Written by Franz Hofer for A Tempest in a Tankard
Anyone who lives in or has been to Central Europe at this time of year has likely warmed him- or herself with a mug of spicy mulled wine (Glühwein). I remember well my first encounter with this aromatic winter elixir. The gray sky hung low over Saarbrücken, and an icy drizzle coated the paving stones leading to the Sankt Johanner Markt in the center of town. But something was different about this day.
Aromas of baking spice and roasted nuts mingled with grilled bratwurst and pine boughs. I rounded the corner and was greeted by a cheerful panorama that seemed to defy the dark afternoon: my first Christkindlmarkt. The square had transformed itself into a collection of open-air stalls decked out for the season, many selling Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers and other handmade wooden toys, some selling Lebkuchen and candied almonds, and others selling beer and Glühwein to wash down the Fleischkäse, sausages, and other delectables. It is a winter scene that plays itself out all over Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Alsace and the South Tyrol.
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At Music City Brew Off I judged the Wheat/Rye category. A brewer contacted me back, claiming his entry was listed as a perfect clone of “Urban Wheat 312,” all of which, of course, did not end up in the description of the beer. To be honest I don’t remember being told whether it was wheat or rye, though my fellow judge believes he was told, so when I judged the beer, being perfectly clear and no wheat protein sense I thought it was rye. But there was no sense of rye either, which I commented on.
Ithaca beer’s 17 is like a breath of fresh air. It has a fruity scent that is tempered by sweet wheat. It’s got a lovely floral to the nose and a bit of delightful pepper. That yeast is delicate and dry. There’s funk but it too is delicate. taste and it’s like it is as light as air and and clear as water. The flavors are cool. Yellow golden flavor like it’s color. The beer is hazy and beautiful topped with a white crown. Light fragrant wood is on the nose. The taste is surprisingly herbal. It’s pungent with bitter herbal. It’s also peppery. The bitter is a tad sharp. Light honey scents start to come forward as it warms. It’s tart but not bone dry in the finish. That touch of honey finishes this beer and a peppery little edge.
Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.
Pours a lovely caramel brown with a glowing orange blush to it. Slight haze, faint head of tan foam that would have been bigger had I poured more vigorously. It lasted and left a film on top and made a little lace. presents elegantly int he glass and twinkles like a xmas tree light.
I knew I was in trouble when I got the E-mail that claimed, “I know you like high gravity,” so I wasn’t surprised when the morning was filled with Belgian Strongs. Hey, it’s what I do. Who’s da man who started an all high gravity competition and used to be one of the biggest suppliers for Big Bob’s Barley Wine Bash in Pensacola Beach, Florida?
It’s always been an “A” or “B,” thing with me. Either the head fades, or the aroma leaks into the room. Shaking with a palm over a glass gets my hand wet, or spills if not careful. So an aroma glass that seals helps.
Tanner’s Jack is a beer that, according to the label, is brewed by Moreland Brewery, Bury St. Edmunds, England. It’s actually brewed by Greene King, not Moreland which is now kind of like Buick is to GM, or Mercury to Ford, only beer, obviously. I haven’t seen it in the stores for a while but I must be honest: I haven’t been looking.
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