The Session: Framing Beer

This month’s The Session is “Framing Beer.”

For more info on The Session, go to Jay Brooks blog to read up on it.

Bloggers are encouraged to write about a beer’s label and how it “frames” the beer.  Hosting this month’s Session is I’ll Have a Beer. Check out the site for more information on what other bloggers write about how labels “frame” the beer for individuals.

When trying a beer, the label does impact my own experience of the beer, especially when purchasing.  Unfortunately, the labels have much less to do with what is inside the bottle than most people realize, but regardless of that fact the label plays a role for anyone’s drinking experience.  Since we were encouraged to write about a beer that we might think we would not like, I am going to try Carolina Strawberry Ale.  Why do I think I won’t like it: It comes from a brewery whose business model is focused more on making a palatable beer that the typical light lager drinker will like.  Either way, I will do my best to review the contents while commenting on the label.

So here is the label:

My first thought is this is a beer for women.  I like strawberries, but for some reason when people think strawberry and red, they think feminine.   It has a lighthouse on the bottle, but not just any lighthouse.  That is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  I remember the lighthouse when it was being moved a few hundred feet inland several summers ago.  I do like that it has something associated with North Carolina on the bottle.

The font type and overall design looks like something out of say..  1994, not promising.

I typically like labels to add more information than less.  CSA does give me the abv which is 4.6% and it also describes the beer as “ale with natural flavors added.”  There is also the companies website on the side of the bottle.    Other than that, I am left to my own devices on ingredients other than natural strawberry flavor.

The Pour:

I am surprised by the color.  I expected a lighter color, little to no head and nothing really of interest.  This is actually a reddish hued amber with a white head that

emits pale malt sweetness with strawberry.  The first sip is quite sweet up front with a flash of strawberry flavor that sticks around a bit.  Interesting.  There is good effervescence  for sure in the mouthfeel but surprisingly not thin.  I am not picking up any hop character–lots of strawberry though.  Another surprise is the first two sips leave good lacing that coats the glass.

Taking a look at the bottle again,  I just realized I used a bottle opener on a twist top bottle.  Who knows how many times I have done this?!

After surfing on over to the website, I learn more about the beer.  Here’s how they describe it:

The strawberry fields of North Carolina are the inspiration for this amber-colored ale made with the finest malts and hops and enhanced with real strawberries. The result is a refreshing, full-bodied, crisp ale that bursts on your palate with just the right hint of sweetness for balance.
Nutritional Info:
Calories: 135/12 oz.
ABV: 4.75%

Two thoughts: First, this is a good description of what I am tasting.  Second, how many websites give information different from the labels.  Is it 4.75% abv or 4.6%.  Not that it makes that much of a difference, but it makes you wonder how closely they look at other things.  I guess in the end the main number any brewery cares about is the one on their profits.

So I guess I’ll cut to the chase here and say this is a surprise.  I guess when you go in with low expectations it is hard not to be pleased in some regard.  On the other hand, when you expect excellence by what you see on the outside you may very well end up disappointed.  This recently happened to me with a bottle of Dominion Oak Barrel Stout.  After cracking the bottle and pouring the beer what emerged was way too light for me to think stout and the aroma and tasted also said otherwise.  After opening a second bottle, I realized the brewery had messed up somehow and put their copper ale into some bottles labeled Oak Barrel Stout.

Do labels matter to me?  Yes.  The label or “frame”  is the lens in your mind’s eye  through which you imagine what you will find inside.  This affects the overall experience of drinking a beer.  Does it effect the taste regardless of the experience?  Yes if you think taste is subjective.  No if there is a science behind taste.  Which is it?   Nutritional Science Dept. at Cornell University says, in a way, its both.

So what would be the best experience to drink CSA?  Your first thought might be to get some strawberries and pair this with dessert.  I don’t think it would work well as it would detract from what is offered by the strawberry flavor.  If I paired it with any food…  Nah, I wouldn’t pair it with food.  Just enjoy one or two bottles of this.  The flavor might wear a bit.  I think one would be enough for me.   Perhaps try it as desert rather than with desert.

NC Breweries Update

A quick update on a few things happening with NC craft beer…

Big Boss Brewing Company – Oct. 29th will be the release of Aces and Ates Coffee Stout.  It will be available in 22 Oz. bombers as well as on tap at the tavern.  Also on Oct. 29th will be a cask of their Harvest Time Pumpkin ale at Tyler’s Taproom in Durham at 5:00 pm.  Their tasting room is also pouring Big Stinky IPA.  A wonderfully hoppy IPA with loads of dry hopping.

Triangle Brewing Company – Triangle will host the Black Friday Cask Festival on Nov. 27th with casks from all over NC. Check the website for updates as they come. Also, if you attend an event at the RBC Center, you can now get their Belgian Golden Ale on draft.

Lonerider Brewing – Lonerider will release a pale ale as a second seasonal offering from the brewery to go along with their trademark heffeweizen, Shotgun Betty.

Aviator Brewing – Aviator recently opened a tasting room at 600 E. Broad St. Fuquay Varina, NC.  They will host a Barleywine festival at the tasting room November 28th.   Also, every Friday expect a cask ale to be tapped at the tasting room.

Mother Earth Brewing – Peace, Love, and Beer.  That is what Mother Earth Brewing is all about and on Oct. 19th their beer went on sale in NC.   They are starting off with four offerings: an IPA, Witbeer, a Kolsch, and a Dunkel Lager.  I have tried the IPA and Witbeer and can vouch that these guys are brewing great beer in an area of the state that seems to be devoid of craft beer.

Outside of NC breweries, look for the following beers to see greater distribution in the area:

Sweetwater’s seasonal offerings, Oskar Blues Gordon & Ten Fidy

Carolina Craft a somewhat new distributor is continually picking up new and interesting breweries throughout the country including the following: Check out their website for the profile list.

Foothills Indian Brown Ale

I recently tried Foothills Indian Brown, a seasonal release from Foothills Brewing out of Winston Salem, NC.  Rather than giving a full review of the beer, I want to let readers know that given the opportunity, you should give it a try.  If you typically like brown ales, this might teach you to appreciate some hop character and if you love hoppier beers, you can still appreciate some of the sweet and roasted qualities of a brown ale.  It balances perfectly between the two, which is what I love about the beer.  So find out where it is on draft and give it a try.  I do know that Busy Bee Cafe in Raleigh has it and many others will be getting it on tap soon.

Beer Review: Michelob Rye Pale Ale

Brewery:        Anheuser Busch Inbev

Name:             Michelob Rye Pale Ale

Style:               Rye IPA

ABV:              5.9 % alcohol by volume

Notes:  Anheuser Busch announced the release of their fall seasonal mix pack which includes a wheat, a porter, a pale ale, and finally their Rye Pale Ale.  They call this a Rye India Pale Ale due to the 50 International Bittering Units, along with Cascade dry-hopping.   I was looking forward to trying a bottle of this when I first read about it.  I am a fan of the rye spice addition to IPAs.  Big Boss Brewing Company here in Raleigh has a wonderful amber rye that has a good cascade hop aroma and flavor along with rye spice.  All the hop flavor and bitterness in Big Boss’s version is well balanced by caramel malt.  I just hope that Michelob can brew something worthy of purchasing.

Appearance: Clear deep amber body below an off white head that leaves decent lacing.  The appearance is just as good as any for an IPA.

4 out of 5 thoughts

Aroma: The aroma is hop forward but there is noticeable caramel malt character playing its part as well imparting a spiced bread character.  Is there rye in the nose?  Perhaps, but faintly.  I don’t think I have ever actually smelled rye in a rye beer.  It tends to offer more flavor.

3.5 out of 5 thoughts

Taste: My first impression is that this is a decent pale ale, but as it warmed the caramel maltiness had that perfect combination with the cascade hop and rye character.  I could have enjoyed a bit more rye in the flavor, but it was noticeable.

3 out of 5 thoughts

Mouthfeel:  The mouthfeel is right about medium with just enough carbonation.  Warming does a beer like this quite a bit of good in the mouthfeel department.  Drink this one slow and the last sip will be the best.

3  out of 5 thoughts

Drinkability:  Well I must say that I could drink this beer and enjoy it quite well.  The ABV is not too terribly high, especially for an IPA.  I would possibly buy a six pack of this were they to offer them.

3 out of 5 thoughts

Thoughts:  This beer pleases me well enough.  It will certainly get bashed by some due to being an AB product but for what it is, it isn’t bad.  I was lucky enough to get my bottle without purchasing the mixed pack.  Would I buy the mixed pack for this beer?  No.  If I wanted a good rye beer like this I would drive to Big Boss Brewing and have a pint of their amber rye.

Overall Rating: 16.5 out of 25 thoughts

Beer Review: Abita Harvest Ale

Brewery:        Abita Brewing Company, Abita Springs LA

Name:             Pecan Harvest Ale

Style:               Nut Brown Ale

ABV:              5%

IBU:                20

Color:           19 SRM

Notes:  Abita’s Harvest Ale is an interesting take on a fall seasonal beer.  Although most breweries stick to Octoberfests or Pumpkin Ales, Abita does something different by brewing a nut brown ale made with fresh Louisiana pecans.  Most nut brown ales actually get their nuttiness from roasted malt, but Abita really does use pecans in this brown ale.  I find this a fresh take on a fall seasonal and would prefer more innovative offerings like this rather than another pumpkin beer or Octoberfest.  Now, let us sip and think.

Appearance: Clear filtered brown body below an off white head that leaves some lacing down the glass.  Tye typical look of a brown ale.

3 out of 5 thoughts

Aroma: Plenty of roasted malt character, some light cocoa notes, and a true nuttiness from the pecans.  There is little to no hop aromas to be found here.

3 out of 5 thoughts

Taste: A nice malt character shows up front with plenty of chocolate and roasted character that is sweetish, but balanced well with nuttiness and just enough hop bittering to play its part.

4 out of 5 thoughts

Mouthfeel:  A moderate mouthfeel with lighter carbonation which fits perfectly well for the style.

4  out of 5 thoughts

Drinkability:  For a fall seasonal this one hits the spot in unique character and drinkability.  Although you may get sick of a pumpkin ale after a while, you can enjoy this much better.

4.5 out of 5 thoughts

Overall Rating: 18.5 out of 25 thoughts

Monster Energy Boycott

Beer Bloggers across the country are deciding to unite against Monster Energy for a lawsuit they are filing against Rock Art Brewery.

To sum things up, Monster Energy Drink is filing suit against the brewery for their beer named Vermonster.  It does seem odd that they go against them,  but not two other breweries using monster in the name (Big Hoppy Monster by Terrapin Brewing and Brooklyn Brewing’s Monster Ale)

You can read more here.

Book Review: Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher

I am working my way through Randy Mosher’s book Tasting Beer. So far, it is quite comprehensive look at everything related to beer from the history, tasting, styles, events, food pairings, the world of craft beer, and organizations and clubs.  This book will surely not make you an expert on any one aspect of beer, but it will provide you with somewhat detailed overview of all that is related to beer.  A handy index and glossary are also wonderful features that make for a good quick reference.  Your average beer drinking might find this book a bit daunting at first, but it might also intrigue them.  What I have found most fascinating from the book is the history and the science behind beer.  I already knew quite a bit about styles, but I certainly gained a good bit of information on historical details as well as the scientific qualities behind different flavors.  For instance, I have known for a while that diacetyl creates a buttery flavor; however, Mosher informs the reader that when in large amounts the diacetyl creates more of a butterscotch effect.  He also goes into the details of each aroma and source and how it is created.  As he writes on page 54, diacetyl “leaks out of yeast cells during amino acid sythesis.  In larger amounts it may be a sign of stressed or mutated yeast.  In very high amounts, it may be a sign of bacterial contamination and is especially common in dirty (infected) draft lines.”

Tasting Beer abounds with charts and graphs that make the book accessible and fun to read.  There is only about one out of every ten pages that does not have some sort of picture, chart, or graph to proffer facts and figures.

About the author

Randy Mosher is a public speaker, teacher, and enthusiastic promoter of traditional beer styles.  He is also the author of The Brewer’s Companion and Radical Brewing, as well as many articles and columns for All About Beer Magazine.”  He also lives in Chicago with his wife, Nancy.

Tasting Beer retails for $16.95 and can be purchased online at amazon.com or through major retail book stores such as Barnes and Noble.

Beer Review: New Holland Golden Cap Saison

Brewery:     New Holland Brewing Company, Holland Michigan

Beer:            Golden Cap

Style:           Saison

ABV:            6.25%

Notes:         Golden Cap is the summer seasonal offering from New Holland available March 30th each year.  It is their take on a classic farmhouse ale (aka Saison meaning “season”), a Belgian ale traditionally brewed for farmhouse workers to drink in the summer.  The style is traditionally brewed with some wheat. Golden Cap uses spelt, a grain closely related to wheat. The Belgian yeast offers a “funky” and fruity character. Some brewers
use Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that increases the “funky” character of the beer.

Appearance: A hazy golden body with a bone white head that leaves good lacing down the glass.

4 of 5 thoughts

Aroma: Plenty of light bready malt with a wheaty character from the spelt. The aroma is rather strong with a strong peppery nose as well.

3.5 of 5 thoughts

Flavor: The flavors are strong up front with a noticeable peppery finish that is unique for this beer to the style. Some apple and fruit notes are present mid-palate. The finish is quite dry with a decent amount of herbal hop bittering.

4 of 5 thoughts

Mouthfeel: For the style, this one is quite a bit bigger in body but makes up for it with plenty of carbonation. I could enjoy this being a bit lighter in body, but only by a smidge.

3.5 of 5 thoughts

Drinkability: Again, stylistically this one goes a bit higher in the abv range which hurts it a bit, but then again it still stays below Hennepin in ABV. The character of it makes for a good sipper to pair with some salty cheeses.

3.5 of 5 thoughts

Overall:
18.5 of 25 thoughts

One of the better brewed Saisons from an American brewer I have tried in a long time.  If you can find it, get it.

Anheuser Busch Inbev Sells Busch Gardens

I heard rumors and was pretty certain this would happen, but today it was announced that Busch Gardens Theme Parks will be sold to Blackstone group for 2.7 Billion dollars.   I wonder if they plan to keep the “themes” of the various countries throughout the park or have plans to completely revamp the whole theme.  Maybe the Oktoberfest section in the Germany portion of the Virginia park will now serve authentic German beers.  This might be a good thing…

Durham World Beerfest Wrap-up

This past Saturday was the Durham World Beerfest in Durham, North Carolina at the old Durham Bulls Athletic Park.  This was my fourth All About Beer beerfest and I enjoyed it as much as any other.  The weather was perfect, the beers were amazing, and to top it all off Fullsteam Brewery held a mini-beerfest between sessions with local homebrewers showcasing the fruits of their labor.

The beers I enjoyed the most from the fest were as follows:   Natty Greene’s 2 year aged Flander’s Red Ale, Natty Greene’s dry-hopped cask of their IPA, Foothills Bourbon barrel aged Sexual Chocolate Stout, and Terrapin’s Depth Charge, Duck Rabbit Marzen. (In no particular order)

A new NC brewer, Mother Earth Brewing out of Kinston NC was also there for their first festival.  These guys had great organic and locally brewed beer.  They are actually from Kinston, so they have connection to eastern NC, an area that could use a shot of economic stimulus in the form of small business.  Expect an IPA and witbeer to hit bars and stores in the near future.  I plan on posting a full bio of Mother Earth as well.

The North Carolina Brewer’s Guild was also on hand signing up individuals to join the Guild.  I am now officially a member of the Guild!  Please, no lollipop references…

If you ever get the chance to attend a festival by All About Beer, you should definitely take the opportunity to do so.

As with the Raleigh WBF, I will let some pictures do the talking.

This is Old Chub–as in Oskar Blues Old Chub.  I never knew it was named after someone, but apparently most of the Oskar Blues line is named after a person.

Folks pushing their tasting glasses toward the Foothills Brewing tent prior to tapping of their Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate–the most hyped beer at the festival.

My taster of the said hyped beer.

Rick Lyke giving an informative talk on Malt vs. Hops.

Harris Wholesaler, an NC distributor, gives their rep a Hummer to drive to special events and such.  Most micro-breweries do most of their travel in Fred Flintstone feetpoweredmobiles.

The red carpet entrance to the Backyard Beerfest at Fullsteam Brewing.

People gathered at the Backyard Beer Festival.

BBF entrance

Josh Cashwell and fellow homebrewer posing at their first homebrew event.  They had a great “desert Baltic Porter.”

Odd contraption Fullsteam uses to dispense tasty beer along with Chris, the brewmaster.  They brewed a great smoked ESB.

Warehouse, soon to be brewhouse, filled with beer and beer people

I got the signature point-and-cheesy smile from Sean and Chris of Fullsteam along with a glass of their saison brewed with figs and basil.

A pretty flower, a piece of pumpkin, and post-first session attendees soaking up the October sun.  I was proud of this picture.

Hoge from Highland Brewing along with Katrina from Raleigh Times.