David knows when to leave a sinking ship. After securing a new job at Merrill Lynch he gave his two weeks at Bear Stearns, and was told by his boss not to bother coming in those two weeks. I went down to New York to visit David on the last weekend before he started his new job.
I got to New York sometime in the middle of the afternoon. I'd had a sandwich on the bus, but we decided to grab some beer and a bit to eat anyway. David recommended The Spotted Pig, a pub that I think is in the West Village. David had the Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage, which were excellent, and I had the Cubano, also excellent. We each had a pint or two of the Spotted Pig Bitter.
808. Spotted Pig Bitter
I can't find this beer on Beer Advocate, but I found a New Yorker article saying it's brewed by Brooklyn.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Cask
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 3.9
Copper colored with a light haze. It's topped by a dense, foamy, beige head that retains well and clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is bready with a hint of citrus and light resiny hops. There's also a touch of sweet, berry fruitiness.
The toasty flavors upfront give way to a hint of caramel and a burst of fruitiness, which is followed by a subtle finish that's lightly grassy and herbal with a muted bitterness in the aftertaste. Soft on the palate due to light carbonation, medium-bodied and smooth.
I thought this one was very drinkable. It's flavorful but subdued.
I got to New York sometime in the middle of the afternoon. I'd had a sandwich on the bus, but we decided to grab some beer and a bit to eat anyway. David recommended The Spotted Pig, a pub that I think is in the West Village. David had the Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage, which were excellent, and I had the Cubano, also excellent. We each had a pint or two of the Spotted Pig Bitter.
808. Spotted Pig Bitter
I can't find this beer on Beer Advocate, but I found a New Yorker article saying it's brewed by Brooklyn.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Cask
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 3.9
Copper colored with a light haze. It's topped by a dense, foamy, beige head that retains well and clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is bready with a hint of citrus and light resiny hops. There's also a touch of sweet, berry fruitiness.
The toasty flavors upfront give way to a hint of caramel and a burst of fruitiness, which is followed by a subtle finish that's lightly grassy and herbal with a muted bitterness in the aftertaste. Soft on the palate due to light carbonation, medium-bodied and smooth.
I thought this one was very drinkable. It's flavorful but subdued.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, English Bitter
710. Brooklyn Oktoberfest Beer
I bought a six-pack of this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last week, and had a bottle with dinner. It was served chilled in a Guinness pint glass. I didn't take notes for this one so this is all from memory.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Poured a nice, clear ruby-amber. The aroma was malty, with a bit of spiciness. The flavor matched, with a mild bitterness to balance. I enjoyed it.
I bought a six-pack of this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last week, and had a bottle with dinner. It was served chilled in a Guinness pint glass. I didn't take notes for this one so this is all from memory.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Poured a nice, clear ruby-amber. The aroma was malty, with a bit of spiciness. The flavor matched, with a mild bitterness to balance. I enjoyed it.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, Märzen / Oktoberfest
681. Brooklyn Local 1
Jadyn and I went to Bukowski's in Back Bay for dinner and drinks after seeing Killer of Sheep at the MFA. We split a 750 mL bottle of Brooklyn Local 1 after eating. It was served in Brooklyn Champagne flute style glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a fluffy, white head that retains well leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Predominantly fruity, primarily bananas. There's also a bit of clove, pepper and grain.
Taste (4.0): Light fruity sweetness upfront that intensifies as banana flavors hit the palate. This is followed by a mildly peppery finish with a lingering mellow bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, high carbonation, creamy.
Drinkability (5.0): Though high in alcohol this comes off as very light and refreshing.
Overall (4.05): An excellent take on the style. Very drinkable and enjoyable.
Jadyn and I went to Bukowski's in Back Bay for dinner and drinks after seeing Killer of Sheep at the MFA. We split a 750 mL bottle of Brooklyn Local 1 after eating. It was served in Brooklyn Champagne flute style glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a fluffy, white head that retains well leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Predominantly fruity, primarily bananas. There's also a bit of clove, pepper and grain.
Taste (4.0): Light fruity sweetness upfront that intensifies as banana flavors hit the palate. This is followed by a mildly peppery finish with a lingering mellow bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, high carbonation, creamy.
Drinkability (5.0): Though high in alcohol this comes off as very light and refreshing.
Overall (4.05): An excellent take on the style. Very drinkable and enjoyable.
Labels: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Brooklyn Brewery
599. Brooklyn Winter Ale (2006)
I picked up a six-pack of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout in December, not noticing that one of the bottles had been replaced by a bottle of Brooklyn Winter Ale. I assumed that this was a bottle of the Brooklyn Winter Ale (aka Brooklyn Christmas Ale) that I had sampled at the Extreme Beer Fest in February of last year. However, recently I noticed an article on Beer Advocate about the new, completely overhauled Brooklyn Winter Ale. The new version is a Scottish Ale rather than a Winter Warmer. I let this warm to around 45º F and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Scottish Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber-brown with a thick, sudsy, beige head that fades to a persistent, thin layer leaving some patchy lace as the glass is drained.
Smell (3.5): Very malty with caramel and toasty aromas most evident. There's also a tart fruity aroma and a bit of a metallic hint.
Taste (4.0): Toasty malts are first evident followed by caramel sweetness. Some tart flavors appear in the center and linger through to the finish where it's met by a grassy hop bitterness and a faint alcoholic spiciness. Very Scottish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Rich and full-bodied, smooth with low but prickly carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Flavorful and delicious.
Overall (3.95): I think this is a very nice malt-forward Scottish ale that manages to be well-balanced and not too sweet.
I picked up a six-pack of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout in December, not noticing that one of the bottles had been replaced by a bottle of Brooklyn Winter Ale. I assumed that this was a bottle of the Brooklyn Winter Ale (aka Brooklyn Christmas Ale) that I had sampled at the Extreme Beer Fest in February of last year. However, recently I noticed an article on Beer Advocate about the new, completely overhauled Brooklyn Winter Ale. The new version is a Scottish Ale rather than a Winter Warmer. I let this warm to around 45º F and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Scottish Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber-brown with a thick, sudsy, beige head that fades to a persistent, thin layer leaving some patchy lace as the glass is drained.
Smell (3.5): Very malty with caramel and toasty aromas most evident. There's also a tart fruity aroma and a bit of a metallic hint.
Taste (4.0): Toasty malts are first evident followed by caramel sweetness. Some tart flavors appear in the center and linger through to the finish where it's met by a grassy hop bitterness and a faint alcoholic spiciness. Very Scottish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Rich and full-bodied, smooth with low but prickly carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Flavorful and delicious.
Overall (3.95): I think this is a very nice malt-forward Scottish ale that manages to be well-balanced and not too sweet.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, Scottish Ale
342. Brooklyn Monster Ale
I purchased two bottles of this at Downtown Wine and Spirits. This came in a brown 12 oz. bottle that said "This Monster Ale Was Born in 2005." I let this warm to 55ºF and served it in one of my new Ommegang chalices.
Monster Ale is an English Barley Wine. Barley Wines are one of the strongest varieties of beer. Monster Ale weighs in at 11% abv. Their flavors can range from fruity to hoppy.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-orange, with a thick beige head. The head thins to a ring, with sporadic lacing.
Smell (3.5): Sweet fruity malts, piney hops, and noticeable alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts are evident first, followed by rich fruity flavors in the center. The finish is lightly bitter, dry and tart with alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and silky.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors aren't too strong to drink a few of these, but the high alcohol may prevent you from doing so.
Overall (3.9): This is a nice strong sipping beer.
I purchased two bottles of this at Downtown Wine and Spirits. This came in a brown 12 oz. bottle that said "This Monster Ale Was Born in 2005." I let this warm to 55ºF and served it in one of my new Ommegang chalices.
Monster Ale is an English Barley Wine. Barley Wines are one of the strongest varieties of beer. Monster Ale weighs in at 11% abv. Their flavors can range from fruity to hoppy.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-orange, with a thick beige head. The head thins to a ring, with sporadic lacing.
Smell (3.5): Sweet fruity malts, piney hops, and noticeable alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts are evident first, followed by rich fruity flavors in the center. The finish is lightly bitter, dry and tart with alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and silky.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors aren't too strong to drink a few of these, but the high alcohol may prevent you from doing so.
Overall (3.9): This is a nice strong sipping beer.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, English Barley Wine, Reviews
150. Brooklyn Brown Ale
I first had this beer at the Art of Beer Festival in May 2004. Ali and I picked up a six-pack at Downtown Wine and Spirits along with some other beers. We had this with dinner last night, a salad and black bean soup. We served the beer in standard pint glasses.
Brooklyn Brown is an American Brown Ale. This style is similar to the English Brown Ale style, although some American versions are hoppier.
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear brown with ruby notes. There is a half-inch rocky heady that recedes to a thin layer. There is light lacing on the glass.
Smell (4.0): Sweet malts dominate, with notes of chocolate and coffee. Floral hop aromas are also evident.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts are evident upfront, there are fruity notes in the center, with a light bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, smooth, with moderate-carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, balanced and easy to drink.
Overall (3.9): This is a full-flavored brown ale. I like the bitterness that acts as a nice balance to the malts.
I first had this beer at the Art of Beer Festival in May 2004. Ali and I picked up a six-pack at Downtown Wine and Spirits along with some other beers. We had this with dinner last night, a salad and black bean soup. We served the beer in standard pint glasses.
Brooklyn Brown is an American Brown Ale. This style is similar to the English Brown Ale style, although some American versions are hoppier.
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear brown with ruby notes. There is a half-inch rocky heady that recedes to a thin layer. There is light lacing on the glass.
Smell (4.0): Sweet malts dominate, with notes of chocolate and coffee. Floral hop aromas are also evident.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts are evident upfront, there are fruity notes in the center, with a light bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, smooth, with moderate-carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, balanced and easy to drink.
Overall (3.9): This is a full-flavored brown ale. I like the bitterness that acts as a nice balance to the malts.
Labels: American Brown Ale, Brooklyn Brewery, Reviews
Thom and I attended the Extreme Beer Fest last night at the Cyclorama in Boston's Back Bay. Upon arriving at the building, we joined a huge line towards the entrance, but only had to wait about 20 minutes, with annoying slut girl behind us and ridiculous middle-aged men in front of us, before being allowed entrance. We got our IDs checked, our wrists braceleted, and our official 4 oz. plastic cups and 5 drink tickets (we bought 5 more for a dollar each). The place was packed, but it was a friendly crowd.
For food, Sunset Grill and Tap had a small setup in the back. After Beer #2, Thom bought a Sausage and I had a Chicken Fajita Wrap, both delicious. Later on, after the buzz set in, we bought a very tasty Belgian waffle from Waffle Haus.
Beer 1: Brooklyn Monster Ale, English Barleywine
Unfortunately Garrett Oliver was not present at this booth, but the pourer was friendly and smiled at me.
Appearance: Beer was a hazy orange-red. It had a thin, beige, bubbly head.
Smell: No surprise here, the beer smelled like a wine, grapey and sweet.
Taste: Very sweet and vinuous with some tingle up front. Ended with a wonderful malty, but not bitter warming alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied, with carbonation at the beginning, but not at the end.
Drinkability: This was delicious! I could drink a lot of it.
Beer 2: Allagash Curieux, Tripel
Served on draught, from a cooler.
Appearance: Pours a hazy dark golden with a creamy head that slowly diminishes.
Smell: I smelled a pretzely sweetness. After Thom suggested dill, I smelled that too.
Taste: I tasted dill and green bell peppers in the middle, then some sourdough, and a little bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light- to mediumbodied with not too much carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and tasty, easy to drink a lot of, but the dill flavor?
Final Notes: Beer Advocate reviews find this Tripel to have vanilla and woody notes; most remark on tasting the whiskey from being aged in bourbon casks. I couldn't taste any of this, but I have a pretty undeveloped palate, so take my notes with a grain of salt!
Beer 3: Boston Beerworks Peanut Butter Porter, American Porter
Appearance: This beer is dark dark dark with a thin head that disappears except around the edges of the cup.
Smell: Peanut butter!
Taste: The peanut butter taste in the middle faded to a sweet nuttiness. There was both some roasted as well as hoppy bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied with mild carbonation.
Drinkability: I could drink 1 or 2, my typical max for porters. I liked this because the PB was a fine replacement for the usual bitter chocolates I taste in Porters.
Beer 4: The Reverend, Quadrupel
This is where my notes start to get illegible, ie this is where I start to get drunk
Appearance: Clear orange-bronze, no head.
Smell: My most complex nose so far, I smelled fried plantains, caramel, maple syrup, and iced tea.
Taste: Tasted sweet like candy and maple syrup.
Mouthfeel: This was lightbodied but also choppy with carbonation.
Drinkability: My notes say "Could drink a lot. Don't love it."
Beer 5: Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
Brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to BA.com:
Smell: Sweet, with pineapple and berries.
Taste: Tropical fruit sweetness, then bready malts. Finishes with a slight bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied and quite carbonated.
Drinkability: Very refreshing, but couldn't drink too much because of the hoppy bitterness.
Beer 6: Three Philosophers, Quadrupel
I went to Ommegang to get their Rodenbach, a Flemish Sour Ale, but they were out! I tried this since I know Thom really likes it. This is my last beer, I had to cut myself off due to extreme tipsyness! Thom had to take my notes for me.
Appearance: Hazy, orange-red-brown. Thin beige ring of head.
Smell: Sweet raisins, cherries.
Taste: Sour-bitter fruit with mild carbonation. Thom transcribed my words which were the following: "Tarty-tart-tart in the middle, fig. Chomp chomp chomp, raisin."
Mouthfeel: Tingly and mediumbodied.
Drinkability: "I can't drink so much of this. It's so high in alcohol!"
Overall
I had a great time at this Beer Fest and got to try some awesome beers. I really like the beer fests because it brings so many beer lovers together, and also we scored some freebies, like my weeklydig.com bottle opener, plenty of coasters, a red devil glass ornament, and some hops!
For food, Sunset Grill and Tap had a small setup in the back. After Beer #2, Thom bought a Sausage and I had a Chicken Fajita Wrap, both delicious. Later on, after the buzz set in, we bought a very tasty Belgian waffle from Waffle Haus.
Beer 1: Brooklyn Monster Ale, English Barleywine
Unfortunately Garrett Oliver was not present at this booth, but the pourer was friendly and smiled at me.
Appearance: Beer was a hazy orange-red. It had a thin, beige, bubbly head.
Smell: No surprise here, the beer smelled like a wine, grapey and sweet.
Taste: Very sweet and vinuous with some tingle up front. Ended with a wonderful malty, but not bitter warming alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied, with carbonation at the beginning, but not at the end.
Drinkability: This was delicious! I could drink a lot of it.
Beer 2: Allagash Curieux, Tripel
Served on draught, from a cooler.
Appearance: Pours a hazy dark golden with a creamy head that slowly diminishes.
Smell: I smelled a pretzely sweetness. After Thom suggested dill, I smelled that too.
Taste: I tasted dill and green bell peppers in the middle, then some sourdough, and a little bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light- to mediumbodied with not too much carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and tasty, easy to drink a lot of, but the dill flavor?
Final Notes: Beer Advocate reviews find this Tripel to have vanilla and woody notes; most remark on tasting the whiskey from being aged in bourbon casks. I couldn't taste any of this, but I have a pretty undeveloped palate, so take my notes with a grain of salt!
Beer 3: Boston Beerworks Peanut Butter Porter, American Porter
Appearance: This beer is dark dark dark with a thin head that disappears except around the edges of the cup.
Smell: Peanut butter!
Taste: The peanut butter taste in the middle faded to a sweet nuttiness. There was both some roasted as well as hoppy bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied with mild carbonation.
Drinkability: I could drink 1 or 2, my typical max for porters. I liked this because the PB was a fine replacement for the usual bitter chocolates I taste in Porters.
Beer 4: The Reverend, Quadrupel
This is where my notes start to get illegible, ie this is where I start to get drunk
Appearance: Clear orange-bronze, no head.
Smell: My most complex nose so far, I smelled fried plantains, caramel, maple syrup, and iced tea.
Taste: Tasted sweet like candy and maple syrup.
Mouthfeel: This was lightbodied but also choppy with carbonation.
Drinkability: My notes say "Could drink a lot. Don't love it."
Beer 5: Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
Brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to BA.com:
Harpoon Varius Strong AleAppearance: Thick creamy head reduces to nothing. Clear dark golden.
Named "Harpoon Varius" because many different Harpoon brewers contributed to making this beer, which is brewed exclusively for the BeerAdvocate Extreme Beer Fest. Brewed in 10 10-gallon batches, Harpoon Varius is an experimental strong ale. Unfiltered, slightly cloudy, DANGEROUS! Rich alcohol notes mixing with earthy floral hop, thick malty sweetness in the nose. It starts off with a slight honey sweetness and transitions to a pronounced higher alcohol warmth and complex ester character. Finishes with a distinct smooth, bitter finish. Brewing with Pale Ale malt (90%), Caramel, and Victory. Hopped with Northern Brewer, East Kent Goldings, Fuggle, and Magnum. Dry-hopped with Willamette. Fermented with a Dry English Ale yeast.
Smell: Sweet, with pineapple and berries.
Taste: Tropical fruit sweetness, then bready malts. Finishes with a slight bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied and quite carbonated.
Drinkability: Very refreshing, but couldn't drink too much because of the hoppy bitterness.
Beer 6: Three Philosophers, Quadrupel
I went to Ommegang to get their Rodenbach, a Flemish Sour Ale, but they were out! I tried this since I know Thom really likes it. This is my last beer, I had to cut myself off due to extreme tipsyness! Thom had to take my notes for me.
Appearance: Hazy, orange-red-brown. Thin beige ring of head.
Smell: Sweet raisins, cherries.
Taste: Sour-bitter fruit with mild carbonation. Thom transcribed my words which were the following: "Tarty-tart-tart in the middle, fig. Chomp chomp chomp, raisin."
Mouthfeel: Tingly and mediumbodied.
Drinkability: "I can't drink so much of this. It's so high in alcohol!"
Overall
I had a great time at this Beer Fest and got to try some awesome beers. I really like the beer fests because it brings so many beer lovers together, and also we scored some freebies, like my weeklydig.com bottle opener, plenty of coasters, a red devil glass ornament, and some hops!
Labels: Allagash Brewing Company, American Porter, Avery Brewing Company, Beer Fests, Beer Works, Brewery Ommegang, Brooklyn Brewery, English Barley Wine, Harpoon Brewery, Quadrupel, Reviews, Tripel
325-326. New York City: Beer at Bars, Saturday
Published by Unknown on Monday, February 06, 2006 at 9:25 PM.
After the tour at the Brooklyn Brewery we went out to play pool and have another drink before dinner. After dinner we headed to the Lower East Side for some bar hopping.
325. Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55
I had this beer on tap at the Brooklyn Ale House in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was served in an Imperial Pint glass. This is an American Pale Ale, which is a variant of the British style Pale Ales.
Appearance: This beer pours a clear amber, with a thick white head and diminishes to a thin layer. There is light lacing and not much carbonation.
Smell: The aroma contains bready malt notes, and light hop florals.
Taste: Sweet bready malts are evident at the front of the palate. Overall there is a fair amount of hop bitterness here. The finish is clean with light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with mild carbonation.
Drinkability: This is really easy to drink. The sweetness of the malts is balanced nicely against the bitterness of the hops.
Overall: This isn't a spectacular brew, it's a good example of the style, but one of its strengths is its simplicity. I could easily drink a six-pack or more.
326. Brooklyn Pilsner
After dinner we headed to the Lower East Side for some bar hopping. We stopped at Barra Mundi, where this was served in a Brooklyn Brewery pint glass. This is a German Pilsener, not one of my favorite styles.
Appearance: Poured a clear pale gold with little head.
Smell: Aromas were light overall, with sweetness and floral hops.
Taste: I found this beer overly simple, though I'm not a huge fan of the style. There was light malt sweetness and hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, crisp and light bodied.
Drinkability: Smooth, light and easy to drink.
Overall: I wasn't a huge fan of the style, so perhaps I can't objectively rate the quality. I tend to prefer the more complex flavors of ales to lagers.
Other Drinks:
We went to quite a few bars after Barra Mundi. We mostly stuck to drinks in the gin family (G&Ts and Gimlets), though we had a PBR or two. We started drinking at 2:30 PM, and finished at around 3:00 AM. Overall not a bad day of drinking. I'm going to the Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Fest this weekend so that should net another entry with 10 or so new beers.
325. Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55
I had this beer on tap at the Brooklyn Ale House in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was served in an Imperial Pint glass. This is an American Pale Ale, which is a variant of the British style Pale Ales.
Appearance: This beer pours a clear amber, with a thick white head and diminishes to a thin layer. There is light lacing and not much carbonation.
Smell: The aroma contains bready malt notes, and light hop florals.
Taste: Sweet bready malts are evident at the front of the palate. Overall there is a fair amount of hop bitterness here. The finish is clean with light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with mild carbonation.
Drinkability: This is really easy to drink. The sweetness of the malts is balanced nicely against the bitterness of the hops.
Overall: This isn't a spectacular brew, it's a good example of the style, but one of its strengths is its simplicity. I could easily drink a six-pack or more.
326. Brooklyn Pilsner
After dinner we headed to the Lower East Side for some bar hopping. We stopped at Barra Mundi, where this was served in a Brooklyn Brewery pint glass. This is a German Pilsener, not one of my favorite styles.
Appearance: Poured a clear pale gold with little head.
Smell: Aromas were light overall, with sweetness and floral hops.
Taste: I found this beer overly simple, though I'm not a huge fan of the style. There was light malt sweetness and hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, crisp and light bodied.
Drinkability: Smooth, light and easy to drink.
Overall: I wasn't a huge fan of the style, so perhaps I can't objectively rate the quality. I tend to prefer the more complex flavors of ales to lagers.
Other Drinks:
We went to quite a few bars after Barra Mundi. We mostly stuck to drinks in the gin family (G&Ts and Gimlets), though we had a PBR or two. We started drinking at 2:30 PM, and finished at around 3:00 AM. Overall not a bad day of drinking. I'm going to the Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Fest this weekend so that should net another entry with 10 or so new beers.
Labels: American Pale Ale, Brooklyn Brewery, German Pilsener, NYC, Reviews, Travel
321-324. New York City: Brooklyn Brewery Tour
Published by Unknown on Sunday, February 05, 2006 at 11:49 PM.
On Saturday we went to the Brooklyn Brewery for a tour. The tours are free and occur hourly beginning at 1 PM on Saturdays. The tour lasts about half an hour, and is one-half history of the brewery and one-half about how beer is brewed. The entire tour takes place in a single room where the wort is made and where the fermenters are. I was surprised how open the access was. None of the equipment is roped off or behind glass. There was a tub of iodine solution for sterilizing equipment in the middle of where the tour group stood.
Brooklyn Brewery Logo
The tour setup was surprisingly focused on drinking beer. There is an open access bar area with a large amount of seating, art on the walls, and fairly 'hip' music playing. You can get full-sized beers at the bar by purchasing tokens for $3 each. The brewery opens at 12 PM and closes at around 5 PM. There is no limit to how long you can drink there, they just kick everyone out when it closes. There's also a happy hour from 6-11 PM on Fridays. There were 8 beers on tap: Brooklyner Weisse, Brooklyn Lager, Saison de Brooklyn, Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55, Brooklyn Pilsner, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Brooklyn Smoked Porter.
Brooklyn Smoked Porter, Brooklyner Weisse & Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
A cat that seems to be a brewery resident.
321. Saison de Brooklyn
I had this on tap, obviously at the brewery, in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Saison, which is a farmhouse ale typically brewed in the winter for summer consumption.
Appearance: Pours a hazy pale golden, with persistent carbonation. The white head diminishes to a thin layer, and leaves nice lacing.
Smell: Major notes of bananas and cloves, with an earthy aroma as well.
Taste: There are flavors of pepper, cloves and bananas at the front of the palate. The center has acidic tartness with some malts. The finish is slightly sweet, with bitterness in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: This beer is light-bodied with some tingly carbonation.
Drinkability: This beer is light and refreshing and pleasantly flavored.
Overall: This reminds me of a dry Hefe Weisse.
322. Brooklyn Smoked Porter
I had this on tap in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is an American Porter that uses smoked malts to achieve a smoky flavor.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a dark brown, bordering on opaque. There's a yellowish-brown tint through the light. A thin beige head fades into a thin layer.
Smell (4.0): Aromas include smoky roasted malts, coffee and chocolate.
Taste (4.5): The front of the palate is sweet followed by coffee and dark chocolate flavors from the roasted malts in the center. There is a smoky aftertaste. There is bitterness from hops and roasted malts, which is balanced by sweetness and some acidic tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Carbonation is mild. The beer is very thick and creamy.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer drinks like a meal.
Overall (TC: 4.05, BA: 4.1): This is an exceptionally well balanced porter. Very nice.
323. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Once again, served on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Russian Imperial Stout.
Appearance: This pours a dark black, with some ruby tints when held to the light. There's a one-half inch brown head that sticks to the glass nicely.
Smell: There's a sweet almost berry-like aroma.
Taste: The beer is sweet upfront. Dark chocolate flavors fade into bitterness from roasted malts and hops. The 8.5% abv is very evident in this beer.
Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth and full-bodied, with light carbonation.
Drinkability: This would go nice with a meal, but is way to heavy to drink several of.
324. Brooklyner Weisse
Had on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Bavarian style Hefe Weizen. I had some water between the Black Chocolate Stout and this to cleanse the palate.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden, with moderate carbonation. A creamy white head persists as a quarter-inch layer, with nice lacing.
Smell (3.5): There are light clove and banana notes, though not as pronounced as the Saison. The most obvious aroma is a yeast, musty smell.
Taste (3.0): This is lightly sweet at the beginning, with cloves and bananas at the center. There isn't much bitterness or flavor in the finish.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Strong carbonation up front. Other than carbonation this beer is very light-bodied, almost watery.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer is light and easy to drink, what flavors there are, are pleasant.
Overall (TC: 2.975, BA: 3.2): This was a pretty disappointing beer. The fruity and spicy flavors and aromas of German Hefes are present, but the flavors just fall flat. Look to Live Oak Hefe Weizen for one of the best American made German style Hefes.
"For a relaxing time, make it Santori Time"
The following pictures were taken while saying the above phrase.
David
Dave
Thom (note: definitely the worst picture of the three)
Next entry, two more beers that I had elsewhere in NYC.
Brooklyn Brewery Logo
The tour setup was surprisingly focused on drinking beer. There is an open access bar area with a large amount of seating, art on the walls, and fairly 'hip' music playing. You can get full-sized beers at the bar by purchasing tokens for $3 each. The brewery opens at 12 PM and closes at around 5 PM. There is no limit to how long you can drink there, they just kick everyone out when it closes. There's also a happy hour from 6-11 PM on Fridays. There were 8 beers on tap: Brooklyner Weisse, Brooklyn Lager, Saison de Brooklyn, Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55, Brooklyn Pilsner, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Brooklyn Smoked Porter.
Brooklyn Smoked Porter, Brooklyner Weisse & Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
A cat that seems to be a brewery resident.
321. Saison de Brooklyn
I had this on tap, obviously at the brewery, in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Saison, which is a farmhouse ale typically brewed in the winter for summer consumption.
Appearance: Pours a hazy pale golden, with persistent carbonation. The white head diminishes to a thin layer, and leaves nice lacing.
Smell: Major notes of bananas and cloves, with an earthy aroma as well.
Taste: There are flavors of pepper, cloves and bananas at the front of the palate. The center has acidic tartness with some malts. The finish is slightly sweet, with bitterness in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: This beer is light-bodied with some tingly carbonation.
Drinkability: This beer is light and refreshing and pleasantly flavored.
Overall: This reminds me of a dry Hefe Weisse.
322. Brooklyn Smoked Porter
I had this on tap in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is an American Porter that uses smoked malts to achieve a smoky flavor.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a dark brown, bordering on opaque. There's a yellowish-brown tint through the light. A thin beige head fades into a thin layer.
Smell (4.0): Aromas include smoky roasted malts, coffee and chocolate.
Taste (4.5): The front of the palate is sweet followed by coffee and dark chocolate flavors from the roasted malts in the center. There is a smoky aftertaste. There is bitterness from hops and roasted malts, which is balanced by sweetness and some acidic tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Carbonation is mild. The beer is very thick and creamy.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer drinks like a meal.
Overall (TC: 4.05, BA: 4.1): This is an exceptionally well balanced porter. Very nice.
323. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Once again, served on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Russian Imperial Stout.
Appearance: This pours a dark black, with some ruby tints when held to the light. There's a one-half inch brown head that sticks to the glass nicely.
Smell: There's a sweet almost berry-like aroma.
Taste: The beer is sweet upfront. Dark chocolate flavors fade into bitterness from roasted malts and hops. The 8.5% abv is very evident in this beer.
Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth and full-bodied, with light carbonation.
Drinkability: This would go nice with a meal, but is way to heavy to drink several of.
324. Brooklyner Weisse
Had on tap at Brooklyn Brewery in a plastic Brooklyn Brewery cup. This is a Bavarian style Hefe Weizen. I had some water between the Black Chocolate Stout and this to cleanse the palate.
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden, with moderate carbonation. A creamy white head persists as a quarter-inch layer, with nice lacing.
Smell (3.5): There are light clove and banana notes, though not as pronounced as the Saison. The most obvious aroma is a yeast, musty smell.
Taste (3.0): This is lightly sweet at the beginning, with cloves and bananas at the center. There isn't much bitterness or flavor in the finish.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Strong carbonation up front. Other than carbonation this beer is very light-bodied, almost watery.
Drinkability (3.0): This beer is light and easy to drink, what flavors there are, are pleasant.
Overall (TC: 2.975, BA: 3.2): This was a pretty disappointing beer. The fruity and spicy flavors and aromas of German Hefes are present, but the flavors just fall flat. Look to Live Oak Hefe Weizen for one of the best American made German style Hefes.
"For a relaxing time, make it Santori Time"
The following pictures were taken while saying the above phrase.
David
Dave
Thom (note: definitely the worst picture of the three)
Next entry, two more beers that I had elsewhere in NYC.
Labels: American Porter, Brewery Tours, Brooklyn Brewery, Hefe Weizen, NYC, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Travel
Due to the novelty of blogging I have an overwhelming desire to write about something. I originally intended to go out and buy a new beer this evening, but my overwhelming desire to not go out in the cold won out. Instead I'll attempt to write a book review.
In late November or early December I received an unexpected package from Amazon. Upon opening it I discovered two gift-wrapped books with happy birthday notes from Win (Thanks Win!). I assumed that this was an early birthday present. Win, however, informed me that it was actually a late birthday gift. Included were Bringing Down the House, and The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food.
The Brewmaster's Table was written by Garret Oliver, the brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery. I actually saw Oliver at the Brooklyn Brewery's booth at Beer Advocate's Art of Beer Festival in May 2004, he served Ali a beer. I heard someone tell him how much they loved the book, and I think this is really the first time I became aware of the book. I've only had two of Brooklyn Brewery's beers, Brooklyn Brown Ale and Brooklyn Lager. I recall both being tasty. I've never explored Brooklyn's offerings further since I tend to pick up singles when I go to the liquor store, and because I haven't seen it on draft much around Boston.
The book is quite hefty, weighing in at about 350 pages. Brewmaster's Table contains brief chapters about beer making, beer history and proper beer service. However, the bulk of the book is dedicated to different styles of beer and the food that the beer best compliments.
The book begins with a short introduction in which Oliver talks about his discovery of real beer when he lived in London after college. Similar short snippets from Oliver's personal experiences with beer are interspersed throughout the book. These are always relevant to the style of beer that Oliver is discussing, but occasionally he seems to be tooting his own horn. Given that the man certainly knows his beer and food, I can't fault him too much.
One of the great strengths of the book is its thoroughness. In addition to the chapters mentioned above, there are seven chapters dealing with different brewing traditions. These include: Lambics, Wheat Beers, British Ales, Belgian Ales, Czech-German Lagers, American Craft Brewing and 'Unique Specialties'. Each chapter is divided into sections dedicated to different styles of beer that fall under that brewing tradition. I'm hard-pressed to think of a single style of beer that isn't covered. These sections include: a brief history of the style; a description of the style in terms of appearance, taste and aroma; a discussion of the style's strengths and weaknesses with particular foods; and descriptions of notable beers of the style organized by producer (Brooklyn Brewery is occasionally mentioned in these sections).
The discussions of pairing beer with food describe the major characteristics of the beer that should be considered, as well as pairing suggestions. Oliver also discusses the characteristics of a beer that will overpower or be overpowered by particular foods. Additionally he describes more subtle aspects of pairing, including how subtle flavors in the beer compliment the flavors of food. The descriptions of notable beers of the style are, in essence, tasting notes for those beers, and include suggested food pairings.
The Brewmaster's Table focuses on beer and food pairings, for which it is a great resource. However, it's also a great place to start if you're curious about different beer styles, and it gives a nice list of beers to try if a particular style stirs your interest. If you're interested in beer, or beer and food I'd pick this book up.
In late November or early December I received an unexpected package from Amazon. Upon opening it I discovered two gift-wrapped books with happy birthday notes from Win (Thanks Win!). I assumed that this was an early birthday present. Win, however, informed me that it was actually a late birthday gift. Included were Bringing Down the House, and The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food.
The Brewmaster's Table was written by Garret Oliver, the brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery. I actually saw Oliver at the Brooklyn Brewery's booth at Beer Advocate's Art of Beer Festival in May 2004, he served Ali a beer. I heard someone tell him how much they loved the book, and I think this is really the first time I became aware of the book. I've only had two of Brooklyn Brewery's beers, Brooklyn Brown Ale and Brooklyn Lager. I recall both being tasty. I've never explored Brooklyn's offerings further since I tend to pick up singles when I go to the liquor store, and because I haven't seen it on draft much around Boston.
The book is quite hefty, weighing in at about 350 pages. Brewmaster's Table contains brief chapters about beer making, beer history and proper beer service. However, the bulk of the book is dedicated to different styles of beer and the food that the beer best compliments.
The book begins with a short introduction in which Oliver talks about his discovery of real beer when he lived in London after college. Similar short snippets from Oliver's personal experiences with beer are interspersed throughout the book. These are always relevant to the style of beer that Oliver is discussing, but occasionally he seems to be tooting his own horn. Given that the man certainly knows his beer and food, I can't fault him too much.
One of the great strengths of the book is its thoroughness. In addition to the chapters mentioned above, there are seven chapters dealing with different brewing traditions. These include: Lambics, Wheat Beers, British Ales, Belgian Ales, Czech-German Lagers, American Craft Brewing and 'Unique Specialties'. Each chapter is divided into sections dedicated to different styles of beer that fall under that brewing tradition. I'm hard-pressed to think of a single style of beer that isn't covered. These sections include: a brief history of the style; a description of the style in terms of appearance, taste and aroma; a discussion of the style's strengths and weaknesses with particular foods; and descriptions of notable beers of the style organized by producer (Brooklyn Brewery is occasionally mentioned in these sections).
The discussions of pairing beer with food describe the major characteristics of the beer that should be considered, as well as pairing suggestions. Oliver also discusses the characteristics of a beer that will overpower or be overpowered by particular foods. Additionally he describes more subtle aspects of pairing, including how subtle flavors in the beer compliment the flavors of food. The descriptions of notable beers of the style are, in essence, tasting notes for those beers, and include suggested food pairings.
The Brewmaster's Table focuses on beer and food pairings, for which it is a great resource. However, it's also a great place to start if you're curious about different beer styles, and it gives a nice list of beers to try if a particular style stirs your interest. If you're interested in beer, or beer and food I'd pick this book up.
Labels: Beer and Food, Books, Brooklyn Brewery
