Respect Your Elder

This week's review featured in the Weekender covers the Magic Hat summer seasonal beer Elder Betty.  It is a light and refreshing take on the Hefeweizen style making it perfect for the current hot summer days!  So read the review and grab yourself a bottle or can, not necessarily in that order either!

Elder Betty Review

Mars Attacks!

Brewer- Brewery Ommegang

Beer- Bière de Mars

Style- Bière de Garde

ABV- 6.50%

Side-note- This is a beer that can and will be different from the variety of batches that exist in the market.  I purchased my bottle from Wegman’s in Dickson City, PA and the bottle is from batch #3 that was bottled in November of 2008.  Also, this style of beer, Bière De Garde, is not traditionaly sour but Brewery Ommegang added a wonderful strain of brettanomyces to give this beer an added bit of funkiness.

Description- Bière de Mars pours a hazy amber color with a large head that quickly dissipates.  I poured this brew into the Brewery Ommegang gold rimmed tulip styled glass as pictured.  The aroma is very interesting and inviting, emanating notes of biscuits, grassy and earthy hops, spices, phenols, slight brett character, apples, and a strong tartness.  The taste does not match the aroma exact, but there are qualities that overlap.  The initial funk from the brettanomyces is present on the palate, but not as overpowering as in some other brett centric beers; however this can be a positive to some who are unfamiliar with sour beers and could be a perfect gateway sour beer!  There are hints of apple, earthy hops, and subtle spice notes that round out the taste of this incredible beer.  The mouthfeel is equally incredible and leaves the mouth feeling refreshed instead of dried and puckering as in most sours and is also incredibly smooth, my guess due to the aging on this beer (nearly 5 years), but also has perfectly balanced carbonation. All I can say is that this beer is truly incredible

Food pairing – This is really a beer for rich and hearty meals, especially meat based, maybe it’s the French origin of this style?  A nice hearty roast pork dinner with a side of roasted red potatoes covered in butter, thyme, and rosemary combined with this beer is just an amazing dinner to have with a loved one.  Also, while not traditionally a nice summer meal, a robust beef stew is another dream combination with this beer.  Although, it’s a few months away, Bière de Mars is an absolutely perfect match for your Thanksgiving dinner.  So not only does Bière de Mars make relatives more tolerable, but it also pairs flawlessly with your turkey dinner, I call that a win win!

Is it worth trying?- Without any hesitation, yes!  Sour beers are still growing in popularity and are also still struggling to please the palates of many newbie craft beer drinks.  I will not dispute that it is an acquired taste, but once it is acquired there is no going back!  That being said,  Bière De Mars is a fantastic gateway sour in that it is not overly sour by any means and have just enough tart and funk to acclimate the drinker to the tastes without overpowering.  So get out there and find yourself a bottle!

Rating- 

Where can I get it? -  There are not a lot of these bottles on the market, but in Northeastern Pennsylvania it is available at: Wegman’s- Dickson City, Goldstein’s Deli- Kingston, Exit 190 Beer Deli- Dickson City, and Krugel’s Georgetown Deli- Wilkes- Barre

(I cannot guarantee that all business listed currently have the beer in stock, but the most recent information I have about inventory have these businesses listed as having the beer in stock.)

Remember, enjoy responsibly!

Cheers- Derek Warren

Terrapin RecreationAle Gets Canned!

 

Terrapin is bringing a new shape to shelves with the release of RecreationAle, their first offering to be packaged in 12 oz. cans.  With RecreationAle in cans, trailblazers everywhere will be able to easily take along great craft beer without fear of breakage. Added benefits are a lightweight, compact container (bag space is limited!) and the practicing of good karma- cans are convenient to recycle. This hoppy, refreshing, and sessionable beer will be a perfect companion to any outdoor activity.Wrap your hand around a can of our RecreationAle and explore what outside life has to offer. Pack in this flavorful ale and pack out the memories while enjoying this quaffable brew. 

RecreationAle begins shipping to distributors this week, so keep an eye open!!

Steamtown Beer and Music Festival

 

Well the festival came and went.  I hope you had the chance to stop by because it was truly a wonderful day out.  However, if you weren't there check out my Weekender article summing up the day to see what you missed and get ready for next year!

Steamtown Beer and Music Festival

Smuutynose Old Brown Dog Ale Review

This week I had the very fortunate ability to sample Old Brown Dog Ale from Smuttynose Brewing Company.  It is by far one of the best American Brown Ales on the market.  Do yourself a favor and read the review that appeared in the Weekender and try it for yourself!

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale Review

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Recipe

 Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

Ingredients

Brown Sugar Ketchup Glaze
1/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider or white vinegar

Meat Loaf
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black paper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/2 up milk, buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt
2 pounds meat-loaf mix (2 parts ground chuck, 1 part ground veal, 1 part ground pork)
2/3 cups crushed saltine crackers (about 16) or quick oatmeal or 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup minced parsley
6 ounces thin-sliced bacon
Glaze

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Meat Loaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and garlic, saute until softened, about 5 minutes; set aside to cool.

Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worchestershire, pepper sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in a large bowl, along with crackers, oatmeal or bread crumbs, parsley and cook onions and garlic; mix with a fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture does stick, add additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time, and continue stirring until mixture stops sticking.)

Turn meat mixture onto a work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into a loaf approximately 9 by 5 inches.

Cover a wire rack with foil; prick foil in several places with a fork. Place a rack on a shallow roasting pan lined with foil for easy cleanup.

Set formed loaf on rack. Brush loaf with all of glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under to prevent curling.

Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cooking-live/bacon-wrapped-meat-loaf-with-brown-sugar-ketchup-glaze-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Dear Stone, Thanks A Latte!

Brewer- Stone Brewing Company

Beer- Aleman / Two Brothers / Stone - Dayman Coffee IPA

Style- American IPA

ABV- 8.70%

Backstory- Stone has gained quite a reputation for collaboration beers, whether with fellow breweries or with homebrewers, Stone has been involved with some great collaboration beers and Dayman Coffee IPA is no different.  Here is the backstory on this collaboration according to Stone:

“Jim Moorehouse, Nate Albrecht and Brad Zeller, three pals planning to open a Chicago brewpub under the moniker of Aleman, won first place at last year's Iron Brew homebrewing competition in the Windy City (judged by none other than Greg Koch, Jason Ebel of Two Brothers Brewing, and celebrated Chicago brewer, designer and author Randy Mosher). Their style-bending IPA artfully married the assertive tropical bite of Citra hops with amazing coffee flavor and aromatics to create something truly unique and exceptional.”

Description- Dayman IPA pours clear amber, yes clear even with the coffee (!), and has a fluffy tan head that remains for some time and leaves an incredible thick lacing on your glass.  The aroma is breathtaking and exceptional.  The scent that hits the nose first is the wonderful aromatics of fresh coffee melded perfectly with citrus and tropical fruits from the hops, absolutely beautiful!  The taste, thankfully, follows the aroma perfectly.  The bitterness from the coffee and hops attack the palate, but the coffee also has a soothing effect on the palate, but still leaves a lingering bitterness.  There are also slight hints of toasted malts, but all combine for an incredibly smooth IPA that has a nice long and dry finish.  The coffee flavors linger on the palate longer while the hops drop off quicker.  The combination of coffee and the American IPA style may sound strange to some, but trust me this is nothing but delicious!

Food pairing – Food pairing for this beer is a true delight.  Trying to find dishes that can blend with both the coffee and hops makes one think more closely about what dish to combine with this beer.  As far as main courses, fatty meats are your best bet.  Think fatty pork barbeque or braised pork belly.  Another great dish is bacon wrapped meatloaf; I will follow this post up with a recipe for bacon wrapped meatloaf that you have to try!  Also, as you may have guessed, this beer would be great with desserts, especially those with a bitter chocolate base.  I would highly recommend either a nice tiramisu or dark-chocolate dipped strawberries; if you are local to NEPA I highly recommend getting some from Gertrude Hawk Chocolates.

Is it worth trying? – Holy hell YES!!!  This is by far one of the best IPA’s I have ever tried.  Although, it needs to be said that I drink A LOT of coffee, so I may be tipped more towards the coffee attributes.  This IPA is not only unique, but is absolutely delicious.  The only negative thing that I can say about it is that it is difficult to find, isn’t that typical with great beers?  Do yourself a favor though and call any place that you typically get craft beer and ask if they have it or if they can get it, but act fast as what is on the market is all that is out there right now!

Rating- 

Where can I get it? -  Currently available in bottles in the following states:  AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, IN, MD, MA, MO, NC, NM, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, VT, and WA

Remember, enjoy responsibly!

Cheers- Derek Warren

Elder Betty Cupcake Recipe

 

Lemon Ginger Elder Betty Cupcakes


Ingredients:

CUPCAKES

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 1 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons(also can substitute oranges)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup Magic Hat Elder Betty

BEER FROSTING

• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 6 cups confectioners sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Magic Hat Elder Betty

Instructions:


CUPCAKES

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Sift the dry ingredients (through ground ginger) into a mixing bowl.
• In a separate, large mixing bowl, use a mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Stir in half the flour mixture, then the beer, then the remaining
flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full, then bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Ice with Beer Frosting (below).

FROSTING

• Combine the butter and confectioners sugar and mix on low speed. Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add the heavy cream and hefeweizen. Beat 5 to 7 minutes until light and creamy.
• If the frosting is too loose, add extra sugar (up to 1 cup) until the frosting reaches the
desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Recipe based upon that which appeared at: http://draftmag.com/recipes/detail/225

Ommegang Announces New Games of Thrones Release

Brewery Ommegang has announced the second release in their Game of Thrones series, this time they are heading into much darker territory as compared with their previous release, Iron Throne

The label reads "A stout as dark as the winters that once engulfed Westeros, as robust as the men who swear their oaths at the Weirwood Tree. Chocolate & Caramel sweetness are balanced by hop bitterness. Roasty, woodsy notes an an earthy finish."

Sounds fantastic to me, you can certainly look forward to a future review coming your way!

Style- Stout
Arrival- By end of Summer 2013
Availability- 750 ml bottles (some draft accounts as well)

Sam Adams IPL Review

 

Another revisit to a previous review today in buildup to the Steamtown Beer and Music Festival (it is one day away!)  This review appeared in April and covered Sam Adams wonderful Double Agent IPL, a hybrid of a hoppy IPA and a smooth crisp lager, certainly worth a try and a second look!

Double Agent IPL Review

Hop Crisis Returns!

 

AMAZING news came through from the Full Pint, 21st Amendment's Imperial IPA Hop Crisis is returning! This is one of my favorite IPA's from one of my favorite breweries. So excited that it is coming back. Be sure to hunt this one down and try it for yourself!

Hop Crisis Returns!

A shave and a beer

This week's review in the Weekender showcases the Carbondale, PA brewery 3 Guys and a Beer'd and their wonderful Loyalty Barber Shop Shaving Cream Ale (a collaboration brew between them and Loyalty Barber Shop in Scranton, PA) it is truly a wonderful and delicious beer, but read the review for the full deal!

Shaving Cream Ale Review

Tröegs Nugget Nectar Review from the Weekender

Another AMAZING brewery, and Pennsylvanian as well, that will be attending the Steamtown Beer and Music Festival is Tröegs Brewing Company, who make some of the best beers on the market right now.  One of their best and most sought after beers is Nugget Nectar and rightfully so... read up on my review from the Weekender that was originally published on January 20, 2013.

The Nectar of the Gods

Can Beer Be Too Hoppy?

The argument is brought forward in this great article from The Weekly Pint. In this age of extremely hop forward beers is it possible we have gone too far?

Bitter Truth

Love them or hate them, hops are here to stay.

Nothing like a good beer-based debate to get people really revved up. In a recent article entitled “Against Hoppy Beer” in Slate, avowed hops-fan Adrienne So laid out a polarizing argument that overly hopped beers are scaring everyday beer drinkers away from the craft segment, by turning up the volume on the old humulus lupulus to 11. True, a lifelong Bud drinker is not very likely to switch to craft beer after one sip of Hoptimus Prime, Leafer Madness, or Hop Stoopid (yes: actual beer names). But hoppy beers are also more popular than ever—IPA is one of the best-selling beer styles in America. It’s something of a tempest in a beer glass, and the jury’s going to be out on this one for a long time.

To each his or her own, we say. If you love hops, go for it. International IPA Day is for you. Hops add some of the most fascinating angles to beer, from earthy to citrus and tropical flavors and aromas to all kinds of bitterness. Some styles we love have almost no hop character whatsoever. Some reach for, and achieve, “Hop Druid” status, and smell exactly like the hop’s groovy cousin in the Cannabaceae family. It’s a case of “Enough! Or Too much,” as William Blake wrote.

What do you think? Have American craft brewers gone overboard with hops?


Originally appeared on The Weekly Pint website: http://www.weeklypint.com/the-weekly-pint/beer-101/bitter-truth-june-2013#continue

Beer Flavoring?

 

I am really not sure on my thoughts about this product, it is to say the least unique.  Apparently you can buy "crappy" beer and make it craft beer with just a few squirts from the bottle.  Just take a look and decide for yourself.

Make Your Own Craft Beer with Just a Few Squeezes

Cheers!

Abita Turbodog Revisited

 

Another fantastic brewery that will be attending the Steamtown Beer and Music Festival is Abita.  In February I reviewed one of their best, and one of my favorite, beers Turbdog.  I thought this was a great beer to revisit, so here is the link to my previous review. Enjoy!

Abita Turbdog 

A Hoppy Wine?

Brewer- Dogfish Head Brewery

Beer- Sixty-One (61)

Style- American IPA

ABV- 6.50%

Interesting Fact- Dogfish Head 61 was born when Dogfish Head owner Sam Calagione was having drinks with friends and poured some wine into a half full glass of Dogfish Head Sixty Minute IPA.  He drank this, loved it (as did others who sampled it) and went about finding a way to make it at the brewery.  61 is exactly that as well, a blend of Sixty Minute IPA and Syrah grape must, a grape used to make a dry red table wine.

Description- Dogfish Head 61 pours red amber like color with a white fluffy head, that has a pinkish hue to it as well, that remains and leaves a nice lacing on the glass.  I poured this into Dogfish Head’s new IPA glass, something worth looking into if you are an IPA fanatic, in my opinion.  The aroma is interesting blending a nice floral hop bouquet with a berry/grape must aroma, if more wine had this aroma I may drink more of it!  The taste is also interesting; the sweet wine/grape flavor dominates up front with a bit of malty sweetness and follows with some citrus zest from the hops.  There is a mild amount of bitterness but is balanced nicely with the sweetness from the grapes.  The body is medium and has a nice amount of carbonation and finishes quite dry, as both good wines and IPA’s do, so I say perfect!  This is definitely worth a try, so if you see it try it out!

Food pairing – The wine and IPA combination make it a little different when trying to pair with meals.  The sweet wine flavor would make this great with chocolate, which it is, and the sixty minute IPA flavor would make it great with a variety of mildly spiced Mexican dishes, which it is, but take it easy on the spices.  Be adventurous with this brew though, if there is a dish you typically enjoy red table wine with, swap a 61 instead and the same can be said for a sixty minute IPA.

Is it worth trying? – Yes! Dogfish Head Brewery is known for pushing the boundaries of what beer can be with its vast choices of ingredients into a wide variety of styles and experiments.  61 falls perfectly into the beer line-up for Dogfish Head and is great for those who are one the fence about beer, but still love wine.  The choice of using the less aggressively hopped Sixty Minute IPA is great to lure in those new to craft beer as well.  It is limited right now in availability, so if you can find it… try it!

 Rating- 

Where can I get it? -  Currently available in bottles at: Exit 190 Beer Deli- Dickson City, PA and  J & H Beer- Wilkes-Barre, PA

Also, Dogfish Head will be at the Steamtown beer and Music Festival.. so stop by the booth and try everything!!

Remember, enjoy responsibly!

Cheers!