Rating: B Minus

Archived Posts from this Category

August 24, 2009

Surly Hell

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: , |
[30] Comments 

DSC02847

One would think Surly was offering a free bottle of Darkness with each purchase of their new Hell as fast as this stuff was flying off the shelves today.

Within 30 minutes of receiving their shipment this morning, The Four Firkins was cleaned out of their 10 case allotment. Thankfully, I was able to run over to Zipps over lunch and grab some, but it was nearing depletion there too. The rabid Surly Nation strikes again!

I always love a new Surly offering…it’s like a whole new adventure, a new beer to love and appreciate. Hell is a kellerbier (aka zwickel bier), an unfiltered lager that has its origins in the Middle Ages. The beer was traditionally fermented in open troughs in dark, cool caves, and is usually marked by a pronounced cloudiness from the yeast.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but word is this is a one-time distribution of Hell in cans through retail outlets. So when it’s gone , it’s gone (and based on what I personally saw today running around town trying to find it, sounds like it may already be). You can still likely catch it on draught at a handful of select area bars, I’m assuming.

Hell (German for light) poured with a bright, orange hue and perfect clarity, especially interesting considering this is unfiltered. Right up front lots of breadiness and grain. Pure malt all the way, immediately reminiscent of several pilsners that I’ve enjoyed recently. None of the American hops noted on the side of the can in the aroma. Taste is relatively sweet, prickly mouthfeel with good carbonation and a perceptible bite in the finish. Not bad.  

I’ll eat my words from the comments section in my recent Summit Kolsch review, as Surly has clearly shown with Hell they can brew a beer “to style” (if you look beyond the use of American hops in this one, which aren’t even a remote factor).

But I’m frankly a little surprised by Hell. The problem I have with this one is not about execution…it’s about expectation.

A consistent story is key to the relationship people have with an organization, often a deeply personal and emotional thing. And altering that consistent and accurate perception in some way can have implications for an organization’s constituents. I’m talking brand management…New Coke…Ford Edsel…or even more recently Whole Foods’ CEO railing against the federal healthcare proposal.

I’m not at all saying Hell is Surly’s undoing here. That would clearly be absurd. But with Hell, I think Surly has shifted their storyline a bit, and I don’t think it’s working for them. While a solid beer, Hell is a pretty wide departure from the rest of the Surly portfolio, the most “un-Surly” Surly beer I’ve had to date. And I’d expect those used to aggressive, hoppy and infinitely complex offerings that extend a middle finger to the dispassionate beer establishment may be caught a little off guard pouring what is arguably (here’s where the irony comes in) one of the best examples of the style…probably the only real example of the style many of us will be fortunate to drink.

So has Surly painted themselves into a corner, never given the flexibility to brew well-done, more traditional beers? I don’t know the answer to that, only the market knows. But what I do know is that enjoyment of a beer often extends beyond the taste buds, and Surly Hell is a very simple, German light lager. What you see is what you get.

What I got, however, wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for. 

Rating: B-

 

July 7, 2009

Apple of My Eye: Hard Cider Roundup

Posted by amm002 under Rating: A Minus, Rating: B Minus, Rating: B Plus | Tags: |
[14] Comments 

DSC02425

You could say cider and I haven’t really been the best of friends.

My first exposure to strong cider was in Ireland when, amidst many pints of Guinness at a small pub in Galway, I was challenged to a drinking competition by a local who thought a kid from Minnesota couldn’t outdrink a seafaring Irishman in a test of chugging ability. Well, he was right, as I proceeded to quickly down an entire glass of hard cider (I’ve suppressed which brand) in less than five seconds, narrowly being beaten by my nearly incomprehensible competitor (real Irish accents are tough enough to discern, let alone after a dozen drinks). I then proceeded to stumble to the back of the pub in search of the restroom so I could discretely get sick, only to discover that the door marked “Lads” actually opened up to the alley behind the establishment where several other drinking compatriots were relieving themselves on a stone wall. Classy.

Fast forward about 10 years. My palate has improved, while my tolerance has not. So I thought it was time to give this category another go to see what the world of strong cider, at least locally in the Twin Cities, had to offer. If it was good enough in 14th century Ireland to baptize babies in (weird, but true), then I guess it deserves another look.

Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider
Crispin is a local company, in the sense that they’re headquartered here in Minneapolis. They don’t use Minnesota apples, but rather produce their cider out in northern California. According to the company, they take the high road compared to competitors by refusing to use any malt, spirits, grape alcohols or additives like sugar or colorants. Just pure, wholesome apple juice blends. They naturally ferment with classic red wine yeasts to give it its unique flavor. And wine is a pretty apt descriptor, as it reminded me much more of a fine white wine than what I’d assumed would be a cloying, sappy cider. Crispin comes in three varietals, the original, brut and a light version. I went with the original for this taste test.

Poured with a very quickly dissipating head, almost like champagne. Light golden coloring, reminiscent of a very light lager. Beautiful bouquet of apple, pear and other delicate fruit in the nose. I found it interesting that the aroma actually reminded me of a mellow apple flavored Jolley Rancher candy. Not a knock, just what I associated it with. The taste is unique, a nice tang up front with soft apple that gently fades into a smooth finish. Not overly tart or aggressive in the least. I did notice a slightly perceptible bit of alcohol in the finish.Comes in at just 5% ABV, so you could certainly sit down with a few of these on a warm summer evening. I enjoyed this one, and look forward to trying their other two offerings.

Rating: A- 

Magners Irish Cider
This is Great Britian’s number one selling hard cider. Made in County Tipperary, Ireland, the company uses 17 different apple varieties to make their unique blend, and are in fact one of the largest purchasers of apple crops in the country (both Republic and Northern Ireland).

Poured a comparatively darker color than Crispin, more like a ruddy orange. As a beer guy, the aroma of Magners was surprisingly more pleasing to my sensibilities, having a very woody, almost hop-like character. Definitely not as much of the overt apple smell. Taste was relatively sweet, not as delicate as Crispin. More of the earthy, woody character as well. I notice the ingredient listing on the side of the bottle rattles off sugar, malic acid, preservatives and added coloring. Hmm, I guess Crispin wasn’t kidding. Magners is 6% ABV, which wasn’t very noticeable. Not bad overall, reminded me more of a beer in some ways. A very different cider than the first one in the line-up.

Rating: B-

Original Sin Hard Cider
This one comes out of New York, although it appears to be contract brewed down in Florida by Indian River Brewing. They use Granny Smith apples and champagne yeast, which is very evident in the pour. Very light and effervescent, with a watered down lemonade coloring. They also claim no additives, and I’d buy that as the apple aroma comes off much better than Magners. I can definitely tell they use Granny Smith, as you get some of that biting ester in the nose. The taste is surprisingly not that bitter, but what is there tends to linger throughout the finish. Another one that comes in at 6% ABV.

Rating: B+

White Winter Hard Apple Cider
Brewed up in the Bayfield Peninsula of Wisconsin, White Winter  is apparently more of a winery and mead maker. Poured very light, just the slightest tinge of straw coloring. A bit of that woodiness in the aroma mixed with apple, but not as evident as Magners. I was a little disappointed with the taste, as there really didn’t seem to be much to it. Fairly watery, not much apple, but you do get a definite bite in the finish. They use a touch of honey to brew this cider, and you can tell in the distinctly dry quality throughout. Only 4.5% ABV, so the lightest of the bunch.

Rating: B-

 

June 25, 2009

Westmalle Dubbel

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus, Rating: C Plus | Tags: , |
[5] Comments 

DSC02310I 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+

DSC02314

 

May 11, 2009

Flat Earth Cygnus X-1 Porter

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: |
[8] Comments 

DSC02091It’s American Craft Beer Week, sponsored by the Brewers Association. And for some reason, I’m not that excited about it.

Maybe part of it is the same attitude and tone I keep hearing from other craft advocates out there, who really like taking the David vs. Goliath approach to the macrobrewers and their herd of uneducated drinkers, talking about ”dispassionate consumers” who don’t know much (or in my opinion, care) about what goes into their beer.

Fine.

Quality of ingredients and traditional brewing practices certainly play a significant role in the craft movement. After all, it really is the defining differentiation from one beer to another. But I go back to my earlier post on the Greg Koch thing, and the discussion that ensued in the comments section, which I thought was a thoughtful conversation essentially focusing on the LOCAL angle to craft beer. Because as much as people want to take others to task on the whole “quality” of craft beer approach, I feel much more strongly that choosing to drink locally brewed, regional craft beer is going to be a much deadlier weapon in the war against beer mediocrity.

How can the big boys compete with that, if everyone patronized their local microbreweries? It rewards people who truly care about what they’re making, keeps money in the local community, and promotes the further innovation and creativity that we now know as a growing craft beer industry. Stop bitching about the fact that macrobrewers use corn adjuncts and focus their efforts on marketing a poorly developed product as “triple hopped” or replete with high levels of “drinkability”…because that’s never going to change. They’re selling an image, a consumer’s idealized perception of themselves, and it’s not about the beer. It’s about ensuring their shareholders get a dividend at the end of the fiscal year. Their bottom line is the almighty dollar. For the rest of us, who love craft beer, the bottom line needs to be about ensuring a strong local craft community, the definition of grassroots. As Tom over at Yours for Good Fermentables rightly said in his recent post on the same subject, “a loyalty first to local beer and to local brewers is the essential economic glue of our craft beer industry.”

But, I digress.

Befitting my soapbox gripes, I decided to commemorate the first official evening of American Craft Beer Week with a pretty unique local beer, Flat Earth’s Cygnus X-1 Porter, an homage to owner and head brewer Jeff Williamson’s favorite band, Rush. I’m surprised I’ve yet to review something from these guys based out of St. Paul, as I’ve already had a couple of their offerings such as the Pale Ale (decent) and Winter Warlock barleywine (satisfyingly complex). 

Cygnus X-1 poured with a nice deep brown coloring, and an overly active head that I’m not used to in most porters. But I’ve had the bottle for a while, so take it for what it’s worth. They brew this one with a bit of rye malt, and you definitely get that in the nose. Kind of a bready quality mixed with some light chocolate and roasted, smoky malt. They use some Fuggle hops, but I didn’t pick up much of it, which is somewhat expected I suppose. Interesting aroma overall, but not as rich as I’d like.

The taste is also interesting, in a good way. Not sure if this was their intention, but somewhat reminiscent of a milk stout in the sour, lactic quality*. Not the kind of thing you’d expect in a porter, but definitely unique and pretty enjoyable. The rye kicks in a bit toward the end, smoothing it out with some of the biscuit and bread flavors. A fairly thin mouthfeel that leaves you wanting a bit more, especially considering the style.  But at 6.5% ABV, it’s definitely a very drinkable beer.

Not bad, not great.  

Rating: B-

* Thanks to a few folks for pointing out the Flanders Red issue they had a while back. It seems clear I got one of the infected bottles. The sour quality wasn’t intended, so I’m hoping to give Cygnus another shot soon.

 

March 5, 2009

Second First Tuesday

Posted by amm002 under Beer Events, Rating: A, Rating: B Minus, Rating: B Plus | Tags: , , |
[9] Comments 

The inaugural First Tuesday Beer Club meeting last month at Acadia went so well, we decided to do it again.

For the March gathering, our ragtag ensemble of fellow craft beer appreciators descended upon the Muddy Pig in St. Paul, a great neighborhood watering hole that has been host to several of my more memorable drinking excursions of late.

Unlike the first go-round, I decided to take it a little easier considering I was 1) driving, and 2) had a busy work day ahead of me on Wednesday. So I kept it to a handful of craft beers, one local and a couple from the coasts. Here’s the rundown:

Lift Bridge Farm Girl Saison
I’ve been remiss in not trying this one yet, the flagship offering from our very own Lift Bridge Brewery in Stillwater (contract brewed by Flat Earth, I believe). For a Belgian saison, this one was very unique…at first blush I wasn’t sure if I’d mistakenly been served a tall glass of opaque orange juice, as it looked nothing like most other saisons I’ve had (or brewed myself). Tons of suspended yeast, almost like a hefeweizen. It smelled fantastic. Aggressively yeast-forward with a nice layering of cloves, light esters and a distinct horse blanket quality (did they use Brett?). Taste was bready and light, but not effervescent which I look forward to in this style. Carbonation a bit lacking, giving it a rather flat and watery mouthfeel. But overall, a pretty decent beer and one that I’d definitely try again. Look forward to some more offerings from these guys.

Rating: B+    

Eel River Triple Exultation
If Lift Bridge’s saison was my warm-up appetizer into the evening, tipping back a glass of Triple Exultation from Eel River in California was like skipping the main course and heading right for the dessert tray. Very nice amber coloring in the pour with only the slightest film of bubbles skimming the top of this Old Ale. A candy sweet aroma hits you right away, hinting at toffee, dark fruits and maybe even sherry. The taste was just like the nose, bordering on cloying in its malty, chewy sweetness. At nearly 10% ABV, it’s a hefty beer, and in combination with its nearly overpowering sugaryness, one that I was glad to share with a couple other friends at the table.  

Rating: B-     

Southern Tier Oak-Aged Cuvee Series Two
Mmm…now this is a nice beer. My love of all things casked has been long documented (most recently with my brewing of the port barrel-aged Belgian Brown Ale), so when I saw Southern Tier’s Oak-Aged Cuvee Series Two on the beer list, I had to order. Served in a snifter with a beautiful ruby red coloring and thin, khaki head. The nose was pure oaky goodness with a nice interplay of vanilla and dark fruits. Not sure where they get their casks, but they certainly could have been bourbon barrels. Taste was fantastic, with more of the oaked flavoring permeating throughout. Really reminded me in a big way of Allagash Curieux, minus the Belgian qualities. Mouthfeel and drinkability were great. And I didn’t even mind the slight heat from the 11% ABV that started creeping up on the back of my throat with each small sip. I have a bottle of this in my beer cellar, and I’m very excited to try this in another year or two.

Rating: A  

 

January 7, 2009

Minneapolis Town Hall Festivus Milk Stout

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: |
[2] Comments 

dsc01169To be fair, I’ve never had a milk stout before, and wasn’t sure what to expect from Minneapolis Town Hall’s Festivus. Sounded interesting, and from some recent comments from fellow Twin Cities beer blogger dirtyspeed, I thought I’d head over and give a few of their holiday seasonals a try. I was actually more interested in their Jubilation IPA and Grinch’s Grog pale ale, but they were fresh out when I visited.

This review is a culmination of several sessions with Festivus, as the first glass I had didn’t give me a very good first impression. But, I eased into it over a couple different evenings, and grew to appreciate what they’ve done.

Pours with a nice creamy tan head, and very aromatic like a rich porter with deep roasted malt notes. A little bit of chocolate. But then you get the very slightest smell of curdled milk, which is a direct result of the lactose used in the brewing process. For many, that might be a turn off, and it was to me to be perfectly honest, but knowing this is the style I pressed on hoping things would improve. Historically speaking, milk stouts were originally brewed near the turn of the 20th century and given to nursing mothers as they were thought to be nutritious. Completely irresponsible knowing what we do today, but remember, one of the most famous taglines of the era was “Guinness, It’s Good For You!”

The flavor is very robust. Again, a very pleasant porter/stout characteristic of smoky malt and sweet caramel mixed with that tell-tale lactose finish. Kind of like drinking that first gulp of really cold and refreshing milk only to realize a split second later it’s turned. That might be a bit harsh, but once I got over that part of it the beer actually started to grow on me a bit. Very creamy and rich mouthfeel, a pleasant texture which I enjoyed.

Based on Festivus, I’m going to have to say that milk stouts are probably not my thing. I also recognize Town Hall can’t brew up a masterpiece every time they fire up the brew kettle. So overall an interesting little stout that I may or may not try again. 

Rating: B-

 

November 4, 2008

Russian River Damnation

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: |
[5] Comments 

Ahh, the yeasty smell of a nice Belgian ale.

I can remember the first Belgian-style I ever had…North Coast’s Brother Thelonius Abbey Ale. I sat in my basement watching a movie on the big screen, slowly taking down the entire bottle, with each sip feeling the wave of intoxication rolling over me. It was stronger than just about anything I’d ever had to that point, and the flavor profile really intrigued me. It got me wondering what else was out there. So I picked up a book by the late, great Michael Jackson on Belgians, and devoured every piece of info I could find on what, in my opinion, is probably the most complex and innovative beer making region in the world. I tried everything I could get my hands on, especially the Trappists, including Chimay, Westmalle, Orval, Achel, and Rochefort (minus of course the elusive Westvleteren…I will try you yet). And I enjoyed them all, for different reasons. I kind of fell in love with the whole Belgian scene, and in some ways OD’d on the style for a few months.

I’ve been coming back to it a little here and there, mixing in a few Belgians amidst some nice IPAs, and of course stouts and winter ales as we get into the colder months (in Minnesota, there’s two seasons…winter and road construction).

I picked up Russian River Damnation through South Bay in San Diego, and looked forward to trying it. My experience with Pliny the Elder was fantastic, and I’ve heard great things about the brewery.

Damnation is a Belgian-style Strong Golden Ale. Poured with a respectable head, with lots of fine carbonation. Coloring is straw, very pale. Very pleasant and characteristic yeasty aroma. My bottle was from batch 39. 7.75% ABV. The taste is pretty sweet up front. Somewhat hoppy, and finishes mildly spicy and dry, with a definite estery quality going on. I think more citrus than banana. They talk about cedar wood on the bottle, but I didn’t pick that up. Very smooth and refreshing throughout, almost watery (that’s not an insult).

I think this is reminiscent of a slightly weaker version of Duvel…not as much aroma, not as much carbonation, and not quite as much boldness in flavor or spice. I realize it’s a totally different style than Pliny the Elder and maybe not fair to compare, but Pliny the Elder really met my expectations, while Damnation didn’t stand out in any significant way for me.

I almost didn’t want to include this, but my fiance said the only difference between Damnation and Michelob Golden Light is that Damnation had a worse aftertaste. Ouch. Not sure I’d go that far. But she is a teacher, and grades a little harder than I do.

Rating: B-

 

September 25, 2008

Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: |
[12] Comments 

I feel like I’m just supposed to automatically like this beer. Super intense hops, crazy malt, and an ABV to sterilize most minor cuts and scrapes. But I just can’t get into it. Which troubles me, since everyone on Beer Advocate gushes about this one. Sometimes I wonder if reviews on BA suffer from the snowball effect…the first posters set the tone for all the rest, and you end up with a pretty consistent (and potentially inaccurate) number of “A” or “B” ratings throughout.  

Purchased in a 750 ml bottle bearing a 2008 born-on date, so maybe too green to truly appreciate. I know many people cellar these, which is what I probably should have done. Pours with just about zero head, which is to be expected with an 11.5% ABV. Very rich mahogany coloring.

I almost can’t begin to describe what comes through in the nose. First its the hops. 120 IBUs worth of hops. Enought to put tears in your eyes. Very piney. Then it’s a burning solvent scent. The alcohol is very present. If you dig a little deeper, you start to get a combination of sweet scents, maybe toffee. When you swirl the beer around in the glass, it looks like viscous, melted caramel sloshing around.

As expected, the taste is extremely bitter, which I can deal with. But it’s also a bit like cough syrup. Maraschino cherries. Ironically, on a couple occasions it irritated my throat and forced me to cough. The taste (and the aroma, for that matter) reminds me of an Imperial Stout I made last winter. Nobody really cared for it, including me. It was like drinking straight malt extract.  

Overall, I think what turns me off is that this beer is just too intense in every respect. It took me nearly six innings of the Twins game to finish one glass. And not because I was trying to savor it. I’d like to say it’s not balanced, like pushing all the bass and treble levels to high on your equalizer. But I think it actually is. It’s just that every element of this beer is there in its maximum capacity. Too much going on, even for a guy that likes complex beers.

I’m trying to take a step back and separate my personal reaction from how this beer stands up stylistically. So, I’m not going to destroy it, but I’m not going to recommend it.

Rating: B- (with the caveat that this is probably a very good barleywine)

 

September 24, 2008

Guinness Draught

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: |
[2] Comments 

I’ve been in NYC a few different times, and have never seen so many cops in my life as I have on this trip.

On my way to the office this morning, I was abruptly stopped at 3rd Ave. and East 50th St. by an entire platoon of New York cops that quickly cordoned off all the bustling pedestrians walking to and fro to their places of work. They set up metal guard rails lining the entirety of 50th as far as the eye could see, not allowing anyone to pass north or south. It was amazing. Thousands and thousands of people penned up at each street corner, asking each other what the hold up was. I think I had some idea, since the UN General Assembly is going on. I either expected Bush or Ahmadinejad to come hurtling by in a cavalcade of cars, flanked by an equal number of security officers on motorcycle. But when a handful of black cars quickly drove by with little fanfare, and the cops quickly pulled the metal blockades away from the corners, life returned to normal like nothing ever happened. Just another day in New York. I still have no idea who that was.

However, taking the expressway to JFK this afternoon to catch my flight home, it dawned on me as I sat in the back of the cab that on each bridge we passed under, there were a number of NYPD officers perched near the rails, watching us go by. There also were cops positioned on random hills near the shoulder of the highway, and police sitting in cars near on and off ramps. Clearly, someone important was coming through. A few minutes later, I heard police sirens from behind us, forcing every vehicle to pull over to the right. We came to a slow crawl as the lead car passed us. I saw an Iranian insignia on one of their license plates. Had to be from their local embassy. And of course, they were escorting Mr. Nuclear to the airport. A bevy of heavily armored bulletproof vehicles were also in the mix, as well as an ambulance bringing up the rear. It was pretty damn impressive, all told about 20 different vehicles. The kind of protection only afforded to crazy fuckers that have a deathwish agenda on half of humanity. I couldn’t help but wonder what the NYPD cops “protecting” this guy were thinking as they watched him go by. 

As soon as I checked in and got through security, I decided to settle down at the little bar in my terminal and kill some time before my flight with a nice Guinness. The dark stuff. My classic standby. Even though it’s technically a macro, it’s just about the only one of its kind that I look forward to drinking now and again. There’s nothing like watching a nicely poured pint settle into itself, building the anticipation until it’s ready to be enjoyed. I always found it funny that places like Bennigans actually had Guinness on their menu under the appetizer section. 

Poured into a standard pint glass with its typical blackish red coloring. Nice tan head. Compared to most other beers, I’m always impressed with the fantastic, thick lacing left on the glass after each sip. I suspect that has more to do with how it’s pushed through the draught line, using nitrogen, versus something inherent with the beer itself. Roasted malts dominate the nose, also coffee. The taste is nice, but contrary to how most people perceive it, I’ve never looked at this as a heavy beer. In fact, the mouthfeel is pretty thin. I think the most positive characteristic of this beer is actually how refreshing it is. At least to me. I would rather sit down and drink 10 of these guys before drinking the equivalent in some light beer. Maybe it’s the lighter carbonation. But I’ve always enjoyed the stuff.      

Rating: B-

 

September 23, 2008

Brooklyn Brewery Pennant Ale ’55

Posted by amm002 under Rating: B Minus | Tags: |
[12] Comments 

New York…the city that never sleeps. Also the city filled with poor cellphone reception, pretentious yuppy bars, and crappy macro imports.

I’m in town for work, and after a brief happy hour with a handful of colleagues, decided to wander down the street on my way to my hotel to see what I could see. It’s very busy in Midtown where I’m staying, in part thanks to the United Nation’s General Assembly that has been convening this week. In fact, a head of state walked by me in my hotel lobby, accompanied by an entourage including about six gun-toting security guards. I’m assuming since he’s staying at my hotel, he must be from a ridiculously poor third world country, as I could probably get better accomodations finding a refrigerator box and placing it over a steam grate near the subway station.

My first stop down 3rd Ave. after my happy hour was some tiny Irish pub, what I assumed would be a welcome reprieve compared to the other options in my immediate vicinity that included several ultra-trendy, $10 beer night kind of places…not really my style. I walked into the dimly lit bar and immediately looked to the draught selection, the true litmus test for a decent bar. What I found would have made any Irishman cry. The only thing Irish about the place was the leprechaun picture on the wall, next to the NY Mets banners posted all about the place. This was like some kind of weird sports bar trying to pass itself off as a real purveyor of decent alcohols. The only thing on tap that I’d even consider drinking was Guinness…everything else was macro BS like Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and Stella Artois (gag me). I quickly exited.

Passing a couple other suspect drinking establishments as I walked a few more blocks south, I thought to myself “why don’t you just stop in a liquor store and get something you know is going to be decent.” My buddy the Vice Blogger recommended trying Captain Lawrence if I saw it, so I looked up and down the street for any liquor store I could find. Luckily a couple blocks down, I happened upon one on the other side of the road, and jaywalked my way across the street to give it my patronage (as an aside, is there really such a thing as jaywalking in NYC?).

I walked into the tiny shop, finding a morbidly obese gentleman sleeping behind the register. Yes, actually sleeping. Since I hate to get woken up when I’m taking a nap, especially at work, I quietly slipped by the front and went to the back of the store where I thought the beer coolers would be. But within a few seconds, I realized I was completely surrounded by nothing but wine and liquor bottles. What the hell kind of place was this that doesn’t sell beer? Just then, the fat guy came to his senses, asking if he could help me find something. 

ME: “Uh, yeah, do you guys sell beer in this place?”
FAT GUY: “No man, beer is only sold in grocery stores here in New York. You’re not from here, huh?”
ME: “No, not really.”
FAT GUY: “You ever see that movie Fargo? You sound kinda like that one guy…”

I took off again down the road, in search of any kind of grocery store I could find. I passed a shitty little delicatessen, and out of the corner of my eye saw what looked like a beer cooler in the back. Score. With a hopeful stride, I made my way in, greeted by nothing but crappy macros one after the other. My search for decent beer was becoming infuriating.

A few more blocks down the street (after nearly being killed in the crosswalk by a speeding cabby), I passed another deli, and went inside to see what they had. This one proved a little different, but not by much. The only “good” beer they had was from Brooklyn Brewery, which I understand is like the upper Midwest’s version of Leinenkugel’s (not undrinkable, but not great)*. I did enjoy Brooklyn’s East India Pale Ale recently, and saw a number of other offerings from them that looked interesting, including their Pennant Ale ’55. At that moment, my prior reading of the Vice Blog, a fantastic educational tool in alcohol culture and enjoyment, kicked in as I remembered that in NYC one is allowed to buy single bottles from a six pack. This is a fantastic innovation in alcohol purchasing that should be adopted by every state in the union. So I grabbed a couple bottles of the Pennant Ale ’55 and made my way back to the hotel.  
    
As a Minnesota Twins fan, I naturally expected this beer to smell and taste relatively shitty, just like the Yankees squad this year. On top of that, any kind of beer with an obviously gimmicky name like Pennant Ale ’55 typically just reeks of mediocrity. But, I was pleasantly surprised. It poured into a chintzy plastic hotel cup with a nicely carbonated head and fruity aroma. Tastes like a slightly sweeter version of Goose Island Honker’s Ale, an English bitter style beer that is pretty malty with strong biscuit notes. I’m not a big fan of that one, but this beer from Brooklyn is a little more enjoyable. It went down nicely as I watched an old rerun of Cops in Minneapolis. How ironic.

Rating: B-

* I ammend my comparison. Leinie’s is pure garbage (especially Honeyweiss and Berryweiss). But Brooklyn at least takes brewing to the artisan level with some of its harder to find offerings. I’d say they’re more like Sam Adams in that way.

 

Next Page »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 25 other followers