Last month, I had the great fortune to take a trip to Europe, spending time in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Although all were worthy destinations, my very favorite part of the trip was visiting Cantillon's brewery in Brussels. Since this is topic I've got quite a bit to say about, I'll be splitting it into two posts. Today I want to give an overview of Cantillon and what makes them so special.
As I've previously mentioned, Cantillon enjoys a great reputation among craft beer geeks here in the US, for many reasons. The real mystique involves their process of brewing and fermentation - very rare among production breweries of any kind, both due to the mechanics of that process and the amount of labor that it requires.
Cantillon makes beer primarily through the process of spontaneous fermentation. Unlike yeast-inoculated ales and lagers, spontaneously fermented beers pick up natural yeast and other microorganisms through open-air exposure following the brewing process.
Fermentation begins naturally, as well - the yeast-infected wort is allowed to naturally cool overnight, meaning Cantillon can only make beer when the evening weather is cool enough to allow for proper fermentation temperatures. I was told the typical brewing season lasts from October until April. For the homebrewers out there, this'd be something like brewing a beer, putting the finished batch in a big tub, and letting it sit outside overnight to cool (without adding any yeast).
Further, this beer is allowed to further ferment and age in wood barrels, generally for three(!) years at a stretch. It's then blended with one and two-year aged beer, bottled, and allowed to condition in the bottle for several more months. The result, if you're drinking their flagship Gueuze, is a beer that's taken between 3-4 years to produce. Compare this to 3-4 weeks for a standard medium-gravity ale, and it's easy to see why there aren't many breweries using Cantillon's process anymore.
Cantillon is also limited in their yearly production to something like 1700 hectolitres (roughly 1450 US barrels) per year, both due to lack of further storage space and inability to produce more beer during their brewing season. All this adds up to a sophisticated, long-production beer that can be very hard to come by outside of Brussels. Effectively, this means finding bottles of Cantillon to try in the US is nigh-impossible (and very expensive - individual 375ml bottles can easily sell for $30+).
This combination of rarity, expense, tradition, and foreign-ness make Cantillon's beers extremely highly sought-after.
On Saturday I'll go into more detail about the brewery and its tour, quite unlike any other I've visited anywhere in the world.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Pre-Beer Experimentation
Just a quick one for y'all today -
Over the weekend I was at a bar, and had an interesting experience I wanted to share.
Before I got to the bar, I was chewing mint-flavored gum. I got a pint of Overcast, swallowed the gum, and took a hearty sip.
I was amazed! The malt came through clearly, with a definite cocoa/chocolate flavor, and the coffee and roast were relegated to a minor role as a result. For the entire pint, I was savoring an aspect of the Overcast presentation I'd never before been able to appreciate properly.
So now I'm curious - are there other foods or drinks that highlight specific components of other beers? Or did I happen to luck out with mint and coffee stout? I'll do some research and find out.
Over the weekend I was at a bar, and had an interesting experience I wanted to share.
Before I got to the bar, I was chewing mint-flavored gum. I got a pint of Overcast, swallowed the gum, and took a hearty sip.
I was amazed! The malt came through clearly, with a definite cocoa/chocolate flavor, and the coffee and roast were relegated to a minor role as a result. For the entire pint, I was savoring an aspect of the Overcast presentation I'd never before been able to appreciate properly.
So now I'm curious - are there other foods or drinks that highlight specific components of other beers? Or did I happen to luck out with mint and coffee stout? I'll do some research and find out.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Cantillon Tasting
Last night, I had the privilege to share 3 bottles of Cantillon with some good friends. It was a great experience, paired with excellent apertifs.
The first bottle we tried was the gueuze - the flagship of the brewery, and the model for pretty much every other gueuze in current production. It's an extremely acidic, tart, and funky beer, with minimal carbonation (produced entirely by refermentation in the bottle) that begs to be paired with fine cheeses, olives, and nuts - all thankfully on hand. Like all of Cantillon's lambic-based beers, it clocks in at a light 5% ABV.
Next, we moved to the Rose de Gambrinus - the brewery's take on a framboise. Like the gueuze (which is the base beer), it's still quite acidic and tart, but less funky, with a soft fruit sweetness imparted by the raspberries. We agreed it was an excellent dessert beer that would pair with a wide variety of sweet foods.
Our final beer was the Kriek - the gueuze made with cherries. This was a swing back into the extremely tart - the cherry flavor is bright and forward, with a bit of sweetness to balance out the sour acidity of the gueuze. Some of our party declared it their favorite of the three, and it's easy to see why - after trying other, lesser krieks, it's a revelatory experience to see it done properly.
The big question I'd like to raise now is perhaps a bit controversial, given Cantillon's wide acclaim among beer geeks - is it the best beer made in its style/category?
I'm not sure. While the beer is excellent, I find their story and their old-school method of production far more interesting than the product. As I'll soon detail, visiting Cantillon and taking its tour is an experience unique among breweries.
The first bottle we tried was the gueuze - the flagship of the brewery, and the model for pretty much every other gueuze in current production. It's an extremely acidic, tart, and funky beer, with minimal carbonation (produced entirely by refermentation in the bottle) that begs to be paired with fine cheeses, olives, and nuts - all thankfully on hand. Like all of Cantillon's lambic-based beers, it clocks in at a light 5% ABV.
Next, we moved to the Rose de Gambrinus - the brewery's take on a framboise. Like the gueuze (which is the base beer), it's still quite acidic and tart, but less funky, with a soft fruit sweetness imparted by the raspberries. We agreed it was an excellent dessert beer that would pair with a wide variety of sweet foods.
Our final beer was the Kriek - the gueuze made with cherries. This was a swing back into the extremely tart - the cherry flavor is bright and forward, with a bit of sweetness to balance out the sour acidity of the gueuze. Some of our party declared it their favorite of the three, and it's easy to see why - after trying other, lesser krieks, it's a revelatory experience to see it done properly.
The big question I'd like to raise now is perhaps a bit controversial, given Cantillon's wide acclaim among beer geeks - is it the best beer made in its style/category?
I'm not sure. While the beer is excellent, I find their story and their old-school method of production far more interesting than the product. As I'll soon detail, visiting Cantillon and taking its tour is an experience unique among breweries.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Beer and Karaoke
To those of my readers who know me personally, it should come as no surprise that you might find me at a few different spots in town doing karaoke every now and again.
The effects of alcohol (and good beer especially) on a successful karaoke performance cannot be overstated. That may sound ridiculous. I'll put it in starker terms still: Beer is my karaoke fuel.
Why?
Beer makes the perfect karaoke fuel because it's poured in (more or less) strictly enforced quantities. Whereas with a mixed drink you might receive a strong pour or a weak pour, with beer you know exactly what you're getting, which is vital to managing both expectations and a proper level of inebriation.
Being both shy and introverted (a subtle but important distinction, discussed rather more cogently here), getting up to sing for a barful of people isn't exactly the most appealing pastime. But with a beer or two, it starts to seem like a good idea. The social lubrication removes just enough of the nervousness to provide the impetus to grab the mic, but not so much that there's not still the rush of adrenaline and fear that makes for the best possible performance under the circumstances.
I've found, through many nights of dedicated experimentation, that IPAs work best for karaoke. I'd posit that there's something about the alpha acids that cuts through stage fright. Really, it's probably just a good idea to have something bitter to swallow after crushing (or being crushed by) a song.
Cheers to my fellow sometime-singers.
The effects of alcohol (and good beer especially) on a successful karaoke performance cannot be overstated. That may sound ridiculous. I'll put it in starker terms still: Beer is my karaoke fuel.
Why?
Beer makes the perfect karaoke fuel because it's poured in (more or less) strictly enforced quantities. Whereas with a mixed drink you might receive a strong pour or a weak pour, with beer you know exactly what you're getting, which is vital to managing both expectations and a proper level of inebriation.
Being both shy and introverted (a subtle but important distinction, discussed rather more cogently here), getting up to sing for a barful of people isn't exactly the most appealing pastime. But with a beer or two, it starts to seem like a good idea. The social lubrication removes just enough of the nervousness to provide the impetus to grab the mic, but not so much that there's not still the rush of adrenaline and fear that makes for the best possible performance under the circumstances.
I've found, through many nights of dedicated experimentation, that IPAs work best for karaoke. I'd posit that there's something about the alpha acids that cuts through stage fright. Really, it's probably just a good idea to have something bitter to swallow after crushing (or being crushed by) a song.
Cheers to my fellow sometime-singers.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Beer of the Moment: Overcast Espresso Stout
Fall has officially begun here in Eugene - the forecast calls for pretty much nothing but rain for the next two weeks. And there are many worthy traditions to take part in as the weather cools and the skies darken - but for me, few of these top the pleasure of sipping on a well-constructed stout on a rainy night.
Oakshire's aptly-named Overcast is, to me, the ideal embodiment of this tradition. It walks the fine line between 'stout with coffee' and 'coffee that tastes like stout' with aplomb, coming across as a smooth, rich beer with a sweet, heavily coffee-tinged finish that tapers into just enough hopping to balance out.
Why? Well, I happen to think that the big secret is the oatmeal included in the grain bill. Oatmeal, added judiciously, results in a medium, silky smooth mouthfeel that really defines a great stout. (It's also what I think Guinness is lacking - I expect a smooth, rich beer, but every time I have one, I'm surprised by how thin and harsh it is)
Unsurprisingly, Overcast pairs exceedingly well with desserts of all stripes - berry-based pies and tarts, cakes, and pretty much anything made with chocolate or vanilla. I'd also suggest giving it a shot with savory food - especially things on the spicier side.
I know I'll be picking up quite a few cases of Overcast to help me through the long winter here. I hope you'll consider doing the same, especially since it's available in cans for easy transport and maximum flexibility.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
An Informal Local Brewery Ranking
By the reviews I've posted, it's probably pretty clear what breweries I enjoy in Eugene. But just for fun, I decided to break down the 12 currently-open local places into 4 tiers.
Tier I
Oakshire
Plank Town
Ninkasi
This is, for my money, the highest-quality and most exciting beer being made in Eugene. It's inventive, interesting, and almost always well worth trying.
Tier II
Hop Valley
Agrarian
Claim 52
These are breweries that are pretty consistently good, sometimes great.
Tier III
McMenamins (High St)
Viking
Rogue
These breweries misfire more often than not, but sometimes make great beer.
Tier IV
Steelhead
Sam Bond's
Falling Sky
I know some folks enjoy these guys quite a bit, but I've never really found anything they've made to be worthwhile.
I'd be interested to hear other local folks' opinions!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Tap & Growler's Fresh Hop Blind Tasting
Last week, the Tap & Growler hosted a blind tasting with a twist - all the beers were local and fresh-hopped. I went with a couple friends to check it out.
Here's how it worked: you paid $12 for 4oz pours of 9 beers, and were provided a slip to take notes and rate the top 3 beers. It wasn't a truly blind tasting, however - a promotional flyer at the bar revealed the breweries and beers participating in the event. The price also included a free pint of any of the 9 beers on the day the winners were announced.
Even with these limitations, the tasting was a lot of fun! Beers made with fresh hops are the only true seasonals - their characteristic bright, grassy flavor and aroma start to degrade much faster than beers made with dried hops. And it's always interesting to experience different brewers' takes on their best use.
Unsurprisingly, the beers ranged widely in quality. The best were excellent, the worst nigh undrinkable. Here were my top 3:
Falling Sky's So Fresh, So Green: This one really surprised me, as I'm not usually a fan of Falling Sky's beers. It was clean, bright, and eminently drinkable. I may have to stop by their pub for another pint of this!
Hop Valley's Citra Self Down: Hop Valley loves their Citra hops, and this beer was immediately recognizable for this facet alone. Fresh Citra really shines - it's bright, lemony, and grassy. This beer was the highest-rated among all participants.
Claim 52's Fresh Hop Insta IPA: Hop-saturated, especially in the nose, with a very smooth, clean finish. Another surprise for me. Claim 52 usually makes good, if unexceptional beer. I've had the non-fresh Insta several times in the past without it making much impression. Again, I may have to watch them more closely in the future!
Having run a blind tasting in the past, I appreciate all the hard work it takes to put one together, and I hope there are more in the future! There's nothing more rewarding than testing your palate without knowing exactly what you're tasting.
Here's how it worked: you paid $12 for 4oz pours of 9 beers, and were provided a slip to take notes and rate the top 3 beers. It wasn't a truly blind tasting, however - a promotional flyer at the bar revealed the breweries and beers participating in the event. The price also included a free pint of any of the 9 beers on the day the winners were announced.
Even with these limitations, the tasting was a lot of fun! Beers made with fresh hops are the only true seasonals - their characteristic bright, grassy flavor and aroma start to degrade much faster than beers made with dried hops. And it's always interesting to experience different brewers' takes on their best use.
Unsurprisingly, the beers ranged widely in quality. The best were excellent, the worst nigh undrinkable. Here were my top 3:
Falling Sky's So Fresh, So Green: This one really surprised me, as I'm not usually a fan of Falling Sky's beers. It was clean, bright, and eminently drinkable. I may have to stop by their pub for another pint of this!
Hop Valley's Citra Self Down: Hop Valley loves their Citra hops, and this beer was immediately recognizable for this facet alone. Fresh Citra really shines - it's bright, lemony, and grassy. This beer was the highest-rated among all participants.
Claim 52's Fresh Hop Insta IPA: Hop-saturated, especially in the nose, with a very smooth, clean finish. Another surprise for me. Claim 52 usually makes good, if unexceptional beer. I've had the non-fresh Insta several times in the past without it making much impression. Again, I may have to watch them more closely in the future!
Having run a blind tasting in the past, I appreciate all the hard work it takes to put one together, and I hope there are more in the future! There's nothing more rewarding than testing your palate without knowing exactly what you're tasting.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
The Beer of Cologne
My recent trip to Europe was eye-opening in many ways, but my favorite part of the trip was having the opportunity to experience European beer fresh, from the pubs, taverns and bars, among the locals.
I'd like to start unpacking that experience by discussing the first stop on my trip: Cologne.
It's a beautiful city, with a striking mix of old architecture (especially the Dom Cathedral and the still-under-excavation Roman ruins) and ultra-modern design.
One thing that hasn't changed much is the beer - it's still made in largely the same way as 100 years ago, when it became a distinct style.
I had the chance to try a number of Kölsch ales during my stay in Cologne, and they were uniformly crisp, clean, and moderately hopped with traditional Noble hops. I was surprised to find out that beer bars of the sort I've become accustomed to in Oregon are hard to find in Germany. Most pubs, restaurants, and taverns are sponsored by a single brewery, and will serve its Kölsch and maybe a seasonal beer (generally, this meant a Weissbier or pilsner of some sort). After some searching, my companions and I were able to locate a small beer bar, but it served only German beer - just a wider variety.
The style of serving is also quite different. If you're at a bar in Cologne, drinking Kölsch, and your glass begins to run low, another will be brought for you without having to ask! This continues until you tell the server you're done or put your coaster over the top of your glass. The server marks your coaster every time you get a new glass, and those marks are tallied when your bill is prepared. Elsewhere this'd be a recipe for expensive, drunken nights, but the key innovation in Kölsch service is the small cylindrical glassware known locally as Stange (meaning pole). These measure 200ml, or about half an American pint. When with a larger party, these will be brought to your table in giant serving trays called Kranz (meaning wreath), each holding anywhere from 10-16 beers at a time.
I'd like to start unpacking that experience by discussing the first stop on my trip: Cologne.
It's a beautiful city, with a striking mix of old architecture (especially the Dom Cathedral and the still-under-excavation Roman ruins) and ultra-modern design.
One thing that hasn't changed much is the beer - it's still made in largely the same way as 100 years ago, when it became a distinct style.
 |
| Kölsch served in the traditional Stange glasses. |
I had the chance to try a number of Kölsch ales during my stay in Cologne, and they were uniformly crisp, clean, and moderately hopped with traditional Noble hops. I was surprised to find out that beer bars of the sort I've become accustomed to in Oregon are hard to find in Germany. Most pubs, restaurants, and taverns are sponsored by a single brewery, and will serve its Kölsch and maybe a seasonal beer (generally, this meant a Weissbier or pilsner of some sort). After some searching, my companions and I were able to locate a small beer bar, but it served only German beer - just a wider variety.
 |
| Weissbier in half-liter glasses. |
Bars, cafes, and biergartens are omnipresent in the central city. They're much more numerous than coffee shops and restaurants - it's hard to walk more than a block without seeing the familiar Gaffel or Reissdorf signage. And people of all ages and nationalities can be found at these bars at every hour of the day. Despite this culture of drinking, public drunkenness wasn't a big problem, as far as I could see. I'd wager that the wide availability and low strength of Kölsch prevents most of this.
Overall, Cologne is a lovely city with friendly, tourist-tolerant people, and its signature beer is delicious and nigh-endlessly drinkable. It's definitely worth a stop on any beer-centered European vacation.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
A Visit to Brewers Union Local 180
I had some unexpected free time today, so I decided to take a trip to Oakridge and spend some time at Ted Sobel's lovely public house. The website, though a bit old, has as clear a statement of purpose as I've seen in the industry, and the Local delivers on it.
There are plenty of places in Eugene that call themselves pubs. Oakshire even calls its pour house a 'public house'. But Brewers Union is operating on an entirely different level. I think the secret to their success is that the emphasis is on the atmosphere and providing a comfortable, casual pub experience. The place feels a lot more like a big house than a bar. Lots of little things contribute to this feeling - the varied seating (plenty of comfy chairs and endtables in addition to stools and standard tables), lots of books and newspapers on hand, a guitar and piano open to patrons, free billiards, and most of all, the unhurried and kind service.
Some of this arises from being based in Oakridge, a sleepy little mountain town frequented mostly by cyclists, hikers, and general outdoors enthusiasts. But I think the true source is the contrarian nature of the brewery and the beer.
That's because Brewers Union's major claim to fame is being one of the few breweries in the States that makes CAMRA-style real ale, served from gravity-fed casks at proper temperature using old-style beer engines. The beer tastes fresh, mild, and lively, and it pairs very well with the mostly-traditional English pub fare on offer (also quite good). I had two pints - a fresh-hopped pale ale, and an oak-aged strong ale.
After my visit, I was left wondering - could a place like Brewers Union work well in Eugene? Why don't we have something like it already? I'd like to think so - and if there was, I'd be there all the time. The closest parallel we have at the moment is probably Falling Sky, but they're going for a very different atmosphere and brand, and they're not up to the quality mark Brewers Union ably sets.
There are plenty of places in Eugene that call themselves pubs. Oakshire even calls its pour house a 'public house'. But Brewers Union is operating on an entirely different level. I think the secret to their success is that the emphasis is on the atmosphere and providing a comfortable, casual pub experience. The place feels a lot more like a big house than a bar. Lots of little things contribute to this feeling - the varied seating (plenty of comfy chairs and endtables in addition to stools and standard tables), lots of books and newspapers on hand, a guitar and piano open to patrons, free billiards, and most of all, the unhurried and kind service.
Some of this arises from being based in Oakridge, a sleepy little mountain town frequented mostly by cyclists, hikers, and general outdoors enthusiasts. But I think the true source is the contrarian nature of the brewery and the beer.
That's because Brewers Union's major claim to fame is being one of the few breweries in the States that makes CAMRA-style real ale, served from gravity-fed casks at proper temperature using old-style beer engines. The beer tastes fresh, mild, and lively, and it pairs very well with the mostly-traditional English pub fare on offer (also quite good). I had two pints - a fresh-hopped pale ale, and an oak-aged strong ale.
After my visit, I was left wondering - could a place like Brewers Union work well in Eugene? Why don't we have something like it already? I'd like to think so - and if there was, I'd be there all the time. The closest parallel we have at the moment is probably Falling Sky, but they're going for a very different atmosphere and brand, and they're not up to the quality mark Brewers Union ably sets.
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