Beer and Food

Greetings, 

Guinness Stout (Brewed in Canada for US market)

Appearance: A frothy, light brown tan head of foam comprised of not small bubbles. The effect was a layer of glistening froth that floated atop a very deep garnet red crystal clear brew.

Aroma: The aroma of Concord grape jelly hid behind an almost-burnt caramel essence.

Mouth feel: A creamy mouth-feel with a medium body was bolstered by...

Flavor: ... tangs of both highly roasted malt and an ever-so-slight citric hop whisper.

Finish: The final effect is a smooth sweet coffee with a grapefruit (yes, I said grapefruit) citric/metallic finish that doesn't hang around for long.

Comments:

First a caveat - This brew was poured at between 60-65F.

It was also sampled before I read the part of the label that said "Bottled and brewed by Guinness Brewing Company, New Brunswick, Canada. Product of Canada."

Before that I was ready to write a comment on how where, when and why you taste a brew affects your reaction to that brew. I was about to blame the fact that it is 1100 on a Friday morning in a home-office environment on my reaction to this brew. I was especially confused about the grape jelly flavors.

            Then I read the label and felt a lot better...

VITAL STATISTICS:

Alcohol Content:          5 abv.

http://www.guinness.com/us_en/

What others thought:

Rate Beer:

http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=4456

Beer Advocate:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/209/754

Cheers!

Peter LaFrance

(http://www.beerbasics.com/ )

Greetings,

HEADLINE: Minors Welcome with Parent at 20th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival.

The decision by local government, the dedication of event organizers, and the responsibility of all that attend is a combination of common sense and personal responsibility that should not be such a surprise.

In a few short minutes, with a steady hand and a good search engine, anyone can find too many internet sources offering specious statistical information bolstering their particular bias. Unless I know exactly who posts information, and their disposition towards their presentation topic, I consider that information entertaining, if not interesting. At no time have I ever trusted a single source. (Stand alone interviews are an obvious exception.) The mass media available on the various television permutations is less reliable. Topics that demand serious attention are turned into shouting matches and personality circuses. If I was to believe the media that I hear, read and watch I would be convinced that the sky will fall in a few minutes and the seas will boil in a week and the mountains will crumble and the lion will lay down with the lamb!

And so it is with great relief that I read, and cross checked the above mentioned festival. I have seen most beer festivals reduced to a race between consumers and pourers to see how fast the available beer can be consumed. TAPNY is a major exception and a major reason is the inclusion of the Culinary Institute of America and really great food on premises.

And now comes word about the Oregon Brewers Festival. This is truly welcome news. Let us hope that this is really what is happening in this good country of ours. When I see something like this getting mentioned in the press I begin looking for more examples and it takes time but they are there. In an hour or so I am going to chose three events in my area and make a major effort to attend events that advertise as responsibly as the folks in Oregon. In future issues you will get the reports.

Until beer and wine are welcome guests on the dinner tables of families in this country there will always be the thrill of the forbidden about beverage alcohol. What am I saying! Until there are families sitting around dinner tables again and talking to each other there will always be the thrill of the forbidden to seek. If that thrill is beverage alcohol, and that were the most evil thing I faced in my life I would consider myself the luckiest man in history. We all should.

Cheers!!

Peter LaFrance

( peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com )

Greetings,

Circus Boy - Magic Hat 

Appearance: A medium size bubble, frothy white head that fell to half-mast and slid further down over the three minutes it took to photograph, relaxed atop a bright clear copper brew.

Aroma: An unobtrusive tutti-frutti bubble gum aroma preceded a toasted grain undertone.

Mouth feel: A medium density, creamy mouth feel that introduces a citric/metallic undertone that continues into the flavor profile.

Flavor: There is a lot of tutti-frutti flavor followed by a brief pallet cleansing sharp hop flavor that looses the counter attack launched by the preceding flavors.

Finish: The final effect is a sharp citric/metallic finish that lingers for a very long time..

Comments:

First a caveat - This bottle was sent to me by the folks at Magic Hat. Also - I have a difficult time when it comes to appreciating most of the wheat beers brewed in North America. The late Celis wheat brews were exceptions to that rule. The wheat based brews from the Canadian brewer Unibroue are in a style I can understand. Almost all the rest take a great deal of concentration for me to appreciate. The "mixed signals" of flavors and aromas so different from the Bavarian and Berlin side of the family suggest to me that more than a branch fell off the family tree of that style of beer.

That said, I would have no qualms about pouring a Circus Boy into a tall pilsner glass, watching a slice of lemon leap from the rim of the glass into the brilliant brew and watching the sun set on the western horizon.

VITAL STATISTICS:

Original Gravity:          1.055

Alcohol Content:          5.4v

Hops:                           Amarillo, German Magnum

Malt:                            Wheat, Pale

Yeast:                           Hefe-Weizen Ale yeast

Bittering Units: 18

http://www.magichat.net/

What others thought:

Rate Beer:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/magic-hat-circus-boy/56699/

Beer Advocate:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/96/28536

Cheers!

Peter LaFrance

(http://www.beerbasics.com/ )

Greetings,

Keegan Ales Mother’s Milk Stout

Appearance: An intensely deep yet not opaque red-garnet brew topped with a dense, rich, creamy light tan head. The cascade effect when pouring this brew was not unlike pouring a nitrogen gas driven brew from a tap.

Mouth feel: A surprisingly medium body was bolstered by a creamy sensation that was non-cloying, not too dense yet not too light.

Finish: The malt flavors dry out but not to an astringent finish. The end was more pleasant pallet cleansing and refreshing.

First a caveat – This bottle was given to me by the local sales representative. Also, I have had the pleasure of meeting with the folks at the Keegan brewery a number of times over the last two years. I will admit I was hoping for the best when I tasted this product. The bottle I sampled had a head space that was almost 2.5 inches deep.

That said, this brew would be a fine beverage to enjoy with a slab of dry-aged beef steak charred on the outside and just a bit more than warmed in the inside. The next time I go to Smith & Wollensky’s in Manhattan I will ask if they have this brew available and if not, why not.

Style:   “A robust full-bodied stout” – It says on the label.

What others thought: (The posts relate to the 06 version of the product.)

Beer Advocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/6980/16385

Peter LaFrance

Greetings, 

After visiting with Shane Welch at the Six Point Craft Ale Brewery twice, the basics of the who, what and why of Six Points had been taken down and I was ready to write this piece.

Now folks, if you have ever thought of taking my advice, heed the following... Always, always, always, always back up your files because one key-stroke can be very costly if there is no backup of that file. I know from experience.

That is why I had Welch take the interview again, with an extra credit question.

The following is :

"Six Points - The Written Exam"

1)       List the major components of your brew house - include container volume.

            The brewhouse consists of one 40bbl hot liquor tank, one 15 bbl mash tun, one 17 bbl kettle, one 7 bbl kettle, three 15 bbl fermenters, one 22 bbl fermenter, four 22 bbl conditioning tanks, and one 30 bbl conditioning tank.  As you can see, operating a craft brewery with used equipment does not always guarantee uniform sizing!

Figure 1 - Six Point Brewhouse

2)       What is the length of each run?

            The length of each run varies.  Typically we do 15 bbl batches, but when we're brewing in the 22 bbl fermenter, we do one 15 bbl batch in the big kettle and one 7 bbl batch in the small kettle.  Also, when we're propagating yeast we'll often do a 1 bbl starter batch and then two 7 bbl batches to give us 15 bbl total.  Each brew day takes 8-9 hours when you add in all of the cleaning.

3)       Name and describe your "regular" line of beverages. (No cheating and taking these descriptions from your web site.)

            Bengali Tiger IPA - an American IPA in hop assertiveness, but an English IPA in malt character.  Very rich and a deep orange, almost amber color.  80 IBU and 7.1 % ABV.  This is a beer drinker's beer.

            Diesel - an all-American Stout.  This beer is a celebration of the robust character of stout beer:  an intense, roasted and coffee character with a hoppy snap.  Some are going so far as to call it a "Baby Imperial," which I think is appropriate, given the strength.  71 IBU, 8.2% ABV

            Brownstone - a unique style that borders between a brown ale and porter.  More roasted and chocolate than a brown ale, but less burnt and hoppy than a porter.  One of our most complex beers, this beer is made from a blend of 12 different malts.  5.8% ABV, 31 IBU

            East Coast Amber - a response to the ubiquitous West Coast Amber along the West Coast.  Made from Vienna malts and fermented with a unique ale yeast, this beer is my favorite session ale of the lot.  Made with a variety of six different hops, this brew is one of my favorites to make.  6.1% ABV, 52 IBU

            Sweet Action - a hard one to describe, simply because it doesn't fit into any particular style.  It's made with Pilsner and Pale Malts, but is hopped with only noble hops.  It's fermented with a Belgian yeast that provides a dry spiciness.  Look for a unique orange taste underneath it all..  6.9% ABV, 33 IBU

            SMP - our smoked Baltic Porter.  The smoke additions in this beer are subtle, but noticeable in the taste and aroma.  Our first beer to receive a cult following; it's one of my personal favorites.  It's medium to full-bodied, with a strong caramel and toffee flavor.  Hop flavor and bitterness is strong, but well-balanced.  7.8% ABV, 55 IBU

4)       Name and describe the "seasonal" brews available now.

            Express - my version of an "American Tripel", if there is such a style.  I like triples, but sometimes find them too cloyingly sweet and fruity.  I boosted the ABV on this one by fermenting it extra dry.  In an amazing feat of fermentation, the yeast took the gravity from 23 Plato down to around 3.  We call it the "Express" because it will get you where you're going in half the amount of time.  A real treat.  11.3% ABV, 41 IBU

            Rebellion - our Imperial Red Ale.  Brewed with mostly Centennial Hops, this beer is how I always wanted an Irish Red to taste like.  The maltiest beer in my portfolio, although you wouldn't know it because of the hop additions.  7.4% ABV, 63 IBU

            Encore - a Belgian Dubbel.  Joe Carroll from Spuyten Duyvil called this Brown Sugar in a bottle, and I think it's appropriate.  A celebration of malt - deep caramel, toffee, and a chocolate nuttiness all balanced by Saaz hops and a Belgian spiciness.  This batch is already 7 months old, and continues to get better with age.  8.3% ABV, 37 IBU

            Abigale - A Belgian session ale.  This beer is our stepping-stone for those people who are afraid of the higher-gravity Belgian Ales.  Fermented dry and crisp and hopped with Styrian Goldings, this beer is what I'd recommend on a sweltering summer day.  6.0% ABV, 32 IBU

            Righteous Ale - a unique style all its own.  This beer is made with a significant proportion or rye malt, which lends a distinct sharpness.   I ferment it with a blend of yeast - the Belgian Dubbel yeast and our IPA yeast - which adds an extra dimension of complexity.  A small contribution of chocolate rye lends a distinct nuttiness.  The second beer by Sixpoint to receive a cult following.  8.4% ABV, 64 IBU

Figure 2 - Shane C. Welch, pouring a sample of Righteous Ale

            Otis - our Oatmeal Stout.  A definite session ale, this beer is medium to full-bodied with a silky texture from the oats.  It starts roasted and nutty, and finishes with a hoppy tanginess.  6.1% ABV, 46 IBU

5)       What makes your brewery unique?

            First and foremost, I don't brew according to the style guidelines.  That being said, you never know what type of beer is going to come out of Sixpoint.  Second, unlike almost every brewery across the country, every one of our beers remains unfiltered (not just our hefeweizen!).  I believe removing the yeast from the beer is unnecessary and purely cosmetic.  Third, the entire brewery is run by just two people:  My business partner Andrew (my assistant) and I (brewmaster).  Fourth, we are draft-only...so if you come across some bottles after visiting the brewery, you've received a rarity!  Fifth, despite our small size, I juggle seven different yeast strains throughout the year!  Sixth, even though we've only been around for less than one year, I already have 12 different styles of beer.

6)       What is the most difficult part of brewing a run of brew?

            Running a brew is normally straightforward and smooth, but every once in a while, something goes wrong.  You'll get a bad extraction rate, or your mash temperature is erratic for some reason, or you run out of oxygen during knockout.  It's at these points in time that things get a little chaotic - you must react instinctively and intuitively.  The key is finding a balance between intervening with the natural process of the beer and not disturbing the integrity and sanitation of the manufacturing process.

            This is a funny question because the most difficult part of running a brew actually has nothing to do with the beer!  Since I am the Brewmaster and CEO of this company, I usually spend half of the day on the phone while I'm making beer!  I'm negotiating distribution contracts, talking with accounts, checking in with our vendors, ordering more inventories, and speaking with the sales reps.  It's a constant juggling act, and I usually have to sacrifice my lunch and break time while brewing beer.

7)       What is most rewarding about brewing a run of brew?

            I love making beer!  The most rewarding thing, for me, is knowing that at the end of the day you've created something wonderful out of 4 raw ingredients.  What you've created will bring happiness to people's lives; it will help them relax and share good times and conversation with their friends.  And since my beer is unique and relatively unknown, the new flavors and sensations will introduce their palates and senses to an entire new array of experiences.

8)       What is the greatest challenge of running a microbrewery?

            At this point in the game, it's being a two-man show.  Between my business partner and I, we make beer, negotiate distribution contracts, visit our current accounts, recruit new accounts, conduct tastings, write the content for our website, perform brewery maintenance, meet with accountants, meet with lawyers, track our inventories, order more supplies, have sales meetings with our distributor, represent at beer festivals, and respond to the public's emails (I get about 30-40 emails per day).  Anyone with an elementary understanding of economics knows specialization is the foundation of running an efficient business.  However, when you're a small, startup brewery, you have no choice but to do everything yourself.

            The greatest challenge does not upset or frustrate me - as a matter of fact - I'm inspired by it.  I think it's necessary and appropriate, and I EMBRACE the fact that I have the opportunity to do all of the jobs at Sixpoint.  One day, when I'm fortunate to have a work force at Sixpoint, I will be better suited to supervise and sympathize with the task at hand for every one of my employees.

9)   What you were ten years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

            An anesthesiologist.  Funny how that worked out... now I create the oldest and most popular anesthetic. 

Extra Credit:

What is your favorite beer/food pairing and why?

Right now, it's spicy Chicken Vindaloo with Bengali Tiger IPA.  Why?  There nothing the compliments the spicy, rich flavors of southern Indian food like a well-balanced IPA.  Our Bengali Tiger is assertively hopped, but also has a strong foundation of malt.  The malty sweetness helps combat the fiery intensity of the vindaloo, and the citrus, herbal character of the hops helps cleanse the palate.  It's a match made in heaven.

Cheers,

Peter LaFrance

( peter.lafrance@beerbasics.com )