Beer probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind when you think of the word “monastery†– but since receiving official recognition on Dec. 10, Saint Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Mass., will become the first American brewery to be manned exclusively by Trappist monks.
The beer, labeled “The Spencer Trappist Ale,†is to be brewed exclusively within the walls of the monastery. Founded in 1950 by members of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, commonly known as Trappists, Saint Joseph’s Abbey has roots that reach far back to monks who fled France during its revolution at the end of 18th century.
Anyone else notice not ONE is a craft beer, and almost all are Miller/Coors or AB/InBev?-OEN
While craft beer may seem to be all the rage these days, the number of people cracking open a cold one has actually been on the decline.
According to Beer Marketer’s Insights, beer sales have slipped 2.3 percent between 2007 to 2012.
Michelob Light has been a big loser, plunging 70 percent, while the once top-selling Budweiser, declined by more than 25 percent over the past five years. Miller Genuine Draft, Old Milwaukee and Heineken Premium Light are also losing market share.
There were 312 entries and 155 registered participants, judges, and stewards.
1st Karl Weiss Kolsch 6C: Kolsch Morris Area Society of Homebrewers (MASH)
2nd Julie Belles Sugar Shack Brown 23A: Specialty Beer none
3rd Julie Belles Green Pond Pale Ale 10A: American Pale Ale none
The Pump Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews
Saratoga Thoroughbrews
Held at: The Pump House, Albany, NY
“Clear!”
”Clear!”
Restarting a heart may not have as many problems as restarting a competition. Once restarted a heart usually finds its rhythm. Done all the time in operations. Yet restarting a competition can be problematic. Luckily, unlike starting a heart that hasn’t been beating for almost two years, restarting a competition isn’t impossible. It just will have some problems, that’s all. I found this out when I submitted to a competition in Michigan earlier in 2013: web site not operating properly, instructions unclear…little of that at Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews, because the competition master was back in charge.
We judged Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews about 4 or 5 years ago. Then, according to Greg Mobley: organizer extraordinaire, he bowed out and unfortunately the ball was dropped in 2012.
No organizer should have to organize forever,so I understand.
But this year it was.. on! And, as expected, there were a few bleeps and bloops, but due to an experienced organizer the show did go on.
Sign in, check out, prizes and main pull out hair out station due to computer glitches.
The day: Saturday, November the 9th. We were supposed to start at about 9 but there was a bad computer glitch according to our steward: Data had been corrupted. I think it was Riker who had started feeding him barleywine and the electronics went hickity Betty Boop-ity-bop… Courtesy originalhipster.net Yes, I’m joking, but Greg and staff should have been “in a panic.” Interesting: I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen Greg panic. He seems to keep a cool head. Having helped run a few competitions that can be a big problem when glitches keep beating at your door. “Glitches” tend to be a frequent “bugaboo” of competitions, or also could be described as… well let’s just say it rhymes with both “glitches” and “Mitch is.”
Sign in, check out, prizes and main pull out hair out station due to computer glitches[/caption]
And, uh, Mitch Miller says ah one, ah two: back to the competition… Continue reading “A Beer Judge’s Diary: KBOTB”
This is obviously a sweet, still and is considered a classic of the style by the BJCP when it comes to sweet. It deserves that status, in my opinion.
I am guessing the honey is mostly Orange Blossom, for the aroma is citrus mixed with floral. I would call it orange with a hint of rind, but very slight at best. The floral is like a flower one might find in a forest. The sweet grabs the nose and tickles it a tad.
Visual: yellow, light amber. Clarity is good, I can see the desk below the cup.
Taste: sweet with a little almost Buckwheat sense. Is this a slight add to the bev, or just aging? Orange and, again, a hint of rind. The sweet is neither cloying or marginal: just right. Body is on the slightly heavier than medium side.
Mouthfeel: slightly slick, with abv slightly clinging to the roof of the mouth. There’s a fruit/orange sense that lingers on the roof of the mouth and reminds me of a fine orange wine, and I have had one of those… they are few to be sure.
I would love to try a slightly carbonated version, and it would still be a still according to guidelines.
NOTE/CAVEATS: there are also alternate yeasts NOT just lager and ale, like Brett, or lactobacillus… more a bacteria. IPA created in ENGLAND, not “Europe.” Beer and pot are not “cousins.” Hop and pot are related. The brewery where lager yeast was not named “Pilsen.” “Carlsberg” was the name of the brewery and Emil Christian Hansen discovered it: for some reason this bit of history is frequently missed and, POOR Germans, it was a DANISH discovery.
Deep brown head, plenty of, black as hell, thick. Murky in a great, yet, foreboding way. I would expect Nessie lives somewhere beneath these waters. Pillow and a few big rocks in the head. Aroma: Cabernet, deep roast malt with a hint of roasted barley overtones.
This is like gruel in the pour. Beautiful gruel.
Mouthfeel: Cabernet coats the roof of the mouth and the thick viscosity is like 30 weight motor oil, only tasty, pleasing. Carbonation light, yet perfect. Coats the mouth like a good, pleasant tasting motor oil-ish brew in the pour should.
Taste is roast: deep and pleasing, a bit like plums soaked in Cabernet and some dark cherry. There is a wood sense here: but way in the background. Mostly just the Cabernet. Sweet Cabernet dominates: that with a caramelized brown sugar-like sense. There’s also a toasted sweet pumpernickel–like character in the background
I dare you to put it in your mouth and NOT have it take over your taste buds like the Borg of beers. They WILL be assimilated.
I have to give it a 5.
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
German beer brewers launched a bid to have their 16th century beer purity law officially recognized as a cultural treasure for humanity.
The German Brewers’ Federation announced Monday that it applied for UNESCO, the cultural agency for the United Nations, to add the Bavarian beer law “Reinheitsgebot” to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Massachusetts native Todd Ruggere finished a 266 day quest in September to drink a beer in each of the 351 towns in his home state. The beer tour raised money for cancer research.
In January, Ruggere will begin the same mission in Connecticut.
Ruggere, a 39-year-old from Grafton, Mass., said he came up with the idea when he was trying to list all the towns in Massachusetts.
Looking for the perfect book for a craft beer lover — or yourself?
This has been another banner year for books about beer, with volumes written on everything from food pairings to hops, so there’s something on this list for everyone.
The Culinary Side
If you love food as much as beer — and who doesn’t? — you can’t go wrong with John Holl’s “American Craft Beer Cookbook” (Storey, $19.95, 352 pages), which has 155 mouthwatering recipes, including 14 contributed by Bay Area breweries such as Gordon Biersch and 21st Amendment.
in Spencer, Mass., will become the first American brewery to be manned exclusively by Trappist monks.
“Clear!”
Deep brown head, plenty of, black as hell, thick. Murky in a great, yet, foreboding way. I would expect Nessie lives somewhere beneath these waters. Pillow and a few big rocks in the head. Aroma: Cabernet, deep roast malt with a hint of roasted barley overtones.
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