Category: Beer

I like beer too much and respect too much the amount of effort, creativity, and skill that goes into making American craft beers to continue to settle for the same tired old crap as an accompaniment.

(This post originally appeared in the seattlepi.com version of The Pour Fool, back in 2014. It was requested by about a dozen readers who had read my bio and saw that I used to be a chef for about three decades…which was far longer than that little tangent should have gone on. It was also prompted by two separate requests from young entrepreneurs in Denver, about eight weeks before this appeared, who were thinking of opening one sports bar and one alehouse. I was asked, in both cases, to give them a menu that would avoid – or at least tweak severely – the usual pub grub clichés.

Today, I’m delighted to say, this universal sameness HAS changed – a bit. But, still, in maybe 85% of all American pubs, the menus read just as I have described here. The restaurants which ARE working with Indie Beer offerings and THINKING about their food are doing tremendous things, these days…which results in me, turning over $$$ more and more often. Special Mention must go to 7 Seas Brewing, right here in my own ‘hood, Tacoma, Washington, in which JamieKey Jones and her food staff have installed 3UILT, a truly exceptional pub food eatery that does almost everything right and avoids clichés as though they had fangs and a rattle. Any pub menu on which you can find a jackfruit(!) sandwich that’s actually good AND popular…well, that’s slam-damn truly Outside The Box.)

Want to read more? Please click…

HERE

Profiled by Maria Devan

Cheers you all.. My camera broke and my phone only has 2 mp. That is a real let down for me. Anyway, I am getting a new one but not today. New Beer Sunday is coming so I thought I would TELL you about Long Trail Summer Ale. In the old bjcp it says something about the kolsch style beer.

“To the untrained taster easily mistaken for a light lager, a somewhat subtle Pilsner, or perhaps a blonde ale.”

With the idea of the authenticity of the kolsch and the appellation designation in mind, calling your beer a blonde or simply an ale and presenting a kolsch might be entirely well done. I believe this is a great example of this bjcp statement. Pretty clear and softly golden with a white head that lasts well. The nose is fresh breaddy and has a graceful hop floral accented by a light fruity twang. It resembles the kolsch. Is that fruity ester a little too strong? It is slightly “wine like” anyway. Hops are a bit more than modest and the malt is creamy and round but not as breaddy as the pilsner. I would say the bubble gives that malt a bit of extra dryness. The hops are restrained in the finish and show no herbal. Just a clean medium bitterness. What is missing is the slight pucker in the kolsch. That would distinguish this beer and it is very subtle. Finishes bitter with hop pepper and crackery malt. A touch too much bite in the bubbles.

Fragrant and mild this is a lovely summer beer.

4

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.

The Topic: How Much Wicked in Wicked Weed?

 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

 Millie and I stopped by Wicked

Weed maybe 5 years ago. Enjoyable, a little nuts, crazy busy. I even brought some to Beaver River Station, NY for my annual beer tasting, and some for relatives at a reunion in Rehoboth, Delaware.
 A lot of the craft community is also going nuts, but not in a good way, about Weed being bought by InBev. You would think they had traded their soul to Satan, and I don’t disregard the possibility that in the future that may prove to be the case. But maybe not as of right now.
 I’m here to provide a little perspective, some of it more positive than naysayers would ever consider, some worse than those who shrug this off would admit too.
 There’s already been an internet war of sorts where brewers/employees published a rant about how things would just get better and InBev would not interfere and only help them. This was countered by a former employee saying he quit because things had already headed into cost cutting/care less about the staff-land. (Possibly in preparation for mega purchasing them?) To be clear he said he was still proud to have worked there, it wasn’t sour grapes, but just that he need things they were cutting; like health benefits. He also felt the employee friendly atmosphere was disappearing due, in part, to bean counter counting. Continue reading “Brew Biz: Werts and All”

Profiled by Ken Carman

Of the many breweries who have entertained my palate over the years; one of the very, very few that have failed to bore me, or even make me go, “Eh,” is North Coast, whose Old Rasputin makes me drool.

Tart is no disappointment; far from it.

The nose is tart cherry with faint malt in the background, at best. Almost sea breeze, minus salt.

Small bubble slight off white head is greeted by a slight haze and a bright, beautiful orange-ish yellow. Magnificent in the glass. The head doesn’t last.

Flavor is cherry tart mixed with background malt. Sweet, yet tart, fruity, yet clean. This is very slightly sour, at best.

Leaves the palate quickly, just leaving the tart and cherry. Low, yet firm, carbonation. A deceptively easy quaff with light body and fruit cling to the roof of the mouth. Almost lawnmower-ish, yet not.

If you don’t try you’re missing a great rendition of a tart cherry Berliner.

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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Yes, to the left is Ken Carman. Obviously Ken is a mere cartoon character who reviews beer. A magical nymph turns the beer into something a cartoon character can drink.

Jackalope Brewing’s Let’s Get WEIRD, 2017

By Ken Carman

Our Judges
         Bailey Spaulding
         Steve Wright
          Katherine Schermerhorn
         Millie Carman
         Grant Ferris
         Stephanie Moore
         Phillip Biggerstaff
         Noah Denney
         Miranda Chandler
         Amanda Crisp
         Ken Carman (and Judge Coordinator)

Just a few of our judges Continue reading “A Beer Judge’s Diary: Jackalope’s Let’s Get WEIRD”

Profiled by Ken Carman

Thick, very white, head that hold well with tiny bubbles and some pillow. Very hazy, urine yellow. The haze may be wheat, tho I really didn’t get any, or the cold pressed-like coffee. But it is supposed to be clear.

A lager-like aroma, no coffee aroma, pilsner-like malt. No hops sensed.

Some cold pressed coffee, which I think may have been the lager sense? Just a guess. The beer behind that is very light. This is more coffee than Kolsch and not much of that either. Slightest bitter. A little minerally.

Mouthfeel had moderate carbonation that fades fast with a hint of carbonic to it. The body is actually moderately light.

I’d love to try this as just a Kolsch. I am guessing it’s a tad like a lawnmower Kolsch. The Kolsch could use more but that would put it out of balance with the light coffee sense that dominates just a hint. Too cold and you don’t get it. Once it warms the coffee gently pops out.

46/83 Rate Beer/Not enough reviews on BA but so far heading towards about 3.3 out of 5

Not all that interesting, but good enough for a…

3.9

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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Ken Carman is a beer dog who slops up various styles as a beer judge, homebrewer and craft beer lover since the 70s all over the U.S.,especially the east coast. I mean the only way he could have done more would be an injection needle, and what’s the fun in that? That’s what he has morphed into the picture that you see to the left. Here at PGA we have to keep him on a tight leash. Very tight. We’re worried he may like it too much.

 Music City Brewers club president Justin, and I, have been having fun arguing as of late. The latest topic was the 2015 v. 2008 BJCP Guidelines.

  Let’s start with an apology…

   As a beer judge I had never done a complete A/B comparison between 2015 and 2008, even though A/B comparisons aren’t exactly a concept I’m unfamiliar with. As quality control in the record industry I knew this was a standard practice: take two records of the same album and compare lead ins, cuts, bands. Is that odd sound non-fill or a plating problem? The same is true, with different parameters, in beer world, like when comparing a 1997 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot to a 1998. How well have they aged?
   However, as a beer judge I’ve only done a little comparing: 2015 v. 2008 Guidelines. Most of that was between competitions, where one would use 15, the other 08.
 There’s no need when assessing entries during competition.
 There’s no need when studying to learn the craft of judging.
 There’s no need when attempting to raise your score on a BJCP test: toss 2008 away. 2015 is the standard now.
   After our discussion I went home and started comparing. Continue reading “A Beer Judge’s Diary: 2015 Guidelines v. 2008”

Profiled by Maria Devan