Beer Appreciation 102: Oskar Blues Gordon
Beer #20 in BA102 is Gordon, a whopping strong ale from Oskar Blues brewery in Lyons, Colorado.
About Gordon (from the Oskar Blues Website):
It features a gooey, resiny aroma and a luscious mouthfeel. Gordon is brewed with dash of chocolate malt in it, to round out its load of hops and balance the beer. The result is an assertive yet exceptionally smooth version of strong beer.
We brew Gordon in tribute to the late Gordon Knight. In addition to opening some of Colorado’s first microbreweries, Knight was a Vietnam vet, grade-A citizen, and huge promoter of craft beer. He lost his life in 2002 while fighting a wild fire outside of Lyons, Colorado.
I like Gordon a lot. It has a lot of hop aroma and flavor, but it’s not overwhelmingly bitter thanks to the big malt base. The chocolate malt is a nice touch. Adds richness.
My favorite part, though, was smashing the can against my forehead when I was finished drinking.
Restaurant wishes me a very happy Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day 2009 at Market Street Viet Thai Cafe in York, PA.
Beer Appreciation 102: Saison Dupont
I’m about to pour a glass of Saison Dupont – beer #19 in BA102 – and watch Hot Rod on Blu-ray.
I know I’ll like the beer – it’s one of my favorites – but I’m not sure about the movie.
I’ll share notes on both here tomorrow.
UPDATE:
Saison Dupont is my new favorite beer!
That’s the way I feel each time I drink it. And I’m not alone in my enthusiasm.
My brother, Paul – on leave and home from Iraq (Army) – is plowing through his case of 24. Saison Dupont is his favorite so far. He called it, “The best beer in the world.”
My father-in-law, Jose – a wine guy who’s converting to beer – called today and raved about the bottle of Saison Dupont I gave him during our last visit.
Saison Dupont is a pale, fizzy ale from Belgium, brewed to resemble rustic ales made by farmers many years ago. It’s light, dry, minerally, bitter, musty, sour and soapy – but just a little of each. Like Brian Eno said about ambient music, Saison Dupont rewards attention, but does not require it.
You can read more about saison-the-beer-style on Wikipedia.
On to Hot Rod…
Straight up nerdcore comedy. In a Venn diagram, it would overlap Superbad, Napoleon Dynamite and Freddy Got Fingered. If you think that’s pretty high company, you’ll like Hot Rod. (But you should never mention to anyone that you like Freddy Got Fingered.)
Beer Appreciation 102: Unibroue La Fin du Monde
Beer #18 in BA102 is La Fin du Monde, brewed by Unibroue of Chambly, Québec.
Here’s a description from Unibroue’s Website:
Unibroue's La Fin du Monde is a Trappist-style tripel brewed in Canada.
“Type : Triple fermentation Golden Ale, refermented in the bottle
Alcohol: 9 % alc./vol.
Color: Blond with a golden hue
Taste: Smooth, slightly tart with the balanced flavors of wild spices, malt and hops
Aroma: Wild spices
Shelf Life: 8 years or more
Serving Suggestions: Gourmet dishes, fine cheeses and dessertsIn February 1994, after 18 months of research, Unibroue launched La Fin du Monde (the end of the world). It is a 9 percent alcohol, triple fermentation beer. This type of beer was originally developed by the monks of the Middle Ages to be served on special occasions. La Fin du Monde is a deluxe beer made by triple fermentation and a unique way of straining the yeast. This method produces an unexpectedly subtle flavour. With its champagne-like effervescence, it has a vigourous presence in the mouth, which accentuates its strong personality. Slightly tart, with the balanced flavours of wild spices, malt and hops, it belongs to the class of great Trappist beers and, in this regard, is a North American first. At meals, it can replace white or red wines and enhances the flavour of most dishes.
This beer is brewed to honour of the great explorers, who believed they had reached the end of the world when they discovered America.”
Unibroue is one of my favorite breweries and their beers are a bargain, comparing well with beers costing twice as much. La Fin du Monde is a spicy tripel. I enjoy it with strong-tasting cheeses, like blue gouda.
‘CRUSH ALL THE PEOPLE’
My son, Max, will turn 4 on Feb. 23.
He’s ambitious, no?
And a pretty good speller…
Should I be worried?
Beer Appreciation 102: Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner
Sam Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner is darker than a traditional pilsner.
Sam Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner, the Sierra Nevada Wet Hop Harvest and the Weyerbacher Double Simcoe all are hopped in extreme ways. The Wet Hop Harvest has fresh, unkilned (wet) Cascade and Centennial hops thrown in the kettle less than a day after they are harvested. The Double Simcoe and Hallertau Imperial Pilsner both use large amounts of hop varieties that are typically used sparingly.
Of the three, the Hallertau Imperial Pilsner is the most extreme, the most interesting and the least tasty.
Sierra Nevada Wet Hop Harvest Ale is a pleasure to drink and a great showcase for Centennial and Cascade hops, but though the wet hopping gives it a rougher, greener more lively character, it just isn’t very different from Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale, which use dried hops of the same varieties. It’s the Beaujolais nouveau of the beer world. (I mean that in a good way.)
Beer Appreciation 102: Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA
From the Weyerbacher Website:
“Double Simcoe IPA, 9.0% abv, is our incredible reward for Hopheads seeking the intense hop flavor in a Double IPA, without the harshness. It is brewed untilizing only the Simcoe hop variety. This hybrid hop, developed and trademarked by Select Botanicals Group, LLC in the year 2000, was created for its high alpha acid content, maximum aromatic oils, and low cohumulone(harshness) levels so that brewers can really put a lot of ‘em in a beer and not create an overly harsh taste.
Double Simcoe IPA is a full-flavored ale with hints of pineapple and citrus upfront, a good malt backbone in the middle, and a clean finish that doesn’t linger too long. Check it out, and you’ll soon see why everyone’s talking about it. Double Simcoe is available year-round.
Named 2006 “PA Beer of the Year” by Beer Author Lew Bryson, at www.LewBryson.com.”
The gift of six
Left to right, Summit Great Northern Porter; Goose Island's Winter Mild, 312 and Honker's Ale; and Mamma Mia Pizza Beer
My friend Will traveled to Chicago to spend Christmas with some family, and he came back with a six pack of beer for me. What a guy! The best part of the gift was that I had never tried any of the six beers before.
So far I’ve had all of the Goose Island beers and I’m drinking the Summit Great Northern Porter right now.
I’m saving the Mamma Mia Pizza Beer for a special occasion.
The Summit is nice and roasty, with a medium body. Refreshing and flavorful. All of the Goose Island beers were excellent, too.
Cheers, Will! Pizza party at my place in a few weeks.
Beer Appreciation 102: Victory Moonglow Weizen Bock
Beer #15 in Beer Appreciation 102, Victory Moonglow Weizen Bock, has lots of flavor and alcohol, but is very easy to drink.
I like Moonglow, but I rarely buy it since I almost never see it on tap. 24 bottles of Moonglow (that’s life in Pennsylvania, folks) is just too much of a good thing.
That’s why I chose it for this project!
From the Victory Website:
STYLE
Bavarian WeizenbockABOUT
This dark amber wheat beer features fruity and spicy aromas galore. Significant strength underlies the pleasant citric appeal of this bock beer. Redolent with the flavors of harvest fruit, Moonglow typifies the traditional weizenbock-style so thoroughly enjoyed throughout Bavaria. Left unfiltered, its unique yeast strain gives Moonglow a radiance all its own.COMPOSITION
Malts: imported, German malts including malted wheat
Hops: imported, German whole flowers
Yeast: imported, of German origin
Alcohol by Vol. approx. 8.7%AVAILABILITY
Draft and bottles, September through October.
“I have bad news.”
My wife just called and said she broke the back door.
We switched cars and keys today and she left home without a house key.
When she found herself locked out she kicked in the back door, SWAT-style, splintering the jamb.
One more item on the fix-it list…
