This is journal of a trip to Arizona in July 2016 and the beer related activities and venues discovered. Incredible scenery, family and friends, towns, breweries and beer — what an incredible trip — with many memories that will no doubt last a lifetime.
Read moreThe Meanings of Craft Beer
Holy Beer
Seek-A-Brew
When I travel I always like to seek out beer that is not available to my favorite local bottle shops. One tool that I've found to be helpful is the Seek-A-Brew website.
From the main page, if you click on the Beer Distribution Map, at the top of the map you will notice Display brewery on map: Select a brewery. Click the pulldown menu, find a brewery, and the states this brewery ships to will be highlighted on the map. For example, I will be traveling to Arizona soon and now know that AleSmith, Lost Abbey and Crooked Stave do ship there. And Hair of the Dog, Wicked Weed and Hill Farmstead to not.
If you click on a state on the map, a list of all the breweries that ship there will appear. The list can be sorted either alphabetically or by the number of states they distribute to (ascending). This could be helpful to see the most limited distribution to a state.
Note: A brewery may not be displayed if shipping is limited to a state, for example Maine Beer Co does ship to Maryland but only some of their offerings, and thus does not display on the Beer Distribution Map.
The Epic Vertical
What is Epic? According to the dictionary definition it can mean a narrative, long film, book, or other work portraying heroic deeds and adventures or covering an extended period of time or something that is heroic or grand in scale or character. Informally it can be something particularly impressive or remarkable. You get the idea, it is something you don't see everyday and are impressed by — a lot. Can a beer event be epic — read on!
Read moreMass Observation: The Pub and The People
In the late 1930s a team of social researchers descended on Lancashire (UK) and spent several years observing the people of Bolton and Blackpool as they went about their daily lives. As part of that, in 1937 and 1938, they made a special study of pubs, which led to the publication of one of our favourite books of all time, The Pub and The People in 1943.
Read moreA Destination Called Beer
When you think of tourism, you may think of traveling to a location solely for pleasure or a sense of curiosity. Road trips, day-trips to the countryside, or maybe travel abroad. Now, if you add beer to that equation, now what images does beer tourism invoke?
Read moreBeer Geek on the Road
A true beer aficionado (geek) on the road will most likely not just looking for more than just breweries to visit, included in an itinerary could include well be iconic beer bars, think Max’s Taphouse in Baltimore or Monk’s in Philly, and even premium bottle shops that could hold bottled treasures to bring back to share and cellar.
To drink or not to drink (beer)
Belgians vs Belgian Beer
There's a Tree in My Beer
When you think of winter beers several things may come to mind. For me, its the special seasonal releases like the Anchor Steam Christmas Ale (a 41-year tradition this year) or Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome — always a seasonal favorite. Of course there are many others that likely bring back memories or invoke pleasant sensations. And then there are the traditional seasonal ingredients added to many winter beers — fruits, spices, honey. And the ABV often gets a bump, too. Like all beer seasonal releases, it brings a beery anticipation. Now, there are countless reviews available on winter releases—I particularly enjoyed Tom Bedell's 12 Beers of Christmas, where for the last three years he has "taken on the agreeable task of writing about a dozen holiday beers or winter warmers, one a day (or late into the night)". But I want to take you to another place. Let's take an unfamiliar path through the forest and see what is waiting for us there.
I want to discuss just one beer and probably not one you think of as a Winter beer. But wait! What is more Winter-like than the Christmas tree. And for many of us the tree of choice is a spruce tree. See where I'm going with this?
I've read about the American colonists using spruce tips in brewing their beer. As someone within an interest in tree things, this caught my fancy. Then in December 2014, I found a local beer in Madison WI that was a spruce tip beer. I tried it to satisfy my curiosity. Yup, no doubt, it had a tree quality about it. Done! It was interesting but I didn't need another one. Then a few months later I saw the Yards’ Tavern Spruce on the bottle shop shelf. Again, tried it, curiosity was satisfied but I didn't need another.
Then I saw the Dogfish Head Pennsylvania Tuxedo. Anyone that has had more than one of DFH beers knows that they live up to their motto of "Off-Centered-Beers-For-Off-Centered-People". You are use to getting wild and crazy ingredients from the four corners of the world in you beer. Hey, its DFH, sometimes its great and sometimes — well lets say its just not my style. So, another spruce tip beer? Why not?
"It's like biting into a Christmas tree!"
I grabbed a four-pack, got home and poured one. Oooh, this is interesting. It's like biting into a Christmas tree, but without the tinsel. I loved the flash of tree-like quality, but this time it was well balanced and quite enjoyable. One is not enough, I want another. I raved to my beer geek buddies about this and they (mostly) had the same reaction. This was the first beer in some time that my reaction was "one is not enough,"
The DFH Background
Here is what the Dogfish has to say about their beer. "A spruce-infused 8.5% ABV Pale Ale. Brewed in collaboration with Family Run outerwear company in Woolrich, our two like-mined companies came together to make this beer with Pacific Northwest hop varieties to make a sessionable concoction with a grassy citrus kick complimented by the resinous conifer qualities of fresh green Spruce Tips.
"Brewed in collaboration with family-run outdoor clothing company Woolrich, Pennsylvania Tuxedo is a sessionable concoction with a grassy citrus kick complemented by the resinous conifer notes of fresh green spruce tips. We went into the forests of north-central Pennsylvania and Georgetown, Del., to pick these fresh tips ourselves. A dry yet doughy malt backbone lets the hops and spruce shine while still balancing out the bitterness, making this one an easy sipper."
Expert Opinion
For some reason I expected the beer boards at BeerAdvocate and Untappd to be as crazy about this beer as much as I was. I guess I'm old enough and just wise enough to really know better. If you pay any attention to the beer rating sites, you know reviews can be all over the place and often coming from (frankly) unqualified tasters. If you realize that these are merely someones opinion and thats all, then you can relax and enjoy your beer. Beer reviews are a mixed lot as mentioned in the All About Beer article of July 2015, Beer Reviews All About Beer The Agony and Ecstasy of Beer Reviews.
Someone with an educated opinion will try a beer and ask “does it taste how it’s supposed to” before reviewing. A novice drinker will rate solely based on how they like it. I see a lot of reviews on Untappd where people will give a beer a low rating and in the comment say it’s because they don’t like the style.
The collective gave it 84 pts at BeerAdvocate while The Bros gave it a 90pt rating. I agree with The Bros. Untappd has is posted at 4-Stars, which is higher than when I first posted my review there. I was a bit concerned but it seems this beer has caught on. I attributed the early lower scores to the fact that spruce was not the taste for many of the hop-heads.
The beer rating article mentioned early may explain some of this thinking, "Someone with an educated opinion will try a beer and ask “does it taste how it’s supposed to” before reviewing. A novice drinker will rate solely based on how they like it. I see a lot of reviews on Untappd where people will give a beer a low rating and in the comment say it’s because they don’t like the style."
As for tasting an unusual ingredient such as hops, it says, "we’re seeing more and more brewers color outside of the lines — my feeling is that they should be as free as chefs to do so." Now isn't that the reason we are enjoying so many excellent beers today, brewers are taking some chances and getting excellent responses and kudos from the craft beer community.
Spruce As A Beer Ingredient
If you'd like to learn more about spruce as an ingredient in beer, here are two excellent sources.
The Oxford Companion to Beer is always an great source for information on beer history, styles and ingredients. About spruce in beer from Garrett Oliver's beer compendium...
"The green shoots at the tips of the branches of evergreens, can be harvested in spring and used as a flavoring in beer. To the taste they are far less resinous than the more mature needles and twigs (although these can be used as well, to harsher effect) and even somewhat citrusy. When boiled in water they can provide either simple flavoring to the brewing liquor or, if further concentrated, an essence to be added to the ferment, as appears in recipes for spruce and pine ales dating as far back as the 17th century. It is reported that in 1769 when Captain James Cook landed in New Zealand, it was with beer on board made with a mash of spruce tips, a beverage with an added antiscorbutic element. Like many beers brewed with ingredients alternative to imported British malt and hops, evergreen-flavored beers were common in colonial American brewing, often combining with molasses as the primary fermentable." Oliver, Garrett; Colicchio, Tom (2011-09-09). The Oxford Companion to Beer (Oxford University Press.
The Drunken Botanist is another fun information source on where our the ingredients for all kinds of "spiritual" drinks. If you are the person that likes to get a bit deeper on topics of your passion, then this is a handy reference to keep close. Ben Franklin has been associated with this special beer ingredient and the Yard's Spruce Tavern does have his face on its packaging.
"Recipes for spruce beer were abundant in eighteenth-and nineteenth-century journals. Benjamin Franklin is widely credited with creating a recipe for the beer— but it wasn’t his invention. While he was ambassador to France, he copied several recipes from a cookbook called The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, written by a woman named Hannah Glasse in 1747. He never meant to take credit for her recipe; he simply copied it for his personal use. Nonetheless, it was found among his papers, and the story that one of the Founding Fathers created a recipe for spruce beer was too good to resist. Modern re-creations of the recipe credit him alone, not Hannah Glasse." Stewart, Amy (2013-03-19). The Drunken Botanist. Algonquin Books.
Summary
While the DFH Pennsylvania Tuxedo may not be the first beer you think of as a winter seasonal beer, its special ingredient of spruce tips does make a compelling connection. I think, and hope, this becomes a regular seasonal release for Dogfish Head. While I still have a couple in my fridge, I know they won't last long.
Turkey Leg Beer
I love reading lists of beers for the seasons. For example, here is an excellent article, Thanksgiving Craft Beer Shopping List by Andy Skelton on CraftBeer.com, to assist you with beer selections for your Thanksgiving Day. But you know the problem with all of these articles is when you go to try to purchase Beers from these lists you discover that many of these are not shipped to your location.
So, if you live around Kent Island Maryland you’re some excellent Thanksgiving beers that you are likely to find.
Pairing With Turkey. I agree, witbeer is an excellent choice to pair with turkey. Probably the only ones you'll find off this shopping list is Namaste by Dogfish Head and Winter White Ale by Bell’s Brewing (a relatively new brewery to Maryland). To add to that list, look for Clementine White Ale by Clown Shoes and Blanch de Chambly by Unibroue (pronounced yoo-na-bru). An even better choice may be the Unibroue Sommelier Selection. This is a 6-pack of some of their best beers.
Under farmhouse ales and saison, you’re likely to find the Brooklyn brewing Sorachi Ace and perhaps the Saison Rue by The Bruery, both excellent and favorite brewing establishments. I like to add another of my favorite beers to the list, the Tank 7 by Boulevard Brewing. One more, while not a Saison, Belgian beer go well with just about any meal. Boulevard Brewing’s Long Strange Tripel would be an excellent choice. Okay, one more in this category is Unibroue La Fin du Monde. For the money, I don't think you’ll find a better beer. While it translates as “the end of the world”, your world won't end if you bring (or serve) this beer to Thanksgiving dinner.
Under IPAs, you’ll likely find Hop Stupid by Lagunitas but I have some other choices for you. Look for Mo by Maine Brewing rather than the Lunch. By all means Lunch is a great beer but you're not likely to find it while Mo is more commonly found. Also, Bell’s Brewing Two Hearted Ale, while not an IPA, a very well balanced pale ale and constantly showing up in best beer lists.
On to porters. Breckenridge Vanilla Porter is a very drinkable dark beer but is on the lighter side, meaning not so thick, for the style. It has a hint of vanilla and is not overpowering. To bump it up some other dark beers to look for is Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout. This could be a meal by itself. Okay, it has been once or twice, I'll admit. But it is always a favorite and I often have this with a meal when found on the menu. The oatmeal adds a very nice smoothness to any beer.
Some other beer selections to go with turkey are the marzen or Oktoberfest beers if you can still find them. A Vienna lager falls into that category as well with a good choice is the Great American Beer Festival Gold winner Devil Backbone’s Vienna Lager. A malt-forward beer that pairs very well with the light meat of a turkey.
On to dessert. You really didn't think we could miss this category. For sweetness, if that is what you are after try Southern Tier’s Choklat. Another dark beer of choice is Ballast Point Victory at Sea. This porter is much heavier than the Breckridge selection mentioned earlier and with hints of coffee and vanilla, make it a great beer for sipping after the big meal. Lindeman’s lambic fruit beers are great for their sweet notes and effervescence. Try the kriek (cherry). To go with the pumpkin pie try a pumpkin beer. This time of year it may be hard to find any left on the shelve since they first begin to appear in July. Always my recommendation, if you want a pumpkin beer for Thanksgiving, show some discipline, buy some and put them away. You should still be able to find Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale, one of those I look forward to every year.
Two sipping beers for you to consider. Allagash Brewing Curieux is a strong bourbon barrel-aged ale, usually found in 750 ml bottles. At 11% ABV, share this one with a loved one (of age of course). Also, White Oak by The Bruery is another favorite that would go well at the end of the evening. They call this a blend of wheat-wine aged in Bourbon barrels and their Belgian-style Golden Strong Ale.
Well, that’s a lot of beer, so you shouldn’t go without some excellent drinks to impress your guests or hosts. Cheers!
Washington State Beer Adventures
In July 2015, I had the good fortune to take a family trip to Washington State, first to Seattle and then on to the San Juan Islands. I was really looking forward to this trip since it has been ten years since I've been there, and my appreciation of beer has grown a good bit since then. Now knowing how to appreciate the big hopped beers and that Yakima Valley is just to the East of where I will be, I was excited to go back.
Read moreWachusett Brewing
It was a great time, great beers and very good people that were willing to "stay just a little bit longer" to allow us to drink their beer and give us tour of the place.
Read moreNo Beer For You
When the devil says to you: do not drink, answer him: I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to.
Read moreBeer on the Road: Mass Edition
While on business in Westminster, Massachusetts I had a chance to visit the Gardener Alehouse, in Gardner Massachusetts. Gardener is an old furniture town that has, let's say, lost its edge. Apparently, some years ago Gardner was know as Chair City and the Furniture Hub of New England.
Read moreBottles or Cans?
"Bottles or Cans?" As with many re-examined aspects of the beer culture, the bottles or cans question itself is evolving.
Read moreThe Beer in Our Backyard
The Session, a.k.a. Beer Blogging Friday, is an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic. Each month, a different beer blogger hosts the Session, chooses a topic and creates a round-up listing all of the participants, along with a short pithy critique of each entry.
Read moreBeer Punt
I want to invent a new beer term, "beer punt". This is what happens when you're in a restaurant (Or any establishment) and realize that the beer selections are so poor that you decide a glass of wine is the better option.
Read moreBeer Restuarant Nirvana
Are you the kind of person that rates a restaurant by how it handles its beer? I am, at least I will always make that observation.
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