Professor Good Ales

Good news! The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) is pleased to announce that affordable, turnkey, broad-coverage insurance is available to homebrew clubs across the country. That’s right—after more than a decade of investigating options for a nationwide insurance plan for homebrew clubs, the AHA has finally found an insurance product that is a good fit. (Yes, the process was as daunting as it sounds.)

Why Homebrew Club Insurance?

Homebrew club members know the fun and the value of being in a club—and the degree of risk that is involved when a group of people gathers to share alcoholic beverages. That risk involves both the venue hosting the club meeting or event and the risk to the club itself if an accident were to occur following a homebrew club gathering.

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Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA

This pours pitch black. No light escapes this dark brilliance. A chocolate colored head of creamy foam resides on top and plans to stay forever. It has no choice but to fall slowly and almost deliberately leaving spots of lace in defiance to the alcohol legs. By the bottom of the first glass I have a thick ring and layer of film on top.

Nose is complex. It has some dynamic dark bakers chocolate on it. The kind that has dryness, snap and perfume to it. It has a lovely bourbon scent that is fruity like bourbon is and seems to be almost like there’s a shot of bourbon sitting under your nose. BUT it’s not so loud as to disturb the fragrant bit of vanilla that’s wafting around on the nose like some kind of butterfly. There’s a breath of oak, a fruitiness you cant name yet and the underpinnings of molasses and toffee just starting to show themselves.

Taste is brilliant in it’s unique texture. This is dry, crisp, creamy, fluffy and light as feather. It reminds me of one of those puffed up chocolate candies that melts in your mouth as soon as you bite into it and leaves itself on your tongue sensually and as if it has died a little. Malt is soft. There is a surprising bit of bold espresso coffee on this that is not on the nose. Some licorice back notes that add depth but not that harsh licorice flavor. The bourbon is sweet and sultry, the vanilla smooth and seductive. The palate culminates with a touch of back cherry and a faint bit of bitterness from roast.

I am in love with this beer. The mouthfeel is a light as a feather considering that this is a stout. The champagne qualities of the yeast have done this beer many graceful favors. It has given it a texture that is almost ethereal. It finishes dry and drying to leave resonant aftertastes of toffee, cherry and chocolate. This one was a ride in a limousine.

(I have not written a review this long since Palo Santo – Happy New Beer Sunday )

4.7

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Profiled for PGA by Maria Devan

Pours a golden color with a slight haze that fell off to reveal perfect clarity by the bottom the glass. The head was scant but creamy white foam that fell with no lace.

The nose is crisp wheat, a touch of bread, some grass, and a very light banana and a sweet little bit of pineapple. I think I am getting a bit of clove but not too much. Taste is excellent.. A nice sweet pineapple that is not too acidic and not too tart meets a flaked wheat sweetness.

That mouthfeel is perfect. A little carbonation to keep it light, creamy, crisp and dry. Juicy middle.

The bit of pineapple and banana are just enough to taste and enjoy but nothing that makes the beer too sweet or too much like a hefe. The clove disappeared on the palate for the most part and the hops came up deftly to balance this beer with a graceful bitter that you might not even notice.

Saucy little beer and I really liked it! Thank you Kerry T. Adair for giving me my first beer from Arizona.

4.

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

Pours a beautiful orange amber with a slight haze and a stream of bubbles rushing up the center to meat a creamy head of off white foam that lasts and leaves rings of lace. Gorgeous!

Nose is sweet lemon peel with a bit of tart grapefruit. A touch of sweetness form malt and some hefty pine. A bit of spice tickles the nose and then as the beer warms it develops a sweeter fruit scent that is lightly tropical.

Taste is crisp dry and piney. The fruits are juicy and a bit sweet. The malt is a dry cracker and the pine is healthy and green.

The mouthfeel is soft and creamy. The finish leaves some of that pine resin on the tongue and the back of the throat while the malt sweetness comes to you one last time. The fruits did fizzle a bit on the back end but it was still darn good. The pine is a steady constant even in the finish and the hops bitter is outstanding.

It’s good enough for an IPA but there was enough flavor in this that it fits very well. Leaves you with a bit of tart fanfare and lovely lingering aftertaste.

Thanks Kerry for the chance to try this beer.

3.8

Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.

If I don’t get this down while the blur is still fresh in my mind even more of it will slip away.

Last Saturday evening I attended Session B (and they don’t call it a session without reason) of the 13th Annual Mafiaoza’s Music City Brewers Festival downtown. Thousands? (I don’t have any actual numbers but it was crowded) of folks attended the event which included representatives from most local breweries, many from out-of-state, and a few from other countries: more than 60 in all.

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