Robinsons - Old Tom Strong Ale

Hello all, I know it has been quite some time since my last update, my apologies. I had another one queued up and ready to go, but wasn't satisfied with the quality of the beer (not to mention I accidentally recycled the bottle before I could get a photograph). In any case I am here with a fresh review of a high quality ale. This time it is Old Tom Strong Ale from Robinsons. It is classified as an English Strong Ale and if my memory serves me correctly, this is the first time we've reviewed an English Strong (we've seen Bitters and Strong Bitters, but never a Strong Ale). This ale won the award for best ale in the world in 2009 at the World Beer Awards, so this brew has a bit of weight behind it. Like the Espresso Stout from Dark Star, I read about Old Tom in a magazine and had never seen it in the Seattle area. Leave it to de Bierkoning to come through here again because that's where I found it and immediately purchased a bottle. As for the brewer I'll give you a little background information...

Robinsons Family Brewers first opened in 1838 and the first record of Old Tom Ale is from 1899. They are based in Stockport, England, in greater Manchester. The current commercial brewery: Old Unicorn Brewery, derives its name from the first location purchased and operated by William Robinson in 1838: The Unicorn Inn, which also housed the first brewery. Robinsons owns a few other smaller breweries; Federation, Hartley, Marks & Spencer, to name a few, and under these names and their own, they brew many different kinds of beer ranging from Ginger Ales to Blondes and ESB's to Porters.

Moving on now to a brief discussion of English Strong Ales...the typical flavor profile will be somewhat fruity (dark fruits), and malty sweet. Hops may be noticeably present, but this is not always the case. These beers are sometimes found unfiltered and unpasteurized (this offering is neither) and may be bottle conditioned. Other excellent examples of the style: Fullers 1845 and Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo (you may be able to find those back in Seattle). Now without further adieu, I give you Old Tom Strong Ale...



Name: Old Tom Strong Ale
Category/Style: English Strong Ale
ABV: 8.5%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): British Pale, Crystal, Chocolate, & Caramel Malts
Hop Type(s): Goldings & Northdown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: None
Bottled: Unknown
Bottle Size: 330 mL
Location Purchased: de Bierkoning, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Pour: The head dissipates quickly, cream colored, fizzy carbonation. Color is transparent and medium to dark brown. Slight ruby hue to it.

The Nose: Sweet and bready, malty, yeasty, sweet caramel, chocolate and dark fruits, maybe some dried fig, slight roasted character to it. Smells a bit earthy. I can only imagine what it tastes like. Swirling reveals a bit of wet earth, wet moss, a bit of alcohol, and maybe the faintest hint of hops & a nutty
almond-like aroma....ok going for a taste!

The Taste: Carbonation is low to medium, medium body. Lots of bready yeasty notes. A bit of spice and earth. Roasted malt on the finish, nice warming of the throat. Dark fruit hits the palate, a little caramely sweetness. A little nutty. I detect a bit of bitterness on the finish also. A very delicious English Strong. Earthy, flavorful, and dry ;]

The Verdict: A very delicious English Ale indeed. Easily one of the best I've ever had. Roasted, dry, spicy, bitter, lots of depth to this one (must be why it was named the best ale in the world). I think my favorite English Ale is still the Black Sheep Ale. But focusing on Robinsons Old Tom, I've got to hand it to them, this beer is high quality. Given the chance, I would buy it again in a heartbeat. Drinkability is high, it's not heavy or overly alcoholic (even though it's 8.5%). Track down a bottle and you won't be disappointed :]



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Hanssens Artisanaal - Oude Gueuze

Heya, how is everyone? Today I've got a fresh new beer up for review and to most, this style will be a complete mystery; It's called: Gueuze (pronounced: Hoze-uh). In order to fully explain what a Gueuze is, we'll first need to discuss a different type of beer called a Lambic (maybe you've heard of this style before?). I do apologize as this entry grows rather long. But I can assure you it provides a step-by-step description of the process (something I had no substantial knowledge of before this). Hope you'll enjoy.

Alright so rolling up our sleeves now let's get to the bottom of Gueuze's and Lambic's. A Lambic is the base component of a Gueuze. A Gueuze contains at least 2 different Lambic's. So what's a Lambic? Glad you asked. Let's find out...

Lambic's were first produced in Belgium (more specifically in the Senne Valley) located just south of Bruxelles along the Senne River. This region is widely known for its wild strains of unique seasonal yeasts that make Lambic's and Gueuze's what they are. These beers depend on spontaneous fermentation, this is fermentation that occurs when yeast floating in the air starts fermenting the sugars we find in wort (the sugary malty mixture we call beer before fermentation). Unlike the brewing I've done at home where you're instructed to cool the wort as quickly as possible and seal it up without allowing any potentially hazardous contaminants to fall in, brewers of Lambic's allow the beer to cool slowly in large, shallow open-air vats (this goes against everything I've learned about making beer, because cleanliness and good sanitation is king when it comes to brewing, or so I thought). As you can imagine, not only is there yeast floating around in the air but lots of other micro-organisms and goodies I won't delve into, but just know that this is what lends a Lambic such a unique flavor, everything is spontaneous. If you remember my mention of the famous Senne Valley and its seasonal yeasts, we'll note here that traditional brewing of Lambic beers takes place between the months of October to April. The temperature during the winter months lends itself to Lambic production because bacteria and other microbes can't thrive in cooler temperatures. It's a win win situation. Ok so now that's out of the way, continuing on with the Lambic process; the wort is allowed to cool in large shallow open-air vats and is then transferred to large tubs. Eventually the unfermented wort finds its way into oaken casks where primary fermentation from the airborne yeasts is allowed to take place. The initial vigorous fermentation of the easily fermentable sugars is over within approximately 2 weeks.

Now from there, these young beers will be allowed to lager (or age/mature) in these casks at cooler, most likely cellar temperature (about 55 - 58ºF or 13 - 15ºC). These Lambic's will remain in cask for at least one year, other's will remain in cask for two or three years. Now this is where we bring the term Gueuze back into the light. As I stated earlier Lambic's and Gueuze's are directly related. You can think of a Lambic as the father of the Gueuze because what the brewers then do is take Lambic's of different vintages (as I was saying: one, two, or three years old) and blend them together. I've no idea in what proportion a brewer will do this at; I'm assuming according to a recipe or some kind of strict code, something unique to that particular brewery or maybe even to taste, given the fact that wild yeast is unpredictable and will produce beers that vary in flavour year to year. But the journey of the Gueuze does not stop here. As some of you already know fermenting a beer is only the first step in beer production. Beer must be carbonated. And so to carbonate the Gueuze brewers will utilize the unfermented sugars still present in the young (one year old) Lambic. When they combine the other vintages the yeasts still present will consume the sugars from the young Lambic. Thanks to the bottle-cap (or in this case the cork) the CO₂ remains in solution and ready to dance upon your tongue when you crack it open. Post-bottling, the beer will be kept on location for a period of approximately seven to eight months to allow for full carbonation and further development of flavour. Long process eh? And an even longer entry. What was my aim when I started? Oh that's right to explain the process of making Lambic and Gueuze, which is incredibly complicated, not to mention painstakingly long.

The flavour profile on Gueuze is quite unique and unlike any other beer you've ever tasted. Flavours will range from cidery to musty, from very sour and vinegar-like to woody, reedy, and even old barnyard-like flavours (If you have yet to taste this barnyard flavour in a beer, let me tell you, you'll know when you do). And as for the name: Gueuze, its origin remains a mystery. The most plausible theory suggests that it comes from the old Norman word for wheat, which ironically enough is gueuze. Lambic's are known to contain a fair amount of wheat in their grist (the grain that will later be boiled to produce wort). And now, if you're still with me and haven't completely lost interest or fallen asleep, we have the beer. The actual living form, embodiment and culmination of this long age-old process: the Gueuze. And this one is from Hanssens Artisanaal.

Quick background on Hanssens, only because I found this bit of information quite interesting. They first opened in their present location in 1896 and can be found in the small city of Dworp, Belgium down in the Senne River Valley. Hanssens Artisanaal does not actually brew the Lambic's necessary for a Gueuze. Instead they "assemble" a Gueuze (they are called Lambic blenders). They actually purchase the Lambic from outside sources and then blend it to produce a Gueuze. Thirty to forty years ago the art of blending Lambic was more popular and done by nearly forty independent blenders. But flashforward to present day and there is only one independent blender left, and that is Hanssens Artisanaal. It has been done the same way in their family for the past one-hundred years; using almost the same material, which as I've just outlined, requires a massive amount of skill, knowledge and effort. Hanssens is directed by Sidy Hanssens, the fourth generation in this family's tradition. Kind of incredible. Still with me? First off, allow me to applaude you for making it to the end of this entry. Like the neverending entry, sheesh. I hope you're still reading and I hope I was able to shed a bit of light on a lesser-known style of beer. Alright then, onto the tasting notes of Oude (old) Gueuze....



Name: Oude Gueuze
Category/Style: Gueuze
ABV: 6.00%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Wild Belgian Yeast, Brettanomyces
Special Additives: Unknown
Bottled: Unknown
Bottle Size: 375 mL corked
Location Purchased: de Bierkoning, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Pour: Pale golden yellow, a very quickly dissipating fizzy
head. No lacing. Looks like low carbonation to me.

The Nose: Sour, acidic, wood, and vinegar. A bit of sulfur and dust.
Is that a slight hint of malt? Some spicy sour funk. Kind of sweet and beguiling. Champagne. White grapes, and white wine. A little green apple and lemony citrus. Maybe some floral hops...swirling the glass releases some hidden aromas. Guess they had to be shaken free. More of the same beguiling nose. Sweet and light but dense and heavy at the same time. This one has many layers. Fruity and attractive. Time for a taste...

The Taste: Initially sweet, fruity and very inviting, but deceptive and the facade falls away and the sour character comes to the forefront. Sour, spicy, a very nice bite that surprises you a bit. Very acidic and lots of vinegar. Carbonation hits all at once, in one nice explosion, then it's gone and midway through near the end I'm hit with a nice mouth filling bitterness. Body is light and airy. It finishes very clean and leaves me wanting more. Wow this one is really quite something. Sweet, sour, bitter, and clean. Nice woody reedy notes distributed throughout as well. A slight warming of the back of the throat. Quite surprising for a 6%. Finish is very dry. Leaves your mouth devoid of any moisture.

The Verdict: This beer really is something else. Complexity-wise, this one is on another level. Each sip is very clearly defined as sweet, sour, bitter, clean. This beer is a combination of apple and white grape juice, sparkling wine, sweet tarts and IPA. It really does make your lips pucker. It's crazy also that the side of the bottle says it is preferable to consume this before 2030. I'll be bald and over the hill by the time 2030 rolls around. Maybe I'll buy a bottle,
and keep it until 2030 and drink it when I hit 45. This one is definitely top notch. Really so many layers, I'm sure I didn't even scratch the surface. The flavor on this one is very unique and distinct and I feel that it's got a little bit to offer each kind of beer lover out there. Distribuation-wise I hear this one is difficult to come by outside of the region, so best bet is to call around to the specialty beer shops in your area and see if they're carrying it.



Thanks so much for reading this one all the way through!

Zach

Dark Star Brewing Company: Espresso Stout

Just a side note: I wrote this review during earth hour, by candlelight and later transferred it to this site. Thought it would be a nice way to support earth hour by using no electricity for the entire hour :] Anyhow, down to the beer. A little bit of background on the brewer just so you know where the beer comes from. Dark Star Brewing Co is based in Horsham, England, just south of London. The name for the brewery comes from the song from the Grateful Dead, Dark Star. They first opened their doors in 1994 and initially operated from the basement of The Evening Star Pub in Brighton. They have 6 core brews as well as Seasonal and Monthly Releases. The beers range in strength from 4 - 7% and this very Espresso Stout won the best Specialty Ale in the world award in 2009.

I also believe this may be my first time reviewing a coffee beer on the blog. And for those of you that just perked up, "Huh? Coffee beer?" Yes. Coffee beer. The two go hand in hand, that I can assure you. There are many different kinds of coffee beer out on the market today. Straight coffee beers, coffee porters, coffee stouts, beers brewed with actual coffee beans, freshly ground espresso, fresh brewed coffee and even some with coffee extracts. The one thing that is true, is that the world of coffee beers is quite large and a very popular style of beer today.

But coffee in beer? Really this one is a no brainer. Take a look at your next cup of coffee, and then take a look at your next stout or porter. See the resemblance? Both are very dark, sometimes with a nice foamy cream or tan colored head. The flavours of coffee and dark beers are synonymous. The process used to produce both are very similar if not exactly the same. The length of the roast will determine how strong or dark the flavour of the coffee or the beer will be. The bitterness from coffee is welcomed as well. I will take an excerpt from tasting notes on the Pike Place Roast from Starbucks (because everyone knows Starbucks, and Pike Place Roast is the first thing that came to mind): "With a smoother finish and subtle flavors of cocoa and toasted nuts..." Oh yeah, sound familar? Of course, it could be a beer. So yes, next time you purchase a nice bag of coffee have a look on the side of the bag. Most likely they'll have tasting notes and you'll see that in fact, the flavours in coffee and dark beers do align. Now to the tasting notes of the Dark Star Espresso Stout...



Name: Dark Star Espresso
Category/Style: Stout
ABV: 4.2%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Roasted Barley
Hop Type(s): Challenger
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: Arabica Espresso Beans
Bottled: Unknown
Bottle Size: 500 mL
Location Purchased: de Bierkoning, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Pour: Black. Tried shining light thought this, & it doesn't work. At the very edge it is dark crimson, but straight through nothing penetrates. Head is cream colored, not thick by any means, some lacing.

The Nose: Incredible. Lots of dark roasted notes, black pepper & coffee. Charred burnt character shines through. I'm picking up smoke, ash, cacao nibs, dark chocolate and a bit of acidity. Slight malty sweetness and a bit of bread crust, but dominated by coffee (as it should be). Ok enough torture, going for a taste.

The Taste: Smooth, low carbonation. Roasted, burnt notes; coffee bitterness, slight astrigency, dark chocolate, cacao nibs, a touch of smoke midway through. A hint of spicy black pepper and earth. Finish is coffee bitterness & cocoa powder, needless to say it's a rather dry finish. Tough to distinguish hop bitterness from the roasted malt and coffee. The body is light, low on the carbonation, and smooth, but extremely rich and full flavored.

The Verdict: Ahh the verdict. Yes yes, so the Dark Star Espresso Stout...it won the award for best Specialty Ale in the World Beer Awards in 2009. And that's when I first read about it, but before coming to Amsterdam, never had the privilege of trying a sample. I do love my Coffee Beers. And when I saw this sitting on the shelf at de Bierkoning, I had to buy a bottle. I have come across a handful of delicious coffee beers throughout my journey through the world of beer; to name a few of my favorites: The Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter from Midnight Sun, incredible, and Cafe Frog from Rogue Ales (brewed in Issaquah). So how does this Espresso Stout stack up to my favorites? Pretty well actually. I would need a side by side comparison to see which one was my ultimate favorite, but I liked this beer quite a bit. It was much more rich than I would have predicted; it was perfect for savouring. A slight hint of smoke, and lots of coffee. I recently had a coffee stout from another brewery (not going to mention names here) that promised loads of coffee flavor and aroma. It was overly rich, and the coffee was masked and not able to dominate the brew. If I buy a coffee beer, I want to taste a beer dominated by coffee, and Dark Star has achieved exactly this. Back home in Seattle you might check Bottleworks and see if they're selling this. It's definitely worth a try if you're into coffee or dark beer or both :P



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Brewery Review: Brouwerij de Molen

Hello hello! How is everyone? Thank you for stopping by to have a look at my blog. Today's post will be a brewery review (my first since December). I am really excited about this one for a couple of reasons; one, when I first discovered this brewery I was stunned by the variety and ingenuity they were showing in their offerings. Secondly, I was also surprised to hear that they were located just an hour south of Amsterdam. So this past Wednesday (23rd of March) I mounted up and boarded a train heading south to Bodegraven and finally paid homage to Brouwerij de Molen (the recently named 5th best brewery in the world by Ratebeer.com).

The train ride through the Dutch countryside was nice enough, and the weather was a stroke of pure luck. As the train slowed, I peered out the window and saw Molen de Arkduif standing out above the rest of the city and knew I had arrived in Bodegraven. Disembarking from the train I headed off through the small town to find the brewery (which is situated at the base of Molen de Arkduif). I think coming to Bodegraven for the day would be worth it as well, even If you're not a beer fanatic like me. Bodegraven retains that small-town feel very nicely, for one, the people actually smile at you, and you had the feeling that everyone knew each other. The weather was warm and sunny and I was even questioning my decision to wear pants instead of shorts. Upon arrival to the brewery I walked through a large patio to the entrance of the restaurant. I wasn't able to sample the menu items (I will definitely return and have lunch or dinner) but let's face it, that's not the reason I was there anyhow. I asked If they offered a sampler and they did in fact. I took a seat out on the patio and waited only a few minutes. The female server was more than accomodating, spoke excellent english, and wrote out each beer and the accompanying alcohol percentage on a sheet of paper. I sat on the patio in the sun undisturbed for the nearly 3 hours I was there, sipping, tasting, enjoying, photographing, and reviewing each beer at my own discretion. Only briefly did I have company. It was quite enjoyable and most likely due to the fact that I had arrived only 30 minutes after they opened. Needless to say it was an excellent day.

I sampled six of de Molen's wonderful beers. In order from left to right: Donder & Bliksem (Thunder & Lightning), Vuur & Vlam (Fire & Flames), Heen & Weer (Back & Forth), Ruig & Rood (Rough & Red), Mooi & Meedogenloos (Beautiful & Ruthless), and lastly, Moord & Doodslag (Murder & Manslaughter). Now I'll go through each beer, dissecting the flavors and analyzing the colors as if I were reviewing an individual beer. The descriptions increased in length as I went down the line, perhaps in direct correlation to the alcohol percentage (which increases by quite a lot from left to right).

Donder & Bliksem (Thunder & Lightning): The first beer on the list sits at a modest 4.2%. Classified as a Bohemian Pilsner, one would expect this beer to be light bodied and crisp with a slight hop bitterness. The color is golden orange, head is off-white, nice and fluffy, lacing is excellent. The nose is all orange and citrus, pulpy orange juice, some grassy hops and grain. Has a nice spicy bite, light carbonation and body, finish is slightly bitter. I rather like this one. A nice beer to open up with.

Vuur & Vlam (Fire & Flames): Vuur & Vlam weighs in at 6.2% and is classified as an American Style IPA. I'd had this one a few times in the past on draft at two different pubs in Amsterdam, but I was eager to try it straight from the source. The color is a cloudy amber brown. The head is creamy and thick. The nose is absolutely delicious...pine and caramel initially; reminiscent of a mild American IPA or hoppy pale ale. Body is light, lots of hops, floral, citrus and pine. The finish is moderately bitter and fades slowly. It is one of the better Dutch brewed IPA's I've had.

Heen & Weer (Back & Forth): Heen & Weer weighs in at a hefty 9.2% and I was intially unaware of its strength. It was a complex surprise and I was initially drawn to this beer because of the drastic difference between the nose of the first two beers and this one. It's classified as an Abbey Tripel, which means it will be strong and malty sweet with a noticeable hop presence. The color is clear golden amber, the head is thick and white, very nice lacing. The first thing I notice with this beer is the complex nose; spice, gingerbread, cinnamon, yeast, pumpkin and squash. Hints of caramel, and light toasted malt, quite sweet and malty. It is medium to full bodied; a bit of alcohol warmth and hop bitterness midway through and on the finish. I thought this one was complex and delicious. Definitely an above average brew.

Ruig & Rood (Rough & Red): The Ruig & Rood was explained to me as a red Tripel. It was something I had never heard of before so right away I was intrigued. It weighs in at a burly 9.5% (as with Heen & Weer, I was unaware it was this strong until the end). The color of this beer is amazing (I hope it shows up well in the photo). It's a dark ruby crimson, with slight murkiness. Nose is all hops and malt. Slight metallic notes, quite sweet, caramel and toffee, slight roasted malt. A bit of cereal and bran, yam-like notes, sweet potatoes? Medium bodied, hop bitterness on the finish, carbonation is low. Very drinkable given its strength. Never would have guessed 9.5%.

Mooi & Meedogenloos (Beautiful & Ruthless): Mooi & Meedogenloos was also a nice surprise. Was one of the darker beers at the end of the selection (in the photo the one on the left). Any light passing through this one? I don't think so. I had been eyeing this glass the entire time; I do love my strong dark brews. In any case this one is classified as an Imperial Russian Stout and the alcohol percentage is massive to support this; 10.4%. It did look incredibly delicious. The head was creamy and light brown. Excellent retention and lacing. The nose caught me once again; I picked up notes of caramel and marshmellow. Chocolate cocoa, sweet and sugary, toasted malt. Smells creamy. Pie crust and graham crackers; smells kind of like my grandma's chocolate pie. Taste is on par with the nose; sweet, hop bitterness, lots of alcohol. Tastes like smores and roasted malt. I'm getting some alcoholic notes; maybe bourbon. Charred oak and a definite burnt roasted character shines through. Definite hop bitterness near the end. Thick and rich. This is a delicious offering indeed, just make sure you proceed with caution when enjoying this rich complex brew ;]

Moord & Doodslag (Murder & Manslaughter): Moord & Doodslag is the perfect name for this beer as it's quite brutal on the palate. I was only given a half pour on this sample, and the reason for that is because it takes the cake for strongest brew of the six; a whopping 12%. This is another Imperial Stout aged most likely in bourbon barrels. Wasn't sure what to expect from this one, it looked intimidating compared to the others, but I was eager to sample it. The pour is dark brown to black but it's tough to detect the true color; the sun through the glass cast dark brown reddish hues on the table so I'm going with that for a color. The head is dark tan, slight retention, lacing is virtually non-existent. The nose, wow, some kind of alcohol. Very boozy. Barrel-aged? Rum or bourbon would be my guess. Very sweet. Picking up some woody notes; oak perhaps? Carbonation is light, the body is full to the extreme! Filling. Alcohol warmth. More wood. Spicy black pepper and very rich. Hints of charcoal and caramel notes. Some kind of lingering bitterness, either roasted or hoppy; tough to discern between the two. Definite dark chocolate and dark roasted coffee characteristics. Wood, chocolate, and alcohol dominate this beer. You have to take your time with this one since it's such a gargantuan brew (I spent the most time working my way through this one). Dark, rich, and barrel-aged; it would be a lovely dessert beer :]

In retrospect, my first real taste of Brouwerij de Molen was great. Making the trip down south from Amsterdam is definitely worth it. Like I was saying earlier, even if you're not a beer fanatic like me, you can still come to Bodegraven and enjoy yourself. The staff from de Molen is accomodating and friendly. In addition to their own beers, they have a separate beer store where you can purchase beer from all over the world. The sun was shining, I was in a lovely small town, and I was enjoying some of the best beers in the world; it really doesn't get much better than that.
 
 
 


Thanks for reading!

Zach

Augustijn - Grand Cru

And so I had to do it. My curiosity got the best of me. What is a Grand Cru? That is a question I have been asking for quite some time now and frankly, I don't know why I never sought the answer before this. But now that I am here in Holland, and the Grand Cru's that I have seen always tend to be synonomous with Belgian beer (and Belgian Style beer) what better place to start my quest for an answer than here in Amsterdam, less than two hours from the said country? So here I will start. I am sampling a Grand Cru from a Belgian brewer. Let's see if we can find a definitive answer to my question.

Doing a bit of researching, I have discovered that Grand Cru as we know it came into existence in France in 1855 among the various wine regions located there. It was used to denote specific vineyards known to or have the potential to produce grapes (and wine for that matter) of distinction. The usage and attachment of the Grand Cru classification has been strictly regulated for over 150 years. There are five levels within the classification ranging from Premier Cru to Cinquieme Cru. Taking note that this term originated in France, I used an online translator (my personal favorite: babelfish) to do a translation of the word from French into English. Not surprisingly I found the literal translation to be: great wine. I typed Cru and it returned with: vintage. And so it would seem that in French the term means: "great wine" or "great vintage."

So the next question is how was this term transferred to beer? Grand Cru is not only used to denote wine or beers of distinction, but also chocolate, cognac and whiskey. I've been looking for awhile and can't find any definitive answers on when the term was first attached to beer. But it is obviously used to let people know that in some way the beer is special, that it is the cream of the crop so to speak. I also found nothing that suggested Grand Cru is an actual style of beer; it is simply used to denote that more care and effort was put forth when producing the beer. The term is used quite liberally (at least in the US) and the brewer himself will attach the name to his beer. In other parts of the world the name seems to carry some weight (the Grand Cru beers I know of from Belgium really are top notch). I know some breweries in my home state of Washington are using this term in the names of their beers (Snoqualmie Falls, Anacortes, and Dick's). And I know of a couple of other bigger named breweries using the term as well (Blue Moon). In any case it would seem the research done to find out more about this term has left me with a wealth of information to form my own opinion. The one thing that is true is that when you see: Grand Cru in the name of a beer, the brewery feels the offering is in some way special (this may or may not be true). This Grand Cru offering is one from Belgium, so let's see if this claim that Belgian Grand Cru's really are great...



Name: Augustijn Grand Cru
Category/Style: Belgian Strong Ale
ABV: 9%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: None
Bottled: Unknown
Bottle Size: 330 mL
Location Purchased: De Bierkoning, Amsterdam

The Pour:Strictly golden yellow, bubbly lively carbonation on the bottom of the glass. The head is off-white and clings to the glass nicely. Nice retention, quite a nice amount of lacing.
The Nose:All belgian yeast, white bread crust, bubblegum, dish soap, alcohol, smells heavy, slightly musty, sugary and candylike, a bit of caramel corn and toffee, slightly fruity characteristics. I think I know just how it will taste.
The Taste:The mouthfeel is not as heavy as I would have predicted. It's 9% after all. Slightly bitter. A little spice? Hints of bitter orange peel? A bit thin on the mouthfeel. Much more bitterness than I would have predicted, I quite
like it because of that. Warming on the back of the throat. The nose is on par with other bottle conditioned Belgian's I've had. A bit of malt, and quite dry on the finish. It's all there, however; soap and hops, bubblegum, yeast, and bread.
The Verdict:Rarely do I attach a number rating to a beer but with this one I feel the need to do so. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would place this brew at about a 7. It's a good beer and definitely holds up when compared to other examples of the style, but considering it's a Grand Cru, I should expect something more. I wasn't disappointed with my purchase, like I said it's a good example of the style, but I was definitely hoping for something a bit different...


Thanks for reading!

Zach

Nethergate Brewery - Old Growler

Hello all! As promised, the review of Old Growler English Porter is here. I have finally beaten my cold and as a result I am back sampling beer from all over the world (still have a pretty nasty cough though). So, Old Growler, a robust superior Porter, so says the side of the bottle. We'll see about that. If memory serves me correctly I believe I have only reviewed two other Porters, one was the Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter from Midnight Sun, and the other was the Baltic Porter from Alaskan Brewing (so those don't really count). I don't know why I haven't reviewed a standard Porter in the past, they are one of my favorite styles of beer. This one however, is an English Style Porter.

Before I get started on the explanation and history of the Porter, let me first shed a little bit of light on the brewery this beer is coming from: Nethergate Brewery. Nethergate Brewery is located in Pentlow, England. The brewery was founded in 1986 and they offer 10 core brews ranging from Mild Ales to Bitters and IPA's to Porters and a Specialty Ale utilizing toasted Coriander in place of hops. The beer I am reviewing: Old Growler has won a smattering of awards, most recently in 2004 where it took the award for Supreme Champion for Porter's at the Chicago Int'l Beer Fest.

So the Porter. Where does this beer begin? Research tells me its' origins are in 18th century Central London. It was widely popular at Train Stations in the 1700's with railroad workers and train Porters (people who assisted passengers with bags and luggage), this is where the name "Porter" comes from. But what is a traditional Porter? Good question. Traditionally Porters were engineered by brewers using three component ales. The first component was an old ale (soured or stale) a new ale (either Brown or Pale) and a weak ale (Mild Ale). How people come up with these ideas is beyond me, but I am sure glad they did. Now the flavour profile on these original pioneers of the English Porter was an interesting combination that tasted neither old or new. The brewer was able to customize the flavour by combining various amounts of the component ales. Early versions of the Porter were strong (by English standards) falling above the 6.0% abv mark. Over the years, due to the various wars (the Napoleonic, and the two World Wars) and various taxations of malt, the Porter experienced many changes in strength and ingredients. Around 1940 the Porter fell out of production altogether and would not be revived for nearly 40 years.

And the revival would took place in England around 1979. Now there are numerous breweries in England and America producing their versions of the style. The strength of Porters seems to run between 4 to 7.0% with many examples falling above that mark. You can find many different kinds on the market; some brewed with Smoked Malt, some aged in Bourbon Barrels, some brewed with vanilla or coffee, the options are seemingly endless. Typically a Porter will be red brown to black in color and the flavour will be chocolate, earth, coffee, smoke, toffee or caramel-like. The hoppiness will be light to moderate and the carbonation should not be too prevalent. The body will be light to medium. And so now let's get to the beer...



Name: Old Growler Porter
Category/Style: English Porter
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: Unknown
Bottled: Unknown
Bottle Size: 500 mL
Location Purchased: Nelson's Wines, Merton, England


The Pour: Much lighter in color than I would have expected. It pours a clear reddish dark brown, the head is cream colored, not very thick, but lacing is nice.
The Nose: The aroma is a lovely mix of chocolate, caramel, butter toffee, lightly toasted grain, molasses, faint hint of coffee, but mostly sweet and malty. Swirling the glass reveals a bit of grassy hops in there. A slight hint of stale bread, tobacco, straw, slightly musty. Smells delicious.
The Taste: Hmm the mouthfeel is heavier than I would have anticipated. It's delicious. Dry on the finish. Definitely bready. Medium bodied. Slight roasted flavour, notes of caramel and coffee, a bit of dark chocolate, molasses, cocoa powder, has a nice spicy bite, a little bitterness and earth midway through. The finish is slight toasted grains, a little smokiness, faint hop bitterness, butterscotch and earth. Wow I am really liking this. Quite different from the Porters I know and love back home. The carbonation is low and spot on. Strangely refreshing. This one is really drinkable. Could probably drink this one all night long. Wish I had more of it ;]
The Verdict: This one really threw me. After pouring it into the glass, I expected it to be thin and watery, but it was the complete opposite in every way. Full flavored, perfect carbonation, and the nose is incredible; makes you want to dive back in for another sip. The flavour is just so delicious it's not even funny. Wow I am definitely glad I waited to have this one. The wait was definitely worth it. I have no idea if you can find it in the US but you should definitely try and track this one down, it will not disappoint. If you want a darker beer, very drinkable and flavourful, maybe looking for something midway between a darker heavier stout or typical American Style Porter this is your beer. If I had to pick just one word to describe this beer it would be: amazing. Now go try and find your own bottle ;]



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Brouwerij de Molen - Zak & As

Heya! Before I get started with this review, I just wanted to let you know that I had intended to post the review of another English Ale, unfortunately I have become rather sick, and well, it is not well-advised to drink beer given my current state. So I will post a previously consumed and reviewed beer known as Zak & As. Just know that the next beer will be the Old Growler English Porter.

Anyhow, the latest beer up for review as I said, is Zak & As (Sack & Ash), and it comes to us straight from Holland. It is brewed by Brouwerij de Molen (The Windmill Brewery) and they are located south of Amsterdam, in Bodegraven (90 minutes or so by train). I first discoverd Brouwerij de Molen while browsing a specialty beer store here in Amsterdam (The Cracked Kettle) and was amazed by the stunning variety de Molen was offering. Their trademark seems to be labeling each bottle by hand with a rather plain (but quite informative) white label. Each label provides a suggested serving temperature, a consume by date (sometimes in excess of 20 years), ABV, hop types, original and final gravities, special ingredients, bottle number from the specific batch, as well as brewed-on and bottled-on dates; transparent brewing, that's another reason I love this brewery. Why not give all this information? Often it is difficult to find the percentage of alcohol in a beer on the label, but with this brewery everything you could ever want to know about the beer you're about to consume is right on the front of the label. Brouwerij de Molen brews beers ranging from American to Belgian Styles, German to English Styles, with a selection of Seasonal Releases and Special Releases. You can find IPA's, Bocks, Smoked Beers, Pilseners, Stouts, Porters, Tripels, Dubbels, and Witbiers. With this brewery it is more or less take your pick (you can find anything). They will frequently add off the wall ingredients and brew beers with combinations not frequently seen elsewhere (at least in my experience).

The beer I am reviewing for you tonight (Zak & As) is a smoked blonde ale. Yes, that's right. A smoked blonde ale. Sounds quite interesting eh? I thought so too. The only deviation from the normal blonde ale is the fact they brew the beer with Bamberg Smoked Malt (Rauchmalt). The same malt used in german Rauchbier. For information on the flavour profile of this malt refer to this review here. The blonde ale will be slightly sweet, slightly bitter, with an intense upfront carbonation; now imagine this combined with the flavour of Rauchmalt which is very distinct. It promises for an intriguing combo, and let me tell you it was. Here's the review...



Name: Zak & As (Sack & Ash)
Category/Style: Smoked Blonde Ale
ABV: 7%
IBU: 39.1
OG: 1.070
FG: 1.018
Malt Types: Rauchmalt
Hop Types: Premiant, Saaz
Yeast Type: British Ale yeast
Special Additives: None
Bottled: 24th November, 2010
Bottle Size: 330 mL
Location Purchased: De Bierköning, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Pour: Dark yellow slightly copper colored, fluffy off-white head, decent retention, a little lacing
The Nose: Strawberry jam, blackberries, beechwood smoke, peanut butter, ash, dish soap, some citrusy hops, candy sugar, fresh baked biscuits and yeast.
The Taste: Carbonation is tingly and explosive but fades quickly to reveal some soapy citrusy hops, strawberries, sweet candy sugar, detecting a bit of spice, smoke midway through, finish is bitter and sweet with campfire-like notes and a mild bitterness lingering on the tongue.
The Verdict: Quite an interesting beer. When I read: Rook blond bier "Smoked blonde beer" on the side of the bottle (and also that it contained my name in the name of the beer) I was obligated to purchase a bottle. I was surprised, and intrigued; a smoked blonde ale? Seriously? Get out! This beer was so far out there I had no idea what to expect. Combining a deliciously sweet blonde ale with smoked malt was something I had never seen or even considered. When I first cracked the bottle open I was surprised by the sweet strawberry jam-like notes. The smoke was hard to detect initially, but after a few sniffs and a few sips I was able to detect it through everything else; smoke, peanut butter, strawberries, blackberries, citrus hops, dish soap, ash and fresh baked biscuits? A ridiculous ramshackle of a combination, but I really enjoyed it. As far as beers go this one was really out there, but it all somehow works well together. Where can you find a bottle of something brewed by De Molen in the US of A? I have no idea. Maybe for now they are just distributing here in Holland and Belgium. It is definitely worth it on your end to do a bit of research and see if anyone is carrying this brand, you won't be disappointed by the selection, or the quality. For now I am glad to be able to find these beers here in Amsterdam, and at such a great price, I might add ;]



Thanks for reading!

Zach