Off to Belgium and the gnomes of Achouffe…
“The N’ICE CHOUFFE is a strong dark beer that will warm you up during the winter months. It is spiced (with thyme and curaçao) and a light hop taste, a well-balanced beer. The N’ICE CHOUFFE is unfiltered, and re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg.”
November Beer Allowance
So many good beers lately that I totally forgot to do a post on the October allowance.
I will not dwell in the past and instead move on to the now. I spied an increase in Moa beers at the Arroyo-Pasadena Whole Foods so I picked up the Breakfast (“Moa Breakfast Beer is a blend of premium wheat malt, floral Nelson hops and cherries.”) and the Tripel (“Moa St Josephs is brewed in the traditional style of a classic Belgian Tripel. Strong spice and clove characters create complex flavours and aromas which are heightened by its extended bottle conditioning.”). Then I saw an unusual cider that was dry hopped. so I got that too!
Wear the Cloak
From Belgium comes this news — “The Cloak of St. Martin is a limited-edition Barleywine-style Belgian ale, ready to warm the North American autumn and winter.
The Cloak is Brasserie Brunehaut’s first Abbaye ale brewed using doubled fermentation capacity gained via three new vats installed on Leap Day 2012. This increased capacity delivered enough vat time for the first batch of this labor-intensive 13%+ ABV quadruple.
The Cloak of St. Martin is a new Belgian Quadruple celebrating St. Martin’s famous charity of “sharing” his cloak with a beggar!
A very dark quad, The Cloak of St. Martin’s first fermentation, to 9% ABV, uses Brasserie Brunehaut’s signature, centuries-old yeast strain. Rare, exquisite champagne yeast boosts ABV from 9% to 13% during a six-week second fermentation. The Cloak is then cellared six more weeks before final fermentation yeast is added.”
The Beer Allowance – September
I did not dawdle when it came to selecting my special September beer. I did take awhile to post here on the blog though.
You can tell by my happy face that I have grabbed another cellar beer to add to my collection…..
Here is what Deschutes has to say about this special anniversary beer…”XXIV. 24 years after Black Butte Porter’s debut, our potent, layered, imperial tribute returns. As usual, it’s a jazz riff, guided by the brewer’s muse and the lure of exotic ingredients. Artisanal dark chocolate nibs. Deglet dates. Mission figs. It may, possibly, hopefully, be the best edition yet. But, as it should be, you’ll be the judge of that.”
a little sourness
As great as the new tap room is at the Bruery’s brewery, I miss picking up beers at Provisions but now there is an excuse to return….
“SOUR WEEK!!!! Running from next Monday, August 13th and lasting until Sunday, August 19th, we will be featuring daily flights of very rare and delicious sour ales. Cantillon, Cascade, Lost Abbey and The Bruery, just to name a few of the amazing breweries that we have lined up. Be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter and instagram to find out what is being released each day!
Can’t wait? Come on in today and pick up a bottle of The Bruery’s Sans Pagaie, a sour blonde aged in wine barrels with cherries or Otiose, a sour brown ale aged on guava. Both are $20 for a 750ml bottle and will age gracefully for several years. We also have a selection of sour ales from Belgium, Switzerland, Norway and beyond, so get in the Olympic spirit and try them all!”
This will be an excellent chance to try those great Cascade beers and some classics from Cantillon and compare them to the Bruery offerings.
The Beer Allowance – August
So this month, not that I was in dire need of beer. I just received the Stone 16th Anniversary IPA. But the $20 was burning a hole in my pocket and I had just learned via Beer of Tomorrow that a liquor store near me stocked craft beer so I headed to Bill’s Liquor in Atwater Village and took my $20 to spend.
And this is what I got….
Now, I wish to explain the reasoning behind this choice. I could have picked up the Ommegang Biere de Hougomont. (spell check that beer lovers) but that would have shot the wad on one bottle. They had Golden Road’s Wolf Among Weeds but I had already tried that. Some nice foreign beers as well but I decided to stay semi-local and try an offering from IE that I had at last year’s Brew at the Zoo and the anniversary ale from Bootleggers. Risky? Yes. But that is what this monthly allotment is for. To buy the beers that you have walked past before. Reviews will be up on both Untappd and Ratebeer when I decide to crack them open.
Guiness Brats
I still haven’t seen these in my local supermarket but it might make an instant pairing with some cheese and Guinness.
Or you could head over to Gilt Taste and order some even more gourmet beer bratwursts for your next BBQ.
Year 2 of LambicX
Tell me that these two versions of LambicX do not sound good. I just wish I could have found one last year. But I will be on the hunt for these so you may see me prowling around the local beer shoppes.
“Aroma of white grapes, sweet apples, fruit, tobacco, honeysuckle and hay. Restrained tartness.Bright, but not acidic, round and soft body, some chardonnay butteriness. Fine astringent finish with hints of quinine. Slightest hint of carbonation. Not quite cask still, but almost!”
“Aroma of sweet grass, smoke, peaches, sour apples all spiked with a background barnyard funk. Big, round acidity in the mouth with notes of lemon, tangerine and grapefruit melting to a rich, sour-sweet finish, balanced by the full presence of tannic and wood notes. Slightest hint of carbonation. Again, not quite cask still, but almost!”
The Beer Allowance – July
Each month in 2012 I have an extra $20 (courtesy of my wife) for craft beer and this month, I decided to go all Widmer….
I have tasted all of the Rotator series of IPA’s and so far, my favorite of the bunch is the Spiced IPA. Primarily because it was sooo different from the normal IPA. I first encountered Shaddock at the Oregon Brewer’s Festival a couple year’s back and was mildly impressed but I wanted to re-visit thinking that the recipe may have been tweaked.
I had two Omission choices. Lager or Pale Ale. I went with the lager simply because I don’t normally buy lagers and it was a hot day when I bought it. We shall see if that decision pays off.
You can check out what I bought in June (also from Oregon) HERE
Venice Beach Beer Company
The L.A. brewery boom continues on and in expensive land prices, Venice of all places. I like the SoCal specific beer names of AWOL and June Gloom too. I will attempt to get a taste and report back.
But first, here is the full press release…..
“Known for it’s laid back vibe and artistic culture, Venice is home to some of L.A.’s leading restaurants, galleries and cutting edge business. The Venice Beach Beer Company, launched in June 2012, is the latest addition to this culture, and the first beer company to call Venice home.
Started by Tim Benedick and Kerr Smith, longtime friends, Venice residents and beer connoisseurs, Venice Beach Beer Company brings a passion for good beer and the beach to life in two new ales available exclusively in Venice, California. With a slogan of “Shut Up and Drink It,” the beers offer a distinct flavor profile that reflects the local culture.
“Our beers are specially brewed for the Venice Beach life,” says Smith. “We have lived here for many years and realized that there wasn’t a beer in existence that captured the essence of our unique city, so we decided to put ‘Venice’ in a bottle.”
Smith is a longtime Venice resident and notable Hollywood actor. Benedick is a bar manager with over 20 years in the bar business.
“Venice” is a unique, American amber ale with a blend of caramel and biscuit malts, jammed packed with five different hops, creating an eclectic war between bitter and sweet. “June Gloom” is an untraditional, White Belgian beer combining the taste of coriander and orange peel.
“Our take on a Belgian White with a bit of a twist. We decided to get away from the traditional yeast selection on this one,” says Benedick. “By using a much cleaner yeast, this beer becomes about the delicate blend of coriander and orange peel instead of the traditional clove and banana notes, producing an easy to drink wheat beer that is quite refreshing on those hot summer days. Our June Gloom beer will take those clouds away.”
Venice Beach Beer Company plans to produce approximately 1,000 barrels in its first year. “Venice” is currently available in Venice, CA at The Venice Whaler, Hinano Cafe, Larry’s, Chaya Venice, Venice Beach Wines, Bin 73, Mercedes Grill, Ozumo and Whole Foods on Lincoln Blvd and will be quickly followed by “June Gloom.” The third VBBC beer, A.W.O.L. IPA (Always West of Lincoln), an American IPA, will be available next year in 2013. Plans for a storefront and retail location are on the horizon.