Session #28 revealed: Drink globally

The SessionBrian Yaeger of Red, White and Brew has set the top for the 28th round of the Session: Think/Drink Globally. Should I, in the midst of an adventure where our goal is to eat and drink local products, think this is a good idea?

No need to panic, because here’s part of Brian’s directive:

[I]n honor of Global Craft Beer Forever, I pose everyone writes about the farthest brewery (including brewpubs) you have visited and specifically the best beer you had there. Again, not your favorite or any old brewery you’ve been to, but the one that is the longest haul away.

So this does not have to be about buying some beer from far, far away and drinking it at home. At least that’s the way I am approaching it. Brian, in fact, writes you may want to go out and buy a bottle that’s been shipped from wherever. Or you could “find a local beer of the same style and do a little compare and contrast.” I like that better.

I’m sure I’ll figure something out once I determine a) where we’ll be June 5 (maybe Oregon) and b) the most far flung brewery we’ve visited.

 

Odell on regional beers – What’s big enough?

Beer giantI’m only about seven months behind on this, but here’s a great quote from Doug Odell of Odell Brewing in Fort Collins, Colo., that appeared last October in Modern Brewery Age:

“I like the idea of regionalism in consumer products. I like the idea of independent coffee shops, hamburger stands and ice cream that’s made in your own town. That way you can go different places, have different products, and get different versions of things. Being a regional brewery fulfills my idea of doing that. You come to Ft. Collins, and you can get beers you don’t get in Indiana. I think regionalism is important for the health of independent brewers. Not everyone can be everywhere.”

I think that stands on itself, but blogs are supposed to include commentary, yes? So I point you to Maureen Ogle’s ongoing followup to Beer Wars. (Sorry, it never goes away.)

Her points about entrepreneurship are fair enough, and worth considering through the lens of history. Which she does. But when I read what Doug Odell has to say, when I think about talking to Bob Sylvester in his tiny brewery then I’m pretty sure some brewers will be content to serve a limited audience really good beer.

 

Session #27 roundup posted

The SessionGreat turnout for The Session #27, the theme being Beer Cocktails. Jasmine at Beer at Joe’s already has the roundup posted.

Lots to read. I particularly like these Friday gatherings because — despite the rather lengthy list on the right — we’re seeing posts from beer blogs I didn’t know existed.

Get your own. Be there when Brian Yaeger hosts in June.

 

Session #27: A wheat beer cocktail

The SessionThis is my contribution to The Session, hosted this month by Joe & Jasmine at Beer at Joe’s. The topic is beer cocktails. Visit Joe and Jasmine to see what everybody else is writing about.

A couple of years ago during a tour of New Belgium Brewing arranged for the press brewmaster Peter Bouckaert poured samples of the brewery’s Frambozen, a beer released for winter drinking. I told the person next to me that we liked to mix one part Frambozen with two parts Pyramid Snow Cap. Apparently Bouckaert was eavesdropping because he looked at me, narrowed his eyes and said, “Ooohh, a blender.”

Guilty as charged . . . sometimes. We go through stretches in our house when we blend beers and even make cocktails that include beer and non-beer ingredients. Right now we’re not doing much mixing, in part because of travels, but also because we’re happy to let brewers do it for us. In all my life I’m probably never going to take “a little bit of this” and “a little bit of that” and come up with anything like we bought at Cantillon.

But today is The Session. So I thought about suggesting an old favorite. Like a cocktail Stephen Beaumont dubbed “Any Port in a Storm.” His cocktail calls for two ounces of port and a 12-ounce bottle of Storm King from Victory Brewing in Pennsylvania. Works with other imperial stouts as well. Really good for watching stars on a cool New Mexico night.

And I considered something, well, weird. We’ve got this book titled “Beer and Good Food,” written in 1958 by Myra Waldo, that has some strange recipes.

For instance, “Lamb’s Wool.” You “combine 1 cup applesauce and 2 cups of ale in a saucepan and heat; remove from heat just before the boiling point. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger and stir well. Taste — you might want to add a little sugar if the applesauce is unsweetened. Drink while hot.”

We can do better than that, can’t we? I figured that out at lunch. During our unexpected pit stop at home we’ve managed to visit a few local breweries (including brewpubs). Today we had lunch at Chama River, where brewer Jeff Erway explained to me why my favorite Class VI Golden would be more like the beer I remember by the time we’re back in August (a yeast issue). Daria had Doble Gringo, a big (6.8% abv) and bold beer brewed in the manner of a Belgian wit.

An excellent beer all on it’s own. But what if we took a growler home, and dosed it with a measure of New Glarus Raspberry Tart? Not sure how much; probably best to start small and add more if necessary. No doubt that Raspberry Tart’s flavors would both compliment and complement the wheaty qualities of the Gringo.

One problem. We don’t have any Raspberry Tart. So, like you, I’m left to imagine.