Black Death: Craft Beer from Iceland?

As the end of the year is drawing nearer we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. In the beer world the onslaught of seasonal releases has fairly come and gone. The spicy pumpkin brews from autumn have been replaced with the maltier, darker, roastier, and stronger brews we have all come to love and expect as wintertime sweeps over the Pacific Northwest. The term: "Winter Warmer" holds much more weight as we plod through the month of December. For my first review (I know, I'm late. We're already midway through the month!) I'll review this lovely offering that comes to us from the island country of Iceland so named: Black Death, and for the season, properly so. I Hope you enjoy.

And so, Iceland. What comes to mind when you think of the country? A barren snowy landscape? Volcanic formations? Aurora Borealis? Land of the Midnight Sun? Perhaps mile after mile of glacial ice? Perhaps one or all of those things, but certainly not beer, let alone craft beer. But in fact it is indeed true. I have in my possession a bottle of craft beer from Iceland. I recently purchased a six-pack during a layover in Keflavik Airport. But why does craft beer in Iceland seem like such an anomaly? First allow me to throw a little background information at you...

For a good portion of the 20th century, Iceland was a country of complete prohibition. It was passed as a law in 1908 and went into full-effect in 1915. Along the course of the past century exceptions were made. For instance, in 1935 the government legalized the consumption of wine and spirits. But "strong" beers over 2.25% remained completely banned. The justification being that since beer was much more inexpensive than spirits, it would allow inebriation to become much more common. It was not until March 1, 1989 that the government completely lifted the prohibition and beer of all strengths became legalized. March 1st is celebrated by some as "Beer Day" in Iceland and beer is now the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the country.

This beer in particular derives its name from the national drink of Iceland, the extremely strong Iceland produced: Brennivín, nicknamed "Black Death" for its black label and punishing effects. The "Black Death" beer is brewed in the town of Akureyri, located in northern Iceland at Viking Brewery. Up until recently, the beer market in Iceland has been dominated by pale lagers like Gull and Viking Lager. The market for craft beer is growing, with most of the nations smaller breweries springing up within the last 7 or 8 years. I haven't found a comprehensive list of all Icelandic breweries but I estimate there are probably between 10 and 15 with more likely on the way. Where can you find Icelandic beer? I recently read that just last week, Einstök Brewing Company (also based in Akureyri) will be shipping their beer to California. Perhaps it will make its way up the coast at some point to Seattle. As for Black Death, I've no idea if it is distributed within the US. You might call up your local bottle shop and inquire about Icelandic beer. All signs point to distribution outside of Europe soon. With the history lesson out of the way, let's find out if the Icelanders still remember how to brew after 74 years of prohibition by sampling: Black Death...



Name: Black Death
Category/Style: Stout
ABV: 5.80%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: None
Bottled: 10/06/11
Bottle Size: 330 mL
Glassware: Pint glass or tumbler
Location Purchased: Keflavik Airport, Iceland

The Pour: Nice chestnut brown reddish hues, head is light brown/cream coloured, retention minimal, nice ring around the outside. A little lacing.

The Nose: Nose is surprisingly sweet and toasty. Some coffee, little dark chocolate, toasted grain, a little creamy caramel and roasty notes...

The Taste: Malty sweet, little roasty, chocolate and coffee, medium bodied, low carbonation. Mouthfeel is silky smooth, somewhat creamy, nice lingering roasted bitterness. Picking up some toasty caramel-like notes, also some roasted nuts? A touch of smoke and hops?

The Verdict: I really didn't know what to expect when I purchased this beer at the duty free shop within the airport. It was the only dark beer available. I figured it might be some sort of light bodied dark lager, but it was worth a shot. When I found out it was a stout I was intrigued. Cracking open a bottle I was further intrigued when the aroma travelled up my nostrils and the flavour met my taste buds. This beer is good. I wouldn't put it near the top of my list but after sampling other Icelandic beers, most namely Gull and Viking Lager, this one beats out the rest. As it would seem, the world of craft beer is just beginning to boom in the country and I can say without a doubt that the future looks bright. The craft beer revolution is taking the world by storm and Iceland is just its latest victim. If you can find a bottle of craft beer from Iceland I say go for it. Give it a try. It just might surprise you. For all you readers in Cali be on the lookout for Einstök and possibly other Icelandic brews...



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Fullers Vintage Ale: 2005

First off allow me to apologize for the lack of updates over the course of the past month. It has been nearly 6 weeks since my last correspondence. I recently travelled to London, England for an 18 day mini-vacation to visit friends and drink good beer. I suppose this is as good a reason as any for a lack of updates. In any case, I am back in action today by posting a review of one of my favourite beer experiences in London. It comes to us from a very well-known English Brewery: Fullers. Fullers produces a wide-range of English Ales, from their flagship beer, the London Pride (English Bitter) to their London Porter and 1845 Celebration Ale, Fullers produces some excellent brews. And they have won many awards to prove it. By far my favourite is their Vintage Ale.

The Vintage Ale is of course exactly what it sounds like, an aged beer. Classified as an Old Ale (also referred to as a Stock Ale or Strong Ale), this style of brew has its roots firmly planted in English soil. Emerging in or around the 18th century, this style of beer has changed much over the course of the past three centuries. Brews produced in this fashion were often a blended combination of one, two or three different runnings (ales of varying ages), often a young and much older matured ale. The original running of the beer would be aged in wooden casks and the beer would assume like flavours including some stale flavours from oxidation. Old Ales are typically high in strength, although some commonly found today are considerably weaker than others, but this Vintage Ale from Fullers is no exception, sitting at a burly 8.50% this is a very strong beer by English standards. Colours range from dark amber to dark brown. They are full-bodied malt-forward ales with little to no bitterness surviving the long maturation process. For me, this type of ale (if done correctly) is at the pinnacle of the English beer world. These brews are very complex and their depth is unrivalled. Tasting notes anyone?



Name: Fullers Vintage Ale
Category/Style: Old Ale
ABV: 8.50%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: Unknown
Bottled: 2005
Bottle Size: 500 mL
Location Purchased: Lamb and Flag, London, UK

The Pour: Murky chestnut brown, unfiltered, yellow-orange copper hues, slight gold hues around the edges. The head is creamy and off-white, a little retention, and a little lacing.

The Nose: Sweet malt and dust. Detecting some caramel and something very Port-like. A little wood and heaps of dark fruit: figs and raisins, with raisins being dominant. A little musty and something a bit astringent, perhaps a little bit of orange peel and spice, clove? Stale apple juice, a bit cidery...

The Taste: Lots of dust, full-bodied, a little alcohol, quite sweet but not syrupy. A little toasted malt. Nice bitterness, carbonation is medium: not too much not too light. I rather like this. A little spice, a little orange peel, a little apple juice/cider notes. Heaps of dark fruit: mostly raisins. Finish is rather dry and there is a detectable alcohol warmth on the back of the throat. Exactly what I'd expect from this style of ale.

The Verdict: This is the second time in a week that I've had this ale and I absolutely love it. Out of traditional English styles this one just might be my favourite. Flavourwise it's spot on and there is nothing that shouldn't be in this brew. I also prefer bottle conditioned to the widespread cask conditioned (real ales) found throughout the UK. What can I say? I like my beers well carbonated. The higher alcohol percentage is a real treat also as it is difficult to find a brew over 5.00% in most pubs. It's great for sharing and the perfect beer to drink through the winter. I also like the fact that it's from 2005. It's old. The back of the bottles suggests drinking by 2008 but that flavours will continue to develop for many more years. Seven years later it's still perfect and still developing I'm sure. No idea if you can find this anywhere in the US (quite rare I imagine) but if you find it, you should certainly buy it. If you're looking for a real traditional English brew or maybe you're looking for a different kind of winter-warmer, then make this your beer. Toodles for now!



Thanks for reading!

Zach

The 50th Entry: World Wide Stout: Dogfish Head Brewery

For my 50th beer review (it's actually just the 49th but shhhh don't tell anyone) I thought I'd try and opt for something huge and epic. While brainstorming ideas, a friend told me about the 18% abv World Wide Stout from Dogfish Head he'd recently consumed. And that immediately struck a chord inside. 18% and Dogfish Head: massive, epic, huge, delicious, extreme, rare; all of these words and more come to mind when thinking about Dogfish Head. The seed was then planted. I'd have to review the World Wide Stout from Dogfish Head. I'd seen it at one of my favorite local markets: PCC, but the label is rather non-descript and doesn't lead on to what is contained within. The label reads simply: A very dark beer brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley. There is nothing about the process used to produce this beer, nor is there any indication of the strength of the beer. I suppose this is why I never thought to purchase a bottle. Add in the very low price of $12 per 12 oz bottle and that is a great recipe for my not wanting to give it a try. But, after hearing about the amazingness of the brew and the belief that I should go big or go home for my 50th brew review, it was decided: I'd buy and review the World Wide Stout.

After spending a significant amount of time researching this beer, I quickly discovered that it was seemingly an apparition. And not in the sense that no one knew about it, it is widely known in the industry, but information on brewing specifications was hard to come by. For one reason or another it appears it will stay enshrouded under a veil of mystery. The usually informative Dogfish Head website would not reveal much more than the information found on the label. What kinds of malts? Hops? How long did it take to produce? What to pair it with? How long is it aged? Why is it named World Wide Stout? Finding information on this beer is nearly impossible. The only interesting bit I could find was this (courtesy of Ratebeer.com): "World Wide Stout is one of the world’s strongest dark beers. It is brewed using six different yeast strains over seven months and then aged for half a year." Which specific yeast strains, and what kind of aging process remains unknown. I'll continue digging and see what I can find out.

After sampling the World Wide Stout and reading review after review of this brew, I realized this would be either one you loved or one you completely disliked. It would not be for everyone. And after the first few years of release it seems Dogfish Head has settled upon a solid recipe and it's now a consistent beer. At 18% it is mammoth and every bit detectable. But just under the highly alcoholic layer (which left my throat burning after the initial sip) there is an entire world of flavour; one layer after another. For all the reviews I've read that suggest this beer is overly sweet or lacking in complexity (perhaps they sampled a different vintage than I), I can say without a doubt that this beer was every bit as complex as I had anticipated. Even after sipping slowly, there were many flavours I probably missed. But from what my friend and I gathered, these are the tasting notes (hope you enjoy reading them half as much as we enjoyed compiling them).......



Name: World Wide Stout
Category/Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: ≈18%
IBU: IBU
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: Unknown
Bottled: 2010
Batch: F2
Bottle Size: 12 oz
Location Purchased: PCC, Issaquah, WA

The Pour: Rather dark, crimson/bourbon hues, little light passing through, red on the edges. Head is off-white slightly cream colored, retention minimal, no lacing.

The Nose: Little boozy, malty sweet, brown sugar, chocolatey, roasty notes. A little dark fruit? Figs?

The Taste: Extremely full-bodied, loads of alcohol, really sweet, heaps of dark fruit, my throat is on fire after the initial sip. A little cherry, a little cola. Quite spicy. Raisins, some dates, a bit of dark chocolate and caramel. A little salty, a little anise. A very slight bitterness way in the back. Carbonation is low. Finishes quite dry. Alcoholic notes are potent. Also a bit of smoke on the finish...so much going on this brew! It's ridiculous!

The Verdict: My friend and I really enjoyed this beer. It was a definite sipper. I do realize that reviews posted online can be quite misleading as there have been several releases of this beer. Since information is rather hard to come by I have no idea how many variations exist, but I suspect at least 4, if not more. This particular version was bottled in 2010 and the subsequent: F2 printed on the side of the bottle (I'm assuming) is in reference to the batch number. No worries, I think perhaps they have settled upon a consistent recipe. The simple way to put it: if you like huge massive beers, huge massive dark roasty boozy bourbon-like beers, this is the one for you. There are so many subtle nuances hidden in this beer. Literally layer upon layer of flavour. The bottomline: you must take your time with this. To drink quickly is to waste, and trust me, you won't want to drink quickly. It is incredibly rich and robust and packs a whopper of an alcoholic punch. After splitting a 12 oz bottle with my buddy, the one thing that is apparent is that this is not for everyone. As Dogfish Head is so famous for their "extreme brewing" this brew is no exception. If you're a lover of big beers you should definitely go find a bottle. And if you're not (unless you're extremely curious), I would pass on this one. Either way, I found it extremely complex, delicious and satisfying. The recommendations are there, make of it what you will :]



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Russian River Consecration - Black Currant Sour Ale aged in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels

So let's kick this one off right. Consecration, what does it mean? More or less, and as stated by Princeton online dictionary, it means: a solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose. As is usually the case, the brewers at Russian River Brewing Company have selected another meaningful borderline biblical term for the name of one of their brews (among others: Damnation, Temptation, Supplication, Beatification, Salvation and Sanctification). For one reason or another, this beer, Consecration, has eluded me until tonight. Countless times I had read the bottle: "Ale Aged in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels with Currants Added". Sounded simple enough. Sounded amazing enough. But every time I passed it by the overly expensive price stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the others: $13.50, I'd often read, and often thought, "That's way too much. I'll get it next time..." but never did. And what pushed me over the edge? What drove me to finally purchase this bottle of beer that had taunted me from many a shelf? It took a slight buzz, a late-night visit to a supermarket, and a sign below the purple-brown labels of the bottles that read: SALE! And that was good enough for me. I finally bought one. And I was satisfied with myself. After all, it was definitely something I'd always wanted to try and another brew I'd only heard good things about.

So let's hear it. What is the story behind Consecration? Well as the bottle suggests, the brewers at Russian River had always wanted to attempt a beer aged entirely in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. What finally pushed them to do so? One may never know, but we are all glad they found the inspiration. And what kind of beer is Consecration? Coming from several reputable sources (including the brewery itself) it has been classified as an American Wild Ale, a sour ale, Belgian Style Dark Ale, and just plain wild ale. How about we add them all up, take the average and call it a dark Belgian Style sour ale utilizing wild American yeasts and bacteria? I think that pretty much covers the entire realm of what this beer really is. Thinking back to my previous entries I can recall offhand two instances in which I discussed sour ales: one was during my trip to Deschutes Brewery (scroll down in the entry to read about the Solace Rose and the process used to create that brew) and the other instance was during my review of Oude Gueuze (Hanssens Artisanaal). I won't go into a full explanation here, but reading the Russian River website I was astonished (and quite happy) to discover the answer to a question I'd had about sour ales for quite some time.

In both of the aforementioned posts, I discuss blending. Blending is the process in which differently aged beers are blended with one another to create a desirable flavour profile. The question being however, why exactly this was necessary and how on earth did someone decide that it would be a good idea to blend old and young beer together? In the case of Consecration, it would seem, as you will later see, that two very important bacteria responsible for producing delectable sour ale would be: Lactobacillus (Lacto) & Pediococcus (Pedio). These bacteria will grow inside barrels and ferment the beer anaerobically (with little or no oxygen) as it ages. This produces lactic acid, which is one of the sour components in a good sour ale. All is good and well, that is until the brew reaches higher alcohol strength. Consecration is sitting at 10.00% abv, which is pretty hefty. When higher percentages of alcohol are present, the bacteria becomes inhibited and therefore no longer produces the desired sour flavours we love so much. So in order to add a more desireable amount of acidity, the brewers will blend an older and a younger (because it hasn't attained the higher alcohol strength of its big brother) to reintroduce the acidic flavour that makes sour ales so sour. Did I lose anyone? I certainly hope not. To recap and put it all into Layman's terms: younger or "weaker" beers will naturally contain more acidic flavours than that of a "stronger" beer which has lost the acidic edge due to the inhibition of Lacto and Pedio. So brewers blend the two together until the desired flavour profile is achieved. This was done with the Solace Rose as well as the Hanssens Artisinaal: Oude Gueuze.

In addition to the brewers of Russian River aging this beer in 100% French-oak Cabernet Sauvignon barrels they took it to the next level by adding Black Currants to the mix. Undeniably adding yet another layer of complexity and depth to an already overwhelming mix of aroma's and flavours. The next question that I've yet to answer: why Currants? I've seen many beers aged with Black Currants, but why not other dried dark fruits? Suppose that will have to be answered later. Thanks for reading along so far. As I have learned something new, I hope you have too. And now without further adieu, the tasting notes on this incredible brew......................




Name: Consecration
Category/Style: American Wild Ale
ABV: 10.00%
IBU: 17
OG: 1.088
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Abbey Ale Yeast, Rockpile & Brettanomyces
Bacteria Type: Lactobacillus & Pediococcus
Special Additives: Barrel-aged with black currants
Bottled: 04/07/2011
Batch Number: 006
Bottle Size: 375 mL, corked
Location Purchased: QFC, Factoria, Washington, USA

The Pour: Pale crimson pink, slight ruddy orange brown hue. Head is off-white and cream colored, disippates quickly, no retention, no lacing.

The Nose: Wow. Blew me away. Black cherry, sharp acidity, little vinegar, little tartness, lots of oak and wood, vanilla and red wine, dark fruit, black currants, what an elixir! Somewhat purfume-y and quite sweet. Smells intense and makes my mouth water. A little bubblegum. Going deeper and we get lots of funk and a little barnyard, but it is safe to say this is dominated by dark fruit, most namely sour black cherry as well as acetic sour notes. Smells absolutely divine. Ok going in for a taste...

The Taste: Oh wow. Where to start with this one? Incredibly complex. Layer upon layer of flavor. Oak and wood everywhere in this brew. Lots of vanilla, red wine and black cherry. Perfect amount of tart sourness. As it rolls over my tongue it is satisfyingly sweet. Ends with a moderate amount of bitterness but doesn't linger. Mouthfeel is silky smooth, carbonation is abrupt initially but overall rather light to medium and the finish is quite dry. No worries, the complexity is astounding: oak, wine, cherries, currants, sour, bitter, sweet, and at 10% I am having a difficult time picking out the alcohol. The only indication of its strength comes from the slight warming of the back of the throat. I could probably drink a lot of this. Each sequential sip is a treat in itself. I am totally in love with this beer.

The Verdict: Enough said. This beer floored me. From the initial removal of the cork and the first whif of what was to come I was spellbound. I have known few other brews that come close to matching the complexity of this. Each sip is something new entirely. Dark fruit? Sour cherries? Black currants? Vanilla and oak? Take your pick because it is all here hidden beneath one of the various other layers. It is beautifully crafted and instantly (hands down) one of my all-time favorites. The price is higher, but entirely worth it I feel. If you like sour ales, you have to try this at least once. I picked up a bottle on sale for $12 USD but now I am thinking I'll have to buy a few more, or perhaps opt for the larger 750 mL size. This 375 mL is perfect for a solo evening venture. So good. I'm trying to savour each sip. If you see this in a store, don't hesitate to buy because of the price. If you are looking for a wild flavour ride upon which your palate will be treated to the ultimate experience then this is definitely the ticket. Simply said: Russian River Consecration is one incredible journey.



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Dogfish Head Beer: Punkin Ale

Now that we're into October, I thought it might be a good idea to feature a nice seasonal brew. While walking into QFC today, not expecting to find anything, I happened to spot Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale sitting in a lovely 4-pack on the shelf begging to be purchased. As it stands I've never had the privilege of sampling this beer. I have heard only good things about it so I immediately proceeded to the checkstand with a 4-pack in hand. My favourite Pumpkin Ale thus far is Pumking from Southern Tier so I was curious to see how Punkin would compare. It being Dogfish Head, my assumption was that it would indeed hold its own.

A little background on the unique seasonal style of Pumpkin Ale: as far as my knowledge allows (please correct me If I'm wrong), the first real recognition of such an ale was in 1801 when Pumpkin beer was mentioned as being healthy and in some cases prescribed by physicians of the time. Pumpkin was used as a common additive in beers, sometimes replacing hard to come-by malts entirely. It wasn't until the early 19th century that pumpkin began to fall out of popularity with regards to beer production. The first example of modern day Pumpkin Ales was released in the late 1980's by Buffalo Bill's Brewery. Current Dogfish Head owner Sam Calagione entered the pumpkin beer scene in 1994 by entering and winning a beer competition (at the Punkin Chunkin competition) with a homebrewed batch of Punkin. This was in 1994, before the brewery opened in 1995 and ever since they have brewed and released Punkin each fall. The interesting (and misspelled) name for the beer comes from this nearby 'Punkin Chunkin' contest held yearly for the past 25 years in Delaware in which contestants compete by launching pumpkins as far as possible. Contestants utilize whatever methods they see fit, catapults and other contraptions are fair game. Perhaps you have seen the TV show on Discovery Channel?

My experience with Pumpkin Ales has led me to try offerings from Buffalo Bill's to Elysian Brewing Company, to Rockbottom Brewing Company, Southern Tier, Midnight Sun and now Dogfish Head. So I feel ok saying that I have a decent base of knowledge of such beers. Sometimes the beer is overspiced. Sometimes there is too much actual pumpkin and the mouthfeel and lingering flavours are off, so naturally I was interested in sampling Dog Fish Head's take on the style.

Some breweries release several offerings each year, ranging from brown ales, to stouts and porters to Imperial Pumpkin Ales. In fact, this year (actually next weekend, the 8 - 9th of October) Elysian Brewing Company is throwing a massive Pumpkin Ale festival named: The Great Pumpkin Beer Fest, which will feature at least 50 different pumpkin beers. From Elysian Brewing Company alone we can expect: Mr. Yuck Sour Pumpkin Ale, Night Owl (their flagship seasonal release), Great Pumpkin, Dark o' the Moon Pumpkin Stout, Hansel and Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pils, Coche de Medianoche, Kürbitinus, PK-47 Pumpkin Malt Liquor, Headless Horsey, Ursa Orange and one another TBA. It is quite apparent that demand for pumpkin flavored beers has grown in the last decade. More recently bigger macro-breweries such as Anheuser-Busch and MolsonCoors have been releasing their own fall-seasonal Pumpkin beers in recognition of the craze. As it seems I have veered off-course with my explanation of Pumpkin Ales, allow me to get back on track, tasting notes anyone?



Name: Punkin Ale
Category/Style: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 7.00%
IBU: 28
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: Pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg
Bottled: 2011
Bottle Size: 12 oz
Location Purchased: QFC, North Bend, WA

The Pour: Off-white head, moderately vigorous pour leads to disappearance of head, poor retention thus far, lacing? Color of brew is golden copper-orange.

The Nose: Lots of spice. Pumpkin pie, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Malty sweet on the outside. Digging deeper and we find the pithy squash-like characteristics lent to us from the pumpkin used in the brew. Hints of caramely brown sugar well distributed throughout. Fresh baked gingerbread? A little metallic? My mouth is watering, let's go for a taste...

The Taste: Letting it sit on my tongue for a bit the carbonation is fairly light. A whole mouthful of spice, but not overdone like other pumpkin ales. Initial burst of sweetness fades to a punch of spice and ends with a moderate bitterness. Near the end I'm getting something floral? Hops? Intriguing lingering mix of spicy, sweet and bitter on the finish. I rather like this one. Mouthfeel is not heavy by any means, for a 7% I say drinkability is very high and the body is definitely in the realm of medium.

The Verdict: I would definitely rate this Pumpkin Ale in the upper tier of seasonal Pumpkin Ales. I would be interested in sampling one side-by-side with my other favourite: The Pumking from Southern Tier. In Punkin the spice is noticeable but it's not overdone and complements the other flavors instead of dominating them. For a stronger brew this is very drinkable, although my ability to consume pumpkin flavoured beers is usually limited to just one, I rather enjoyed this. I can easily say it's one of the best I've ever had. This would be a great complement to Thanksgiving dinner, a slice of pumpkin pie or simply as a dessert on its own. If you've yet to try a Pumpkin Ale, let this be the first. If you can find it, buy it, it doesn't last long, and you won't be disappointed :]



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Icicle Brewing Company: Leavenworth, Washington

It has been nearly 10 years since Leavenworth, Washington had a brewery of their own. It was then that Leavenworth Brewing Company consolidated production and merged with Fish Brewing Company in Olympia, Wa. Since mid-April of 2011 however, Leavenworth is back on the beer map with their own brewery: Icicle Brewing Company. Open for just five months I had the pleasure of visiting the brewery on a quick visit to the Bavarian style mountain village this past week.

First impressions upon entering: very impressive facility, high ceilings, massive interior and a very clean rustic feeling with large oversized wooden table-tops and stools. I quite enjoyed sitting at the bar top. The photos adorning the walls were a nice touch as well; old photographs showing hop harvest from Selah Valley in the early 1900's. As the brewery is still quite young they are just now settling on their core selection of brews. I was informed this will include a light lager, a Kolsch, American Hefeweizen, German Märzen style, an IPA, and a Porter, as well as a rotating seasonal (at least this is what they're rolling with for now) selection. The seasonal on draft when I was there was a Raspberry Wheat Ale, and I heard they would soon be releasing a fresh hopped "Hoptoberfest" Ale within the coming weeks.

The staff was friendly and willing to discuss their beer and their new operation. Their menu includes mostly easily arrangeable meat and cheese platters utilizing locally produced ingredients, most namely their delicious assortment of cheeses. Beers from Icicle Brewing Co. are available at several locations throughout the city and earlier in the day I had a pint of their IPA while enjoying a bratwurst down the way at the Munchen Haus. Once to the brewery (they open at 2 pm, at least in the summertime) I ordered a sampler ($9 for six) and swapped the Raspberry Wheat for the IPA. The three beers that really stood out to me: Raspberry Wheat, Freund Festbier (German style Amber Lager (Märzen)), and the Priebe Porter. Tasting notes on each to follow...

I found the Raspberry Wheat full of fruit flavour: full-on Raspberry (obviously) and a little watermelon. A little wheat and spice on the nose. Medium bodied, a little bitter, and a little tart. My experience with Raspberry wheat beers is limited but thought this was a stand out amongst the other core brews. The Freund Festbier stood out to me because I thought it was a prime example of a good German-style beer. Flavourwise it reminded me so much of brews I'd tasted while in Munich. Lots of malt and grain on the nose and a little noble hops in the back. Flavours include: little toasted malt, little sweetness, ripe banana and a little bitterness; all the things I would want in a German style brew. The last beer that stood out was the Priebe Porter (named for the head brewer). I was told that this recipe was conceived in a Washington State University dormitory. It has won multiple awards and flavourwise I thought it included everything and more one would look for in a Porter. It starts off with a little brown sugar nose, little roasty malt and chocolate. Flavours align with the nose: toasted grain, dark chocolate, malty sweet and a touch of caramel. It finishes dry and roasty, little burnt coffee bitterness there as well. The carbonation was low to medium. I actually went back the next day for a full pour of this.

The brewery (as with most things within the city) is located 2 blocks east of the main drag (ie the central gazebo and Maibaum) right across from the festhalle. As for other places to have a good pint, the Munchen Haus has a decent selection, as well as bratwursts and all the spicy mustard and sauerkraut you can eat. The Adventure Inn (located adjacent to the medical center) apparently has one of the best beer selections in the entire city, I was told something like 32 different beers (on draft and in bottles) but I never personally confirmed this. The Loft, Uncle Uli's and Visconti's all feature Icicle Brewing Co's (IBC as it's called) beers. There was also a small homebrew shop located near the hospital named: Der Man Shoppe. I think more often than not, if you walk into a restaurant in Leavenworth, you will find beers from IBC.

In any case, I was glad to have had the opportunity to visit and sample beers from such a young brewery (the first in Leavenworth in a decade); it was bustling on the two occasions I visited. It would seem the Icicle Brewing Company is off to a good start and with Leavenworth Oktoberfest looming in the not so distant future, it's safe to say IBC will get plenty of advertisement to project their name into the masses. Hopefully they'll be around for a long, long time....



Thanks for reading!

Zach

Slip Point Brewing - Smoked Scotch Ale

Hello, how is everyone? The beer I am reviewing today comes from Clallam Bay, a city located on the northernmost portion of the Olympic Peninsula west of Seattle by three hours or so. I was drawn to this bottle because of it's handmade label, the almost certainly homebrewed brew contained within, and the fact that the side of the bottle read: "This handcrafted ale...has been approved by the brewer's wife and cat..." Indeed a sure sign of a true homebrewed beer. After a short chat with the clerk at 99 Bottles, my assumption was confirmed. Apparently Slip Point Brewing is nothing more than the brewer's own home; a true example of a working nano-brewery. The beer contained within (I was warned) was not a typical Scotch Style Ale; naturally my curiosity was piqued. In my opinion it is very difficult to brew a bad smoked beer.

After doing a little searching on the interwebs I soon realized the difficulty of attaining information on this brew. There is no ABV to be found on the label, no IBU, and no confirmation of which kind of smoked malt was used. It was decided I'd have to do a little bit of detection with my palate on this one. It is stated that this beer will: "...dance across the tongue with the faint flavor of a summer campfire..." Ok let's see how much dancing on my tongue this brew does.....



Name: Beach-Fire Smoked Scotch Ale
Category/Style: Smoked Ale
ABV: Unknown
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
FG: Unknown
Malt Type(s): Unknown
Hop Type(s): Unknown
Yeast Type: Unknown
Special Additives: Rauchmalt?
Bottled: Unknown
Bottle Size: 22 oz
Location Purchased: 99 Bottles, Federal Way, Washington

The Pour: Hazy cloudy golden yellow, head is white, not much retention or lacing...

The Nose: Really something astringent there initially, fruity esters of some sort, almost like an over-ripe plum or apricot, very aromatic, a little metallic. Almost smells of half-fermented fruit. A bit deeper is the Beech smoke from the rauchmalt and the two aroma's clash. It smells slightly sweet but smokey as well. As is the usual case I pick up meaty notes and some beef jerky but the over-ripe fruit notes are well dispersed throughout. Loads of driftwood and campfire as well. Tough to pick out more than that.

The Taste: Quite thin on the body. Carbonation is really light. Astrigent and a bit sour. But I reckon that's just because it tastes watered down rather than any special additives or techniques. The finish is extremely dry. A bit citrusy I might say. A little spicy. Maybe similiar to a Berliner weisse. The scotch ale side of things hasn't really come to the surface yet. I was told when I purchased the bottle that it was very different from other scotch ale's on the market (well that's quite obvious). I wonder why the brewer decided to call it a scotch ale. Notes of green apple interspersed throughout. Very very slight bitterness. But the aftertaste is not at all pleasant and leaves my tongue feeling similiar to a cotton ball. It really just tastes watered down through and through. The smoke is pleasant enough. It finishes with a lingering smokiness. I love a good smoked beer but the scotch ale title is a bit of a stretch.

The Verdict: I was naturally interested when I was informed that this beer was very different from your standard version Scotch Ale. I did a little looking around online to see what people thought of the beer. Opinions were quite diverse, quality issues perhaps? Seeing as this is a nano-brewed beer coming to us from the brewer's house, it is safe to assume that consistent this beer is not. That is exactly what it sounds like to me. Although I thought the beer had its pluses, I also felt it had its fair share of minuses. The smokiness was pleasant enough, but the accompanying flavours were not exactly complementary. The finish was not at all pleasant and I thought overall the body was rather thin and under carbonated. All-in-all perhaps the brewer is on the right track, perhaps this was more of an experiment? No idea, but I think either he should work out some kinks in the recipe or work on replicating the brew consistently. Keep brewing though, it's not like the stuff was completely undrinkable! Onward to the next beer!



Thanks for reading!

Zach