The Captain's Chair

The Yeti returns…

I had the fortune of trying the original version of Great Divide’s Yeti Imperial Stout several months ago on draught at The Happy Gnome. A lovely beer. Shortly thereafter, I stumbled upon a bottle of the Espresso Oak-Aged version at Four Firkins, and frankly forgot about it for a few months as it hid in the back of my beer shelf. During a backyard bonfire party, my brother-in-law resurrected it, and I’m glad he did, because it’s one of the better stouts I’ve had in quite some time.

Thick pour into a snifter, big bursting head. Great coffee aroma, like you just walked into a bustling cafe. The oak was very subtle, not too aggressive or overpowering which is what can sometimes happen with these types of beers, like the brewer is trying to make a statement.

The coffee bitterness in the taste is nicely balanced by the deep malt and sweet vanilla oakiness. Some dark fruit lingering in the background. Very thick mouthfeel. There’s a lot going on here, but I think it works well. Highly complex, but understated.

A great sipper by the fire.

Rating: A-

I gotta say, my first reaction to the Michael Jackson news was “who gives a shit.”

But after a couple hours went by, and the more I thought about it, I had an uncharacteristic reaction to the whole thing. I actually got a bit sentimental. As weird as he was in his later years, and as much as I think the guy really did have some inappropriate relationships with children, I couldn’t help but remember back to me as a six-year-old…the Mini Captain. It was 1983, and I was down in our basement family room with my parents, anxiously waiting for the debut of Michael’s new video “Thriller.” My mom was a huge Michael fan, more than anything, and despite her love for the Gloved One she vehemently argued with my dad that it might be too scary for a young guy like me. My dad retorted back that it was just a silly video, just a bunch of stupid make-up and goofy dance moves.

My dad must have won out, as the lights dimmed and the short film popped up on the screen of our console television. I hid behind the couch for most of the video, scared out of my mind as the zombies curiously danced about, flinching as Michael appeared on the screen with sunken eyes and rotting flesh. It was one of those childhood memories that sticks with you, as it was such an iconic, shared moment in time across our culture. I’m a huge horror movie fan, but to this day, that video, as benign as it is compared to today’s standards, still gives me the chills. Maybe the news today snuck up and hit me the way it did because my mom, who died several years ago, always loved his music. Kind of the second passing of something that I held close. I don’t know. But either way, the world will surely mourn his loss for some time to come.     

Sigh. So back to the beer.

My buddy Aaron at the Vice Blog kindly shipped this one out to me, Aventinus Doppelbock from Schneider & Sohns. I’ve never run across it here in the Twin Cities (if anyone knows where it is around here, please, do tell). Aventinus is a weizen starkbier, translated from German “strong wheat beer,” or more commonly known as a doppelbock.

Beautiful pour into a slender pilsner glass, giving way to a rich ruby brown coloring. Fabulous head retention. Aroma of soft, ripe bananas and cloves. Very perfumey and light with some pleasant phenols in the background. Some yeast also present. The taste is mildly sweet up front, segueing into a lingering bite in the middle. Spicy, bready and a bit toasty. Nice carbonation throughout, prickly and refreshing. Nice mouthfeel. There’s really nothing about this that I don’t enjoy.

I’m not generally a big fan of wheat-style beers, but this one changes my mind in a big way. Clocks in at 8.2% ABV, and let me tell you, it’s dangerously…no, criminally drinkable. You’d think wheat would be too weak to mask that kind of heft in a beer, but Schneider & Sohn found a way to do it.

Makes me want to do the moonwalk.

Rating: A+

I guess it’s tough for most breweries to bat 1.000. Even if you only make three beers.

I was a little surprised with my experience with Westmalle Dubbel, considering their tripel is generally regarded as the benchmark of the style. In fact, it ranks very high on my Top 20 list. But the dubbel left just a little to be desired, especially when compared to its peer group in the Trappist/Abbey category.

Poured with a rich mahogony coloring and a decent head that hung around for a bit. Aroma was earthy, a pretty balanced mix between caramel and some fruity esters. I get some plum. Solid yeast backbone. Also seemed hoppier, maybe even spicier, than other Trappist dubbels like Chimay Premiere, for example.

While the introduction was pleasant overall, Westmalle Dubbel fell flat on the back end for me. A very dry, very bitter characteristic with not much of the malty sweetness that I look for in a dubbel. Not very complex or interesting. It almost bordered on sour, the furthest thing from rich and creamy. I was a bit surprised by all of this. Also a fairly weak mouthfeel, thin and a bit watery. Again, not what I expected. Didn’t pick up any alcohol in the finish, which was good. But that might be the only redeeming quality to the taste experience.  

I feel like I need to give this one another shot at some point given Westmalle’s reputation. When I look back at my review of their tripel, I wonder if Westmalle just trends to the drier, spicier side of the equation, even in a beer that isn’t generally supposed to take on those qualities. To be fair, it’s better than some dubbels I’ve had, but not nearly what I’d expect from a Trappist brewery of its ilk. Bit of a disappointment.

Rating: B-/C+

First off, I am no scotch expert.

Sure, I love The Macallan, Lagavulin, and even a blend like Johnnie Walker (Black or better) in a pinch. And I’d like to think my palate is trained enough to discern a “good” scotch whisky from a poorly crafted one. I know what I like, and I know what I don’t like. Although, my general approach to scotch out in the wild is more like Jon Favreau in that classic scene from Swingers. Yeah, guy behind the guy.

I recently came into the possession of a beautifully crafted bottle of The Naked Grouse, a new offering from The Edrington Group, the folks that bring you The Famous Grouse, Scotland’s most popular scotch whisky (not an indication that it’s necessarily good, just saying). I won’t belabor you with all the details on The Naked Grouse, as Heavy Table recently ran a very good overview. However, I will tell you that The Naked Grouse is only sold in the Twin Cities right now, their first test market in the U.S. for the product. So if it works here, you should see it soon in your area.

I took it neat, which is how I always prefer my scotch*. They blend several spirits to make it, using The Famous Grouse as the base and adding single malts from The Macallan and Highland Park, so I would guess you could consider this a “higher end” blended scotch whisky. They age it in sherry casks for a short while, helping mature the blend.

I buried my nose in the glass for about 15 minutes before I even took my first sip. The aroma is sweeter than I’d expect for an 80 proof scotch, maybe from the grain whisky they use to smooth things out. Definite vanilla and caramel, and really not much of the harsh alcohol characteristic that seems to turn off many scotch novices. Pretty creamy and inviting.  

I took a nice sip, and then spit it out. Call me a complete dork, but this is in fact a good thing when you’re tasting scotch whisky. The high alcohol content (of most spirits, actually) mask the true flavor profile of the liquor. So clearing the liquid actually gives you a much better impression of what’s truly going on. Nice roasted flavor, almost like chocolate. A little oakey, and you can pick up a bit of the sherry.

I don’t think mouthfeel is a consideration with a scotch like it is with a beer, primarily since it isn’t carbonated. But The Naked Grouse did pleasantly explode off the tongue in the finish, leading to a subtle, yet building, alcohol burn that enveloped my mouth.

I enjoyed this one, and think it’d be a nice pick for folks interested in dipping their toes into the world of scotch. Well done.    

 Rating: B+

* As I’ve said before on this blog, adding a dab of lukewarm water to liven up the whisky is just fine. But seriously, putting ice in a finely crafted spirit is like dumping cubes into a highly regarded vintage of pouilly fuisse to chill it down. Total waste.

Just a quick update on my mini hop yard.

The Cascade plant is really climbing. Granted, I didn’t have it in the ground until mid May, but it’s showing huge gains just in the past few weeks (check out where it was just recently). Compared to the hop plants I saw at Barley John’s last weekend, I’m guessing next year it’ll be much further along by this point. No flowers yet, but those likely won’t come until mid to late summer. Also, my Horizon plant just started peeking out of the pot I planted it in, so I’m hoping it’ll take off in the next couple weeks. I’ll likely get another trellis and put it next to the Cascade plant, taking care so the two bines don’t mix in with each other. 

Some of the best beer in the world is brewed in the most unassuming of locations. Barley John’s in New Brighton certainly fits that bill. Tucked near the corner of County Road D and Old Highway 8, Barley John’s may not be as prolific in offerings as other legendary brewpubs like Minneapolis Town Hall. But they make up for it in quality.

When I was there over the weekend, I was informed that the brewhouse was under construction, meaning most of their beers weren’t available. A little disappointing, but manageable given the knowledge that they’re planning to double their capacity by adding two new fermentors. Of the handful of beers that were on draught, the two that I tried were more than excellent.

Wild Brunette (Wild Rice Brown Ale)
What a uniquely delicious beer, and a perfect way to blend a very Minnesotan ingredient, wild rice, with a pleasing brown ale.

A bit of reddish wild rice residue in the small head ringing the glass. Definite wild rice in the aroma, which one might think would be odd, but it seemed very appropriate with a nice bouquet of earthy almond and vanilla coupled.

Taste was a mix of nuttiness and sweet malt, with some of the rice also coming through. Relatively strong for a brown ale, about 7.5%.

Rating: A-  

Dark Knight
Oh, the Dark Knight. I’ve been waiting to try this one for quite a while, as it only makes an appearance very occasionally. For some reason I was under the impression it was their imperial stout, but turns out it’s actually a double fermented, barrel aged baltic porter that comes in at a whopping 13.5%. According to the brewery, they age the beer more than eight months in 15 and 20 year bourbon casks from Old Fitzgerald Distillery. And let me tell you…this beer is no joke.

Not much of the roasted, smokey quality like I expected, given it’s a baltic porter. But it literally smelled like a straight shot of bourbon, incredibly potent up front. One of the most aggressive beers I’ve ever smelled. Taste was complex as could be…lots of dark fruits, almost port-like in its intensity. More of the bourbon in the flavor as well. Big alcohol burn in the finish, but it didn’t turn me off. I had about half of my small snifter, maybe 3 or 4 ounces, and felt completely satisfied with it. Any more and I might have needed a ride home. This could be one of the best ass-kicker style of beers I’ve ever had, top five for sure.

Rating: A+ 

In addition to enjoying a couple incredibly nice beers, I also really enjoyed hanging out on Barley John’s patio flanked by rows of thriving hop plants. A very nice touch.

A two for one deal today.

I’d never heard about Central Waters Brewing out of Amherst, Wisconsin until my good friend and fellow homebrewer Dariush brought me a couple bottles from a recent trip across the border, their Glacial Trail IPA and Satin Solstice Imperial Stout.

Like a growing number of brewers, both large and small, Central Waters is on the path to environmental sustainability. And from the sounds of it, they recently entered what they call in the energy services business a performance contract. Essentially, all conservation measures associated with improving the brewery facilities such as new fluorescent lighting, upgrades to high-efficiency motors, and heating and cooling improvements are financed by the long-term energy savings the upgrades are guaranteed to bring about. In the case of Central Waters, that’s about $1.5 million in reduced utility costs over the course of the contract (probably 10-15 years).

It’s a great deal for them, since there’s no upfront capital lay out, allowing the brewery to get the work done without cutting into their operating budget, an important consideration for any small business, but especially for a capital-intensive manufacturing company. And the best part…if the brewery doesn’t realize the guaranteed energy savings, their energy services company picks up the shortfall.

This year, they also installed roughly 1,000 square feet of solar collectors, 24 panels in all, allowing them to reduce their natural gas consumption by about 2500 therms a year. In real terms, that’s the equivalent of taking about three cars off the road each year or planting three acres of trees.

But enough about their green practices. How’s the beer?

Glacial Trail IPA
Very impressed with the aroma up front. Huge fluffy head full of hop resins, capping what is a very nice looking orange ale. Citrus, pine, floral, in some ways very reminiscent of Oskar Blues Gordon. Lots of hop sediment floating around after the pour from what I’m sure was a healthy dry hop.

Taste is on the sweeter, maltier side balanced by some of the hop bitterness. A little bready, but probably more of the herbal qualities. Finishes strong, with lots of biting hops in the end. Medium body and mouthfeel. A solid IPA, impressed with my first ever beer from these guys.

Rating: B+

Satin Solstice Imperial Stout 
Here’s where the review takes a turn. Satin Solstice poured into a snifter like greased lightning…not the characteristic oozing “glug glug” kind of a pour I’m accustomed to in thick, viscous imperial stouts. For a moment, I really thought I was looking at a brown ale when I saw the relatively light colored beer shooting out of the bottle. That aside, the aroma was pleasing. Molasses, caramel and some vanilla.   

The taste was OK, but a little simplistic. Mainly an overabundance of bitter, roasted malt, and not enough of the Crystal malt sweetness or chocolate notes I’d look for. The booze pushed through at the end, which didn’t come off as well as it might in some other imperial stouts given the one-dimensional nature of the flavor. Mouthfeel was also a little watery and thin, as evidenced by the pour. Overall, not a disaster, but not the kind of complexity and bold richness I look for in an imperial stout.  

Rating: C+

And as is the case with all my bottled beers, Central Waters would be glad to know I plan to reuse the empties for my homebrew. Little guys can be sustainable too.

I’ve had a few offerings from Brooklyn Brewery before, mainly through my brief work trips out to The Big Apple. Their East India Pale Ale? Yeah, serviceable. Pennant Ale ’55? A pretty average pale ale, but OK. At least I got a decent story out of procuring it. But when my buddy Aaron over at the Vice Blog sent me a nice trade package a while back, I knew I was in for a treat when I opened the box and discovered a bomber of Local 2 staring back at me. 

I have a lot of respect for Garrett Oliver, head brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery. He seems to approach craft beer not solely from the magnified perspective of “this is a great craft beer and I’m going to tell you why,” but rather from the broader holistic sense of how the beer contributes to the experience of food enjoyment, mirth and life. It’s a great way to think about craft beer, in my opinion, and prevents one from getting too siloed with what can sometimes become a harlequin romance novel of bathetically poetic beer description and granular conversation that may turn off some non-craft drinkers to the whole phenomenon. Granted, I’m as guilty as the rest of them, particularly through this blog. But I’d generally like to think my enjoyment and advocacy for craft beer, whether that includes hanging out with friends and family on the patio during a summer evening or at the local brewpub, is more about connecting, learning, and appreciating the company of those around me versus beating someone over the head with knowledge of malt characteristics. Regardless of whether or not this is an accurate interpretation of Garrett’s beer philosophy, one thing is certain — the guy knows how to brew a damn good beer.

Local 2 kicked off with a resounding pop of the cork exploding from the bomber. Quite a gusher. Once I cleaned up the unfortunate spillage on the kitchen floor, Local 2 poured with a nice chocolatey brown coloring and big fizzy head. Hazy appearance from the abundance of yeast. Big Belgian nose with its yeast and candi sugar notes, almost dubbel-ish in the way it sang dark fruits. Taste is sweet up front, migrating to a dry fruitiness in the finish, I’m sure partially due to the honey used in the brewing process. Also a tad bit too boozey for me, which is the only real drawback in my mind. But overall a very nice, lively beer. 

 Rating: A-

Planning to serve an osso bucco or vichysoisse at your next dinner party, and confused on what style of beer will best bring out all the flavors? Well, your prayers have been answered.

The good folks over at GreatBrewers.com have come up with a really intuitive, easy-to-use tool to quickly help match base ingredients with specific beer styles. According to the site:

“The Beer Sommelier graphically displays more than 250 unique dishes, which are categorized by main ingredient. Once you select a dish, the Beer Sommelier will recommend the best beer complements ranging from the more than 140 styles recognized by the Brewers Association.”

As a subscribing member to the site, you can even take it a step further to see which beer styles are available in your neighborhood, and use the beer finder feature to map the closest bars, restaurants, and beer stores that currently stock that item. The tool was developed in cooperation with Eric McKay, creator of GreatBrewers.com, Garett Oliver, esteemed brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, and the legendary late beer writer Michael Jackson.

And if you’re planning a vichysoisse, try a doppelbock or dunkel weizen. Magnifique.

I got bugs
I got bugs in my room
Bugs in my bed
Bugs in my ears
Their eggs in my head
          – Pearl Jam

Since enjoying Victory’s Wild Devil at last week’s hops festival hosted by the Blue Nile, I haven’t been able to think of much else but bugs in my beer. 

As is often the case when I find a craft beer that I really enjoy, I try to reverse engineer it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? So how best to go about creating my own homebrewed version of an IPA incorporating everyone’s favorite wild yeast strain, Brettanomyces? The interplay of pungent barnyard aromas from the funkified culture punctuated by the citrusy hop bitterness make Wild Devil a fantastic beer, and I intend to celebrate it to the best of my amateur zymurgistic abilities. I haven’t quite worked out all the particulars, such as whether to use Brett as my main workhorse yeast in the primary (something done to marvelous effect by breweries like Lost Abbey and Russian River), or add it to secondary as many brewers tend to do. But regardless, I’ll be brewing soon, after a particularly long hiatus. Looking forward to getting back in the laboratory.

To quench my preoccupation in the meantime, I decided to sit down with another musty, Brett-induced ale, this one from highly regarded Trappist brewery Orval.

First time I tried Orval I was shocked. Maybe it was the elegantly shaped brown bottle that suggested some kind of dark Belgian candi treat, or possibly the fact that I’d been enjoying a handful of other fine Trappist ales like Chimay Premiere and Rochefort 10. But Orval is a beautifully delicate Belgian pale ale, a big departure from what you might otherwise normally expect from many Trappist monasteries producing earthy dubbels laden with dark fruits, or boozey quads. Orval is a nicely hopped beer, marked by a massive dosing of Brett in the aroma. From what I gather, they bottle condition using Brett Bruxellensis, what White Labs describes as a “medium” intensity wild yeast that doesn’t knock you off your socks with overly aggressive sweaty horse blanket characteristics, but rather evokes a “cleaner” interpretation of the strain.

Pours a flowing, creamy head and copper coloring. Whatever mild lemon and pear-like fruitiness there is in the aroma is quickly dispersed by the Brett…highly intriguing. At first sip, a light malt character that quickly turns to a mildly biting, puckering dry finish that’s both sour and bitter. Some phenols mixed in too. Mouthfeel is very full for such a light ale, cleverly disguising the 6.9% ABV.

If anyone wonders what Brett is all about, or fine Trappist ales for that matter, just crack an Orval. A timeless, classic beer.

Rating: A