The Best of Philly Beer 2010 (according to me)

Alright, so if there's one thing that makes you want to come out of beer blogging retirement, it's a severe summer of surplus awesome brews. What can I say? I got bogged down by academics, an eventual job, and traveling all over God's green earth tasting awesome things. So you crack and you stop beer blogging. It's a tragic thing, especially when you've tasted both Pliny the Younger and Westvleteren 12 and 8 in one summer. That's a damn beer travesty, that's what that is...

Anyhow, working for a living, in particular in one of the top-rated beer cities in the grand ol' USA, has enabled me to track down some of the most out of control beer bars in both Philadelphia proper and its adjacent suburbs. So I bring to you, oh loyal readers, Eric Souder's Best of Philly 2010 (so far) that I've visited to date! Hopefully, you take it upon yourself to go visit one - if not all - of these tasty dwellings of ale in one of the most fun cities in America.

Mind you, these are in no particular order...

-Tria (18th and Sansom): Alright so Tria isn't technically a beer bar. It's technically a wine bar. Ok. So it's just an awesome bar. If you work in the center of town and want great beer, wine, or cheese, go here. I've never been disappointed with this place. Small, cozy, a little on the yuppie side, you're bound to always find something that you want. Generally, the beer you want is on tap, ranging anywhere from a Dogfish Head 90 Minute to a La Trappe Isid'or Amber (actually Norwegian, but brewed to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the brew company as well as the existence of Belgian-beer-brewed-outside-Belgium). The cheese is outrageously good - generally it comes from Murray's up in Manhattan. Overall, never a disappointment. (****)

-Monk's (264 S 16th): I can't leave out Monk's. About two weeks ago some psychotic bus driver crashed head-on into the front of the restaurant, generally blowing out 3/4 of the entrance. Things looked dismal, but the intense folks at Monk's persevered and opened up about a week ago. The beer menu is phenomenal: there are about 300 advertised as well as a constantly rotating duo of bars (a front and a back) generally carrying the season's best in fine beer. Go around Christmas and experience an entire bar of Belgian and Belgian-style Christmas ales. Only downside: it gets crowded FAST, so don't expect a quiet cozy environment after 5pm. (***1/2)

-Local 44 (4333 Spruce St. University City area): Local 44 is one I don't know too much about, but it's certainly worth the trip. The guy who owns it also manages two other spots, the Memphis Taproom and Resurrection Ale House (which I'll review in this entry). The unique thing is, you will only find beer on tap at Local 44. They're big on sustainability, so they cut down severely on bottled beer waste, etc. Tucked in the center of the Penn campus, they serve some of the tastiest beers around featuring brewers like Stone, Russian River, PBC and many others. Overall, a pretty fun bar and worth the checkout. (****)

-Brauhaus Schmitz (718 South Street - Old City/South Street area): Brauhaus is exactly what it sounds like - a massive German-inspired pub. Brauhaus does not mess around: they have about twenty beers on tap (all German) as well as a pretty impressive bottle list featuring rarities that I deeply appreciate such as a Baltika 7 or the Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel. The food is pretty authentic German as well, lots of pork (try the Schweinshaxe if you like face-melting amounts of meat) pretzels, and the like. Additionally (and this is an awesome treat especially for those who have experienced Germany) they have a great schnapps selection if you honestly have room for anything after the meal and all of the beer. Definitely an awesome spot. (****)

-Devil's Den (11th and Ellsworth - South Philadelphia): It was odd: I followed this place on facebook and twitter almost a year before I ever set foot in their restaurant. Maybe that says something about the age of the internet. Well one year later, I discovered what was up. Devil's Den has an outrageous beer list. It is about the size of Monk's "Beer Bible" yet somehow, not as many people have caught on. On tap you'll get the regular seasonals, but you'll also find some awesome rarities like Great Divide's 16th Anniversary Ale or Furthermore's ThermoRefur (a beet-based spiced ale) on tap. The food is solid featuring fun things like a seafood flatbread, raw oysters, and chickpea fries served tapas style. The best part? Happy hour means half off. So that Great Divide (a 10% ABV beer by the way) sold normally there for 4.50 per glass is only 2.25. So for all of you young Philly workers chugging $5 Heineys at Elephant and Castle? Just think, you could spend about 5 bucks and get twice your fratty buzz on and simultaneously taste a better beer. THAT is why Devil's Den is epic. (****1/2)

-Resurrection Ale House (2425 Grays Ferry Avenue): Cue the Cheers theme song. Resurrection is amazing. I can't say anything bad about this place. Having been there now several times this summer I can say wholeheartedly that Resurrection is welcoming, friendly, and most importantly, so chock full of awesome and delicious that I leave each time going "Wow, I love that freaking bar." Owned by the same people as Local, the owner has sort of put the reins in the hands of Rocco, a Gonzo-tattoo sporting bearded beer genius who will gladly tell you the story of shenanigans with a hand grenade (trust me, long story) just as soon as he'll pour you the beer that will make your evening. They keep only about 10 beers on tap, but that's ok, because each beer is unique and amazing. You will never find two IPAs or two brown ales on tap simultaneously. Names like Avery (which I had "The Reverend" on tap tonight ****) Old Speckled Hen, 21st Amendment, and once again, Russian River, pop up time and time again, never ceasing to blow the mind and invigorate the tastebuds. What's even better is the food, featuring things like braised lamb with peach butter, hoisin glazed pork belly sandwiches, a fried chicken with sriracha honey, and even a couscous that will make you wonder how someone fit so much tasty awesomeness in one small place. The atmosphere is great; go in once and they know your face; go in twice and they know your name; three times? They'll practically have your beer of choice poured. If you ever get the chance, go here! (*****)

These are only a few of the amazing bars Philly has to offer. Just wander around honestly. It keeps growing and getting more amazing. I absolutely love it.

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A Report from Beer Mecca (Bruges, Belgium)

There are few times in one's short, seemingly ridiculous life, that a person can state "I had the number one __________." At the very most, it's normally something like "I had the number one fishsticks in Scranton, Pennsylvania." While they might be impressive...well...you get the idea.

I sit only inches away from the number one beer in the world. No joke. When it comes to beer ratings, I go to two sources: www.beeradvocate.com and www.ratebeer.com . These guys don't mess around. If you go to any licensed distributor of foreign beer, craft beer, microbrewed beer, you will see a little notecard implying that either one or both of these two websites rated and approved of it. Each year (in the case of ratebeer.com) or just about automatically (in the case of beeradvocate.com) these websites update a top 100 list of the best beers in the world. I generally refer to these two lists semi-religiously as, every time I've tried one of them, my mind has been blown. A few months ago, when beeradvocate.com briefly premiered a new #1 beer in the world, Russian River Brewing's "Pliny the Younger" (an American or Double IPA), I had the rare chance to taste it. This beer spawned the beginnings of a blog entry that I never published. It was IMPOSSIBLE to describe the greatness of this beer. Sure, the 11% ABV might have had something to do with it, but STILL. This beer was outrageous, and none around me disagreed.

At the time, Pliny was making a tour around the USA, blowing minds and kicking the ass of any beer in its path that dared challenge it. For a few weeks time, it supplanted one Belgian beer that rested comfortably in the number one position on nearly every beer rating website I approached: Brouweij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren) - Trappist Westvleteren 12, a Belgian Quad from the Northern part of Belgium. Following BA on Twitter, it was practically a revolution akin only to the French Revolution of 1789 or the Russian Revolution of 1917. Literally, people were going nuts about this. However, only a few weeks later (more akin to the Russian Decembrist Revolut of 1825, but don't mind me, I'm a history major) Westvleteren gave a loud and clear "Back off," and once again resumed its imperial status on the beer rating websites of the world.

So when I came to Belgium less than a week ago, I made it a point to find this beer. I knew it was rare. The beer itself is brewed in extremely limited quantity in Belgium, never exported, and barely distributed even within the country itself. So in other words, it was now or never. I had heard rumors of one establishment, Trappistenhuis Gent (in Ghent, Belgium) selling it. The night before, sitting in Rochefort (home of the fantastic Trappistes Rochefort 10, 8, and 6) a Flemish man raved about it, maintaining an almost reverent silence as I mentioned the name of this beer. The next day, my family and I wandered to Ghent.

It took about twenty minutes to walk to the Trappistenhuis. Within one minute, however, I was disappointed: the waitress quickly informed us that "It was forbidden to continue selling such a beer." Don't get me wrong though, with a few hundred Belgian beers, many of which were brewed only ten minutes away, I had nothing to truly complain about. I bowed gracefully, assuming that I would have to wait to travel to the monastery itself at St. Sixtus to try this beer. Then I came to Bruges.

I've been in Bruges about four hours now. I've had a few beers already of course, including a Kwak served in the standard "Yard" style glass. Ok, maybe I had one and a half of them. That's not the point here. Casually strolling after lunch, however, we stumbled upon a place named "The Beer Temple." Normally, I'm not one for gimmicky names. This place, however, couldn't be more aptly named. Imagine two whole walls of every Belgian you've ever tasted. They have just that. After marvelling however, I jokingly asked the manager of the store, "I guess you don't have Westvleteren?" Straight-faced, he told me "Yes, I do. All of the varieties are in the back." I guess it pays to ask.

Interestingly, I purchased four of the top ten Belgian beers listed on beeradvocate.com. I had the opportunity to purchase eight of the top ten. I will be trying these in the near future. I hope you will tune in for the reviews. Signing out from Bruges,
Eric

A fun beer rant (Brew Dog, Scotland)

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1978705,00.html

I've had a few beers from Brew Dog, particularly their collaborations. (One of the best being their recent collaboration with Stone Brewing, Bashah, a fierce example of an American Strong Ale). If I've learned anything, it's that they make fantastic brews.

So they've come out with a beer of outrageously high ABV. About 41% to be precise. So what?! It's time, ladies and gentlemen, for an "ALCOHOL RELATED RANT!"

America has a problem with alcohol. I don't mean we're drunkards...far from it. But since the Puritan days of old, we've hidden from the very thought of alcohol, producing (until recently) sub-par beer, wine, and liquor, none of which can actually tastes good enough to drink long enough actually get drunk on. So now we get a few rabble-rousers who want to push the limits on brewing a bit! Hang them! Hang them!

The truth is, high ABV beer is nothing to be feared. Actually, I'd argue it's something that encourages more responsible drinking. Anyone who has had a beer over 9% ABV knows that you generally want to take a long, delicious beer nap after consuming said beer. It's not the "uproot some fences, objectify some women, fight the power" alcohol experience that the American media likes to paint it as. Try a North Coast Old Stock Ale for instance. I encourage you, TRY not to take a peaceful snooze on your nearest sofa or recliner! Try it!

Plus, at a whopping $40+ a bottle, who in their right mind is going to be pounding these beers? This is the problem with the American concept of the consumption of alcohol. Our mainstream is used to a beer that's light enough have five of, so we assume every beer must be that way. Wrong. Beer isn't - once again - that yellow fizzy stuff your grandfather may have drank. It can be that, but it can also be akin to a cognac, a champagne, and a wine. Beer can be sipped. Beer can be smelled. It can be enjoyed slowly and in moderation. Get used to it! Appreciate beer! And in the words of BeerAdvocate.com, ENJOY BEER!

That said, I'd love to get my hands on one of these...
Image Accessed at: http://popsop.com/wp-content/uploads/brew_dog_bismarck_01.jpg

A Beer Even an Anarchist Would Love - Founder's Brewing Nemesis Anti-Establishment Ale (MI)

Imagine if Marx, Che, Malcolm X, Susan B. Anthony (and about ten other historical figures who shouted the proverbial "We're not going to take it" all while offering a serious backhand to any sense of "societal norms") all got together and made a beer. Then add an ABV about as epic as anything Teddy Roosevelt ever did, make it smell and taste like maple, and you're about scratching the surface of this beer: Founder's Brewing Company's Nemesis Wheat Wine "Anti-Establishment" Ale (2009 bottling).

I poured this into my trusty Piraat glass and witnessed a very nice and cloudy copper-toned wheat wine beer. I've had barley wines before, so I was anticipating good things. The head is relatively minimal, but leaves a fair amount of lacing. The scent, like I suspected was very maple-filled along with some hints of bourbon. Go figure: Founder's ages the beer (or wheat wine, technically) in bourbon barrels.

The taste really sold this brew for me. You automatically get a serious hit of dark caramels and light maple flavor. Then, while you're still reeling a bit from that taste, you notice the bourbon. The aftertaste (a word which I think needs to be viewed in a more positive light at times) is great. Imagine a great sip of Maker's Mark right after you cracked the bottle: warming, flavorful, and overall, just great. There is a bit of an alcohol taste present, but the rest of the flavors tend to overwhelm it.

The sentence on the bottle states "Every batch diabolically brewed to decimate ordinary-average-run-of-the-mill tasting beer." They hit the nail on the head with that. Try this beer and you will not be disappointed. My only caution: this is a slow sipper. As I'm still enjoying this beer, I have the feeling it might catch up to me in about a half hour.

Founders - Nemesis Anti-Establishment Ale (Michigan) ****1/2/***** (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Image Accessed At: http://foundersbrewing.com/founders/images/stories/nemesis-bottle.png

Upcoming Beer Adventures

My apologies for not updating in recent days, but duty, and thesis work calls.

I do however, have several beer adventures coming up in the near future.

1) TJ's Paoli, Pennsylvania: On March 20, 2010, TJ's will be hosting an event featuring former Beer Advocate #1, Russian River Valley Pliny the Younger, as well as about 10-15 other amazing brews including North Coast - Old Stock Ale, which is counted in the ranks of "A Beer for Everyone's" Top Ten (a publication coming in the nearest of futures). For more information go to: http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/31789. (You may need a B.A. account to get the info, but seriously, who doesn't want a personalized B.A. account?)

2) An "A Beer for Everyone" exclusive: From May 27, 2010 to June 7, 2010, I along with my parents will be traveling western Europe including Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. This obviously means an endless number of beer tastings at restaurants, abbeys, and the like, all to be published in borderline excruciating detail on the blog of yours' truly. The world may never be the same after this truly enlightening trip, during which I estimate I will try an obscene amount of ridiculous beer.

3) Great Lakes Brewing Co. : I will be making a trip out to Ohio to visit some good friends. While out there, why not visit a really solid brew company? Apparently, I will be taken at one point or another to tour or just plain drink at Great Lakes. Once again, that will offer me the chance to have one of my favorite beers, The Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. Definitely looking forward to this.

Some more reviews will be coming soon. I personally have to get paid, and then, buy more delicious beer in order to provide for your reading pleasure.

A Few Weekend Acquisitions

Mixed up a nice 6-pack at Scalle's Restaurant in Carlisle. Forthcoming reviews therefore, will be on one or more of the following:
-Weyerbacher Brewing: Quad (Easton, PA)
-Smutty Nose: Robust Porter (NH)
-Heavy Seas: Imperial Stout (MD)
-Magic Hat: Vinyl Lager (VT)
-Victory Brewing: Golden Monkey (Downingtown, PA)*
-Tröegs Brewing: Trögenator (Harrisburg, PA)

*The Golden Monkey review is slated to be written in tandem with the fine folks over at The Garlic Press & Co. More to come in the near future on that...

Keeping It Simple Tonight - Lancaster Brewing Amish Four Grain APA (PA)

Sometimes it's great to go with a basic beer. One's taste buds probably should only withstand two or three serious ravages per week to be on the safe side. In moments like that, I turn to brewers like Lancaster who make those great "go-to" brews.

Lancaster Amish Four Grain Pale Ale is an APA, or American Pale Ale. These are (typically) the slightly less hoppy relative of the IPA of British origin. American Pale Ales in general are made from local ingredients and according to many sources, acted as a major catalyst in the resurgence of American microbreweries. If that is true, what a glorious contribution to society. If it isn't...well they're still good beers, so that's all that really counts, right?!

Amish Four Grain Pale Ale is comprised of Saaz hops, rye, malted wheat, and oats (hence "four grains"). The idea is that these four grains will all balance one another and make for a great, smooth - although pale - ale. Let's see how they do.

AFGPA pours a nice copper hue with about a finger-width head that gradually recedes, offering a little bit of lacing. In terms of smell, go figure, it's very grainy: lots of wheat and bread-like aromas, maybe even with a bit of autumnal fruits (apples, etc.). The taste is about the same: slightly malty, almost nutty, but overall, very well-balanced. The hoppiness isn't terribly evident, but for a beer with 22 IBU (International Bitterness Units), that's to be expected.

Overall, there isn't anything too complicated about this beer. It's a great session beer, just for kicking back during dinner (in other words, what I'm doing right now) or even on its own.

Lancaster Brewing - Amish Four Grain Pale Ale ***/***** (3 out of 5 stars)
Image Accessed at: http://www.united-nations-of-beer.com/images/amish-four-grain-pale-ale-41258.jpg

Well Worth Another Try - Tröegs Nugget Nectar (PA)

Everyone needs the occasional second chance. Yes, I'm still talking about beer and not love lost or something generally emo like that. In this case, I'm talking about Tröegs Nugget Nectar.

Anyone familiar with this beer might be a bit surprised by this statement. I mean hell, BeerAdvocate rates it in their "best of," stacking it up against the likes of Russian River Valley, Stone, and a bevvy of Belgian Doubles, Tripels, and Quads that put even the above average brew to shame, leaving it quivering in the deep, dark recesses of beer purgatory.

Here's the thing. I just wasn't impressed the first time I had it. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was a bad day, or the weather was gloomy, or something had so annihilated my ability to taste that I was left blind to the deliciousness enclosed in the 12 oz bottle I bought at a local bar. Something just didn't do it for me. I gave it an initially average review and buried it under a pile of praises I had reserved for other Tröegs' beer like Mad Elf.

Then some glorious person on Twitter alerted me to an event occurring at Carlisle's own Market Cross Pub: on some random night throughout the week, Nugget Nectar would be served for a limited time from a Firkin. I was excited, not only to find out what the hell a "firkin" was, but also to taste this beer. "A Limited Time" in the beer world typically means there's something delicious and rare going on; it's not often that one hears "A Limited Time: Pitchers of Yuengling," particularly in Central Pennsylvania.

It turns out that a firkin is basically a keg laid horizontally, but corked after pressurizing rather than covered with the typical tap. This goes back to the days where "tap the keg" meant "smack the wooden keg with a huge freaking hammer so everyone can drink." The difference is, wooden kegs are a rarity these days so the firkin is one of those novelties within the beer world that people flock to get a pint from.

I arrived at Market Cross about twenty minutes after the firkin was delivered and tapped. Naturally, the thing was frothing like there was no tomorrow and the beer had been shaken up. Regardless, I had a pint poured (yes, Market Cross serves legitimate English-style pints) and let it sit for a bit. Once it did though, I was treated to a bit of aesthetic beery-goodness.

Listening down the bar, I heard the complaints of those who I am sure are a bit more familiar with that yellow fizzy stuff that comes in a can: "It's too cloudy." I don't know if I've clearly expressed it yet in this blog, but cloudy beer is generally something of legendary and epic status in my mind. It makes me go "Hey, there are ingredients in this beer! And the brewer actually cares!" Mostly, this is a result of loving Unibroue and their Ale-on-Lees style. Regardless, I looked to the bartender, who merely commented "Well, that's the best part!" I wanted to shake his hand.

Anyhow. It was a cloudy reddish orange with a minimal head (once the effects of the truck ride over subsided). Strangely enough, it left a ton of lacing once I started drinking it. The nose is very floral and citrusy with some caramel hints as well.

As for drinking it: it begins with some pine and then, slowly but surely, a grapefruit-esque citrus taste with a backing of hops starts to emerge. Then a nice chewy caramel and spiciness comes around with a bit of alcohol (it's a 7.5%ABV). Overall a fun series of tastes to have hit you.

So on second review, yes, I really do enjoy this beer. This isn't as family friendly as the Mad Elf, but for people into some serious beer, I'd recommend it.

Tröegs' Brewing - Nugget Nectar: ****/***** (4 out of 5 stars)
Image Accessed At: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3398/3251992966_2de65dcb20.jpg

Where My Obsessions Collide: Avery Brewing - The Czar (Colorado)

Wine enthusiasts often scoff at the sight of a catchy label or wine name. Even with my wine purchases at a minimum, the influence of sommelier relatives and friends with good taste has led me to stray far from bottles advertising adorable animals, movie stars, and the like.

Anyone who has had a beer in the past fifteen years knows that this is not the case with beer. Names like "Arrogant Bastard" (Oaked being my personal favorite), "Old Leghumper," and "The Edmund Fitzgerald" (either commemorating the shipwreck or that epic Gordon Lightfoot tune) prove that not only can names be out there, but so can the taste of the beer contained within.

This brings me to tonight's beer, "The Czar," courtesy of Avery Brewing Company. The name alone made me happy, let alone the bottle design: a backdrop of the double-headed eagle and the featured portraits of three Romanov Tsars. Not that I'm advocating tsardom, imperialism, or any of the like. But come on, what isn't awesome about 300 years of ruthless - or just plain oblivious in the case of Nicholas II - rule in possibly one of the most complex countries on planet earth? If you answered "nothing," then we clearly have to be friends.

Anyway, back to the beer. It's an Imperial Stout...go figure. For years, I had a bit of an aversion to stouts, primarily because all I had been introduced to was Guinness. People might hate me for this statement, but I just never really liked it all that much. Too much hype, too little substance. Then I began trying Imperial Stouts, Belgian Stouts, Coffee Stouts, etc. and suddenly the world changed. Stouts are a veritable meal among beers, consisting of roasting malt/barley and adding various ingredients until a dark, strong, typically thick beer is produced.

Imperial Stouts are a beer straight out of Russian history. Literally. They're also referred to as "Imperial Russian Stouts" for the simple reason that Catherine II (the Great) ordered an English brewery to produce them back in the late 1700s. In order to ship the delicious brew to the ever-frigid Russian Empire, the alcohol content was increased (from approximately 8% to around 11 or 12% ABV).

Opening up this beer, I was hit in the face with aroma automatically, which is always a good start. Imagine what the French or German Armies felt like when they first heard Russian winter was coming and their leaders had packed light. Surprising, right? I poured this into my handy Piraat glass and simply experienced darkness: the color of this beer is a blackish, murky brown with touches of crimson. The head was minimal, but that was a bit expected. The beer smells rich, complex, unforgiving - traits typically shared by the Russian monarchy. These guys either read their history books, or just brew intense beer. I'm guessing a combination of both.

The taste is sweet, a bit smoky, with dark fruits and the sense that there's some alcohol lurking in the shadows that will probably come and bite you later on. Frankly, having tasted it, I disagree that Nicholas II is pictured center stage; I'll go ahead and say this tastes like something Ivan IV (the Terrible) would take a swig of before bringing the pain on some unsuspecting boyars. Nicholas II just didn't have that sort of intensity. This Imperial Stout is hardly about to give up the throne without a fight.

So before I get too carried away, I'll conclude this review. I'm really enjoying this beer (I still have a large chunk of the bottle to work on) and highly recommend it, particularly for those of you who are Slavophilic history dorks like myself. Just be warned, this is a hefty beer, so enjoy with caution.

Avery Brewing - The Czar ****/***** (4 out of 5 stars)
Image Accessed At: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tdyqVOyT1hw/StyIXd7ULZI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/V0ABg8GJEJA/s320/avery_czar.jpg

Gifts from Avery

Not going to lie, I just received a beer that I'm content taps into every shred of my obsessions: Avery Brewing's "The Czar." While certain history professors and Russianists have caused me to beg to differ regarding the spelling of that word (I'd say Avery's "The Tsar"...hell it's spelled Царь in Russian..."Ц"="ts"!), I'm content this one will give me something to talk about later this evening. The bottle is designed with some great portraits of Nicholas II, Alexander II, and one other, who I haven't identified yet. Aside from causing my mouth to water at the sight of shamelessly displayed interpretations of Russian history, it's from Avery. If you've been paying attention, this means good things.

More to come this evening...

Random Names from Awesome Companies - Avery Brewing: Collaboration, Not Litigation Ale (Batch 2) [Colorado]

When your parents visit and come bearing ales, it's typically the start to a good day. Particularly, as I've mentioned before, when they come bearing Belgian Strong Dark ales. I feel like there should be a proverb to that effect written down somewhere.

The bottle my father sent me was none other than Avery Brewing and Russian River Valley's mash-up of a brew, Collaboration - Not Litigation Ale. Apparently, sometime back in 2006, the people at Avery and Russian River Valley teamed up in the effort to make an epic brew between friends. As a note, I was a little wary of Avery; the only Avery beer I'd had up to this point was named "The Beast," a chocolaty badass of a Belgian Strong Dark (at 14% ABV) that knocked me on my tail in less time than it took me to drink it. Delicious nevertheless. To be honest though, they were pairing up with Russian River Valley, a company which, I will wholeheartedly swear is incapable of making bad beer. (Hell, BeerAdvocate gives them an A-rating. I feel pretty comfortable making that statement.)

I cracked a 1pt 6oz bottle of this and poured it into a Piraat tulip glass. The beer pours a nice burnt orange, arguably whiskey-colored brown with some sticky lacing. The head was about a finger-tip thick, but subsided pretty quickly. The aroma wasn't particularly forward, but I caught some basic malts, yeast, and maybe a bit of fruit. The taste was equally subtle. There was a light bit of carbonation, and then a well-balanced series of malts, finished off with hints of turbinado sugar. I was tempted to let it warm up a bit more, but the flavor pretty much stayed the same as before even after I did. The ABV was 8.72, which isn't too harsh for a Belgian Strong Dark. It was just enough to leave me feeling warm and cozy after finishing it.

Overall this was a nice and well balanced beer. For the most part, it's what I expected from these guys. It just makes me a little anxious to see what else these collaborators have in store. Hopefully, we'll see some ridiculously tasty things in the near future.

Avery Brewing - Collaboration, Not Litigation Ale ***1/2/***** (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Image Accessed At: http://www.securinginnovation.com/Avery-Collaboration.jpg

Lunchtime at Cafe Bruges - Urthel Samaranth (Flanders, Belgium)

I get the occasional criticism from friends about being a bit pretentious about beer. This is probably more than merited, but in all fairness, it means I get to enjoy delicious things, and they don't. Cafe Bruges in my little town of Carlisle, PA stokes the fires of my inner pretension, offering me the opportunity to have decent food with outrageously good Belgian beer as often as my wallet allows. As I've addicted my parents to this small establishment, it also gives me the opportunity to have a free meal with free delicious beer at the same time. This naturally happened today at lunch, leading me to this evening's blog entry.

Belgian Quads. Strong in flavor, typically sweet, and definitely strong in alcohol content. Few people who have tried one of these disagree with the flavor and few with a tendency toward the aesthetic fail to notice the dark rich hue of this style of beer. This style is becoming more and more popular throughout the world, although no one does it like the original.

Today, over a pretty awesome meal of fricasseed rabbit and a small salad, I placed an order for an Urthel Samaranth, a Belgian Quad from Flanders. I didn't know exactly what to expect other than something pretty tasty, but the bottle art of a bearded troll imbibing a serious pint was more than enough incentive for me to choose it. It poured a dark, almost reddish caramel into a beer chalice. The head lingered a bit with little flecks of yeast, which also floated quite liberally throughout the beer itself. The beer smelled sweet and spicy the moment it was poured, making me all the more eager to taste it.

Tipping this one back, I couldn't help but continue to notice the intense aromas, which I am sure aided in the tasting process. I got the normal tastes of a Belgian Quad at first - sweet, strong, a bit of candy sugar - and at precisely that moment, was hit with the second wave of flavors. Almond, a bit of bitterness, and last but certainly not least, alcohol (with an 11.5% ABV, that wasn't terribly surprising). Very full - but not heavy.

So in summary, this was another great take on the Belgian Quadruple. While probably not my all-time favorite (a position held actually by a few American-made ales) this is certainly up there. Belgium rarely disappoints in the realm of outstanding beer, and this is no exception.

Urthel Samaranth - ****/***** (4 out of 5 Stars)

Image accessed at: http://www.saveur-biere.com/etiquettes-bieres/urthel-samaranth-barley-wine.gif

When You Order Beer at a Cantonese-Peruvian Fusion Restaurant - Eisenbahn Defumada (Brazil)

This is the point where you go, "Brazil makes beer?" Yea, I was surprised too. But as I'm rapidly finding out, not only do the Brazilians make beer, but Peruvians as well, and it's pretty interesting stuff to say the least.

I had this beer at "Chifa," (http://www.chifarestaurant.com/) a Cantonese-Peruvian fusion restaurant on 7th and Chestnut in Philadelphia. The restaurant is the glorious brainchild of Chef Jose Garces, owner of Spanish Tapas restaurant Amada as well as a few others, and one time ass-kicker of Chef Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. And this guy knows his stuff. I've eaten at both Amada and Chifa and each time, have come out writhing in euphoric pain from the sheer brilliance of his food. An example: spare ribs. You're thinking "backyard barbecue," "Applebees appetizer," and overall, "nothing special." Garces takes the ribs, cures them, glazes them with Char Sui (a Chinese barbecue sauce), adds some Daikon (an Asian root vegetable), peanuts, and offers you one of the most taste bud-ravaging, fall-off-the-bone, forget your buddy's tailgate party experiences you'll ever have. Anyway, I digress.

In addition to this truly epic food menu, Garces and his crew put together a great bar menu. It consists of a few interesting signature cocktails (including my personal favorite, the 5-Spice Manhattan), several South American wines, and finally, a selection of local and South American beers. Despite my love of Chifa's cocktails, I opted to ask my waiter about the beer. He gave brief descriptions of each, yet he managed to catch my attention by stating the following: "This one is a little different." Nothing sounds more appealing than a description like that. Five minutes later I held a bottle of Eisenbahn Defumada in my hand and poured it into a standard Pilsener glass.

Defumada is made in the style of a German Rauchbier (or smoked beer) created by using malted barley dried over an open flame. These are some pretty unique beers that are getting more and more attention as time goes by. Although the style is most popular in Germany, many American microbreweries (such as Stone and Weyerbacher) and foreign companies are starting to market smoky beers. Eisenbahn is a prime example of this trend, yet it also manages to pay homage to the inventors of this "unique" style of beer: Defumada is made from malts imported from Bamberg, the founding city of Rachbier in Bavarian Germany.

The beer pours a dark-reddish brown with a medium-sized head. The scent is about what you'd expect: smoky. If you've ever been to a butcher shop which smokes its own meat, you've got an idea of how this beer smells (that's a good thing by the way). When all else fails, think bacon. As for the taste. Well go figure, it tastes smoky as well, but not overwhelming in the least. As a matter of fact, this beer is kind of sweet and smoky calling to mind standing over a hot grill prepping a beef brisket since five o'clock in the morning. Not too heavy, not too light. Bit of spice as well. It reminded me of all the reasons why I enjoy smoked food and now, smoked beer.

This beer is "different," don't get me wrong. Really, how is one supposed to react when handed a beer with characteristics most commonly attributed to pork? In my case the answer was "happily." This beer may not be for the faint of taste bud, but it's certainly worth a try.

Eisenbahn Defumada (Rauchbier) - ****/***** (4 out of 5 Stars)
Image accessed at: http://www.beermonthclub.com/images/Eisenbahn-Defumada.jpg

The Best Part of Waking Up... - Dieu du Ciel, Péché Mortel (Montreal) and Troegs Java Head (PA)

Coffee. The veritable counter-balance to my beer mania. If there is one thing that I am more of a pretentious pain about than beer (and vodka), it's coffee. I can't stand a weak cup of it, I prefer it produced fair trade (social awareness just tastes much better, right?), and if it's any good, it should be enjoyed pitch black without the contamination of those pesky creams and sweeteners. No day starts without it, and many days end with it. Luckily, some sick and twisted individual thought it was a brilliant idea to blend two of my liquid obsessions, and in the case of these two beers, it produced some damn tasty results.

I'll start with the Canadians (*ducks, assuming some independently-minded Quebecois threw something at him*). Péché Mortel is from "Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!," a small brewing company in Montreal, Quebec. I got this beer from a great spot in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia called "The Foodery" (http://www.fooderybeer.com/). The small store boasts over 800 varieties of beer. The cynic in me did not believe this at first, and then I went there; they aren't messing around. This place is practically "buy by-the bottle" Mecca. There was very little that I couldn't find at The Foodery, thus leading me to believe it might be the greatest thing Philadelphia spawned since the cheesesteak and the Philadelphia Flyers.

I picked this beer out of curiosity. The image - as pictured above - has something just...intriguing about it. You just don't pass up a beer featuring a Medusa drawn in the style of Picasso. Plus, the name alone means "Mortal Sin." It's gotta be good, right?! Either way, I got home that day and selected a pint class and poured.

I might as well have French-pressed this beer. There are actually coffee grounds floating around in it. As a result, I knew I was in good company with the people at Dieu du Ciel. Hell, this is the way I like my coffee! If they make a coffee stout this way, they're clearly doing something right. Enough blabber. Let's get to the coff...I mean...beer.

It smells like - go figure - coffee. We're not talking Starbucks either. Picture the best cup o' joe you've ever had. There you go! You're on the right track. Kicking it back, half expecting to have to wait due to breakfast-related warmth, you get to the true nature of Péché Mortel. The taste is outstanding. Not only do you have a fantastic coffee-flavored beer, you also have a great Imperial Stout. While coffee is the primary flavor, you're also tasting some very solid malts.

On to our friends at Troegs. I'm drinking this beer right now, so it's safe to say it's on my mind. This is pretty much the same deal as the Péché Mortel, up to the point of taste. The Java Head is a bit weaker in flavor; in other words, it doesn't blow you away with coffee taste balanced with a ridiculous amount of malty-goodness. It's just enough coffee, and just enough malt. If this were simply a stout, I might be inclined to rate it incredibly high. However, it's a coffee-based stout, and I've had the aforementioned Quebecois beer, so unfortunately, it's not ringing as many alarm bells. Overall though, it is increasing it's position in the ranks of Troegs brews. This falls just short of Mad Elf in my opinion.

So here's the idea. If you like coffee, you will like these beers. If not, you'll probably still like these beers. Try them out...you won't regret it.

Brasserie Dieu du Ciel - Péché Mortel ****1/2/***** (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Troegs Brewing Company - Java Head Stout ***1/2/***** (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)

Images accessed at: http://www.troegs.com/assets/images/troegs/pictures/beerPhotos/troegs-beer-java-stout.jpg and http://www.vif.com/users/spongiana/PecheMortel.jpg

Straight from Kitchen Stadium - Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale (OR)

I wish Alton Brown could narrate me drinking this beer, telling me what I'm experiencing and the strangely intoxicating history and biology of it all. What we've got here is Rogue's Morimoto Soba Ale, a collaboration between the beautiful people of Rogue Brewing Company (Oregon) and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto (Japan).

The beer is pretty unique in that in addition to the normal grains in beer, it adds soba, a popular Japanese grain typically used in the creation of noodles (comparable to udon). In this case however, Morimoto, in typical Iron Chef fashion, teamed up with Rogue roasted the soba "buckwheat" and added it to a light ale. According to Rogue's website, the beer has won several awards (in 2005-6) at the World Beer Championships, and Beer Advocate gives it a steady "B" rating. I personally picked it out, having never heard of it, at a local bar, primarily because I recognized the Morimoto name. Go figure.

Let's get to it, shall we? The beer pours to a pale amber with about a half inch of head, which recedes, but never fully. Light malts and a bit of nuttiness in terms of scent, but nothing too pungent. The taste is very light and a bit nutty at the finish. I've never had soba, but I'm being told that this beer tastes quite like it (oh, the many benefits of an East Asian Studies majoring roommate). Honestly, it reminded me a bit of Unibroue's Blanche de Chambly due to the lightness and dryness, although it did not have the same citrus taste and carbonation (that is relatively typical for Unibroue). As the bottle itself states, I picture this going well with lighter cuisine - fish especially - or perhaps lighter cheese and appetizers. The ABV is hardly an issue at 4.8%. Frankly the beer is light enough that even after a 22oz bottle, I still have room for more beer. Lucky me, those were my plans exactly.

I'm going to be unoriginal and agree with most of the people on Beer Advocate: this beer is about average as Rogue's brews come. However, it is great at one thing: hitting the spot. Something just clicked about this one (thus supporting my theory that Rogue is just amazing at making beer). I'd recommend trying it out!

Rogue Brewing: Morimoto Soba Ale - ***1/2 of ***** (3 1/2 out of 5 stars)
Image accessed at: www.rogue.com/beers/morimoto-soba-ale.php

An Overdue Review - Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA (DE)

I will begin with an oft-heard quote: "IPA's are bitter." I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone tell me this when I mention being a fan of IPAs. Maybe this is a description slightly merited by the names of many pale ales: Hop Devil, Hoptical Illusion, etc. All imply an intensity of sorts in regard to "hoppiness," an experience of occasionally bitter proportions. I'm not even going to lie, I've described Victory's Hop Devil to friends as "a severe case of taste bud assault at the hands of an angry God" despite its obvious deliciousness. I enjoy that bitterness. I like an alcoholic product that occasionally reminds me that it has taste, even at the risk of wincing slightly at the severely epic nature of its deliciousness. Which brings me to one of my favorite beers in the veritable Beer Universe, Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA.

I don't even remember where I first tried this beer, but I am certain I passed by it multiple times without noticing much. The bottle art is simple and to the point: apart from the above-pictured logo, there are merely a few lines describing the ale inside. When I did get to it though, one question popped up in my mind: what on earth is the deal with the "90 Minute"? It's actually pretty to-the-point: once you have the wort (the extract after the mash-making process) boiling, you continually add hops to give the beer its signature flavor. Dogfish Head simply came up with the brilliant idea of adding them for different minute amounts - 60, 90, and for the truly brave and adventurous drinker, 120. And that's all there is to it.

So to the beer itself. I'm drinking one right now, so this should be easy. It pours a gorgeous amber with about a finger's width of light head. The smell is somewhat floral, and all sorts of malty. Taste is where this beer will get you. You do get a bit of alcohol taste, but it's very thin and hard to notice. The fact is that you get hit by about every flavor in the book at once and you don't even know where to begin. Citrus, hops, and malts that remind one of just about everything good you've ever tasted, childhood birthdays, first kiss, fireworks on the 4th of July, etc. One taste you don't get much of? Bitter. If anything, it's one of the most well-balanced beers ever in terms of flavor. Since I bring it up all the time: ABV. It's a 9% ABV, but don't even let me try and convince you that something like that would hold you back from getting a second one. Actually I think I might get a second one soon, now that I mention it.

I'll end with another quote: "Damn, that's a great beer." I've heard that from nearly everyone who has had this beer, including people that dislike beer (if such people exist). Believe me, pick this one up if you haven't already.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA: *****/***** (5 out of of 5 stars, seriously)

Image accessed at: http://www.asecondcup.net/90minuteipa.jpg

Tasties from the Motherland - Baltika (St. Petersburg, Russia)

The average person does not automatically equate the name "Russia" with "beer." Generally there are about one hundred other names that come to mind, normally along the lines of "vodka," "cold," "bears," "Commies," and "Putin." While there is certainly a great deal of validity to all of these stereotypes, I was convinced of several other self-evident truths about the Nazi-crushing, Napoleon-annihilating, and warmth-defying country in my year abroad which came to an end less than nine months ago.

Vodka is obviously king. Yet, apart from the shenanigans of various ex-patriots, drunks, and tourists, vodka is generally consumed on special occasions from what I witnessed. Although, as I say this, I can't help but think of the borderline absurd number of local and national holidays throughout the Russian calendar that by all means offer endless opportunities to enjoy the stereotypical national beverage. Interestingly, another beverage that is near and dear to the hearts of the Russian public is cognac, typically imported from Armenia. The French - adhering to the idea that only cognac from their country can be named as such - might disagree with me, but the Armenians aren't fooling around when it comes to this warm sweet liquor. Perhaps I'll review it sometime as a little digression.

Needless to say however, one doesn't simply walk around the Old Arbat in Moscow, or down St. Petersburg's Nevsky Prospekt, with an open bottle of Zelyenaya Marka vodka without expecting to get stopped by one of the several militsiya officers patrolling nearby (who would more than likely accept your bottle as a parting gift). Instead, there is beer. In fact, there is beer within 100 yards of about anything in Moscow and St. Petersburg, including revered monasteries, the Kremlin, and the inner-city estate of novelist Lev Tolstoy. People drink it constantly: I can't help but recall seeing a well-dressed business man walking to work at 8:00 am slugging down a Stella Artois. Hot weather, cold weather, snow, rain, sleet, holiday, holy day, etc. Not to mention it's cheap: you would typically pay anywhere from $1-2 USD for an ice cold half liter of the local brew, and $3-4 USD for some high quality Czech, Polish, and German beers. But, when it came down to it, there was one beer that was king: Baltika from St. Petersburg.

Baltika is a pretty unique brewing company when it comes down to it, and it's all a matter of simplicity. Apart from some clever recent beers such as Baltika "Kooler" (something akin to a Corona I've been told), the beers are named simply by the number, specifically 2-10. (There is also a "0" but it's a non-alcoholic which, unsurprisingly, rarely sells). These numbers are not terribly important; for instance, it does not indicate a grade of darkness or strength but simply a different style of beer. Here is the breakdown:
Baltika 2 - Pale beer
Baltika 3- Classic Pale Lager (4.8%)
Baltika 4- Original (Brown Lager) (5.6%)
Baltika 5- Gold Beer (5.0%)
Baltika 6 - Porter (7%)
Baltika 7 - Export Beer (Pale Lager) (5.4%)
Baltika 8 - Unfiltered Wheat Ale (5.0%)
Baltika 9 - Strong Lager (8%)
Baltika 10 - Jubilee (5.2%)

Of these, the only one I haven't had was Baltika 10. I'm not positive, but it may not even be produced regularly. Honestly, several of these beers taste pretty similar to one another (in particular 2, 3, and 7). Russians criticize Baltika 9 as being too sweet. But overall, I'm not too quick to hate on this line of beer. Sure, I'll admit that no one of them is mind-blowing, but Baltika is great with consistency. Each of these beers is very drinkable, even in the half-liter serving size. You don't fill up too quickly, and at the same time you're never left with an unpleasant aftertaste from any of them. Hell, Baltika 7 even tastes good from a can. Baltika 8 is a nice shot at a wheat beer, often enjoyed by those not so keen on German Heffeweissens (which, honestly, who isn't keen on those things?!). The porter holds its own as well. Overall, there is little room for disappointment with Baltika. Plus, for anyone who has made the trek to Russia, it holds a special place in their hearts always paired with a long series of great stories (I can't help but think of last Valentine's Day...).

So I'm going to give Baltika as a brewing company *** out of ***** (3 out of 5). It's a safe bet in my opinion, which admittedly, might be a bit biased due to my year abroad. But hey, when all else fails, there's always vodka...

Image Accessed at: http://www.europa-food.com/images/beer/Russia-Baltika1-267x100.jpg

Christmas a Month Late - Tröegs Mad Elf

Holiday beers are awesome. About ten come to mind immediately, several with confusing Belgian names, ridiculous label art, and flavors which possess palate annihilating capabilities incomprehensible to modern science. One however, - primarily due to affordability and my present location - comes to mind above all: Tröegs Brewing Company - Mad Elf. Considering the vast number of quests I've gone on, distributors I've hassled, and bartenders I've whined to incessantly over the past two and a half months in regard to this beer, I would feel amiss not reviewing it, even though it's more than a month after Christmas. It would seem to take all of the holiday spirit out of this festive time of year, not unlike Christmas music and commercials that begin playing in mid-October. This however, is one aspect of the holiday season that I don't mind being thrust at me en masse months before and after the actual event it commemorates.

Mad Elf is hardly the best holiday beer. Don't get me wrong. But there's something alluring about this beer. I was introduced to it randomly at a local bar on a slow night. The bartender was kind enough - after a ten minute discussion about IPAs that I'm sure would have made both my roommate and mother cringe and state "Oh not again" - to offer me a free sample glass to get my opinion. It took him a bit to get the head to go down at first, but it subsided relatively quickly revealing the dark, almost ruby color of the beer itself. After examining it, smell, appearance, etc., I took my first of what would be several tastes of Mad Elf.

Mad Elf is categorized as a Strong Dark Belgian-style Ale. For reasons that I'll get to in future posts (more than likely regarding Brewery Ommegang's Three Philosophers or North Coast Brewery's Old Stock Ale), I'm going to set that classification aside. I'll let this beer be its own beast. Regardless, it isn't a terrible idea to put it in a tulip glass (particularly helpful when your local bar has a "Mad Elf tulip glass night."

The smell is of cherry, spices, and honey. Not too distinctive from other Holiday themed Belgian-styled beers. All other senses aside, it's the taste that truly sells this beer. It's sweet, it's smooth, and there are no hints of alcohol. I know I've already mentioned the "alcohol thing" but I have to bring it up again; this beer is 11%ABV. At that point, when you can't taste the alcohol and we're not drinking a barley wine, it's worth mentioning. The cherries and honey hit you right from the get-go, followed by the spices. The spices however, aren't the main event by any means -as they often are in Belgian Holiday ales.

There are a couple of downsides, one with positive connotations for the producers, the other...well, it depends. The ABV is worth paying attention to. As the beer is smooth and sweet, the temptation is to drink it quickly simply to have more of it. This beer is the proverbial "ticking time bomb": you might feel fine drinking several of them (as it also isn't terribly filling), but in about an hour you'll realize that you drank several of them. Imagine that feeling after Thanksgiving dinner where all you want to do is take a long nap. The other issue is that this beer can disappear quickly, especially outside of the Harrisburg area. By the time I got home on Christmas break - nearly two weeks before Christmas - it was next to impossible to find it. The word was that within the span of about a week, calls were coming in nearly five to six per hour requesting this beer. They simply couldn't keep it on the shelves.

While certainly not the greatest of holiday beers, Mad Elf has a seemingly endless appeal for all who have tasted it. Therefore, in conclusion dear readers: act quickly, drink safely, and enjoy the tastes of the holiday season.

Tröegs Mad Elf - ****/***** (4 out of 5 stars)

Image accessed at: http://www.realbeer.com/blog/images/20081223-madelf2.jpg

A Trip with the Damned - Unibroue La Maudite (Chambly, Quebec)

I feel if one is to start anywhere when talking about beer in particular, one might as well begin at the top. While I might not be able to say that any one of these beers is hands-down my favorite, they've come pretty close on a number of occasions. The first review therefore, is of Unibroue, a Quebec-based brewery just shy of its twentieth year in operation.

I'm not entirely sure how I stumbled upon this company. I'm going to have to give credit to the large number of Quebec-based students that happened to be studying with me in Russia less than a year ago. They couldn't help but brag about their local beer and how they missed it. Right. Canadian beer. My first inclination was to think back to the "Second City TV" skit from the mid-seventies featuring Rick Morranis and Dave Thomas as brothers Bob and Doug Mckenzie, the stereotypical hockey-watching, back-bacon loving, and Molson-downing Canadians. In short, "Canada" did not equal "beer." I had no idea how wrong I was.

Although there were any number of things that the Quebecois would claim having gotten right (including the French language, women in general, and the French-Indian War of the 1750s), I discovered that they had a definite point when it came to beer. On my twenty-first birthday I made my way to a New Jersey beer distributor and purchased a four-pack of what would be my first Unibroue, La Maudite.

This beer blew my mind from the get-go: the art on the packaging and bottle itself is unique featuring a devil slightly below a small ship gone awry (paying homage of course to its name which translates as "The Damned). Each Unibroue is considered an "Ale on Lees" meaning that it is bottled with a layer of its own yeast. Originally, from what I have been told, the purpose of this was to allow the beer to ferment longer without lengthening the pre-bottling process. Either way it leaves a lingering layer of yeasty goodness on the bottom, only accentuated once the bottle itself is cracked.

I fiddled for nearly five minutes with a bottle opener before realizing that this beer - $10 for a four pack - has a twist-off cap. Regardless, I poured it into a tulip glass and let it sit. As it was advertised in the style of a "Strong Belgian" I was aware that it would only improve with a little bit of a warm-up. The color was a very dark amber, made cloudy by the yeast layer I previously mentioned. I know some people who are a bit taken aback by a cloudy beer. Trust me, this is nothing to worry about. Scent-wise, think fruity at first followed up by some dark caramels. But think quickly, the smell doesn't linger for too long. Enough with the visual stuff. Let's get to the point here: how did it taste?

Any beer over about 5% ABV terrifies people. I don't know what it is. I figure, you're drinking beer, so go figure, you might get a little buzz going. It might however, be that in the case of alcohol in general, a higher-than-you're-used-to ABV implies a taste sacrifice. This is not the case with this beer. While at first your mouth needs to acclimate to the carbonation, you aren't tasting the 8% ABV of La Maudite. Just sweet enough, just dry enough, and not overwhelming in the least, little hints of the caramel you may have smelled if you have a nice pretentious nose for these sort of things. The only thing to be careful of is just this: the taste. The beer goes down easily once you're used to its flavor; the ABV, while not something to be tasted, is still there.

Overall, I believe I gave this beer about ****1/2 out of *****, which, as you'll find out if you keep reading, is incredibly good. I highly recommend just about any beer by this company, but this is definitely one of my favorites.

Image accessed at: http://www.brewpalace.com/Images/Beer/Unibroue-Maudite.jpg

An Introduction of Sorts

Beer. It's not just that fizzy yellow stuff shoved in your face every third commercial during a sports event. It's no longer just the ingredient of a Boilermaker, ordered after a long day of work at the mill. And, thankfully, it's also not just the liquid chugged at an alarming rate, sans saveur by an endless stream of testosterone-fueled men - all members of one college organization or another - hoping to impress anyone and everyone in a twenty mile vicinity with feats of gut-expanding proportions.

No, beer has become something for everyone. Microbreweries, craft-brews and never before heard-of imports are rapidly entering the hearts, minds and the very souls of the American populace. Names like Dogfish Head (DE), Victory (PA), and Troegs (PA) invaded both the local and national lexicon seemingly overnight. Terms like "IPA" and "ESB" suddenly began to turn heads as if somewhere, in some mystical land, a Beer Rosetta Stone had been unearthed and decoded. "Beer bars," "brew pubs" and "Belgian-style restaurants" started popping up throughout cities and small towns alike, creating an entirely new generation of beer drinkers throughout the country.

So what happened? Why the sudden change? The answer to this is hardly rooted in the works Marx, Rousseau, or -luckily, for my own sake- Michel Foucault. In my amateur opinion, people wanted beer that tasted good. At whatever the cost. After decades of having three or four options in a given town - of which Heineken or St. Pauli Girl represented the pinnacle of imported beer - people needed a change of pace. Entrepreneurial merchants and prospective pubmasters took matters into their own hands and took a crack at the fine art of brewing. And what happened? Some pretty damn tasty things.

This brings me to this blog. Why am I writing this? I've always loved traveling, and in traveling, I've had the opportunity to try any number of delicious things that I would have otherwise never been able to get my hands onto. Beer is perhaps paramount among these. Having only turned twenty-one a number of months ago, I was unable to publicly sample the brew-tastic talents of Smutty Nose (NH), Rogue (OR), or Stone (CA). I did however, receive the chance to do so in Germany, Russia, and any number of other European countries, and frankly, it blew my mind. Corona used to seem to be the perfect summer beer. Guinness was the very godhead watching over St. Patrick's Day. Yuengling was the everyman's beer. And perhaps there is some justification to these statements. The fact is, there's so much out there. So much.

I want to try it. If it's liquid, made of hops and/or barley and other grains, bring it on, be it a 3.5% ABV or a mind-numbing 22% ABV. I don't care if it's from a state with a rival sports team or a country we're at war with. Do they have beer? Good enough for me. That's why I'm writing this blog. I'm here to open up my mind and the minds of anyone who read this in the hopes of proving that beer is more than what it once was. It can be a great thing, and it can at times be a rotten thing. But that is what adventures are all about.

Note: I should probably note the following. I am by no means affiliated with any brewing company, pub, distributor or otherwise. I'm simply a guy tasting some beer. Unless otherwise cited, all opinions written herein are my own.