Posts Tagged ‘porter’

Two Independence Brews

Sunday, October 25th, 2015

While at the Woodside Inn we also tried the two beers from Independence Brewing on tap. The Belgian Wit is an opalescent straw color with bone white head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass.Independence Brewing Wit & Porter The aroma is very light, with some biscuity malt and hints of tropical fruit. The flavor is refreshing and malty, with a significant biscuit and toast character that starts strong but doesn’t last long. The carbonation is rich, so the initial sweetness rolls off quickly. It opens up significantly as it warms, revealing more of the coriander you expect from a wit.

The Robust Porter is basically black. The rocky tan head, which lasts and laces, is beautiful on top but a bit spongey underneath. The nose is a light roasty and nutty character that likewise opens up. The flavor is rich with toast, chestnut and coffee. Though it starts a bit sweet, that doesn’t last, revealing the solid and long-lasting roasted character. The body is full and active, a bit lingering but not unpleasantly so. Overall a very tasty and refreshing porter.

+Independence Robust Porter

3.9 (4-7-8-4-16)

+Independence Belgian Wit

3.7 (4-7-7-4-15)

12 Beers of X-Mas: Two Brothers Peppermint Bark Porter

Friday, January 2nd, 2015

From Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois, I’m tasting the Peppermint Bark Porter. I’m always a little wary of breweries adding weird things like peppermint bark to beer,Two Brothers Peppermint Bark Porter on the concern that they’re doing it mostly for the novelty, but I think Two Brothers makes some tasty beer, so let’s give it a shot.

The Peppermint Bark Porter pours a thoroughly hazy deep chestnut brown with ruby red highlights. The thick and creamy head falls to a rocky top and lasts a long time. The nose is light and intriguing. Dark toast, hazelnuts and chestnuts from the malt are most prominent. There’s only the slightest hint of peppermint – it might just be psychological.

The flavor is wonderfully balanced between a rich malty sweetness, the peppermint freshness and an alcohol warming. The malt comes through as nuts, toffee and a bit of caramel. The sweetness subsides quickly, yielding to the sprightly peppermint flavor. Since it maintains the full body through to the finish, the mint never grows too strong.

I’m simply amazed at how balanced and drinkable this beer is. It may have an addition of peppermint, but it’s still definitely a porter, and a great winter warmer.

+Two Brothers Peppermint Bark Porter 2014

4.0 (4-7-8-4-17)

Peace Tree, Day Two

Monday, February 21st, 2011

A major factor in the success of the Peace Tree Brewing Company has been the wide availability of their beer. Distribution has always presented something of a chicken-and-egg problem for small breweries. Winning the shelf space of retailers without any brewing history is difficult, and taking away tap handles from other brands (especially ones from the big three brewers) can be next to impossible. Fortunately things have been changing, and the state of Iowa has slowly built up a craft beer culture. It is onto this burgeoning scene that Peace Tree has burst.

They wasted no time at all building a wide distribution network. Though they are anchored by a dozen locations around Knoxville, including their own tap room, the real strength of their growth can be seen in the liquor section of Hy-Vee. Timing their opening just perfectly with a recent push by that store to expand craft beer and wine selections, Peace Tree beers are now available at more than forty Hy-Vees statewide. Considering beer purchasing is done individually by each local store, this illustrates a dedication to making their beer available.

But what is most impressive is the number of Peace Tree’s draft accounts in Des Moines and Iowa City. There basically isn’t a bar of consequence in either town without at least one of Red Rambler or Hop Wrangler. Peace Tree is quickly becoming Iowa’s own little New Glarus.

Tonight I will have two more beers. The first, a seasonal farmhouse ale, is brewed with not just corn, but also corn stalks. I’d also say that the name Cornucopia fits very well with yesterday’s discussion of roots. After that I will have a bottle of the year-round Rye Porter.

Cornucopia pours a very pale straw color, just barely shy of brilliantly clear. The head is bone white, just a thin little pillow that doesn’t linger. A rich but delicate bread character from the malt supports the fruity aroma that is the star of the nose. This characteristic raspberry peach calling card is created by Peace Tree’s strain of Belgian yeast. They use the same for (almost) all of their beers, but nowhere else does it shine like this.

A spicy yeast flavor and a alcoholic sharpness make this beer a bit more intense than one would expect. The alcohol turns quickly to warming, and the black pepper and coriander almost yield to the malt. The corn makes the body quite light, and the corn stalks give a bit of a graininess to the flavor. Certainly a beer to drink fresh.

Now to the Rye Porter. This one is a very dark, very hazy, chocolate color, with some creamy, sandy brown head. The nose is at first roasty, strongly of burnt toast. A light berry fruitiness grows to balance, and the roast character turns to coffee.

Rich toast and caramel marries with the spiciness from the rye, creating a deep and intriguing combination. Espresso and strong dark chocolate flavors balance the milky palate and sweet caramel malt residual. Very thick and rich, but still refreshing.

+Peace Tree Rye Porter

3.8 (4-7-8-4-15)

+Peace Tree Cornucopia

3.5 (3-8-6-3-15)

Millstream Beer and Chocolate Tasting

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

Millstream Beer and Chocolate PairingYesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Beer and Chocolate Tasting put on by Millstream Brewing Company. This event paired chocolates from the Chocolate Haus in Amana with eight radical one-off beers. Six of them were brewed by Millstream brewer Bill Heinrich, with one offering from Millstream’s sales guy Dan Carpenter as well as a coffee porter brewed by head brewer Chris Priebe. The event was coordinated by Nick Snavely. Tickets sold out over a week ahead of time and the place was packed the whole time. The impression I got from people is that everyone was very impressed with the beers, and the chocolate pairings were quite fun. I took tasting notes but forgot to write down process information so let’s see what I can remember.

The first beer I had was the Czech Pilsner. Made with loads of Czech Saaz hops, this one is a well executed Bohemian style pilsner. It’s a crystal clear straw with some white head. The hop aroma is very grassy and earthy, and behind it I notice just a bit of a corniness. The flavor is massively grassy, with a lingering bitterness on the middle of my tongue. It is deep, earthy, and herbal. There is a hint of sweetness, perhaps some dimethyl sulfide.

The pils was the only beer that seriously follows any style conventions. Most of them have a Belgian character; Belgian styles are pretty loosely defined as it is. Bill was not afraid to take liberties to ensure the brews were interesting, further complicating things. Many of the beers were made with a strain of Brettanomyces wild yeast, which develops different characteristics depending on how it is used. Most of these were fermented with usual brewing yeast Saccaromyces and then aged on the Brett, giving a berry-like fruity flavor and aroma as well as a noticeable funk.

Next up the Saisonnier Gran Cru. This was actually fermented with Brett only, except for a shot of ale yeast to help it along when it was being sluggish. When Brettanomyces is used for primary fermentation, it tends to behave alot more like the normal Saccaromyces. It does dry the beer out a little more, leaving a dry, dusty flavor accented by the funkiness.

The Saisonnier pours a milky straw color, with some creamy off-white head. The aroma is delicate and elusive, featuring light fruit (raspberries) as well as some funk (wet pavement?). The taste is dry, with a somewhat zoological funkiness. A bit of malt flavor breaks through. Despite being so dry there is a bit of a cloying sensation, as well as a lingering bitterness. The nose is fantastic but the flavor doesn’t quite match up.

The sign describing the beer officially named Dan’s Barleywine had a telltale note on the back. The reminder to the server read “Dan’s Awesomeness”, and that’s not too far off. Blended from two-year and three-year batches, the barleywine poured a deep dark sienna, lightly hazy, with persistent creamy head. It also leaves a little reminder on the inside of the glass. The rich, round aroma is a treat: chocolate caramels (so good), coffee, and hazelnuts. Despite the intensity of the aroma and alcohol, the flavor is light and balanced. Major coffee flavor dominates, with a roast and caramel malt character that reminds me of burnt cookies. Both malty and pleasantly bitter, “Awesomeness” is thick and coats your mouth. Do yourself a favor and ask Dan for a bottle.

Moving on to the Belgian-Style Tripel. This golden ale was made with the strain of yeast normally reserved for Bavarian hefes: generator of strong banana esters and clove phenols. This gives the Tripel a serious banana aroma, somewhat sweet, with hints of clove and black pepper. There is barely a tinge informing you of the level of alcohol. The flavor is very malty, with a big bready, biscuity taste. It is somewhat sweet with a rich, round alcohol warming sensation. Noticeable as well are banana and clove flavors. The thick coating feeling probably derives from the fact that this tripel is not as carbonated as many. Despite the use of wheat and Bavarian weizen yeast, this beer is most definitely a tripel, and a well executed one at that.

The Belgian Quad is a good example of the use of Brett to age. It is a cloudy deep dark brown with some tan head. The aroma is lightly sweet and strongly fruity of raspberries and mango, with just a bit of banana. The flavor is strongly alcoholic: somewhat sharp, almost medicinal berries. There is a bit of lingering bitterness and a thick, cloying sensation. A somewhat similar beer, the Wheat Wine is a cloudy unearthly red with almost no head. The aroma is lightly fruity, with a bit of wood and funk; the flavor roughly alcoholic, with some berries. A strong bitterness is simple and harsh.

Head brewer Chris Priebe brewed up a batch of Sumatra English Porter with real Sumatra coffee. It pours somewhat clear, a dark russet wtih some cheesy off-white head. The aroma is very light, with only a bit of roast malt and some caramel. The flavor is dry and roasty, with a strong rich roast coffee presence that lasts. Hint of an earthy hop flavor balance, and a coffee astringency lingers a bit.

By far the most impressive beer available was the so-called Wheat Stout. I can’t say enough good things about this beer. Made with Templeton Rye whiskey and plenty of roast and wheat malts and fermented with weizen yeast, this beer is simply impressive.

First off it is utterly black. There is just a hint of a creamy copper head. The nose is rich and playful, with a roast aroma that tickles the nose. The whiskey comes through quite well: malt, rye, and some notes of alcohols. There is also a serious banana and clove character. A taste is heaven. It is all too easy to overdo it on a whiskey addition, ruining the beer. Here the Templeton is perfectly balanced with the other flavors. The roast comes through first, followed quickly by the rye. There is a bit of astringent bitterness. This beer is thick and chewy. It is delicious. A tour de force.

++Millstream Wheat Stout

4.4 (5-9-8-4-18)

+Millstream Czech Pilsner

3.3 (3-6-7-4-13)

+Millstream Saisonnier Gran Cru

3.5 (4-8-6-3-14)

+Millstream Dan’s Barleywine

4.0 (4-9-7-4-16)

+Millstream Belgian-Style Tripel

3.5 (4-7-7-3-14)

+/-Millstream Belgian Quadrupel

3.1 (3-8-5-3-12)

+/-Millstream Wheat Wine

2.5 (2-6-4-3-10)

+/-Millstream Sumatra English Porter

3.0 (3-5-7-3-12)

12 Beers of X-Mas: Santa’s Butt

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Another Christmas beer from Ridgeway tonight: Santa’s Butt. The name is a play on the old porter designation ‘entire butt’.

Santa’s Butt is dark and thick, and smells surprisingly sweet. I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. Seriously, it is a deep chocolate with hint of caramel. The head is sticky but the bubbles are large so it doesn’t last long and it’s a bit swiss-cheesy. The nose is a bit sweet, with strong roast malts which come out as coffee and baking chocolate. There’s a bit of a fruitiness as well, like gumballs.

Coffee and dark caramelized sugar (almost burnt) tastes come out from the roast malt right away. A light bitterness balances the flavor: it ends up quite mild. The palate is full and rich. It lingers just a little, though, so it ends up a bit too intense for a flavor this mild. Perhaps that would be a bit better colder.

+Santa’s Butt

3.2 (3-6-7-3-13)

Mystery Homebrew

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Tonight I am playing Russian roulette.

I recently got a half case of homebrew left over from a competition a few weeks ago. Since all the bottles are unlabeled and many of the beers were (apparently) not that great, I am taking a great chance drinking it. Well, if I must I must.

The first one is a little hazy, a dark mahogany with a bit of ochre head. The nose is subtle, with a nuttiness as well as a little biscuit. The flavor is light, somewhat nutty with a light lingering burnt character. The palate is quite refreshing. Probably a porter. Reminds me of Hub City’s.

+Mystery Beer #1

RateBeer: 3.4 (3-6-7-4-14)

This one is a very hazy tawny amber. Almost no head. The nose is caramel sweet with a strong banana air. The flavor is mostly banana, with some caramel and a little toast. Something of a graininess. Very strongly effervescent, but still cloying. Must be a dunkelweiss.

+/-Mystery Beer #2

RateBeer: 2.5 (3-4-6-2-10)

The last for tonight. An almost clear deep copper with some tan head. A strange white wine like aroma with some cideriness. The flavor is cidery, with mangoes, and a little sweet. This beer tastes like it’s got Brett (that is to say it has been infected, intentionally or unintentionally, with Brettanomyces wild yeast). No acidity but a general funkiness, and a little dusty. A prevalent sweetness as well. Reminds me somewhat of Duchesse without the punch.

I wonder what the brewer intended. I suspect they didn’t mean to brew this decent Flanders brown.

+/-Mystery Beer #3

RateBeer: 2.9 (3-5-6-2-13)