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.

Beer Resources

In case you were wondering, it has been a little while since my last post.  I admit - I've been slacking!  But only in the beer blogging arena.  I've got a lot of ideas, so it's time to do a little writing!

Resources - that's the topic of today's post.  Besides Justin's Brew Review (shameless plug), what other sites, books, magazines, etc. are available to us fellow beer lovers (or otherwise interested readers)?  There are a LOT.  Seriously.  I'll name quite a few here and will undoubtedly miss a LOT.  Get the point?  Okay, good.  Here we go.

Websites:

• BeerAdvocate.com (affectionately known as BA) -- from their website, BA claims to be a "global, grassroots network, powered by an independent community of beer enthusiasts and industry professionals who are dedicated to supporting and promoting beer".  So what does this mean?  It means that if you want to learn about beer and tell others what you think about beer, this is the site for you!  This site appears to be very popular with beer snobs and geeks but is quite accessible to all.  Like most anything these days, they have built a social element in to their site.  (Check out my profile!)    Final item: their motto (read "credo") is "Respect Beer."

• RateBeer.com -- along with BA, RateBeer is highly referenced by beer reviewers.  From their website, RB writes that they are "widely recognized as the most accurate and most-visited source for beer information. RateBeer is an independent world site for craft beer enthusiasts and is dedicated to serving the entire craft beer community through beer education, promotion, and outreach".  This is a good place to visit to see what others think of a certain beer.

• beer.findthebest.com -- This unique "beerfinder" site helps people to track down, locate, and otherwise identify the right beer for them.  Their database allows the user to filter results by beer, brewery, country, style, ABV, "smart rating", and even calories.  As I suspected, the "smart rating" is a weighted average of ratings from multiple sites (The Opinionated Beer Page, BeerAdvocate.com, RateBeer.com - unless you've managed to find and imbibe a bottle of the now retired Hazed and Confused, hopefully some of these sound familiar).  The site claims to "present you with the facts - stripped of any marketing influence", which sounds like a good idea to me.  We don't need the marketing hype - we want to know what our fellow beer drinkers think!

Apps for your mobile (and also websites):

• Untappd -- Their slogan is *Drink Socially*, so you can take a guess at what this app is.  The world of social networking...coming to a pint near you.  From their website, "Untappd is a new way to socially share and explore the world of beer with your friends and the world. Curious what your friends are drinking or where they're hanging out?  Just check out their profile where you can toast and comment on their beers! Untapped will offer you beer recommendations based on what you and your friends have been enjoying, so you'll have no reason to not try something new!"

• Pintley -- More social beer e-drinking.  From their website, "Pintley is a new kind of beer website--one that only recommends beer you're sure to love.  Unlike other beer sites, Pintley doesn't just know beer; it also knows you. [1] Pintley learns from your ratings and tasting notes to understand exactly what pleases your palate the most, so you can be your own beer expert."

Books:

• The Oxford Companion to Beer by Garrett Oliver -- This is a very new book (published only two months ago in October 2011), and there has been quite a bit of discussion on the beer blogs about it.  The hardcover list price is $65 [2], and at the time of publication, Amazon has it listed for $39.  That's quite a deal for a 960-page book! Also according to Amazon, the book "features more than 1,100 A-Z entries written by 166 of the world's most prominent beer experts".

• Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher -- This is an excellent reference book for all things beer.  Published in February 2009, this 256-page paperback book is the "insider's guide to the world's greatest drink".  From Amazon, "Mosher explores and explains the tasting experience, guiding readers to a better understanding of how every batch of beer is affected by recipe formulation, brewhouse procedures, yeasts, fermentations, carbonation, filtration, packaging, and much more. Readers will learn to identify the scents, colors, flavors, and mouth-feel of all the major beer styles".

• Pennsylvania Breweries by Lew Bryson -- You may recall that my last blog post was about Lew.  Not only is he author of this book (and others), but he is a beer blogger.  And hopefully a beer blogger soon to have a TV show about beer blogging [3].  But I digress.  The 4th edition of PA Breweries was published in September 2010 and provides a comprehensive look at PA's 73 breweries and brewpubs [4].  I believe you can also pick up a copy at nearly any of the breweries mentioned in the book - I know for sure I've seen copies for sale at two of my favorite breweries, Tröegs and Yuengling.

Magazines:

• DRAFT Magazine -- I subscribe to this well-written, bi-monthly publication.  It is an entertaining look at beer throughout the United States today.  It includes articles on beer, food, travels, and a combination of all three.  They always review a handful of beers from a few different beer styles.  At the time I'm writing this, you can subscribe for a year (6 issues) for $20, or you can opt for the more economical 2-year subscription (12 issues) for $30.

• BeerAdvocate Magazine -- Published by BeerAdvocate.com [5], this monthly publication is yours for the low subscription fee of only $15 per year (12 issues).

There is also a multitude of beer blogs available for your reading pleasure.  I encourage you to check out the "Blog Roll" in the right-hand column of Justin's Brew Review.  The "Blog Roll" is simply a list of some of the blogs I follow.  They're pretty good...but you don't have to take my word for it!  Prost!

[1] It's scary when you think about how much information about us is actually "out there" for the whole world. While only slightly off-topic, check out this article (12/15/2011) about the amazing amount of information Facebook collected on someone in a year's time--including information that was supposed to have been deleted or removed.
[2] So that means you pay $75 at a brick and mortar bookstore, right?
[3] He needs our financial support.
[4] Although with the ever-increasing popularity of craft beer, I'm sure that there are more PA breweries and brewpubs around today. In fact, I'm sure of it - I know of three in York County, PA alone:  South County, Mudhook, and LiquidHero.  Lew also chronicles book updates online.
[5] Bet you wouldn't have guessed that if I hadn't told you.

American Beer Blogger: The TV Show

Exciting news announced yesterday on Lew Bryson's blog "Seen Through a Glass" -- a potential, new half-hour television series about the craft beer industry called "American Beer Blogger"!  What a cool idea:  a TV show about a guy who goes around visiting places, drinking beer, asking questions, and writing about it, as Lew says.  If you're not convinced, check out his video (believe me...it's worth the 2:25 of your time!):


But in order to get this show up and running, the producers (Green Leaf) need to raise $60,000.  The money will go toward editing and marketing the idea to a TV channel.  So if the idea sounds good to you (it does to me!), Lew is asking you to help them reach their financial goal by pledging some money to their Kickstarter.  (I've also attached a widget at the end of this post.)

About Lew:  he is a drinks writer from the Philly area.  He has a couple other blogs, including  "Why the PLCB Should be Abolished" and "Session Beer Project".  He also authored the book "Pennsylvania Breweries".  Intelligent, witty, and very real writing - good stuff all around.  I definitely recommend that you check out his work.

A big "thank you" to my in-laws for turning me on to Lew!  Hopefully after this post, I'll have done the same for you all.  Prost!

Yorktoberfest 2011 Follow-up

Here's a follow-up to my "live" post from Yorktoberfest.  I said I was aiming to try all the varieties of craft beer at the festival...and I was close.  Looking back, I only missed one - Tröegs JavaHead Stout - which I already know is an enjoyable brew.

I took my pint glass from tent to tent, and the barkeeps faithfully filled it up.  Each 2 to 3 oz sample provided just enough to fill up the bottom of the glass and for me to savor the flavor.

Here's a comprehensive list of the beers they proffered and some quick tasting notes*:

1. Tröegs JavaHead Stout
2. Tröegs HopBack -- "hoppy"!
3. Tröegs Dead Reckoning Porter -- amazing! not as smooth as a typical porter; it has a bit of a bite
4. Stoudt's Scarlet Lady Ale -- surprisingly not as complex as other ales
5. Stoudt's Oktoberfest -- strong-ish and fizzy
6. Stoudt's Heifer-in-Wheat -- clever name, great taste (banana!)
7. Stoudt's Gold Lager -- classic golden liquid
8. Springhouse Brewery Seven Gates Pale Ale -- bitter aftertaste
9. Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Bock -- not as dark as I expected
10. Spaten Dunkel -- smooth, almost like you're not drinking anything; would make a good session beer except for the 5.5% ABV
11. Sixpoint Vienna Pale Ale -- the right amount of hoppiness, just the way a beer should taste!
12. Sixpoint Brownstone -- similar to a porter but has more of a mild, nutty flavor
13. Rogue Dad's Little Helper -- a black IPA (mmm!) strong on the hops!
14. Magic Hat Circus Boy -- a good summer brew, light and refreshing
15. Lancaster Brewing Company Shoo-Fly Porter -- smooth; light flavor of shoo-fly (my favorite pie!)
16. Hauser Estates Jack's Hard Cider -- "local Adams County apples put to good use", said the vendor
17. Dogfish Head Festina Pêche -- love Dogfish Head, didn't love this brew (tart, juicy)
18. Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Shock Top -- an always enjoyable summer beer

Also, I did some digging into why York's own LiquidHero and Mudhook breweries were not represented at Yorktoberfest, much to my (and I'm sure others') chagrin.  The organizers of Yorktoberfest were not immediately available for comment, but it was rumored that the "big boy" distributors may have pulled rank over the newbies and blocked them from the event (politics, ugh).  LiquidHero was undeterred.  A representative commented, "we supported this fest and we also made alot of new friends this weekend from people coming over to our brewery after this beerfest...we love the revs and we love york county...and we are here to stay".  That's the spirit, fellas!  You truly are our LiquidHero!  Prost!

* BeerAdvocate.com recommends not reviewing beers at fests for a variety of reasons: "small sample sizes...loud environments, slew of smells, and tasting of numerous beer styles back-to-back. [...] Doing so does a disservice to the brewer and could mislead others." (Source: http://beeradvocate.com/articles/637)

Yorktoberfest 2011

I'm coming to you "live" from the 1st Annual Yorktoberfest in York, Pennsylvania!  The event is being held at Sovereign Bank Stadium, home of the York Revolution baseball team.  Let me tell you - it is a blast!  There are lots of people here enjoying vendors, music, food, Pennsylvania wines, and best of all, craft beers from the region.  There are brews here from Tröegs, Lancaster Brewing Company, Magic Hat, Shock Top, Stoudt's, Sixpoint, Rogue, Dogfish Head, and Spaten.  I'm aiming to try them all!  As part of the beer pass, I received a free pint glass and access to limitless samples of great craft brew.  If you're in the area, you should stop by - the festivities are going on till 5 today.  If you can't make it today, you can stop back tomorrow between noon and 5.

I was looking for beers from York's own Mudhook and LiquidHero breweries, but to no avail.  Both of these breweries are very new to York, and I think it's very exciting that York is being infused with some beer culture.  But I'm very disappointed that they are not represented here.  Why would the very city's own breweries not be represented?  Regardless, I love that the "craft brew scene" seems to be gaining momentum in South Central PA, just as it is everywhere in the US right now.  I'm hoping that it lasts! (Relevant side note: DRAFT magazine has indicated that there are plans to open 600 brand new craft breweries in the US by 2013!)

This is the first blog post I'm publishing via my smartphone, so please forgive me if there are any issues - I just wanted to post this "live" in order to bring you the breaking beer news here in York, PA.  I'm going to attempt to attach photos. (Edit: After publishing this post, I found that all the pictures were at the top. I've since edited them using my PC so that they are now in-line with the text.)

For more info, check out www.yorktoberfest.com. Prost!

The glass is half full, my friend.

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!