The Beer Tap

Day One at GABF

I just got back to the hotel after the first day of the GABF and I have to say it was amazing!  Who knew that there were that many fans of great beer.  We tried every beer possible in a few hours and ended up at an after hours party at the Flying Dog brewery.   A good portion of my time was spent at Dogfish Head trying all of the beers they brought as the founder poured and drank with the crowd.  Overall....a great evening to start the festival.  Tomorrow I will spend the afternoon drinking with the brewers and the true fans.  Many pictures and reviews on beers to follow.  Today's beers brought about comments such as "Holy shit!" and "I think I am drinking whiskey!"  Time to call it a night as I am having trouble typing....   

The Great American Beer Festival

I apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I am in the process of moving and have not had as much time as I would like to blog.  I hope to make up for that over the next week...the Great American Beer Festival is this weekend in Denver, CO.  I will be making the trip to taste beer, meet brewers, discover new breweries, and report back to you.  I will post a message each day of the weekend with a quick rundown on the events and then follow up with detailed posts the next week. 

Commercial Oktoberfest Beers

Tomorrow is the official start of Oktoberfest in Munich and a few select cities here in the US.  As promised, I pulled together a list of beers to consider adding to your celebration.  First, most of the German brewers export an Oktoberfest beer to the US.  Unfortunately, each of these is only as good as they have been treated on the trip over to the states.  For the most part, each of these beers arrives in very drinkable condition, but you may run into a few that just aren't as good.  A general (yet not all inclusive) list of German brewers offering Oktoberfest here in the states...Spaten, Ayinger, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner, and Hofbrau House.

Since its Friday afternoon, I decided to run down to Whole Foods and pick up a couple of beers to  try and compare.  I ended up tasting Oktoberfest from Hacker-Pschorr, Ayinger, Sam Adams and a Marzen from Gordon-Biersch that I had in the fridge.  Here are my quick thoughts about each:

• Hacker-Pschorr (5.8%): This six pack has been treated like crap on the way over.  The aroma was fruity and there were off flavors (there shouldn't be flavors other than malt lightly balanced with some hop bitterness).  I think it was good at one point.  It was brewed June 06 according to the label so it should still be ok.  An nice amber color, little head.  Overall the worst of the four.
• Ayinger (5.6%): When I fist poured this beer it had a little hop aroma, but that disappeared pretty quickly.  This style is supposed to have no hop aroma, but luckily that gave way to a malty, bread-like aroma.  It was amber/copper colored, had a lasting head, and had good balanced malt flavor.  It finished without an aftertaste (sometimes referred to as clean).  As it warmed up it really came alive and revealed more complexity.  This is a much more nuanced style than say IPA, so you may want to drink it a little warmer (say 10 minutes out of the fridge and then drink) to help bring out the flavor and aroma.
• Sam Adams: For me, Sam Adams is either really good or just kind of blah depending on the style.  This one is definitely drinkable but did not shine compared to the other beers.  It had little aroma, was amber in color, and had a nice malt balance.  Just not a lot else to say.  I'd drink it, but not if other beers were available.
• Gordon-Biersch: Technically this was a Marzen, but in the end they are more or less the same.  None of the Oktoberfest beers are stored in caves these days.  I figured I had to try this since Dan Gordon was trained as a brewer in Germany.  His entire company is based on German style beers and he is also a great, down to earth guy.  The beer had a nice malty aroma that had a hint of nut.  I think I even tasted a little bit of cashew like flavors mixed with the maltiness.  Definitely more complex than the other beers and it stood out because of that.

So which was my favorite?  I think the Ayinger was the best.  That's what I am finishing as I type this post.  The GB came in a close second and I will certainly enjoy drinking the other 5 in the fridge.

Of course your area of the US will also have regional craft brewers offering an Oktoberfest.  Look for 22 ounce bottle offerings of these...they allow you to buy enough to try but not so much that you end up with a bunch of 6 packs in the fridge.  If you try one that is really good, be sure to add a comment or send me an email.

I highly recommend an offering by Saint Arnold's but you'll have to be in Texas to get that.  Its worth the entire 6 pack! 

Stone 10th Anniversary

A quick break from Oktoberfest preparations…Over the weekend I drove down to the Stone Brewing Co. tenth anniversary celebration in Escondido, California.  They invited 38 other craft brewers to their new brewery location and threw a pretty good party.  I got to sample beer from 11 different breweries and all I had to do was donate $25 to charity.  A pretty good deal if you ask me!  Check out this link for details on the festivities and a list of every brewer that was there.

Here is what I sampled (Thanks to Victor and Kevin for helping me remember everything after the fact!)  Some of these were new to me and others are solid favorites I was sharing with friends.

Rogue – Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Marin Brewing Co. – IPA

Stone – 10^th Anniversary IPA

Russian River Brewing Co. – Blind Pig IPA

Craftsman – Black Smoked Lager

Dogfish Head – 60 Minute IPA

Pizza Port – Shark Attack

Ommegang – Abbey

Lagunitas – IPA

Avery – Imperial Oktoberfest

Stone – Smoked Porter

Besides all of the great beer, one thing really stuck out.  Stone drinkers really know their beer and breweries!  People lined up almost around the block for the Dogfish Head, a beer not even available in California.  Worth the wait, though.  Dogfish produces some very unique brews at the edge of “normal”.  In fact their motto is even “Off-centered ales for off-centered people”.  If you are on the East Coast or in the Midwest, you should make an effort to try some of their brews.  Not in that locale?  Then Stone and Avery can help provide a similar experience.  And to the best of my knowledge they are available on the West Coast, the Southwest, and a few other spots.  And be sure to pick up the Imperial Oktoberfest if want to really celebrate the next few weeks in style! 

Also be sure to check out Stone co-founder, Greg Koch's vBlog on the event.  I might even be featured plugging my blog once the footage of the event has been posted.

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A few words on tasting...

A quick add on to my post from earlier today:

Ultimately, the first thing to consider when tasting a beer is “Do I like it?”  After all if you don’t like it, it doesn’t matter if it is brewed perfectly to style.  Move on to try another beer that you like better!  Just because someone else ranks it with 5 stars, 90 points, or two thumbs up doesn't mean that everyone will like it.  Your mom will be glad you tried it and you can say no thank you in the future.  The key is to try lots of styles from a number of brewers.  This will help you determine what flavors, aromas, and styles you prefer.  Not all brewers make beer the same...and thank goodness they don't! 

Oktoberfest Beer Part 2

This is an excerpt (with a few deletions and rewordings on my part) of the official BJCP guideline for the Marzen/Oktoberfest style.  Not all beers that are called an Oktoberfest will fit perfectly, but they should be pretty close to be considered “on style”.  By the way…the BJCP is an organization that trains people to judge and score beers for competitions (typically among homebrewers).

• Aroma: Rich German malt aroma (of Vienna and/or Munich malt). A light to moderate toasted malt aroma is often present. Clean lager aroma with no fruity esters or diacetyl. No hop aroma. Caramel aroma is inappropriate.
• Appearance: Dark gold to deep orange-red color. Bright clarity, with head lasting.
• Flavor: Initial malty sweetness, but finish is moderately dry. Distinctive and complex maltiness often includes a toasted aspect. Hop bitterness is moderate, and noble hop flavor is low to none. Balance is toward malt, though the finish is not sweet. Noticeable caramel or roasted flavors are inappropriate. Clean lager character with no diacetyl or fruity esters.
• Overall Impression: Smooth, clean, and rather rich, with a depth of malt character. This is one of the classic malty styles, with a maltiness that is often described as soft, complex, and elegant but never cloying (i.e. excessively sweet)

Vital Statistics:

OG	FG	IBUs	SRM	ABV
(1.050 - 1.056)	(1.012 - 1.016)	(20 - 28)	(7 - 14)	(4.8 - 5.7%)

A little help with some vocabulary from the Vital Stats….

• OG (Original Gravity) is a measure of the amount of sugar present before fermentation.  It is measured relative to the density of water
• FG (Final Gravity) is a measure of the unfermented sugar in the finished beer.  The higher the number, the sweeter and thicker the beer will taste.
• IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is a measure of the beer’s bitterness.  It’s a number determined in a lab and can be somewhat misleading since it is not absolute in terms of taste.  A higher IBU measurement may not always lead to a higher perceived bitterness.  It depends on the beer style, ingredients, final gravity, carbonation level, etc.
• SRM is a measure of the beer’s color.  The higher the number, the darker the beer.
• ABV (Alcohol by Volume) tells you how many of these you can drink and still walk a straight line afterward.

Up next…I’ll share a list of beers to add to your grocery list in preparation for the celebration.

Oktoberfest Beer Part 1

Since brewing began with the rise of early civilizations, brewers throughout time have been forced to create novel solutions to problems that modern technology has since easily solved.  The Germans may be best known for techniques and innovations in the creation of lager beers.  In this post we’ll look at only one of these innovations.  Back in the day, brewers of the old world did not have refrigeration to then keep the beer fresh.  Instead, they relied on caves and cellars to store beer at an appropriate temperature…about 45-55 deg F.  Since they lacked the ability to control temperature, these brewers stopped producing beer in the warmer months of the year. 

      

In March, the brewers would brew a beer slightly higher in alcohol to store in the caves for consumption later in the summer.  This is where the term “lagerbier” originated: the word “lagern” is German for “to store”.  The last beer produced in the spring before the summer was called Märzen, which is German for March.  As fate would have it (or maybe it was planned…I’m not sure), the marriage and first Oktoberfest as described in an earlier post, took place late in the summer when this beer was being pulled from the cellars for consumption.  As beer and concessions became part of the festivities in the few years after the original celebration, this beer was eventually called Oktoberfest.  The origins of the modern day Oktoberfest style according to the BJCP: “Origin is credited to Gabriel Sedlmayr, based on an adaptation of the Vienna style developed by Anton Dreher around 1840, shortly after lager yeast was first isolated.”

      

Up next…what does an Oktoberfest taste like?  I’ll follow that up with information on modern commercial beers to try.

History Of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest begins in 12 days.  Here is some information on the history of the Munich celebration...

The first "Oktoberfest" took place on October 12^th 1810 to celebrate the marriage on that date of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen.  The general public was invited to share in his celebration which was not typical of this time.  At this time in history, nobles rarely associated themselves with the general public.  Recognizing this rare opportunity, 40,000 Bavarians attended the celebration in Munich on what is now called Theresienwiese (the Teresa Meadow).  Almost 200 years later, the celebration is still held at the same location.  Although major amounts of beer were consumed at the very first Oktoberfest, the event was initially built around a horse race and a state agricultural show that was added in 1811. The horse race is no longer a part of the celebration, however the agricultural show continues and the festival has added many carnival like activities.  

In the year 1813, the Oktoberfest was called off as Bavaria was involved in the Napoleonic war. In 1816, carnival booths made their first appearance and included main prizes such as silver, porcelain, and jewelry. In 1819, the town fathers of Munich took over the management of the festival to ensure that Oktoberfest was celebrated every year without exception. 

In later years Oktoberfest was lengthened and the start date was pushed earlier into Septemeber to take advantage of the good weather typical to Bavaria that time of the year. The high temperature in the first week of Oktoberfest often nears 85 degrees F which helps to stimulate the thirst of the visitors. Despite the change in dates, the last week of Oktoberfest still falls in October. 

Coming up next...details on the Oktoberfest beer style.

Beers for Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend…the last official weekend of summer and the official start of college football.  Whether you are outside enjoying time with friends and family or are firmly planted on your couch, this is a weekend that calls for a nice, easy drinking beer.  You could very easily run to your local grocery store and pick up a case or two of Bud/Miller/Coors.  The big three make a very consistent, lower alcohol, smooth American Lager beer, but I urge you to venture out and try something new this Labor Day. 

• The New Belgium Brewing Company offers a summer seasonal called Skinny Dip (4.2%ABV).  NB has officially released their Fall seasonal, but you still should be able to find 6 packs of this beer in any store that carries the flagship beer, Fat Tire.  The beer has seen mixed reviews among customers, but I happen to like it.  The aroma reveals both Cascade hops and malt without either being too overpowering.  The beer starts with a mild bitterness from the hops and finishes with a toasted bread or biscuit like flavor.  This is definitely more complex than B/M/C, but the flavor of the beer does not linger for a long time like some other craft style brews.  I think this is a good starter for those looking to try different beers outside of their standard American Lager.  

• My second recommendation for the weekend is an American Lager made in the tradition of beers brewed before the worst political decision of all time, Prohibition.  Session (5.2% ABV) is brewed by Full Sail Brewing Company without any corn, rice, or other adjuncts…just malt.  It also comes in a cool 11 ounce, stubby bottle that is sure to be noticed by others.  This tastes similar to import lagers you may have tried, but without that distinct Heineken flavor many people do not like.  Session is brewed right here in the US so drinking this beer is a great way to celebrate labor here in America.  Plus I think you will find it very enjoyable and easy to drink.