The Beer Doctor’s Guide For Approaching Beer

A new year brings with it a desire I have had for a long time to tackle the subject of beer from a beer lover’s viewpoint.

It has taken quite awhile on the search trail of this miraculous, human culinary invention, to arrive at these discoveries. The path has seen many articles of misinformation foisted on the unsuspecting, mostly for the sake of marketing. Here are 2 current examples:
1. Craft Beer is good, giant brewery beer is bad.
2. Giant commercial brewing interests are incapable of making good beer.
The term craft brewed is most often used as a catch-all description of beer with an abundance in flavor. All beer drinkers are guaranteed a right to enjoy only the highest quality beer. Proclaims Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch, in the Samuel Adams Beer Drinker’s Bill of Rights.
Further down in the declaration it states: III. Use of adjuncts such as corn syrup, rice or corn grits is strictly prohibited as it lightens the true character of a fine beer. Which is a convenient way to make you feel guilty if you actually enjoy drinking Pabst, Genesee, or Little Kings, or any other American “all grain” lager.
Craft brew puppies buy into the vast corporate conspiracy that created these adjunct monsters, supposedly for the sake of the old bottom line. Never mind that much of this simply flies in the face of actual history. How golden lager took over much of the beer drinking world because there was an absolute fascination with its clear golden color. Or that the use of corn and rice was an American invention of necessity, because back in the 19th century there was simply not enough European malts to supply this thirsty country.
Much has been said about national beers being devoid of personality. Again the assumed narrative of why this came about ignores the obvious fact that the brewing industry was nearly destroyed by the temperance religious zealots, and their political enablers, who created Prohibition. Legislation which combined religious cultural intolerance with anti-German hysteria. It is not surprising that things became bland, because after Prohibition  was repealed, there were many restrictions placed upon beer that were downright ridiculous (I mean, have you ever heard of 3.2 beer? Sunday “small beer” in the state of Ohio for many years. At one time it was the only beer allowed to be sold in the Miami university town of Oxford, Ohio.). Beer over 6% abv was not allowed to be sold in this state, until the beginning of this century. Home brewing, of which Jim Koch created his first kitchen batch of Samuel Adams, was not legal until Jimmy Carter was President.

So this points up to the obvious question: Do you love beer? I have found over the years that this a very good starting point for approaching this wonderful topic, which I hope to explore in this series. You know the old saying: Do it with love, or don’t do it at all.
Cheers!
Thank you is my only prayer.

Home For The Holidays, Part 5

You would have to have lived for awhile to comprehend the enormous changes in the beer universe over the last 30 years. Not so long ago, many people believed that Holiday beer simply meant putting a ribbon around a six-pack of Michelob… just as there are still some people who believe that bock is brewed in the spring, when breweries ‘clean out’ the bottoms of their vats.
On the other side of all this, there is a growing awareness that some fabled brews at Christmas time, which were once very difficult to obtain, have now been folded into the mainstream beer market. Being fairly old, I still remember when obtaining Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, anywhere east of the Mississippi river, was very rare indeed. Now, at least until very recently, 12 pack boxes of SN Celebration could be obtained at the local Kroger, in ample supply.  It is hard to believe that not so long ago, even the late fabled beer hunter, Michael Jackson, wondered if there was an actual market for beers that put emphasis on hops. By gobs, that seems like ancient history now, where a whole generation of new beer drinkers arrived at drinking age when hops and flavorful brew has become a given, from Samuel Adams, Magic Hat, Sierra Nevada and Stone, among many others.
At one time, I foolishly believed I could sample all the winter-holiday offerings available. But logistics, state tax laws, put an end to that illusion. Even beers once available in the Midwest have disappeared, often because a brewery’s production schedule simply can not keep up with distribution demands. Then there are (and still are) those special beloved brews that get snapped up as soon as they become available. This year it was Shiner Holiday Cheer that immediately comes to mind, A unique brew that used peaches and pecans… it disappeared in less than a week.
One barely noticed offering this year, from The Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre, PA is the Stegmaier Holiday Warmer, a strong ale take on English Winter Ale. A showcase of malt strength, it is not always fully appreciated by some of the younger beer drinkers, who think that hops and all of its extreme presentations, is the last word on what is beer. The same people who will shell out big time bucks for a sixer of Bell’s Hopslam, because for them, it is the ultimate beer, sometimes have difficulty fathoming malty depths.
But this Christmas, I am pretty well set up, with Lakefront Holiday Spice Lager, Breckenridge Christmas Ale, Stegmaier Hol;iday Warmer, Left Hand’s Fade To Black, Sierra Nevada Celebration in the 24 ounce bottle,  etc etc…
As they say in the space program: “I am good to go and ready to launch.”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Thank you as always, my only prayer,
The Beer Doctor

Home For The Holidays Part 4

THE HOLIDAY BEER SEARCH CONTINUES might be the headline in a newspaper. The arrival of Dundee Festive Ale, from Rochester, New York, is indeed a welcome sight. One of the more affordable holiday offerings also happens to be one of the best. This is wassail that keeps the emphasis on being ale, with spices for support, rather than vice versa. In fact, I will not be coy about this, having tasted quite a few spiced ales this season, this is far better than that concoction Harpoon Brewery calls Winter Warmer.
I have always enjoyed Dundee Festive Ale, since it was introduced, but this year’s version is the best so far. There is plenty of flavors here, quite drinkable and smooth.
That’s all for now, Saint Nikolas day approaches. Prosit!

Home For The Holidays Part 3

I guess it was simply a matter of time for this development to occur. Extreme beer recipes have been the rage in certain circles: the imperials, as it were, whether it was India Pale Ale, Helles Lager, Pumpkin Ale, Barley Wine kicked up to notches unknown, etc… But leave it to the independent Scots at Brew Dog Brewery, to take Ice Beer to a brand new level.
Tactical Nuclear Penguin begins life as a 10% Imperial Stout, then gets double cask aged for 16 months, the first eight months in a Isle of Arran whisky barrel, then transferred for the remainder to an Islay cask. After that, it is stored at -20 degrees for 3 weeks. The result? 32% alcohol by volume ale. The world’s strongest beer.
News of this release made me recall the conversation I had with B. United International president, Matthias Neidhart, some 14 years ago, when he described for me how Eisbock was produced. Where the beer is stored in very cold temperatures and the ice formed is removed, and then stored (or lagered) for many many months. A reinheitsgebot description of German invented ice bier. A much more elaborate process than that which is employed to make Icehouse, Labatt Ice, in North America.
Concentrated flavor is what this is all about. A fine example to compare would be Schneider & Sohn’s Aventinus and their Aventinus Eisbock.
But the folks at Brew Dog it seems, have decided to further expand the definition of ice brewing.
At one time, exceptionally aged and strong beer meant Hurlimann Samiclaus or Kulmbacher Eisbock or Scaldis Noel. But this was before Brew Dog’s Tactical Nuclear Penguin or Samuel Adams Utopia.
Strength has always come as a bit of a shock to the American beer drinker. After decades of mainly weak, cereal adjunct, mass produced beer. The re-introduction of flavorful brew was indeed a mini-revolution, to that small segment of beer seekers now often referred to as  craft brew fans. But I think that ice beers were (and still are) quite significant amongst the larger beer drinking population. Before ice beer, there was only malt liquor, a dubious term used to refer to high gravity corn lager, ( which also went through a bit of transformation, when established brands such as Schlitz and Colt 45, introduced higher gravity versions.)
There is a novel effect to strong beers. This attraction has been partially enhanced by ridiculous state alcohol laws that prohibit their sale. Some of the legends that I am sure, some readers remember having for the first time: Carlsberg Elephant, Sierra Nevada Big Foot,  Stone Double Bastard, etc… I am sure some folks have fond memories of those encounters. Like recalling the first time they drank a shot of Jagermeister liquor!
I learned quite awhile ago that strength alone can not be the final arbiter when determining the quality of a beer. If imperial and extreme become the only criteria, they you going to automatically deprive yourself of my flavorful experiences. In other words, Milk Stout, for example is not suppose to knock you out of your chair. In fact many stouts of moderate strength, are there to remind you that beer is food and if hootch is really what you are seeking, they many other avenues.

Home For The Holidays Part 2

Because of Charles Dickens, Christmas and associated holidays will always have a supernatural touch added to memories. Call this The Ghosts of Christmas Past as I remember memorable pleasant moments that now seem irretrievably lost:
For example, at one time, here in the state of Ohio, beers produced by The August Schell Brewing Company were available, including their annual winter/holiday offering. sometimes called Blizzard, but more often called Snowstorm.
Not only does Schell change the recipe every year, it also changes recipe styles. Forgive this old beer drinker’s war story, but I remember sampling their Cherry Bock, over a decade ago, when a carpenter friend I worked for, ordered a half-barrel to start up his holiday season with very festive authority.
This year I gather, that Snowstorm is a Baltic porter, but alas, unless I travel to another state, it will appear and disappear without ever tasting it.
Other famous American holiday brews sometimes take unexpected turns. Goose Island Christmas Ale, which use to be a Midwestern holiday staple (available often in affordable 12 packs) is now a limited 22oz affair. It seems the brewery in Chicago has gone off in nearly an entire new direction, with its Bourbon County Stout, which it describes on their web page as “a great cigar beer”, which personally I find aesthetically disgusting, but that’s just me.
One great Christmas ale that I am so happy to discover is still being produced, and that is the Belgian masterpiece La Binchoise Speciale Noel. Probably my favorite wassail in the entire world.
Speaking of spice ale, I recently tried Anchor Brewing’s “Our Special Ale” 35th edition, which is a lively, dark mahogany colored pour, with that prerequisite spicy-spruce aroma in the nose that is a trademark for a recipe that varies from year to year. I have sampled their Christmas Ale since the 17th edition, and this year’s version is not the most memorable, Although it is fairly easy to drink, with moderate strength, the palate starts out front with a citrus-soapy approach, but then gives way to some chocolate notes that seem hesitant at best. This ale is good, but not remarkable, when compared with other previous manifestations.
But of course, this holiday season is just getting started.
Thank you!

Home For The Holidays Part 1

When it comes to beer, the winter/holiday season will always be my favorite time of year. The annual return of many favorites made over so many years, they can rightfully be deemed classics. Memories abound here too. For I recall first tastings: Samuel Adams Winter Lager, when it was just a non spiced, raw wheat beer.
La Binchoise Speciale Noel: the incredible Belgian Christmas wassail, back when a gentleman from Michigan, Jeff Dafoe, introduced this world classic to the United States for the first time, 14 years ago.
I will also never forget my friend Gar’s reaction to first tasting Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 1993: “that’s one spicy taco!”
It is impossible for me to forget these things. The first Anchor Brewing “Our Special Ale” was the 17th edition of their Christmas offering. As a determined seeker of beer, this was quite a revelation.
The same can said of my beloved Saranac Season’s Best (an all-time Beer Doctor favorite). At one time it was a Holiday Amber and then later, Nut Brown Lager. A Vienna style beer, rich in malt flavor with lively hops, but not extreme or boozy in any way. It has become nearly impossible to obtain in Ohio any longer. The brewery was kind enough to send a gift of a six pack, right after the New Year of 1997. Such kindness and generosity I will never forget.
There have been many surprises along the way. Coors Winterfest 1995, was truly a shock for how good it was in those days, when macro and mini breweries were marketed like the Berlin Wall, where never the twain shall meet.
I would also like to mention that Leinenkugel’s Winter Lager was a great moderately priced holiday beer, that alas, was abandoned. Much of the distinctive aspects of the Leinie portfolio has been lost, as they aggressively market more pedestrian beers.
Moving away from remembrance of beers past, I would like to mention that this year is the first time I’ve tried Shiner Holiday Cheer, a unique dark wheat ale brewed with peaches and pecans. A very tasty, original recipe contribution.
For flat-out big time boozy wassail, Lakefront Brewery’s Holiday Spice Lager Beer, is what the doctor ordered. A massive, full strength, bold Holiday beer.
Cheers!
My only prayer is Thank You!

The Beer Doctor

Happy Halloween

It is misty with rain this last of October morning. I let my beloved cat, Belle, peek out the door and decide it wasn’t worth going out and getting wet, Very quiet too, with only a distant hum of a machine here and there, including the ancient Norge refrigerator, down here in the beer jazz cave, recently wired for the Internet.
Opening the old cold foot soldier, you need a flashlight to see what the contents are inside. The door light switch gave up the ghost last spring…
Let’s see what is in… oh yes, Avery’s Old Jubilation Ale! A tremendous malty pour with a chocolate ester nose. What does it taste like? Well, as a new world take on old English Winter Ale, it has a flavor note in the profile that is more like chocolate grape, rather than chocolate raisin. Deep and smooth with plenty of complexity.

What else is… oh yes, Samuel Adams Winter Lager, just arrived in the local stores this week. This version of their spiced dunkel weizenbock could very well be the best they have ever produced. Spices are used but are not overbearing, making this still a lager, rather than their equally great wassail, Old Fezziwg. I have often wished that Samuel Adams would produce a variety 12 pack that consists of 3 beers: Winter Lager, Old Fezziwg, and Holiday Porter.

Another perusal of Norge reveals that other than a few bottles of Point Classic Amber, there is nothing more important than going out and restocking this fridge with good beer. Halloween is one of the best reasons to party. There is music to be played. Creepy monster movies to watch. A day of celebration for young and old where Jack-O-Lanterns all unite. And you know the old saying: There is no such thing as too much beer!

Happy Halloween and thank you!

First Things First, Second Things Second

Much has happened since neglecting my favorite web site, due to crazy local events. I refuse to bore you with those details, so let me get to the subject at hand: Beer!
I am sure by now almost everybody has tasted their fall marzen, or what is commonly called Oktoberfest. I usually sample as many of these as possible, but this year I slacked off a bit, but still had time to try the Kostritzer version from the black bier people in Germany. A change of pace from the caramel malt laden versions around, like Samuel Adams Octoberfest.
But the caramel malt profile has become synonymous with autumn beers in the United States. As the weather turns cooler the body has a need for more malts, which makes super hop productions seem out of season for the moment.
Since it is autumn and we are rapidly moving towards Halloween, I do want to mention one of my favorite seasonal productions, that being Saranac Pumpkin Ale.
Many compare this beer to pumpkin pie, although I do not eat pumpkin pie as a rule. No, what I like about this pumpkin ale is the recipe. I prefer it over Brooklyn Brewery’s Post Road, which Matt Brewing does the contract brewing for.
About a month ago I attended a distributor trade show where Rochester, New York brewer Dundee had samples of their Oktoberfest. A very good take on the style, that is not as widely distributed as it should.
I also got to sample Sierra-Nevada’s Chico Estate. A complete “in-house” brew, using hops grown by the brewery. It was quite good, but time limitations prevented the kind of serious, sit down contemplation this smooth ale demanded.
At the very same show (hell, it might as well been called a party) the Schlitz Gusto folks were in full promotional mode. Schlitz Gusto is the trade book name for the revived early 1960’s formula of Schlitz, before the marketing geniuses came up with the idea of tweaking the recipe, to supposedly produce more, while using less ingredients. That lead to the ultimate disaster where Schlitz, the number one beer in America since World War II, lost its market dominance to Budweiser, and never gained it back. As a kid, I heard beer drinking adults refer to Schlitz as “Shits” when the reformulated suds turned people away in droves.
But corporate amnesia was in full play this evening. Like Microsoft wanting you to buy 7 and forget all about something once known as Vista, the Schlitz Gusto had not only tied in to their daddy or granddaddy’s beer, with its Schlitz classic logo, they even had buttons promoting it as the beer of choice for the 1969 Woodstock music festival.
I also had to marvel at the riffs being used by the sales representative. Not only was he promoting Schlitz with quite a bit of gusto, he also had on hand their strong (8.5%) malt liquor, which he made a distinction that it was not malt liquor (which is in fact, a rather ambiguous term) but a high gravity lager.
Which was also in full play at this trade show, the distinction between craft, regional retro and corporate has becomes pretty much of a blur. I know the so-called craft brewers want to seperate themselves from the rest of the brewing industry, but is that actually possible, or is it by now, just another marketing ploy? I mean after trying Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat, how is it different than other big brewer’s wheat productions? From Coors’ Blue Moon to Bud Light Golden Wheat?
As I stated in a previous post, the recipe is the final deciding factor. Consolidation of brewing interests can reek havoc on a beloved brew. Take what A-B Inbev as done to the venerable Bass Ale. Corporate concerns have forgotten all about the character of this famous ale, that once upon a time, in Burton-On-Trent England, was brewed with gypsum mineral rich water that provided a somewhat chalky but delicious finish. None of that is present in the concoction now sold as Bass.
Luckily, some recipes have not been changed, or in rare cases, actually improved. Two of the early winter arrivals are outstanding: Avery’s Old Jubilation Ale and Flying Dog’s K-9. Both of these examples show that if you are going to fork out some serious money for a six pack of beer, it had better be worth it. In the case of these two, I would say it is.
As always my only prayer is thank you.

Craft Goodness from Chico, California

It should come as little surprise that Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, known for their obsession with fresh hops, would produce for this year’s Anniversary Ale, an IPA brewed with what they describe as “sustainably grown Cascade hops”.
Over the 29 years the brewery has been in operation, Sierra Nevada has revealed time and again, to be one of the finest craft breweries in the United States. This 2009 Anniversary Ale not only showcases the magnificence of Cascade hops, but with the balance inherent in this recipe, serves as a gentle reminder of the other fine productions in their portfolio, from Torpedo to Pale Ale to Stout to Porter year round, to their holiday seasonal Celebration Ale to the deep winter Big Foot barley-wine style Ale. Not to forget the richly layered Hop Harvest Signature Series, a hemispheric tribute to wet hops, and soon it seems a production is coming from the Chico Estate, utilising hops grown by the brewery.
20 years ago things were quite different here in the Midwest. I remember the first time I tasted Celebration Ale 1989 and was nearly overwhelmed by tasting an IPA like recipe, presented as a holiday beer. Which was quite new in those days, and was made even more exotic by the fact, that Sierra Nevada beers had very limited availability. Things like Big Foot were unknown legends. But all that changed as we moved into the 21st century. Sierra Nevada beers are available nearly everywhere, and despite an increase in production size, they remain ales of the highest quality.
Of course the brewery’s personality is not for everyone. People who do not like pronounced hops should stay clear. But judging by the spectacular success of their year round Torpedo IPA, there are plenty of folks who like hop heavy beers.
It’s good when good things happen from a good brewery. Cheers and Thank You.
The Beer Doctor

DUST BOWL BEER

Okay, I do not want this to be a downer, but reality reveals the economy has come up short and money continues to dry up and blow away. Not good for the quality beer drinker, who see their favorite brands being yanked up up a dollar or more, and this being a dusty summer, what can a thirsty seeker do? Well, first there is the inexpensive beers: mostly adjunct grain lagers, sometimes with added ferment-ables, or ice brewed, for a bit more of a kick. Then there are those renowned retrospective classics: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Burger Classic, Old Milwaukee, etc… forget the aesthetics of glass bottles, the aluminum can will have to do. Despite the disparaging of beer in a can, the Ball corporation produces what is undoubtedly one the most efficient packages in the world, with a water based coating that completely eliminates the possibility of any metallic flavor, since the beer never actually touches the aluminium.
Beer is somewhat expensive in the state of Ohio. For economic classification, I’ll start with beer that costs 50 cents for twelve ounces. This of course includes those 24 ounce dollar cans, which of late includes Icehouse, Labatt Blue and Labatt Ice. After that there is the one dollar for twelve ounces tier, which includes $2 “oil cans” of Foster’s, the one time Aussie beer now brewed in Georgia and Texas. Also a 24 ounce bottle of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is the least expensive of their entire line.
Budweiser American Ale fits into this group, a twenty two ounce bottle for $1.79.
The first part of this summer has been economically tough, from county property taxes to tires for the family car. There other personal family catastrophes that I will not bore you with. Suffice to say that when I dropped in at my local beer store a few weeks back, the owner pointed to the recently acquired Anchor Summer Beer, which I replied, after noticing the $10 price tag, “No, I can’t do that, that is way above my pay grade.”
Which brings up a recent incident with Pyramid Breweries Curve Ball, a one time Kolsch-style summer ale that now sports new urban graphic packaging. But the beer itself incredibly, was absolutely awful. The package claims the beer is “a deceptively delicious diversion”… think again sports fans. The other sting to this was that Curve Ball retails at $9.57, tax included. Nothing bites like losing money on a very lame beer.