The Strange Train: Transition
09 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in beer, Bells, bitches brew, genesee brewery, hopslam, Keller's IGA, miles davis, Uncategorized
The new year has no-so-gently reminded that winter has taken a bite and appears to not want to let go. Somewhat unusual in Southwestern Ohio, where mild winter days are usually common, but such is not the case (so far) this year.
Blame it on the end of The Long Count of the Mayan Calendar (1year, 10 months, and days), or maybe it is just Cincinnati (where sometimes the clocks seem to run backwards) but change is certainly happening and it is both abrupt and baffling. What I mean is that a local grocery store, Keller’s IGA in Clifton, closed its doors in early January, due to (I am told) a failure to pay state sales taxes. With its demise, the neighborhood residents are deprived of a source for groceries, but worse for myself, this brings to an end the store with the finest beer selection in the city.
How many beers had I purchased and sampled from Keller’s? That would have to be in the hundreds. An incredibly large assortment, both domestic and foreign, they were often ahead of the curve. Bell’s Hopslam, which so many are so gaga about now, appeared there seasons ago, when it was still a ridiculously high priced six-pack, only a couple of dollars cheaper.
Thanks to Keller’s I was able to experience Dogfish Head Miles Davis Bitches Brew without having to travel to Fairfield, Ohio’s Jungle Jim’s. From Saranac to local Mt. Carmel and Rivertown, Keller’s IGA had an entire range of beers to accommodate nearly any taste.
What makes this even sadder is when I think of the good friendly people who worked there who have lost employment. Being known as the beer doctor, there was often humor and passionate discovery when I visited the store. Now, all of that is gone.
The train of transition requires adjustment. Keeping a good supply of beer on hand is not a problem. My local store, a convenience gas station two blocks from my house, orders up whatever I request. Because of this, the annual return of Genesee Bock continues. But it is not the same as visiting that brewery smorgasbord once known as Keller’s IGA. Buying beer there wasn’t really about shopping, but much
more about exploring possibilities.
A toast to the little store that could!
The Beer Doctor
The March of Marzen 2 and a 40th Anniversary
24 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in 40th anniversary, beck's, beer, bitches brew, dogfish head, marzen, miles davis, Octoberfest, oktoberfest, Sam Adams, samuel adams
I was recently asked what is the difference between German and American Oktoberfest. After many years of sampling these annual celebrations, I think it comes down to the yeast and the ester interaction with the malts and hops, which produces in the German versions, a very distinctive dry floral finish. People who complain that American takes on Marzen lack this, really have little to complain about, since fresh versions from Munich are available.
People who do not care for Samuel Adams Octoberfest (with a C rather than the usual K) do not seem to appreciate that Jim Koch and company have developed their own North American take on this style.
It is also equally true that elite beer drinkers have difficulty acknowledging that commercial interests such as Beck’s of Bremen, Germany, have shown they are quite capable of brewing a highly drinkable fest bier themselves.
Since the Marzen march continues to this day, I want to mention a somewhat extraordinary drinking experience from a couple of weeks ago, when I got my thirsty hands on a 25 ounce bottle of Dogfish Head Brewery’s tribute to the 40th anniversary of Miles Davis Bitches Brew, that groundbreaking 2 LP set that is considered by many as the beginning of jazz fusion music.
The Dogfish Head tribute is several parts imperial stout combined with a honey ale that uses gesho, a traditional African root used as a replacement for hops. The result is an incredibly balanced (yet mysterious!) presentation that is silky smooth, where neither the chocolate notes nor honey sweetness dominates. Some reviewers at Beer Advocate have said they taste alcohol, which despite this being a 9% ale, I could not detect at all. Just a delicious focused ale from start to finish.
Of course the perfect musical accompaniment for this is Miles Davis Bitches Brew, which 40 years later is still worth listening to.
Alas, bottles of the ale were sold out within a day around here. So it is very likely that I will never taste another. I am happy that I was able to experience it
