Category: Beer

 Once again hosted by the marvelous Nathan Baker, this year’s Can Can was, and is, everything that it was last year, only better. This is a competition offering more professional judging than some I’ve been to: BJCP, Cicerones and pro-brewers judging beer brewed by other pro-brewers who can their beer. It’s a big job.
⁦Nathan opens up his house in the Franklin Westhaven community for us. Westhaven reminds me of cross between Seaside on the Florida panhandle and The Villages near Orlando. Unlike either Westhaven inner streets are a tad convoluted. Ms. GPS decided to put our Green Honda Element through its paces.
 Sure glad Ms.GPS is patient. Continue reading “A Beer Judge’s Diary: Can Can II”

Profiled by Ken Carman

Cherry nose with a light pale malt background for the nose. Almost perfumy. Tis pleasing an inviting.

Off white pillow head that fades fast, a little redish. A little hazy, but that could be chill haze. Legs rise fast. Some glass coat.

Firm cherry flavor, less juice than actual cherries. Slightest hint of skin. Ale behind this is light to the palate intensity-wise, but on the lower side of medium. Obviously the cherry is the star here.

Mouthfeel: firm foamy carbonation like foam in a sea wave without the salt. Low side medium body. Quite pleasurable.

The best Ommegang beer I’ve had. They always play a little too safe for me. Almost a wine

90 and 90 BA

Readers: for now we are using only BA since InBev owns Rate Beer. We may get UnTappd but their site security is done with something that resembles a bad version of Candy Crush!

4.3

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.”

________________________________________Beer HERE

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The Topic: The Pour Fool was Right (In InBev’s name I curse.)

 Ken Carman is a BJCP judge; homebrewer since 1979, club member at Escambia Bay, Salt City, Clarksville Carboys and Music City Homebrewers, who has been writing on beer-related topics and interviewing professional brewers all over the east coast, for over 15 years.

Written by Ken Carman

 Early morning in my Eagle Bay cabin, another beautiful Adirondack day, now cursed by my mental state. Really? InBev feels the need to have its claws sunk into a site that rates beer; for some odd reason called RateBeer?
 In the last Fool column on this topic I felt Fool might be being a tad, well, foolish. InBev, unlike A/B, is a conglomerate of many distinct breweries and, unlike the Busch family, they might not feel so inclined as to ruin all those distinct brands just to bring back the mega beer crime families gory days of barely more than one style of cheap adjunct beer.
 Not the slightest bit “foolish” this time.
 InBev shouldn’t have any control over websites that rate beer. This is not a new topic to me, and a firm principle. When the brewer for a brewpub in Nashville wanted to become head of communications for Music City Brewers: a homebrew club, I objected in strong terms to the president. I made an enemy of the brewer, I’m sure, but I don’t care. It’s the principle: the head brewer at one brewery in town shouldn’t be given any control over whom we communicate with, or not. There were, and are, many other breweries in town. If people wanted to say something in print that did not reflect well on his brews they should be able to say that without worrying that the Communications person might stifle them. If the club wants to have meeting at another brewery instead of his there shouldn’t even be the slightest possibility that communications regarding this would be limited in any way; or the perception it had been limited. And I was writing a column for the newsletter, and one local magazine, that, in part, critiqued breweries and what was on tap, or bottle, or can. Continue reading “Brew Biz: Werts and All”

Profiled by Maria Devan

Pours clear and golden with a fast falling head of white creamy foam. Nose is light and golden with malt. By light I mean that the malt is not complex. It is golden and bready but does not offer any toasted flavor. Hops are just present on the nose but shy. Soft floral shows a bit of grass from hops. As the beer sits it will also show you some pepper and spice. No diacetyl, no fruity esters from yeast, faint dms perfect for the style. Drinks smoothly and imo better than last year. No rough edges on this one it goes down with plenty of satisfaction. Hops remain shy on the palate but they impart their cool breath to the beer. Finishes perfectly. Malty with a crisp bubble and just a little bitterness to linger. Exemplary! In fact I would say put this up against any German import.

4.5

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.”

__________________________Beer HERE

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Profiled by Maria Devan who lives high on a hill over looking Ithaca, NY. Look! If you live in Ithaca there she is with her field glasses spying on you! Are you drinking a beer worthy of attention. Beware, she’s Ithaca’s beer police. Can’t you hear the siren on he bike as she rolls down the hill? We kid. She’s been writing for us for many years now. We’re lucky to have her.