The Beer Tap

Flying Dog Open Source Beer Project

I received an email from Flying Dog last night announcing a new effort they have under way to brew an "open source" beer.  The goal is to take user input on hops, yeast, malt, and brewing methodology to develop a Dopplebock for release in October as part of their "Wild Dog" series.  It will be available in 750 mL hand corked bottles with only 5,000 bottles available nationwide.  According to comments on their website, this is not the first effort of its kind, but I think it may be one of the first established, commercial breweries to undertake such a project.  Personally I think it is a great idea and a great way to get the homebrewing community involved with Flying Dog.  However, I wish they had not forced a style on the project and had instead allowed the community to decide.  It might even have evolved into a totally new style or a hybrid of two existing.  Of course, no guidance at all might leave the project headed in 20 different directions right out of the gate.  In keeping with the "open" parallel to software, I guess you have to decide whether you want to create the next iTunes or Excel.   

So if you want to help shape this future release, be sure to check out their dedicated website: Open  Source Beer Project.  I know I plan to check back on a regular basis to see how the development is going.

 

Win a Kegerator!

Christian over at Kegerator.net sent me a heads up that they are giving away a kegerator this summer.  All you have to do is tell them why you deserve to win.  While I already have a kegerator, I certainly could use an upgrade!  Check out the link below if you are interested in entering.  Beer drinking at home gets even better when you have your favorite cold and on tap!  http://www.kegerators.net/kegerator-giveaway.php

Long weekend brewing

Summer officially begins this weekend and that has me thinking about what beers to brew with the extra day off.  So many styles go well with the warm weather: wheat beers (both Belgian and German), lagers, lighter IPAs and Pale Ales, and fruit beers.  As I was shopping online for yeast, I noticed Kölsch and knew I had found a winner.

For one, Kölsch is a quaffable beer that goes down smoothly on a hot summer day.  In fact, Saint Arnold brews Fancy Lawnmower Beer which falls into this style and as the name says its perfect to enjoy after activity outside on a summer day.  But do not let the name fool you...in no way does this mean that the style lacks flavor.  Quaffable, yes...tasteless and watered down, no.  Subtle fruit flavors and aromas combine with mild malt sweetness to create a very enjoyable beer.

Second, if I am going to brew a Kölsch I need to do it now before the temperature in my basement gets too warm.  The hybrid ale yeast used to make Kölsch likes temperatures closer to that of a lager and my basement probably won't give me that too much longer. 

And finally, I need to follow up fermentation with a 6 week lagering period.  Doing the math...2 weeks to ferment + 6 weeks to age = 4th of July Kolsch.  Perfect!  For those worried about patriotism, don't.  I will be brewing American style ambers and IPAs over the weekend as well to aid in the celebration!  No English beers...I promise!

With styles that I do not brew frequently, I like to look at the history of how the style came about so that I can be sure to incorporate any traditional methods or ingredients.  Kölsch is an appellation designation similar to Champagne that is protected by the Kölsch Konvention and is restricted to the breweries in and around Cologne(Köln), Germany.  The Konvention defines the beer as a "light, highly attenuated, hop-accentuated, clear top-fermenting vollbier."  The Kölsch style as it is brewed today is less than a hundred years old, but there has been brewing in the city of Cologne, Germany for at least a thousand years.  The precursor to this style was called keutebier and was made from mostly wheat.  Over time, the amount of wheat has been slowly reduced to the point that the beer is produced almost exclusively from malted barley.  The grain bill today for producing a Kölsch consists of Pilsner malt and 0-10% wheat malt.  With that knowledge in hand, I'll probably try about 5% malted wheat to provide some character as I think 100% Pilsner malt will probably be lacking in some of the depth I would prefer.

Back in college when I was traveling Europe one summer, I had the pleasure of visiting one of the approved Cologne brewers, Fruh.  Here we were able to experience Kölsch served in the authentic Kölsch glassware by the dedicated beer server as is the tradition.  Each beer comes in a tall, cylindrical glass of 200 mL like the one pictured at the top of the post.  The specially designated server walks around with a special tray of full glasses delivering them to those who are ready for a refill.  From what I remember, the small glass never lead to situations where I was without beer! 

In a related note, as I was writing this post, a friend forwarded this article from the NY Times that details a writer's recent trip to Germany that includes an exploration of Kölsch.  He does a wonderful job of explaining the Kölsch experience.  He also happens to have a great job...traveling around Germany, drinking beer, and writing about it.  Sign me up!

Beer Tax Increases?

Last night I was watching the news and I heard that a proposal was on the table to raise beer taxes in the state of Wisconsin.  I have seen a number of stories on blogs about similar proposals in other states, but since I live here I paid more attention to this story.  After all, this is the state with the "Brew City" where beer reigns supreme.  How could they even think this would be accepted by the people?  I went to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel to get more details and here is some of what they had to say:

'Two Democratic legislators today vowed to try again to raise the $2-per-barrel beer tax, which has been unchanged for 38 years, despite a warning they are taking on a "sacred Wisconsin beverage."

"I am not predicting it's going to pass," Democratic Rep. Terese Berceau of Madison said of her proposal to boost the $2 tax to $10 per barrel to fight drunken driving and treat alcohol addiction. "I'm kind of fooling around with holy water here."

Her beer-tax increase would raise the tax on a six-pack from 3.6-cents to 18-cents. Overall, it would cost beer drinkers between $40 million and $48 million more a year, she said.

The Assembly leader of her own party has panned her proposal, however.

Senate President Fred Risser (D-Madison) defended the increase, noting it essentially was indexing the beer tax for inflation since its last hike 38 tears ago. In 1969, Risser voted to raise the tax from $1 per barrel to $2, and he said none of the predictions then that it would devastate the state's economy came true.

Wisconsin's $2-per-barrel tax is third lowest in the nation, behind the 59-cent levy in Wyoming and the $1.86 tax in Missouri, home of Budweiser. Legislators said the highest beer tax in the nation is $33.17 per barrel in Alaska.'

The proposed increase would equate to a 3 cent increase per bottle.  Its hard to believe that any retailer would not pass on that kind of increase to the consumer even if in stages.  Why the desired increase?  To help fund programs to fight drunk driving and alcohol addiction.  What?!?! I am not saying that these are not important issues.  I just think that this is the wrong way to fund programs to address them.  Many people throughout the US are able to drink responsibly and should not be forced to fund programs for those who cannot.  Why punish everyone who is able to handle alcohol consumption responsibly?  Something tells me the amount of money needed to make a difference with these programs could easily be worked into the state budget without the tax.  Plus there is a lot that can be done through education by parents at home which is absolutely free.  Parents can have a large influence on how their kids view alcohol which I believe will translate into healthier drinking behaviors once they reach the legal drinking age.   

In the end I do not think the tax will pass, and it looks like there are groups ready to help fight (from the Capital Times):

Scott Stenger, lobbyist for the Wisconsin Tavern League, doesn't think the proposal will generate a lot of support in the Legislature.  "Part of the reason we have a low beer tax is because of the jobs generated by the beer wholesalers and retailers," he said. "Wisconsin is unique compared to most other states in that our economy is really intertwined with the brewing industry. More bars per capita generate jobs, income and taxes."

"To think that raising the tax five-fold won't negatively impact that just isn't accurate," he added.

I'll add in another argument as well...excise taxes are regressive and unfairly tax the poor and lower middle class.  As a percent of income, the poor and lower middle class end up paying a heavier tax burden.  The graph you see here shows the break down of taxes by income level including the effects of both property and excise taxes.  Just in case you need some Economics 101 to help convince you that higher beer taxes are the wrong way to go.

Alright....time to get off my soap box and to responsibly enjoy a pint.

Belated Notes

A few belated tasting notes from the weekend.  I had wanted to get them out over the weekend, but got "distracted".  Hey...good beer will do that!

On Saturday I tried a new Belgian style beer from Allagash called Four.  The beer is made from 4 malts and fermented 4 times using 4 different yeast strains.  Not exactly shocking with a name like Four, but I thought it had the chance to be a very interesting beer.  Here's a note from Allagash's website that details the production process:

"During the mashing process, we add Date Sugar to the mash tun. Later, during the boil, we add Light Candi, Dark Candi, and Light Golden Molasses. After primary fermentation with the first strain of yeast, we add more Candi Sugar, and referment the beer with a secondary strain of yeast... that process is then repeated with a third strain of yeast, and finally a fourth for bottle conditioning in the cellar."

My notes from the tasting:

• ABV: 10.0%; Original Gravity: 1090
• Appearance: Light brown with a hint of red, cloudy, nice head formed but did not last
• Aroma: Fruits and candy, toffee, some spice
• Taste: Slightly tart upfront but that gives way to some great fruit flavors and sweetness, Raisin and cherry flavors mix with a sweetness similar to a dark sugar, Alcohol is noticeable but not over the top, Finishes dry with some lingering spice flavors

Overall I think this is an enjoyable beer.  The dark sugar and fruit flavors combine nicely with the spices in a way that is not too over the top.  Despite the strong date and cherry flavors I still came away thinking "subtle" yet also "complex".  Many Belgian Quads can be too sweet and cloying to really enjoy.  At least for my tastes.  As with any beer, it all depends on what you personally like!  This bottle was about $10 so I will let you decide whether its worth trying.  If you do not like it, I will be happy to help you finish it!      

Get Crooked

Friday afternoon and the weekend is here.  I finished up work today with a "Friday Try Day" beer sampling and decided to continue when I got home.  My birthday is on Sunday and I plan to treat myself to new beers all weekend long.  And that means blog postings every day as well!

Kicking off the tasting weekend is Double Crooked Tree by Dark Horse Brewing Co of Marshall, MI.  The tasting at work was pretty tame and full of "already tried" so I decided to step it up with a 13.6% ABV, 98 IBU double IPA.  Back in March I blogged about Dreadnaught and the DIPA style.  Consider this an extension of that exploration of the style.  After all, trying many different brands within a style is the only way to truly understand the breadth and boundaries of the style.  I've tried all of the BJCP "classic" examples but that hardly covers all of the options for DIPA or Imperial IPA.

Double Crooked Tree is billed as the same recipe as DHB's Crooked Tree but with all of the ingredients except water doubled.  The single version of Crooked Tree was inspired by a West Coast IPA but has been produced with Michigan style.  (Not sure exactly what that means since I have not tried the single version.  If I had to guess, I would say it is less aggressive.)  Even more intriguing is the sentence "Because of our almost patented 'Intense Transfer Methods' our Crooked Tree has won several medals in the India Pale Ale category."  Enough words...time to taste!

• Appearance: Cloudy with no transparency at all, little to no head, auburn color, over time some of the haze clears as the beer warms
• Aroma: Hops are immediately noticeable with grapefruit and pine notes, malt sweetness and caramel also, alcohol detectable but not overpowering
• Taste: Low carbonation, Bitterness up front but very balanced without any harshness, Soft hit up front that fades fairly quickly, some sweetness but not as much as I would have thought, dry throughout, Alcohol level is only apparent through some warming sensations

Overall, I would say this is a pretty good beer.  Its very drinkable which could be very dangerous considering the alcohol level.  I would prefer to see a more aggressive approach when brewing a DIPA but I think many will enjoy this beer.  Be sure to drink it in the 40-50 deg F range to get a full appreciation of the flavors.  Any colder and you will probably be disappointed. 

A good start to a weekend of tasting and looking forward to the next!

Smoke it up

First off...let me apologize for the lapse in posts over the last few weeks.  I have been on the road for work and there just wasn't the time to dedicate to a proper post.  In each city I set out to try some new beers, but I have to report back that what I found didn't impress me.  But now I am back home and have made another $100 trip to the beer store.  I have several new beers in the queue and should be able to start pumping out reviews....as soon as I kick the cold I caught traveling.  I went to the fridge tonight and pulled out a bottle (Mom stop reading here!) and decided to power through and taste a beer anyways.  Then I remembered that cold medicines make it very hard to assess a beer's aroma and thus also its flavor.  So I put the beer back, cried a quick tear, and decided to reminisce on a beer from the weekend.  It was one worth some reflection.

Rauchbier is a German beer style and literally means "Smoke Beer".  Yes...I realize that this may seem very strange but I can assure you that it is quite tasty and pairs well with food.  The smoked flavors in Smoke Ale by Rogue come from two grains that have been smoked as part of the malting process: Chuck's Alderwood Smoked Munich and Bamberg Beechwood Smoked malts.  But fear not, this beer is not completely dominated by the smoke flavors and is supported by sweet, nutty malt flavors and a healthy dose of hops.  Rather than power through as a dominant flavor, the smoked flavors becomes more apparent as the beer finishes on your tongue.  Of course you won't be surprised by the smoke as the aroma hits you long before the first sip crosses your lips.

Now comes the exciting part...pairing it with food.  It was Cinco de Mayo and I wanted something with either Tex-Mex or Southwestern flavors.  After some searching I found a recipe for a Lime-Cumin-Cilantro dressing by Bobby Flay that sounded like a perfect fit.  I grilled up some chicken and tossed it on a salad with jicama root, black beans, green onions, and a mixture of Mexican cheeses.  I could not have imagined a better flavor combination as I washed down bites with the Smoke Ale.  This Rogue beer combined especially well with the black beans (think smoked bacon and beans...yum!) while contrasting nicely with the honey, vinegar and lime flavors in the dressing.  Another good choice for this dish would have been Rogue's Chipotle Ale which provides both the smoked flavors and the heat of the jalapeno.  With beers like this out there, why settle for a skunked Corona with a lime?!?!?