The many flavors of Irish Stout

Guinness has pretty much cornered the world market or Irish Stout (so much so that the #1 Guinness-consuming nation in the world is Nigeria). In American bars, Guinness is often the only stout on tap. The beer is practically a synonym for all things Irish. But there are other Irish stouts, often consumed by fiercely loyal homtown drinkers, that are available in better beer stores and pubs.

Murphy’s Irish Stout, From Cork, Ireland, is drier and more bitter than Guinness, although just as opaque and creamy. The taste of chocolate is quite noticeable, but without any candy sweetness.

A bartender in Shannon, Ireland told me that, outside of Cork, Murphy’s is ordered primarily by tourists. The Corkites (Corkubines?), however, are fiercely loyal to their beer, and rightly so.

Beamish Stout is also brewed in Cork, but has enjoyed less overseas success than Murphy’s or the big “G.” Expect a more pronounced roasted malt taste, which a lot of people characterize as “Burnt Coffee,” and a lighter body.

-Mark

Ale from the other side of the pod

I’ve developed an appreciation for Greene KIng IPA, from the Greene King Brewery in Suffolk, England. It’s a cask ale, very gently carbonated, with a classic English ale flavor that’s been largely missing from the pubs in my area for years.

Greene King is much more subtle in character than most American IPAs. Here, brewers like to beat you to death with cascade hops. The English use Kent, Golding, and, I think, Fuggles hops and produce bers with a fine balance, complex flavor, and more complete profile. Cheerio to Greene King.

-Mark

Nitrogen- it’s not just for breathing!

Ever wonder why that Guinness you’re drinking has such a smooth creamy texture? It’s carbonated with nitrogen as opposed to Carbon Dioxide, which carbonates most beers and soda pop. Nitrogen bubbles are smaller, creating a completely different texture and much prettier foam cascade when the beer is poured.

Nitrogen carbonation changes the flavor, too. More aroma is released, which does wonders for ale styles (and some lagers. Boddington’s comes to mind). Some bars have dedicated nitrogen lines through which they rotate a series of beers. If you find one of these in your neighborhood, treasure it and become a regular. A whole new world of beer enjoyment awaits.

-Mark

Brussels Lace is beautiful

Did you know there’s a term for the foam that lingers on the side of your beer glass? It’s called Brussels Lace, and supposedly it’s a measure of the beer’s freshness.

Some beers leave more lace than others. A good german Pilsener, like Dinkel Acker CD Pils will leave clingy rings down the whole length of the glass, whereas no pale or brown ale will leave any. So take Brussels Lace at face value; It’s like Anna Kournikova on the tennis court: there for the visual appeal alone.

Proper glassware- a must for beersnobbery

Have you ever really enjoyed a draft beer, yet been disappointed with the same beer out of a bottle? You percieve a huge portion of a beer’s flavor with your sense of smell, and bottles simply don’t release very much of the bouquet.

That’s why any beer geek has the proper glassware for the proper beer. Each glass is designed to best channel the aroma of that particular beer into your schnozz. Different beers have different smells, so of course you’ll need to reserve a lot of cupboard space.

Belgian trappist ales are best served in a wineglass like goblet, the grassy aroma of pilsner comes through best in a pilsner glass, and Guiness, of course, must be served in a 20 ounce imperial pint.

Pour the right beer into its proper glass and it just might make the difference between a so-so beer and one you love. Cheers!

-Mark

Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays to the world from Beercraft.

Cheers!
-Mark and Bruce

IPA- The well-travelled beer

Its pleasantly bitter finish and floral hop aroma has made India Pale Ale one of the most popular craft brew styles, and there’s some interesting history behind the “IPA” moniker too.

During the days when India was the crown jewel of the British Empire, beer made in England’s breweries was in demand in the colonial Indian cities. Since this was prior to the existence of the Suez Canal, the only practical sea route from the UK to India was all the way around the horn of Africa.

For the beer, this was a very long and very unrefrigerated journey. Most beers would go bad on the way. India Pale Ale, specially brewed for export to the subcontinent, had a far greater hop content than other beers. The hops acted as a preservative, protecting the beer from spoilage en route, and the colonists were treated to a very drinkable beer style that could be enjoyed with all the senses.

A beer to impress your date

Next time you’re out on a date, order up some belgian Lambic. These beers use natural yeast that settles in from out of the air. By themselves they are dry and sour, so the brewers flavor them with fruit: Cherries (Kriek), raspberries (Framboise) and Peach (Peche) are often used.

The result: an absolutely unique beer that will knock her socks off, leaving you free to continue trying to knock off the rest of her clothes.

More info on Lambics

Beercrft newspaper column #1: Holiday Ales

CELEBRATING IS EASY WITH HOLIDAY ALES
By Mark Tichenor and Bruce Lish

Jingle. Jingle. The arrival of the Holidays also means the proliferation of holiday beers on store shelves and in pubs everywhere. Some beer lovers find these spiced seasonals gimmicky, while others swear by the big flavor as the perfect winter nightcap. Rest assured, however, that there are plenty of holiday-themed beers that please the palates of seasonal celebrants everywhere.

Some say that the holiday ale tradition dates back to medieval times, when beer was a monastic thing. Supposedly, monks would brew special beers using special ingredients to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We’ve yet to run into a myrrh ale, so it’s hard to vouch for this story. More likely, some guys with tie-dyes, ponytails, and goatees brewed them up as a marketing ploy. At least on this side of the Atlantic.

Whatever the motivation, holiday ales are popular around the globe, and have been so for a while. While some are available year-round, many holiday ales are only distributed from November to January.

By general convention, holiday beers are dark, sweet, substantial ales, usually spiced with clove, cinnamon, and/or nutmeg. Many emphasize the “warming” quality with alcohol contents ranging from 6-7% by volume, as opposed to the 4-5% range within which most American lagers fall. Be careful, the extra percentage points can make themselves known in a hurry.

It is in the judicious use of spices that the best seasonal beers begin to distance themselves from the also-rans. Spices are a potential buzz kill for beer. Unless used VERY sparingly, and at the proper time during the brewing process, they will overwhelm the flavor profile of the beer leaving it tasting like a biter spent teabag. the spice essence should be most prominent in the aroma and less so in the flavor (Christmas trees are a joy to behold, but not as much fun to drink).

With this in mind, we hopped over to Acme Pizzeria to sample and suggest several locally-available holiday ales.

First up: a classic, Anchor Holiday Ale. The Anchor Brewing Co. produces a different holiday beer annually. Each year, a unique spice blend is used, and the brewers add a different pine essence.

This year’s caramel brown beer has a clove-tinged bouquet with a noticeable pine aroma. spices, are most pronounced on the front of the tongue, and the beer finishes with a balanced malt/hop taste. Anchor is a bit heavy on the “Holiday” side of things, so it might be a bit much for light beer drinkers. For those who like their Christmas spirit in liquid form, though, a couple of pints of Anchor Holiday beat eggnog hands down.

Some aficionados keep a few bottles from each different year on hand and hold “vertical tastings,” opening them all and distributing a few ounces of each beer to each participant to taste, contrast, and discuss the beer from each year

St. Gootz Christmas Ale, from Vermont’s Magic Hat brewery, is more subtle. It’s like a German Dunkel Weizen with a mild mix of undefined spices, which linger briefly on the palate just inside the threshold of perception. Essences of clove and rasin are evident.

The beer is a rich maple color, with an attractive tan head. It balances toward sweet malt instead of hops, and its surprisingly light body makes St. Gootz a good choice for people who don’t like hevier beer. It also goes surprisingly well with pizza.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is an easily found bottled alternative that looks great in any refrigerator. It wins scads of medals in beer competitions and is generally regarded as the queen of holiday beers. Celebration leans toward the dry side. Chinook and cascade hops lend a Pacific Northwest microbrew taste with a spicy bite.

Finally, there’s the local player. CB’s Christmas Ale, by Custom Brewcrafters, reminds us that there’s a lot more to the Honeoye Falls-based brewery than brown ales and IPA. This beer is skillfully spiced, with a cinnamon essence. More important, the spice is layered upon a rock solid, well-balanced beer that doesn’t attack your mouth with bitter hops, nor is it cloyingly sweet from too much malt.

One of the good things about being in Rochester is we get to enjoy these beers in their proper context; it would be more difficult to savor brews this robust in the 80 degree heat of Arizona. Thanks to the brewers and sellers of these fine ales for turning the bitter cold into an asset. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Bruce is a certified beer judge and former commercial brewer. Mark owns a laptop and likes beer. Send your questions, suggestions, or comments to beercraft@rochester.rr.com

American Brown Ale

I ordered a Sierra Nevada Brown Ale last night. It was fantastic.

Usually, I find brown ales too bland for my taste. Even Bass and Newcastle Brown have never really impressed me. But the Sierra Nevada had the hop kick that the British browns lack. Bruce coined the term “American Brown Ale.” I ordered another.

Hey, it’s all in the name of research. Cheers!