Beer Diary #21 - Jim | The New Glarus Project, Part 3

Date: Saturday, 16 October 2010
Location: The Homestead
Meridian Park, Indianapolis

Next beer out of the New Glarus box: Totally Naked.

I'm guessing that some of you may sometimes suffer from palate fatigue when you drink beer. Perhaps you've had more than a couple of hop bombs and you just can't tolerate the bitterness any longer. Maybe a 12% ABV imperial stout has been hitting your tongue with such richness that the flavor crosses the line from lovely to almost cloying. Or maybe you've had so much of a sour ale that your mouth is about to form into a permanent pucker.

Or . . . maybe I'm just a beer wuss and palate fatigue happens only to me.

Regardless, on more than a few occasions, I'm not looking for the biggest, baddest thing in the beer world. Just something mellow and eminently drinkable. New Glarus's Totally Naked falls into that category. This beer is a pale lager that New Glarus rolls out seasonally (I'm assuming that it's a summer beer), and the warm October weather seemed like a good excuse for me to crack one open. Totally Naked is quite effervescent. I would go as far as to say that the beer is almost champagne-like due to its fizziness, which imparts a super-crisp mouthfeel to the beer. In nose and taste, Totally Naked has notes of grass, bread, grapes, and apples, all backed up with a slightly sweet maltiness. Given its flavor profile, Totally Naked is a beer that welcomes a multiple pint episode. Indeed, at 4.2% ABV, it's definitely sessionable. Totally Naked may not be a world-beater, but sometimes a world-beater isn't needed to satisfy one's thirst.

Previously: The New Glarus Project, Part 1; The New Glarus Project, Part 2

Beer Diary #20 - Jim | The New Glarus Project, Part 2

Date: Saturday, 9 October 2010
Location: The Homestead,
Meridian Park, Indianapolis

Next beer out of the New Glarus box: Dancing Man Wheat.

This is New Glarus's hefeweizen. Hefeweizen is a style that I favor quite a bit; more often than not, I keep at least one bottle of Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier in the house. So, I was eager to try Dancing Man and write about it.

The first thing I noticed about this beer was that it was just a touch darker in color than other hefeweizens. The second thing I noticed was the ABV, which is 7.2%. This ABV is on the high end for the style; the hefeweizens I've tried fall within the 4.5 to 5.5% range. Therefore, I wondered whether I would be drinking my first boozy hefeweizen.

My first sip did not reveal Dancing Man to be boozy. In fact, it was quite crisp and citrusy, with a lemony character prevailing over the banana and spice notes that typically predominate in a hefeweizen. But after about five to six sips, the banana esters began to take over in the nose and flavor. The sweetness of the grain also asserted itself. Indeed, Dancing Man was definitely sweeter than any other hefeweizen I've had. And my weird sense of smell may have come into play here, but I detected a faint (and actually pleasant) odor of smoke in the nose that melded well with the spicy character of the beer.

Dancing Man receives high marks on RateBeer and BeerAdvocate, and I can certainly see why. In my experience, this beer is truly unique to the hefeweizen style. If you're a lover of weissbiers, you'll definitely want to give it a try.

Previously: The New Glarus Project, Part 1.

Beer Diary #19 - Jim | The New Glarus Project, Part 1

Date: Friday, 1 October 2010
Location: The Homestead

You see the box that Jason has in his hands? It made its way to my house in late August, and for that I am very grateful. Since August, some of the box's contents have resided in what is affectionately known in my house as "The Beer Closet." The rest are in my refrigerator.

On Friday night, I finally began to my quest to consume what was once in that box. Yes, it's been over a month since I received it. How in the world could I wait this long to start drinking Wisconsin's finest beers? The truth is that I don't have a good excuse.

First out of the box: Spotted Cow. New Glarus's flagship beer. You see it all over Wisconsin. This beer is New Glarus's version of a cream ale, which is a style that I really enjoy when it's done well. I imagine that a fair number of beer geeks probably consider cream ales to be relatively dull. I beg to differ, especially when it comes to Spotted Cow. While I wouldn't say that Spotted Cow produces a flavor explosion, it's complex enough to give rise to some really pleasing and diverse notes. Indeed, each sip seemed to produce a different character; bread, yeast, apple, pear, sweet corn, and banana all came through to my palate. The high carbonation and light hop bitterness produced a subdued but nice bite on the end of each sip. My message to all: Don't snub a cream ale, especially if it's a Spotted Cow (or the great version of the style that's being brewed right in your back yard).

With the cool fall temperatures finally setting in, many would have opted for a beer with more heft. But for me, Spotted Cow was a great way to end the evening. The sweet fruitiness of this beer made me wish I had another one at hand. I don't, but there are different varieties of New Glarus left to drink at my house. Next week: Part 2 of The New Glarus Project.

The Beer Geeks Take Madison: New Glarus Brewing Co.

As soon as you drive into the village of New Glarus, WI you will notice two things - they are proud of their Swiss Heritage and they are proud of their hometown brewery.

The history of the town itself is interesting. It was founded in 1845 by two gentlemen, Nicolas Duerst and Fridolin Streiff, who were sent by Swiss magistrates from Glarus, Switzerland. At that time, the town of Glarus was struggling. Poverty and agricultural turmoil was forcing residents to either endure the suffering or take a loan from the Glarus Emigration Society and take their chances on moving to America to start their lives again. With the promise of free/cheap land, many took the offer and headed to the shores of America. Their travels took them to America and through the Midwest (including Indiana) and finally up to Wisconsin where they found the suitable, though not ideal accommodations, set up by Duerst and Streiff.


Today, the Village of New Glarus boasts Swiss culture and benefits from several tourist destinations, including the New Glarus Brewing Company The original brewing facility opened in 1993, making Deborah Carey the first female in the country to own and operate a brewery. She and her husband, Dan, grew the facility until they broke ground on a new hilltop facility in 2004. The $20-some million dollar facility finally opened in June of 2009 and offers a brewing capacity of 90,000 barrels. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about those 90,000 barrels is that it is ONLY distributed in Wisconsin. Just to put that into perspective, Indiana's second largest brewery is Upland and they are on track to do about 8000 barrels this year (with distribution to three states). In addition to all of that, nearly half of those 90,000 barrels are of their flagship beer, Spotted Cow.


If there was anywhere apart from the Great Taste we had to visit while in Wisconsin, it was New Glarus Brewing. While New Glarus isn't all that far from Indy, the beer is just as desired in our house as anything else we can't easily get our hands on. We've been lucky to know a few folks who were willing to bring some back for us here and there, but we were long overdue to see the place for ourselves.


Entering New Glarus from the north, we thought we had immediately stumbled onto the brewery - a collection of old buildings on the side of the road, and a sign labeled "New Glarus Brewing Company". It looked like a little craft brewery along the lines of those we already know. But after looking around we realized that we were at the wrong end of town.



On the south end of New Glarus, up on a hill, sits a beautiful new facility. This wasn't a craft brewery like we knew it - more so a Utopian vision of craft brewing at its best. The brewery is a collection of buildings, with a self-guided tour that revealed that the inside of New Glarus Brewing Co. looks a lot more like Budweiser than Bee Creek. That's not a bad thing, by any means - the proof is in the product, and New Glarus' lineup is hard to beat.


We all settled in for a round of samples, checked out the extensive giftshop, took the brewery tour, and then made our way downstairs to buy a trunk full of beer for ourselves and those who had been so generous with their New Glarus hauls before.

If you find yourself in Madison - don't miss New Glarus.


http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/
http://www.swisstown.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Glarus,_Wisconsin

KOTBR #88: The Charlie Davies Roundtable

As you may have noticed, several of the Knights of the Beer Roundtable at Hoosier Beer Geek are soccer fans. And even though the United States Men's National Team had their ticket to World Cup 2010 punched on October 10th with their defeat of Honduras, the US v. Costa Rica match last Wednesday seemed as good a reason as any to get together, open some beers, and watch the match, even though the results didn't impact the US much.

But then the day before the match, forward Charlie Davies was involved in a horrific car accident, making the match an emotional one for team members and fans. So in Charlie's honor, we dedicate Roundtable #88 to him and offer 9 word reviews in honor of USMNT's #9. Get well soon, Charlie.


Three Floyd's Black Sun
Jim - 3.565 mugs: Sweet floral nose. Dry metallic finish. A deceptive beer.
Mike - 3.75 mugs: Hoppy front. Light on tongue. Lingers bitter. Balance everywhere.
Rod - 3.6 mugs: Dry cocoa stout but why do I get strawberries?
Gina - 3.8 mugs: Malty, dark fruit, dry, hoppy, weird stout, usual 3Floyds.
Jason - 3.89 mugs: This complex hoppy stout has a touch of Unibroue.
KOTBR Score: 3.72 mugs


New Glarus Raspberry Tart
Jim - 5.0 mugs: Raspberry jello nose. Tart, luscious berry flavor. Simply perfect.
Mike - 5.0 mugs: Here's proof - sometimes a beer can't be any better.
Rod - 4.5 mugs: Fresh raspberry jam, lemon tartness, my favorite New Glarus.
Gina - 5.0 mugs: OMG, this makes me so happy. Love, love, love.
Jason - 3.69 mugs: Is this very berry really beer? Sweet enjoyable tartness.
KOTBR Score: 4.63 mugs


Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale
Jim - 3.5 mugs: Smells like nail polish. Oaky sour flavor. Fairly decent.
Mike - 3.62 mugs: Sour middle, sour finish, but overall a little watery.
Rod - 3.7 mugs: Cranberry, cherry, apples, pears, and a lot of water.
Gina - 3.95 mugs: Sweet fruit nose, lightly tart taste. Grape, oak, raisins.
Jason - 3.29 mugs: Less of old, more of new, favorite sour yet.
KOTBR Score: 3.61 mugs


Fantome Pissenlit
Jim - 2.75 mugs: Dandelion saison. Rubbery smell and taste. Not my thing.
Mike - 3.45 mugs: I liked the dance this did on my tongue.
Rod - 3.7 mugs: Funky starchy sweet nose, tastes like dandelions and saison.
Gina - 3.3 mugs: Poo nose at first. Flavors are sweet, sour, natural.
Jason - 2.39 mugs: Like Burt Reynolds, smells like dandelions in sour piss.
KOTBR Score: 3.11 mugs

KOTBR #73: Bourbon Barrel Aged Beers

In hopes of scoring big before the Kentucky Derby, amateur VooDoo priest (and Knight of the Beer Roundtable) Jason tried to read chicken bones in hopes of discovering which horse would win the race. The chicken bones, however, were leftover from a KFC bucket. So he unintentionally called upon the spirits of Kentucky Colonels (both living and dead) and the spirits inhabited the bodies of those around him. Coincidentally, those around him were drinking Bourbon Barrel Aged Beers.

Thus the reason why the reviews below were written not by the Knights themselves, but instead by those who have been honored as Kentucky Colonels. And let this be a lesson to the rest of you: VooDoo, Bourbon Barrel Aged Beers, Fried Chicken, and gambling addictions can be a dangerous combination. Do not try this at home.


Rodney was the first one to channel a KY Colonel spirit. Actually, he channeled a rerun of a TV broadcast hosted by a KY Colonel (probably because, much like the host, women frequently come running up to Rod, kiss him, and then reach into his pocket hoping for money). On the show, they were reviewing Barley Island's Beastie Barrel Stout and Porter...

Bob Barker: Welcome back! We have Henry and Amanda here ready to bid on our two fabulous showcases. Henry, you were able to land on exactly one dollar in our Showcase Showdown, so you'll be the first contestant to bid on the showcase. Or you can always pass the first showcase to Amanda, for Amanda to bid on and take whatever is in our second showcase. The choice is yours. Henry, imagine yourself in front of a nice fireplace in a cabin, sipping on BARLEY ISLAND'S BEASTIE BARREL STOUT! (applause) This barrel-aged stout will have characteristic aromas of chocolate, vanilla, oak, maple and of course bourbon. A bit of sweet milk will bring to mind a milk stout. The bourbon notes shy away more than you would expect and bring forward flavors vanilla bean, honey and chocolate milk. A nice, sessionable stout, especially if you're not wild about bourbon. So what will it be, Henry?

Henry: I think I'll pass this one to Amanda

Amanda: It sounds good, but not mind-blowing good. I'm just so excited to be here. I'm going to give it 3.25 mugs.

BB: 3.25 mugs, you say? Alright then. Henry, you passed on the Beastie Barrel Stout, so let's see what the second showcase is. It's BARLEY ISLAND'S BEASTIE BARREL PORTER! (applause) Strong aromas of sweet bourbon accompanied by vanilla and apple notes round out a slightly fruity introduction. Not as milky as the Stout, flavors of creamy chocolate, caramel and the sweetness of white grape juice create a slightly different presentation of the bourbon-aged category. So Henry, how many mugs would you give the Beastie Barrel Porter?

Henry: That's the same thing!

Bob Barker: No it's not Henry, it's a Porter. This one is sort of fruity, the last one was sort of milky.

Henry: Fine, 3.3 mugs

Bob Barker: Alright so Amanda, you're going with 3.25 mugs and Henry you're going with 3.3 mugs. Too bad this is all subjective and there is no right answer. You both win! (applause) Thanks for tuning in folks, and remember to spay and neuter your pets.

BI Beastie Barrel Stout no longer in production
Gina 3.0 Mugs Chris 3.1 Mugs Rod 3.25 Mugs Jess 2.7 Mugs Jason 3.2 Mugs Mike 3.3 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.09 Mugs

BI Beastie Barrel Porter 11.00/4 pack at Kahn's
Gina 3.19 Mugs Chris 3.7 Mugs Rod 3.3 Mugs Jess 3.55 Mugs Jason 4.0 Mugs Mike 3.42 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.52 Mugs

As a young girl growing up in Oklahoma, Gina spent most of her days as a yodeling cowgirl, herding kittens on her father's ranch. Unfortunately, the ranch went belly up and they had to relocate to Illinois. But this would explain why Will Rogers' spirit selected Gina as his conduit as he reviewed Bluegrass Brewing Company's Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

You know, I never yet met a bourbon barrel stout that I didn't like. I've enjoyed this beer in the past, so I thought this one would be a no-brainer. And, although it was decent, it just didn't stand up to the other bourbon beers of the evening. It seemed to take on more of a roasted, burnt character and the bourbon notes disappeared quickly, something I don't remember happening with this beer in previous tries.Well, I guess they can't all be heroes, because somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by. 3.0 Mugs

BBC Jefferson Reserve (bottle) 11.99/4 pack at Kahn's
Gina 3.0 Mugs Chris 3.2 Mugs Rod 3.2 Mugs Jess 4.1 Mugs Jason 3.5 Mugs Mike 3.2 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.37 Mugs


Next, Jason brings in the spirit of racing great Mario Andretti. And what beer does Mario talk about? The Imperial Stout Bourbon Barrel from America's Brewing Company at Walter Payton Roundhouse. Yeah, say that 10 times fast.

Not many people realize the connection between "Sweetness" and auto racing. But Walter used to be a co-owner of an Indy Car racing team.

Seriously, that's the closest connection that the so-called "VooDoo Priest" could come up with between Water Payton and Kentucky Colonels. How lame is that?

Anyway...about the beer. It's nice.

You want more? FINE. There is a promising bourbon nose. The mouthfeel is really light. It makes me think of butter for some reason. Not butterscotch, but butter. And there is plenty of bourbon flavor present as well.

You want more still? Too bad. That's all I've got. I'm slowing down...

ABC/WP Roundhouse Imp Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged around $24/4 pack
Gina 3.4 Mugs Chris 3.336 Mugs Rod 3.7 Mugs Jess 3.8 Mugs Jason 3.6 Mugs Mike 3.58 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.57 Mugs


Mike, loving all things St. Louis, ofter talks about "St. Louis Blues great" Wayne Gretzky, even though he only played a half a season there. Anyway, Mike pulls in the audio feed from a press conference that Gretzky was holding. What was he talking about at the press conference? Why, New Glarus Bourbon Barrel Bock, of course!

(Wayne steps to the podium) Hello everyone, and thanks for being here. It's great to be here today to accept this award - you know, I've never been to Kentucky before. Not once. But today, I consider myself the luckiest Hoosier in all the state. What's that? Oh, that's Indiana. Sorry... I've had a few. No, that's not my normal behaviour... have you had this? It's a... what is this? It's a New Glarus Bourbon Barrel Bock - Hey! Bourbon! That's from here, right? You should make bourbon a colonel... This is some beer. It's a beer, right? Taste like an orange... You know, Janet and I had a wine called a barleywine once at a friend's house. This is kinda like that. Nice and sweet, oaky, a little vanilla, a little warming, you know? I grew up in Canada, we can use a beer like this. Anyway... where was I? Oh yeah.. Today, I consider myself the luckiest.. well what are you here, anyway? I consider myself lucky. Thank you. 4.7 Mugs

New Glarus Bourbon Barrel Bock around $10/4 pack
Gina 4.18 Mugs Chris 4.3 Mugs Rod 4.0 Mugs Jess 4.6 Mugs Jason 4.2 Mugs Mike 4.7 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 4.33 Mugs


Not many people know this, but Chris is the drummer of the HBG house band. His musical talent must have been the reason why Stephen Foster used him to debut his new song Oh! Bourbon Barrel (which is like Oh! Susanna, but not), an ode to Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout

I come from Illinois, with a hint of cherry in me
I'm coming to Indiana, my true love for to see
They mashed me with grains and cooked for an hour
then left me in a barrel
Loads of choc'lat, slight alcohol burns
but don't you get in a quarrel.
Oh, Bourbon Barrel, don't you cry for me,
I come from Illinois,with a hint of cherry in me.

GI Bourbon Co. Stout 18.99/4 pack at Kahn's
Gina 4.5 Mugs Chris 5.0 Mugs Rod 4.7 Mugs Jess 4.8 Mugs Jason 4.71 Mugs Mike 3.8 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 4.59 Mugs


Jess is known as the wife of Rod, who for some reason is the "sexy one" at Hoosier Beer Geek. While all the women (and some of the men) swoon for him, Jess secretly longs for someone else. Someone who is not only a lover but a fighter. Which is why she was thrilled to have Muhammad Ali come into her. Wait, that's not how I meant it...

Anyway, here is the greatest with his thoughts on Brooklyn Brewery's Black Ops

Brooklyn Brewery claims that this beer never existed by the label, much like my fighting style - Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see. This dark and stormy brew is a killa... and a chilla... and a thrilla...and reminds me of a gorilla from Manila. The nose floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee with hints of dried tobacco, vanilla and big ol' Kentucky bourbon. Much like my hometown of Louisville the taste is dry like fine champagne and tastes like the big ugly bear that is chocolate. Much like my inspiring 1975 Thrilla in Manila fight, this beer is like death. Closest thing to dyin' that I know of and so I give it 4.75 mugs.

Brooklyn Black Ops around $13
Gina 4.75 Mugs Chris 4.5 Mugs Rod 4.3 Mugs Jess 4.75 Mugs Jason 3.6 Mugs Mike 3.8 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 4.28 Mugs


Leave it to Jason to screw things up. Not only did he start this whole VooDoo mess, he then destroyed the theme by channeling former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill to review an English beer aged on English whiskey barrels. What the hell, man? Well, he's here, so let's have it. Here is Churchill's view on Harviestoun’s Ola Dubh Special Reserve.

Not many people know that my mother was born in America . So I’ve always felt a strong connection to the United States . That’s why I’m proud to have been named the first honorary citizen of your country.

I’m even more proud of being named a Kentucky Colonel. The Commonwealth has made its name in horse racing, tobacco, and whisky. What’s not to love about this place? And the Kentucky Fried Chicken…all I can say is that is some chicken!

I was asked to speak about Bourbon Aged Beers and to be non-partisan when comparing them to Harviestoun’s Ola Dubh Special Reserve beers. And if I can’t, I should retire gracefully soon after.

Well Hoosier Beer Geek, I fight for my corner. And I leave when the pub closes.

I have not journeyed across the century, across the ocean, across the mountain, across the prairie, because I am some sort of candy ass who will do whatever you say! I will never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never.

So let me tell you: Harviestoun is a great brewery. And Highland Park is a great distillery. And putting that Ola Dubh/Black Oil into Highland Parks single malt scotch casks is a great achievement. Never in the field of alcoholic consumption was so much owed by so many to so few.

And they don’t just stop at one, but are offering three different version. The Ola Dubh Special 12 Reserve (11 ounce, $8.99 at Kahn’s) provides a black-to-dark brown ale with a tan head. It has a thin, creamy mouthfeel, which you wouldn’t expect looking at it. But this beverage has tastes of roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee with a nose to match. The Ola Dubh Special 16 Reserve (11 ounce, $9.99 at Kahn’s) is an improvement on the 12 by having a stronger alcohol bite. The earthiness of the single malt scotch really comes out in this version. And the Ola Dubh Special 30 Reserve (11 ounce, 15.99 at Kahn’s) is a smooth, mellow treat, as you would expect from a beer aged in 30 year old single malt casks.

I should be failing in my duty if I were not to convey the true impression, that a great nation is getting into its beer stride. We may say aloud before an awe-struck world, “We are still masters of whisky. We still are captain of beers.” Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if Harviestoun last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest beer.”

Harviestoun 12 8.99/bottle at Kahn's
Gina 3.4 Mugs Chris 3.3 Mugs Rod 3.7 Mugs Jess 3.2 Mugs Jason 3.65 Mugs Mike 3.41 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.44 Mugs

Harviestoun 16 9.99/bottle at Kahn's
Gina 3.1 Mugs Chris 3.4 Mugs Rod 4.1 Mugs Jess 3.6 Mugs Jason 4.05 Mugs Mike 3.31 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.59 Mugs

Harviestoun 30 15.99/bottle at Kahn's
Gina 3.1 Mugs Chris 3.1 Mugs Jason 3.6 Mugs Mike 3.32 Mugs
KOTBR Score - 3.28 Mugs


And that concludes this Twilight Zone-esque roundtable review. And let me tell you they are exhausting. I promise, no more chicken bone readings at roundtables.