Month: April 2010

Written by Ben Bourgeois for LSU Student Media and houmatoday.com

With his hitch in the United States Navy at an end, Kirk Coco saw the need to help his native city of New Orleans recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

When the devastating hurricane swarmed the Gulf Coast in 2005, Coco decided to return home and start a business that would stimulate the city’s economy. But the business he decided to start was one with no current example in New Orleans – a microbrewery.

“Well I moved back after Katrina because I wanted to start a business and create jobs,” said Coco, a New Orleans native. “Brewing was not even close to the front of my mind at the time.”

Want to read more? Click…

HERE

The original profile on this can be found HERE– Prof. GA

Image courtesy flickr.com

Style: Stout
Part of the 30 anniversary series at Sierra Nevada

By Ken Carman

You may remember I just profiled this beer. I had never had it on tap. This weekend my good friend, beer buddy and broaster of chicken extraordinaire, Drew Patterson, took me to Sergio’s World Beers in Louisville as I was traveling northward to perform in southern Ohio. After tasting it I E-mailed the Professor this update.

I was amazed at how the darker; almost brooding, more “Extra” than Extra Stout, or perhaps black patent-ish malt sense, that made me claim it was not a Stout for all, mellowed on tap. Not unexpected, but pleasing none the less. The only thing better would have been to have it on nitro or… better yet: hand pulled. My advise; if you can, get it on tap.

As far as Sergios goes, expect an article on it in the future: maybe the next few weeks if I do get a chance to stop by this month. After this month expect to hear more about brewpubs and brew activities in the great northeast. Having been to many multi-tap bars and restaurants, I promise you this Sergios is special and deserves more than this brief mention.

Sergio’s World Beers
1605 Story Ave.
Louisville, KY 40206 ·
Parking: 1553 Frankfort Ave.
Phone: (502) 618-BEER (2337)

“In IPA lore, less isn’t more! Want a hoppy day? You could get Six Hop IPA.”

Image courtesy beernews.org

Not the most hoppy IPA ever, but delightful: and Scribe means “IPA: American.” NOT Imperial. Scribe’s tongue tingled. Cascade? Yes. Amarillo? Guess not, but the sense was there. Scribe would suggest altering the hopping schedule just to make this IPA unfold like a fine hop drama. They all kind of blend together, but very enjoyable.

Other net info says: Cascade, Cluster, Perle, Sterling, Willamette and Tettnanger… and they use roasted barley? How… STOUT… of them.

Bronze, like a burnished statue. Hop and caramel malt aroma. A Caramel-like/Munich malt feel fills the mouth. A bit earthy in aroma, as well as citrus. Taste follows aroma like a faithful puppy dog. But Whole hog is no dog amongst IPAs.

From the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, WI.

Barrels of lambic beer at Brewery Hanssen

Jay R. Brooks for the Bay Area News Group

(This is a general introduction to Lambics, as a style. For more in-depth, please read Tom Becham’s recent article for Professor Good Ales- Prof. GA)

March may have come in like a lion, but with any luck, it will go out like a lambic. Lambics are an unusual style of beer brewed exclusively in Belgium. This almost winelike beer is unlike any other kind of beer in the world — and they’re perfect for the unpredictable weather of April, which is cool and breezy one moment and blisteringly hot the next.

But lambics are not easy-drinking beers and they can be a challenge to most palates. Many people drink them for the first time and think they’ve gone bad. They are often sour and can smell like a barnyard. But they are also some of the most complex and interesting beers being made today. Taking the time to understand and appreciate them may not be easy, but will give you a lifetime of enjoyment. They’re just that good.
Continue reading “Brooks on Beer: Out like a Lambic”

San Diego Cornado bridge

Written by Tom Becham for professorgoodales.net

My wife and I recently made another short trip to San Diego – or as I call it, “a pilgrimage to Beer Mecca.” I am fortunate to have a spouse who is almost as appreciative of good craft beer as I am. This is all the more amazing when one realizes she was raised in a Coors-drinking household, and thus believed all beer to be equally vile until just a couple years ago.

The original purpose of this trip was to return to Port/Lost Abbey Brewery for the release of their Red Poppy Ale, a Flemish-style sour ale. Flemish sour is my wife’s favorite beer style, and Red Poppy is an uncompromising example, probably the best American-made sour, and laced with sour cherries. Indeed, Red Poppy is very reminiscent of Verhaege’s Echte Kriek. Red Poppy is a very small batch beer, and generally only available at the brewery door. If you like very acetic, shockingly sour beers, or are a fan of lambic-type beers (the real ones, not the sweet,syrupy, ersatz-lambics), you’ll love Red Poppy.
Continue reading “Pilgrimage to a Beer Mecca”

Southern Star Brewing
Conroe, Texas

Profile by Ken Carman

Remember what I wrote last time about trying to describe one drop in a rainstorm? Well, that is indeed de do a lot like trying to describe one beer at The Bluebonnet: competition in Texas. After all the judging, the tasting, the judging, the pub crawling and tasting again, taste buds don’t just go on overload: they hold up little signs and scream, “Stop, for criminy’s sake: can’t taste a ruddy thing!”

Do we listen? Hell, no.

One beer that stood out, in a good way, was Buried Hatchet Stout.

Let’s clear up a few misconceptions here, one promoted by the brewer. There is no “Strong Stout” category. Imperial? This didn’t seem to be that, although if the 8.5abv their site claims is accurate… it’s an incredible achievement. That is low Imperial Stout territory. Doesn’t seem that high at all. Like I just typed: an achievement. It may have just a tad too much chocolate malt, since the “dark” and the flavor of a true Dry or Foreign Stout is driven by roasted barley, and a Sweet Stout usually by lactose. Chocolate malt can make a stout a bit malt sweet. though this is so minor to still be quite marvelous. No Chocolate malt? Well, something else then. Hmmm…. site says “Brown malt.” That might explain it too. What, no roasted barley? That explains my style concerns I expressed right off the bat. Note to brewers: add roasted barley for “Stout” category, please. It could use at least a smidge for balance, Stout-wise; or a smidge more if your “roasted malt” actually was supposed to be “roasted barley.” “Roasted malt” means squat. It’s all “roasted” to a certain extent; if just to dry it out… a matter of how much and how it’s done.

Since it came straight from the can and my sample glass was far away I didn’t see the head or clarity. It seemed to pour just a little light on the dark side of a stout, but liquid in that close proximity to the lips isn’t the best way to judge such things. Mouthfeel? Light on the carbonation, a bit malty with a slight touch of hops: correct style from what I remember. In other words: not all that Cascade-y or other more American IPA-type hops. Perhaps a touch of the Fuggles? The site says “Saphir” hops, a noble-type. Seemed just a tad more Brit to me. Though not as “earthy,” that slight Fuggles citrus sense was there, which makes since since Fuggles and Cascades are related: like parent to more wildly citrusy son. Hatchet didn’t fill the mouth as much as it begged to be buried by an eager swallow. But the taste: refreshing, tingling, exciting. From the can I felt like I had been lying under the fermenter and someone opened it after all the yeast and gunk had been drained.

Not sure the style. Not quite a dry, not a sweet, foreign… hell, no. Imperial? I expect more from an Imperial, which most likely explains why they didn’t call it that. But quite the pleasing quaff no matter what.