Portland To Host Sierra Nevada Beer Camp

Portland Will Host Sierra Nevada Beer Camp

Aces High

If you like Saisons give Brooklyn Sorachi Ace a try...a fine representation of the Belgian Farmhouse beer, I enjoyed a few at the Thirsty Moose in Portsmouth.

Most Brooklyn beers are made with a blend of hop varietals. As a chef does with spices, we look to get the best qualities of each hop and create a harmony of flavors and aromas. However, a few years ago, our brewmaster ran into a hop unique enough to deserve its own moment in the sun. A large Japanese brewery first developed the hop variety “Sorachi Ace” in 1988. A cross between the British “Brewer’s Gold” and the Czech “Saaz” varieties, it exhibited a quality that was unexpected – it smelled really lemony.

The unique flavor of Sorachi Ace was bypassed by the big brewers, but we thought it was pretty cool. So we made a special beer with it, and added the beer to our Brewmaster’s Reserve special draft beer program last year. Most Brewmaster’s Reserve beers are only available for a short time, and then they’re gone. But we liked this one so much, we decided to bring it back and give it the star treatment. Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a classic saison, a cracklingly dry, hoppy unfiltered golden farmhouse ale, but made entirely with now-rare Sorachi Ace hops grown by a single farm in Washington. We ferment it with our special Belgian ale strain, and then add more Sorachi Ace hops post-fermentation. After the dry-hopping, the beer emerges with a bright spicy lemongrass / lemon zest aroma backed by a wonderfully clean malt flavor.

It tastes like sunshine in a glass, and that suits us just fine, especially with seafood dishes and fresh cheeses. It’s just the thing on nice summer days and beyond.

Belgian Saison "Farmhouse Ale"| 7.6% ABV
Rating: 95

Brew Free or Die – NH Nano-Breweries are Springing Up All Over The State

By Eric Cioffi

My recent trip to Hampton and the Blue Lobster Brewing Co. was my first time at a Nano-brewery. What is a nano-brewery? Good question. I had do some research to find out. What I found was, thanks to a newly enacted beer friendly piece of legislation, small scale brewing operations are now allowed to brew and sell up to 2,000 barrels a year. These new nano-breweries are springing up all over New Hampshire.



These breweries are an increasingly popular segment of the craft brewing world and they’ve been growing in New Hampshire. Many of these breweries don’t brew more than one batch at a time. Nano-breweries are considered by many to be the natural evolution of the home brewer’s art. These small-batch entrepreneurs are all about producing and drinking craft beer locally - and they’re a vibrant addition to the “Granite State’s” regional economy. Under the old laws small brewers were limited to selling only one case of beer per person. While this amount may seem more than adequate, often customers traveled significant distances, especially during their vacations, and wanted to bring back local beer to share with friends and families. A case of quality beer does not last long, so many people wanted to take home several cases.

Fresh Delicious Beer!

New Hampshire is the only state in the nation to recognize and codify nano-breweries as separate from large-scale beverage manufacturers. In doing so, the state lowered certain Prohibition-era liquor limitations that make it hard for the little guys to get a license, open a tap room and get brewing. Under the new nano-brewery law, brewers cannot sell beer to wholesale distributors, and so must self-distribute or sell only on-premise. However, the one case limit no longer exists. For those seeking a tasty craft brew, the options are increasing. Other states in the Northeast, like Maine and Vermont, have laws that grant some exemptions to smaller breweries. These state laws do nothing to ease the federal licensing process—a requirement for all commercial brewers—but as demand for craft brews continues to grow, hopefully more small breweries will emerge and states will take further action to support their development.

A year and a half after the nano-brewery law went into effect, New Hampshire has seven nano-breweries, and a few more on the way. If you love good beer you have to be excited about this. Truly local artisans producing quality beer in small batches with the ability to experiment and try out new styles…wow I have some “research” to do.

Fat Jack Double Pumpkin

Sam Adams Fat Jack

By Jeff Purcell

Sam Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin is part of the brewery's Small Batch Series. The Small Batch brews are big, bold and flavorful. These beers are meant to be savored and enjoyed slowly. True inspiration for the Small Batch Beers is bred from a respect for the craft and gives Sam Adam's brewers the chance to try new things and experiment with ingredients. The results can be amazing.

This rich and luscious brew indulges in flavor with over 28 lbs. of pumpkin per barrel, for a full bodied sweetness and deep russet color.  Classic pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice ignite a warmth and spark that’s deepened by an undercurrent of roasty smoked malts.  The result is a delectable brew full of enveloping layers of flavor and spice.

 

This is definitely one of the best Pumpkin Ales I've ever had. It poured nice and dark with a serious aroma of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Unlike many pumpkin ales it didn't overwhelm. While the hint of spice is there, the beer is still just that, a beer. It is sweet initially, then the caramel and pumpkin pie spice really takes over for a nice finish. It is full-bodied but not heavy. The spices augment the beer and make this a true positive drinking experience.

This is really good stuff!

 

Jeff Purcell Angler and Beer Aficionado

Blue Lobster Brewing

Blue Lobster Brewing in Seacoast New Hampshire
By Eric Cioffi

It was a gloomy drizzly Saturday with nothing much going on.  I managed to cut the lawn before the rain started and got a few things done around the house.  Played with Jackson for a while then decided to head over the boarder to the New Hampshire Seacoast to check out Blue Lobster brewing in Hampton.  Located in a nice little strip mall on Lafayette Road the tasting room is set up with a number of high top tables and a nice blue stone bar.  Four beers were available for tasting at the unbelievable price of $1.00 a glass.  The samples were poured into 5 ounce snifters with the Blue Lobster logo on them.  A very generous sample for a dollar!  The owner was behind the bar and we chatted for a bit.  He spent some time in Oregon where he was influenced by the west coast style of beer.  Blue Lobster’s beers are definitely hop forward!

 

I started with their flagship beer the Gold Claw American Pale Ale.  This is a fantastic brew!  The beer was a clear pale yellow in color with a nice white head.  Aromas were of citrus and slightly sweet tropical notes.  Very carbonated and crisp; the ale is medium bodied and hoppy.  You get some resinous hop up front, which is followed quickly by citrus and pine.  The hops are balanced nicely by toasty biscuity malt.  The finish is bitter but not overwhelmingly so.  I picked up a growler for the Patriot’s game tomorrow.

 

The Black Claw Stout was very good.  Plenty of roasted malt and chocolate with some hop bitterness.  A dry stout with plenty of carbonation and flavor.  Smooth and balanced.  One of the better stouts I have had that is not Guinness.

Next up was the Ragged Neck Porter.  My past experience with porters has not been good and I generally stay away.  Usually sticky sweet and heavy, they reminded me of cough syrup.  I was in for a very pleasant surprise with the Ragged Neck.  It was crisp and dry with a medium body.  The brew master uses peat in the brewing process, which imparts a wonderful smoky flavor that stays in the background adding depth without being obnoxious.  Dark but not bitter it was a great beer.  I picked up a half growler.

The final beer on tap was A Life Of Sundays, a wee heavy scotch ale weighing in at 10% ABV.  I never tried a wee heavy before.  It was very good, sweet but not overly so.  It was balanced by a measured hop bitterness.  Lightly carbonated and very smooth.  Flavors of honey, rich caramel, and roasted malt with a subtle bitterness at the end. ABV is very well disguised. The finish is mellow and smooth with a lingering sweetness. A great winter beer.

I also picked up a bottle of Little Lobster on the Prairie, a Farmhouse Saison that is lightly hopped with Galaxy hops and fermented with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis.  I will be cracking that for the Sox game.  I was very impressed with these beers and will definitely be back to try more!

Go Sox!

 

MassWhole HefeWeizen

Wormtown Brewery - MassWhole HefeWeizen

By Eric Cioffi
 

The days are getting shorter, football season has started, the kids are back to school, and summer is just about over. With all the end of summer gatherings, the tempestuous change in routines, and crazy work schedules, it has been a busy time over here at Hoppy Daze and I am finally getting caught up.  This review is of a delightful wheat beer from Worcester’s Wormtown Brewing and finishes off my assortment of wheat beers.

The Wormtown Brewery is located in Worcester Massachusetts in the same building as Peppercorns restaurant. Opening to the public in the spring of 2010, Wormtown prides itself on using local ingredients whenever possible and has been delivering a vast array of truly unique craft beers.

The name Wormtown is based on the nickname that was foisted on the city during the late 1970’s when there was a punk rock explosion in the area. The independent Wormtown Punk Press covered the music and art scene and hit a nerve in the city. Those who were entranced with punk picked up on the name Wormtown and adopted it quickly to represent themselves and their emerging culture.

Not everyone identifies with Wormtown. Not everyone is involved with the underground music scene, and not everyone is a fan of punk. But the name has stuck and has been adopted by countless Worcester citizens because it symbolizes and embraces the free spirited do-it-yourself ethic that is simply Worcester. Wormtown Brewery has that same spirit - they are creating something unique to add to the mix in of the city. Will it change Worcester the way music did back in the late '70s? Who knows. But one thing is for sure, there is nothing that goes better with good music than good beer.

MassWhole HefeWeizen

All of the ingredients in every batch of Mass Whole are Massachusetts grown. Brewed with 4 Star (Northfield) Wheat and Magnum hops, and Czajkowski grown (Hadley) Valley Malted barley. Bavarian style unfiltered wheat beer with spicy clove and banana aroma. Pale straw color with cloudiness from wheat protein and yeast. Clove and banana continue into the flavor complimented by sweet wheat malt. Medium light body with a spicy dry finish.

Wormtown's take on the classic German style pours a cloudy pale straw color into a weizen glass from a 22 ounce bottle.  A full fluffy head of white foam lingers and draws silky lacing as the bubbles slowly recede. The aroma is clean and carries hints of citrus, banana, clove and sweet bread.

The first sip reveals a medium body with a high degree of carbonation leading to subtle clove spices with citrus and tropical flavors.  With just a hint of tartness, it is not overwhelmed by the Bavarian yeast.  The beer is crisp and smooth, refreshing and easy to drink. For those who want to give German style wheats a try this is an excellent entry into the style.  It is more like an American wheat, yet this ale presents a complicated flavor profile without being overbearing.  This has become my favorite wheat beer and I highly recommend you grab a bottle if you see one.

Bavarian Wheat | 4.9% ABV

Rating: 93

Two Kansas City Wheats - “80 Acre Hoppy Wheat” and “Unfiltered Wheat”

Boulevard Kansas City Wheats

By Eric Cioffi

Just getting caught up on some tastings from the end of the summer. It has been a busy time here at Hoppy Daze.  Back to school and adjusting to the new routines, but hopefully we are back on track. 

I have been on a wheat beer binge lately.  Maybe it has been the glorious summer weather we have had or perhaps I just needed a change from the usual hop bomb IPAs I tend to favor.  Whatever the reason, I am enjoying these delightful brews.

This review looks at two very different wheat beers from Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri.  Boulevard makes some fantastic beer – I love their Double Wide IPA, fashioned in the West Coast style, with plenty of hops. One of the beer gurus at Winchester Wine and Spirits has highly recommended their “Tank 7 Saison” as an excellent representation of that style and my bottle is in the beer fridge awaiting my tasting and review.

Boulevard is not only the second largest brewery in Missouri, but also one of the largest craft brewers in the Midwest. Founded in 1989, Boulevard’s mission consists of producing fresh and flavorful beers using the finest traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques.

The Boulevard story begins in 1988, when founder John McDonald started construction of the brewery in a turn-of-the-century brick building on Kansas City’s historic Southwest Boulevard. A vintage Bavarian brewhouse was installed, and the first batches of beer were produced in the fall of 1989. That November, the first keg of Boulevard Pale Ale was delivered—in the back of John’s pickup truck—to a restaurant just a few blocks away. In 2006, a major expansion adjacent to the original brewery raised Boulevard’s brewing capacity to approximately 600,000 barrels per year—a sizable increase from the 6,000 barrels contemplated in their original business plan.

In a previous review I discussed the differences between American wheat beers and traditional German or Belgian style wheats.  That article can be found here if you want more details. 80 Acre and Unfiltered Wheat are brewed in the American style with a subdued yeast profile.  Both of these beers are very good but they are quite different and it was interesting and pleasurable to taste them side by side and really be able to observe the differences.

We were on vacation and had spent the day at Third Beach at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island laying in the sun and cooling off in the waves. The Refuge maintains 6.5 miles of pristine beachfront and unspoiled dunes. Sunburned and salty, I had worked up a mighty thirst and was looking forward to some ice cold beer.

 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat

With roots in two of today's most popular brewing styles, 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat Beer is the result of careful cultivation by our brewers and cellarmen. Their efforts to craft a hybrid yielded a bumper crop of flavor; delightfully distinctive ale with the aroma of an IPA and the refreshing taste of a wheat beer.  Brewed with Bravo, Zeus, Summit, Cascade, and Nelson Sauvin Hops.

If you enjoy big hop taste you owe it to yourself to try this ale. 80-Acre is an un-filtered wheat beer with a just enough body to keep the brilliant hops in check. It pours a cloudy, pale, straw-yellow color with a delicate head that clings to your glass. The strong pine and citrus that you get on the nose is just as bright and crisp on the palate. You almost notice a faint hint of lemon grass on the back of the tongue between sips. Easy to drink with and very balanced I really enjoyed this beer.  This is a substantial beer full of hop flavor but not overpowering. It will be in my fridge year round for when I want something a little lighter.

American-Style Hoppy Wheat Ale | 5.5% ABV

Rating: 90

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a lively, refreshing ale with a natural citrusy flavor and distinctive cloudy appearance. This easy drinking American-style wheat beer has become our most popular offering, and the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest.

Another gem by Boulevard, this Unfiltered Wheat Beer poured a moderately cloudy light yellow color and seemed to be decently carbonated after being conditioned in the bottle. Once in the glass, there rose a wonderful solid two finger white head that seemed to last a good long time. There was plenty of creamy lacing on the glass when gently swirled to let the aroma breathe. This looked like a very well made wheat beer. The aroma was clean and fresh, slightly bready with citrus and tropical expressions.  The beer was crisp and lemony and slightly tart and was light to medium in body.  The hops are barely present adding only a grassy element with no bitterness to speak of.  Very refreshing and drinkable this is one of the best wheats I have sampled this summer.

American Wheat Ale | 4.4% ABV

Rating: 88