American Craft Beer Fest - Bracket Madness Version

As promised, here are 2500 words on Beer Advocate's Festival, from frequent Guest Blogger and serial writer, Dan Cedrone.

Despite our countless night outs, brewery tours, weekend pub crawls, and obscenely expensive liquor store runs, last weekend marked only the second time that Josh and I were together for an actual beer festival. The last one was several years ago in Providence, Rhode Island and, while enjoyable, was nowhere near the level that the Boston Beer Festival in beautiful Seaport was. This one was the real deal. This was a serious beer sampling for serious beer drinkers. If Providence was the minor leagues, this was like the call up to Varsity.

And what better way to break down the big Varsity game than with an official beer tournament? So for my contribution here, I will be seeing over the "Frito Lays Presents Josh's Beer Blog's First Boston Festival Beer Tournament Brought To You by Hotels.com"

We're going to do this March Madness bracket style, simply pitting 2 beers against each other in each round until we have a Champion. I wasn't quite able to get to all the 557 beers the festival had to offer but I was able to pick out a list for a tournament of 32 (a perfect bracket size). One of those 32 was the best beer at the event. And I don't want to hear any complaining about certain beers not making the field. I don't want to hear about how I skipped over some great breweries (I've had them before and focused on mostly newer ones to me) or that I unfairly focused on any specific styles more than others (I did). The seeding was selected by a committee and there is nothing that will change that until you dedicate your time to electing a president that will take a stand against the BCS. Which you won't, because you're sitting there reading a beer blog. Anyway, here we go. (seedings were random and then done bracket style)

Round 1:

Ass Kisser Double IPA over Amherst Bloody Mary Ale - Ok, so right from the name you can gather this was an easy win for the oddly named brewer from San Jose. Amherst and I admittedly got off to a rocky start early in the day when I found out they were carefully scheduling the tapping of each of their offers. I stepped up to their stand looking to try something else but it wasn't available for another few hours. The gentleman there aggressively sold me on their Bloody Mary Ale instead, claiming they could only bring a small sample. He explained it was a pale ale made with the traditional ingredients of a bloody mary. Lets just say that beer doesn't mix well with tomato juice and celery. Moving on.

Big Boss Big Operator over Idle Hands Commemoration Saison - I was excited to try Idle Hands, one of the local offerings in Everett, MA. But while I usually love Saisons, this one was too much fruit and not enough yeast. Add in the fact that it was served way too cold and and it results in an early exit.

Bridge Works Tripel over Milwaukee Booyah - I feel like the guys from Wisconsin were less interested in making a quality saison and more into the idea of naming it after an ESPN slam dunk nick name. Booyah? BoooooooNo is more like it! Am I right? Nailed it.

Enlightenment Brut Biere De Cahmpagn over Martha's Exchange Citra IPA - The losing IPA from Nashua exhibited my biggest pet peeve regarding the style. The flavors were there. And they were good. But the product itself was too weak and watery. It's like it was a great IPA that just never put in the extra work in the weight room to fully realize its potential.

Twisted Pine Hoppy Knight India Black Ale over Twisted Pine Ghost Faced Killah - Our first matchup involving two beers from the same brewery. While the winner was deliciously hoppy, the loser was a chile beer that just didn't work. Props for the effort but the taste of spicy habeneros was way too overpowering for something I would ever actually order. I can't imagine it going well with anything. However, this otherwise fine brewer from Colorado at least has a representative in the sweet 16.

Defiant Brewing Triple over Samuel Adams Summer Ale - My disgust for Sam Adams has been well documented here. I only gave them a seeding so I could see this in print.

Uinta Brewing Dubhe Imperial Black IPA over Duck-Rabbit Barrel Aged Baltic Porter - The Baltic Porter from North Carolina was one I was particularly excited to try. It was actually quite tasty. However, when something is barrel aged, I expect to be wowed, and unfortunately I wasn't. Plus, going against an Imperial anything can be a tough matchup.

Ruckus Brewing Euphoria over Prodigal Brewing Brother Mutt's Smoked Marzenbier - This losing beer had the aroma of skunky bud lite. The taste wasn't much better and deserved a quick trip to the waste basket. I didn't even finish this one.

Haverhill Tap Leatherlips IPA over Boulevard Brewing Saison Brett - Full disclosure, I grew up in Haverhill and sneaked this one into the field. As I've mentioned here before, I can attest to the fact that The Tap is the only decent thing that wretched city has to offer. Leatherlips is easily one of my favorite IPA's. While the Saison Brett was quite good with some great yeast flavors, this beast from the Hill will be tough to take down. Almost an upset, but fell short in the 4th quarter.

Martha's Exchange Triple IPA over Lawson's Maple Tripel - A creative blend of a tripel with a double IPA against a cup filled with maple syrup that may or may not have had alcohol in it. This was an easier win than when Lebron dropped 45 on the Celtics in game 6.

Olde Burnside Stone of Density over Big Boss Monkey Bizz-ness - The winners from Connecticut are another favorite of mine but this was a slam dunk for them anyway against another brewer that was more excited about a silly name. The girl from Big Boss didn't even understand the style I was asking for until I explained to her that it was the one named after a monkey. Then she giggled, flipped her hair, asked me if i liked her shirt, and handed me a strong belgian ale that was way too watery.

NoDa Ghost Hop White IPA over Alltech's Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale - I'll never understand how the "experts" at Beer Advocate rated this losing ale from Kentucky so high. An overpoweringly sweet concoction of vanilla, coconut, and maple. A barely noticeable hint of oak despite the fact that it's supposedly aged in new barrels. Several ratings I've read suggest they detect flavors of bourbon. I'm not sure if they are forcing it or just dealing with some delusions. I'm a religious bourbon drinker. It's practically a second form of blood for me. Trust me when I say it's nowhere to be seen in Alltech's.

Olde Burnside Wild Ale over Amherst St. Valentine's Day Massatucky - A wild ale showdown! I love this particular style so it was a shame one of these had to bow out early. I thoroughly enjoyed the sampling of Amherst. However, the wild from the boys in Hartford was too deliciously tart and sour. We also learned that the tartness lends itself to a particular bacteria that infects the barrels the beer ages in. I mean, how cool is that? Point: Olde Burnside

Enlightenment Illumination Saison over Amherst Black Friday Russian Imperial Stout - We don't even need to address the victor in this matchup. With Amherst's crazy random tapping schedule, their Imperial Stout ended up being a literal no show for the first round. They didn't even dress. A shame too. I was looking forward to trying that one....

Lawson's Double Sunshine IPA over Idle Hands Triplication - I was bummed out by Idle Hands in general. Their tripel had some decent flavors, but was simply too watery in the finish. Not a bad beer, but not something I would seek out. However to be clear, there was no way in Hell that Lawson's literal explosion of hops was going home this early.

DC Brau Stone Of Arbroath over Prodigal Brewing Chocorua Kolsch - Prodigal Brewing is bad at what they do.

Sweet 16:


Lawson's Double Sunshine IPA over Enlightenment Illumination Saison -- Since the deciding factor is my own personal taste, Lawson's really came through here with an IPA beating out a favorite style of mine. Enlightenment's saison had those great yeast notes that I simply love. Had the bracket worked out differently, I could easily see this sampling from the rather obscure city of Lowell, MA continuing on. But again, the hops in Lawson's Sunshine is just too much. 
NoDa Ghost Hop White IPA over Olde Burnside Highland Wild Ale – Admittedly I sometimes get annoyed when brewers try to name new styles (I'm quite certain that there is no such thing as a White IPA) as though they want credit for inventing something. But if the flavors work, then more power to you. This was a new, interesting beer and I loved it. Kelly mentioned that the after taste had some medicinal tones to it and I agreed. However, when that flavor presents itself in balance, it's actually a mouth-feel I tend to enjoy. The Wild ale from Olde Burnside was great but ultimately something I wouldn't have more than one of. The sourness can be a tad much at times. I could easily drink several of NoDa's “White IPA”

Haverhill Tap Leatherlips IPA over Ass Kisser Double IPA - The great chewy hops are everywhere in both of these beers. However, considering one is labeled a double, while the other simply holds it's own against it? Call me biased, but Haverhill earned it's trip to Lansing. (The next round is being held in Lansing).

Twisted Pine Hoppy Knight India Black Ale over Uinita Brewing Dubhe Imperial Black IPA – The guys from Utah claimed that their imperial black had a ton of hops. I mostly got the delicious chocolate and malts. The hops were there, but didn't quite make their presence known as much as they did in Twisted Pine's Black Ale. The winner from Boulder had the nice base of chocolate but still allowed the hops to come out in the perfect amount. That factor gets them the nod.

Ruckus Brewing Euphoria over DC Brau Stone of Arbroath – The brewer from New York gets the win essentially for being more complex. Sure, that's probably a little unfair since Scottish ales are what they are. The roasted dark malts from DC were delicious and probably would have beaten a beer of similar style. But when it goes up against a well crafted tripel with a wide variety of fruit and spices, it's tough to pull off the win.

Enlightenment Brut Biere De Champagne over Bridge Works Tripel – We can get more into Enlightenment later and trust me, Bridge Works makes a great Tripel. But this was a blowout.

Martha's Exchange Triple IPA over Big Boss Big Operator – To the girl serving Big Boss at the event, Big Boss had some great hops and yes your shirt was stunning. But flirting will get you nowhere against an amazingly creative and complex beer from the granite state.

Olde Burnside Stone of Density over Defiant Brewing Tripel – My favorite aspect of the Boston festival compared to Providence was that most brewers brought some rare extreme stuff and didn't try to coast by on any flagship brews. Again, tripel is a favorite style of mine so having Defiant go down to a black and tan speaks volumes of Stone of Density. Vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts, and finally...............Bourbon! Tie all that into an awesome velvet texture and Olde Burnside moves on.

Elite 8:

Enlightenment Brute Biere De Champagne over NoDa Ghost Hop White IPA – The boys from Lowell are going to the final 4. This beer is crisp, fruity, perfectly yeasty, and just continues to steamroll through the competition.

Martha's Exchange Triple IPA over Ruckus Brewing Euphoria – Once again, Martha's Exchange pulls off the win for creativity and complexity. Taking down a great tripel is no easy feat. But when you have a yeasty tripel with some nice hops thrown in, you win. You also win when the guy pouring the samples suggests to Josh that maybe he cannot handle the high alcohol content this beer has to offer. Yes that happened and yes it was my favorite moment of the day.

Lawson's Double Sunshine IPA over Haverhill Tap Leatherlips IPA – The king is dead. But this was not a 12 round fight to the death. This was more like a powerhouse getting punched in the mouth and falling down in round 2. Lawson's brought their overwhelming hops to the table. And combined with more citrus flavors than Leatherlips has to offer, simply tasted far and away better.

Olde Burnside Stone of Density over Twisted Pine Hoppy Knight India Black Ale – I'm glad I discovered Twisted Pine from Colorado. I'll be trying to find their stuff at local bars and stores. However, Olde Burnside took similar great flavors, brewed them to perfection, and combined it into a perfectly smooth texture.

Final 4:

Lawson's Double Sunshine IPA over Martha's Exchange Triple IPA - Have I mentioned the amazing hops in this beer from Vermont? I mean stop me if I have because........oh........I have? Well then. Umm.......see you at the championship game.

Enlightenment Brute Biere De Champagne over Olde Burnside Stone of Density – The heavy black and tan from Hartford is great. But this amazingly crisp and drinkable concoction from Enlightenment is simply something you'll want drink and have several more of. I could make the argument that this Champagne beer is suitable for any of the four seasons. As suitable at a summer BBQ with ribs as it would be at a Christmas party in mid winter with shrimp cocktail. There is no way this wouldn't be a tremendous crowd pleaser.

Championship:

Enlightenment Brute Biere De Champagne over Lawson's Double Sunshine IPA – Lawson's was amazing. The chewy hops and citrus flavors made this a simply perfect beer. So how do we choose a champion of the "Frito Lays Presents Josh's Beer Blog's First Boston Festival Beer Tournament Brought To You by Hotels.com"? Let's just rely on the recorded transcript of my visit to the Enlightenment stand.

“Ok let's see........Biere De Champagne........ok.....wait, is that the one you have on display there in a fine crystal flute? It is?........................Ok.......pretentious much?...........Yeah sure I'll try it.......thanks.......(takes sip)...............(takes another loner sip)..............Oh my god.............(josh next to me yelling “yeah!!!!! this is awesome!!!!!!)...........................wow............more please...............”

Champion:

Enlightenment Brute Biere De Champagne - Spluge on some crystal flutes to serve it in. It's that good.

American Craft Beer Fest

For years, Beer Advocate's American Craft Beer Fest has resided at the top of my To Do List. This past weekend I got to check it off the list and, let me tell you, it was well worth the wait!

With 120 brewers bringing over 550 beers, this was one beer festival that you definitely needed a game plan for. My focus was not only new beers, but new brewers as well. I more than succeeded on this account by checking off 14 new brewers! (Kelly and Dan were pretty happy with their haul as well, which hopefully we will get to hear a bit about in the coming weeks...)

So here they are, my Top 10 beers for the festival and a list of all the new beers I sampled. No regrets, but the beers I was most sorry to have missed were Maine Beer MO Pale Ale, Bridge Brew Works Black Lager, and Amherst Pistachio Crème Pie. There's always next year!

1) Lawson’s Finest Liquids Double Sunshine IPA

a shot of hops, just what i wanted!

2) Allagash Peeterman, 10

nice sourness. a very good wild.

3) Enlightenment Brut- Biere De Champagne, 10

a light and lively biere de champagne. very pleasant tasting grains and yeast.

4) Martha’s Exchange Tripel IPA, 9

interestingly, the yeast takes center stage in this 10% abv imperial.

5) Gardner Ale House Face-off, 8

double ipa stocked with piney and grapefruit hops that linger on palate.

6) Boulevard Saison – Brett, 8

a complex yet drinkable farmhouse.

7) The Olde Mecklenburg OMB Copper, 8

great take on rarely seen style. clean and clear.

8) Big Boss Big Operator, 8

a belgian strong dark ale made with raspberries. the only dark beer of the day for me but it was a good one.

9) Olde Burnside Highland Wild Ale, 7

an amber colored wild scotch ale. extremely tart.

10) DC Brau On The Wings Of Armageddon, 7

impressive flavor for a single hop beer.

Amherst Cascade I.P.A., 6

Amherst St. Valentines Day Massatucky, 7

Boulevard Test Saison Noir, 6

Brooklyn Blast Pale Ale, 7

Cottrell Mystic Bridge IPA, 5

Idle Hands Pandora, 6

Lawson’s Finest Liquids Permagrin Rye Pale Ale, 5

Martha’s Exchange Citra IPA, 7

Night Shift Viva Habanera, 6

NoDa Ghost Hop White IPA, 7

Pioneer American India Pale Ale, 7

Prodigal Chocorua Kolsch, 2

The Defiant Belgian Tripel, 7

Twisted Pine Le Petit Saison, 7

Twisted Pine Ghost Face Killah, 5

White Birch Berliner Weisse, 4

Great Pumpkin Ale Festival 2011

Cambridge Brewing Company went ahead with their Great Pumpkin Ale Festival again this year, pouring rain and freezing temperatures and all. After an hour-and-a-half in line, we were definitely ready for some pumpkin beer!

CBC provided an especially inspired array of pumpkin beer options, highlighted by a mole infused, cask conditioned Irish Stout, El Mariachi (8), well-balanced tripel, Kraftwerk (9), and a 2008-vintage wild ale, The O.P.P. (8). Other solid new offerings included Friends with Benefits (6), Valley Ghoul (6), and Biere du Gourde (5). (The brewpub's pumpkin-inclusive food menu was solid as ever too -- I went for the hushpuppies, risoto with duck confit, and shared the whoopie pies and fried pumpkin pie.)

The beer I made a bee-line for upon entering though was New Belgium's Kick (10), a wonderfully drinkable sour. The last beer of the night, Allagash Ghoulschip (9), another sour, was almost equally impressive. The distinction as most unique beer of the night, however, goes to the dark and citrusy, Stone La Citrueille Celeste de Citricado (9).

There were traditional pumpkin's (Nogne Pumpkin (8), Iron Hill Ichabod Imperial Pumpkin Ale (7), Martha's Exchange Pumpkinweizen (6), and Sixpoint Autumnation (6)), pumpkin's with a twist (Stewart's Mischief Night (6), Elysian Hansel & Gretel (6), and Elysian Kurbitinus Pumpkin Dunkelhefeweizenbock (4)), and the pumpkin's that just didn't work (Elysian Coche de Medianoche (3) and Silver City Punk Rauchen (3)). We didn't even get to them all; next year I will be returning for Avery Rumpkin, The Bruery Autumn Maple, Watch City Pie-Eyed Pumpkin Ale, Wormtown Pumpkin Ale, and Zero Gravity's Cornucopia. Consider it yourself.

Beervana is coming!

When: Friday October 07, 6:30-10:00PM.

Where: Rhodes On The Pawtuxet. 60 Rhodes Place Cranston, RI

Cost: Tickets $45 in advance or $50 at the door. Only 1,000 tickets sold.

Included: Ticket includes 1 tasting glass, 2 oz pours of 150+ World Class Beers, educational seminars (by Carol Stoudt from Stoudt's Brewing Company and David Yarrington Executive Brewer at Smuttynose Brewing Company), fest guide, and bottle of water.

Last years Beervana was the best Beer Festival I have ever been to. Highlights included the Berkshire Lost Sailor IPA Aged in Cab Barrel, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 2007 Vintage, Dubuisson Peche Mel, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Portsmouth Bottle Rocket IPA, and Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary - Fritz and Ken's Ale.

This year's headliners include the debut of Newport Storm '11, Firestone Walker's Parabola RIS, 2005 Smuttynose S'muttonator, 2008 Gulden Draak, and two new beers from Allagash. Check out this years complete tap list here!

Upcomming events

Portland Brew Festival
Sat-Sun, Sept 3-4, 3 sessions
Portland Company Complex, Portland, Maine
portlandbrewfestival@gmail.com
25+ brewers in Portland's Old Port

Belgian Beer Fest
Sat, Sept 10, 2 sessions
The Cyclorama, Boston
http://beeradvocate.com/bbf/
200 Belgian beers, $50 tix

Blue Hills Brewery Oktoberfest
Sat, Sept 10, 12-6pm
Irish Cultural Center, Canton
http://bhboktoberfest.eventbrite.com/
Launch of Oktoberfest beer, $12/15 tix

Haverhill Riverfront Brewfest
Sat, Sept 24, 2 sessions
The Tap, Haverhill
http://haverhillbrewery.com/
15+ brewers, $25 tix

Recent ratings

Ratings dump! A lot of these are coming from the Beervana Fest in Cranston back in October. It was a great festival with a lot of new beers. So some good stuff in here, check it out!

Berkshire Lost Sailor IPA Aged in Cab Barrels, Score: 7
aging in wine barrels is hardly unusual at this point, but haven't tried an ipa like this. sour grapes take over the beer. fascinating.

Brahma, Score: 2

Brooklyn Local 1 (2006), Score: 7

Cisco Cherry Woods, Score: 7

Cisco Lady of Woods, Score: 8

Cisco Pumple Drumkin Spiced Ale, Score: 3

Clown Shoes Clementine Wit, Score: 7

Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA, Score: 9
my first beer from this michigan brewer -- i would love to see more midwest brewers make it this way in the future. great aroma and a very clean ipa.

Dogfish Head Fort (2006), Score: 3

Dogfish Head Old School, Score: 4

Dubuisson Peche Mel, Score: 10
all peach flavor with a fluffy mouthfeel. a great digestief.

Dupont Lambucha, Score: 8
green tea and spearimint make this feel fresh and quenching. worked pretty well.

Founders Porter, Score: 8

Frosty Knuckle Ale, Score: 4

Goose Island Bourbon City Stout, Score: 7

Harpoon Wood Aged Belgian Pale Ale, Score: 6

Heavy Seas The Great Pumpkin, Score: 7

Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew, Score: 7
most ginger beers are all spice, but a forward hop presence and a lot of darker belgian qualities makes this a must try.

Ithaca Brute, Score: 8
a wild ale that is very lively, lemony.

Kasteel Rouge, Score: 10
all cherry, all the time. smooth and delicious.

Meantime London Porter, Score: 9

Newport Cyclone Neo, Score: 7
fresh hops, sticky sweet -- this felt more like a double ipa than an american pale ale.

Offshore Great Pumpkin, Score: 5

Ommegang BPA (Belgian-style Pale Ale), Score: 9

Ommegang Cup o Kyndnes, Score: 5

Portsmouth Bottle Rocket IPA, Score: 9

Portsmouth Hefeweizen, Score: 5

Portsmouth Octoberfest, Score: 8

Rogue Hazelnut Brown, Score: 8

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary - Fritz and Ken's Ale, Score: 8

Smuttynose Chai Porter, Score: 6
kelly and i were excited to try this. the chai gave it a very coarse, cloroseptic-like feel. enjoyable but i wouldn't drink much of it.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee Milk Stout, Score: 9

St. Feullien Saison, Score: 8

Traquair House Ale, Score: 7

Trinity Decadence IPA in a Cask, Score: 5

Upright Four, Score: 7
a new brewer across from the rose garden in portland, or. as their "table beer," this saison is very light in body, with a refreshing grassy nature.

CBC Great Pumpkin Festival 2010

Cambridge Brewing Company had one serious Halloween party last night! 30 pumpkin beers from CBC and other guest brewers were on tap, along with a menu full of creative dishes using pumpkin in some fashion. It didn't end there either, the whole restaurant and courtyard were decorated, many came decked out in costume, and at 10 pm they tapped a giant pumpkin full of beer! There was a $10 cover, it cost $1.25 for most samples, and we had to wait 1 1/2 hours in line to get in, but it was well worth it. A highly recommended event for next year -- just come early.

Allagash Ghouleschip, Score: 7
probably had the biggest buzz going.

American Flatbread Cornucopia, Score: 5
overly spiced and muddled.

Cape Ann Fisherman's Imperial Pumpkin Stout, Score: 7
a more alcoholic version of one of my favorite beers.

CBC Black Magic (Cask), Score: 9
espresso and chipotle, two of my favorite flavors in beer!

CBC Ich Bin Ein Kurbisweisse, Score: 10
simply fantastic. one of my favorite styles and the just nailed the pumpkin syrup you add in. sour and sweet -- kelly and i could drink this by the pitcher full.

CBC Punjabi Pumpkin, Score: 6
curry used barely registers... probably a good thing.

CBC The Great Pumpkin Ale, Score: 6
seemed like CBC's version of pumpkin Bud Light.

CBC The Great Pumpkin (Giant Pumpkin), Score: 4
flat and real earthiness to it. nice to see i wasn't the only one that struggled with the whole pumpkin keg concept. very fun though.

CBC The O.P.P., Score: 6
a sour porter with a little spice. odd but not bad.

CBC The Pumpeter!, Score: 7
a black and tan with their porter and great pumpkin. pretty good.

Elysian Hansel & Gretel, Score: 6
certainly do taste the ginger.

Iron Hill Pumktoberfest, Score: 6
one of the most over-the-top spiced beers of the night.

Jolly Pumpkin La Parcella, Score: 6
a sour that didn't quite mesh.

Rock Art Imperial Spruce Pumpkin Stout, Score: 7
a very textured imperial stout. good.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, Score: 7
solid, if a little unexciting.

The Alchemist Uncle Daddy, Score: 9
this was very good. a saison without spices, and none were needed.

Wormtown Pumpkin Ale, Score: 7
my first from this worcester brewer. light and sessionable.

ProPho: The best of Oktoberfest beer

Falling for an old style
By JOSH SMITH October 13, 2010

The Oktoberfest style of beer actually predates the first Oktoberfest celebration of 200 years ago. The other name by which this ancient style is known gives us a hint of its true roots: Märzen.

In the days before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew quality beer during the hot summer months. Instead, Germans brewed beer for the summer in March (or Märzen) and then stored the beer in cellars and caves filled with ice. The last of these batches were typically consumed in October, in time for the barrels to be reused for fall brewing. Eventually, inclusion of the style in Oktoberfest festivities became a natural fit.

The characteristics of the Oktoberfest/Märzen style were also shaped by history. Beers with higher alcohol levels preserve better and, as a result, Oktoberfest beers typically register a healthy 5-7% alcohol by volume. While a decent amount of hops are also used to help preserve the beer, after aging for three or four months the beer will mellow to have a decidedly malty tilt.

For the best representatives of the style we'll start, of course, in Germany, with a brewery that traces its roots back to Munich in 1417. HACKER-PSCHORR'S ORIGINAL OKTOBERFEST is deep red in color with a husky malt aroma that is distinctly German. The flavor is of nutty and caramel malts, but has a light, silky mouthfeel that allows one to drink another. Another personal flavor is PAULANER'S OKTOBERFEST- MÄRZEN. The toasted malts have a little more heft to them, but a balanced flavor also provides drinkability.

SPATEN OKTOBERFESTBIER UR- MÄRZEN is another widely available German Oktoberfest, albeit a fairly one-dimensional one with a building sweetness. AYINGER'S OKTOBER FEST- MÄRZEN is a little better with malts that taste fresh and crisp, a lighter body, and cleaner mouthfeel. WEIHENSTEPHANER FESTBIER is unquestionably the most unusual Oktoberfest I've had from Germany, with far more bitterness than a typical Oktoberfest. Still an enjoyable beer, but hardly true to style.

But what about the proliferation of American-brewed Oktoberfest beers? Now-adays it seems nearly every craft brewer makes an Oktoberfest, with a great deal of variation across the style. I think PORTSMOUTH'S OCTOBERFEST best follows the spirit of its German brethren with its ability to check the bready malts with some light herbal hops. This helps to create the lightness and drinkability you need in an Oktoberfest. My other favorite is BERKSHIRE'S OKTOBERFEST LAGER with its sweet, slightly spiced nose. Indeed, this seems to aspire to be a pumpkin beer, and a robust one at that with 6.8% ABV! Berkshire is certainly pushing the limits, but I love this beer.

Other options worth picking up include the strong but balanced THOMAS HOOKER OCTOBERFEST LAGER. LEFT HAND'S OKTOBERFEST has a more traditional maltiness, but stops short of being overly sweet. While a step below any of these four, SAMUEL ADAMS OCTOBERFEST, HEAVY SEAS MÄRZEN, and VICTORY FESTBIER are undoubtedly all readily available at your local package store. Move quickly if you haven't gotten your fix of Oktoberfest beers yet — winter warmers are right around the corner.

I would be amiss not to check in about the other exciting fall happening: the first annual Providence Craft Beer Week. Feedback seemed overwhelmingly positive, with events taking place throughout the city the first week of October. I got a chance to try BERKSHIRE'S SOUR/IMPERIAL STOUT BLEND on tap at the Avery, SOUTHERN TIER'S UNEARTHLY DOUBLE IPA at Julian's, and DOGFISH HEAD'S THEOBROMA chili beer at Brown's Graduate Center Bar. Throw in some freebies from the brewers and these were some fun events.

Capping it off was Beervana Fest in Cranston, the most extreme festival I've ever been to. Seemingly every brewer brought their Double IPA or Imperial Stout, many times after having been aged in wine or bourbon barrels. Highlights included BROOKLYN'S '07 BLACK CHOCOLATE STOUT, DUBUISSON'S PÊCHE MEL, and OMMEGANG'S BELGIAN PALE ALE. With speakers and entertainment throughout the night, gourmet food from Julian's on hand, and a pretty respectful crowd, this festival was a joy to attend. Kudos to all the organizers of what we hope will be many more Providence Craft Beer Weeks.

ProPho: Get ready for Providence Craft Beer Week!

By JOSH SMITH | September 29, 2010
http://portland.thephoenix.com/food/109267-get-ready-for-providence-craft-beer-week/

With the weather cooling down and the Oktoberfest 200th anniversary celebration in full swing in Munich, October just feels like beer drinking season. So it's only fitting that the first annual Providence Craft Beer Week will take place October 1-8.

The festivities are patterned on the massive Philly Beer Week that originated in 2008 and now draws visitors from across the country to the Greater Philadelphia area over the course of 10 days in June. More than two dozen cities have hopped on board with their own local beer celebration. And now Providence is going to join in on the party.

Each night bars and restaurants across the city will host different craft breweries, Oktoberfest celebrations, beer dinners, and neighborhood pub crawls. To cap it all off, on Friday, October 8, the Beervana Fest will take place in Cranston, showcasing more than 200 of the world's best craft beers. With events being added by the day, it seems there will be something for everyone during the course of the week.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Julian's is up front beating the drum for Providence Craft Beer Week. Together with the Avery and E&O Tap, the neighborhood bars are teaming up to create the "Beermuda Triangle." Fourteen different brewers will host special events each weeknight. And since none of the bars is more than a three-block walk from each other, this is one Triangle you should be able to navigate your way around.

While each bar will have their own approach to these special brewery nights, Julian's events are a good example. Four tap lines will be dedicated to the guest brewery, while a representative will be on hand from 9 to 11 pm to give away some freebies. For any craft beer enthusiast, the chance to talk beer with knowledgeable people from inside the industry is a pretty exciting opportunity.

It's an all-star lineup too. Monday is arguably the best craft brewer for the canning category, Oskar Blues of Colorado. On Tuesday, the always creative Dogfish Head Brewery is bringing beers using such eclectic ingredients as rice, pumpkin, and blackberries. On Wednesday Julian's will welcome western New York's Southern Tier and my absolute favorite pumpkin beer: Pumking. And on Thursday, New Hampshire's Smuttynose Brewing is coming to town with its executive brewer, David Yarrington, two vintage beers, and two special series beers.

Dan Henry, a field manager for Smuttynose, summed up the excitement around these events: "The people at Julian's treat beer in a way a lot of people don't." So when Smuttynose offered to bring a couple of rare vintage beers to the event, Julian's jumped at the opportunity. "Our vintage beers have done a spectacular job aging," Henry said. "Many taste like a totally different beer. They have mellowed with a different body to it, going the way of a fine sherry." I'm sure he is right, but want to find out for myself.

As if this isn't reason enough to venture to the West Side, the other points of the Beermuda triangle have some pretty amazing brewers lined up. The Avery is will have Providence's own Trinity Brewhouse on Sunday, Heavy Seas on Monday, Harpoon Tuesday, Smuttynose Wednesday, and Wachusett on Thursday. Over the same five nights, E&O Tap will welcome Redhook, Blue Point, Cisco, Abita (of Louisiana), and Ithaca. It's especially encouraging to see local businesses engage in collaborative efforts such as these for the sake of the Craft Beer Week.

The Beermuda triangle is just the beginning. Consider:

• On the other side of town, the Wild Colonial Tavern has lined up four evening events of its own: Harpoon (Monday), Cisco (Tuesday), Dogfish (Wednesday), and hometown favorite Narragansett (Thursday). Narragansett will be bringing Fest, their new Oktoberfest beer, among others.

• English Cellar Alehouse is a fitting place for Maine's Shipyard Brewing and its traditional, English-styled beers on Monday night. Next come Cisco, Victory, and Wetten Importers.

• If you are lucky enough to have access to Brown's Graduate Center Bar, Cisco (Saturday the 1st) and Dogfish Head (Wednesday) will make an appearance.

• New York craft brewer Blue Point will be dropping in at Harry's Bar and Burger on Wednesday.

• Union Station Brewery will be throwing an Oktoberfest celebration on Friday, while Loie Fuller will have Oktoberfest beers on tap and German food available all week long. Bring your best authentic German costume, if possible.

• The Apartment will welcome Long Trail, Shipyard, and Pennsylvania's excellent Victory Brewing on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, respectively.

• Snookers will see Shipyard, Long Trail, and Wetten Importers (of such notable beers as Delirium Tremens and Kasteel Rouge) Tuesday through Thursday.

• Vermont's Long Trail will also be at Scurvy Dog on Thursday.

• And Pawtucket is getting into the act with Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub hosting events each weeknight, including what promises to be a fantastic beer dinner with Peak Organic of Maine on Wednesday.

The week culminates with a massive beer festival on Friday at the historic Rhodes-On-the-Pawtuxet in Cranston, Beervana Fest promises to be a seriously good time. From 6:30 to 10 pm, the ballrooms of the Rhodes will be transformed with 1000 beer enthusiasts in attendance.

Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 at the door and entitle you to a tasting glass, festival guide, bottle of water, entrance into educational seminars and, of course, 2-ounce pours of some of the world's best craft beers. By my count more than 200 beers will be available from the 30 domestic brewers and even more international brands present.

I caught up with Dan Keating of C&C Distributing Services, one of the organizers of Providence Craft Beer Week. "What sets the Beervana Fest apart is the adventurous beers that brewers are bringing" Dan said. "Some of these beers, Cisco's Woods Beers, for example, are interesting beers of which only a handful have ever been made. It is rare to see any one of these beers on tap, but here you will have the opportunity to try a few side by side."

I couldn't agree more; the beer list for Beervana is chock-full of rare styles and vintage brews. A few of the beers I'll seek out include: Berkshire Sour Imperial Stout blend, Brooklyn Local 1 from 2005, De Dolle Stille Nacht Special Reserve from 2000, Hariestoun Ola Dubh 40 (as in years aged in a whiskey barrel), and Trinity Decadence Imperial IPA in a cask. I could go on but, with my word limit quickly approaching, you'll have to do some searching of your own.

Two educational seminars will also take place during the festival. Tod Mott, head brewer for Portsmouth Brewery of New Hampshire, will speak about his lengthy brewing career that includes creating the renowned Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout. The other slot will feature Don Feinberg, founder of Ommegang Brewery and Vanberg & Dewulf Importers, a beer distributor that has helped bring illustrious Belgian beers such as Saison Dupont and Scaldis Noel to Rhode Island.

So if all of this sounds like a good time to you, tickets are being sold at Nikki's Liquors, Julian's, and Brown's GCB in Providence, and Track 84 in Warwick. I hope to see you there!

Providence Craft Beer Week is a pretty big deal for the city. The variety of craft beers available in Rhode Island has grown in recent years alongside demand and hasn't shown any sign of slowing. Given its reputation as the Creative Capital and the city's great culinary history, Providence is well-suited to continue to swell the ranks of craft beer converts. Craft Beer Week will only help.

Again, Dan Henry of Smuttynose: "This could be a good catalyst for the city. In the last few years I have seen craft beer grow by leaps and bounds. This week could be a great education for people and a chance to see craft beer is not going away."

Dan Keating agrees: "In my time working in beer distribution, I have seen the sophistication of the Providence beer scene grow tremendously. The city has gotten engaged in craft beer so that there is now a critical mass interested in events like this."

These are exciting times; Providence is preparing to join the class of elite New England craft beer cities and needs our support to do so. Turning out for one or more of these events is a great place to start.

Providence Craft Beer Week

I am currently writing an article for the Providence Phoenix about the first annual Providence Craft Beer Week. Taking place Saturday, October 1st through Friday, October 8th a number of local bars and restaurants are hosting representatives from different breweries. Add in a couple of Oktoberfest celebrations, a beer dinner, and beer festival, and it is shaping up to be a pretty awesome week in The Biggest Little.

Julian's:
- Oskar Blues, Mon
- Dogfish Head, Tues
- Southern Tier, Weds
- Smuttynose, Thurs

The Avery:
- Trinity Brewhouse, Sun
- Heavy Seas, Mon
- Harpoon, Tues
- Smuttynose, Weds
- Wachusett, Thurs

E & O Tap:
- RedHook, Sun
- Blue Point, Mon
- Cisco, Tues
- Abita, Weds
- Ithaca, Thurs

Wild Colonial Tavern:
- Harpoon, Mon
- Cisco, Tues
- Dogfish, Weds
- Narragansett, Thurs

English Cellar Alehouse:
- Shipyard, Mon
- Cisco, Tues
- Victory, Weds
- Wetten Importers, Thurs

Brown’s Graduate Center Bar:
- Cisco, Sat
- Dogfish Head, Weds

The Apartment:
- Long Trail, Tues
- Shipyard, Weds
- Victory, Thurs

Snooker’s Billiards:
- Shipyard, Tues
- Long Trail, Weds
- Wetten Importers, Thurs

Harry’s Bar and Burger:
- Blue Point, Weds

Scurvy Dog:
- Long Trail, Thurs

East Ave:
- Merchant du Vin, Thurs

Union Station:
- Oktoberfest celebration, Fri

Loie Fuller:
- Oktoberfest beers on tap and authentic German food available, all week
- Oktoberfest costume celebration, Sun 10th

Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub (Pawtucket):
- Dogfish, Mon
- Heavy Seas, Tues
- Peak Organic beer dinner, Weds
- Lindemans & Rocheforte, Thurs

And last but not least...

Beervana Beer Festival:
- Friday night, 6:30-10:00pm
- $40 in advance, $45 at door
- 2 oz samples of 200 beers
- Tickets available at Nikki's, Julian's, Brown's GCB, and Track 84

ProPho: Tips for Tastings

How to survive a beer festival
By JOSH SMITH August 11, 2010
http://providence.thephoenix.com/food/106720-tips-for-tastings/

There's a special place where you can sample dozens of different beers with fellow enthusiasts in a single session. Thanks to the growing popularity of craft brews, beer festivals are now a common occurrence from coast to coast.

With festivals in Providence, Portland, Maine, and Portland, Oregon under my belt, I consider myself an intermediate festival attendee. Each of these festivals has been a wonderful opportunity to discover both new brewers and new beers.

Beer festivals are not, however, intended as an occasion to get hammered. Of course, some will and, more importantly, this will happen to you too if you aren't careful. So as not to lose the chance to appreciate these special events, here are several simple tips to surviving a beer festival.

BEFOREHAND, PREPARE BY READING UP ON THE FESTIVAL AND COME IN WITH A GAME PLAN. Understand the rules of the show. Is there a limit to how many samples you can have? How big are the samples? Depending on the size of the festival, it probably won't be possible to try every beer in attendance. Figure out which beers you would be sad to miss out on and prioritize accordingly.

You will also need to figure out a logical order in which to drink these sought-after beers. In much the same way that you would approach a sampler tray, try to start with some of the lighter, low-alcohol beers early on and save the monster beers for later. A little forethought will go a long way toward preserving your palate for the end of the session.

It's worth noting that I always buy tickets in advance for whichever session I think will be less crowded, typically the afternoon. Second sessions tend to draw a more raucous crowd and the lines only grow longer as the event goes on. These events become significantly less fun once you have to fight through a mob to get to your next sample.

EAT AND HYDRATE, EARLY AND OFTEN. Drinking plenty of water and having a sizeable, carb-heavy meal a few hours beforehand is the single most important thing you can do to prepare for the day. I recommend pancakes or French toast. You should also snack on the food available during the festival, but making yourself a pretzel necklace ahead of time is one better. Requiring only some string and a bag of pretzels, these necklaces are a great reminder to keep eating and a whole lot of fun!

And when the show is done you really should switch over to water and eat a solid meal. No matter how full you may feel from drinking all of these different styles, you'll be glad you did.

BRING A NOTEPAD TO SCORE EACH BEER YOU TRY. This is not the time for full, official ratings since your senses will inevitably be somewhat dulled by the final hour. I will focus on the unique characteristic that defines each beer and award an overall score. The next day you'll be pleased to have a ready list of new beers to work into the rotation.

GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE FESTIVAL! Remember, you are coming to drink beer! Some festival-goers will show their spirit with elaborate costumes, beer paraphernalia, or group T-shirts. The aforementioned pretzel necklace is both festive and a great conversation starter. Do talk to other people in line — you're with fellow beer lovers, after all! And above all else, talk to any brewers present. Many will be friendly and quite enlightening, especially for home brewers.

It should go without saying that no matter what precautions you've taken, you'll need to have arranged for a ride home or be prepared to cab it. If you follow this and the other guidelines, your next beer festival is sure to be a blast. With several great local festivals coming up this fall — including the Great International Beer Festival in Providence (on November 13) and the Belgian Beer Fest in Boston (November 5 and 6) — there is no shortage of chances to check one out for yourself!

OBF: Another perspective

By Kelly Smith

Being married to a craft beer connoisseur, such as Josh, has its share of drawbacks. Every available inch of our garage is lined with hundreds of different craft beer bottles. Our house is known as Brewery North. The home office has been transformed into a beer storage facility. The aroma of wort frequently fills our home. However, it also has its perks. The Oregon Brewers Festival was certainly one of those perks! I was so inspired by this fine collection brewers with quality beers that I have decided to share my thoughts with you.

10 Barrel Brewing Company, ISA: 7
Citrusy aroma, moderate hop bitterness, surprisingly decent flavor, 6.7% ABV

21st Amendment Brewery, Hell or High Watermelon Wheat: 2
This is a watermelon jolly rancher in a bottle. I love wheat beer. I love fruit beer. But this is a poor excuse for a beer.

Boulder Beer Co, Kinda Blue: 2
Ehhh. The best quality of this beer was that it was cold. (Too cold for most craft beer drinkers, but that’s how I like it!) Little blueberry flavor, light and easy to drink but with no taste, why bother?

Boulevard Brewing Compan, Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale: 7
There is a lot going on here. Nice citrusy hopped aroma, medium body, sharp yeast

Boundary Bay Brewery, German Tradition Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale: 7
Nice and hoppy with no sharp aftertaste. Not my favorite style, but I can still appreciate a well crafted brew.

Buckbean Brewing Company, Original Orange Blossom Ale: 8
With the aroma of a frozen ice pop, this is an inviting, fun summer beer. This medium bodied pale has a unique citrus flavor and is easy to drink.

Caldera Brewing Company, Hibiscus Ginger Beer: 7
Very pleasant floral aroma, pleasantly mild flavors with a floral taste, medium body, lightly hopped, unique beer, fairly easy drinking

Cascade Brewing, Summer Gose: 9
I don’t particularly care for anything sour, so the fact that I found this beer to be fabulous was a shock! This lightly sour beer is unique and refreshing. Surprisingly, with a ABV of 4%, it is also sessionable.

Collaborator, Sunstone Pilsner: 4
Slightly hoppy for a pilsner, stale in taste

Fort George Brewery and Public House, Vortex IPA: 5
Overly hopped northwest style IPA, fairly good balance and medium body. Not my favorite style, but I appreciate the ambition.

Great Northern Brewing Company, Wheatfish: 6
I love wheat beers but it is hard to find a fabulous one. This one is no exception. Low in bitterness and very drinkable but not very flavorful either.

MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company, Lip Stinger Farmhouse Ale: 4
Peppercorns do not, I repeat, do not belong in beer! They are very present in the aroma and distinctive in the taste. Medium body, a touch lemony.

Marin Brewing Company, Bluebeery Ale: 8
Yum! My kind of beer! Sweet (not syrupy) blueberry flavor, light, balanced, very drinkable

Maui Brewing Company, CoCoNut Porter: 4
Porter is not my favorite style. Perhaps this is a well crafted beer, but it is lost on me. Unique light coconut flavor at the end.

Natian Brewery, Destination: 5
The combination of the dark roasts and sweet bee sugar gives this beer a malty, sweet balance. A bit too malty for easy drinking, but interesting to try.

New Belgium Brewing Company, Ranger IPA: 8
Northwest hops through and though- yum!! From first taste to aftertaste, it is crisp and clean.

Pelican Pub and Brewery, Kiwanda Cream Ale: 4
Floral, citrusy aroma, creamy and smooth mouth feel, bit of stale lemon in the aftertaste- doesn’t linger too long but certainly doesn’t increase enjoyment.

Ram Restaurant and Brewery, Barefoot Wit: 8
Clean and crisp aroma, slightly citrus flavor, refreshing and easy drinking. A solid wit, although I would have enjoyed a bit more flavor.

Surly Brewing, Bitter Brewer: 4
Very bitter beer, which flavor lingers. If you like IPAs, this may make a good camping beer.

The Bruery, 7 Grain Saison: 6
Not nearly as complex as expected from this well regarded brewery with a solid line up. Moderately hopped, light body, creamy mouth feel

Upright Brewing Company, Reggae Junkie Gruit: 8
Heather tips make this beer floral in fragrance and taste. Slightly sweet, low malts. If you are up for a unique, easy drinking beer, then give it a try!

Oregon Brewers Festival!

While on the west coast, my wife and I had the chance to attend the Oregon Brewers Festival. Arguably, the best outdoor beer festival in the country, this event took place in the picturesque Tom McCall Waterfront Park. 81 different domestic brewers showed up with one special beer. The festival itself worked on a token system; 1 token (or about $1) for a 4 oz sample, or 4 tokens for a full mug of beer. Of course, our goals was to try as many different beers as possible, but totally insane lines (we were there on a Saturday) led us to switch over to pints at the end of the afternoon. Regardless, this was easily the best festival we have been to and an awesome afternoon of drinking.

Tier 1:
Firestone Walker Union Jack (8) was my number one priority coming in and was a very piney, sweet IPA. Not on my radar was New Belgium Ranger IPA (8) with an equally big flavor. Double Mountain The Vaporizer (9) and Boundary Bay German-tradition Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale (9) two excellent pale ale’s, and possibly my favorite beers of the whole day. Surly Bitter Brewer (10) belongs in those discussions as well; I would love to be able to buy six of these cans at a time. Cascade Summer Gose (9) was certainly my wife’s favorite beer of the day and I too found it to be a very refreshing sour. Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale (9) was another top priority and I was duly impressed with the use of corn flakes to smooth out the mouthfeel. Rounding out the top tier was Upright Reggae Junkie Gruit (8). New to the scene, Upright did an excellent job of simulating the sensation of hops by using heather tips, orange peel, and a healthy level of carbonation.

Tier 2:
Tier 2 started out with three solid IPA’s: Beer Valley Leafer Madness (7), Laurelwood Organic Deranger Imperial Red (6), and Fort George Vortex (6). Surprisingly, Laughing Dog Dogzilla Black IPA (8) was the only “Cascadian Dark Ale” to make an appearance. This newly-emerging style has great potential, and indeed the hops and roasted malts played very well with each other. Maui Coconut Porter (7) took the prize for longest line of the day and kicked pretty early on. Coconut worked well, if imparting slightly too much sweetness in the middle of the flavor. Buckbean Original Orange Blossom Ale (7) tasted like a frozen orange ice pop according to Kelly, which was actually pretty good. Easy drinking Pelican Pub Kiwanda Cream Ale (7), 10 Barrel ISA (7), and Collaborator Sunstone Pils (7) round out this class.

Tier 3:
Our last grouping features some very ambitious beers that didn’t quite come together. Caldera Hibiscus Ginger Beer (4) and Caldera Rose (5) came on too strong to be enjoyable but didn’t miss by much. Natian Destinatian (5) is a new nano-brewer that got the invite and responded admirably with an interesting brew containing Oregon honey. MacTarnahan’s Lipstinger Farmhouse (3) utilizing peppercorn was less good. Same goes for Ram Barefoot Wit (4) and Great Northern Wheatfish Wheat Lager (5). The surprise of the day though had to be not one, but two beers from The Bruery falling to the last category. The Bruey Oud Tart (6) and The Bruery 7 Grain Saision (5) were very one-dimensional offerings.

Maine Beer Festival

Maine. Beer. Festival. Maine Beer Festival! Yup, that is where I was last weekend. 15 Maine brewers, 12 tickets of 4 oz samples, 3 1/2 hours. So it was pretty much the greatest day of my life.

Couple of thoughts. Believe it or not, but this was only my second beer festival, and it was quite a bit different than the first. 12 drinks (or 4 beers) may not seem like a lot in 3 1/2 hours, but it really was plenty. I much prefered this to unlimited samples in 1 oz glasses since you get a much better sense for the beer you are drinking. Also, these Maine brewers did a much better job of bringing some interesting beers. Belgians, porters, double IPA's, world-class stouts -- pretty much everything was here. Especially impressive was what some of the bigger brewers brought: imperials, cask-conditioned, nitro pours, bourbon barrel-aged, you name it. Nevertheless, it was the smaller brewers that really stole the show. The lines for each of these brewers ran across the expo center.

Anyways, here are twelve new beers I tried at the festival. I think it is worth noting that I also had some more familiar, and yet still enjoyable, beers from Bar Harbor Brewing, Gritty's, Peak Organic, Sea Dog, and Shipyard. Perhaps I'll see you there next year?

Allagash Hugh Malone
Sample -- MBF, Portland
i usually like to wait on the stronger beers at festivals but i couldn't help but make a beeline to this 8.5% belgian ipa that i hadn't tried yet. white grapes factor prominently in flavor. heavy aroma. sweet and strong, with a bitter finish. nice.
Score: 8

Atlantic Brewing Mount Desert Isle Ginger
Sample -- MBF, Portland
hadn't had many ginger beers but still went in with low expectations. surprisingly good. you could taste the ginger but it was very well placed. nice balance too. not sure i would drink a whole six-pack of these, but i would definitely reccomend it.
Score: 7

Federal Jack's Taint Town Pale Ale
Sample -- MBF, Portland
my first beer from this kennebunk brewpub. they are affiliated with shipyard and even had a 2008 cask-conditioned prelude available. i made the wrong choice, because this was not good. breadiness and grassy hops clashed in flavor.
Score: 2

Geary's Imperial IPA
Sample -- MBF, Portland
i was surprised to see geary's jump into imperial wave overtaking maine. i think brewers are going a little overboard with these high alcohol monsters, but it is exciting to see a new beer from geary's. kind of a letdown though. alcohol and heavy maltiness come through more than expected bitterness.
Score: 6

Kennebec River Penobscot Porter
Sample -- MBF, Portland
my dad is a big fan of this beer -- but then again he loves most any dark maine beer. this is a dark one, with a healthy dose of charred malt and... spanish olives? yup, that is a new one. not bad though.
Score: 6

Run of the Mill Bug Zapper Super Lager
Sample -- MBF, Portland
from the producers of my beloved liberal cup in hallowell maine. this was a new one to me, a "double brewed" lager. not quite sure what that means. generous grassy hops for a lager, for sure. a lot more flavor than their bug lager. i liked it, my dad did not.
Score: 7

Sebago Local Harvest Ale
Sample -- MBF, Portland
apparently they can grow hops all the way up in monroe, maine! gives me hope for my future hop farm. the hops are quite sweet, as is the malt profile. little too one-dimensional for my liking, but not bad at all. like the idea.
Score: 6

Sebago Barrel-aged Lake Trout Stout
Sample -- MBF, Portland
i was really hoping they would bring this beer. i mean, they aged one of my favorite beers in a bourbon barrell! predictable level of alcohol knocked me off my feet. tastes a lot like bourbon. i would only drink this in certain situations but it would be perfect to share with dan when smoking a cigar!
Score: 8

Sheepscot Valley Sheepscot River Pale Ale
Sample -- MBF, Portland
good balance between caramel malts and fruity hops. best sheepscot i have had yet.
Score: 8

Sunday River Alt
Sample -- MBF, Portland
overly malty and bland. unenjoyable.
Score: 3

Sunday River IPA
Sample -- MBF, Portland
given to me as sunday river's ipa. does that mean the 420 ipa they absorbed from stone coast? probably. piney/citric hops, although a little watery.
Score: 5

Best in show:
Maine Beer Spring Peeper Ale
Sample -- MBF, Portland
i made a beeline to this new maine brewer, which was deserved. founded by the kleban brothers (with a little help from allagash, i believe), maine beer company started with a "west coast pale." citrus hops on nose, and a solid bitterness, although it doesn't build out of control. balanced enough that i could drink this regularly. can't wait to see what is next from these guys!
Score: 9

Jury Room Bar Closing

I got a sad email today; The Jury Room in Quincy is closing. I don't think the owner would mind if I include the email below:

After a year and a half of trying to get people to drink beer other than bud light, I'm throwing in the towel. My last day of biz will be oct. 17th (sat) between now and then i am blowing my entire beer inventory out at dirt cheap prices. Starting on weds any beer on my list (85 types) are all 3 bucks. Yes, even the Chimay Blue.

Let your readers know if you would like or just drop by yourself. The next 2 Weds. nights I'm doing a beer tasting starting at 8. My name is Clint, stop by and say Hi! Later, Clint Smith Soon to be ex owner, Jury Room Bar.....

This was, without question, one of the best beer bars on the South Shore. I must have gone here 3 or 4 times in its short existence -- the first trip was a little rocky (check the archives...) but I had much better luck on successive visits.

Overall though, I really liked how they attracted a young audience and stayed committed to offering craft beer. Great effort, Clint, and you will definitely be missed. I plan on being there tomorrow for the Chimay Blue!

Fall Beer Calendar

I try to keep an eye out for interesting beer events on BeerAdvocate.com's calendar among other sites. Fall being the peak of the beer drinking season and all (if you ask me), I thought I would share a few of the most exciting happenings with all of you as well.

Upcomming Events

Saturday, Semptember 19
Drink New England Charity Pub Crawl @ People's Republic ($20)
Cambridge, MA
*Note: Pre-registration has ended... try contacting Devon if interested.

Saturday, September 19
Haverhill Beer Festival @ The Tap / Haverhill Brewery ($29)
Haverhill, MA

Tuesday, September 22

Ipswich Beer Dinner @ Cambridge Common Restaurant ($48)
Cambridge, MA

Saturday, October 3

Outdoor Cask Festival @ British Beer Company (No cover)
Walpole, MA

Sunday, October 4
Street Beer Festival @ RedBones BBQ (No cover)
Somerville, MA

Friday, October 9
Mayflower Beer Tasting @ Publick House Provisions (Free)
Brookline, MA

Tuesday, October 13

Port Brewing Beer Dinner @ Armsby Abbey ($?)

Worcester, MA

Friday & Saturday, October 16-17
Night of the Funk & Belgian Beer Festival @ BeerAdvocate.com ($45)
Boston, MA

Novare Res Bier Cafe

Novare Res Bier Cafe
4 Canal Plaza, Portland, ME
This beer bar has been on my to-do list for a little while now. Nate sold me for good on it when he said it had the best selection he had seen. They would definitely be considered a Belgian beer bar with its huge walk-in refrigerator of big bottles. The beer menu is as thick as any I have seen (although they were out of every easy drinking pilsner we asked for...) That said, while we were there they were in between brewer dinners with Rogue and Dogfish Head! That's right, 22 Dogfish Head beers on tap! Fantastic. There is nothing like being able to have some of my favorite beers like the 60 Minute and Palo Santo Marron on tap. (Below are the notes on a few of the other beers I had.) The bar itself is pretty great with a dark and comfortable vibe with lots of cool beer memorabilia on the walls. There is even a patio too (which was jammed when we were there.) Servers were fine, if busy, and quality seemed beyond reproach with proper glassware and such. Food is unique with a very limited menu, mostly made up of cheese and meat platters. Next time I look forward to trying some with some of those Belgian beers. Best beer bar I have found in some time.
Atmosphere: 5/5, Selection: 9/10, Quality: 9/10, Service: 4/5, Overall: 17/20, Total: 44/50
Total rating: A

Dogfish Head ApriHop
8 oz glass -- Novare Res
sweet apricot taste checks hop bitterness. very unique having something other than malts balance a beer. extremely easy to drink and my glass was empty in a few swills. the girls also loved this beer.
Score: 9, Original Score: 7

Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu
8 oz glass -- Novare Res, Portland, ME
this was new to me. but another Dogfish Head beer with an interesting story: "Inspired by a beverage found in clay posts in China around 9000 years ago. In keeping with historic evidence, Dogfish brewers used pre-gelatinized rice flakes, Wildflower honey, Muscat grapes, barley malt, hawthorn fruit, and Chrysanthemum flowers." white grapes and sweet honey i got. alcohol comes through too, reminding me of dogfish's 90 minute in a way. interesting but not my favorite.
Score: 6

Dogfish Head Punkin '09
8 oz -- Novare Res
not sure if it was the '09 version or the fact it was on tap but this was better than i remembered it. kelly loved it too. solid malt profile, well-placed pumpkin and brown sugar... typical over-the-top nutmeg spice is not present -- which is not the worst thing. i am looking to brew a pumpkin beer this fall and this may not be a bad one to patent.
Score: 9, Original Score: 7

G.I.S.B.F. Part III

Berkshire Traditional Pale Ale
aroma and flavor contain a lot of sweet, caramel malts for a pale ale. not bad, but not what i expected at all.
Score: 7

Brooklyn Brown Ale
earthy, nutty, roasty. very good texture. come to think of it, this is the best offerings from brooklyn that i have had yet.
Score: 8

Brooklynator Doppelbock
i still haven't warmed up to this style and couldn't get past those distinctive belgian malts. too sweet as well.
Score: 5

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter
the hops really jump out at you on this one... definitely overboard. lots of harsh alcohol and smokiness, almost a tar-like flavor. i can't believe it is rated at 98% on ratebeer.com.
Score: 5

Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat
typical wheat flavor and flat. poor.
Score: 2

Ipswich Summer Ale
wheat and yeasty aroma. also a few hops and some fruit in flavor. light body - no doubt by design - but still kind of weak.
Score: 4

Magic Hat Hi.P.A.
citrus hops are much more present in aroma than flavor. pretty middle of the road.
Score: 7

Mayflower Porter
a very typical, roasty porter. this is the second offering i have had from mayflower and both have been solid but played it very safe...
Score: 7

Newport Storm Henry (Cyclone Series)
okay, so i have been duly unimpressed by newport to this point, but have heard good things about their annual limited release and cyclone series. henry is the first cyclone i have tried, and i was surprised at the extent that sweet molasses were present for a strong ale. better.
Score: 6

Olde Burnside Dirty Penny
this black and tan was a mix of their scottish ale and stout. very dark pour with full aroma of roasted coffee and chocolate. very tasty with great balance of malts and bitter hops. one of my favorites of the day.
Score: 9

Olde Burnside Ten Penny Ale
you could tell on the pour that this was an unusual scottish ale; it was just too light. flavor dominated by bready malts with some accompanying bitterness. however, it's lacking the sweetness normally found in this style. still not bad though.
Score: 6

Orlio Organic Black Lager
now my notes from the show have the word citrus underlined, but i am not seeing anything about citrus hops from my fellow raters on ratebeer.com. perhaps it was a little too late in the afternoon for me to rank this one effectively...
Score: 5

Otter Creek Otter San
i was suckered in to this one after reading something in the commercial description about sake being used. in reality, all i could identify here was a general skunkiness...
Score: 3

Paper City Batch 108 / Coffee Porter
aroma of burnt coffee. hops emerge to create rich flavor. smooth yet chalky texture. a very respectable offering of one of my favorite styles.
Score: 8

Paper City Blonde Hop Monster
floral, citrus hops with sharp bitterness characterize aroma and taste. i deducted points since a little too much alcohol came through for an imperial ipa.
Score: 8

Paper City One Eared Monkey
tastes very much like peach juice, or even cheap champagne with all of that carbonation... exceptionally bad.
Score: 2

Paper City PC Blue
you know what jumped out at me about this one? pepper. not what i am looking for.
Score: 2

Pennichuck Bagpipers Scottish Ale
sweet and smoky. kind of a wierd taste.
Score: 5

Pennichuck Black Lager
this i liked much better. smoked gouda is what comes to mind, with some good complementing bitterness. very smooth body.
Score: 8

Pennichuck Engine No. 5 Firehouse Red Ale
a pretty bitter amber... i don't believe this is really a red. a little too light bodied in my opinion.
Score: 6

Pennichuck Halligan RyePA
an extreme ipa. rye is relegated to background. pretty dry. not bad at all.
Score: 7

Sherwood Forest Archers Ale
apparently this is an english pale ale... i don't think i've had one of these. fairly bland wheat and malts. eh.
Score: 5

Sherwood Forest Sheriffs IPA
strong, floral hops rule the day here. very solid, if slightly typical.
Score: 8

Stone Coast Knuckleball Bock
malty, with a bit of coffee somewhere in there... watery and weak though.
Score: 4

Stone Coast 840 IPA
a double ipa. very hoppy and high in alcohol... but overall a nice flavor.
Score: 8

Stone Coast Sunsplash Golden Ale
watery... who would have guessed it with a name like sunsplash?
Score: 2

The Tap Bock
this was the only beer from the tap that i hadn't tried. malts that should be expected in a bock along with some coffee... solid, as always.
Score: 7

Trinity Brown Ale
reddish brown with subdued aroma. nuts, chocolate, and i think they used belgian yeast in this one... good but not great.
Score: 6

Union Station (John Harvard's) Belgian Tripel
golden pour with appropriate thin white head. sickeningly sweet, like candy, cotton candy. also present is fruit, spice, and bread. kind of a simplistic tripel... not a great first impression from john harvard.
Score: 4

Woodstock Inn Pigs Ear Brown Ale
i wanted to like this one more than i did. nice malts, but very, very watery.
Score: 5