Through some serious personal reflection as of late, I came to a decision to lay the groundwork to achieve the goal of being a professional brewer, ultimately my own boss at my own brewery. I spoke with someone several months ago about how best to pursue this, and they gave me a list of ideas.
The first was to start homebrewing, which I can safely say is now crossed off of my list. To further that step, I mentioned in a previous post about all-grain brewing as my next big step, essentially to give me the understanding of what it really means to be a brewer (plus the ingredients will be drastically cheaper without extract being in the picture). The all-grain process will give me the pseudo-experience of commercial brewing, especially the clean up.
Next on the list was to start reading. I have already digested several books (thank you Kindle), and have a number on my wish list to further my education. I even took a suggestion to price out some of the textbooks used by the MBAA (Master Brewers' Association of America) for classroom courses, and I think I found myself a heck of a deal.
With the all-grain brewing and "book learnin'" under way, the final step was to decide on a path to the formal education: apprenticeship or school. I could possibly find a brewery and apprentice the master brewer, but aside from getting one to say yes, it would mean no income for a significant time. The other option would be attending Siebel, a school in Chicago that offers a variety of brewing degrees, including the coveted WBA Master Brewer program. I like the school option, even if it would cost anywhere from $10,000 - $25,000, mostly because I can set my timeline to when I'm ready for it (and can afford it...damn do I hate loans).
There is a somewhat halfway step I could take towards the formal education in volunteering at breweries in the area, which I have put my name out to and am always looking to do what I can (if you know someone, let me know because I'll do whatever they need at the brewery for a chance to get exposure to the process). I also have some online courses through Siebel I can take that aren't as pricey and would give me the option to work from home on my coursework, a major saving grace.
I am putting myself on notice that if this is what I want, I need to commit to it 100%. Therefore, I'm going to be exploring the all-grain option, getting the books, and most likely (sigh) taking out a loan to start taking the advanced classes at Siebel. I am resolute in my dedication to my own happiness with this endeavour, so be prepared for the next phase in my brewing.
Oh yeah, and don't be surprised if you are invited to come by for a beer and tell me what you think. I'm always happy to have insights from others to hone my skills a bit more each day. Besides, when was it ever a bad day to drink a beer?
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Kewler Kit & All-Grain Brewing
Good morning my fellow beer geeks. I have some good news about my equipment situation. Currently, I am using a 5 gal brew kettle and doing partial mash recipes where I'm using some speciality grains. I am now in the process of saving up for an all-grain set up known as a Kewler Kit. It is somewhat of a MacGuyver looking contraption, but the idea is to get the experience making beer the way it is done on the commercial scale.
The Kewler Kit that I have my eyes set on will cost about $250, but it is whole lot better than the price tag of the Ruby Street setup I see in my dreams at roughly $3,000. It is a pair of retrofitted coolers you would see on the sidelines of a sporting event, but a gasket has been added to the each cooler.
The process of using the Kewler Kit is pretty simple, because you only add 2 additional steps compared to extract or partial mash brewing. The first is the mashing process, where you fill up the mash tun with roughly half of the grains and some hot water (about 150 - 168 F) and let it steep, just like a tea, for about an hour (less is also an option, but more does come with the risk of tannins leaching in from the grain hulls) and then top it off with the remaining grain and water. Once the hour is up, you move on to the other new step, sparging, where you use more hot water (170 - 175 F) to rinse the grains and get the last drop of sugar off of the mash. You should do what is known as a vorlauf during the sparging, which just means the first quart or two may be full of particles so you discard that before adding your newly mashed wort to the kettle to prep for the boil.
That's it. Nothing special or scary, but the benefits are such a trade off for the extra 2 hours of work. Those benefits to all-grain brewing are pretty serious, aside from the chance to get a hands-on perspective of commercial brewing. First of all, I can control the beer even more, because LME & DME (liquid & dry malt extract) are great for getting fermentable sugars, but they do not give you the body and complexities that all-grain brewing will. This will result total control over the clarity, color, and even more control over the flavor (squeal of delight). The other serious benefit is the undesired flavors that are unavoidable from extract become a memory because I'm not using the extract for sugars any more, and if for any reason I want to add more sugar for the yeast to eat, I can add adjuncts like wheat or rice, or some additives like beat sugar or molasses.
Ultimately, this is going to be a serious step forward in my brewing, and I'm excited to take it. I will be taking it one step at a time, like I have with everything else, but so far I'm pretty pumped. If I want to be a brewer professionally, this is the next phase in my evolution.
That is all this post has to it, but stay tuned for some more exciting news!
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
The Kewler Kit that I have my eyes set on will cost about $250, but it is whole lot better than the price tag of the Ruby Street setup I see in my dreams at roughly $3,000. It is a pair of retrofitted coolers you would see on the sidelines of a sporting event, but a gasket has been added to the each cooler.
The process of using the Kewler Kit is pretty simple, because you only add 2 additional steps compared to extract or partial mash brewing. The first is the mashing process, where you fill up the mash tun with roughly half of the grains and some hot water (about 150 - 168 F) and let it steep, just like a tea, for about an hour (less is also an option, but more does come with the risk of tannins leaching in from the grain hulls) and then top it off with the remaining grain and water. Once the hour is up, you move on to the other new step, sparging, where you use more hot water (170 - 175 F) to rinse the grains and get the last drop of sugar off of the mash. You should do what is known as a vorlauf during the sparging, which just means the first quart or two may be full of particles so you discard that before adding your newly mashed wort to the kettle to prep for the boil.
That's it. Nothing special or scary, but the benefits are such a trade off for the extra 2 hours of work. Those benefits to all-grain brewing are pretty serious, aside from the chance to get a hands-on perspective of commercial brewing. First of all, I can control the beer even more, because LME & DME (liquid & dry malt extract) are great for getting fermentable sugars, but they do not give you the body and complexities that all-grain brewing will. This will result total control over the clarity, color, and even more control over the flavor (squeal of delight). The other serious benefit is the undesired flavors that are unavoidable from extract become a memory because I'm not using the extract for sugars any more, and if for any reason I want to add more sugar for the yeast to eat, I can add adjuncts like wheat or rice, or some additives like beat sugar or molasses.
Ultimately, this is going to be a serious step forward in my brewing, and I'm excited to take it. I will be taking it one step at a time, like I have with everything else, but so far I'm pretty pumped. If I want to be a brewer professionally, this is the next phase in my evolution.
That is all this post has to it, but stay tuned for some more exciting news!
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Beer Review Challenge: 3 Floyd's Rye da Tiger
Hello and happy Friday all! I have another review for you to enjoy, courtesy of the one and the only supplier of challenges (Jeff excluded), Coren. Another shout of to her for providing this option, because it keeps my skills honed.
Color: Clear straw that clears slightly at the base of the glass. Considering that this is a double rye IPA, I'm a little surprised at this color, but I assume they decided to go with more pale malts to not conflict with the rye itself, hence the color.
Head: Decent head on the beer, even if the retention is minimal. The rye is the culprit for the lack of retention, clearly, but it is to be expected.
Aroma: Nice hoppy notes, starting with grassy and citrus aromas, pointing out a source of American hops (what up Portland!). For the style, I can understand wanting a hop that will stand up the tartness of the rye, as long as it doesn't overpower it. In this category, they nailed it.
Taste: The hops are front and center when you take the first sip of this beer, but calm rather quickly and acquiesce to the rye. The mixture of the hop and rye hits you about 2 seconds after it passes your tongue, so you get the bitterness of hops along with its flavor profile (American hops = citrus and/or piney), and then the harshness of the rye in a tart slap to the taste buds. This is a very balanced IPA for these ingredients, and the alcohol you would expect is not even hinted at, which I approve of highly.
Overall: This was a fantastic option for them to brew, although a challenge to find the balance with the adjunct and hops. The beer starts off strong and finishes easy, the sign of any good double IPA. The only misgivings I have come down to the color, simply because I want any double IPA, rye or not, to have some amber hues to it. It is a personal grievance, so I won't hold it against them...too much.
Score: 7.75/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Color: Clear straw that clears slightly at the base of the glass. Considering that this is a double rye IPA, I'm a little surprised at this color, but I assume they decided to go with more pale malts to not conflict with the rye itself, hence the color.
Head: Decent head on the beer, even if the retention is minimal. The rye is the culprit for the lack of retention, clearly, but it is to be expected.
Aroma: Nice hoppy notes, starting with grassy and citrus aromas, pointing out a source of American hops (what up Portland!). For the style, I can understand wanting a hop that will stand up the tartness of the rye, as long as it doesn't overpower it. In this category, they nailed it.
Taste: The hops are front and center when you take the first sip of this beer, but calm rather quickly and acquiesce to the rye. The mixture of the hop and rye hits you about 2 seconds after it passes your tongue, so you get the bitterness of hops along with its flavor profile (American hops = citrus and/or piney), and then the harshness of the rye in a tart slap to the taste buds. This is a very balanced IPA for these ingredients, and the alcohol you would expect is not even hinted at, which I approve of highly.
Overall: This was a fantastic option for them to brew, although a challenge to find the balance with the adjunct and hops. The beer starts off strong and finishes easy, the sign of any good double IPA. The only misgivings I have come down to the color, simply because I want any double IPA, rye or not, to have some amber hues to it. It is a personal grievance, so I won't hold it against them...too much.
Score: 7.75/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Festival Review: Hop in the City
Ouch. Ouch. Yeah, I survived another Hop in the City and I'm aching as a result. This was probably my favorite one to date. So, let me give you the run down.
This is a festival that deals with roughly "all" the beers Schlafly will make in a given year. That may not be 100% true, because they have a lot of offerings so they may not have everything there, but they do give the choice to the attendee to enjoy over 40 beers, plus a special beer made just for the festival. We will get to the beers in just a second...
The festival itself was held at their downtown St. Louis location, The Tap Room. Making their parking lot the venue, along with some shut down streets, they had tons of room. The crowds were herded to one of four lines for tickets and age verification (which I was a part of and loved). The process was as streamlined as possible, and within the first hour of the festival being open, they sold out of their tickets (damn impressive). As they moved into the festival itself on the parking lot, patrons were able to enter a large tent and partake in the beers of their choosing.
Logistics aside, plenty of water was on hand, as well as dump buckets, for rinsing out glassware. This is something I have seen overlooked in a number of other festivals and just disheartens me: I want my samples to be as true to the flavor the brewer intended, so let me rinse out my glass is all I am saying.
I also have to applaud the decision to set up a bank of taps by the front door with fresh water for drinking. I have not noticed that before in other festivals, but it really does make sense and is another one of those simple aspects that can make a festival just that little bit better.
Now, one festival readily comes to mind where water was not handled well, and in combination with July heat, there were several very skunked and animated people walking around. This made for a rather awkward bit of confrontations, which I am still hopeful were restricted to the parking lot and not the streets. Hop in the City could not have been a better contrast to this; the people that exhibited some signs of being "buzzed" were monitored and then helped when needed. As a result of the water being so prevalent, I can honestly say I did not see any altercations or "stomach pyrotechnics."
The beer, which I grew to love dearly, was not a disappointment either. The festival beer, a pumpkin stout, was smooth and tasty. I also found the Galaxy IPA they made for the Heritage Festival (one I could not attend due to timing, unfortunately) used hops from Australia that give off citrus and fruity notes, almost a passionfruit aroma; it had a very good following at the festival.
There are number of seasonal favorites that had the crowd happy, but I found myself enjoying a variety of things as a result of the best volunteers to the volunteers, the beer fairies. They made sure we as volunteers had plenty of different things to try, and that we were always happy. A serious cheers to those wonderful ladies!
Overall, I have to say this was something I needed: a beer festival that was well laid out, organized, and executed with the goal of providing good beer to a good crowd. Now, the only trick will be how can next year's be better?
If you would like to see more info about the festival that came and went, here is the link.
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
This is a festival that deals with roughly "all" the beers Schlafly will make in a given year. That may not be 100% true, because they have a lot of offerings so they may not have everything there, but they do give the choice to the attendee to enjoy over 40 beers, plus a special beer made just for the festival. We will get to the beers in just a second...
The festival itself was held at their downtown St. Louis location, The Tap Room. Making their parking lot the venue, along with some shut down streets, they had tons of room. The crowds were herded to one of four lines for tickets and age verification (which I was a part of and loved). The process was as streamlined as possible, and within the first hour of the festival being open, they sold out of their tickets (damn impressive). As they moved into the festival itself on the parking lot, patrons were able to enter a large tent and partake in the beers of their choosing.
Logistics aside, plenty of water was on hand, as well as dump buckets, for rinsing out glassware. This is something I have seen overlooked in a number of other festivals and just disheartens me: I want my samples to be as true to the flavor the brewer intended, so let me rinse out my glass is all I am saying.
I also have to applaud the decision to set up a bank of taps by the front door with fresh water for drinking. I have not noticed that before in other festivals, but it really does make sense and is another one of those simple aspects that can make a festival just that little bit better.
Now, one festival readily comes to mind where water was not handled well, and in combination with July heat, there were several very skunked and animated people walking around. This made for a rather awkward bit of confrontations, which I am still hopeful were restricted to the parking lot and not the streets. Hop in the City could not have been a better contrast to this; the people that exhibited some signs of being "buzzed" were monitored and then helped when needed. As a result of the water being so prevalent, I can honestly say I did not see any altercations or "stomach pyrotechnics."
The beer, which I grew to love dearly, was not a disappointment either. The festival beer, a pumpkin stout, was smooth and tasty. I also found the Galaxy IPA they made for the Heritage Festival (one I could not attend due to timing, unfortunately) used hops from Australia that give off citrus and fruity notes, almost a passionfruit aroma; it had a very good following at the festival.
There are number of seasonal favorites that had the crowd happy, but I found myself enjoying a variety of things as a result of the best volunteers to the volunteers, the beer fairies. They made sure we as volunteers had plenty of different things to try, and that we were always happy. A serious cheers to those wonderful ladies!
Overall, I have to say this was something I needed: a beer festival that was well laid out, organized, and executed with the goal of providing good beer to a good crowd. Now, the only trick will be how can next year's be better?
If you would like to see more info about the festival that came and went, here is the link.
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Beer Review Challenge: 3 Floyd's Zes Zes Zes
Once again, the gauntlet has been laid before me and it is time for another review. Today, the selection comes from Indiana (yes, you can rejoice for a moment now, Hoosiers). While I am certainly not a fan boy of 3 Floyd's, I have found several of their beers to be quite good, so I'm hoping that this saison is not a let down. As long as this isn't in the same vein as the Kolsch they tried (suchThre a freaking fail!), I expect to be very happy.
Color: A lovely golden, albeit somewhat cloudy color greets you as you pour this beer. This is spot on for a good saison.
Head: The head is decent and has a retention that keeps up with it. I expected a bit more on the head to be honest, but I'm hoping the spices are the blame for the lack of head.
Aroma: The notes coming off of this beer are far milder than I wanted it to be, and a major left down. I do detect some hints of citrus or sweetness, but nothing very aggressive.
Taste: A very mild flavor that builds over time. While this is not your dad's saison, it is not a bad take on the style. I like the tang I detected on my palette, but I enjoyed how balanced that malt and spices were here. The aftertaste was a bit of a let down, unfortunately, because I want something that snaps on my tongue as it leaves if I am calling it a saison. There needs to be a bit more punch from the beer to reach the style's apex in my eyes. The body, however, was very nice and stands up to the flavors that are present.
Overall: This is an interesting take on the style, but I think it misses on a few key points. I always find a saison should be the representation of a farmhouse ale from Belgium or France, and I get hints of that with this beer, but it misses slightly here and there. I could say without a doubt that I would be happy to order this again, but there are a number of saisons out there I could suggest over this for style points alone.
Score: 6.0/10
As always, be merry and drink well. Slainte!
Color: A lovely golden, albeit somewhat cloudy color greets you as you pour this beer. This is spot on for a good saison.
Head: The head is decent and has a retention that keeps up with it. I expected a bit more on the head to be honest, but I'm hoping the spices are the blame for the lack of head.
Aroma: The notes coming off of this beer are far milder than I wanted it to be, and a major left down. I do detect some hints of citrus or sweetness, but nothing very aggressive.
Taste: A very mild flavor that builds over time. While this is not your dad's saison, it is not a bad take on the style. I like the tang I detected on my palette, but I enjoyed how balanced that malt and spices were here. The aftertaste was a bit of a let down, unfortunately, because I want something that snaps on my tongue as it leaves if I am calling it a saison. There needs to be a bit more punch from the beer to reach the style's apex in my eyes. The body, however, was very nice and stands up to the flavors that are present.
Overall: This is an interesting take on the style, but I think it misses on a few key points. I always find a saison should be the representation of a farmhouse ale from Belgium or France, and I get hints of that with this beer, but it misses slightly here and there. I could say without a doubt that I would be happy to order this again, but there are a number of saisons out there I could suggest over this for style points alone.
Score: 6.0/10
As always, be merry and drink well. Slainte!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
White House Beers
Well, if you have been one of the unfortunately few that did not see the news about this last week, then you missed out in a serious way. As was reported on by many a news agency, a blurb to most people, the homebrewers of the US not only heard that President Obama is an avid homebrewer in his own right, but that they have developed some unique recipes in the White House. Those beers were enjoyed by many in the past and continue to be entertainment points for select visitors today, but there is another aspect to this story that I find especially interesting: the beer!
The recipes that were release were for a honey ale and a honey porter, and they sound really great. They are partial mash recipes, so they don't require any great effort to make for the average brewer (save maybe for getting a hold of White House honey, to which you have my best wishes of accomplishing). The simplicity of these recipes, combined with some yummy history factoids, make this a really awesome moment in US homebrewing. What history is that? Well, according the the historians, this is the first time beer has been brewed on the grounds of the White House. Yes, many of the founding fathers were very proud brewers and distillers, but they never actually did it on the grounds of the White House. Pretty cool, right?
Well, here they are, the White House Honey Ale and the White House Honey Porter, directly from the White House Assistant Chef, Sam Kass.
The recipes that were release were for a honey ale and a honey porter, and they sound really great. They are partial mash recipes, so they don't require any great effort to make for the average brewer (save maybe for getting a hold of White House honey, to which you have my best wishes of accomplishing). The simplicity of these recipes, combined with some yummy history factoids, make this a really awesome moment in US homebrewing. What history is that? Well, according the the historians, this is the first time beer has been brewed on the grounds of the White House. Yes, many of the founding fathers were very proud brewers and distillers, but they never actually did it on the grounds of the White House. Pretty cool, right?
Well, here they are, the White House Honey Ale and the White House Honey Porter, directly from the White House Assistant Chef, Sam Kass.
Now, with those in front of you, it isn't that scary, right? I know most people are going to be upset about not being able to do the actual recipe with the honey they use, but do it in the spirit of the entire project: use local ingredients! If you want honey, use the stuff you can find around you that is the same wildflower honey, because the location, plants, soil, climate, etc are all going to make the honey a little different and ultimately a different beer.
If you would like, here is the video they used to demonstrate their brewing at the White House.
Oh, and just so I'm being open about it, I am planning to follow up the release of these with the stats they get on a typical batch (OG, FG, ABV, IBU, SRM, etc), because I am just curious if there is an impact from the local ingredients to the overall style, which I doubt but I'm still a curious beer geek.
I do want to ask now, for some serious answers, and I'll follow it up on Facebook and Twitter: which one should I make first? I definitely want to do both, but I'm curious if there is a demand for one of these over the other. Let me know which one you like and if you are lucky, I may be able to squirrel some away for you to try your selection when you see me next.
Well, that pretty much does it for this post.
As always, be merry and drink well. Slainte!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Beer Review Challenge: Finch's Facist Pig
This was an unexpected challenge tonight, as a result of the wrong bottle being opened for dinner. Ever heard of the happy accident? Yeah, any excuse to drink and review a beer is one of those for me. So, on with the review!
Color: Amber to slightly reddish hues make this look very warm and inviting, even if the title would dictate the natural fear of anything red for most Americans over 50.
Head: This is very common of a rye beer, in that the head looks good at first, but then cannot hang around. Unless the rye is balanced by an extra dose of hops, you will find this happens with anything with rye in it, but that doesn't had to be a bad thing. Since this is a red rye ale, I appreciate that there is a very slight head to this with no retention, because otherwise this would no longer be the red rye it was intended to be.
Aroma: A slight tartness is mixed with a very nice malty sweetness on the nose. The tartness, undoubtedly from the rye, does not appear to be over done but rather balanced in the aroma. This invites the drinker to explore more but gives some suggestions of what to expect, which I do appreciate in any aroma for a good beer.
Taste: A nice sweetness from the malt is really balanced on the palette with the tartness from the rye. I found that there was a body and viscosity to the beer that I simply didn't anticipate, but I certainly enjoyed. This beer finds itself a nice place after the second or third sip, when the flavors have finally hit the mouth and tongue without surprise. There is a lack of bitterness, that understandably was done to avoid conflicts with the tartness from the rye, but I find would have very much helped this beer. The aftertaste was good, even if it leaned toward the tartness a bit more.
Overall: This was a delightful beer to drink from the complexities it presented and the simple flavor I found myself enjoying. I was a little disappointed with the balance of the malt and sweetness not having a bitter component that may have enhanced it and actually highlighted the sweetness of the malt and the tartness of the rye. That being said, this was a very drinkable beer to enjoy once in a while with friends to show them the varieties of adjuncts and their impact on an established style.
Score: 7.0/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Color: Amber to slightly reddish hues make this look very warm and inviting, even if the title would dictate the natural fear of anything red for most Americans over 50.
Head: This is very common of a rye beer, in that the head looks good at first, but then cannot hang around. Unless the rye is balanced by an extra dose of hops, you will find this happens with anything with rye in it, but that doesn't had to be a bad thing. Since this is a red rye ale, I appreciate that there is a very slight head to this with no retention, because otherwise this would no longer be the red rye it was intended to be.
Aroma: A slight tartness is mixed with a very nice malty sweetness on the nose. The tartness, undoubtedly from the rye, does not appear to be over done but rather balanced in the aroma. This invites the drinker to explore more but gives some suggestions of what to expect, which I do appreciate in any aroma for a good beer.
Taste: A nice sweetness from the malt is really balanced on the palette with the tartness from the rye. I found that there was a body and viscosity to the beer that I simply didn't anticipate, but I certainly enjoyed. This beer finds itself a nice place after the second or third sip, when the flavors have finally hit the mouth and tongue without surprise. There is a lack of bitterness, that understandably was done to avoid conflicts with the tartness from the rye, but I find would have very much helped this beer. The aftertaste was good, even if it leaned toward the tartness a bit more.
Overall: This was a delightful beer to drink from the complexities it presented and the simple flavor I found myself enjoying. I was a little disappointed with the balance of the malt and sweetness not having a bitter component that may have enhanced it and actually highlighted the sweetness of the malt and the tartness of the rye. That being said, this was a very drinkable beer to enjoy once in a while with friends to show them the varieties of adjuncts and their impact on an established style.
Score: 7.0/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Beer Review Challenge: 3 Floyd's Moloko Milk Stout
Welcome once again to another round of the beer review challenge. This was a beer suggested by Coren (I know, you are shocked), but this is one of her personal favorite breweries, 3 Floyds. While I'm not one of their biggest fans, I do appreciate what they have done for the craft community. I also enjoy their ability to take beer and make it a bit more approachable by the common beer drinker.
Now, without further ado, the review...
Color: Very dark black colors, with no mixing of hues. This was definitely something that saw a healthy addition of black patent malt to arrive at such a color without tainting the flavor with excess malty or roasty notes.
Head: The head appears to be very light and then vanishes nearly immediately. This shouldn't be too surprising on account of it being a milk stout, but I would always like to see a beer this dark have some more head with it, or at least some retention of the little head it did have.
Aroma: The nose picks up very distinct coffee and roasty notes without any effort, which is not unpleasant for a milk stout, but unexpected. While it isn't unwelcome, to advertise this as a milk stout, I was expecting something more sweet on the nose than coffee-like. It may detour some drinkers at first whiff.
Taste: The initial taste is very velvety and smooth, with the aroma of the coffee matched in the taste with a slight bite of bitterness but not overwhelming. I am also surprised with the balance of the flavor within the confines of a single beer. The aftertaste does leave a lingering tartness from the coffee, but it isn't unbearable.
Body: The body of this beer is very much a stout, from the bounce in its viscosity to its smooth characteristics on the palette.
Overall: This is a beer that is very complicated from beginning to end, which I can certainly appreciate. I do enjoy the flavor of this beer and the balance it offers me, with one major exception. The use of the term milk stout made me think this would going to be a dark beer with a smooth body, but nothing was hinted at with the coffee, which caught me off guard to a point. I would probably get more into this beer the more I tried it, but on the first try, this was a bit more than I wanted in a milk stout. Maybe round 2 would be a different story...
Score: 6.5/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Now, without further ado, the review...
Color: Very dark black colors, with no mixing of hues. This was definitely something that saw a healthy addition of black patent malt to arrive at such a color without tainting the flavor with excess malty or roasty notes.
Head: The head appears to be very light and then vanishes nearly immediately. This shouldn't be too surprising on account of it being a milk stout, but I would always like to see a beer this dark have some more head with it, or at least some retention of the little head it did have.
Aroma: The nose picks up very distinct coffee and roasty notes without any effort, which is not unpleasant for a milk stout, but unexpected. While it isn't unwelcome, to advertise this as a milk stout, I was expecting something more sweet on the nose than coffee-like. It may detour some drinkers at first whiff.
Taste: The initial taste is very velvety and smooth, with the aroma of the coffee matched in the taste with a slight bite of bitterness but not overwhelming. I am also surprised with the balance of the flavor within the confines of a single beer. The aftertaste does leave a lingering tartness from the coffee, but it isn't unbearable.
Body: The body of this beer is very much a stout, from the bounce in its viscosity to its smooth characteristics on the palette.
Overall: This is a beer that is very complicated from beginning to end, which I can certainly appreciate. I do enjoy the flavor of this beer and the balance it offers me, with one major exception. The use of the term milk stout made me think this would going to be a dark beer with a smooth body, but nothing was hinted at with the coffee, which caught me off guard to a point. I would probably get more into this beer the more I tried it, but on the first try, this was a bit more than I wanted in a milk stout. Maybe round 2 would be a different story...
Score: 6.5/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Beer Challenge: 5 Rabbits 5 Vulture
Well, thanks to some wonderful input and initiative from Coren, I have my first beer for the challenge!
I'm tasting the dark ale from 5 Rabbits, a brewery from Chicago, which they call 5 Vultures. It is an Oaxacan dark ale that is brewed with ancho chili, so you know there is some spice and life coming out of this one. Now, here are the results:
Color: The beer is a nice dark brown, with hints of amber in it, indicating something other than just malts may have been used to arrive at this particular spectrum. I assume the chili has an impact, but I'm not sure if they contribute to it completely.
Head: The head on this beer is very respectable. The viscosity of it is very clear after being poured and it has a good retention, sticking around for several minutes after the pour is long since done. I like that the color of it is the white color, so that would suggest very little in the form of adjuncts after the boil that would produce a darker head.
Aroma: Very subtle notes of malty sweetness escape this brew, indicating something that will warm you up on a cold/wet day. I do detect some of the pepper on the nose, but it is masked delicately by the malt.
Taste: The initial flavor is very clean, with the malt flavor coming right to the surface. There is a tinge of hops to balance it, but not very noticeable nor needed in this style. The pepper does make its appearance on its way down at first, but is quickly hidden by the malty sweetness
Body: For such a dark beer, I was surprised that it wasn't very thick or chewy. It actually came off as somewhat watery, which wasn't a bad thing, but was disarming considering the quality of the head and the color. I admit, that I was enjoying the mildness of it as a dark ale, along the lines of an English mild or a brown ale. Very easy on the palate.
Aftertaste: The malty sweetness gives away at the very end to allow some of the heat of the peppers to come to the surface, giving the beer a nice warmth overall. This really compliments the sweetness of the beer in the end and makes it very enjoyable.
Overall: This is a beer that could be enjoyed at a variety of settings, from the backyard BBQ to the Saturday afternoon watching football (yeah, that is for Coren), but it also has its place married nicely with foods. I find this would work well with pretty much any mild grilled foods, such as anything without any big flavor profiles or marinades. I definitely see this being a beer that a wide audience will enjoy and be able to appreciate. If there is any weakness in this beer it is that it may turn off some people via the aftertaste and the ingredients, but those will be sorely missing out on something that could be a new weekend treat.
Score: 8.5/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
I'm tasting the dark ale from 5 Rabbits, a brewery from Chicago, which they call 5 Vultures. It is an Oaxacan dark ale that is brewed with ancho chili, so you know there is some spice and life coming out of this one. Now, here are the results:
Color: The beer is a nice dark brown, with hints of amber in it, indicating something other than just malts may have been used to arrive at this particular spectrum. I assume the chili has an impact, but I'm not sure if they contribute to it completely.
Head: The head on this beer is very respectable. The viscosity of it is very clear after being poured and it has a good retention, sticking around for several minutes after the pour is long since done. I like that the color of it is the white color, so that would suggest very little in the form of adjuncts after the boil that would produce a darker head.
Aroma: Very subtle notes of malty sweetness escape this brew, indicating something that will warm you up on a cold/wet day. I do detect some of the pepper on the nose, but it is masked delicately by the malt.
Taste: The initial flavor is very clean, with the malt flavor coming right to the surface. There is a tinge of hops to balance it, but not very noticeable nor needed in this style. The pepper does make its appearance on its way down at first, but is quickly hidden by the malty sweetness
Body: For such a dark beer, I was surprised that it wasn't very thick or chewy. It actually came off as somewhat watery, which wasn't a bad thing, but was disarming considering the quality of the head and the color. I admit, that I was enjoying the mildness of it as a dark ale, along the lines of an English mild or a brown ale. Very easy on the palate.
Aftertaste: The malty sweetness gives away at the very end to allow some of the heat of the peppers to come to the surface, giving the beer a nice warmth overall. This really compliments the sweetness of the beer in the end and makes it very enjoyable.
Overall: This is a beer that could be enjoyed at a variety of settings, from the backyard BBQ to the Saturday afternoon watching football (yeah, that is for Coren), but it also has its place married nicely with foods. I find this would work well with pretty much any mild grilled foods, such as anything without any big flavor profiles or marinades. I definitely see this being a beer that a wide audience will enjoy and be able to appreciate. If there is any weakness in this beer it is that it may turn off some people via the aftertaste and the ingredients, but those will be sorely missing out on something that could be a new weekend treat.
Score: 8.5/10
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
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