Goose Island's Bourbon County lineup is widely feted as exceptional barrel-aged beer. This year, there's been increased scrutiny of the brand, especially here in the Northwest - AB Inbev's acquisition of 10 Barrel has reminded folks of the continuing trend of small, independent breweries (including Goose Island) being snapped up by macro-heavy conglomerates. Many friends, acquaintances, and fellow bloggers have worried that Goose Island's quality will inevitably slip under AB Inbev's stewardship.
I was thinking about this today as I visited the Bier Stein, who hosted a Bourbon County event featuring rare kegs of the Bourbon County Stout and Coffee Stout, as well as one of Goose Island's non-barrel aged imperial stouts.
As it turns out, Bourbon County is still fantastic.
The Coffee Stout, in particular, is a masterclass in how to create a coffee-based beer. It's the beer I didn't know I really wanted at the Coffee Stout Fest earlier this month - decadently rich, smooth, and - something I thought I'd never say about a 13.5% beer - mellow. Its coffee flavor is decidedly creamy, with none of the harsh acidity that marred several of the coffee stouts I had at that fest, and the gentle alcohol warmth and caramel-sweet bourbon embrace the coffee from first sip to last.
Not that the "standard" Bourbon County Stout is any less worthy - its agenda is simple: creating the ideal caramel-bourbon flavor with a perfect amount of warming alcohol heat and malt sweetness. It's actually a touch stronger, at 13.8%, but there's no alcohol punch - this weight is instead realized more in the thick, almost syrupy mouthfeel.
I also had the chance to try the Muddy, a non-barrel aged imperial stout with licorice and candi sugar, but made the mistake of tasting it after the Bourbon County stouts. Muddy's got an assertive licorice spiciness, but tasted thin and hollow by compare (even at 9%!).
My recommendation: do everything in your power to secure some Bourbon County. It's the benchmark for bourbon-aged imperial stouts for very good reason.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
First Impressions: Wildcraft Cider Works
Recently, I heard that WildCraft, a new cidery, opened in town. I decided to check it out this week.
The space is all dark wood - set in the middle of a very old brick building. A lot of care has gone into the decor, which feels neither too spare nor too busy. It's comfortable and intimate. My one concern is that there's little to no acoustic dampening - with a large crowd in here, having a non-shouted conversation would be impossible. Also, the space itself is set up a little strangely - upon entry, the bar and taps are immediately on the right, with some bar seating straight ahead. To the left and around the corner there's bigger tables, ending in a garage-style door which'll be lovely come better weather.
The bar seating, glassed off, looks into what appears to be a (for now) empty warehouse/staging area, with the small kitchen in one corner and some of the cider-making equipment in the other. Access to the bathroom is through this space.
But of course, none of this matters more than the cider on offer. According to the website, WildCraft's ciders are all-natural, with no added artificial flavors or sulfides. And I'm pleased to report that this commitment to quality has paid off. Here's what I thought:
Hard Cider: This is the flagship cider. At 6.9%, it's not a drink to take lightly - though it's certainly very light in the mouth and very dry, with a sweet apple nose and a bit of acidity.
Plum Cider: While still quite dry and acidic, this cider has some wonderfully bright fruit flavor and a welcoming sweet finish that darkens as it lingers.
Pioneer Perry: Perry is what one calls cider made entirely with pears. This particular batch was entirely wild-fermented, with no added yeast. The result is a much more tannic, cereal-ish flavor (somewhat surprising, as i generally consider pears to be milder than apples). Despite these added tannins, the perry itself is sweeter than either of the ciders, especially on the finish. Each sip of this one was interesting, as new aspects of the yeast or pear would surface every time.
WildCraft is making lively, fresh, interesting ciders and perries that are definitely worth checking out. Be aware, though - the prices here are quite high. A pint of most of the ciders runs $6, with $5 for 8oz pours of some of the perries. 4oz flights are available, but also very expensive - you can get 3/$7, 5/$11, or all 10/$22(!). There's also some food available - it's focused on small plates and sandwiches, and is also on the pricier side. What I saw come out of the kitchen looked good, though.
The space is all dark wood - set in the middle of a very old brick building. A lot of care has gone into the decor, which feels neither too spare nor too busy. It's comfortable and intimate. My one concern is that there's little to no acoustic dampening - with a large crowd in here, having a non-shouted conversation would be impossible. Also, the space itself is set up a little strangely - upon entry, the bar and taps are immediately on the right, with some bar seating straight ahead. To the left and around the corner there's bigger tables, ending in a garage-style door which'll be lovely come better weather.
The bar seating, glassed off, looks into what appears to be a (for now) empty warehouse/staging area, with the small kitchen in one corner and some of the cider-making equipment in the other. Access to the bathroom is through this space.
But of course, none of this matters more than the cider on offer. According to the website, WildCraft's ciders are all-natural, with no added artificial flavors or sulfides. And I'm pleased to report that this commitment to quality has paid off. Here's what I thought:
Hard Cider: This is the flagship cider. At 6.9%, it's not a drink to take lightly - though it's certainly very light in the mouth and very dry, with a sweet apple nose and a bit of acidity.
Plum Cider: While still quite dry and acidic, this cider has some wonderfully bright fruit flavor and a welcoming sweet finish that darkens as it lingers.
Pioneer Perry: Perry is what one calls cider made entirely with pears. This particular batch was entirely wild-fermented, with no added yeast. The result is a much more tannic, cereal-ish flavor (somewhat surprising, as i generally consider pears to be milder than apples). Despite these added tannins, the perry itself is sweeter than either of the ciders, especially on the finish. Each sip of this one was interesting, as new aspects of the yeast or pear would surface every time.
WildCraft is making lively, fresh, interesting ciders and perries that are definitely worth checking out. Be aware, though - the prices here are quite high. A pint of most of the ciders runs $6, with $5 for 8oz pours of some of the perries. 4oz flights are available, but also very expensive - you can get 3/$7, 5/$11, or all 10/$22(!). There's also some food available - it's focused on small plates and sandwiches, and is also on the pricier side. What I saw come out of the kitchen looked good, though.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Black Butte Vertical
Thanks to the Bier Stein, last week I had the opportunity to try 4 years of Deschutes' Black Butte Anniversary beers, all on tap. Here are my thoughts:
23 (2011): Made with chocolate nibs, orange zest, and Pasilla Negra chilies, this imperial porter features the chocolate most strongly, with just a hint of citrus and a bit of pepper heat, somewhat amplified by the alcohol spiciness of the beer. Smooth and rich.
24 (2012): This one features chocolate nibs, figs, and dates. It's got a great dark fruit/chocolate blend going on and a heavy, creamy mouthfeel. The chocolate is further forward in the flavor profile, and the alcohol heat less pronounced.
25 (2013): Like the 24, this features dates, figs, and chocolate, but also black currants. It feels much lighter in the mouth, and has a lighter flavor profile overall. There's more of a roast/smoke combination than any of the other beers - the malt definitely comes through much more strongly.
26 (2014): Bourbon-aged, with molasses and cranberries, this version is quite a departure from the past years - it's got a dark, earthy, caramel-heavy flavor. The cranberries add quite a bit of acidity. I'm hoping this one will mellow with age, as it's not tasting very good at the moment.
As always, it's instructive to try several versions of the same base beer at once. 23 and 24 were the best by far - though I remember 24 tasting very good when it was first released, so that's not terribly surprising. Mostly, I just wish I'd cellared a couple bottles of 24 back when it was available for sale.
Those among you who might have bottles of these beers, my advice is to drink 23 and 24 now, but hold onto 25 and 26 for another year or two.
23 (2011): Made with chocolate nibs, orange zest, and Pasilla Negra chilies, this imperial porter features the chocolate most strongly, with just a hint of citrus and a bit of pepper heat, somewhat amplified by the alcohol spiciness of the beer. Smooth and rich.
24 (2012): This one features chocolate nibs, figs, and dates. It's got a great dark fruit/chocolate blend going on and a heavy, creamy mouthfeel. The chocolate is further forward in the flavor profile, and the alcohol heat less pronounced.
25 (2013): Like the 24, this features dates, figs, and chocolate, but also black currants. It feels much lighter in the mouth, and has a lighter flavor profile overall. There's more of a roast/smoke combination than any of the other beers - the malt definitely comes through much more strongly.
26 (2014): Bourbon-aged, with molasses and cranberries, this version is quite a departure from the past years - it's got a dark, earthy, caramel-heavy flavor. The cranberries add quite a bit of acidity. I'm hoping this one will mellow with age, as it's not tasting very good at the moment.
As always, it's instructive to try several versions of the same base beer at once. 23 and 24 were the best by far - though I remember 24 tasting very good when it was first released, so that's not terribly surprising. Mostly, I just wish I'd cellared a couple bottles of 24 back when it was available for sale.
Those among you who might have bottles of these beers, my advice is to drink 23 and 24 now, but hold onto 25 and 26 for another year or two.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
16 Tons Coffee Stout Fest
Today's 16 Tons Coffee Stout Fest is one of the highlights of the beginning of the rainy season here in Eugene. 25 coffee-based stouts of varying provenance were available for dark beer lovers of all stripes to sample.
The great thing about most style-based mini-fests is that it gives insight into the reasoning behind these beers. What makes them tick? Why are they brewed? What flavor profiles are being used?
In the case of this particular fest, the taplist was almost entirely based out of the Pacific Northwest, with the outliers being from European breweries well-known for their experimental nature, so the sampling was deep but not especially broad.
Here's what I tried:
Stone Coffee Milk Stout: A mild, creamy, slightly roasty milk stout that nevertheless weighs in at over 8% ABV, this is a dangerously drinkable beer.
No-Li Rise and Grind: An about-face, this lighter, thinner stout focuses on the added coffee's acidity, to a nigh-spicy degree. The spicy, acidic coffee lingers.
Ballast Point Victory At Sea: A strong Baltic porter with coffee and vanilla, coming in far sweeter than the previous beers. The combination of higher alcohol, sweeter roasted coffee, and a sweeter base beer cause the flavors to constantly mutate. Even to the last sip I couldn't quite seem to get a handle on it. Interesting, for sure.
Midnight Sun Brewtality: Refreshingly, this was the first of the beers that actually tasted, first and foremost, like a beer - with heavy roasted malting and some balanced alcohol heat. Sure, there's some welcome latent coffee flavor, but it's mild and sweet.
Alesmith Speedway Stout: Very sweet, in the same vein as the Ballast Point, but with a far more balanced and pronounced coffee roastiness, along with a big alcohol kick.
Stone Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise: Mouthful of a name. This beer's interesting almost solely because it's very light in color - almost pilsner-esque. Flavor-wise, it's a callback to No-Li's strong acidity. Thankfully, it's got a much milder, cleaner finish.
Epic Big Bad Baptist: This is the beer I didn't know I needed. Bourbon-aged, with a mellow caramel/molasses sweetness that blends well with the added coffee and cocoa, this finishes with a bit of alcohol bite to let you know it's not messing around. At around 12%, it commands respect and slow sipping.
There were plenty of beers I wasn't able to sample - a lot of them were from local breweries, and I expect to see them around town over the next couple of weeks. Plank Town, Oakshire, Claim 52, and Agrarian all had entries that I hope to try very soon.
The fascinating aspect of this fest, to me, was coming to a deeper understanding of the various flavors that coffee can add to a beer. Sometimes it's sweet and mellow, sometimes acidic and harshly roasty. And the base beer can either complement it or simply act as a vehicle for the coffee. As a result, I'm now able to specify the type of coffee flavor I prefer in my stouts - milder, sweeter, and complimenting the base beer rather than vying for supremacy.
The great thing about most style-based mini-fests is that it gives insight into the reasoning behind these beers. What makes them tick? Why are they brewed? What flavor profiles are being used?
In the case of this particular fest, the taplist was almost entirely based out of the Pacific Northwest, with the outliers being from European breweries well-known for their experimental nature, so the sampling was deep but not especially broad.
Here's what I tried:
Stone Coffee Milk Stout: A mild, creamy, slightly roasty milk stout that nevertheless weighs in at over 8% ABV, this is a dangerously drinkable beer.
No-Li Rise and Grind: An about-face, this lighter, thinner stout focuses on the added coffee's acidity, to a nigh-spicy degree. The spicy, acidic coffee lingers.
Ballast Point Victory At Sea: A strong Baltic porter with coffee and vanilla, coming in far sweeter than the previous beers. The combination of higher alcohol, sweeter roasted coffee, and a sweeter base beer cause the flavors to constantly mutate. Even to the last sip I couldn't quite seem to get a handle on it. Interesting, for sure.
Midnight Sun Brewtality: Refreshingly, this was the first of the beers that actually tasted, first and foremost, like a beer - with heavy roasted malting and some balanced alcohol heat. Sure, there's some welcome latent coffee flavor, but it's mild and sweet.
Alesmith Speedway Stout: Very sweet, in the same vein as the Ballast Point, but with a far more balanced and pronounced coffee roastiness, along with a big alcohol kick.
Stone Stochasticity Project Master of Disguise: Mouthful of a name. This beer's interesting almost solely because it's very light in color - almost pilsner-esque. Flavor-wise, it's a callback to No-Li's strong acidity. Thankfully, it's got a much milder, cleaner finish.
Epic Big Bad Baptist: This is the beer I didn't know I needed. Bourbon-aged, with a mellow caramel/molasses sweetness that blends well with the added coffee and cocoa, this finishes with a bit of alcohol bite to let you know it's not messing around. At around 12%, it commands respect and slow sipping.
There were plenty of beers I wasn't able to sample - a lot of them were from local breweries, and I expect to see them around town over the next couple of weeks. Plank Town, Oakshire, Claim 52, and Agrarian all had entries that I hope to try very soon.
The fascinating aspect of this fest, to me, was coming to a deeper understanding of the various flavors that coffee can add to a beer. Sometimes it's sweet and mellow, sometimes acidic and harshly roasty. And the base beer can either complement it or simply act as a vehicle for the coffee. As a result, I'm now able to specify the type of coffee flavor I prefer in my stouts - milder, sweeter, and complimenting the base beer rather than vying for supremacy.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Beer of the Moment: Bourbon Aged Patriot Porter
Being as it's Tuesday, I headed to Oakshire tonight, as I often do, to catch their weekly new beer release. It's a great feeling - never quite knowing what to expect. This week's happened to be astonishing.
You see, tonight Oakshire released a Knob Creek-aged version of their Patriot Porter. The unadulterated porter came out early this year. It was an acidic, rough-hewn take on the style that I found, at the time, unremarkable. As it turns out, barrel-aging is exactly what it needed.
As a bourbon barrel-aged beer, it's now got a fantastic molasses/caramel sweetness contrasting with the wooden notes of the barrel, which blends very well with the acidic malt profile - now mellowed with age.
It weighs in around 7%, but tastes and feels quite a bit stronger. The difference is in the finish. Most bourbon-aged dark beers tend to be north of 10% - and this is felt in the alcohol heat, which often lingers some seconds after the sip. This Patriot, however, has a quick, nigh-clean finish that invites further exploration.
Although the also-worthy Very Ill-Tempered Gnome is also on offer, I feel that this aged Patriot is the superior beer for the cold, rainy weather we've recently been having. I'm not sure how long it'll last, but it's well worth the visit to Oakshire to check it out. It's $6 for a 13oz pour.
You see, tonight Oakshire released a Knob Creek-aged version of their Patriot Porter. The unadulterated porter came out early this year. It was an acidic, rough-hewn take on the style that I found, at the time, unremarkable. As it turns out, barrel-aging is exactly what it needed.
As a bourbon barrel-aged beer, it's now got a fantastic molasses/caramel sweetness contrasting with the wooden notes of the barrel, which blends very well with the acidic malt profile - now mellowed with age.
It weighs in around 7%, but tastes and feels quite a bit stronger. The difference is in the finish. Most bourbon-aged dark beers tend to be north of 10% - and this is felt in the alcohol heat, which often lingers some seconds after the sip. This Patriot, however, has a quick, nigh-clean finish that invites further exploration.
Although the also-worthy Very Ill-Tempered Gnome is also on offer, I feel that this aged Patriot is the superior beer for the cold, rainy weather we've recently been having. I'm not sure how long it'll last, but it's well worth the visit to Oakshire to check it out. It's $6 for a 13oz pour.
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