Beer Review: Stillwater Artisanal Ales Cellar Door
Beer: Cellar Door
Brewery: Stillwater Artisanal Ales (Baltimore/gypsy)
Style: Wit
Glass: tulip
Context: We had cod for dinner. Wits and Saisons are good to pair with most any fish. Why not pair a Wit brewed with Saison yeast? There was nothing special about the evening. We have a mouse infestation and I had spent the day cleaning out cupboards and finding places to put all the things we kept in said cupboards until our mouse problem was gone. The three-year-old has been a bit more challenging as of late. So, I needed a drink. Cellar Door, though really difficult to get in these parts, hit the spot.
Appearance: Cloudy orange with a lot of carbonation featuring foamy bubbles and loose lacing. Specks of yeast stuck to the bottom of the glass, a reminder of all the good things happening in the bottle.
Aroma: There’s a peppery spiciness to this beer which the carbonation helps to deliver. Also present is citrus and a hint of sage.
Palate: This is where the carbonation goes to work, attacking all corners of your mouth with aggression. I don’t think it’s over-carbonated, but this aspect of the beer delivers a full mouthfeel without the prerequisite thickness. Instead, that fullness is created with bubbles, delivering the best aspects of the pepper and citrus notes found in the aroma. Once it settles, the experience is quite enjoyable, soft even.
Flavor: The same things were sensed in my mouth as was in my nose. Pepper, citrus (lemon, orange), and a hint of sage.
Suggested Soundtrack: Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground by Bright Eyes in all its triumphant, angsty glory would be the proper celebratory soundtrack for this beer. The dynamics of this album are all over the place, allowing the listener to enjoy all the aspects of Cellar Door from the light citrus aromas and flavors to that aggressive, palate-cleansing carbonation. Bright Eyes’ recognizes the strength he gains from friendship and lessons of loss to create what I think is one of his most overlooked gems. The story of this beer is in the soil…beneath the soil, in a cellar even. So, keep your ear to the ground and maybe some Cellar Door will make it to your market. (Or something like that.)
Thoughts: There’s word that Stillwater is doubling production. So, maybe we’ll see more Cellar Door and other brews from Stillwater. That’s really my only complaint about Brian’s beers. Of course, if that’s my only problem, I can deal with it just as long as some Cellar Door finds its way into my glass now and again.
Top 5 Indie Band Tribute Beers
See? That’s Sam Calagione with a GBV shirt on.
In last week’s top-5, I predicted there would be some indie rock tribute beers this year. Since I want to be part of the solution and not the problem, I have decided to post five possible examples of beers that could be brewed as a way to properly recognize the chemistry that exists between indie rock and craft beer.
5. Dogfish Head Guided By Voices Heavy Lager – I once heard Bob Pollard proclaim on stage that he drinks “Bud Heavy” and not Bud Light. So, I think Dogfish Head needs to produce a “heavy” lager, maybe an imperial pilsner or high ABV bock of some sort and dedicate it to the reunited classic GBV lineup. I chose Dogfish Head because they’ve done this sort of thing before and there’s a picture of Sam Calagione wearing a GBV t-shirt out there somewhere.
4. Stillwater Bright Eyes Angst-Ridden Saison, Aged in Red Wine Barrels – I once had a pretty in-depth discussion about Bright Eyes with Stillwater brewer Brian Strumke. So, I know he’s a fan and would totally be into this sort of thing. I also know that Conor Oberst loved some red wine. If anyone could figure out a way to brew the perfect beer involving a red wine barrel (Pinot Noir possibly?), it’s Brian. This is actually the beer on this list that I personally think has the best chance of actually happening.
3. The Bruery Pavement Pilsner, AKA Watery Domestic – Of course I had to figure out a way to work Pavement into a beer. I suspect The Bruery could tap into Pavement’s Northern California aesthetic from their early days and brew their first commercially-available pilsner in the process. Since it’s from The Bruery, expect some flavors and adjuncts that will throw you for a loop.
2. Shmaltz Brewing Company He’Brew Yo La Tengo Barley Wine – A better brewery and band pairing would be hard to conjure. Shmaltz calls NYC home and specializes in Jewish-themed brews with their He’Brew line, particularly their Hanukkah gift pack. Yo La Tengo hails from across the river in Hoboken, but they spend a lot of time in the City. Every year, YLT celebrates their Jewish heritage with a set of shows each night of Hanukkah. A huge barley wine that improves with age would be ideal.
1. Just About Any Portland Brewery to Brew an IPA in Honor of Just About Any Portland Band – I get that this will be seen as a cop-out, but how could one narrow Portland’s beer and music scenes to just one brewery and one band. The one thing that isn’t hard to figure out is the beer’s style. An IPA makes the most sense here as some of the best come from Portland. Their bitterness can be a turn-off for some at first, but eventually the joy that is a Wests Coast IPA is discovered. The same goes for the average Portland indie band.
Update: This happened today. Let’s get on this, Stillwater, Bruery, Schmaltz, et al.
Session #59 – I Almost Always Drink Beer, But When I Don’t, I Drink Żubrówka
This month’s session almost threw me for a loop. Here’s the premise from session curator Mario Rubio of Brewed for Thought:
With the New Year looming and a month of Christmas and Holiday parties to enjoy there are plenty of opportunities to get into a different beverage besides beer, alcoholic or otherwise. It was with this in mind that I was reminded of a conversation I had one day with Jay Brooks. Looking for advice on how to squeeze some blood from this stone of beer blogging, Jay told me a lot of writers have to look outside of beer to help make a complete income. Upon bringing this up as a Session topic he even offered up a much better title than I would have thought up.
So as we are all incredibly interesting people, and almost always drink beer, let’s talk about what we drink when not drinking beer. Maybe your passion for coffee rivals that of craft beer, or it could be another alcoholic beverage such as scotch. My daughter being a root beer fan would appreciate her dad reviewing a few fizzy sodas. Maybe you have a drink that takes the edge off the beer, be it hair of the dog or a palate cleanser during the evening.
Beer cocktails, wines, ciders, meads, you name it as long as it’s not beer. Try to tie it in with craft beer in some way for extra credit. Be creative and I’ll see you guys in the new year.
Why would this throw me for a loop? Well, aside from my morning (and sometimes afternoon) coffee and water, I’ve cut out just about all other drinks. I feel that I can have a beer that will satisfy me better than any cocktail or glass of wine could ever do. So, why would I want to wast my liver and bladder on another drink?
Then, I considered the past holiday season. Every Christmas Eve, we have a Polish dinner. It’s tradition to toast each course with a shot of Polish vodka. We’ve always preferred Żubrówka or Bison Grass Vodka. However, the Eastern European market here in town was out. To add insult to injury, all the liquor stores in town don’t carry it. Our dinner guest supplied a nice Polish vodka, but it was absent the bison grass and just didn’t taste the same.
What exactly is Żubrówka and why is it so good?
Well, the Żubrówka one buys here in the States is different than what can be had in Poland. The original contains a blade of grass that grows from bison pastures. We’re all adults with a decent amount of education. So, I’ll let you figure out the connection from there. Anyway, said grass contains a carcinogen, making it extra “effective”. The US government looks down upon such ingredients. The American version shares the same green tint, herbal flavor, and even a blade of grass. However, there are no carcinogens. Still, my wife who’s had the Polish version, says it’s pretty close to the original. This means that a certain amount of herbal goodness, akin to an apple pie, exists in this green-tinted treat.
The spirit is an integral part of our family’s history. My wife’s family has a Polish background and she spent some time in Poland while her brother served in the Peace Corps there. Żubrówka was plentiful. Even the children were served their share, mixed with apple juice for a drink called a “szarlotka”. When we were married, we concluded the ceremony (and started the party) with a shot of Żubrówka for all. It’s tradition for our liquor cabinet to be stocked with the grassy booze, but our supply ran out and was left empty somehow.
After the Christmas Eve without our favorite accoutrement, we were determined to not let another holiday pass us by without some Bison Grass Vodka. Thankfully, Wine & Cheese Place in St. Louis (or in Clayton to be more specific) exists. I normally go there for beer, but this was a vodka emergency and a bottle of the green stuff was to be secured. W&C pulled through and we had vodka shots for New Year’s Eve!
Of course, I also consumed some Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Brut (an awesome “New Year beer…fermented with ale yeast, brettanomyces and enzymes…aged three months in Austrian white wine casks”), Life & Limb 2 (Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada-collaborated imperial stout with distinctive notes of chocolate and maple syrup), and Schalfly Reserve Barley Wine-style Ale (a 2008 vintage where the only thing I could taste was oak and no malt after 3+ years in the bottle). So, I didn’t drink just vodka harvested from the grass of buffalo dung, but the vodka certainly helped to ring in the new year the right way even if leaving me a bit hungover.
Cheers to Mario for forcing me out of my comfort zone and to reflect on and appreciate what is a rather enjoyable spirit, Żubrówka.
Beer Review: Avery Mephistopheles
Beer: Mephistopheles (2011)
Brewery: Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, CO)
Style: Imperial Stout
Glass: 10 oz. snifter
Context: Over NYE weekend, 44 Stone Public House, a British-style gastropub, had Mephistopheles on tap. When a beer like that is available on draft, you jump at the opportunity to try some. I had one in a bottle last year for my birthday and another in my cellar, but I had to make it out for a proper glass at a pub. My friend joined me, but he sipped on something less-intrusive as he enjoyed two glasses of the stuff the night before. It was noon and I needed to eat. So, I had some excellent lamb sliders to soak up some of that alcohol.
Appearance: It was like this. Surprisingly, there was a small head, but the bartender was sure to give me a full glass, scooping some of the foam in order to make room for the black stuff. This is surprising as the ABV on this demon child is in the 17% range. I know of 10% beers that don’t produce half this much head.
Aroma: There was a smooth chocolate thing going, but the roastiness of this beer stood out right away which, again, is surprising. From my experience, big beers like this hardly resemble beer. After crossing the 15% threshold, all boozy beers kind of taste and smell the same. Big imperial stouts like this rarely feature so much roasted barley in the nose.
Palate: Not as syrupy as one might expect, but it was smooth and coated my mouth. The surprising amount of carbonation worked well with the medium body. I never noticed the heat until it rolled down my throat and belly. That’s where the booze settled and warmed me from within.
Flavor: One would expect loads of booze, but this beer actually features a fair amount of roast and chocolate. It paired perfectly with the lamb sliders, providing both sweetness and roast to combat the strong cheese and gamy meat.
Suggested Soundtrack: Rich and loud with unexpected subtlety would describe both this beer and Wye Oak’s Civilian. Additionally, Jenn Wasner’s smoky vocals are as boozy as any vocalist I’ve heard in a long while.
Thoughts: Either this beer changes a ton with age, it’s just different on draft, or this year’s recipe is decidedly different from past versions, because I was pleasantly surprised to find it tasting like your typical imperial stout. The thing that I both love and hate about extra boozy brews is that they rarely taste like their style suggests. For example, 120 Minute IPA does not taste like an IPA. Mephistopheles tastes like an imperial stout should and you’ll only need one. The one I had nearly caused me to take a nap.
The Red Rye Wine Is Mine!
In case you weren’t following my Twitter feed or were watching my original post for updates, I actually won the Mikkeller Red Rye Wine giveaway! Check it.
So, now I have some work to do as I prepare for the arrival of this extremely rare beer from my favorite brewery. The promises I made for being rewarded the beer are as follows…
- I will dedicate a page on this blog with it’s own Mikkeller-inspired emblem for all things Mikkeller, including the running list of posts.
- I will review the Royal Rye Wine complete with a playlist that pairs perfectly with the awarded beer. I’ll make the playlist available to my readers via Spotify and even send a copy to Mikkel Borg Bjergsø.
- I will write a post reviewing every Mikkeller beer I’ve ever had, even the ones I’ve completely forgotten about.
#1 will take some work, at least as far as the emblem/logo is concerned. I’ve already gathered the rundown of posts. That part’s done.
#2 will have to wait for the actual beer to arrive. However, I’m already sorting out some ideas for a playlist and people to help me drink the beer. Unfortunately, one bottle will only go so far. If I want to have a decent enough of a sample in order to give the beer a reasonable review, I’ll have to limit the tasting team. 3-4 people total is probably the way to go. The hardest part is picking those people without upsetting anyone.
#3 will take some work. I’ll start with reviews I’ve actually written online, but I’ve had some Mikkeller beers I have noted elsewhere that will need to be considered.
Whatever. These are great problems to have. Things are looking up for the Coalition. It seems we now have a strong following in Denmark. So, to my new Danish readers, I say, “Hej, venner!”
The Dead Season
January rolls around. We recover from our holiday hangovers and prepare to cleanse and write resolutions for the year. Typically, the same sort of reset happens with craft beer and indie rock. Both industries take a moment to breath in preparation for the new year, even if it’s our last.
I look at January as the “Dead Season”. There are no or very few major releases from either craft breweries or indie labels. Someone will point out that there are a few noteworthy releases, but this pales in comparison to the plethora of releases in November/December. Nope, this is the time of year little comes out as we collect our…er…collective breaths and prepare for what the year has in store for us.
Two notable releases will be my only respites during this Dead Season.
The first is the Guided By Voices album, Let’s Go Eat the Factory which features the band’s classic (and somewhat geriatric) lineup. And from what I can tell from listening to the stream on NPR, it’s an album that would have fit well among Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, and Under the Bushes Under the Stars. Now, it’s not as good as those albums, but Let’s Go… is a swell piece of nostalgia reunions alone could never completely fulfill. I look forward to my copy arriving in a few weeks and giving you all a complete review then.
The other release is Bells Hopslam. Hopslam season has been well-documented here by the coalition and probably will receive some attention when this year’s version hits store shelves. I’ve put in an order for my family to obtain a minikeg again. After months of imperial stouts and oak-aged barley wines weighing down my palate, that shining light that is Hopslam will burst into my mouth, most likely featuring loads of grapefruit and honeyed sweetness. Can’t wait!
So, the Dead Season will end joyously with the nectar of the gods rolling down my throat as the dulcet tones of Bob Pollard and his boys rattle my eardrums. The Dead Season will end soon enough.
2011 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 26,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 10 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Beer Review: Perennial Artisan Ales Abraxas
Beer: Abraxas
Brewery: Perennial Artisan Ales (St. Louis, MO)
Style: Imperial Stout
Glass: Wine
Context: Just as we had decided that our holiday partying was over, the neighbors across the street invited us over for a drink. I grabbed this NYE orphan from the fridge to contribute. We sat around as our hosts prepped their dinner and kids played. Most interesting observation of the beer by my neighbor, Jerry, was this: “It’s a mouthful.” Exactly.
Appearance: Black. Lively carbonation creates a creamy, chocolate mousse-like foam. The carbonation is more than I’m typically used to from imperial stouts, but It’s welcome. Tons of lacing…or should I say “legs” as we sipped this monster from wine glasses.
Aroma: Faintly rich (Is that possible?) with notes of chiles, cinnamon, and chocolate. Roastiness is also there. I didn’t sense any vanilla, but I suspect vanilla was used more to bring out the chocolate flavors in the nibs rather than to stand alone.
Palate: The high amount of carbonation helps to coat the mouth with chiles. It’s heavy and thick, but not syrupy – more creamy than anything. Still, those chiles arise again with some heat. And, yes, it’s a mouthful.
Flavor: Rather balanced brew as the chiles stand out at first, augmented by the cinnamon, followed by rich chocolate. Again, the vanilla seems to assist the chocolate nibs rather than creating space for itself.
Suggested Soundtrack: Mogwai’s Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is as rich and complex as this beer, providing enough spice to balance with dark cacao nibs.
Thoughts: This is the first beer I’ve had from Perennial, one St. Louis’ newest breweries. It’s a whole lotta beer, but I’d like to see what their more delicate fair is like. Still, it’s a nice surprise to discover such an intense beer from a relatively new brewery, it’s encouraging to think what’s next.
Top 5 Predictions for Craft Beer
My apologies for some erratic posting over the holidays and such a late top-5 this week. I want to post more often, but life and work get in the way. Still, look for a beer review in the morning to get things off on the right foot for 2012. After this top-5, be on the lookout for next week’s list which will make five predictions for indie rock.
5. Gluten-free beer will become a big deal. Whether or not these beers actually contain any gluten, it will suddenly become apparent that beer brewed for our gluten-intolerant friends will make appearances on a significant number of brewery lineups. What does this mean? Gluten-free products are hot at the moment and brewers are just trying to fill a hole in the market. Don’t look for any gluten-free brews to become flagship beers.
4. Beers that are both hoppy and sour will be the hot trend in brewing. A few beers featuring sours and the like that are dry-hopped or variations of IPA’s with souring features typically provided by Brettanomyces. Whatever this style or hybrid style might be, it will take the craft beer world by storm.
3. One TV show featuring craft beer will succeed where Brew Masters did not. I’m not talking about Budweiser’s foray into reality TV. No. With all the DIY, foodie, and reality TV opportunities out there, it’s only a matter of time before craft beer breaks through. It could come from Lew Bryson or someone else, but it will happen in 2012. My bet is that it will happen on a food-focused network and will feature people and stories from all over craft beer, not just one personality or brewer.
2. The bubble will burst…sort of. Craft beer has shown steady growth over the last decade+ with little signs of slowing down. Record numbers of breweries will open this year. Then, a bunch of them will close. The market is fast becoming over-saturated which will inevitably lead to a lot of mediocre beers crowding shelves and taps. However, the better brewers will survive. Some breweries may even pull back and focus on regional markets. The point is that something’s gotta give. Look for craft beer to take a small step back and for a few breweries to close their doors this year.
1. Someone will brew a beer for an indie rock band. I have no basis for this prediction other than the fact that this blog seems to be picking up steam and folks are just waiting for a chance to join the coalition, preaching the gospel and celebrating the intersections between craft beer and indie rock. Which band? Which brewery? We’ll have to wait and see.
Beer and Pavement 
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