Top 25 Beers on the Planet

I finally got a chance to open my Beer Advocate magazine from December and read it. It covers the top 25 beers in different categories as chosen by BA.

The top 25 beers on the planet was the first list. (The ones that made us drool, quiver, trade and go broke in 2007). Nice to see Live Oak HefeWeizen make the list at #14.

In the top 25 American Beers List, Live Oak HefeWeizen took the ten spot, and Saint Arnold's took #25 with it's Divine Reserve #5.

Happy New Year

A Year of Beer

I spent this Christmas in Dallas with my family, one of my gifts to my Dad was a selection of 80 different styles of beer, including over 100 different bottles of beer. These are beers I have tasted, collected, etc over the past year. Below is the list he will get to sample from all year.

US: Boston

Sam Adams Honey Porter

Sam Adams Brown Ale

Sam Adams Scotch Ale

Sam Adams Boston Lager

Sam Adams Black Lager

Sam Adams Boston Lager

Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner **

US: Colorado

Left Handed Brewing Company

LH Blackjack Porter

LH Sawtooth Pale Ale

LH American Pale Ale

LH Milk Stout

Breckenridge Brewing

Extra ESB Small Batch #471**

Double Hopped IPA Small Batch #471**

Christmas Ale *

Oatmeal Stout

Flying Dog Brewery

Oktoberfest*

Double Pale Ale

TommyKnocker Cocoa Porter*

US: Louisiana

Abita Pecan Ale

Abita Restoration Ale

Jockamo IPA

Abita Christmas Ale *

Heiner Brau Marzen (Microbrew)

Dixie Lager

Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager

US:Minnesota

Surly Beer

US: Oregon

Widmer Snow Plow *

Widmer Oktoberfest *

US: Washington

Pyramid Snow Cap*

US: Texas

St. Arnolds Brewing, Houston

Christmas Ale*

Oktoberfest*

Shiner Brewing, Shiner

Bavarian Amber 98*

Dunkelweizen

San Antonio, Pete’s Wicked Ale

Rally Cap Ale

Austin, Independence Brewing

Sisyphus 2007 Barleywine**

US: Delaware

Dog Fish Raison D etre

US: New York

JW Dundee Pale Ale

JW Dundee Amber Lager

JW Dundee Pale Bock

US:Unknown

Duff Beer***

Czech Republic

Velvet***

B.B. Burgerbrau

Zatec

Pilsner Urquell

Slovak Republic

Zlaty Blazant

Vietnam

Hue Beer

Germany

Ayinger Brau Weisse

Ayinger Ur-Weisse

Ayinger Oktoberfest Marzen*

Ayinger Celebrator

Flensburger Gold Lager

Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest*

Belgium

Blanche De Bruxelles

Chimay Red (Trappists)

Chimay White Cinq Cents (Trappists)

Chimay Blue Grand Reserve (Trappists)

Orval (Trappists)**

Corsendonk (Trappists)**

Pavel Kwak

Tripel Karmeliet

Hoegaarden Wit

Stella Artois

India

Taj Mahal

United Kingdom

Fuller ESB

Fuller Limited Ale 2007 ***

Banana Nut Bread Ale

Monty Python Holy Grail Pale Ale*

Holland

Windmill

Russia

Baltika 7

Ireland

Smithwicks

* Seasonal

**Uncommon

***Rare or Limited Edition

A Blend of Belgian Ales

In addition to tasting a few ales, we will be creating our first attempt at a salad dressing made from a Framboise Beer. Start with a saute of onion and garlic, deglaze with the Framboise beer, salt,sugar, rice and white vinegar. Mixed green salad, purple onion, feta cheese and walnuts. Good salad, needs more beer in dressing for a stronger raspberry flavor.

Tasting notes: Of course raspberry from nose to close. Cloudy cranberry hue, great after dinner drink.




Duchese De Bourgogne, A Belgian Red Ale.
6%ABV. Deep reddish or Merlot colors. Apple or fruit cider on the nose. Tart apple flavors are the first notes with a pucker or tart finish.

This ale was named after Mary of Burgundy, born 1457 in Brussels, daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold. France and Belgium were one country at that time. Barbara, Marie and Chantal enjoyed this ale.





St. Bernardus Pior 8
Dubbel Ale
Caramel orange in color, sweet malt taste and smooth finish.
Bottle label: "Bringing Heavenly Nectar to Earth"


Koningshoeven Quadrupel Ale (No Photos)
Ale from the Holland Abbey founded 1884. Yeast strain used is unique to this Abbey.

Mom's bottle tree

My mother has created many bottle trees, but this has to be the coolest so far. It was created using two existing Bois D Arc trees, rebar, lights and various bottles. Thanks to Max and Molly for posing. If you want to see some of Barbara's mosaic work, check out www.mollage.com

Pabst blue ribbon?

Funny email my wife sent me. It took me six years to get through gyna college, we usually drank bud light.

Beers from Louisiana

More notes and photos coming soon.
Heiner Brau Marzen











Abita Restoration Ale











Abita Jockamo IPA











Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager

Beer Christmas Trees

My neighbor sent me this photo in an email of a cool bottle tree. It reminded me of the beer can pyramids my brother and I used to build at the Czech Club when we were kids. I figured there had to be more pictures to find, so here they are so far. I did not build any of these or take these pictures, just stole them from the internet.

Enjoy!!

Celebrate the Repeal of Prohibition

The 18th Amendment was ratified January 16th 1919.
Prohibition took effect 1 year later in 1920.
Bootleggers and the Speak Easy become the norm.
The 21st Amendment was ratified in 1932.
Prohibition was lifted in 1932.
Lots of people got drunk.


Celebrate the repeal today, I will.

Happy repeal day!!

Louisiana: Hunt for beer and supplies

Today we had lunch in Lafayette at Don's Original Seafood and Steakhouse. For an appetizer we enjoyed fried alligator tails and crawfish bisque. The tails were done just right but the bisque seemed a bit thin. For the main entree, I ordered the crab platter; fried soft shell crab, crab au-gratin, stuffed crab, crab gumbo and some other crab dish, plus a baked potato, with no crab. If your going to call it a crab platter, why stop at the potato? Go ahead an stuff some crab in there too! Not a bad dish, stuffing was a bit dry but the meal was enjoyable overall. For an beverage accompaniment I had the Louisiana Abita Amber with just enough flavor to come through the rich food but not to overpowering.


Next we stopped at Macello's Wine Market to view the beer selections. They have a nice selection of Belgium beers as well as other imports and the largest selection of local beers.

Abita Pecan Ale
Abita Restoration Ale
Abita Jocamo
Surprisingly no Abita Christmas beer?
Dixie Lager
Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager
Heiner Brau, local microbrewery. Marzen style.
Full Sail LTD #02
Corsendonk(Cant find in Austin)

Our next stop was Joey's Meats a good place to pick up specialty foods and frozen Cajun favorites. In addition to restocking our freezer we picked up a fresh frozen rabbit and turtle meat! I enjoyed a wonderful rabbit dish in Belgium with a beer gravy and I would like to replicate it. Below is the rough plan for the dish, partially in French with translation help from Marie.

Lapin avec biere aux pommes de terre et petits onions et sage.
Rabbit cooked in beer with sage, onions and potatoes.

1 clean rabbit, quartered, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic, coat in bag of flour.
1 - 2 large onions sliced into rings
New potatoes, sliced
Carrots
Garlic minced
Green Onions, chopped and tipped, save tips for garnish
olive oil
sage, rosemary, thyme, other spices TBA
Abita Pecan Ale, or other amber ale. (I think Corsendonk was used in Belgium)
Flour for gravy.
Chicken stock or water.

Sear the rabbit on all sides then remove, Saute sliced onions and garlic in large roasting pan, add new potatoes, add spices and turn up heat. When hot add rabbit, then deglazewith beer. Lower to simmer, let cook for 30 -45 minutes,water may need to be added during cooking. Skim fat, remove rabbit then use flour for gravy. Use reduction as gravy.

(Check cooking times, etc, still under development) (Uncle Doc's recipe has cooking time of 2 hours, talk about good has 45 minutes)


Tempura Fried Turtle Meat with pepper piquant or sweet and sour sauce.
(See Uncle Doc's recipe for turtle soup)

No recipe yet.

Louisiana: Thanksgiving Day, Gourmands vs Burgundians

Today is Thanksgiving I am in Louisiana with my wife and her family to enjoy the holidays. I have brought along a selection of seasonal and Belgium beers to sample and make notes. The tasting selection is:

Tripel Karmeliet
Delerium Tremens
St Arnolds Christmas Ale
Widmer Snow Plow Milk Stout
Breckenridge Christmas Ale.



Triple Karmeliet 8.1% ABV Belgian Ale
Thick long lasting head with a tight bubble pack, lots of lace on glass. Fruit aromas with a slight fruit aftertaste. Golden honey in color, malt on back of the throat.

Delerium Tremens 8.5%ABV Belgian Ale
Light honey color, less malt taste. Three fingered thick head, tight bubble pack.

St. Arnold's Christmas Ale.
Thin Head, orange copper in color. Bananas on nose? Smooth with nice
mouth feel.









Widmer Snow Plow Milk Stout
Heavy roasted malt on nose, with roasted malt taste, dark chocolate in color. Very thin head, heavy roasted coffee flavor throughout.

Spoetzl Brewery: (97) Bohemian Black Lager

Spoetzl Brewery
603 Brewery
Shiner, TX 77984

Shiner Bohemian Black Lager

Shiner decided to re-release it 97 beer as one of its regular lines of beers. Pours jet black, thin head that dissipates fairly quick. Dark roasted malt taste, nice and smooth mouth feel with a clean finish. Label and taste is different from when it was released as the 97 year anniversary beer.

Available in Austin: Yes

Sam Adams Utopias are back

The limited edition 2007 batch of Samuel Adams Utopias will be presented in a numbered, bronze-colored, ceramic decanter shaped like a brew kettle and will have a limited release of just 12,000 bottles. For the first time this year, people who purchase a bottle will also be eligible in most states to receive a Samuel Adams Utopias custom- designed Riedel snifter.

Full article here

Drink a beer after you exercise, it's good for you!

"In fact, the researchers at the Granada University in Spain came to the conclusion after examining 25 students who were told to do strenuous exercise in temperatures of around 40C until they were close to getting exhausted.

Half of the students were given a pint of beer to drink, while the others received the same volume of water after the workout. Subsequently, the team measured their hydration levels, motor skills and concentration ability.

Prof Garzon said the re-hydration effect in the students who were given beer was "slightly better" than among those given only water. Based on the studies, the researchers have recommended moderate consumption of beer -- 500 ml a day for men or 250 ml for women -- as part of an athlete's diet.

It may be mentioned that past studies have revealed that sensible drinking of one or two units of beer a day could help reduce the risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes and Parkinson's disease."

Read the full article here.

Fertile concept in beer advertising.

Brazilian brewers Nova Shin has created a unique way to advertise it's new non-alchoholic brew. They are taking the combination of attrative women, beer drinking and fertility to a new level! The models have been photoshopped to look pregnant, but the shock value is well established.

This isn't very suprising considering it came from Brazil, the country that brought us Carnival, maybe even the thong bathing suit. I wonder if they set up tastings in maternity or baby stores?

Beers for Halloween: Scarecrow, Hobgblin, Dead Guy Ales

To celebrate Halloween I decided to try a few "in the spirit of" named beers.

Scarecrow Ale.
Wychwood Brewery, Witney, Oxfordshire, England.
USDA Organic

Caramel color with a slight haze.
Malty nose.
Slight malt taste, some hoppy bitterness.
Medium body, small bitter/dry finish.

Not my favorite ale but enjoyable overall.
Available in Austin: Yes


Hobgoblin Ale . 5.5 ABV Ale

Wychwood Brewery, Witney, Oxfordshire, England.

Ruby brown color, off white bubbly head.
Coffee and toffee nose.
Roasted malt with a slight nutty taste, thin mouth feel.
Available in Austin: Yes




Rogue Brewery
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, Oregon.

This Ale was created in the 90's to commemorate the Mayan Day of the Dead for Casa U Betcha Mexican Restaurant in Portland. The dead guy design turned out to be so popular, that is was re-incorporated into a bottled Maibock a few years later. The label even glows in the dark!!

I picked this up in a 64 oz growler to take to a Halloween gathering, when I opened the bottle is had decent carbonation but poured with little or no head. The bottle size might have had something to do with it. Overall it was a very enjoyable beer, I will pick up a smaller size next time for better notes and a re taste!
Available in Austin: Yes

I couldn't get my hands on the following beers but they seemed fitting for the event.

The Moorehouse's Brewery in Burnley, Lanconshire, England offer s few spooky styles with a Black Cat Ale, PendleWitches Brew and a Blond Witch. The Pendle Witches were put on trail in the 1600, during the rule of King James the 1st. King James produced a book 'Daemonology' to help local magistrates identify witches, that he believed were part of a plot to remove him from power. On august 20th 1612, seven Pendle Witches were hanged at Lancaster Prison.
Available in Austin: Unknown


Middle Ages Brewing Company
120 Wilkinson St.
Syracuse, New York 13204.

Offers various styles with some great mid evil names. Wizard winter Ale is 6.8 ABV Ale with a chestnut color. Another noted title is the Druid Fluid, a barley wine made with 6 different malts. 9.5 ABV
The company started producing in September, a 12th Anniversary Porter available in growler fills or tasting at the brewery.

Available in Austin: Unknown

Czech Republic Revisited: Velvet

Velvet Beer
Královský Pivovar Krušovice a.s. (The Royal Brewery of Krušovice ) Krušovice, Czech Republic. 5.1% ABV

Pours a nice amber with a Guinness type cascade effect. Thick long lasting head. Very smooth almost creamy mouthfeel with some sweet undertones. One of my favorite beers! This batch was hand delivered by my folks after a recent visit to the Czech Republic. The first time I discovered the beer was at a pub in Mikoluv, Czech Republic in 2003.

Available in Austin: Not commercially exported out of Czech Republic.
Beer Consumed During Writing: Velvet of course, had to sacrifice one for the photo.