Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
There is a now not so new podcast from the folks at the re-invigorated All About Beer magazine called Brewer to Brewer.
The format is simple but fun. One episode a brewer interviews another brewer. Then the next episode the brewer that was interviewed gets to interview a new brewer. And so on, like a daisy chain.
Add it to your beer education content list.
Beer media took a hit when All About Beer magazine faded out a few years back and though it may not return in print, the brand and more importantly, the past articles (maybe future ones too) will be available to read.
You can get all the details HERE.
Recently, I saw an ice cream and beer pairing put together by Baskin-Robbins and All About Beer Magazine.
One of the pairings got me motivated enough to go get the ice cream (not that hard) and a beer to go with it. (even less hard to do)
Here are the results….
On it’s own, the German dopplebock is quite sweet to an almost caramel point but with a certain lightness to it. Having a sip after the ice cream really brings out the tobacco smoke from the beer as well as drying it out. Neither the chocolate of peanut butter from the ice cream seems changed all that much. Both are pretty rich and the dark lager only seems to cut the butterfat a bit without adding anything to the dessert.
I can see the point of using a lager against a doubly rich ice cream but I think it doesn’t quite work in this case. Peanut butter being too much for the ABV of the beer. I don’t know what beer style would work with this without distortion. I’m thinking of the banana bread beer and wondering what that might be like….
It started with a garage and Gazz and ended up as a three time winner at the Champion Beer of Wales in 2013. Not a bad start for Gazz and Brad (the other half of the duo) and their Tiny Rebel Brewing.
And here is what I would order when in Cardiff….
1. “Arguably the coolest word on the planet, Cwtch is our very own untraditional Welsh Red Ale. Six malts, two US hops and weeks of Tiny Rebel love and attention go into making this unique beer. Citrus and tropical fruit dominate the taste that is backed up with caramel malts that balance the moderate bitterness. Drinkability & balance makes this beer.”
2. Full Nelson. “Our ‘Maori Pale Ale’ came together after months of experimentation with a very unique hop – Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand. Strong grape flavours are complemented by the sweet Munich malt, making this beer crisp and refreshing.”
3. Bonsai IPA. “”International” collaborations like this don’t come along very often, but when they do, someone’s supply of hops usually gets rinsed! Brewed with ALL of Arbor’s hops, this IPA is big on flavour and way too sessionable.”
4. “A unique schizophrenic beer where you’ll face off against floral hoppy flavours up front, leading into a dry spicy bitterness on the back. Need something a bit different to wake up your taste buds? It’s time to get FUBAR.”
5. And on cask: Hank an American Pale Ale. “This light US-style pale ale took a bit of tweaking to get just right. With tropical and citrus aromas and a low-to-medium bitterness, this is one easygoing West Coast-style beer. Floral flavours with slight caramel and biscuit notes make this well-balanced and highly drinkable.”
The second stop in England is at Brew By Numbers or known by the shorter (BBNo.) They have quite a list of beers. All numbered that riff off of the founders early influencers from Australia and New Zealand as well as the now famed Kernel Brewery.
Here are my numerically ordered choices:
01 SAISON – Gotta start with the first
09 BROWN ALE – Brown ales get a bad rap but it is a must-try English style
10 COFFEE PORTER – How does English coffee differ from hyped American ones?
14 TRIPEL – A style that I need to try more of.
19 GOSE – had a few goses recently and it would be a good test
25 WHITE IPA – need to try at least one IPA
As I was paging through a recent All About Beer magazine, I had the thought that for the months of January and February, I would cherry pick breweries to feature from the pages. And this month, we will head to England and peek in at three breweries over there.
We start at Howling Hops which probably makes gruits. Not.
Howling Hops started in the basement of the Cock Tavern. They outgrew the brew cave quickly. Brewing over a 100 different beers can speed that process and moved to an old brick warehouse nearby in the lovely sounding town of Hackney Wick where they now brew and operate their Tank Bar.
They offer beers mostly under 6% ABV with one beer down at 3%!
Here is what I would have in my first taster tray…..
Riding Ale 3.0% – gotta start with the low end and see what it is like
Running Beer 4.0% – slowly work up the beer ladder
Howling Pils 4.6% – to compare against the ales
Ruby Red 5.2% – because me mum’s name is Ruby
IPA 7.5% – finish up with the biggest beer on the list.
I am also intrigued by their Pale XX and the Rye Wit as well.
We head into the second month of the year and more beer around the L.A. area. And a trip to Portland as well to do some new brewery hunting.
~ e-visits to three breweries from the pages of All About Beer magazine (again, but from England) including Brew By Numbers, Tiny Rebel Brewing and Howling Hops.
~ special featured reviews of beers from Founders Brewing of Michigan + a pair of Gose’s
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads a novel co-written by Laker legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 108 covers the topic, “Snowbound”
Here are two events to get your February started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) February 4th – Bell’s Hopslam release at the Surly Goat
2) February – 10th – Bells’ Hopslam at the Glendale Tap
Our third stop for January is Oklahoma City and Black Mesa Brewing. In a refreshing twist they seem tilted towards ESB’s and coffee beers. Nary a hoppy driven beer. Here is what I would want to try when visiting the Mesa….
“Endless Skyway Bitter finds inspiration in the English style but derives its grapefruit bitterness from West Coast hops. Like the finest English examples, the bitterness is assertive but balanced with a nutty maltiness. “Endless Skyway” is a nod to Oklahoma’s favorite son, Woody Guthrie.”
“A refreshing and lively Kolsch anchored by a hearty malt backbone. Kept crisp by the gentle bitterness and subtle spice of Saaz hops. The snappy carbonation releases an aroma of grainy sweetness punctuated by lightly floral hops.”
“Los Naranjos is our 3rd and current collaboration with Oklahoma City’s beloved Elemental Coffee Roasters. The stout is brewed with de-bittered black malts that do not compete with the Columbian Naranjos coffee bean known for its silky body, big tangerine acidity, and cocoa finish.”
(I love that the first coffee beer collab was named Red Badger)
“The trajectory of our Endless Skyway Bitter recipe lands here. We doubled it, then allowed the Double ESB rest in cognac barrels for 7 months. The unfolding layers of oak and vanilla take an already decadent beer and make it Extra Special.”
For the second brewery taster tour for January, we head to Florida to “Explore the Depths of Beer” with Saltwater Brewery. And that is not just a catchy logo for this Delray Beach based brewery. They want to make sure that the salt water around them (aka the Atlantic Ocean) is A-OK. They donate to a few ocean charities like Surfrider and the Ocean Foundation.
On to the beers that I would sample first…..
Triple Berry Granola Spiny Tail – sounds like an interesting experiment. Will it taste of granola?
Sea Cow Milk Stout – Always love to try this style and I would love to try the Salted Porter version too.
Twisted Streams Saison – a collaboration with Sailfish Brewing Co. to see how they brew with others
Screamin’ Reels IPA –partially for the name and partially to see their interpretation of this style.
Bone-a-Fied Blonde – been tasting some complex blonde ales of late, how would this stack up.
Though I wish they had a beer called Taffy. Just makes sense to me
As I was paging through a recent All About Beer magazine, I had the thought that for the months of January and February, I would cherry pick breweries to feature from the pages.
This month will be American breweries and next month, English and we start in Virginia with Smartmouth Brewing Company.
Founded by Porter Hardy IV this brewery cans their beers in distinctive and wordy labels and these are the beers I would add to my initial taster tray….
RULE G IPA – “Rule G is the railroad industry’s policy against drinking on the job. With tracks running right into the brewery, we spite Rule G daily. Outrageously dry-hopped, this beer has a big hop nose and a dry clean finish that accentuates its citrus and grapefruit undertones. It is a bold beer that can stand up to bold flavors.”
NOTCH 9 DOUBLE IPA – “Notch 9 gets its unusual name from the 8 notch positions on a locomotive’s throttle, with each one delivering progressively more power. Notch 9 ratchets it even higher. It is a double IPA with a citrusy aroma from a crazy amount of dry hops. As it flows over your palate, you’ll sense grapefruit and pine. It washes down with a dry crisp finish. Incredibly smooth and straw in color, it delivers the goods on strength.”
ALTER EGO SAISON – “This brew is a shout-out to the alter ego in each of us, beckoning it out of dormancy. Porter Hardy, IV, brewery president, left his career as an attorney to heed the call of his weekend passion, making beer. Along with some friends who were just as consumed by beer, he established Smartmouth Brewing Company in 2012. Alter Ego, brewed in the farmhouse style of a Belgian Saison, is an effervescent and refreshing beer with fruity notes, a hint of pepper and a dry finish.”
MURPHY’S LAW AMERICAN AMBER – “Murphy’s Law Amber Ale acknowledges the relentless and unexpected obstacles that challenged us at every stage of starting Smartmouth Brewing Co. Incidentally, Murphy is also the name of Porter’s pet boxer. This amber is balanced: the malty essence that comes through with a subtle roastiness is countered just so by hops that keep it smooth.”
COWCATCHER MILK STOUT – “Named after the device on a locomotive that clears the way, Cowcatcher always runs smooth. This milk stout is as black as night with a thick tan head. One whiff and you’ll notice the aromas of rich cocoa and dark-roasted coffee beans. Swish it around your palate to savor its full-body and smooth mouthfeel. It boasts a warm pumpernickel-bready flavor and finishes with a touch of bittersweet chocolate.”