Brewery Visit: The New Glarus Brewery-Home of the Spotted Cow

I finally made it up to New Glarus, Wisconsin, which is a must see for those of us who have been enjoying the delicious Spotted Cow and Moon Man and Staghorn, etc. for so long. Unfortunately it is kind of off the beaten path, especially if you are traveling from Chicago, it is a little more west than I was expecting, Still it was only a couple hours away.

"Indigenous" is their motto, and this is reflected throughout with all the logos and items sold in the gift shop. It is a very clean and sparse place, and they give you a self-guided tour, which just pretty much allows you to walk around not exactly sure what you are seeing-very little descriptions anywhere.

So, basically, you can tour the building and look in the windows, go to the gift shop, and sample the beers in a couple different ways. I chose the small sampling glasses, which include three fill ups and keep the glass. The other choice was the large pilsner glass, which is also nice, plus one fill-up. Since I wanted to try a few I chose the little sampler.
The tasting room is long and well lighted and you can also choose to step off into a nice little beer garden. There was a lot of construction going on to expand the place, maybe put in a restaurant ?  Also there was a beer shop with their normal beers plus others right off the parking lot, which was convenient.


The choices we were given were the standards and a few extras:
1. Spotted Cow
2. Fat Squirrel
3. Two Women
4. Moon Man
5. Hometown Blond
6. Raspberry Tart

Although I have already tasted them all plus a few more I chose the Fat Squirrel, the Moon Man and Hometown. The Fat was a little sharp and unexpectedly crisp, not what I was expecting in a heavy malt beer. In fact, I may say I was a little disappointed there. I went next with a hoppier Moon Man, which I really enjoyed, as usual, and finally an old favorite, Hometown Blonde. I really enjoyed that one too. I guess I was expecting more out of the first one or maybe I could have gone the other way.

+

Now for a little editorial about New Glarus Beer: For me, I think they could spend more time looking at what the marketplace is doing to see if they are successful. Then again, maybe it is some of the flavors that appeal to me and those that don't that have formed this opinion for me.  New Glarus likes to push the envelope a little in some ways, but then doesn't go too crazy like most craft brewers do in others. Plus, they choose to lock in on other things that I wouldn't do. For example, they always have a sour (or vinegary, as I like to describe it) beer available, as a specialty beer (look at Enigma and other sour browns). I don't like these and will never buy one (I have tasted a few and I don't like them, Sam I Am.) But, they only have 1 stout as a seasonal (Road Slush), no regulars. The black Top and Moon Man are the hoppier offerings but the black top is heavily malty so it puts neither anywhere near an IPA, which is what every micro-brewer is producing these days. I appreciate their efforts into lagers and pilsners, plus Spotted Cow is lighter and refreshing, but it is also along the lines of a fruity kind of idea, which this brewery seems to do a lot more often.

It is interesting too that they have locked in on Black Top and Two Women, which have appeared out of nowhere and are now year round regulars, yet I can't see they are that popular. Plus it also seems that the Dancing Man is like the only decent wheat offering yet I can never get it either.

I am glad I went up there, but overall I must say that it is a place to stop on your way somewhere and not really a destination, no food, nothing else to do. Plusm the local town has a few bars that offer a ton of their beers and all on tap too. My wife, who had never had a SC, is now hooked on them.

Utopia is Finally Available!

Utopias!


Let me know if you have had it.

Samuel Adams Utopias sells for $190

Published November 05, 2012

The bi-annual version of Sam Adams ultra-strong Utopias beer has hit the market, but you'll have to hunt it down if you want a bottle. Less than 20,000 bottles will be distributed this year.
Typically, Samuel Adams Utopias is released every other year, but this version was released off schedule to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the beer.
The 2012 version is a blend of beer aged for years in different type of barrels and includes some of the brewery's original Triple Bock from 1993. That's probably why it sells for a whopping $190 a bottle.
"The 10th anniversary release of Utopias is proof that extreme beers have earned a permanent and respected place in the beer universe, a world now constantly evolving with new craft beers and excited craft beer drinkers," said Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch in a release.
So what makes this beer so special?
First, Utopias is 29 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), which is 58 proof. (An average American beer is around 5-10 percent ABV, depending on the brand.)
Also, along with hops, barley malt, yeast and water, Samuel Adams used Champagne yeast, which can survive in the higher alcohol better than a lot of beer yeast. Maple syrup is also used to provide additional fermentable sugars to help raise the alcohol.
"As a result," Koch writes, " ... Utopias invokes the flavors of rich vintage port, fine Cognac or or aged sherry, while feeling surprisingly light on the palate."
Utopias is meant to be sipped and is recommended to be served at room temperature in a two-ounce glass.  It also comes in a cool-looking black decanter shaped like a brew kettle.  The bottle, at 24 ounces, makes for a great collectors item --and something you may want to keep especially when it works out to over $7 an ounce. 

Oktoberfest Taste Test Held and Results are In!

Quite an interesting selection of Oktoberfest beers were available for the tasting, including a couple Germans and a whole lot of American beers. We performed the tasting and agreed on almost all of them, with Steve-o picking up some of the subtleties that I missed a little later in the tasting. Due to time limits (and inebriation) we skipped the Sam Adams and Leinenkugels, having already repeatedly tasted those, in addition to  Spaten, which we normally put at the top of the list anyway.

OUR CHOICES
The Americans:
1. Brooklyn Oktoberfest                                                                And the Germans:
2. Point Oktoberfest                                                                       1. Hofbrau Oktoberfest
3. Great Lakes Oktoberfest                                                            2. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest
4. Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest                                                          3. Wolters Fest-Bier
5. Southern Tier Harvest
6. Sam Adams Oktoberfest
7. Summit Oktoberfest
8. Harpoon Oktoberfest
9. Central Waters Oktoberfest
10. Magic Hat Hex Ourtoberfest
11. New Glarus Staghorn
12. Shiner Oktoberfest
13. Widmer Brothers Oktoberfest




THE RESULTS:
In the end we decided to split apart the different styles, putting at the top of the German Oktoberfests:
1. Hacker Pschorr
2. Hofbrau
3. Wolters

For the Americans, our top 5 were:
1. Point
2. Great Lakes
3. Staghorn
4. Central Waters
5. Magic Hat.

We tasted them back and forth and tried to knock the Point off the top but we had to stick with it. The Staghorn was an old favorite but we were really impressed with the Magic Hat and the Great Lakes too. All in all it was a tough battle.



Lastly, at the bottom and never moving back up was the quite unpleasant and un-distinctive Harpoon. I mean, it looked nice and we were hopeful but we really didn't like it and it stayed at the bottom the whole time, even worse that the Widmer's,  believe it or not.
Also, the Southern Tier Harvest was not even an Okto, but a spicy ale. Quite tasty, there is no question, but I don't think I should have included it after all.

Oktoberfest Tasting Will Finally Be Happening!

Yes, we have finally made plans for the Oktoberfest tasting we have been talking about forver. We will be trying out approximately 17 different beers, in sample forms only!

Among those we will try will be the expected ones: Sam Adams, Leinenkugels, the big Germans, plus a few smaller ones: Revolution, Central Waters, Harpoon. Plus, Steve's own homebrew which I'm dying to sample.


 Any thoughts on this year's Oktoberfest offerings? Good ones or bad ones that stand out?

Let me know what you think.

Great American Beer Festival Awards are out!

Some good showings from our Midwest Breweries, although I am wondering about a couple. New Glarus Staghorn an Amber Lager? The Lager/Light category dominated by Pabst, Lite and Coors Light in that order? Mickeys Malt Liquor winning anything? Why bother!
Heres the list, from the Website.

WISCONSIN
Medal	Beer Name	Brewery	Category
Silver	Staghorn Octoberfest	New Glarus Brewing Co.	American-Style Amber Lager
Gold	Point Oktoberfest	Stevens Point Brewery	American-Style Amber Lager
Silver	Fixed Gear American Red Ale	Lakefront Brewery	American-Style Amber/Red Ale
Silver	Miller Lite	Miller Brewing Co.	American-Style Lager, Light Lager or Premium Lager
Bronze	Mickey's Malt Liquor	Miller Brewing Co.	American-Style Specialty Lager or Cream Ale or Lager
Gold	Hometown Blonde	New Glarus Brewing Co.	Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Gold	Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale	Stevens Point Brewery	Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer
Silver	Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy	Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.	Fruit Wheat Beer
Gold	Uber Bock	Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.	German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock
Gold	Fourteen Fourteen	Central Waters Brewing Co.	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout
ILLINOIS
Medal	Beer Name	Brewery	Category
Bronze	A Little Crazy	Revolution Brewing	American-Belgo-Style Ale
Silver	The Weight	Piece Brewery	American-Style Pale Ale
Gold	Brickstone APA	Brickstone Brewery	American-Style Pale Ale
Bronze	Domaine DuPage	Two Brothers Brewing Co.	Belgian- and French-Style Ale
Gold	India Pale Ale	Goose Island Beer Co.	English-Style India Pale Ale
Gold	Cross of Gold	Revolution Brewing	English-Style Summer Ale
Bronze	Strawberry Blonde Ale	DESTIHL	Fruit Beer
Bronze	5 Lizard Latin-Style Witbier	5 Rabbit Cerveceria	Fruit Wheat Beer
Silver	Pointon's Proper - An English Mild	RAM Restaurant and Brewery - Wheeling	Pro-Am Competition
Silver	Ebel's Weiss	Two Brothers Brewing Co.	South German-Style Hefeweizen
MICHIGAN
Medal	Beer Name	Brewery	Category
Silver	Hazelnut Coffee Cream Stout	Redwood Brewing Co.	Coffee Beer
Bronze	Kuhnhenn Braggot	Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.	Specialty Honey Beer
Bronze	Udder Madness	Bastone Brewery	Sweet Stout
MINNESOTA
Medal	Beer Name	Brewery	Category
Bronze	Fitger's Framboise	Fitger's Brewhouse	American-Style Sour Ale
Silver	Summit Pilsener	Summit Brewing Co.	Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Bronze	Classic American Pilsner	Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery	Pro-Am Competition

Article about Beer Refrigeration-Myths and Truths

Refrigerator News

Brown Bottles and Tall Tales: 7 Myths About Storing Beer

By Tyler Wells Lynch

Beer is the third-most widely consumed drink in the world, after water and tea. It’s also the oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage. With that kind of demand, it’s not surprising that everyone has an opinion—opinions that breed myths about the best ways to store, age, refrigerate, and drink this tasty malted beverage. But we’re here to clear that all up. Here are seven beer myths exposed to the light of truth.

1. If Cold Beer Gets Warm, Cooling It Again Will Make It Stale

Wrong! Like Valentine’s Day, this is a myth brought on by some wily marketing gurus, most likely that brand that won’t stop talking about how “cold” their beer is. The fact is, beer experiences substantial fluctuations in temperature during shipping. Of course, you don’t want these changes to be drastic, and excessive heat will certainly ruin your beer. But the notion that it can only be refrigerated once is a total myth.

2. Sunlight Skunks Beer

True! Sunlight is the nemesis of beer—not only in storage but in the fermentation process as well. Ultraviolet light, in particular, “skunks” beer. But before I explain how, it’s probably a good idea to clarify the difference between staleness and “skunkiness.”
There are “off” flavors, and then there are “skunky” flavors; the former is the result of poor carbonation or excessive heat, and the latter—an odorous, rubbery taste—is the result of a photochemical reaction. Specifically, UV light breaks up acids in the hop plant (an essential bittering agent in beer) to create a nasty little compound called “3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol.” or “MBT.” This wordy concoction combines with other sulfurous chemicals to create a horrid odor that is darn close that of a skunk, and even more oppressing in the realization that your precious brew has been ruined. In fact, researchers at the University of North Carolina even found a similarity between the chemical composition of skunked beer and that of the anal glands of actual skunks.
The lesson? Don’t expose your beer to excessive sunlight—or really any light for that matter. It’s just another reason to refrigerate beer, as even prolonged indirect sunlight will cause this very basic chemical reaction. Interestingly, this is not a threat with wine, cider, or mash liquor, as none of these beverages contain hops.

3. The Color of the Bottle Affects Beer’s Shelf Life

Yes and no. It’s not the color of the bottle so much as its translucence that affects beer’s long-term quality. Clear and green bottles allow in significantly more UV light than brown ones. This leads to skunking, as mentioned above. So if you were to store green or clear bottles in complete darkness, then there would be no discernible difference in shelf life from that of a brown bottle in similar conditions.
For whatever reason, green bottles are rife among European imports (Heineken, Stella Artois, Beck’s, and Pilsner Urquell, to name a few). You may even have noticed that these brews are much better on tap (from a opaque keg) than in the bottle—but you could argue the same for any beer.
Once again, this is really only a threat if you don’t refrigerate your beer, as coolers and refrigerators keep sunlight out. It is worth noting, though, that beer that’s been sitting on the store shelf for a while is at a higher risk of skunking or going stale. For this reason, most craft beers include a “freshness” tab that tells you how long it’s been since it was bottled.

4. Beer Must Be Shipped, Stored, and Aged Cold

So, so wrong. In fact, certain kinds of beer—mainly unpasteurized, bottle-conditioned craft beer—can be aged in cellars, just like wine! While cooler temperatures are ideal, most experts agree that anywhere in the 40-70 degree range is fine for dry storage—again, as long as you keep out the sunlight.
Refrigeration is a crucial part of enjoying good beer. But it’s actually discouraged when it comes to long-term storage of corked beers, used mainly for Belgian-style ales. Despite some fridges’ abilities to regulate humidity levels, Beer Advocate explains that prolonged storage in artificial cooling chambers will dry out the cork, allow small amounts of air to enter, and eventually spoil the beer. Best to age these beers in a cellar with moderate humidity, which describes pretty much every cellar ever.

5. Putting Beer in the Freezer Is an Easy Way to “Quick Chill” It

This is true, but with a caveat: Do not ever freeze beer. Anyone who’s ever put a brew in the freezer to chill it but then forgot it was in there knows how disastrous this scenario can be. 70-proof liquor (or higher) is fine, but beer will explode when frozen.
That said, placing a beer in the freezer for a few minutes should be fine. Even then you should be careful, as you may still alter the taste of the beer. According to the American Homebrewers Association, freezing beer alters the molecular structure of the proteins in the beverage. It can also reduce the carbonation level and, in the case of bottle-conditioned brew, possibly kill the yeast.
On a related note, the Eisbock style of beer (like the infamous Naty Ice) uses intentional freezing in the production process. Brewers chill the beer to the point where it partially freezes. They then remove the slushy parts, so as to create a more concentrated and alcoholic beverage (water freezes at a higher temperature than ethyl alcohol). However, this process usually reduces the hop and malt presence in favor of the alcohol itself.
But if you really want to impress your friends, the LG “Blast Chiller” is perhaps the most extravagant—and downright silly—way to cool beer quickly. Despite our well-documented enthusiasm for this awesome feature, it has yet to materialize in a commercially available refrigerator. [Update: It has materialized! LG contacted us to let us know it’s been available since July. Let the good times roll.]

6. Beer Should Be Stored Upright.

True. There are a few reasons why beer should not be placed on its side, and this applies to both corked and capped bottles, and especially to bottle-conditioned brews.
First, the yeast—that magical little organism that eats sugar and poops out alcohol and carbon dioxide (the process of fermentation). Yeast is critical to beer, but the sediment it leaves behind has a way of corrupting flavor; you want the yeast sediment (dead cells and chemical byproducts) to settle at the bottom of the beer. According to Beer Advocate, prolonged storage on the side will create a “yeast ring” along the walls of the bottle. This is why there’s a separate craft to pouring beer, and why you’re supposed to decant the liquid and “filter” out the gunk at the bottom.
Second, upright storage limits the amount of beer that’s directly exposed to air (the neck of a bottle is narrower than the barrel). This slows the process of oxidation and prolongs the life of the beer.
Finally, upright storage is especially important for corked beers. When a beer is stored on its side, the cork—by virtue of being in contact with the beer—will gradually impart its own cork flavors on the beer, and some corks contain chemicals and other ingredients that will exacerbate this “corruption” of the beer.

7. Bottles Are Better Than Cans.

Wrong! Well, actually, this all comes down to personal taste. Canned beer has gotten a bad rap in recent decades because it’s often associated with mass-market, “cheap” beer. However, craft brewers are beginning to can their beer—212 breweries, according to CraftCans.com, including notable names like Sierra Nevada and Brooklyn Brewery.
Some craft brew fanatics even swear by the distinctive flavor of canned brew. The Huffington Post even conducted a blind taste test and found participants preferred the taste of canned beer to bottled three times out of four. But putting taste aside, you can’t deny that canned beer is much easier to store and transport—not to mention, you don’t need a bottle opener.

Beers We Had This Summer-Keenley's Picks

Summertime, where the living is easy. We are so glad there are beers out there that help you celebrate and enjoy it. Oddly enough some of these are surely known as summer beers but some are launched very early in the year and therefore seem to blend in a little with spring too.

We are going to talk about those beers we tried, and in true beer advocate methods, talk about those that we drank a whole beer (not just a sample) and not when drinking a million at once.

These are ranked in terms of what we considered our favorites this summer, from least to most. There will be a few not mentioned, because they will be 11 etc.

Keenleys Summer Beers:

10. Newcastle Summer Ale

As a big fan of the Newcastle Brown Ale I was looking forward to this one but it was not what I was expecting: Fruity, a little hops, but overall kind of a weak one. I actually placed it higher than Sam Adams or Summer Shandy, because those are a little tiring and, as it turns out, I never actually drank either of them this summer, to be honest.



 
9. Anchor Summer Beer
My travels to San Francisco when I was a bit younger introduced me to the immortal Steam Beer and has been a favorite ever since. As I tasted more Anchors, some I liked (Liberty Ale, Breckles Brown) and others were so-so (Humming). I feel this one will go in the latter category. It was light, which is not surprising, but the wheat it is made of introduces a lot of interesting flavors that I wasn't expecting. They state also that it is the first American Wheat introduced by a brewer (1984).

                        

8. Anderson Valley Summer Solstice

Kind of a fun idea, taking on the solstice. I have liked liked the other offerings by these guys so I was a little surprised when the flavor knocked me around a little. It was cream soda! Not the first time I have encountered that in a micro-brew but it is still surprising when it happens. And if looks are deceiving to you they were for me here. An orange can I expected fruitiness. Not so.

  
7. Founders All Day IPA
I like the title, I like the lowered alcohol content (4.7%) and I like the label with the canoe, reminds me of Michigan or Wisco. But the beer? Not so sure. It is a little further down on my list, I admit, but this thing has changed in flavor in the couple times that I have had it that I am having trouble nailing it down completely. See here.






                                             
6. Ebel's Weiss
I know, I don't usually include Weiss beers in here because I drink them year round, but everyone else seems to and I can't possibly do a review list without a Two Brothers offering. Crisp and wheaty, but in a solid Weiss beer style that has been good forever and does not change much. I am OK with that, to be honest. But, still not as fresh and fun as the other Weiss beer on this list, down at 2.

      5. Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold       

            This was recently introduced to me by Mark in New York, who  finds this to be his favorite of all the GL selections. I thought so   too, and also realized I only see it in the summer. This is appropriate for  other breweries too, like Two Brothers with their Dog Days Lager.  Maybe brewing a lager is good for the summer but too much for the rest of the year 

for a mainly ale brewing place like Great Lakes?

This is a good one, good body, clean, refreshing tasty. Worthy of more than just summer as far as I can see.

4. Goose Island Summertime

 A Kolsch, so its an automatic summer enjoyer. It has been good 

 for a long time, happy that it comes in the GI variety pack so I can 

retry it year after year. The colors of the label are not my absolute 

favorite, but pour it into a glass and voila! I would like to see more 

Kolschs out there but you can get a funky one from time to time, 

like I did in Virginia at the Blue Mountain Brewery. Too spicy it was. 

This one, a good and refreshing one instead.

                                      

3. Sierra Nevada Summerfest

Sierra Nevada rarely disappoints, and neither did this one. It is a lager, after all, which you don't see too much of, but the unusual orange color and bold flavors make you thirsty for more. I don't know if it is due to its popularity or just its limited production but this doesn't sit on the shelf too long. Makes me think maybe they should consider a lager as a regular (not only seasonal) offering.










2. Lakefront Wisconsinite
Another Weiss-bier, and really good for an American Brewer. They just don't seem to concentrate on Weiss beers herein the US, instead going with wheaten malt only and making it light and fresh.
This was a recent creation by Lakefront in Milwaukee, and introduces us to providing all the ingredients as home-grown in Wisconsin. Way to go. It shows in the look, smell and taste. Thanks Lakefront, you are now tied with New Glarus as my favorite Wisconsin brewery.
 Get some today before they run out-can only find them at Woodman's in Kenosha.


And Last but certainly not Least...



1. Bell's Oberon

What's there to say that hasn't already been said, even by me here. Clean, a favorite for a long time, in bottles and little keg, you cant go wrong with Oberon, and summer just wouldn't be enjoyable without it.

It is an ale, that is describes as Sunshine in a Bottle. orange in color and smooth and balanced, it is the model of a good summer brew. 

 
There are few wheat beers that are this fun to drink, outside of Weiss beers and this is the king of them all. Thanks to expanded seasons, we are enjoying it more and more each year, as early as this post.

                                           

Craft Beer Monday Review: Phinn and Matt's Extraordinary Ale

American Pale Ale is the description given to Southern Tier's Phinn and Matt's Extraordinary Ale, but it is rather more refreshing a beer than the APA's with an extra edge of bitterness I have normally found in beers of this type. I think it is good, because while "it is what it is", there is not much you can do about its style, just make it more mellow or more sharp (SNPA and  Daisy Cutter are APA's and refreshing but quite different than this one, although it is called the same thing).

This one is a golden amber beer and is full of flavor and brightness too. There is a little bit of fruitiness, which I think is what makes the difference here. They make mention of this, too, when they describe their beer:

We use crystal clean filtered water, whole hops, and the choicest malted barley create this American-style pale ale, which we are pleased to call Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale. The character of an American Pale Ale varies from region to region and is dependent upon the ingredients used. In ours, you can expect harmony between malt and hops without dominating tastes of sweet or bitter. A classic tribute to the ingredients of our nation, for a pale ale we are proud to call our own.

CBC Rating 4. Drank from a variety pack including IPA and 422. Poured into a pint glass.

End of Summer and What it Means

I shouldn't be surprised Guys Drinking Beer beat me to it but they are wrapping up the summer with a post about the end of the summer and why we need to pick a date-in their case Labor Day-to stop drinking the summer beers and get onto the fall ones.

I like the summers too, I admit, but I also like that which brings on the tasty Germans fall beers: Oktoberfest.

Anyway, you can read their post here:

http://www.guysdrinkingbeer.com/saying-so-long-to-summer-beers/#more-7586

Can you all out there give me a list of your favorites from this summer too? Just a few beers and a brief memory or a few words about them too? Goodbye summer, I will miss you for sure...

Brewery Visit: Southern Tier Brewing Co.-Nature's Friend

On my recent trip to New York to visit our friends we looked on the map, as we usually do, for the nearest baseball team or brewery and plan our schedule out. I saw two breweries on the map, but my direction finder put us extremely close to Lakewood, New York, home of Southern Tier Brewing company, a beer I had tasted before that I purchased in a Craft Your Own six-pack at my local Binny's. I thought that beer was good so we went to this brewery. The reason I mention this is because fellow beer drinker and brewery visitor Mark recommended another, Ellicotville, but my GPS placed it 100 miles away. Little did I know I had entered it wrong and it was only 20 miles. I think maybe we will try that one next time.

Me, wood wall

This brewery was not too far from the Penn-NY line, and was only a short jump from Lake Chautauqua, a large lake frequented by thousands each summer. Southern Tier boasts of using solar power and being a friend of nature. From their website I read:

Southern Tier Brewing Company is committed to providing delicious, accessible and unique products. In doing so, we aim to change the way people drink beer. 

A close look at our logo reveals a brewers star. It may be just one diminutive graphic, but it plays a huge role in our brewery. The star represents purity in six crucial facets of our work; water, hops, grain, malt, yeast and brewer. We believe that by maintaining the highest quality possible in these areas, we will produce world-class beverages.

Nice to hear. Let's see what that all means when it comes down to their beer.

They try to make it interesting, I think. They put on a little different face when they are out in public, but I really don't mean that in a bad way. For example, Mark picked up a 12 Variety pack at the local beverage store, which included their Phinn and Matt's Ale, 422, and IPA. I thought all three were quite tasty. Not overdone, smooth and balanced. I even tried a 422 on tap at the local pier-bound restaurant on Lake C. It was good again (look for a review).

But at the brewery it is a different matter. The brewpub itself is quite small (I think they are increasing its size-some construction is happening), and you have to walk up to the counter and get your beer and food and bring it back. We each went with a flight, and it worked out pretty well-since there were 4 drinkers we tried pretty much all they had to offer, which was a lot. The flights themselves were made of steel and only held four glasses, but the glasses were kind of big, especially since a few of them were not exactly what we were into. 

Among those we tried included: 
1. Creme Brulee, a super sweet creamy ale that packs a punch (9.5% ABV) 

Dessert maybe?

2. 2X Stout and 2X IPA, both bigger offerings of regular releases, bold but consistent (7.5% and 8.2%).
3. Backburner, a knockout bold slow sipper, not too enjoyable we agreed, an Imperial Aged Barley Wine (9.6%!).
4. Harvest Extra Special Bitter, I thought was little too sharp and almost skunky. I did not like this at all (6.7)
5. Pumking, seasonal pumpkin beer. I wish I enjoyed them more than I do, kind of popular somehow (8.6).
Plus a cider, called Mckenzies, which, as it turns out, is not made by them at all. But really kind of good I thought.

Maybe I am getting older, but I liked the variety pack beers really well, not too crazy with the tastes and bitterness, and the knockout tastes did not terribly impress me. I think it was an interesting place and one worth returning to.

Linking with Others Part 1: Hypothesis Interview with Guys Drinking Beer

Just looking through Guys Drinking Beer, as I regularly do, and came across a new beer company that is coming onto the scene, and one that is trying to specialize in session beers, which is fine by me. Of course, the label in this piece is for a 7.1% IPA, which is nothing unique, so I am a littrle surprised it was put here, but it is an interesting label, to be sure.

Enjoy:

The Hypothesis Of Hopothesis Brewing Company

“People aren’t all looking for “extreme” beers.”

- Ike Orcutt, Head Brewer, Hopothesis Brewing Company

A few weeks ago we told you about the seemingly sudden appearance of Hopothesis Brewing Company onto the Chicago beer scene. While their arrival appeared to happen overnight, head brewer Ike Orcutt and the mad scientist home brewers at Hopothesis, have been hard at work for years tinkering with their recipes. They wanted to make sure everything was just right before their beer started flowing from the taps of Chicago bars.
After our initial writeup we wanted to know more about this mystery brewery and the brewer behind it, so we reached out to Ike to find out more about his beers, his brewery plans and if he really thinks a 7-percent ABV beer is a session beer.

GDB: What’s the story behind Hopothesis? Not the beer (not yet, at least) but the name.
Ike Orcutt: I’ve always been pretty obsessed with how art and science really come together in the brewery. I mean there are some very complex chemical and biological reactions going on throughout the beer making process. The art side is sexy and fun…most breweries seem to lean that direction (Blue Moon’s “Artfully Crafted” for instance.) Where’s the love for the science? I’ve also got a big idea, my hypothesis, that people aren’t all looking for “extreme” beers. I think it takes a ton of expertise to create balanced and approachable, while at the same time interesting beers.
GDB: We know, according to your website, that you’ve been working for four years on your IPA recipe – but how long ago was the idea for a brewery hatched?
Orcutt: The idea really started to take shape in summer of 2011. The original idea was to build a brew pub. Basically cobble together enough equipment to get up and running, and build the brand from there. In August or September the conversation really shifted towards utilizing any excess capacity at other breweries. That was an extremely difficult thing to find. Capacity is really tight, especially in the 15-50 BBL range. The existing model for Hopothesis was really cemented in the September / October 2011 timeframe.
GDB: Okay, now let’s talk beer. Have you really been tinkering with that IPA for four years?
Orcutt: Actually, yes. I’m a home brewer. We like to tweak things out and keep tweaking with new ingredients, processes, etc. The backbone of this beer was established in 2008. The basics of bringing together a huge dose of Centennial hops with a complex malt profile. From there, it’s been a question of tweaking dry hopping regimes, fermentation profiles, etc. I’m really proud of how the recipe has evolved, yet stayed true to the foundation.
GDB: You caught a little bit of flack for using the phrase “session” when describing your 7% ABV IPA. A lot of people are passionate about session beers and properly defining them. In your mind, can a 7% ABV beer “sessionable?” And, if you could go back, would describe your IPA any differently.
Orcutt: Yes I would absolutely use different word choices. That was poorly worded and I freely admit it. I’m even a session-loving guy…so I can understand people’s umbrage. The whole idea with our IPA is creating something that is uniquely balanced and drinkable. One of our next beers, a pale ale-type, I’m describing as a Session Bitter. Something in the 4.5-4.7% range. I really do understand and appreciate the beauty of session beers, and how unique a drinking experience they provide.
GDB: What’s next in the lineup and are there any particular styles you’ll be focusing on?
Orcutt: Next up is Drafty Window Prairie Ale. The focus of this beer is to produce something uniquely American. It features all of the staple grains of the Midwest: corn, wheat and barley. We couple that with some amazing noble hops for Oregon…and a really interesting beer is born. It’s my take on a pre-prohibition style golden ale. Like the farmhouse beers of Belgium, but with a cleaner American yeast profile.
I really like a lot of different styles and types of beer. I don’t want to put a stake in the ground that we’ll never do anything high-gravity. Big beers can be incredible, but they need to be approached with caution and care. I’ve got some cool ideas for seasonal and special release beers, but we haven’t finalized anything yet.
GDB: We wrote, in our first post about Hopothesis, that your brewery seemed to appear out of nowhere. Now, by no means does the buck stop with us when it comes to keeping tabs on new breweries – but we like to think we’re pretty well plugged in. Hell, I check the ILCC’s Craft Brewer Application postings almost every day (nerd alert). So did we miss the boat on this one or did you purposely keep things relatively under wraps?
Orcutt: We wanted to be sure we had something to say before we came out. Getting a beer company up and running is fraught with delays, difficulties, etc. We were a bit concerned about getting in front of the media too early and any potential hand-wringing about a false start. So yes, we kept things quiet (maybe too quiet) until we were already on the move.
GDB: When we looked up your label approvals online (again, nerd alert) we saw that you’re currently contract brewing at Minhas. How has that experience been?
Orcutt: It’s always difficult when your brand is very dependent on another company. While our experience has been okay, it’s really just served to redouble our efforts to get our own brick-and-mortar in place in Chicago. To me, craft is dependent upon a level of love for your own beer that maybe only you can give. It’s kind of like a child. It’s difficult for me to hug fermentors and sing yeast lullabies when we don’t have our own place.
GDB: Are you planning a permanent brewing location in Chicago and, if yes, where?
Orcutt: Yes! We are really in love with West Town / West Loop. I think there is the making of a craft beer cluster here with the likes of Haymarket, GI Fulton & Wood, and Chicago Beer Company (I think they’re looking at this area too?) Plus it’s easy for a packaging brewery…good truck access, close to our wholesalers, etc. Plus a nice selection of real estate that’s not too expensive, yet.
GDB: What are your goals for your first year of operation (i.e. barrels brewed, beers introduced…Facebook likes)?
Orcutt: Our goals are to really get the brand out there. I know it’s kind of soft, but we really want to get deeply involved in the craft community in Chicago. From a more concrete standpoint, I’d like to get a few more year-round SKUs out, as well as launch a really solid seasonal / special release program.
GDB: There are a lot of breweries coming on-line in Chicago and a lot more in the works. Are breweries springing up too quickly? And do you think there are enough thirsty and curious craft beer drinkers here to support them?
Orcutt: Chicago has been a craft beer desert for so long. I think that small start-ups are one of the coolest things about craft. I think there are enough consumers in Chicagoland to support a really sizable brewery pool. I do believe that over the next 5-10 years we will see a movement towards hyper-local drinking. Kind of like back in the old days of neighborhood breweries. I’m incredibly excited to see how this plays out. How cool would it be to see a new style of beer that’s native to Chicago?
GDB: What will set Hopothesis apart?
Orcutt: It’s about embracing the art and science of making great beer. We’re trying to appeal to those people who are interested in how things work. We want to provide the opportunity for something more cerebral. I have to take my hat off to Sean Mahoney, our Art & Evangelism guru. He’s done such an incredible job of branding and design. I think that our geeky-fun approach to beer and design are pretty unique.
GDB: And now we get personal, sort of; favorite style of beer?
Orcutt: So this changes on a semi-annual basis. I still get really excited about continental pilsners. Right now I’m really into some of the classic English porters. They are just so good to drink, but without pushing the limits of alcohol or extreme-beerness. I would always opt for something that has subtlety over a one-dimensional extreme beer.
GDB: Favorite brewery (in Chicago or otherwise)?
Orcutt: I really like Lagunitas. They’ve got some cool stuff going on…and a totally off-the-wall character in Tony McGee at the helm. Really good range of American-style beers.
GDB: If you could only drink three beers for the rest of your life…scratch that…overdone. How about, if you could drink any beer (“retired” or active), from any brewery of any vintage – what would it be?
Orcutt: So…my Grandpa worked at the Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee during the great depression, right before he got shipped off to Europe for WWII. If we could somehow go back in time to get a fresh example — I’d love to crack a 30′s-vintage PBR with my 92 year-old Grandpa and take a trip down memory lane. I guess I’m like a sappy hipster…but that would be pretty special.
GDB: Bonus question – would share that beer with us?
Orcutt: I’d PBR you ASAP!

Bingo's Travels Out West

Just reporting in from his trip to Colorado, Bingo has been pleasantly taken care of out there, beer-wise. He has been visiting Fort Collins, where there have been reports of multiple breweries available for your pleasure.

Its always a great incentive to buy the beer when they give you the glass to keep too. Especially when its a special Colorado only glass. He picked up the Shift, and liked it pretty much.

Here is his reward, for when the work is done.

He also reports of a great place out there, Funkwerks. See link here: Their specialty, and one that he enjoyed the most, was their Saison.
At the brewpub they offered a sampler tray of fluted ale glasses, and the pub itself reminded him much of the Livery, a smaller type brewery but one that still packs a punch in the originality and their ability to stay small and undistributed (escept in 750s) yet be a really good server of beer. This might not be too easy to do since there is a ton of competition out there in that part of the country.

Which might lead one to ask why there is so much brewing? Is it the mountains? Probably not since the Smokies in Tennesee and NC lead to almost non-existent variety.

Thanks again to Bingo. He is, after all, the one who has turned me onto the crafts more than anyone else out there. It also doesnt hurt that he is so close to Two Brothers.

Keep them coming!

Virginia Beer Tour Part 3- Wild Wolf Brewing

Knowing that there was still two more breweries to visit in that stretch of territory (see previous posts) I had a decision to make, and I went with the easier one-the closer one. Little did I know that by closer it turned out to be less than 2 miles (and the difference between Blue Mountain and Wild Wolf was about 8 miles). But it is colorful and fun driving on those mountainous winding roads. Again, such really beautiful territory.

Wild Wolf was a big place, but a little confusing in a few ways. For example, since it was a converted school house (really!) it wasn't in the best location and it was not laid out like a bar/brewery/ restaurant should be. A lot of running around in that place. There was a little village behind it that sold all sorts of merchandise-little shops mostly. But there was so much outdoor seating it was incrediblae-lots of tables out front plus a huge beer garden in back. Kind of a nice place to hit while on vacation and in the summertime.


Now on to the beer. Like the menu at Blue Mountain it showed prices in 16 oz., 22 oz and growler. The selection was rather good, especially since they were not afraid of offering beer with some hops plus they had some Belgian offerings too. 

Here are the menu items:

Wild Wolf Pils, 5% ABV 25 IBU 
Our take on a German style Pilsner.  We take your traditional German Pils and add a good old American Hop Punch.  This beer is clean, crisp and refreshing.  This golden lager is the perfect beer for hot Virginia summer days.
Blonde Hunny Ale, 7.1% ABV 21 IBU  
An unfiltered Belgian style Blonde Ale with wheat and a lot of local honey in every pour.  We have also added a special spice blend to give it an added kick.  Smooth and refreshing, but be careful – this one’s ABV will sneak up on you.  This beer is straw yellow in color with a slight sweetness in the middle and an estery finish characteristic of the best Belgian beers.
Alpha Ale, 6% ABV  45 IBU  
Our American Pale Ale with a ton of Citra, Columbus and Cascade hops.  Deep amber in color with an extremely well rounded hop and malt character.  This beer gives hop heads what they are looking for without wrecking your palate; yet it is sufficiently balanced which is pleasing to many hop-timid beer drinkers. The finish is slightly dry and refreshing to the last drop.  This beer will not disappoint!
Wee Heavy Ale, 6.5% ABV 20 IBU  
Our Scottish style brown ale is deep brown in color – just take a smell of this beautiful beer and you will see why it is Scottish in style. Strong notes of roasted caramel malt & finishing with a touch of smoke and whiskey. Very reminiscent of the best scotches. The taste will leave you wanting more!
Black Wolf IBA, 5.8% ABV  70 IBU  
Hop-heads REJOICE!  This American style black ale has a medium-high hop bitterness that is piney and clean.  This medium bodied beer has a wonderful dark malt flavor and aroma without roasted astringency.

SEASONAL BEERS

‘Weiz Wolf’, Hefeweizen, 5.1% ABV 15 IBU  
Once again we have taken your traditional German beer and put our own twist on it.  Unfiltered and cloudy orange in color.  Medium light in body and highly carbonated; this perfectly refreshing summer beer has very mild notes of banana and cloves that will keep you coming back for more.
Wit Wolf IPA, 5% ABV 70 IBU 
Our take on a wheat based IPA. We started with a Wit style beer and then added just over 30 lbs of hops. Unfiltered, the beer is off white in color with a white head. Strong citrus notes on the nose leading into a slightly sweet taste, then finishing with the hop bitterness characteristic of an American IPA.
‘WolfINstein’, Imperial Stout, 10.5% ABV  65 IBU 
WolfINstein is an amped up version of our American Stout. More malt, more hops and a whole lot more alcohol. Deep black in color with a tan head. This beer is velvety smooth on the mouth. Starting with just a touch of alcohol heat, intense coffee and chocolate flavors and ending with just the perfect amount of hop bitterness to balance the entire experience. What a perfect dessert beer!

I tasted the Wee Heavy, then drank a 16 oz of it. It was good, slightly sweet and pretty balanced, but I caught more freshness than what the description gave off, not te barrel aged taste I was expecting like you get with most Scottish browns. I followed it with a Wit Wolf, and it delivered as more of an American Pale than an IPA, I thought, but then again, I think the lines are so blurred lately who really knows. It was certainly good but not too knockout, as you might assume by the description.
The food there was also very good, especially the fish tacos and the fish and chips. Don't know why I was in such a fish mood that night, to be honest. 

Overall I was happy with the beer and the food, even though the layout took some getting used to. I get the feeling it might have been a little destroyed at one time but not now-it is cleaned up nicely.

Just as a side note I had tasted the only beer I saw of theirs in local bars-the Blond Hunny Ale- which was a tasty Belgian but had a little too much zing to it than I would have preferred. I drank a big one of these in BW3. I was pleased with it, but talking to the bartendress I was informed I was the only one to buy one yet that day (they pour a lot of Bud Light in that place).