counterbalance to the initial bitterness. Pine and resiny hops can vary from straight up spruce/Christmas tree to a skunky, marijuana-like aroma. Grassy and floral hops can provide a nice aroma and flavor as well.
Adjuncts are basically any ingredient not included above that is added to a beer at any stage. Some adjuncts, like wheat, rye, oats, sorghum, or other grains, or fruits (basically anything with natural starch or sugar) can be used along with malt to make the mash before fermentation. Some are added after fermentation. Those ingredients can have very different effects depending on when they are added. Adjuncts can cover a very wide range, from spices to fruits, to chilli pepper, to chocolate, to vanilla, and coffee. Some (fruits, spices, chocolate, coffee, nuts) are meant to enhance or highlight flavors already found in certain styles of beer, while others (chipotle peppers, etc.) can create a whole new flavor experience.
Aging/packaging/processing can also affect flavors. Most obviously, barrel aging a beer can affect the flavor tremendously. The age and the oak itself will contribute a lot of flavor, texture, and aroma contributions. Frequently, because of the expense of barrels, the relatively low retail price of beer, and just because of the special contributions, beers are aged in barrels which previously played host to wine, brandy, bourbon, or other spirits. These barrels can contribute both a higher alcohol content and interesting flavors. Processing beer can affect the flavor as well. Is a beer filtered, fined, centrifuged, or served en lees? Lees are dead yeast cells, which are often left in some beers, particularly wheat beers. If they are removed, the exact method can affect flavor as well. If a beer is bottle/keg/can conditioned, served on cask, or force carbonated, or some combination of them will affect mouth feel and flavor, as will the exact gas blend used.
Hopefully this is a good start to developing a beer palate, and knowing the important contributions that each decision a brewer makes can have on the final product.
Water is one of the four ingredients allowed under the German purity laws, and is an ingredient in every beer, and one which is often overlooked. Having pure, relatively soft water is important to the brewing process, because it allows the yeast to act as expected, as well as the hops, malt, and any other ingredients to express fully. Certain breweries like their beer to have certain minerals because it provides or highlights certain flavors. In most beers, water is not a significant source of flavor. If it does provide a flavor, it will be an earthy, mineral, or metalic flavor usually. It's important to understand, though, that the type of water used can make it impossible to brew a good beer, or certainly to brew certain styles of beer. The good news is that modern technology allows impurities to be filtered out, and minerals to be added back in.
Malt is another of the four "pure" beer ingredients. Malt is barley which has been partially germinated in order to release emylase, which in turn converts starch into fermentable sugar. Malt provides the bulk of beer flavor, and is necessary for the production of alcohol. Malt can be dried either just enough to stop germination, or it can be kiln dried and roasted, toasted, charred, or even burnt, to varying degrees. It can also be smoked. The degree of toasting on the finished malt determines the color, as well as flavor, of the finished beer. Malty flavors include cereal, bread, corn, and sweetness. Darker malts can also provide coffee, chocolate, caramel, toasted, nutty, and smokey flavors.
Yeast is the third "pure" beer ingredient. Yeast turns sugar into CO2 and alcohol, in its most basic function. The fermentable sugars which yeast consumes, however, have many components which are not directly turned into CO2 or alcohol. These are protein chains, acids, and other congeners which provide specific flavors, known as esthers. Certain yeast strains digest certain esthers and reprocess those. Others are unable to consume those same esthers. When we talk about yeast flavors, we are not talking about flavors that come from actually consuming yeast. We are talking about the esthers that particular yeast strains were unable to fully break down, and which remain in the finished beer. Common yeast-derrived flavor groups are fruit and certain spices. Almost any fruit flavor is yeast derrived. Black pepper, clove, and corriander are also fermentation and yeast derived flavorings. More extreme examples of yeast flavors, coming from wild or deliberately souring fermentation, are barnyard, funk, leather, and even sour or vinegar flavors. It is important to note that many off flavors are also yeast or bacteria derrived, and these flavors come from processing which has allowed un-intended yeasts access to beer.
Hops are the final "pure" beer ingredient. They were used primarily as a preservative originally, although with modern techniques, they are no longer necessary for that purpose. They provide important flavor and aroma characteristics, depending on the variety, as well as at what stage of the brewing process they are added. Hops can basically provide five things, or, for most strains, and certainly most beers (which use a blend of hops), a combination of them. Aroma, bitterness, citrus, pine/resin and grassy/floral flavors. Hop aroma can span the range of the other four, but it is important to note that certain hop varieties, and ways of hopping a beer, can contribute more to aroma then flavor. It is possible to have a beer with a very in your face hop bouquet which is much more subtle with actual hop flavors. Bitterness is an overall contribution to hops, and all hops provide a certain level of bitterness, but some varieties, and some beers, highlight the hop bitterness rather than the nuances of hop flavor and aroma. Citrus hops tend to lean toward grapefruit, and provide a refreshing counterbalance to the initial bitterness. Pine and resiny hops can vary from straight up spruce/Christmas tree to a skunky, marijuana-like aroma. Grassy and floral hops can provide a nice aroma and flavor as well.
Adjuncts are basically any ingredient not included above that is added to a beer at any stage. Some adjuncts, like wheat, rye, oats, sorghum, or other grains, or fruits (basically anything with natural starch or sugar) can be used along with malt to make the mash before fermentation. Some are added after fermentation. Those ingredients can have very different effects depending on when they are added. Adjuncts can cover a very wide range, from spices to fruits, to chilli pepper, to chocolate, to vanilla, and coffee. Some (fruits, spices, chocolate, coffee, nuts) are meant to enhance or highlight flavors already found in certain styles of beer, while others (chipotle peppers, etc.) can create a whole new flavor experience.
Aging/packaging/processing can also affect flavors. Most obviously, barrel aging a beer can affect the flavor tremendously. The age and the oak itself will contribute a lot of flavor, texture, and aroma contributions. Frequently, because of the expense of barrels, the relatively low retail price of beer, and just because of the special contributions, beers are aged in barrels which previously played host to wine, brandy, bourbon, or other spirits. These barrels can contribute both a higher alcohol content and interesting flavors. Processing beer can affect the flavor as well. Is a beer filtered, fined, centrifuged, or served en lees? Lees are dead yeast cells, which are often left in some beers, particularly wheat beers. If they are removed, the exact method can affect flavor as well. If a beer is bottle/keg/can conditioned, served on cask, or force carbonated, or some combination of them will affect mouth feel and flavor, as will the exact gas blend used.
Hopefully this is a good start to developing a beer palate, and knowing the important contributions that each decision a brewer makes can have on the final product.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Tasting Notes: North Coast Barrel Aged Old Rasputin
Aroma: Booze, chocolate, caramel, in that order. Smells much sweeter and more chocolatey than the non-barrel aged version of the same beer.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, but not sticky or syrupy. Creamy texture.
Flavors: Boozy, coffee, just a hint of chocolate and caramel sweetness. Lingering, bitter/burnt coffee finish.
Overall: Definitely a special beer. Complex, with a lot going on both on the nose and the palate. Similar enough to the unaged version that it is recognizable, but definitely smoother, richer, and a little more complex. Definitely not a sweet beer by any means, but also not quite as dry or harsh as an unaged Old Rasputin. Would be a great beer to drink with a special meal or a very special, equally rich dessert.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Should I age xx, or drink it right away?
People often wonder they can or even should age a particular bottle, whether it is beer, wine, or spirits. The answer is, it all depends on the particular item.
Spirits. In general, spirits are high enough in alcohol content that the effects of aging them in a bottle will be minimal. They are not as volatile, or subject to as much chemical change as lower proof beer and wine. Most have been aged in wood, or filtered, to the point that most cogeners have fully developed. It's still not a great idea to keep them around too long, especially once they're opened, but they are less subject to change over time than beer and wine.
Beer. As a general rule, beer is best drank fresh. Beer is low proof, and has not been distilled, or (generally) aged. The higher residual sugar and water, along with other chemicals which are still left in beer, make it fairly volatile. Light and oxygen are both bad for beer. Saying heat is bad for beer is a bit of an oversimplification. Temperature changes are bad for beer. So if you do plan on hanging on to beer (whether just for a couple of weeks or during long term cellaring/aging) keep this in mind. A beer cellar or closet is probably the best place for it, as it will be protected from light and stay relatively temperature stable. The most common way I've seen people mistreat beer is to buy it cold, let it sit out for a few days, put it in the fridge, then move or take it somewhere else, or just run out of space in the fridge, leave it out at room temperature for a few days, and then put it back in the fridge. This is asking for trouble.
Now, notice that I said that as a general rule beer is best when fresh. Some beers are meant to stand up to aging. How do you know if yours is one of them? Five things: hops, alcohol, body, aging, and a couple of yeast situations.
Hops will be the most counterintuitive of these. Hoppy, bitter beers do not age well and are best consumed as quickly as possible, especially fresh hopped or dry hopped beers. Weren't hops originally put in beer as a preservative, though, you ask? Yes, they were. In fact, hoppy beers are certainly safe to drink after some time. But 1) modern brewing and packaging ensures that even beers with low hop profiles are pretty shelf stable, and 2) what we now call "hoppy" beers use hops for flavor and aroma. As an agricultural product, and, basically an aromatic flower, hops change as they get old. They no longer have the fresh, bright, crisp flavor and aroma they started with, meaning that while they're perfectly safe to consume, they lose the characteristics that they gave the beer and begin to taste and smell stale.
Alcohol Higher alcohol beers tend (although hops trump this, so don't try to age an Imperial IPA!) to age better than lower alcohol beers, for a couple of reasons. Aging will tend to mellow and round out the boozy flavors that some barley wines/quads/etc. will have. Also, as mentioned in the notes on spirits, higher alcohol means less volatile (at least in terms of flavor and aroma changes). These beers will develop and change with time, especially since most high alcohol beers also have a fair amount of residual sugar and fruity esters left in them, unlike spirits, but will not entirely change their nature. They area also high enough in alcohol that most yeast and bacteria will not attempt to continue fermenting the beer.
Body Bigger bodied beers tend to age better. Whether from alcohol, sugar, or dark roasted malts, big beers mean big flavors. You don't want to lose that (and won't), but sometimes a mellowing, rounding out that comes with aging does a big beer good.
Aging If a beer has been aged by the brewery in wood, it usually means two things: 1) the recipe was designed with aging in mind, so there won't be any harmful effects to letting it sit a little longer in the bottle, 2) The aging process has already started, and so the effects of aging will not take a turn for the worst. Any negative chemical or bacterial reactions would have taken place in the barrel, and you wouldn't have the beer at all. So, it's a safe bet that most barrel aged beers will be good after a little extra time in the bottle or keg as well.
Yeast In general, spontaneously fermented and bottle/barrel conditioned beers are good to age. Spontaneous fermentation allows a) oxidation, and b) wild and unpredictable yeast activity. These are two things you worry about with aging a beer, and if it has already held up to deliberate exposure to these two things, chances are, they can't do a lot more harm. The stuff that wild yeast and bacteria eat is probably already gone. As for bottle/barrel conditioned beers, they are deliberately bottled or kegged with active yeast so that the beer continues developing. Allowing the yeast to remain active will allow the beer to continue to develop over time (until the yeast has completely died off) and provide for a more interesting brew.
Lucky for us, several of these conditions tend to overlap. IPAs and pales tend to be light, crisp, young, hoppy, and very deliberately fermented using cultured yeasts. Barley wines, imperial stouts, quads, sours, etc. tend to meet more than one of the conditions I've listed for "good for aging" beers, and are usually good candidates
Wine
Rules for wine are actually not that far off from beer, but a little more simplified. First of all, remember to keep them temperature stable and out of the way of light. Second, I don't think there's anything in wine that has quite the same negative reaction to time that hops do, so you won't necesarily totally ruin a wine by aging it.
In general, you'll want to drink light bodied wines, especially crisp, bright, citrusy ones, pretty young. They will tend to mellow, smooth, and become more one note over time.
On the other hand, big wines with richer, dark fruit flavors, especially ones high in tannin, will usually benefit from aging. As with beer, anything (white or red) which saw the inside of an oak barrel is probably a good candidate for further aging as well.
Collecting/future value
Now, the one thing to note with all three of these things, especially with whiskey and wine, and it's starting to be true of some beers as well, is that aside from quality, there is a certain value to a bottle held onto for a while. Simple supply and demand. A 25 year old scotch or bourbon is going to be hard to find, and, to the right person, worth a lot of money. An interesting note about wine production is that low yields often produce the best wine. A bottle of a particularly scarce, but high quality vintage can be worth a lot of money. Some craft and monastic beers are so hard to find that they are worth a lot of money, especially months or years after their production. The above tips were written based on drinkability and quality, not on monetary value. So if you are a collector primarily looking to make money, or simply have the pride in having a valuable cellar, you can probably pay less attention to them. That said, 1) collecting booze for the sake of future value is risky. You are banking on the fact that a particular brand or vintage will hold value in the future. Tastes change. While a rare spirit, wine, or beer is probably a safe bet, keep in mind that producers change production levels, or sometimes tastes just change. 2) If it tastes like shit, it's really not worth anything to anyone. Pliny the Younger is a very rare, triple IPA from Russian River, released once a year. This gives it an inherent value, and might tempt some profiteers (if it was available in bottle) to tuck away a bottle and try to sell it in the off season. They'd be out of luck, as this beer is meant to be drank young and would only deteriorate with time. In fact, the brewery allocates kegs only to those bars who commit to tapping it in the month of February, to avoid people jeopardizing the quality of the product to take advantage of its scarcity.
Hopefully this has been a helpful guide to when products might benefit (or not) from cellaring or aging them in bottle.
Spirits. In general, spirits are high enough in alcohol content that the effects of aging them in a bottle will be minimal. They are not as volatile, or subject to as much chemical change as lower proof beer and wine. Most have been aged in wood, or filtered, to the point that most cogeners have fully developed. It's still not a great idea to keep them around too long, especially once they're opened, but they are less subject to change over time than beer and wine.
Beer. As a general rule, beer is best drank fresh. Beer is low proof, and has not been distilled, or (generally) aged. The higher residual sugar and water, along with other chemicals which are still left in beer, make it fairly volatile. Light and oxygen are both bad for beer. Saying heat is bad for beer is a bit of an oversimplification. Temperature changes are bad for beer. So if you do plan on hanging on to beer (whether just for a couple of weeks or during long term cellaring/aging) keep this in mind. A beer cellar or closet is probably the best place for it, as it will be protected from light and stay relatively temperature stable. The most common way I've seen people mistreat beer is to buy it cold, let it sit out for a few days, put it in the fridge, then move or take it somewhere else, or just run out of space in the fridge, leave it out at room temperature for a few days, and then put it back in the fridge. This is asking for trouble.
Now, notice that I said that as a general rule beer is best when fresh. Some beers are meant to stand up to aging. How do you know if yours is one of them? Five things: hops, alcohol, body, aging, and a couple of yeast situations.
Hops will be the most counterintuitive of these. Hoppy, bitter beers do not age well and are best consumed as quickly as possible, especially fresh hopped or dry hopped beers. Weren't hops originally put in beer as a preservative, though, you ask? Yes, they were. In fact, hoppy beers are certainly safe to drink after some time. But 1) modern brewing and packaging ensures that even beers with low hop profiles are pretty shelf stable, and 2) what we now call "hoppy" beers use hops for flavor and aroma. As an agricultural product, and, basically an aromatic flower, hops change as they get old. They no longer have the fresh, bright, crisp flavor and aroma they started with, meaning that while they're perfectly safe to consume, they lose the characteristics that they gave the beer and begin to taste and smell stale.
Alcohol Higher alcohol beers tend (although hops trump this, so don't try to age an Imperial IPA!) to age better than lower alcohol beers, for a couple of reasons. Aging will tend to mellow and round out the boozy flavors that some barley wines/quads/etc. will have. Also, as mentioned in the notes on spirits, higher alcohol means less volatile (at least in terms of flavor and aroma changes). These beers will develop and change with time, especially since most high alcohol beers also have a fair amount of residual sugar and fruity esters left in them, unlike spirits, but will not entirely change their nature. They area also high enough in alcohol that most yeast and bacteria will not attempt to continue fermenting the beer.
Body Bigger bodied beers tend to age better. Whether from alcohol, sugar, or dark roasted malts, big beers mean big flavors. You don't want to lose that (and won't), but sometimes a mellowing, rounding out that comes with aging does a big beer good.
Aging If a beer has been aged by the brewery in wood, it usually means two things: 1) the recipe was designed with aging in mind, so there won't be any harmful effects to letting it sit a little longer in the bottle, 2) The aging process has already started, and so the effects of aging will not take a turn for the worst. Any negative chemical or bacterial reactions would have taken place in the barrel, and you wouldn't have the beer at all. So, it's a safe bet that most barrel aged beers will be good after a little extra time in the bottle or keg as well.
Yeast In general, spontaneously fermented and bottle/barrel conditioned beers are good to age. Spontaneous fermentation allows a) oxidation, and b) wild and unpredictable yeast activity. These are two things you worry about with aging a beer, and if it has already held up to deliberate exposure to these two things, chances are, they can't do a lot more harm. The stuff that wild yeast and bacteria eat is probably already gone. As for bottle/barrel conditioned beers, they are deliberately bottled or kegged with active yeast so that the beer continues developing. Allowing the yeast to remain active will allow the beer to continue to develop over time (until the yeast has completely died off) and provide for a more interesting brew.
Lucky for us, several of these conditions tend to overlap. IPAs and pales tend to be light, crisp, young, hoppy, and very deliberately fermented using cultured yeasts. Barley wines, imperial stouts, quads, sours, etc. tend to meet more than one of the conditions I've listed for "good for aging" beers, and are usually good candidates
Wine
Rules for wine are actually not that far off from beer, but a little more simplified. First of all, remember to keep them temperature stable and out of the way of light. Second, I don't think there's anything in wine that has quite the same negative reaction to time that hops do, so you won't necesarily totally ruin a wine by aging it.
In general, you'll want to drink light bodied wines, especially crisp, bright, citrusy ones, pretty young. They will tend to mellow, smooth, and become more one note over time.
On the other hand, big wines with richer, dark fruit flavors, especially ones high in tannin, will usually benefit from aging. As with beer, anything (white or red) which saw the inside of an oak barrel is probably a good candidate for further aging as well.
Collecting/future value
Now, the one thing to note with all three of these things, especially with whiskey and wine, and it's starting to be true of some beers as well, is that aside from quality, there is a certain value to a bottle held onto for a while. Simple supply and demand. A 25 year old scotch or bourbon is going to be hard to find, and, to the right person, worth a lot of money. An interesting note about wine production is that low yields often produce the best wine. A bottle of a particularly scarce, but high quality vintage can be worth a lot of money. Some craft and monastic beers are so hard to find that they are worth a lot of money, especially months or years after their production. The above tips were written based on drinkability and quality, not on monetary value. So if you are a collector primarily looking to make money, or simply have the pride in having a valuable cellar, you can probably pay less attention to them. That said, 1) collecting booze for the sake of future value is risky. You are banking on the fact that a particular brand or vintage will hold value in the future. Tastes change. While a rare spirit, wine, or beer is probably a safe bet, keep in mind that producers change production levels, or sometimes tastes just change. 2) If it tastes like shit, it's really not worth anything to anyone. Pliny the Younger is a very rare, triple IPA from Russian River, released once a year. This gives it an inherent value, and might tempt some profiteers (if it was available in bottle) to tuck away a bottle and try to sell it in the off season. They'd be out of luck, as this beer is meant to be drank young and would only deteriorate with time. In fact, the brewery allocates kegs only to those bars who commit to tapping it in the month of February, to avoid people jeopardizing the quality of the product to take advantage of its scarcity.
Hopefully this has been a helpful guide to when products might benefit (or not) from cellaring or aging them in bottle.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Enigma
Aroma: Funky and tart. A barnyard funk, but still a sour cherry tartness to it.
Mouthfeel: Light. Rolls right off the tongue. More carbonation/effervescence than I was expecting based on the small head.
Flavors: Tart at the front, then cherry and vanilla come out. Almost tastes like canned cherry pie filling. Finishes with a little barnyard funk, a touch of vanilla, and a very strong sour apple sourness.
Overall: Not my favorite sour or fruit beer, or even my favorite New Glarus sour or fruit beer. Definitely nothing bad about this brew, but nothing really excited me either. This might actually be my least favorite New Glarus beer so far, and it's hard to put a finger on exactly why. Where their other sours and fruit beers not being overtly or offensively sour, and their hoppier beers being a bit malty comes across as balance and finesse, and even approachability across styles or even to non-beer drinkers, this one just seems too sweet, light bodied, and bland for a barrel-aged sour, but not quite malty or mild enough to make it an approachable session beer. Again, definitely nothing bad about this beer, but if I had a fridge full of the full New Glarus lineup, this would probably be my last choice.
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