Cask Beer 101

Now that we have successfully tapped our first keg of draft beer at Anvil my thoughts have shifted to the next addition we will make to the Anvil beer program, cask ale. It is my hope that in the next 6 months we can find the money to buy ourselves a cask engine which will allow us to pour cask conditioned ale all the time. Before I launch into an equipment nerd break down of the cool workings of a beer engine however, let’s cover the abc’s of cask ale to find out why this type of beer is so special and rare. Read more

Belgian Saisons

The smell of fresh cut grass, baseball on TV, the sound of kids out of school, steaks on the grill, weekends on the beach, hikes, 101° F temperatures and 95% humidity outside means it must be summer in Houston. For those of you not from Houston, allow me to explain. Go into your bathroom, close all of the doors and windows turn the shower on at hot as it will go, in a few minutes, you can begin to understand a hot, wet summer day in Houston. As the mist of Texas Amazonia begins to grasp the city our thoughts begin to shift toward relief; what can we drink to help ease the pain?

If you are weary of the light summer beers that have become common place in today’s market, take a look at the most classic of summer beer types, the Belgium style Saison. The word Saison is French for season; this farmhouse style of ale originates from Wallonia a French speaking region in Belgium. We call this ale type farmhouse ale because it was first brewed in farmhouses during the harvest season for field workers who traditionally got 5 liters of beer a day. Wow! Let me be a Belgium farmhand. In many ways, good Belgium Saisons are like good French wine; top fermentation of this beer type takes place in hot farmhouses sometimes at temperatures above 90° F (this might be a little high for the safety of the yeast so many Saisons today are brewed around 80°).

In the age before refrigeration, farmers had to have a way to persevere their harvest from year to year, brewing or distilling were common tools to help do this. Saisons are strong ales that were brewed in late autumn or winter for consumption in late summer. The ales had to be strong enough to survive the months long aging but not so strong as to diminish the efficiency of the farmhands. So many times these beers were blended with Lambics or Saisons from the previous season resulting in a brew that was about 3% ABV. Today many Saisons are bottle conditioned around 8% ABV.

The Saison was once thought to be a disappearing style of beer, but with the help of a fearless American craft brewing market, the Saison has found new life, and consequently many Saisons that were favorites for centuries in their home country are finding their way to American shores. Combine that with the well crafted American takes on this brew, and you have yourself a good selection to choose from. But my three favorites from this category are the Saison Dupont Vieille Provision brewed by Dupont Brasserie of Tourpes-Leuze of Belgium, Saison Dupont’s organic brother Forêt Dupont (A.K.A. Moinette Biologique) and the Hennepin Farmhouse brewed by Brewery Ommegang from Cooperstown, New York.

Saison Dupont Vieille Provision, or Saison Dupont for short, is considered to be one of the best examples of this beer type in the world. Ranking in the 96^th percentile with a 3.81 from ratebeer.com and posting an excellent rating of A- from beeradvocate.com. This is the most readily available example of top notch Saisons you can get. This farmhouse ale comes slightly lighted than you might suspect with only 6.5% ABV. The beer pours a hazy straw yellow color. It has a thick white head made up of tiny little bubbles, the head settle quickly but hangs around in a thin form for most of the time you consume it. The nose is a dusty mix of spice yeast and hops. The mouth feel is highly carbonated; this comes from the bottle conditioning. The taste is a sweet mix of spice; I get light coriander, cloves, peppercorn and nutmeg with a very forward flavor of acidic lemon. The finish is a dry sweetness that is somewhat lingering. By far a tasty beer that is good all year round, but it is truly satisfying after a hard day of yard work, or farm work, whatever you might be doing.

Moinette Biologique is the same beer as Saison Dupont but it is brewed with 100% organically grown hops and barley, with no added pesticides, no chemicals and filtered natural well water. The beer is in the 95^th percentile on ratebeer.com and gets an Excellent A- from Beeradvocate.com. The beer is very similar to the Saison Dupont in almost every way, but it is slightly more carbonated and has a more refreshing mouth feel. All things being equal I would choose the Moinette Biologique over the Saison Dupont simply because it is basically the same beer with a smaller carbon foot print (blog score points with green community).

Using the standards set forth by the great Belgium breweries like Dupont Brasserie Brewery, Ommegang is thousands of physical miles away, but right in step with the great tradition of the Saison. Ommegang is an American brewery like Allagash that has chosen to base its brewing on the time honor methods of Belgium beers.

It is right to talk about Ommegang and summer as summer is indicative of sports like baseball, and Ommegang and baseball are the only two important things in Cooperstown, New York. Brewery Ommegang is an architectural masterpiece based on Belgium farmhouses, the brewery was built on an old hop farm in 1997. The brewers work on one simple idea, brew a product that is a deep complex totally-quaffable marriage of partaking and art. It is under the illusion of the European country side that Ommegang brews their only Saison; the Hennepin Farmhouse Ale. The brew has been called nirvana in a bottle, the beer God would drink, and a beer in the classic tradition of Belgium. Hennepin is in the 93th percentile with a 3.69 from ratebeer.com, and gets an Excellent rating of A- from beeradvocate.com. This bottle conditioned ale weighs in at 7.70% ABV.

The beer pours a hazy golden color with a light, lively fluffy head that doesn’t last long. The nose is full of sweet citrus mostly an orange flavor. The beer has a very dry mouth feel that is unexpectedly hoppy. The taste is a mix of yeast, sweet citrus layered with a ginger flavor. The beer has nice lasting bitter finish. This is a great example of a Belgium beer done the right way outside of Belgium. Try this beer with rustic foods like roasted chicken or duck, meaty fresh water fish, some shell fish like lobster, whole grain breads and full bodied cheeses, or foods with a little more spice like BBQ, Mexican, Thai or Indian.

So as the weather turns warmer and you find yourself working outside, remember that long before the watery light beer became America’s choice for summer time refreshment the Belgium Saison was quenching the thirst of hard working men and women and doing it without sacrificing flavor or character. So get out of the steamy bathroom and grab one of many great Belgium style Saison we have to choose from.

Southern Star Brewery’s Pine Belt Pale

Great news! Houston (Conroe) has another micro-brewery and they are making some great beer. Southern Star Brewery in Conroe, just outside of Houston, finally released their first beer, Pine Belt Pale, last week, and I must say I am a big fan. If Southern Star is able to live up to the precedent set by this release, we are going to have another great Texas beer to add to our increasingly powerful local beer lineup.

The Pine Belt Pale is an American Pale Ale that is canned, not bottled. Rumor has it, Southern Star has chosen to go the can route, which has been getting a lot of positive methodological attention lately, because the Southern Star guys are big fishermen. The canning approach, on top of being a growing micro-fad, is just plain safer for outdoor activities and the environment. I’d like to give all sorts of political praise to this approach, but my position as bartender keeps me from revealing my political views to most. I’m supposed to be the guy who makes everybody happy and hands out drinks, not political lectures. Either way, I like the entrepreneurial blend of taking a great product and adding one’s own individual style and preferences. It gives the beer character and an ideology that is essential to any great product, and this definitely comes out in the brew.

The beer pours a bright amber color with an office filer folder-colored head. The nose on the beer is extremely intriguing and complex. It has a wonderful offering of citrus, caramel, hops and malt. With such a big promise to keep, the taste of the beer falls a bit short of the nose, but this should in no way prevent you from getting your hands on this brew. The beer is extremely easy to drink and balances a malty, caramel flavor with an unusual hoppy element I haven’t been able to compare with any other beer. The finish isn’t that extensive, but I think this works well with the easy-drinking quality of the beer, and it is the subtleties in the beginning that make this a great brew.

From what I’ve been told, the odd hop flavor may arise be from Southern Star’s use of a type of high-quality Japanese hop. With major producers and established micros having contracted out what left of the world’s hops during this shortage, alternative hops were a better option for the new brewery. With some of my favorite beers like the Breckenridge 471 small-batch IPA hitting the $13 mark a freaking six-pack, I hadn’t found any advantages to the hop crisis until now. But, I must say that this alternative hop, which is obviously a response to the shortage, has lead to a differently styled American Pale Ale that rocks. Southern Star is throwing a bit of diversity into not only the Texas beer market with this beer, which seems to be diversifying more and more everyday.

If you haven’t had the Pine Belt Pale from Southern Star yet, you can pick some up at Spec’s downtown store, or you can come into and have some. We also have plans to get a keg of Southern Star very soon (the order is in now), for those of you that want to try the beer on tap. Either way, make sure you get out there and support your newest micro-brewery. I can’t wait for the next release, which I hear is going to be a “logger”. When this comes out, check back here for more information, or come into the bar because we will definitely be carrying this as well. Congratulations Southern Star on a wonderful initial release. I expect great brews from you guys.

Allagash Musette Oak-Aged Scotch Ale

I love being back in Houston. After 2 years in the cocktail backwoods of North West Arkansas, where a bottle of the local watery beer and a Jager bomb toped my list of great drinking experiences, and 4 years before when I passed my time shooting Jack and kicking back Coronas in a mostly dry region of West Texas, I find it refreshing to be crafting drinks at a bar where we are given the freedom to explore the Rosetta Stone that is the Savoy Cocktail book. However, I have recently discovered that one of the best things about being back in Houston is also one of the most threatening establishments to one’s personal finances, Spec’s Liquor Warehouse. I have been finding it harder and harder to walk out of there for less than two hundred dollars, which wouldn’t be all that bad if I was throwing a big party or if I was doing it once a month, but sadly this is not the case. I might be what some would call an uncontrollable collector; therefore, I have made a new rule: I will not shop with a cart Spec’s. I will only buy what I can carry with my two hands. Facing such limitations I find myself weighing the cost of a bottle of booze against the quality of said bottle, and last week I found a bottle of beer that was well worth the price. When is a bottle of beer worth $17? When it is as good as the most recent offering from Allagash Brewing based out of Portland, Maine. You see, the Allagash Musette Oak Barrel Aged Scotch Ale is the reason why I made the no cart rule.

Allagash is small, but powerful brewery out of Portland Maine that was born out of the American craft brewer’s movement of the mid 1990’s. Allagash owner Rob Tod set out to bring the ever complex and diverse Belgium beer styles to the American population. After the success of the brewery’s first two beers, Tod and his growing staff began researching the historical art of méthode champenoise. The technique calls for two fermentations, one in the Brewery’s fermenting tanks and the second in the bottle itself. It is this second fermentation that produces a notable increase in carbonation, a softer mouthfeel, and beers of remarkable complexity. This method of bottle conditioning leaves a small amount of yeast in the bottle, creating what is known as a “living” beer. As a result, these styles have a greatly enhanced shelf life and some styles will age exceptionally, much like a fine wine. Just as the styles originate in Belgium, so does the package itself. To insure authenticity, Allagash imports the bottles and corks directly from the same country that designed the techniques. This enables the beers to reach carbonation levels similar to champagne while allowing the corks to “pop” characteristically upon serving. Today, Allagash still remains one of very few breweries in North America using this distinctive package.

Born from this historical and time honored brewing method comes Allagash’s newest brew the Musette an Oak-Aged Scotch Ale that Weighs in at 10% ABV and is only available in very limited batches. To be honest, I am surprised that there isn’t some crazy Texas Law that bans such beers, but I’m gong to drink as much as I can before someone passes one. The beer pours dark amber. Watching the liquid flow from the bottle into the glass you can tell that this beer is going to be worth the money. The nose is light but as the beer warms the careful notes of wood and spice begin to come out. The oaky smell shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the spiciness is somewhat unexpected. Deciphering the spices from the nose alone if difficult, but a careful balance becomes clear as you breath in the brew.

As the beer comes rushing out of the glass a think white head form that is built out of tiny bubbles. The creamy yet fizzy head settles down after a few minutes into a thin white hat that stays on top of the brew the whole time. The lacing of the head is long and leggy and generally endures for the time that it takes to drink the beer.

At first taste, the beer is all about malts and oak. The oak flavor is an underpinning, not the main story line which is nice. I have found with oaked beers in the past that the woodiness takes over and ruins the beers many flavored plot line. The malts on the front end give the beer a pleasant round mouth feel. The oak flavors act as a clean transition from the front of the taste to the tail, playing the role of fair boat captain, and the beer moves from the front of the tongue to the back. On the finish is when the spiciness joins the party. It is on the finish that the spice shows its true form of ripe fruit, the beer smacks of fresh raisins and bananas.

Overall, I found this beer to be delicious. I can safely say that this is my favorite beer of 2008 so far. With that in mind, the real scary part is that I believe this beer will be better after it has rested a few years. If you are a fan of big beers or great Belgium’s you will love this beer. This beer sets up an expectation that some would call unreasonable yet leaves you wanting more. It was this belief that made me take a return trip to spec’s pick up a few more bottle to add to my collection. So, although I have put the brakes on large volume purchases, it has just made me more discerning and willing to pay for what taste good. That and for some reason, I keep making all these damn trips to Spec’s lately. Hey, I said no cart, but I didn’t say I couldn’t make multiple trips…

Real Ale Devil’s Backbone Trippel Finally at the Bar

Texas is a big place; we have shore lines, high plains, wide valleys and a beautiful hill country. In amongst the green trees and white rock outcroppings of Texas’ hill country lays the small town of Blanco, the home of Real Ale Brewing. Real Ale is one of Texas’s smaller breweries offering only 4 beers year-round in 12oz bottles and draft, but small size can be a useful trait if used correctly. Although I like all of Real Ale’s year-round beers, they put out some of the better seasonal beers in the state. One of the most appealing aspects of Real Ale’s brewing style is there mix of local Texas attitude and international flavors. Their most recent seasonal brew is a great example of this philosophy; The Real Ale Devil’s Backbone Belgian-Style Trippel. This beer takes its name for the narrow ridge line running from the brewery’s home town of Blanco to Wimberley officially known as RR 32.

This Belgian beer weighs in at an ABV of 8.1% and 36 IBU’s . The beer pours a hazy fall color with hints of yellow amber and orange. The white head is made up of small fizzy bubbles that give it a creamy texture. The head is lasts for a decent amount of time; it pours thick at first then settles down into a thin body that stays with the beer until you take the last sip. This beer has good lacing that follows the head to form about an inch further up the inside of the glass. The body of the beer is what you would expect from a good Belgium beer; hazy with a medium body and tiny particles. This beer had “pick me up and drink me” written all over it.

Upon diving in, the beer simply explodes with aroma; the olfactory experience is intense. The nose on this beer is firing on all cylinders, and I can pick up on malty, hoppy, yeasty and spice flavors. The brew has a moderate malty nose that hints of lightly baked bread and fresh grains. The Belgium yeast nose was very complex giving off the feeling that I was standing in old bakery with a rich clay wood fired oven and fresh dough being kneaded. While the hoppy component of the nose was not on the forefront, the Czech spaaz hops make their little green presence felt - a light hoppinness mixed with fresh citrus. The brew also had a very clear spice factor to it; the most prevalent smells being coriander, honey, and vanilla.

If the smell is the foreplay then the flavor was worth the buildup. At first taste, there is no denying that this is one complicated woman. As the, medium body of the brew hits the tongue the spice and malts are the first things you get. The carbonation pricks the tip of the tongue as the roasted coriander and malty graininess hit your taste buds backed up by a moderately sweet and lightly acidic secondary flavor. The watery mouth feel of the beer helps transition the flavors from the tip of the tongue to the back of the mouth. The finish is all about yeast; the earthy overtones play nicely with the freshly active yeast flavors. The finish flavor is short lived, but tastes of toasted malts and fresh yeast with a hint of indisputable coriander and honey.

Overall this is a very complete brew; the appearance and the nose make a promise that the flavor kept. While I am admittedly a big fan of the Real Ale line of beers, a line that consists of a great barley wine that will cellar very well, this might be my favorite beer by them to date. Beers like this one make it is easy to understand why sometimes we in the beer community can pass over lighter styles in favor of something big and Belgian.

There has been a lot of talk in the community about America’s lightning fast move to the front of the beer world in the last 10 years. It could be said that this move is thanks in part to the increased globe popularity of the “American Light Lager”. Other beer brewing regions have shifted their flavor profiles away from their regional specialties and more toward the flavor trend of lighter is better. The movement in the American micro world has been in the opposite, moving away from the American Light Lager towards deeper more full bodied styles. That’s not to say that there are not good Dobblebocks coming out of Germany or good Trappist coming from Belgium anymore, that would be ridiculous. But what is happening is that the old division in the American beer market between many imports and domestics has become imposable to make. Consequently, beer lovers everywhere have supported their local microbrews with greater vigor.

I am glad that we have both Real Ale and St. Arnold’s here in Texas, both creating what will certainly develop into nationally recognized beers. While I won’t be able to make it out to the Hill Country any time soon to take that great drive along Devil’s Backbone, the landmark’s namesake beer will more than make up for it in the time being. Real Ale only sent a few kegs of this great Belgium to the Houston market, and we are really fortunate to have gotten one. So if you’re in town, swing by the bar and let me or Robert pour you one on draft while our only keg lasts. It does make Texas seem just a little more beautiful.

St. Arnold’s Summer Pils

As the mesquite smoke floats off the coals, past the sizzling steaks, and into my eyes, I retreat into the garage and pop open the beer cooler. After a long day of grilling, I need something to hydrate me long enough to finish off the rib-eyes. My cooler homes a plurality of beer types from different regions; perhaps, I should have a big IPA, a nutty brown, a cellared barley wine, or a black lager? Oh I know, that bottle of Stone Smoked Porter a friend gave me would be perfect! Wait, no, If I drank that bomber without him Robert, he would kill me.

My sister walks in and asks, “Hey Kev, do you have a Bud Light?” I love my sister, but sometimes I just don’t know how we are related. Note: she drinks Malibu and Coke or Cherry Vodka Sours, so complex flavors are not of the utmost concern. “Of course I don’t have a Bud Light, but why don’t you pour yourself a glass of water and have the dog piss in it instead”, came my hot headed response. As she nonverbally expressed her displeasure, I reached for a beer she would enjoy I realized that I really wanted was something easy drinking as well. In reality, her choice of beer was much more fitting for the warm spring temperature and the smells of fresh cut grass mixed and the grill. Lucky, I always keep a six pack of the latest local Texas seasonal beers in the cooler, so it was a logical choice when I pulled out two bottles of Saint Arnold’s Summer PIls, the traditional summer offering from Texas’s oldest micro-brewery.

I will admit that as I was finishing the steaks, I drank the first few beers strait out of the bottle. But, after the dinner guest had left and the last of the dishes were done, I was able to sit down a truly analyze this light and tasty Texas summer brew. The beer pours a very clear light gold. The clarity of the beer is so perfect that I can hold the beer to the light and look up through the side of the glass and observe the fizzy white head dissipate from below. The head poured was a vigorous thick white but didn’t hang out for the party, as it disappeared very quickly.

The beer has a very light nose; in fact, it was so light that I got a nose full of brew as I leaned in for a better sniff. After cleaning my nose, I was able to pick up on a light malty aroma highlighted by sour citrus and sweet lemongrass notes.

Initially, the beer dances off the tip of the tongue and is defined by high carbonation with an underpinning of black pepper spiciness. Midway through the taste of the beer becomes so light that hardly any flavors stand out, but the end of the taste reveals the hops show and their floral little green heads. The finish ends with a light, but hop-flavored finish that s perfect for this otherwise simple beer.

Overall I found this beer to be quite drinkable and refreshing. While the beer could have a little more to offer between the hoppy finish and carbonated spiced initial taste, It is a shame that this beer only ranks in the 35 percentile on ratebeer.com and a B from beeradvocate.com. These low rankings likely come from the predisposition of beer nerds to dismiss lighter brews in favor of the big, the bold, and the dark, overlooking the light, refreshing, and drinkable artisanal brews. I will admit that we here at Drink Dogma have manifested the same beer snobbery, but with the changes of the seasons and the arrival of family cookouts, I suggest you take my sister’s lead and reach for something light and refreshing, the Saint Arnold’s Summer Pils would be a great place to start. If you want to try one on tap, swing by the bar and have us pour you one.

Unreasonable Expectations for Beer

Over the past several weeks, I noticed an ongoing trend in my beer selection. Instead of opting for the well-crafted, seven to eight dollar six-pack, I found myself seeking out the exotic, extreme bomber. For example, over the last week, I consumed Avery’s Maharaja Imperial IPA, the Malheur-12 Dark Ale, and the Dogfish 120 Minute IPA. Also, awaiting their doom in the fridge are Avery’s Collaboration Not Litigation Ale (Batch #2), Northcoast’s Le Merle Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale, and Unibroue’s 16 and 17 Belgian anniversary bombers. Man, what happened to the reliable, blue-collar lager that used to greet me as an after work treat?

All I know is that I wasn’t always this way. As a matter of fact, there was a time when drinking beer was really out of the question. Sure, the cold longneck is generally the introductory alcoholic libation for experimenting teens, but I opted for wine initially. Knowing people deeply involved in the industry from the time I turned 21 provided easy access a wide selection of great wines. I guess I just couldn’t convince myself to acquire a taste for beer when wine was so plentiful. However, when I began to regard bartending as a profession, I wanted to be sure to make accurate recommendations for my guests about wine, spirits, cocktails, and yes, even beer. Before I realized what was happening, beer was not only another obsession, but a reliable option that could be found in any bar.

Lately, however, I have been disappointed by several beers despite high recommendations by people that, in the past, have been reliable sources for finding a great brew. Take tonight’s beer, Avery’s Karma, a Belgian Gold Ale. I generally like Avery’s beers. They have created what are hands-down some of the most flavorful and creative beers to come out of the American micro-brew scene. The Karma, however, was really underwhelming. I expected a complex and flavorful American take on a traditional Belgian-style ale, but what I got was a lighter, subtle summery brew – not the beer I wanted. I said to Kevin, “Man this beer sucks; I usually really like Avery’s stuff.”

When I tried to expand on my criticism, I found myself unable to provide any specifics. Sure, the beer wasn’t the most flavorful I’ve experienced, but it was anything but bland, had a good mouth feel, and, overall, was very balanced. What more could you want in a beer? To be short, I wanted the characteristics of the Avery IPA I tried earlier this week, the Maharaja. That beer was awesome; it had some of the most intense hop flavor of any IPA I’ve experienced.

It occurred to me, however, that assuming that every one of Avery’s beers should live up to the reputations of the Maharaja, or heaven forbid, the Mephistopholes, is an unreasonable expectation. One of the most important lessons that I learned from my introduction to appreciating wine when I was younger was that every bottle of wine should be judged by its own merits. Judging a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc against an Australian Shiraz is a ridiculous way to formulate an opinion. Every bottle makes a promise; the only way to determine whether it is a good wine, spirit, or beer is to find out if it keeps it. The Karma never promised to provide what I’ve come to expect from Avery’s small production beers. It is supposed to be an easy to drink take on a Belgian ale, and that’s exactly what it is.

When analyzing their drink of choice, people frequently forget that not every bottle can be the best. If they where, the experiences and memories of those special gems that have become our favorites would not exist, as everything would be reduced to a standard average. While wine snobs have the reputation of being the most notorious critics of “inferior” bottles, beer elitists are threatening the throne of libation pretentiousness. One need only look at Beer Advocate’s List of the Top 100 Rated Beers to see this circumstance exemplified. Seriously, are we really supposed to conclude that, with a few exceptions, the best beers in the world are all imperial stouts, double IPA’s, and extreme Belgians? More importantly, would you want to drink more than one or two of these beers in an evening?

If the answer is no, I think we have to question the validity of ranking beers without, at least, some categorization. Instead, beers should be considered for what they are; a solid lager can still be a good beer. Now, I’m not saying that the types of beer in my fridge are going to change anytime soon. I enjoy drinking beers with intense flavors more than those that are more drinkable, but my preference does not mean that other beers lack quality and wouldn’t hit the spot at a ball game or after a real busy shift. This is the standard by which we will choose to recommend beers, wines, spirits, and cocktails on this site, and we feel is a better approach that anyone who thinks about their beverage should employ.

Real Ale Phoenixx Double ESB

I swung by the Gingerman after work the other day hoping to get a pint of the Real Ale Real Heavy, we just got it on tap at the bar; however, they hadn’t yet tapped their keg so Joe grabbed me a Phoenixx Double ESB by Real Ale instead. The Double ESB is Real Ale’s most recent seasonal, and it offers everything we’ve come to expect and love from Real Ale.

The beer is classified as an English Strong Ale, it weighs in at 6.6% ABV with 50 IBU. Oddly considering these stats, the Beer has a very light nose. It might because I have a slight cold that the beer keeps its entire flavor for your palate, but I got very little nose from my initial investigation. I believe that just as you eat with your eyes you also drink with your eyes. So the question becomes does this beer say, “Pick me up and drink me”? Well, this is an ideal looking beer. It has a white creamy head that has great lacing that hangs all the way down the glass. The body is fairly clear with an amber black color.

Real Ale claims that this “this ale is about hops. The blend of English hops, highlighted by its namesake, Phoenix, yields a complex hop character that dominates this special brew.” The beer definitely keeps its promise. The presence of hops creates a bitterness that definitely dominates the beer. The overall structure of the beer is prototypical of any well done ESB, but there is also a rich, yet balanced malty flavor apparent in the taste as well. This element comes from the English crystal malt which brings with it a light toffee and caramel undertone. This beer has a medium body with a very light and watery mouth feel. The finish lasts, but it shouldn’t keep you from drinking this with other beers if you find yourself out on a tasting spree, which is always a concern for me.

Overall, I would call this a very well balanced flavorful beer that you should definitely seek out if you have the opportunity. I guess the Real Heavy is going to have to wait for another day, that or I just have to sneak a taste at work and report back later.

Session 12: Real Ale Sisyphus

Welcome fellow beer lovers. I know you might be wondering how a cocktail blog found its way to the beer party, but hey, good beer has a special place in every imbiber’s heart, especially when it is barleywine. Regular readers of this blog are aware of my support for local products; I generally go on at least one rant every couple of months abut how large corporations are threatening the autonomy of small spirits destroying both quality and innovation with their massive purchasing. The only way to resist the Pernod-Ricard leviathons is to support the micro-distilleries that are popping up all over the country in the same manner that micro-breweries did a decade before, reinvigorating the creative elements of the industry. Unfortunately, for a long time, Texas was far behind the micro movement in regards to both spirits and beer. Fortunately, the last several years have produced several breweries and, most recently, a few new micro-distilleries. Texas beer and spirits are finally becoming noteworthy.

The mere existence of a brewery, however, does not mean that drinkable beer is being produced. I’ve had some local brews that the community must be tolerating because they just want to have their own nostalgic brewery nearby. Under these circumstances, one of two things occurs: the brewery goes out of business or they get better. Texas has had both over the last 15 years, but fortunately, one brewery in particular has began producing some excellent beers that should position it as the lone star state’s premier brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company.

Their barleywine, Sisyphus, is just one example of their stellar seasonals. If you can get past the name and drink the beer without putting on a condom, you’ll find that Texas might just be catching up with the rest of the micro-brewery scene. Actually, as you might know, Sisyphus is a mythical Greek figure, not a STD, who was doomed to pushing a boulder up a hill for all eternity. When the boulder finally reached the top, Sis would lose the rock and be forced to repeat the exercise. All this because of his belief that his trickery was beyond that of Zeus. I don’t know why you would name a beer after this guy. If you ask me pushing heavy loads up hills and drinking beer are just about as opposite as you can get, but to each their own. Maybe the brewery is hoping that we will repeat the exercise of drinking the barleywine over and over again.

But, at 11%, this might be a bit overwhelming. The beer pours a thin tan head atop a amber coloered beer. The nose has toffee, caramel, honey, and floral elements. The mouthfeel is surprisingly smooth for a barleywine. Maybe it’s just me, but I find this to be the easiest to drink barleywine I’ve ever had. I think this beer is easier to drink than their recent seasonal release the Phoenix Double ESB. Me and Sisyphus here could get into trouble quickly, and I don’t think the “push the boulder up the hill option” is an option nowadays. This of course is riding on whether the beer tastes good. This is certainly the case as a pleasant combination of light coffee and toast, honey/maple syrup, and floral flavors are balanced well with a present, but not overbearing bitterness. I read some of the reviews on BeerAdvocate, and people mentioned citrus frequently. I really didn’t notice very many citrus components at all, which is something that usually jumps out at me in beer. I do think this beer could have offered more however. The beer’s flavor was rather modest for a barleywine, which isn’t what you are usually looking for when pulling this style of the shelf. Nevertheless, evaluated independently, it is exciting to see a Texas label put this out.

Combined with some of the St. Arnold’s Divine Reserves released in recent years, Real Ale’s seasonal, especially the Sisyphus are redefining Texas beer. The days of Shiner dominance may finally be coming to an end. Granted a good Shiner now and then is never a bad thing, but hey we were once our own country, I’m sure we can make our own beer too. Hopefully, the upcoming release of Southern Star’s first batch will add another contender to the group. Well, this Session thing was kind of fun; I might have to try this out again next time. An excuse to drink more beer isn’t really needed, but I’ll gladly use the justification. Be sure to head over to the Brew Site for more barleywine post and the Session round-up.

Texas Adds Another Brewery

One of the great things about our huge beer selection at my bar is our devotion to local beers. I think we will have 75 different beers when we finally get everything in stock, and of these beers, I think around 15 will be Texas beers. Texas has made some monumental strides in brewing beer since I left the state, and the number of microbreweries is set to grow even further. I have been talking all week with my bar guests about the upcoming debut of Southern Star Brewing after reading about it on Barley Vine. According to the brewery’s website, Southern Star’s “production target remains Mid-December”. They have plans to release a Dortmunder-style lager, available on tap at selected locations, and an American Pale Ale called, Pine Belt Ale. Interestingly, Southern Star has plans to package all of their beers in cans. This is definitely going to get the new brewery a lot of needed attention and, hopefully, help to jump start another small brewery in Texas.

The Texas brews we have chosen at our bar really help to contrast the rest of our beer collection which currently is seasonal and, consequently, rather heavy and bold at the moment. Currently, we have 5 barley vines for example. Texas beers are generally lighter in style to compliment the warmer weather. Perhaps, this new brewery can help to fill this Texas void at some point. One intriguing exception to this stereotype of Texas beers is the Real Ale Coffer Porter, which we carry on tap. It is actually brewed with a local artisan coffee called Katz Coffee and makes for an nice seasonal beer.

Texas currently has 5, or 6 depending on your perspective, craft breweries:

-Independence
-Live Oak
-Rahr & Sons
-Real Ale
-Shiner (Debatable Craft Status)
-St. Arnold’s

The addition of Southern Star Brewing is really exciting, especially since it will be based out of nearby Conroe, and their unique twist has really intrigued me. I plan to do a review and ranking of Texas Breweries in the upcoming weeks, so please make sure to check back for my thoughts on Texas’ microbrewery industry. For more information on Texas’ beers or just beer in general, check out Barley Vine, where I was tipped off about Southern Star Brewing. I always read this blog to keep up with local beers and get what is obviously an experienced opinion on beer.

Next Page »