Christmas Beer

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud and drinking beer.  Christmas beer, that is.

Just like I'd never heard of Beer Nog until my recent post, I have never heard of Christmas beer.  But apparently, there really is such a thing.  I was reading about it on the blogs [1] and thought to myself, now there's something I've gotta try.  So while we were in the greater Pittsburgh area for Christmas, I stopped by Bocktown again (previously posted about them here).  I knew they wouldn't disappoint - they had an entire cooler dedicated to seasonal beers!  So I picked up the most appropriately-named brew they had: Christmas Ale.

So what does a Christmas beer taste like?  I was expecting notes of pine or peppermint, though I can't say I was excited for either one of those flavors in a beer.  Gingerbread would have been good, though (hint to all brewers!) [2]  Turns out that at least this particular libation was nothing like that.

BeerAdvocate.com (BA) classifies Breckenridge Brewery's "Christmas Ale" as a Winter Warmer.  What's a Winter Warmer, you ask?  BA describes it, in part, as having a "big malt presence, both in flavor and body. The color ranges from brownish reds to nearly pitch black. Hop bitterness is generally low, leveled and balanced, but hop character can be pronounced. Alcohol warmth is not uncommon." [3]

As you can see from the picture above, Christmas Ale had a very dark reddish-brown hue with an off-white, frothy head.  There was nothing particularly distinctive about its smell - it smelled like...well, beer.  The taste was about the same as the smell - nothing special and tasted like a plain ol' beer.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with beer tasting like beer - I was just surprised it didn't have some special flavor to it.  The ale had a medium mouthfeel [4], and it had a slight carbonation-like bite to it.  It was a little bitter and had a bit of an aftertaste, though not unpleasant.  All in all, this Christmas beer was okay, though I don't need to have one every Yuletide [5].

BeerAdvocate rates it a 79, while the Brothers [6] rate it an 83.

RateBeer.com rates it a 57 overall with a harsh 12 for style, which they classify as an American Strong Ale.

Granted, I've only had one Christmas beer, but I'm wondering - is Christmas beer a gimmick?  What do you think?  Leave a comment to discuss, or send me a Tweet: @BrewReviewMann.

As Jon says on his blog, TheBrewSite.com, Beery Christmas and a Hoppy Holidays!

______

Footnotes:

[1] For readers not familiar with the phrase "the blogs", it is simply a way of saying that authors on more than one blog were discussing this topic.

[2] BeerAdvocate.com, a favorite reference of mine, lists a few different gingerbread beers here.

[3] Source: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/47.  You can also read about the many other styles at this link.

[4] I've never really talked about mouthfeel on Justin's Brew Review before, so a quick tutorial is in order.  Mouthfeel is the perception of body in the beer.  Body is typically classified as light, medium, or full.  Each style has an appropriate amount of body to be expected.  (Taken from http://www.alabev.com/taste.htm)

[5] As I was typing "Yuletide", I had the thought that it would make a good Christmas beer name.  So I BA'd it (akin to "Googling" something, but on BeerAdvocate's site instead of Google - okay, yes I made that up...but I'm hoping it catches on!), and sure enough, there are a few Yuletide beers available.

[6] "The Brothers", Jason and Todd Alström, started BeerAdvocate.com in 1996.  Read about it here.

A Taste of Brew Reviews to Come

Quite unexpectedly, I made out on the Christmas gift front, largely due to a generous gift from my wife's cousin, Nick (thanks again!).  I received 18 unique beers, which means you can expect some upcoming brew reviews!  Of course, it'll take me quite some time to get through all these, so please be patient!

Here's a list of the beers (from left to right):

Front row

• Sixpoint Brewery's Autumnation (6.7% ABV)
• Williamsburg AleWerks's Tavern Ale (5.6% ABV)
• Blue Mountain Brewery's Blue Mountain Classic Lager (5.3% ABV)
• Starr Hill's Double Platinum (8.6% ABV)
• 21st Amendment Brewery's Fireside Chat (7.9% ABV)
• Pabst Brewing's Stroh's (4.6% ABV)

Middle row

• Williamsburg AleWerks's Pumpkin Ale (8.0% ABV)
• Blue Mountain Brewery's Lights Out Holiday Ale (7.0% ABV)
• Williamsburg AleWerks's Washington's Porter (6.4% ABV)
• Williamsburg AleWerks's Coffeehouse Stout (5.4% ABV)
• Port City Brewing's Monumental IPA (6.3% ABV)
• Williamsburg AleWerks's Red Marker Ale (5.0% ABV)

Back row

• Southern Tier Brewing's Pumking (8.6% ABV)
• Thirsty Dog Brewing's Old Leghumper (6.7% ABV)
• Stone Brewing's Stone IPA (6.9% ABV)
• Stone Brewing's Stone Levitation Ale (4.4% ABV)
• Stone Brewing's Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale (7.2% ABV)
• Stone Brewing's Stone Pale Ale (5.4% ABV)

I look forward to enjoying these brews and sharing my tasting experiences with you.

Trusting that you all had a wonderfully Merry Christmas.  Prost!

Beer Nog

Just in time for the holidays - a recipe for Beer Nog!  I had never heard of such a thing until the November / December 2011 issue of DRAFT Magazine (if you have your own copy, just turn to page 14).

Mmm, Beer Nog!
(Photo Courtesy of http://draftmag.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Noggin-239x300.png)

So how do you make Beer Nog?  Glad you asked!  The article and recipe in DRAFT Magazine was provided by Joe Stange of ThirstyPilgrim.com:

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces strong ale*
• 4 fresh eggs
• 1/2 ounces Bourbon or dark rum
• 2 dashes ground nutmeg or mace
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup cream
• mixer
• serving glasses [1]

Instructions:

1. Separate the eggs.  Beat the sugar into the yolks until smooth.
2. Stir the milk and cream into the yolk mixture.  Add 1 dash of spice and the whiskey or rum.  (Some recipes call for as much as 4 ounces of liquor; here, a bit of warmth is welcome, but too much can overwhelm the beer's flavor.)
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into the nog mixture.
4. Pour the beer into the serving glasses [1] and add the nog mixture.  Optional: Reserve some of the cream, whip and add a dollop to each glass.  Spring 1 dash of spice on top and serve.

Serves: 4

* barleywine, Belgian strong, Christmas beer, or otherwise

I plan on mixing up my own batch of Beer Nog this holiday season -- how about you?  Looking forward to raising my glass - Prost!


[1] In his post on ThirstyPilgrim.com, Joe says that the DRAFT Magazine article said "snifter" rather than "serving glasses" so I made the correction here.

Bocktown - The Place to Beer

This past weekend, my in-laws introduced me to a wonderful restaurant in the Pittsburgh, PA area called Bocktown (apparently affectionately known as B-Town). They claim that they are "The Place to Beer" and tout many such quippy sayings. I have to say, I totally agree with them. I was impressed by their vast beer offerings. (Oh yeah...their menu was pretty good too. I went with the Bocktown 'Burgher.) From their About Us page:

"We love the artisan efforts of America’s craft brewers. We are completely dedicated to bringing you their products. When you visit, you will find a great variety of beer styles on draft, 16 rotating taps ranging from India pale ale, to imperial stout, as well as fruit beer, and other seasonal offerings. We do not ever offer Coors, Bud or Miller on tap. You will also find 400 different better bottle choices including some once a year offerings! We love rare beers, so don’t hesitate to call us to see if we have something you have been searching for." (emphasis mine)

B-Town's Seemingly-Endless Bottle Selection

Here, here - pass the craft beer! I took the liberty of taste-testing three brews before choosing one for a pint. I tried:

1. Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin - 8.0% ABV Pumpkin Ale, brewed in Easton, PA
2. East End Hop Harvest - 7.4% ABV American IPA, brewed locally in Pittsburgh, PA - definitely tasted the hops, which I love, as well as a citrus / grapefruit flavor - readers may recall that I am not a grapefruit fan, as related in this post about Sam Adams' Summer Ale; however, East End's brewski was pretty darn good (i.e. the grapefruit flavor wasn't very strong!)
3. Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale - 6.5% ABV American Brown Ale, brewed in Portsmouth, NH - this one hit my mouth hard with an absolute burst of flavor (a real ale!) - it had a burnt sugar / caramel aftertaste, which was delightful (is it appropriate to use the word "delightful" for a beer? hmm...)

(From Left to Right) Weyerbacher, East End, and Smuttynose Samples

For the pint, I chose door beer #1:  Weyerbacher's seasonal Imperial Pumpkin.

Its wonderful pumpkin pie flavor mixed nicely with the caramel, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I was pleasantly surprised that our server had dipped the rim of the pint glass in brown sugar - mmm, mmm good! RateBeer.com rates this beer as a 96 overall, and BeerAdvocate.com rates it as a B+. I give it a solid A. There is no doubt that this delectable pumpkin ale trumps (the only other pumpkin ale I've ever tried) Shipyard Brewing's weakly-flavored Pumpkinhead Ale, which I recently reviewed in this post.

If you are ever in the Pittsburgh area, you'll definitely want to check out Bocktown. I certainly plan on going back. Prost!

Love the "Summer Love Ale"

In tribute to the passing of summer, this review is about Victory Brewing Company's "Summer Love Ale".  It's the first Victory brew I've ever tried, and I have to say, it was a great start!

A light, white frothy head crowned the hazy golden brew, and a fruit smell wafted from the glass.  I was impressed with the complexity of this 5.2%-ABV ale -- the lemon flavor mixed very well with the hoppy taste which yielded an extremely quaffable beer.  The first sip and each subsequent taste was a delight.  I love tasting the hops in a beer, and the mixture of hops and lemony-fruity-goodness in this particular libation was extremely satisfying.

Based on my limited sampling of other beers, I would compare this ale to Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat or Brewery Ommegang's Hennepin.

Overall, I would rate this beer an "A".  Beeradvocate.com rates it a "B+", and www.ratebeer.com gives it a 91 overall and a 99 for style.  I was a big fan, and even though I love the fall, I now have a reason to look forward to next summer.  Also, can't wait to try some other Victory brews -- any suggestions?


Prost!

Pumpkinhead Ale

This amber-colored, 5.1%-ABV wheat ale offered by Shipyard Brewing Company was an alright seasonal treat.  It had very little head, and the little bit it did have was white and frothy.  I was surprised that there was very little pumpkin smell - the waft that hit my nose was all ale.  After the first taste, it was evident why there was little pumpkin smell - there wasn't much of a pumpkin taste either.  The beer had a subtle spiced flavor with just enough bite to it.  Once the aftertaste kicked in, I did notice a faint cinnamon pumpkin flavor, but still not very strong.

I've never tried any other pumpkin-flavored beers, but I'm curious to compare.  Today, Iron Hill Brewery is releasing their Great Imperial Pumpkin Ale (read more about it on Bil's mybeerbuzz.com blog), so I'm gonna have to head on over to try it out.  Prost!

Smoked Beer: Good or Gross?

A while back, I thought I'd try what's called a smoked beer (or in German, Rauchbier).  I didn't know what to expect, but after some preliminary research, it sounded like it would taste like some kind of meat.  Granted, I prefer my beer to taste like beer, but I was intrigued!  So in the name of learning, I took the plunge.


In addition to trying a new type of beer, I had read about food pairings in a DRAFT magazine article, so I decided to try cheese with the beer.  During a trip to a Giant Eagle Market District, I picked up a cave-aged Gruyere, which was listed as a pairing recommendation for smoked beers.  I also bought Aecht Schlenkerla's Rauchbier Märzen, which is an import from Bamberg, Germany.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen -- imported from Bamberg, Germany

Märzen is a type of lager that has its origins in Bavaria.  Originally, it was a beer that was brewed in March and laid down in caves or cellars before the summer weather rendered brewing impossible. Stocks would be drawn upon during the summer and finally exhausted in October. [1]

Post-Pouring, Pre-Partaking

Now for my tasting notes.  The almost-black beer had a frothy off-white crown.  The aroma that met my nose was a wonderful bacon or smoked sausage, which literally made my mouth water.  Surprisingly, the first sip that met my tongue was less meat and more lager.  As the crisp flavor began its descent, the aftertaste was reminiscent of that first smell of bacon, this time with a hint of wood.  I was impressed that while the brew had a definite meat flavor, it was still very much a lager.


After a few more sips, I tried pairing it with the Gruyere and found that they indeed mixed well together.  The blend of beer and cheese made for a sensational burst of flavor in my mouth with the Rauchbier fizzing around the cheese.  The cheese enhanced the flavor of the smoked meat but in a refreshing way.

Bottle Cap from the Rauchbier

All in all, I was glad for the chance to expand the horizon on my journey to learn more about beer.  If you've never tried a smoked beer before, it's definitely worthwhile to experience the flavor at least once.  However, I would recommend picking up a single bottle to try.  While I would partake of a smoked beer again, it's not on my "must drink again soon" list.  So many beers, so little time...


Prost!


References:
[1] http://www.beerhunter.com/styles/marzen.html

Summer Brews - featuring Leinenkugel's

Looking for some good "summer brews"? Leinenkugel's has a summer sampler case with four different flavors:

1. Classic Amber
2. Sunset Wheat
3. Honey Weiss
4. Summer Shandy

While they are all tasty, the "most unique flavor" award goes to Summer Shandy.  Why?  It's got lemonade in it!  Thanks to it being a wheat beer, the Shandy has a low bitterness factor (IBU = 13.5).  Combine that with the lemonade, and man!  Talk about a doubly-refreshing beer!

As far as other brands go, I always recommend Tröegs. They have a good, thirst-quenching beer formally called Sunshine Pils, but commonly and affectionately known as Sunny Pils.

As far as other types of beers go, you can't go wrong with a wheat beer (often combined with a fruit flavor), Belgian, weiss or witbier (white), or any "brisk" lager (mmm, Yuengling!).

There are a number of other "summer brews" that I hope to try before the season is out, including: Magic Hat's Wacko, Lancaster Brew Company's Strawberry Wheat, and Dogfish Head's Festina Peche.  Let me know if you've tried any of these or if you have other suggestions!

Cheers to beers!

Sam Adams' Summer Ale - or is it Ail?

Tonight, we stopped by the Conewago Inn in Manchester, PA.  We always enjoy the ambiance and tasty food, and of course, I look forward to a pint of frothy brew.  I was just in time to try Sam Adams's seasonal Summer Ale.

Image courtesy of http://www.goingouttulsa.com 

The golden-colored liquid had very little head and looked to be a refreshing beer.  Scents of zesty lemon wafted up from the glass of this 5.3% ABV wheat ale.  Upon first sip, Summer Ale was a real taste-pleaser.  The citrus combined well with the spicy Grains of Paradise to produce a flavorful sensation.  After savoring its essence in my mouth, I swallowed - and that's when it hit.  The spice-and-citrus mixture left a grapefruit aftertaste.  There are those who like grapefruit, and then there is me.  The sour suggestion didn't leave until I washed it down with some water.

While I choose not to partake of this particular draught again, I would recommend it to anyone that has a predilection for grapefruit.  I was disappointed by Summer Ale, but Sam Adams has a good selection of some other, fairly palatable pilseners and beers.  Prost!

Shock Top - A Beer with a Twist (of Orange, Lemon, and Lime)

We visited Coakley's Restaurant and Irish Pub in New Cumberland, PA this weekend and had quite an enjoyable dining experience on their sidewalk cafe.  I was in the mood to try a new beer with an intriguing-sounding name, and "Shock Top" fit the bill.  Little did I know what was in store for my taste buds!

When the waitress delivered my Shock Top, I admit that my expectations were low because there was an orange slice on the glass (the nerve!).  This is the very reason that I've always shied away from ordering a Blue Moon - you serve orange slices with fruity beverages with even fruiter names, not beer!  At any rate, I decided to keep an open mind, and I'm glad I did.

The yellow-gold-colored beer had a light, frothy head and a mouthwatering aroma reminiscent of a fruit basket.  When the first sip of brew hit my tongue, I immediately understood where this drink got its name.  The flavor shocked my taste buds with orange, lemon, and lime.  As I washed it down, I was left feeling refreshed.  This Belgian-style wheat ale is low on the bitterness ("hoppiness") and has plenty of flavor to go around.  The quaffable libation really hit the spot on a warm day.

My First "Shock Top" at Coakley's Sidewalk Cafe

I was surprised to find that Shock Top is brewed by Anheuser-Busch.  I tend to overlook mega-breweries when I'm searching for a new great-tasting beer.  I feel like they are all about production and not so interested in creating innovative, flavorful varieties of beer.  Thank you, Anheuser-Busch, for making me drink my words.  I'll be back for more.  Prost!