The Beer Tap

Michigan Beer Stop #1: Bell's

Despite my goal of 5 breweries during the holiday weekend, I only made it to 3.  That's batting 600 and not too bad considering that I also had a wedding with activities on Friday and Saturday.  I think I also get additional points for hitting up one location twice.  Yep...twice.  More details on that later...

First stop on the tour was Bell's Brewery Inc. in Kalamazoo, MI which is approximately 245 miles from my house.  I left in the morning with the goal of reaching Bell's just in time for lunch at their brew pub.  As I rolled up to where Google maps had so kindly led me, I realized that I must have entered the wrong address.  I was in an office/industrial park and couldn't imagine a brewpub surviving so far from the city.  Unfortunately I had accidentally mapped the brewery instead of the brew pub.  Not all bad since it was only about 7 miles out of the way and I got to snap this great picture of the brewery.  Plus it added to the anticipation of getting to my first beer and some lunch.  I was hungry and thirsty!  Luckily a nice women at the front desk got me back on the road headed in the right direction and at the pub in about 15 minutes. 

Upon reaching the pub I headed straight to the bar and ordered up my first beer.  I've had most of the Bell's collection so I wanted to branch out and try any seasonals or special brewpub only offerings.  My eyes quickly found their Batch 8000, a strong wheat beer and the 8,000th that Bell's has brewed, and a 12 ounce specialty glass (pictured on the left) was quickly in hand.  I was expecting something in the neighborhood of a wheat wine with the 9% ABV rating, but was pleasantly surprised by the banana and clove aromas.  Batch 8,000 was not a wheat wine, but rather a German style wheat where the yeast contributes a great deal of flavor and aroma.  I found this beer to be very well balanced and the alcohol level to be subdued despite being on the high end.  There also was not any cloying sweetness that can sometimes be an issue for higher alcohol beers.  A good start to my Bell's tasting experience.  [Update: Apparently its a Belgian style beer, but the flavors and aromas were very similar to a German style in my opinion.  Banana aroma and the combination of coriander, orange peel, and paradise seed came across clove-like for me. Hey...either way I liked it!]

With the first couple of sips across my tongue, I quickly turned to the food menu and discovered a sandwich with two different pork products: pulled pork and bacon.  Since I was on my way to my friend Brian's wedding I decided that bacon was definitely a necessity.  You see...bacon is Brian's kryptonite and I am not sure I have never seen him pass it up.  I could think of no better meal to begin the weekend than a sandwich that combined two cuts from the "wonderful magical animal" as Homer would say.  Plus pork and German beer are a natural pair!      

As I finished up eating the delicious sandwich, I noticed that the only other beer I had not tried before was Bell's Oktoberfest (5.3% ABV by the sign in the bar).  Another German style beer that fit well with the theme started with the first beer and lunch, so I ordered up a pint.  The beer had a nice clean malt aroma and crisp malt flavors.  The malt flavor was nutty and earthy and consistent with what I tend to associate with malty beers made in Europe.  The finish was dry and clean leading to a beer with great malt flavor and no excessive sweetness.  Very enjoyable, but alas I had to get back in the car so I had to refrain from drinking it all.  Yep...I bricked half a pint of very good beer.  To go cups are typically frowned on and for good reason. 

Overall, Bell's Brewpub has great food and the solid beer I have come to expect from the brewery.  My only negative was that the service at the bar was unfriendly and the bartender appeared to be less than thrilled he was there.  I don't need to be pampered in a brewpub, but even a faint attempt at hospitality isn't too much to expect in my opinion.  Let's just say that even if I hadn't been on a road trip I probably wouldn't have stayed any longer than it took to finish the half pint I left behind.  Big miss on their part in my opinion and I certainly hope that this is limited to one individual on a bad day!  Since everything else was excellent, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.  Bell's can rest easy that they haven't completely lost a customer since will still pick up the Double Cream Stout and the Hopslam when they reappear on store shelves.

Up next....Stop #2: Founders

Rustic Canyon Summer Beer Bash: Los Angeles

A friend in LA recently sent me a press release for an upcoming beer dinner in Santa Monica.  I know a number of my readers are out there in SoCal so I wanted to pass on the details.  For those outside of the SoCal area, I think that there is still an interesting story about one of the the beer experts, Christina Perozzi, who is organizing the event.  You see, it is her mission to "dispel many misconceptions that women have about beer, and bring beer to the modern women's dining experience." (Quoted from her blog: Beer 4 Chx)  As far as I know, she is the only one out there specifically focusing on the female population with beer evangelism. 

Despite all of the great brands out there, beer still gets a bad reputation among both men and women with some of both sexes scorning the drink in favor of wine or spirits.  Something about sophistication is often quoted.  So is there a need for a focus on winning over just women?  In my years of obsessing about beer, I have converted a number of women over to drinking beer by showing them that there is a world beyond Light American Lager and all of its less than appealing marketing.  But let's face it...I think a woman can be more effective communicating with other women.  Or at least relative to me.  Understanding the nuances and deep inner thoughts of women has never been my number one skill (I think I am going to regret putting that in print).  So, I wish Christina Perozzi well in her mission and look forward to meeting her converts somewhere along the way.  After all...life is best enjoyed sharing a beer with others.  Male or female. 

For those interested in attending the dinner, here is a quick blurb from the press release as well as the basics on the event:

"The evening features a summer and beer inspired menu from Rustic Canyon's Chef Samir Mohajer paired with rare local beers hand-selected by Beer Experts Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune. The three stellar breweries selected are Craftsman Brewing Company, which hails from Pasadena, Telegraph Brewing Company from Santa Barbara, and The Lost Abbey from San Marcos."

• Location: Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen
• Date: Monday August 27th
• Time: Two seatings are available
• Link to reservation website

Unfortunately, the commute from the Midwest is little too far to make it to this event.  However, I sent the press release to Hair of the Dog Dave who blogs about beer out in LA.  I am hopeful that he will attend and report back on the tasting/dinner over at his site.  Or if one of my readers is feeling adventuresome and wants to do a guest post, let me know.

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?!?!?