761. Big Man Ale
I've seen Big Man Ale on tap at the CBC many times before, but never got around to trying it. I finally did this night. The CBC website says:
Deep copper-colored, it boasts a full body complemented by strong, robust flavors. Its rich notes of malt and caramel are offset by very aggressive hopping--it is kettle-hopped with Galena, Cascade and Centennial hops and further dry-hopped with even more Centennials and Cascades. These hop varieties lend a fruity, citrusy character to this big beer, vaguely in the style of a strong stock ale or I.P.A.Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Strong Ale
My notes are pretty minimal for this beer. It was nicely balanced. The caramel malts kept things balanced while still letting the citrusy hops retain the focus.
762. Om
The description of Om reads like it was a strange experiment in brewing, which should always be encouraged even if the results aren't the greatest. I was tempted by mention of Brettanomyces, but when am I not? The website says:
Beer Stats:This beer represents a new venture into the world of beer and mystical experience. Contemporary theories of sound therapy are incorporated into a process which aligns this Belgian-style golden ale to the specific frequency
that is expressed in meditation circles by the mantra "OM.”While resting in French oak chardonnay barrels for six months, the barrels and their contents were vibrated using therapeutic tuning forks and Tibetan chanting bowls at a frequency of 136.10 Hz @ 432.10 Hz. Studies have shown that vibration affects the crystalline structure of liquids and that water has the ability to 'memorize' frequency information and hold sound at nearly five times the magnitude of air. From Plato to Pythagoras to Kepler scholars have experimented with ways in which we define the sound of the universe and how it is relative to our own existence.
Our process created an optimal environment, also, for the naturally residing microflora in the oak, bringing into the beer subtle expressions of Brettanomyces which complement the beer’s dry but malty palate with flavors and aromas of pineapple and peach fruit.
OM expresses a truly harmonious balance of honeyed malt and hop, yeast and flora, and oak character, with a final stated goal of assisting humanity in its quest towards inner bliss, equanimity, and world harmony. Oh, and it’s delicious.
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden color with no head and no evidence of carbonation. The aroma is insanely fruity, pineapple aromas are what I noticed. There are also some nice honey notes. The flavors are similar as well, very strong pineapple, honey and woodiness. Medium-bodied with a dry finish. The flavors were quite nice, but the beer was too sweet in my opinion.
People who review beers (and wines) tend to use a common array of terms in their descriptions. Malty characters have their own set of descriptors: caramel, bready, chocolate, roasted and so on. Hops can be described as: resiny, citric, grassy, piney, et cetera. The meanings of some of the terms are clear, but what the hell does "resiny" mean? Some of the characteristics that these descriptors refer to can be unclear until we try a beer or wine in which their presence is so singular that we have a sensory epiphany. In the first few paragraphs of his review Lanchester discusses this phenomenon:
For years, ever since I started taking an interest in wine, I’ve been annoyed by the word “grainy.” It’s a word that mavens use in relation to red wines, and refers to certain types of tannin—the chemical that cures leather, is present in tea, and makes the mouth pucker. Tannin is a preservative and an important factor in the way wines age. Still, how could a liquid be “grainy”?I was reminded of my "Aha!" moment with Brettanomyces. Brettanomyces is a genus of yeast sometimes used in fermentation. They were once prevalent in giving stouts, and are of primary importance in the production of "wild beers" such as lambic, Flanders Red Ale and Flanders Brown Ales. Brettanomyces is also used to bottle condition Orval.Then, a few nights ago, I opened a bottle of wine I’d been given, a Languedoc red called Le Pigeonnier, from the European heat-wave year of 2003, and, without concentrating very hard, took a sip, noticed something odd about the mouthfeel of the wine, and suddenly realized—bam!—that it was grainy. I’d found the famous grainy tannins, and the term actually made sense, because the wine definitely had a particulate, almost sandlike texture, not unpleasant, but distinctive. What’s more, in tasting it I realized that I’d encountered versions of it—milder, more restrained versions—before. Now I knew what grainy tannins were.
I first became aware of Brett after reading The Brewmaster's Table by Garrett Oliver. In his description of Orval, Oliver uses the term Goût d'Orval which describes the characteristic aromas and flavors contributed by Brettanomyces. The more common and perhaps more descriptive term was coined by Michael Jackson: "hop sack". What exactly does a hop sack smell like? I'd had Orval and other beers fermented with Brett before, but I didn't really appreciate what hop sack meant until I tried a bottle of Orval that was several months old. I wish that I'd stressed this more in the original blog entry. There were aromas that were similar to hops, but distinctly different: slightly more mellowed, and different in a way whose description still eludes me. I like the term aged hop aroma although, this still isn't completely accurate.
Has anyone else had moments like this with beer?
Labels: Brasserie d'Orval, News, Reviewing
I had this beer on tap at the Publick House on February 13th. I don't remember much else about that trip to The Publick House though.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.1
I don't remember what type of glass this was served in, probably a tulip glass or a snifter style glass. It poured a golden-copper with a thin, white, filmy head. Sheets of lace clung to the side of the glass. There's a malty, honey sweetness in the aroma, a bit of sharp fruitiness, and a hint of spiciness. There's a clean, malty, fruity sweetness upfront, a light, medicinal quality through the center, and subtly spicy and bitter finish. Medium-bodied, but the high carbonation leaves you with a light sensation on the tongue. The spicy and medicinal flavors do a lot to balance the sweetness and add a bit of character.
I was looking for an ESB to drink while Matt and I homebrewed. There weren't a huge number of options so I went for what I could find. I'm also trying out a new format for review entries, let me know what you think.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Lakefront Brewery
Alcohol: 5.42%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 2.95
Lakefront's Organic ESB pours a clear amber copper, and is topped by a smooth, beige head that persists as a film. The aroma is clean overall. There's a bit of breadiness and some sweeter malts, but the hoppiness is subdued to just a hint of resin. The taste was disappointing: biscuity malts, moderate sweetness throughout, and light, herbal, resiny bitterness. This beer is light-bodied, with high carbonation and a thin feel on the palate. It's pretty easy to drink, but that's because it's lacking in bitterness. Overall pretty bland and disappointing.
Labels: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), Lakefront Brewery
