Brew Review - Upright Seven

1) “Whoa, what was that? Not what I expected”
2) “Not bad, I’ll have a few more tastes”
3) “Put some music on, I’m ready to get down on this beer”

If you’ve had Upright Brewing Company’s “Seven” brew, you might have experienced the same three steps of drinking Seven that I did. With an increasingly sparkling reputation on the West Coast, the tiny, yet brilliant Upright Brewing has been making unique, farmhouse-inspired beers that blur the lines between beer styles and challenge a drinker’s taste buds – and Seven is no different. I was drawn to this beer by three things: my buddy Chip actually bringing it to my house, the beautiful 750 ml bottle and simple label, and the mystery shrouding a beer simply named with a number (and a lucky one at that).

Seven pours a strong golden color and leaves a massive, dense white head that lingers in the glass. The smell is nice and flowery with citrus and a hint of hops. The taste, however, is where the shock is experienced – that first taste is surprisingly bitter/sour with some spiciness which had me believing that this was a traditional sour ale, and leaving me second guessing what I was expecting to drink. However, I noticed that after that initial shock, the sip mellowed and left a nice aftertaste and good mouth feel. The taste was sweet, hoppy, and citrusy with a strong initial hit followed by a mellow lingering aftertaste. The beer, like Upright’s other beers, uses saison yeast and four kinds of hops to get its unique taste and characteristics, and results in a farmhouse ale definitely worth trying. After a few more sips of this 8%’er, it was time to “do work”, listen to some Elliott Smith, and toss it back.

For those interested in expanding their farmhouse horizons, Upright is traditionally hard to get East of the Rockies, but can be purchased via various specialty shops on the Inter Web - take a look at www.northwestliquidgold.com

Serving Type: 750 ml bottle
Glassware: Goose Island chalice
Color (hue and head): rich, golden color; thick, white head that lingers
Aroma: flowery, citrusy, hoppy, sweetness
Taste: Initial bitterness, spiciness, sweet, hoppy, citrus
Grade: 92/100 (A-)
Musical Pairing: Elliott Smith – Waltz #2

Brew Review - Nectar IPA

Sweet nectar of the gods, this is good! Spring is here (finally) and it's time to give those spring flowers something to hope for. I rarely get the opportunity to enjoy a lazy Saturday afternoon, but I'm taking full advantage and assisting my attempt to catch up on some reading with a Nectar Ales Nectar IPA. The brew pours a light copper, orange with a good head that dissipates quick. It carries a clean hop aroma, but exudes more the sweet and floral as opposed to northwest pine forest. Makes me think spring/summer thoughts, where as the other IPAs tend to push me in the direction of pine and fall aromas. Yeah, the temp took a wicked spring dip into the 40s and 50s, but the Nectar IPA has a caramel backbone and medium body that suits the cooler spring days just fine. Clean finish and quite enjoyable. I will be picking up another 6 pack from Mike's Wine and Spirit soon. It's my neighborhood brew (crack) dealer...hope to see you there soon.

Serving Type: 6 pack/12oz bottle

Glassware: Tulip

Color (hue and head): light copper, orange; thick head, quickly dissipates.

Aroma: sweet, floral, hops.

Taste: fresh cut grass, spring flowers; caramel, light malt; medium body.

Grade: 93/100 (A-)

Musical pairing: Matt and Kim - Daylight

Surroundings: Lazy Saturday enjoying some brew, book, blog and boxer (dog).

Chocolate Ale Blitzkrieg(Brew Review)

The Chocolate Ale Blitzkrieg was practically over in all of 3 days. It was here and it was gone before we knew what had happened. So, I'm showing up late to a party that's already over...but is it? I felt a little down that Boulevard's latest release had gone by the wayside in a matter of days, maybe a week, then I remembered the W.C. Fields quote: "Everybody should believe in something...I believe I'll have another beer." Why the heck did that pop in to my head, you ask? Well, it reminded me that we aren't interested in having just one taste or one beer. The true beer lover would have a few (if not many) tastes and enjoy every moment. The Boulevard connoisseur would not have purchased only one bottle to try; they would have given themselves the opportunity to try and try again. So I hypothesize there are many a brew lover out there (or at least in Kansas City) that have nestled away a tiny stash of Chocolate Ale to bring out to play another day. I didn't really miss the party at all, I just showed up at intermission...any of my friends will tell you, I'm late to everything.

I decided to wait to try the Chocolate Ale with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law while on a quick jaunt to Portland for some beer and Cake (band) over Valentines weekend. I know what you're thinking, 'Imbibilicious, what about your wife?!' Well, I did what any loving husband would do...I left her in KC. Don't worry, she was OK with me spending my V-day weekend with my other love, the sweet nectar known as beer.

The Boulevard/Christopher Elbow collaboration survived the trip from KC to PDX just fine. I was quite worried Portland security was going to confiscate the brew in baggage claim - not because it was a security risk, but because the people of Portland have a love for ale that's on another level. No offense to my fellow Kansas Citians, but we could all learn a lesson or two. Anyway, I digress. On to the tasting!!

We popped the cork and poured three generous servings into tasting snifters. I have to be honest, I was not expecting such a light ale color. I knew to expect something different, but I was stilled amazed...especially when the chocolate aroma hit my nose from three feet away. "Incredible!" I whisper to myself with eyes wide. On first sip, the chocolate was light and the ale was crisp and clean, but as the brew warmed in my hand, the chocolate seemed to creep out more deeply. In a way, it tasted as if someone at the brewery accidentally spilled Carnation Instant Breakfast in my beer before bottling. The flavor was unexpected, but very intriguing, and very believable. Much like adding the likes of Jack Black to Yo Gabba Gabba* made the show all the more appealing. I wanted more, but with three adults, the bottle was emptied too quickly. Luckily, I was able to nab a few for the cellar. You won't have to twist my arm to pop one open again soon.

*Yes, you read that right. I made a Yo Gabba Gabba reference in a beer blog. But it all the more explains the intriguing flavor I was getting from the Ale. Open YouTube. Look it up. Yo Gabba Gabba is a show for the 2 to 6 year old crowd, where current entertainment icons frequently make guest appearances, wear hilarious costumes, and sing some pretty fun songs...for younger folks. You should check it out some time (with your kid, niece or nephew, or a Boulevard Chocolate Ale, but never alone of course).

Serving Type: 750ml Bottle

Glassware: Tasting Snifter

Color (hue and head): Hazy, transparent, traffic light yellow (almost orange). Light and lacey head.

Aroma: Cacoa powder, soft, nutty.

Taste: Carnation, hint of fruit, nuts. Very light hop backbone. Inviting.

Grade: 93/100 (A-)

Musical pairing: Cake - Satan is my Motor

Surroundings: Portland, beer capital of the world, visiting family, watching yo gabba gabba with niece.

Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier

In these trying times of economic hardship, housing market woes, political standoffs and general American mess, the little things can pull us through. These are simple victories we all need to note today and recall to memory tomorrow, next week or maybe next year to give ourselves some perspective that the sky isn't actually falling. There's just so much more to live for other than the daily market numbers, oil prices, or the current tax rate. Some perfect examples may be your hometown NFL team pulling off a suprising Monday Night Football upset, or you found a penny on the sidewalk, or maybe you are even caught in a freak lightning hail storm at 11,000 ft, somehow make it back to town alive and the local bar opens it's doors to accomodate your need for a pick me up.

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That last part was exactly what happened to me on a recent trip to Steamboat Springs with my wife and parents. We suffered down the mountain, to the nearest town and made our way into the only bar we could find: Antlers Cafe in Yampa, CO. That all sounds pretty normal for family trips, but the thing to note here was the selection in this tiny cafe in a town of only 400 people. To be honest, the selection was minimal (only 3 brews on tap), but one of them was Samichlaus Bier...ON TAP!!

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Samichlaus Bier is a truly amazing Belgian brew that I've only seen in a few spots in KC. I've enjoyed this spicy ale a few times, but only from a bottle and only from limited venues. At 14% ABV, the situation couldn't have been more perfect. When ordering my second, I didn't even consider the day's drama, the symptoms of mild hypothermia, and the fact that someone had to drive us home.

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Serving Type: Tap

Glassware: Tulip

Color (hue and head): Deep copper. Minimal head, dissipates quickly

Clarity: Translucent cloudiness

Aroma: Spices, smokey brown sugar

Taste: Spice, brandy, raisins, burnt sugar

Grade: 93/100 (A-)

Musical pairing: Beach House - Norway

Surroundings: Wet and freezing clothers. Warm an toasty brew to warm our bellies.

Brew Eats – Guinness Cupcakes

Yes, I wore an apron. Yes, I liked it.

My wife isn’t much of a brew fan, but she loves to help me enjoy the things I love. I give her much credit in helping to prod Yum, Beer! and I down the path we are on today. Given the amount of enjoyment I have found in this venture through brew, I wanted to find a way to include her in some of the fun. It was almost too perfect when she stumbled upon a recipe for Guinness Cupcakes. I knew the mountains of recipes she had been stockpiling would come to fruition at some point.

We can’t take all the credit. Mark Juhnke, chef and catering extraordinaire (Blue Pot Catering), posted the recipe on his blog for St. Patrick’s Day. I was worried that prep time would be forever and a day, but we were able to make them from scratch in about 20 minutes, and no more than 5 minutes for the icing. Obviously, it took some time to bake, but that granted the opportunity to finish the leftover Guinness and set the palate for some cupcake tasting.

I’m a bit of a batter freak, grabbing whatever kitchen instrument I can to get a taste of the deliciousness in the mixing bowl. The Guinness batter was amazing, not losing any flavor of the historic stout throughout. It was hard to stop and put the scrumptious sauce into the muffin pan, but, mind over matter, and a swat from my wife’s hand, the cakes went into the oven unscathed. The house (all 800 sq ft) was quickly filled with aromatic sweetness of malt and chocolate. 20 minutes of baking, 20 minutes to cool, a quick icing job and a dash of cocoa for looks, we were ready to try. The chocolate/coffee tones of the Guinness expressed well in the light cupcake. I was expecting something very heavy, but was pleased with a light and airy cake with just the right amount of chocolate to pay complement to the cream cheese icing. Very easy with an even tempered flavor, the recipe would complement a brew tasting session very well…something I will be considering with Yum, Beer! in the very near future.

Recipe: sugar, eggs, Guinness, a few more + some baking… see Blue Pot catering recipe blog for further instruction.

Serving Type: 1 cake

Color (hue and head): Airy chocolate cake w/ sweet ivory icing "head" and sprinkle cocoa on top. 

Aroma: Chocolate and Guinness

Taste: Chocolate with a stout brew background. Cream cheese icing a nice pairing in both color and sugary sweetness.

Grade: 90/100 (A-)

Music Pairing: Irish group, delicious title. Snow Patrol - Chocolate

Surroundings: Preparing to enjoy steaks, drinks and dessert w/ friends.

Brew Review - Rogue Chocolate Stout

A “wise” man once said, “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams”. That semi-creepy man also happened to be a great purveyor of chocolate and the possessor of both a Wonkenator and a farty bubble machine. There are no additional jokes in me saying that my first thought upon initial sip of the Rogue Chocolate Stout was seriously of poor Augustus Gloop, who met his end as he attempted to further his downward spiral into Diabetes.

I’ve always had a fond place in my heart for Rogue, but this beer kind of shocked me – possibly because I’m a relative new comer to the Stout genre. The smell was so hardcore chocolate that I literally thought it might be too “dessert-y”…mix in a bit of caramel and coffee and this was one step away from a brownie. The taste was a good balance of roasted malts, morning coffee, and chocolate aftertaste. As is important with stouts, the tongue coating was great and long lasting meaning I enjoyed the aftertaste for awhile between gulps. Rogue = awesomeness.

Is it weird that both Willy Wonka and Johnny Cash were the first two things that popped into my head when drinking the Chocolate Stout? Is it coincidence that Rogue, W Squared, and JC are all icons in their own right? I think not, I’ll thank you for asking. My first thoughts were of the darker material that peppered Cash’s later works, during which he was in bad health and mourning the death of June Carter Cash. “Ain’t no Grave” from American VI was the final material that he recorded with Rick Rubin (coolest white dude...ever) before his death. Much like the beer itself, Cash’s voice, tone, and sound all point to something infinitely dark and oppressive, yet the lyrics themselves are light and spiritual. This beer, based on color, smell, and consistency represents something dark...a true stout - Yet, the aftertaste points to something much less ominous and much more pure. The end result of many of Johnny Cash’s masterpieces.

Prost!

Serving Type: Bottle
Glassware: Boulevard Smokestack Series Goblet
Color (hue and head): Black as night with a tan 1 inch head
Clarity: Ink
Aroma: hardcore chocolate with caramel tones, thick, all in the nose (even my nose)
Taste: roasted malts, coffee with a thick chocolately aftertaste…good tongue coating
Grade: 91 (A-)
Musical pairing: All that needs to be said: Johnny Cash – “Ain’t no Grave”
Surroundings: Your ma’s house

Brew Review - Avery Maharaja

Every now and then you “stumble” across a beer that surprises and completely changes the beer-drinking game for you when you least expect it. A relatively low key, random Thursday wasn’t really the backdrop I had in mind for putting a new brewery on my map, but in the same breath the twenty fourth of May, 1976 in Paris began much the same way (the “Judgement of Paris”, FYI – go Google it).

The setting for this beer really couldn’t have been more perfect – my virgin happy hour at the new Blanc Burger + Bottles on the Plaza with nice, late February weather (which in the winter of 2010 in KC means “not shitty”), a certain uncertainty in my brain with the Avery Brewing Company having only sipped one or two of their delicious brews to date, and a new hipster hoodie, western style shirt, and pair of checkered Van’s slip-ons creating an especially dashing ensemble.

Upon the first pour, being an IPA/DIPA junkie, the brew’s color and initial foam consistency was as expected and comparable to a few of my favorite hoppy beers. Maharaja poured a nice, golden color with a slight orange hue and a well formed ¾” white head. That’s where comparisons to “every other” IPA stopped. The smell was an overpowering one of heavy citrus fruits, floral notes, and a slight grassy, clean finish. The hops were so prevalent that I thought it might rip my tongue off (which in this case, is a delightful thing) and at 10.3% ABV it is a beer that can be sipped instead of bonged.

Most importantly, the atmosphere directly contributed to how much I enjoyed this beer. The music at Blanc wasn’t being narrated by Spider Harrison and the weekly top 40, Bryan at Blanc stopped to explain some of his favorite beers and talk about how well their new location was doing and why, and liquidsunshine and I were busy making new, slightly not sober friends.

Musically, only one genre could ever fit such an intense, energetic, and chaotic beer like this one – punk. As I kept drinking this beer all of the greats flashed by in succession – The Stooges to the Ramones and Clash to the Misfits and onto a newer generation led by Titus Andronicus. From New Jersey, their self titled track “Titus Andronicus” is on their debut full length album called “The Airing of Grievances” and is an ode to a past musical age that channeled heavy distortion, raw energy, and disregard for the well being of society. This is what flashed in my head:





Serving Type: 22 oz bottle
Glassware: tulip glass
Color (hue and head): golden with a slight orange hue
Clarity: slightly cloudy
Aroma: heavy heavy citrus notes, "clean" smell, herbal
Taste: hops galore, citrus, slightly bitter after taste
Grade: 93 (A-)
Musical pairing: Intense, unbridled energy..."Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus"
Surroundings: Blanc on a Thursday during Happy Hour

Brew Review - Boulevard Dark Truth Stout

My parents taught me complaining will get you nowhere. Deal with it and move forward. Yesterday, I found that complaining can get you everywhere if expressed properly. Boulevard was releasing their latest Smokestack offering so I stopped by the local liquor store to grab two bottles. Arriving, I saw the delivery driver loading Smokestack cases back onto the truck. Weird. I went inside and saw no new Boulevard brews, cases or displays in the usual section. Disappointed, I grabbed a bottle of Unearthly IPA I’ve been meaning to try for some time. 


I have made a steady stream of purchases lately and the manager was well aware of it. He and the delivery driver were at the register. I asked about not getting the Dark Truth in today. He said it wasn’t on the order invoice and was delivered by accident. Annoyed, I hit him with, “Oh, I thought you guys were usually first in line with the new ones.” Turning to the delivery driver, I asked, “Who DID order it today so I can go there?” The manager quickly interrupted, called his boss, and asked the delivery driver to grab the "accidental" cases. The driver handed me two bottles with a smirk on his face. I’m not patting myself on the back or anything, but I am definitely going to consider complaining more often. If you happen to shop at the same location, you're welcome. Cheers!

Serving Type: Bottle (750 ml)

Glassware: Pinot Noir Glass

Color (hue and head): Deep and dark with dirty, frothy head. Slowly settles to consistent, thin tan lace across the top.

Clarity: abyssal

Aroma: sweet and smoky

Taste: Bakers chocolate, cinnamon spices, rich malt. Hints rye and roasted coffee. Warm and lingering finish.

Grade: 91/100 (A-)

Musical pairing: Dark, sensual and loving, yet brooding, deliberate and powerful - Portishead – Glory Box

Surroundings: Couching it, working, wife out of town, Band of Brothers on the tube.