Strong Ale & Sweet Surprises

THE BREW:

In the most recent edition of "The Improper Bostonian" I had a unique epiphany thanks to an article written by Erin Byers Murray and Max Toste. They defined what it meant to be a Beer Snob vs. a Beer Geek. As in the wine world, there are those out there who would seek to define what is and what isn't good beer. I may, on occasion have straddled the line and for that, I apologize! While there are some beers that I personally find repugnant and repulsive, it is my intent only to provide you with a forum where opinions can be read, digested and whenever possible, disputed. These are only opinions after all. I've sampled some of the best beers on the planet and I have a wide library of knowledge on the subject. My main goal is to show you what's out there, good, bad or indifferent and perhaps provide a little education. While reviewing Lord Hobo's (a new Allston, MA beer mecca) Mr. Toste has a great description:

""Snobbery Sucks," he said "Geeks are enthusiastic. They like knowledge, like to learn about things. Beer should be accessible.""

Truer words were never spoken. I of course prefer to think of myself as a Geek. Beer, like it's younger cousin, wine was found largely by accident thousands of years ago and has been drunk by Pharaohs and peasants alike. I've always postulated that there is a beer for every occasion and for every taste. My tastes, for example differ greatly from my wife's and from a number of my friends. Where I might like a dark Stout, my Dad on the other hand might prefer light lager. My opinions are merely a guidepost for beer geeks and beer neophytes alike.

That being said, onto the review!

More good news from John Harvard's! The misses and I recently hit up the local John Harvard's here on Route 9 and beyond our usual board of fare (Nachos for the table, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich for the misses and Chicken fingers for the kiddo), we were pleasantly surprised by a few choice beers on the menu. So much so, that we did something that we rarely do... took home a growler! I can count on two fingers, including this time, that I've ever liked a beer enough to bring home a solid Gallon of it... The last was a stout from the Kennebunk Brewing Company. The chosen beer today, however, was the Strawberry Ale draught that that my wife and I decided would be a good summer beer. Given that it was a BEAUTIFUL and pleasantly unseasonable 80 degree day here in the Commonwealth, I plunked down my cash and brought it back to the old homestead. One of the best parts of JH is that will let you have a small sampler for precisely $0 so we were able to give it a go without breaking the bank. One complaint was a bleachy taste that showed up in one of the other samples. I might have liked that one better, but for a relatively unrinsed cup.

Onto the beer!

The Strawberry ale: Light color, Hazy body and with a crisp zip, I liked this beer as did the misses, a intersection ne'er to be seen! The initial taste had a somewhat raspberry hint to it, which I've now come to realize is simply the result of fermenting strawberries. Either way, a tart, citrus albeit not unpleasant note. The body is thick enough to make you realize that you're drinking a hearty beer, but not heavy enough that I wouldn't break it out at the summer BBQ. The finish as a slight hoppy zing to it but not enough to cause puckering. All in all, a good suggestion by our waiter. Pairings: Any BBQ food will do, but I think that a cherry glazed rib & grilled Pepper & Tomato would do nicely with this beer. The cherry in particular should take the edge off of the fermented strawberry taste and mellow the tang of the hops a little.

The Celtic Strong Ale: This one tops the meter for complex tastes and for punch packed! I think I was buzzed about 1/2 way through my glass. Advertised as a Scottish style, this is a DAAARK ale. I held this one up to the light and I'm pretty sure I saw the suns rays start to collapse into the head. Suffice it to say, Black with a slight hint of brown. The menu (which is designed for beer geeks BTW) stated that three types of malt were used, although the varietal that shone through was the Chocolate Malt. There was a heavy chocolate/stouty flair to it. The body has a heavy texture as I thought it might have. I have to note that there are certain Scotch Ales that I don't like due to a heavy reliance on truly bitter hops and funky honeys as the fermenting sugar both of which are usually used in great abundance and often create a lack of balance in the beer. This was not the case with the CSA, While it did have a bitter finish, the heft of the beer and the sweetness of the other two malts (Pale and another which I don't remember) created a unique balance that danced all over the senses of the tongue, perhaps with the exception of salty. Pairings: I can tell you for a fact that this beer goes poorly with nachos... Don't do it! The Salsa and spicy food in general tends to over state the bitterness of the hops. The meal I had was an understated, typically American, but delicious Bacon Cheeseburger. The meat, veg, fries, cheese and bacon were more than enough to stand up to the complexity of this beer while still allowing it to maintain its balance.

That's all for now, I'll have another post for you tomorrow!

Here's mud in yer eye!

Rob

Tasters Choice... a week full of beer!

Great week overall!

Decent pipe lesson this week, not too much laughter and my teacher, Brian assigned me a few new songs including one of the band's favorites, the Rowan Tree. Very excited! Plus, I almost didn't pass out! I do have some minor maintenance to do this weekend on the pipes but beyond that, I see light on the horizon!

Enter the Haggis will be at The Center for the Arts in Natick next Saturday and I'll be doing some promotional work this weekend for the band. As previously posted, GREAT band and if you have the opportunity, check them out!

I had a LOT of beer since my last post! Let me clarify... In the past, I've expounded on the sampler platter of beers at brew pubs and I've hit three in the last week. Two for business, one distinctly for pleasure. The volume of beers might not be huge, but the sheer number of tiny beers is. I may not hit all the beers but, I'll hit the high and low points.

John Harvard's Brewpub, Framingham, MA:
I've reviewed this place more often than any other establishment. I've always been pleased by it and this time was no exception. Meatloaf was great, sampler was pretty decent overall. The one that sort of hit me funny was the "hop-chronic". It's another example of "how much hop can I pack in here?". Not a terrible beer when paired with something heavy, but on its own, it's like a slap in the face. The nut brown was well balanced and makes for a good pair with most anything. The Stout appeared to have some espresso in it and would have paired well with Tiarimisu. The Celtic red had a little zip to it. Interesting flavors... check it out and let me know what you think.

Boston Beer Works:
-Buckeye Oatmeal Stout: Not sure as to the naming convention but... Go blue! HA! This is by far one of the creamiest Stouts I've had to date. Sweet, malty and with a slight zip, check this one out. Pretty good!
-Pumpkin Spice: Not a terrible beer, but definitely mislabeled. Most pumpkin spice beers taste like pumpkin pie. Who could argue with that? DEEELICIOUS... This on the other hand tasted like one of those Cinnamon Red Hot candies. Had they labeled it as THAT, it would have been spot on! So again, not a bad beer, good body etc, but not very well balanced.


Granite City Food & Brewery, St. Cloud, MN:
Rarely is it that you can find a Brewpub that has both exceptional food AND top notch beer. John Harvard's is one... Granite city is its Midwest equivalent. Great beer and excellent food. I had the London broil with a red pepper & bourbon chutney. GREAT pair to most of their beers. If you're in the St. Cloud area, check it out. I was impressed not only by the physical plant, but by the growlers... I know, it sounds weird, but their growlers have a sweet handle and a grolsch style clasp top. If I had the opportunity to get it on the plane with me, I would have. Classy looking piece... By and large, the beers ran the gambit from a Miller light tasting lager (eh... fairly flat) to some pretty decent beers. The Broad Axe Stout and the Brother Benedict's Bock are two of the best of the house. Tasty beer, tasty food, great atmosphere: all in all a great place to congregate.

Attack of the Brit Beers!
This week, almost by accident, I picked up 2 different beers, both in pint bottles, both from the U.K. Coincidence? I think not.

-Wells Brewery: Banana Bread Beer: By far, one of my favorite beers out there. I had it first at the British beer company in Walpole MA and I've been a fan ever since. Spicy, complex and with a crisp and bitter finish, it's easily in my top 10. The best part is... it TASTES like Banana bread! I would pair this with... banana bread... To easy?

-St. Peter's Brewery: Cream Stout: Interesting bottle, interesting beer! I'm not sure if they could print the story on the label any smaller, but with my magnifying glass and an electron microscope, I found that the brewery has an interesting back story. I won't ruin it... Read for yourself. The beer itself had a chocolatey nose and again, an interesting finish thanks to the Fuggles and Challenger Hops. Their blend of grains made this again, a complex beer with a thick rich body, daaark color and a caramel colored head. If you're looking for something different in a Stout, check this one out.

Next post: Wachussett Brewery's Comeback beer!!

Check out Enter the Haggis!! November 21st, 8:00 at TCAN in Natick, MA!!

Prost!

Rob