Black Abbey Potus 44

Style: Robust American Coffee Porter

abv: 5.5%

Nose: dark roasty, smells like coffee and the Cracker Barrel Gift Shop.

Overall Taste: Its like drinking a cold french press coffee. Very rich. The porter format for a coffee beer is a nice change from the Coffee Stout (which I love).

This coffee porter is made from Kenyan and Hawaiian coffee beans which I can only guess is a tribute to our current President (that and the name POTUS which we all know from Tom Clancy movies is secret service code name). When it occurred to me that the name of this beer was not some kind of ironic Latin nod to Martin Luther I was a little disappointed.  

There is not much not to like about this beer. I am a robust porter fan and I also like coffee in my beer. I drank most of this beer in the evening and discovered that it had a surprising amount of caffeine in it. I thought this was a plus but it could also throw someone off who is reaching for a night-cap.

Black Abbey says they want to specialize in Belgium-style beers but there is very little that is Belgian about this beer. If they used Belgian yeast in this beer it comes in faintly on the after-taste. Like most porters this beer should be drank quickly. Potus 44 does not improve as it warms like a stout. In fact, I might think this is true of most coffee beers.

This beer is draft-only. A Growler of Potus 44 would make a remarkable Christmas gift and could be enjoyed with pop-overs and french toast. A coffee porter could be the perfect pick-me-up after staying up late for candlelight/mass services. Last I checked this beer is still on tap at Craft Brewed Tasting Room on 8th by Melrose. They also have Stainless Steal Growlers for sale with a fill-up.

I look forward to Black Abbey's up and coming White Farmhouse IPA "Olympus Drained."  

--AS

 

Anchor Brewing "Old Foghorn"

I apologize Anchor Brewing. I drank your “Old Foghorn” Barleywine Ale before dinner even though the label said perfect for sipping after dinner.  I was too excited to try it and by the time I read that part I had already poured it in the glass.  Besides, given that my dinner was going to be frozen pizza I was concerned that my pallet would be as wrecked as San Francisco after the earthquake of 1906. 

               

As it is, I probably should have listened.  This would be a perfect ‘after dinner beer.’  It is delicious before but would make more sense after.  This beer is full of malty goodness like any good barleywine should be.  For a second, I had to take another sip and double check because, half way through, I found myself wondering if it was actually carbonated.  It is.  But it’s not something that you notice when you are sipping it.

What you do notice, is apples.  Not that there are any in this brew but I cannot help but notice a wonderful, thick apple flavor in this beverage.  It ends up being very sweet.  But this is where Anchor really impressed me.  Usually, when I associate sweetness with beers or ciders it is pleasant but there is this stickiness in the back of my throat that lingers that I almost feel like I should wash away.  It doesn’t exist here.  Even at the end of this beer the sweetness touches the tongue on the front end but dissipates cleanly, like it damn well should.  I’d rather not choke up syrupy flavor after I’m done with my sip.

This is a really special find.  I sometimes find myself stumbling for something appropriate to drink after a meal.  Usually this lands you somewhere in the liquor category.  I recently had an argument with someone over the age old question “if you could drink wine or beer the rest of your life…” They were dead set on wine and one of their points was the versatility of the beverage during all points of the meal including desert.  To which I say “You can have your port, I’ll have an Old Foghorn.”

--Matt Lowell

Oktoberfest at Home: a Home-Brewed Review

One of my regulars, Jon Smith, at the liquor store gave me a home brew to review.


Style: Oktoberfest

Abv: 6%

Nose: slight spice and sweetness like Bazooka Joe Bubble gum.

Pallet: slight smoked wheat, slight tart banana without being sour.

I generally do not reach for a wheat beer but most of my favorites have come from home-brewers. Jon's Oktoberfest is a refreshing alternative to the over saturated fall market. The spices are balanced by a dry over current and steady carbonation. The beer is unfiltered which gives it a rich taste and a charming home-brewed feel. The best part of this beer is the hints of banana which come across without being bready or too yeasty.

*Weakness: The color of the beer for some reason is off putting. The spices seem to concentrate in very back of the throat which was not present in the overall taste experience. I wonder if both of these issues could be fixed if the beer were filtered.

Overall I love home-brewed beer and this one was a real treat to review. I look forward to reviewing more home-brews and drinking more of Jon's beer.

--AS

*Jon asked that I be brutal. This can be hard in the same way that telling someone who has prepared a home-cooked meal for you that though the sauce is good the noodles are smooshy.

Three Craft Beer Bombers for 5$ and Under

The post was inspired by dearavocado.

Werewolf abv 8%

This Belgium-Style strong ale is from Lithuania. I found this beer to be very drinkable and I even preferred the taste to other Belgium-Style beers that are more popular like Delirium or New Belgium. Lithuania is not the hippest region for beer in America and as a result has fared poorly on rating websites. This beer, however, is worth a pour and you may be surprised that some of the tastier beers are not the most expensive.

... and let's not forget about that badass label.


Victory Helios, abv 7.5%

This Belgium-Style Saison is dynamic and tasty. First of all, farmhouse ales like this one usually start at 10$ and they go up from there. If you have never had a Saison or farmhouse you should start with this one. The Helios has a light citrus nose and a banana-bready overall taste experience. It is the spicy finish that makes this beer interesting and memorable.

A Rich Man's Pamosa:

1 Part Orange Juice
4 Parts Victory Helios

Serve with pancakes or sausage biscuits.

Yazoo Sue, abv 9%

The Sue is a smoked porter and is a monster when it comes to flavor. This beer is rich and dark with the smokey malt flavors that envelope the drinking experience. The Sue blows the other Yazoo products out of the water. This beer is for dark beer lovers and holds its ground when competing with larger brewing companies like Stone and Sierra Nevada. A Beer Named Sue should make all Nashvillans proud to call Yazoo their own. 

Serve this beer with pulled pork or in a frosted mug with vanilla ice cream. 

--AS

Dry: a Refreshing Alternative to Pale

I like to believe that my taste in beer does not very from season to season and that my pallet is not so petty. The reality is that I am sucker for seasonal releases and what those seasonal beers are dependent on the time of year. I can say that I do not follow the dark beer in the winter and pale beer in summer model.




Beer does not have to be over hopped to be enjoyed during the warmer parts of the year. Some of this years late spring releases have proved this. Beers that I have been getting excited about recently have all had a dry quality to them that I have found very refreshing as the weather heats up. I just like good beer and my pallet is rarely dictated by season or weather. What a brewer wants to produce at a certain time affects us all and I hope this summer to see me seasonal releases that are a little more creative then the regular IPA.

Here is a very brief and dry list:

Lagunitas Lucky 13

This beer almost didn't make the dry list because of its sweetness but it still has dry qualities and meets the non-pale criteria. This red ale smells like sweet barely and oats. There is very faint honey on the pallet and has a sweet and dry finish. A good red ale should be balanced with no one flavor or ingredient out playing another. This beer goes down easy and is a good addition to Lagunitas' outstanding line-up of seasonal gems.

Southern Tier Plum Noir Imperial Porter

The Plum Noir by Southern Tier is the next beer that put dry on the radar. When I first saw the Plum Noir I thought of the Pumking and Chokolat beers that were released  last year. These two beers set a high flavor standard and were not ashamed to go over the top. The Plum Noir, respectively, is not very plumpy but is still highly enjoyable. There is a little bit of ripe plum right on the beginning and some dark fruit on the pallet but that is about it. After the initial shock of not being over the top this beer is balanced, well made and satisfying. The Plum Noir is made to play well with chocolate and Nat Sherman cigarettes.


Sweet Water Dank Tank Some Strange Black IPA

This is the first beer I had this year that got me thinking about dry qualities in beer and it set a pretty high standard. Despite its confusing name and terrifying packaging this beer was large and tasty.The Dank Tank had an excellent metallic/floral nose with just a hint of almond. On the body of the beer was a lot of malt with some dry sherry notes which I was surprised to find. The "Pale" part of the beer which is the hops came in toward the finish and added a bit of kick on the end. This particular incarnation of the Dank Tank was a whopping 10% alc content and this came through on the pallet. I typically do not mind a little "heat" on my beers and this Black IPA did not let me down. The Dank Tank Black IPA is, as the name suggests, a very dark beer but the carbonation and the dry notes make it very palatable in warm weather.

Southern Tier 2x Steam

This beer is the inspiration for this reflection on dry delicious beers. I tend to gravitate toward rich beers with loads of flavor and the 2x Steam was a break from that trend. This beer is made in the traditional steam beer style which was originally the beer of the lower classes in California around the turn of the century. The "steam" is a reference to the mist made by the carbonation. The 2x is a re-working of this old style and has a vaugue connection to the steam-punk philosophy. This lager has a sweet barely bouquet and pours a rich brown. The malt flavors in this beer are uncommon and refreshingly dry. There is a dry finish and no sticky mouth feel. This beer is made with three different varaties of malt and I imagine the dry quality comes the pislner malt. Wherever it comes from I would like more of it. This beer would pair well with anything prepared on a grille or re-heated in the microwave. 

Buying Beer for Others

Buying beer for a party or a get-together can be nerve racking and is almost a good excuse to have guests bring their own bottles. Having beer in the fridge for guests is at the same time polite and hospital. If your guests are not well known to you (like your wife's friend's husband or friends of your friends, co-workers, etc...) having some good beer on hand can serve as an ice-breaker.

three tips for buying for others:

     1. buy beer you wouldn't mind getting stuck with after the party is over. This is not the time to spend loads of cash on beer that you want people to think you drink. If you like Shiner Bach get it for your guests. Find out what they like and maybe make plans to get it next time and you can try it for yourself.

     2. drink what you serve your guests. If you are a craft-brew-only drinker don't serve your guests PBR while you are drinking a bomber of Corsendonk. If you are not going to share the nice stuff then hide it. If you happen to know that your guests like craft-beer then split one with them and drink a less expensive beer with them afterward.

     3. never underestimate the power of free beer. If a guest turns his or her nose up at free beer than maybe use that as a sign they should not be invited back. If someone offers me a cold Budweiser (which is not my favorite variety of cheap beer) I will thank them and tell them I take mine cold. 

Growlers: a sidenote within a subculture

The Growler
(or 'flaggin' as my British co-worker refers to.)

My wife and I recently moved into a new rental and I found a growler in the fridge. This prime piece of real estate (the growler I mean) was the excuse I was looking for to get started in the world of growler refills. Over the past few years I have become increasingly dependent and trusting on bottled beer. Getting excited about beers on draft seemed amateurish to me; there were just too many variables with draft that I did not want to deal with. Buying draft was something you did because the bar had a special on it.

I knew that growlers were popular to collect and refill. Someone, in my mind, who was religious about getting a growler filled probably was more into growler culture than they were beer culture. Novelty and inconvenience came together and I decided I was not interested. Given the choice between Sierra Nevada Pale on draft and in a bottle, I would always choose the bottle for taking home.

Since a couple of years ago in Nashville the local beer scene has exploded and growlers have become a convenient medium to support local business. Many young breweries cannot afford to bottle which limits their availability to bars and consumption at the brewery. With a strong undercurrent of growler buyers and a renewed interest in buying local smalltime breweries can distribute to a wider audience.

I have been to Craft Brewed and Woody's in Franklin so far to get my new growler refilled. I have gotten the beer to last a couple of days and I have not found myself rushed to finish the beer before it expires. The average size of a growler is $10 and Craft Brewed offers a wide selection and a free growler with the first fill. Woody's has a better price on refills 8$ and allows you to drink the beer on their porch--they also keep at least two local beers on tap at a time. Craft Brewed cannot by law allow customers to drink out of growlers on premise in their beautiful new beer-garden and deck. They can sell you a pint and you can drink that on premise.

I had mine filled at Craft Brewed with Jackalope Rompo Red (pictured above) and am currently very pleased.

In Tennessee you can get fined for an open container in your car. I err on the side of caution and have the business wrap my growler in tape or with a sign and a receipt and just take it home in the back-seat or in the trunk.

A full growler is a great house warming gift and a good size for parties or a casual get-together. I look forward to more refills and taking more local beers home to be enjoyed with a book or with friends.

--AS

Wine and Beer Hybrids: How Blue Moon is Saving Us Trips to the Kitchen One Vintage at a Time

     Beer/Wine hybrids, I know, sounds like a bad X-file but this is the latest project by Blue Moon and the results are surprising. The big-time craft brewer responsible introducing a wide audience to Belgium style beers on a pop level is now going after the high-gravity drinkers. Blue Moon is also negatively associated with purists who insist that fruit does not belong in beer. I had this mind set for a brief period but now I think a lot of things belong in beer like espresso, cherries, Cascara, peppers, lime wedges and now grape juice.  

     

     The "Vintage Ale Collection," which debuted with "Proximity," is a line of beers crossed with juice from common wine grapes.  The concept is odd and highly suspicious but not entirely out of the question. Here in Nashville we have to buy our high-gravity beer at wine shops so it seems more like two friends we see all the time who, when no one was looking, were slipping off together and later we find out they are in a relationship. The "Proximity" is a beer which was allowed to ferment with the juice from Sauvignon Blanc grapes and has been available since late last year. I imagine during all this fermenting the grape juice turns into something wine-like and the flavors marry—marriage is the right metaphor for the "Vintage Collection."

     
      The first is the Golden Knot which is a beer and Chardonnay crossbreed. I do not consider myself a Chardonnay guy but I could make an exception for this beer. The "Golden Knot" is a dry and refreshing experience with some distinct pear notes on the pallet. The carbonation is just right and somehow makes regular old Chardonnay taste flat and lacking.

     
The second release is Crimson Crossing which is fermented with Merlot juice. When I first tried the "Proximity" and heard about the Vintage series I dreamed of a red hybrid* and this one is not a disappointment. First of all the beer is a beautiful medium dark red and has a light fruit nose. The Merlot flavor comes across nice and clear with a dry tannic finish. This is a beer for fans of beer and good red wines. The carbonation is nice for the summer and perhaps you can put a couple of bottles away for fall or just later this summer.

If you are still suspicious you should try them for yourself, don’t take my word for it. The "Vintage Collection" is a lot of fun and may also serve to attract wine shoppers over to the beer isle. Your usual beer nerd may have a hard time reconciling the "Vintage Ale Collection" in their hearts but I am looking forward to seeing and tasting future Beer/Wine crossbreeds.   

--AS

*a brief look into my rich dream life.