Mead

Posted on January 6, 2015 by melsmosaic

I keep trying new things…that’s what the new year is about, right? So, I when I was at a new bar, there was the choice of Mead on the menu. Not something you see often, so I asked the bartender about it. He gave me a quick description. I wasn’t overly sold. Then, he said ‘oh, you have to try it, mostly because I am so trying to get rid of this bottle.’ Should that have been my first clue that I was not going to like this stuff? (yes, could be personal). So, he gave me a decent pour of Sap House Meadery’s Sugar Maple. I had the initial sip, then a couple more. An ice wine is what I could most closely compare it to. But I could not put a finger on the taste. After beyond, beyond deep thought (trust me), the only thing I could think of on this is that it tasted like the super dried seal of an envelope (don’t we eat/taste these everyday?). So, I was glad I got to sample this and check it off my list. I moved onto to something else.

If you have thoughts on Mead, please let me know. Would love to hear them.

Cicerone

Posted on December 27, 2014 by melsmosaic

While continuing my great getaway in Colorado and enjoying some brews at Fort Collins Brewery yesterday, it came to me — if the wine industry has sommeliers, does the beer industry have the same? So, of course I can’t stay quiet when I have such a question. I asked our bartender what he knew about the topic, and he provided the info. You definitely learn something new everyday.

Those who taste and critique the brews aim for/earn the title of Cicerone. Other than the basic name, let me help you find out a bit more about it. All info below is taken directly/verbatim/copied & pasted from the Cicerone Certification Program website.

Logo source: cicerone.org

What is a Cicerone?

The word Cicerone (pronounced sis-uh-rohn) has been chosen to designate those with proven expertise in selecting, acquiring and serving today’s wide range of beers.

What is the origin of the word Cicerone?

Cicerone is an English word referring to “one who conducts visitors and sightseers to museums and explains matters of archaeological, antiquarian, historic or artistic interest.” A Certified or Master Cicerone^® possesses the knowledge and skills to guide those interested in beer culture, including its historic and artistic aspects. These titles now designate a person with demonstrated expertise in beer who can guide consumers to enjoyable and high-quality experiences with great beer.

In the wine world, the word “sommelier” designates those with proven expertise in selecting, acquiring and serving fine wine. At one time, some beer servers adopted the title “beer sommelier” to tie into the credibility of the wine world. But in the years since its founding, the Cicerone Certification Program has become the industry standard for identifying those with significant knowledge and professional skills in beer sales and service.

Avery Brewing

Posted on December 22, 2014 by melsmosaic

So, Colorado for the holidays, can’t go wrong. Side note: I’m not doing my blogs in order of what I consume (it is not influenced by what I’m consuming), but more because of the bliss of the food and drink. The first place I checked out when I arrived the other day was the Avery Brewing in Boulder, CO.

Nice small place, makes you feel very welcome. And I love what some of the info on the site says (reading it now) — “We are dedicated to making beer from the inside out: we brew what we like to drink–with utter disregard for what the market demands– and search out fans with equally eccentric palates.”

Did a read-through of the menu and was of course overwhelmed. So many choices! My friend highly suggested the Winter’s Day IPA. I’m sometimes worried that the winter brews are a bit darker than I truly enjoy. He told me it’s not too dark, more of a copper color. And, based on the description it has a unique spice, beer-wise, in it — “Created with Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident, this IPA is spiced with rosemary.” The ABV is 6.5%. WOW! Great brew. You can get a slight bit of the herb on the nose and then just enough when you drink it. Great, great beer. My other friend had the White Rascal Belgian-Style Wheat Ale. After the sip I had, very nice traditional white Belgian beer. Of course my two friends can come here any time because they live a few miles away. If you’re in Boulder, check this place out.

Horse & Dragon Brewery

Posted on December 22, 2014 by melsmosaic

I’m in Ft. Collins for Christmas and of course have to check out some of the local ‘fare’ — that mostly means good microbrews. So today that meant a new brewery by the name of Horse and Dragon Brewing Company.

Wasn’t sure what to get so opted for a sampler. Ok, sampler? Six brews of 4oz each for $8 — that is quite the nice pour of some high octane beer.

The half dozen tastes included:

Fort Kolnz Keller Kolsch-Style Ale — “A grainy sweet aroma holds well with a slight citrus note derived from the moderate hopping. Dry and clean on the palate, bitterness is present but not overpowering. Extended cellaring is evident in the clean crisp finish and despite a very pale straw color and light body our ale has great depth and complexity. Ein Prosit Der Gemütlichkeit! ABV: 5.2%”

Sage Adweisse Berliner Weisse — “A light, effervescent, slight tart wheat ale that tastes so refreshing that it mush be good for us. Dominant ingredients are evident from the first sniff; wheaty goodness mixed with traditional German yeast scents and a hint of tartness. One glass will make you wonder why anyone ever put a lime in a beer, though this beer is sometimes served with dashes of flavored syrup. Our lowest ABV brew, this is an ale you can enjoy all day. Sage Adweisse was name for our (well, really, Linsey & Titus’s) brewdog. ABV: 3.6%”

Whistle Blast Honey Brown — “A welcoming ale displaying warm mahogany earth tones accentuated by a thin veil of creamy foam head, our Honey Brown Ale is as inviting as the historic English pubs where the style originated. Slight roast malt character leads the nose to a warm sensuous balance of mild hop bitterness and sweet honey malt after notes. A clean, somewhat drying finish allows the sweetness of malt to shine through and remain as a memento for each sip. Quaffable in design, this ale will toast well in any social situation and keep you coming back for more. Cheers! ABV: 6.3%”

Picnic Rock Pale Ale — “Picnic Rock Ale aligns itself with recreation in Colorado and our noticeable desire for great craft beer. Fresh hops aromas likened to lemon, pineapple, and honeydew melon stand out in front of this golden colored ale holding a white laced head. The aroma taking center stage is then carried into the noticeable hop bitterness. Malt body is medium-light and complements the bitterness, allowing for a smooth finish with a light floral hop linger. Let’s go for a picnic! ABV: 5.4%”

L3 IPA — “The L3 IPA pours an inviting copper color topped by a strong, slightly off-white foam. Your first sniff reveals the complex balance between the citrusy, spicy pear hop aroma backed by slight caramel malt notes. Tasting the beer takes you further into a flavorful American hop experience with plenty of hop bitterness balanced perfectly with the sweet malt backbone. This flavorful combination lingers on the palate yet finishes clean and prepares you for another sip. A very drinkable IPA, L3 is hop forward yet balanced. ABV: 7.6%”

The Dark Crystal Cascadian Dark Ale — “A relatively recent style that has gained traction in the Pacific Northwest is the American Style India Black Ale, or “Cascadian Dark Ale”. Deliciously hoppy, also hugely roasty-toasty malty. Get on in here and give it a try! ABV: 6.5%” (forgot to snap a picture — it is definitely dark!)

They were all quite unique — have to love microbrews. My favorite two were the Picnic Rock and L3. We decided to leave with a growler of the latter to enjoy some of before dinner and to have on hand the balance of the week.

Bootlegging

Posted on October 28, 2014 by melsmosaic

Was at the Navy Football game the other day, with of course some great tailgating, and was introduced to a distillery put together by some former Midshipmen. Go Navy! It’s Prohibition Distillery, based out of New York. We had the chance to enjoy some of their Vodka and Gin (not mixed together), both named Bootlegger 21. The vodka was used to make some amazing Bloody Marys, which were strategically blended and poured back into a Vodka bottle.

For the Gin, I heard that it makes a very nice G&T but I enjoyed a sample of a lime, lemon, mint and some other (non-alcoholic) stuff. Unique and quite good. I would not want more than one of them, though.

I would recommend giving this stuff a try. Hopefully you can find it in your area if you’re so inclined to do so.

Oh My Clydesdale!

Posted on October 5, 2014 by melsmosaic

As I’m traveling across the country, there was a stop in St. Louis. That meant a visit to the Anheuser-Busch brewery was due.

But, the only thing I truly wanted to see was the horses. I have done much work for A-B and I told them I never needed money (I say that as though I was the one truly getting the pay, I know my employer wouldn’t be thrilled with this thought), all I wanted was to do was come see the Clydesdales and play with the Dalmatians and Labs. What more could one ask???

So, we arrived at the brewery and did indeed enjoy a cold brew first. I’m not a huge fan of macrobrews (and will say I’m disappointed in how InBev/A-B, and some other names are trying to take over the beer industry), so I did not have a Budweiser. I opted for Shock Top, the good ol’ original one. They had the seasonal (pumpkin) one on tap (which I’ve had in the past and it’s pretty good), as well as the apple brew. They also had the good non-Bud brews available, including Bass, Hoegaarden, Leffe, Kirin, Stella, Beck’s, Goose Island, which they now own.

We were able to get a horse-tour only pass to go check out the great Bud icons.

Off we went to get a history of the horses and what they do. There was one outside and the rest were in there rough digs inside. They have quite the life.

We were also told about the farm where many more of the horses live, Warm Springs Ranch, and stopped by it the next day. Acres and acres of land where several hundreds of these majestic guys live. It was closed when were arrived (and tough to get a tour, anyway) but I was able to snap a couple pics.

So, I got most of what I wanted to see. Now I just want to see the dogs, both the Dalmatians and Labs, and my A-B goal will be complete!

Beer Class — Autumn Equinox: Fall’s Beer Harvest

Posted on October 2, 2014 by melsmosaic

I get the great emails from Total Wine and when reading one recently they another drink in it — BEER! They were offering some great beer classes and one caught my attention — Autumn Equinox: Fall’s Beer Harvest. How can you go wrong? I think of this time of year with all the great pumpkin brews (apparently they started coming out super early because somebody with the first name Sam located in New England decided to hit the shelves much earlier than normal).

We had many great sips that night. We started with Marzen from Germany (on the right) — October(fest) beer, then worked our way to pumpkin brews. My favorite German beer was the 2nd one (from the right). I can’t remember the name but the picture gives the label.

My next favorite was the Lost Rhino Brewing Company’s RhinO’fest Marzen. It’s an Amber Lager. Great flavors.

When we moved on to the one with the frog on it and the Shipyard, they truly tasted like liquid pumpkin pie. Overly sweet. Crazy!

It was a very fun night a fun, trying sips of so many different beers.

It’s Punkin Time!

Posted on August 30, 2014 by melsmosaic

Oh, yes, it’s (almost) fall, football is here, which means another round of seasonal brew is due. That means Dog Fish Head has Punkin Ale!

Great stuff (along with many other pumpkin brews). Went to the tapping of it last week at the Dog Fish Head restaurant in Falls Church.

It was so fresh on tap that they hadn’t even posted it on the (chalk) board.

Ordered one and started to enjoy. I finally got around to looking up this morning why they call it Punkin. It’s based around the local Punkin Chunkin on Discovery Channel. Hilarious show! Well, the beer was perfect, its normal pumpkin and spice taste, as one would expect. And, the bartender wasn’t totally sure the ABV, but I had look it up, and it’s on that previous link, 7%. Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Cheers!

Two New (Tasted) Brews

Posted on August 30, 2014 by melsmosaic

Checked out Mussel Bar in Bethesda the other day (hadn’t been since literally the day they opened) for some good beer on tap. They have quite the selection! Almost too many good ones to pick from.

Opted to first try the Oskar Blues G’Knight Imperial Red

Per the menu: “Our “Velvet M-80” is a hefty, dry hopped double-red ale with a nose full of aroma, a sticky mouthfeel, a malty middle and unctuous hop flavors. G’Knight sports a surprisingly sensuous finish for a beer of its size (8.7% ABV, 60 IBUs)…”

Very nice and smooth, not too hoppy. Great for a summer night outside. Did not taste like 8.7%…

After awhile decided to sip on another and went for Dogfish Head’s Sixty-One.

From the menu: “The name Sixty-One is a reminder that this beer is Dogfish Head’s best-selling 60 Minute IPA plus one new ingredient: syrah grape must from California. The label, painted by Sam, is a twist on a typical watercolor…”(6.5% ABV, 60 IBU)

Could definitely taste the grape in there. A bit sweet, but not overbearing. However, definitely couldn’t drink more than one of these.

Great to try these new (to me) brews. And it was a perfect night out so got to enjoy them outside. Has anybody had them or had others they can share feedback on?

From Om to Omission

Posted on June 24, 2014 by melsmosaic

I’ve had some great beers the past couple weeks. After the Om feeling, I happened to try some Omission Beer while at the weekly golf league at Red Gate. My friend is gluten intolerant and while we normally enjoy sipping some great wine together, that doesn’t happen on the golf course, during or directly after. So, I tried some of her Omission Pale Ale and had she not handed it to me, I would never had known it was gluten free. It was a bit darker tasting than I expected for a Pale Ale, but still darn good! I found out later (by reading the back label and checking out the site) it’s produced by/at Widmer in OR and Redhook in NH. I enjoyed one after the round because come to find out she and I tied (as a team) for first place that night in the league. Cheers to that!