Category: Guide to better beer

how to discover new beer to try

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Off the Grid

Off Grid Pale Ale is the third gluten-free beer from New Planet Brewing. It is a combo of three different hop varietals, sorghum and brown rice extract along with sorghum and brown rice extract, molasses, tapioca maltodextrin, caramel color, hops, and yeast.

New Planet Beer Company will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of Off Grid Pale Ale to non-profit organizations who support alternative energy efforts.

You can also try the two other gluten-free beers that New Planet Beer brews.

Tread Lightly Ale – “is a smooth and well-balanced “Pilsner like” style ale with citrus tones and light in body and color. It’s made from sorghum and corn extract, orange peel, hops, and yeast. Tread Lightly supports trail restoration.”

3R Raspberry Ale – “our award winning raspberry fruit ale has just the right balance of fruit flavor and aroma. The raspberry ale is made from sorghum and corn extract, natural raspberry puree, orange peel, hops, and yeast. 3R supports Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – the 3R’s of waste reduction education.”

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Beer is not just for the men

Barley’s Angels just started. The Pink Boots are going strong. Heck, I’ve even donated via Kickstarter to a documentary about women and the craft beer movement.

So it comes as no surprise that L.A. and my more specifically, my local brewery, Eagle Rock is tapping into the trend (that I hope continues) with…..

Women’s Specific Beer Forum: Fru-Fru

Time: March 16, 2011 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Location: Eagle Rock Brewery

“Are you tired of getting pigeon-holed into drinking the worst-tasting, syrupy-sweet, weak drinks that inevitably leave you wondering what people see in beer? Undoubtedly, at least some of you must be… I come across many ladies in the taproom that claim to dislike beer and are looking for something better to drink. In general, I’m not entirely convinced that “beer” has been given a fair shake, and I’m willing to bet that of the hundreds… no, thousands of beers out there, that there’s something that will appeal to your palate. But how do we start to narrow it all down and taste our way through the quagmire of flavors and styles? Well, I’ve got a solution!

I’m starting a monthly women’s specific beer forum at Eagle Rock Brewery! Whether you’re new to the world of craft beer, an old pro in the realm of fermented beverages, or merely beer-curious, you should come check this out.

At each monthly forum, I’ll present a flight of 4 beers and host an open discussion about the characteristics, styles, and background of each of the beers. The cost will be $10 to cover the flight of beer, a flight summary, and some QT with other beer-loving ladies – which is the point of all of this. It’s a great way to sample new beers that you may not have tried before, and to explore the multitude of styles and flavors that are out there. It’s also a place that we can all learn more about beer from each other and meet some new friends to drink with.

We’ll ease into this first session with “Fru-Fru” beers. Ha ha ha! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not inviting you out to drink some sickly-sweet fruit syrup… These are great beers that happen to have some fruit in them to compliment the flavors of the base beer.

We’ll be meeting in the grain room at the brewery (to keep the boys out – tee hee) every third Wednesday of the month from 7:30p to 9 or 9:30p. It’s a casual forum so come ready to mingle and taste and talk beer.”

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Revelator

Here is all the info on the latest Brewer’s Share creation from Full Sail….“The Revelator,” crafted by brewer Chris Davis, is a revelation of camaraderie and discourse inspired by friends new and old sharing a beer or two. A winter ale, The Revelator is a deep copper concoction with malty caramel notes, balanced by slight lemon and hints of dill attributed to the hops. It is meant to be enjoyed with others.

According to Davis, “It is a deep copper concoction coming in at 50 bitterness units boasting Sorachi Ace and Amarillo hop cones, not to mention that wondrous agent of change, that fungi perfecti: our own ale yeast.”

With each Brewer’s Share beer, Full Sail picks a local charity to receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the beer. Chris has chosen to support the Hood River Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) literacy program. Every keg of The Revelator benefits this volunteer literacy program that brings children and adults together for reading and friendship.

The Brewer’s Share series is a line up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sailor takes a turn hand-crafting their own single batch recipe and a portion of the proceeds benefit a local charity of their choosing. Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share beers will only be available on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Oregon, and at Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace, in Portland, Oregon. Growlers to go are available. The next Brewer’s Share will be brewed by Brewer Josh Pfriem and is expected in April.

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Dave’s Brewfarm

Eco friendly and craft beer go together like chocolate and peanut butter. You got HUB in Portland, New Belgium in Fort Collins and now the wind powered beer of Wisconsin, Dave’s Brewfarm!

Lupulo Noir is roasted malt and a boatload of hops.

Saison Farmfresh is an estate hop mashed up with French Saison list.

and check out RateBeer for some of their other fine beers!

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Session Extreme

A recent article by Jason Wilson in the SF Gate called, “In search of great session beers” had this little tidbit hidden in the middle.

“In December, Todd Alstrom announced the launch of an Extreme Session Beer Project.

The Extreme Session Beer Project sets 5 percent as its limit, but exhorts brewers to “Be extreme! As in using creative brewing methods and/or ingredients.” Alstrom and Calagione suggested ideas such as brewing with orange pekoe, lemon zest and the “the same yeast and bacteria found in kombucha.”

I say hear hear to any attention brought to sessionable beers. Creativity and high ABV don’t always have to stick together.

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SVEA

It is fascinating to see how American brewers are influencing old school Europe.

Case in point…..

The brewery says this about their new offering, “We send our approach for the Svea IPA. As your growing thirst is leaning towards more bitter levels, we have carefully selected a set of noble hops, for you to enjoy on every suitable occasion.”

Now even a venerated brewery like Struise is upping the hop ante.

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And the Oscar goes to….

Here are my pun filled, too obvious and tenuously linked beers to pair with the films nominated for Best Picture Oscar:

The King’s Speech – Duchy’s Original Organic Ale
Inception – Troeg’s Dream Weaver Wheat
127 Hours – Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
Toy Story 3 – McMenamin’s Toymaker
True Grit – Millstone’s True Grit
The Social Network – Stone’s Arrogant Bastard
The Kids are All Right – Mother Earth Chaos
The Fighter – Sam Adam’s Longshot Traditional Bock
Black Swan – Allagash Black
Winter’s Bone – Grand Teton’s Coming Home Holiday Ale

from Oscar.com

Feel free to make your recommendations in the comment section below.

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Birthday Beer

Only one post today, too busy celebrating the latest birthday with……

Here is the description of this North Coast beer, “Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve 2009”

“In an exercise of humanitarian charity and to demonstrate just how very much we care about our friends, North Coast brewmaster, Mark Ruedrich, has just now released an exceptional batch of 2009 Old Stock Ale that has been aged for 18 months in oak Bourbon barrels. In this latest example of the cunning of his hand, Brewmaster Ruedrich has set new standards for the brewers’ art. To say that it’s amazing would be an understatement. Look for Old Stock Cellar Reserve in the special decorated bottle, as they say, wherever fine beers are sold. There’s not much, and it will go fast, so be vigilant.”