A Response to 10 American Craft Beer Myths
Ding has some things to say about myths the American beer fad has perpetuated. I’ll ignore calling the craft beer movement in this country a fad, but the myths and supporting details make a ton of sense. The post is interesting and a little better informed on the American craft scene than some British beer bloggers seem to be. I mean, the man lives here and can see first-hand what’s going on here in the states. I’ll respond to his post directly here. Then, I’ll write my own and maybe even another for indie rock or something. That’s three posts in response to one. I’m efficient here and get the most out of one good idea. Thanks, Ding. BTW, when I agree or disagree, I’m commenting on the assertion that the following statements are myths being perpetuated by the US craft community.
10. All craft (non-macro) beer is good, and all local beer is good.
Agreed. I used to think this as it seemed to me that anything craft or local was better than corporate versions. However, as I’ve had the opportunity to try a vast array of craft beer, I find it’s not good just because it’s craft and/or local. Of course, I’ll always choose whatever is local or craft when faced with limited options.
9. It’s wonderful to have more beer in cans.
Ding said…
Mmmmm, well I suppose it’s nice to have the flexibility that cans can offer, but far too many people are sacrificing the quality of the beer for the convenience of the container.
Disagreed. Maybe Ding knows something that I don’t, but I have yet to find anyone who chooses a canned beer over a bottled one simply because it’s in a can. Besides, cans offer more than convenience. They keep out light better than bottles. The oxygen issue is a draw, IMO, with bottle potentially exposing more oxygen over time and cans exposing more during packaging. Still, I get that this is not a reason to go with cans, but I have yet to meet a beer enthusiast who chooses beer based on their containers. In the end, we all want our beer poured into the proper glass and subsequently down our gullets.
8. It’s limited, it must be great!
Agreed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been letdown by a rare beer that isn’t really much better (sometimes worse) than the beer I can get every day from my local store. I don’t base my beer consumption solely on online ratings, but they can be helpful when buying beers you’ve never had or even heard of. One thing that I notice in these ratings is that rare beers with low numbers of reviews are generally higher than equivalent beers that have a wider distribution/production. I suspect this is partially because some recognize how rare and special the brew in their glass is based on beer geek envy and this clouds their perspective. Plus, the more of a particular product that’s out there, the more likely there are differing opinions or even the occasional bad batch. What I’m rambling about is that I completely agree that rare does not always equal better, but they can be a lot of fun.
7. Session beer is now gaining popularity in the USA.
I agree and disagree. The traditional, British definition of the session beer is not gaining popularity here in the states outside of a few beer purists and old farts. There should be room for the traditional session beer in the craft beer scene, but it doesn’t seem to be happening just yet. It may take off as brewers improve their craft and drinkers grow weary of the assault on their tongues and livers.
The part I disagree with is that the “American session” is growing in popularity. I get that a 5-7% is not a session beer by definition. I won’t engage that argument. However, Americans generally see higher ABV beers as just as sessionable as a 4% beer. Granted, no one should drink as many 6% beers as 4%, but the dividing line does seem a bit arbitrary. That said, the American session beer is growing in popularity, I believe. A lot of folks are taking a step back from big beers and rediscovering nice brews at a reasonable ABV level. It’s a minor point, but I think that’s where the American beer scene is right now. Baby steps.
6. More is always better (number of breweries and number of beers).
Agreed. This myth is perpetuated here because that’s how Americans think about every industry. More is better. Not quite. There are a lot of amateurs out there trying to pass themselves off as craft brewers. Although, I don’t have as much faith in the market correcting this issue as some, I think it will help to weed out most of the mediocre beer cluttering store shelves.
5. More is always better (taps in bars).
Disagreed. Of course, I’m assuming a bar only uses said taps for craft beer and respectable imports. I love variety and it’s nice to have options. I’d rather have most beers on tap. I can get bottles at the store for much less. Give me beer on tap and give a lot from which to choose. (I will concede that if Ding is implying that more taps means more opportunity for crap beer, then I’d have to agree he’s correct there. Still, I’ll stick with my original answer.)
4. Imperial and highly hopped = better.
Agreed. Of course, the statement itself is often true, but it’s not 100% true. For example, a strange trend I and others noticed this year is the presence of onions in our ultra-hoppy beers. Not all, but several Midwest and East Coast imperial IPA’s have displayed this character. I blame the hop harvest. It seems if there’s an off-flavor in an ingredient, those off-flavors are only magnified when used in imperial doses. Also, I have begun to appreciate the smaller beers that are just brewed better. Regardless of how many hops one puts into a brew, balance is a hard thing to attain, maybe even harder in imperial beers.
3. British beer is undergoing a massive revolution inspired by American brewers.
Agreed. However, I’d say that said revolution is happening here in the form of increased attention toward British beer thanks to those inspired by American craft beer. I don’t know any beer geeks in my circles searching out British beers outside of BrewDog. The Brits love their tradition and they love their beer. There’s no revolution going on there. They didn’t have a prohibition like we had. So, technically, Ding’s right on this one.
2. If it’s from a country with a (relatively) new brewing tradition, it MUST be great.
Agreed. However, the Scandinavian beers are generally pretty good, interesting at the very least. Still, this is mainly due to newness. We go for what’s new and proclaim it different than anything done before. Every beer should stand on their own, regardless of origin. Just because it’s from an unexpected place doesn’t automatically mean it’s good.
1. You can put ANY beer in a cask and get a good result.
Agreed. Although, I’ve been lucky so far in that the beers I’ve tried on cask have been pretty good. That said, I’m not sure much was added to the Jolly Pumpkin beers I had on cask in DC, but the Stillwater dry-hopped with Citra hops was incredible. Casks should be used sparingly. Ding, once again, is dead on… However, he suggests that these beers must be malt-forward. On that point, I obviously disagree. Beers go through an incredible metamorphosis when properly dry-hopped. Sure, not all beers are suited for the cask, but more than Ding might suspect.
Be on the lookout for my own list of American craft beer myths and one for indie rock as well.
Top 5 Stout Franchises
Breweries brew all kinds of beer, but only a few produce exceptional imperial stouts time and time again. Often, they use one base imperial stout in their aging and barreling programs, but other times they add ingredients to alter the flavor one way or another. These are the five best breweries at producing series of imperial stouts.
(Note – I considered including non-imperial stouts, but the list became too unwieldy and I tend to prefer imperial stouts this time of year. Had I gone with all stouts, Bells would have surely deserved a mention. Their imperial is excellent and their lineup of non-imp stouts is impressive.)
5. Mikkeller – Between the Black Hole series and all those Beer Geek Breakfast/Brunch beers, it’s hard to find a more intriguing set of imperial stouts. Add to that one of the better big beers I’ve had this year in Black, Mikkeller holds the title of best Danish/Gypsy brewer of imperial stouts all by himself.
4. Great Divide – Sometimes, it becomes easy to overlook the great beers that do regularly ship to one’s market. We get Great Divide here in Missouri which is a treat. Their Yeti series of imperial stouts is pretty impressive. They add chocolate, oak, Belgian yeast, etc. for a nice lineup of tasty imp stouts.
3. Three Floyds – I have had one Dark Lord in my lifetime and it was pretty great. If you look at any beer rating site, the top imperial stouts list is littered with variations of this one beer. This fact makes it hard to not rate it in my top-5, but the fact I’ve only personally had one bottle makes it even more difficult to rate it higher than the next two breweries.
2. Goose Island – GI is famous for a couple of things. One is the fact that they were bought out by ABI. The second is that they brew Bourbon County Stout. On it’s own, BCS is an incredible beer. However, GI does several versions that are hard to get, but if you do, it’s totally worth it. On top of that, they sell the base imperial stout used to age in those bourbon barrels known as Big John. Let’s hope the first fact mentioned here doesn’t interfere with the second.
1. Founders – Even beyond all the hype built for the release of Canadian Breakfast Stout in bottles this year, Founders brews a mean lineup of imperial stouts. The breakfast stout is the only beer with coffee (aside from some of the Mikkeller beers) that I will regularly buy. Then, there’s Kentucky Bourbon Stout and their “regular” imperial stout. Plus, there are periodically versions of these beers popping up here and there in kegs all over the Midwest. All of this make Founders the king of the imperial stout, IMO.
Also…
Southern Tier – The Darkwater Series is hard to deny. Check out Chokolat, Creme Brullee, Mocha, and Java for four of the tastiest dessert beers you’ll ever find.
Hoppin’ Frog – I haven’t gotten far into the Frog’s BORIS series, but what I’ve had is pretty good. It would help if they had a wider distribution in Missouri, but I can wait for periodic shipments from Ohio now and again. Rumor has it that a DORIS is coming my way.
Alesmith – Alesmith’s Speedway stout is a pretty grand imperial, but I just haven’t had enough of it or any of its variations to be able to report on it. Plus, although well-hyped in its own right, it just doesn’t hold the cachet of a Three Floyds yet.
Top 10 Albums of 2011
OK. I’ve waited long enough. Here are my top-10 albums of the year. Most should come as no surprise, if you’ve been reading this blog all year. To start things off, we have the #10 album that I picked from a list of albums just outside the top-10…
10. War on Drugs – Slave Ambient
I currently do not own this record. I missed their show in town. Finally, at some point in November, I gave the record a listen on Spotify and was blown away. Ever since, I’ve been playing the shit out of this record. I don’t think it cracks the top-9 as they have stayed constant all year or at least since they’ve been released. Either way, this is a strong, strong record. It has that lazy garage rock mumble former member Kurt Vile does so well, but there’s an aura of shoegaze and shitgaze all in one album. It’s cool and hauting, even beautiful in some parts. I still regret not seeing this band when they came to town. Oh well. I’ll make up for it by propping their album up as one of the best of 2011, a year that has turned out a surprising amount of good-to-great music.
9. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Although “boring”, there is nothing wrong with this album and that should count for something. After falling instantly in love, I soon decided that it was my mission to hate it. I couldn’t. Somehow, Justin Vernon achieves epic soundscapes, big noise, soul, urgency, and bitter cold in the most subtle of ways. I want to hate this record, but I can’t. It just feels right. Gone are the quiet, hushed log cabin recordings of yesteryear, but the intimacy is still there. This album is a major achievement and should be recognized as such.
8. Eleanor Friedberger – Last Summer
I missed this album’s release somehow. Insound was having a sale on Merge albums and I grabbed it since I’ve enjoyed quite a bit of Friedberger’s material with Fiery Furnaces. Anyway, this record is incredibly more approachable than the FF’s stuff. It doesn’t hurt that she was so cool hanging out the night she played St. Louis. I have a soft spot for artists who are nice people. Anyway, the album held up that night and I haven’t stopped listening since. Equal parts Patti Smith, Stephen Malkmus, and Joni Mitchell. It’s a really strong album from beginning to end. I can’t wait to hear what Friedberger does next.
7. Thao & Mirah – Thao & Mirah
I loved Thao Nguyen’s We Brave Bee Stings and All and saw she and Mirah perform some covers online. That was all I needed to purchase this largely overlooked yet timely album. Aggressive, percussive, completely danceable, and very fun, Thao & Mirah was a strong contender for this list from the first time I listened to it. This is a powerful record by two accomplished female artists about which I want my daughter to know. If this album somehow missed your awareness this year, go buy it and have some fun.
6. Cults – Cults
I don’t know what it is with all the nostalgia for Phil Spector these days, but Cults captured that and more with this solid effort, turning in the song of the summer in “Go Outside”. The album was a breath of fresh air since its release last spring. There was a time when I considered it an outside shot at album of the year. It captured my imagination that much. I worry that the band will struggle to put out anything as good as their first, but this isn’t a bad legacy to leave either.
5. Tune-Yards – W H O K I L L
Something about Tune-Yards was rubbing me the wrong way. Not sure what it was, but it didn’t last long. Everywhere I went, this record was playing. In fact, my favorite hangout often had this record spinning. I couldn’t resist. It’s infectious, raucous, fresh. I love the mixture of a lo-fi, nineties, guitar thing mixed with this dance-centric, percussive aesthetic all the kids are going for these days. I could listen to this album over and over, something I could say for any of these records, but especially for this one.
4. Wye Oak – Civilian
Wye Oak’s earlier material did next to nothing for me. Then, they did a couple of those AV Club things where they played cover songs. Then, they released a video and I was taken back to some mid-nineties indie. Stuff like Throwing Muses or Madder Rose when all these female voices began to emerge above the feedbacked fray of that era. This album is pure retromania for me and it’s plain good from first track to last. Jenn Wasner’s deep voice over a cacophonous racket fills my nineties nostalgic needs, much like the following albums on the list…
3. Yuck – Yuck
I have gushed enough about the nostalgic love I hold for this band and this release, but I have to say more so as to justify its placement in my top-10. And this is coming from a guy who doesn’t actually like the bonus material on the deluxe version of the record. Not everything these youngsters touch is gold. So, with this in mind, one has to consider that it’s impressive how right they got it when they put together an album that should have come out 15-20 years ago. Feedback, angsty lyrics, more feedback… It’s as if they invented the 90’s indie aesthetic and not Pavement or Sebadoh. I love this record. It’s nothing new or groundbreaking, but it perfectly captures what will be some pretty perfect moments in the development of my musical tastes.
2. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
When I heard this group was getting together, my head nearly exploded at the thought of all the possibilities. Then, they toured and my head blew up again re-imagining the ruckus Sleater-Kinney used to cause back in the day. Then, the music began to trickle out. Early on, the urgency detected in “Future Crimes” made me realize that this band was going to blow away all expectations. Wild Flag’s self-titled (a lot of these lately) debut is the perfect mix of S-K riot grrrl, Helium-style classic rock, garage punk, Runaways barnstorming, and indie sensibility. This album may be an all-time top-10 pick forever, assuming their follow-up isn’t more awesome. The guitar and vocals interplay between front women Mary Timony and Carrie Brownstein is only surpassed by the work Rebecca Cole and Janet Weiss are doing with backing vocals and holding down the low end. This is the super group to end all super groups.
1. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Mirror Traffic
Yes, I’m biased, but how is this album not on every end-of-year list. I either missed the memo or have yet to change out of my Pavement-tinted glasses. I’ve never thought a Stephen Malkmus solo album to be a top-10 record much less a #1, but Mirror Traffic is different. The prog wizardry and blues riffs have been taken down a notch with the perplexing and sly wit of Malkmus’ songwriting coming to the front. Plus, the accumulation of talent in this band is pretty insane considering the ramshackle band Malk fronted for a decade made some of the most memorable music of my lifetime. This is the first album he’s done that doesn’t feel like the continuation of Terror Twilight, a complete break from his former trajectory and an album that sounds like another band wrote and recorded it. Then, there’s the production which is quintessential Beck Hanson all over. This is the easiest Malk album to which to listen since those halcyon days of Slanted & Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. In fact, I’d say Mirror Traffic falls somewhere between those two great albums and Wowee Zowee. Yeah, I said it. So what?
I’m rambling a bit now, but that’s the list and I stand by it. (BTW, it’s no accident Janet Weiss is part of the top-2 records of the year.)
My Last Twelve Beers
No, this is not a list of the twelve worst beers I’ve had this year. I won’t do that. What I will do is put together a cheap post, a list of my last twelve beers as a way to fill some space. Think of it as the twelve beers of this Christmas or something. Some of these I’ve had and might have reviewed somewhere, but I thought I’d look back and see what I’ve enjoyed recently*. Of course, most of these happened on Sunday at a beer geek holiday party, but they still count…
Parabola Russian imperial stout by Firestone Walker Brewing Company – Sycamore, a favorite place to get a beer and a fine meal was hosting a Firestone Walker beer dinner. I didn’t get tickets, but I was able to score a seat for my daughter and I. We ate pork belly sliders, their special salad (soft boiled egg, bacon, etc.), smoked trout belly, and their famous Parmesan fries. I washed all that down with this beer. At 13%, it was the only beer I could safely drink in order to get my kid home in time for bed. It’s a huge and intense flavor experience, but it’s plenty drinkable now and should be out of this world in a year or two.
Fuego del Otono by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales – We had guests over for dinner. My wife makes this pumpkin soup where she bakes it inside a Long Island cheese pumpkin and we scoop out pulp with the broth and melted Gruyere. Somehow the brown ale I chose to pair was not going to make the cut. So, I quickly chilled this Jolly Pumpkin. The nuttiness, spices, and slight tartness played well with the soup.
Double Bastard by Stone Brewing Company – This one was served before dinner for a couple of bastards (myself included). I’ve always had an interest in drinks named “bastard” ever since I had my first Miserable Bastard at the bar around the corner from my college apartment. I like to pretend when I drink this beer that it’s what the regular Arrogant Bastard used to taste like before we all became acclimated to such big beers.
Firestone 15 (XV) Anniversary Ale byFirestone Walker Brewing Company – I was lucky enough to get a nice sample of this beer which should age nicely. I still have several bottles in my possession at the moment, but one is promised to a friend. This means that I either have one to sell or trade or I’ll drink it over the holiday with friends and age another for the future. Either way, I feel pretty lucky to have any and to have tasted it already. Did I mention that it’s pretty incredible already?
N’Ice Chouffe by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Duvel Moortgat) – After a while, I feel all these great Belgian beers – seasonal or not – begin to all taste the same. Of course they don’t really and of course this is not a bad thing. My underdeveloped tongue for Belgian beers just struggles to differentiate. This one was nice. I don’t remember anything that set it apart particularly. Plus, it was in the midst of a decent haul for a Sunday afternoon.
4 Calling Birds by The Bruery – I love The Bruery. This one was interesting. Unlike the one above, it stuck out as a Belgian style beer. However, I sensed a lot more clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, you know, Christmas spices. Still, it didn’t quite stand up to the actual Belgian beer. Had I consumed it alone, I might think differently. Of course, I’d drink this over 97% of the holiday beers out there. So, there’s that. (On a side note, this holiday get-together included a Yankee Swap. I walked off with a Cuir from The Bruery. I can’t wait for the perfect occasion to crack this baby open.)
Wytchmaker Rye IPA by Jester King Craft Brewery – I was very excited to try this beer as I have been reading for months about all the cool beers they’re brewing. It didn’t disappoint. Some couldn’t get past the rye, but I thought the rye was almost an afterthought as the tartness and hoppy bitterness shared center stage. I have to find a way to try more of these beers.
Doodle Dubbel by Doodle Brewing – So, the great thing about craft beer – like punk rock 25-30 years ago – is that anyone can brew beer. The bad thing about craft beer – also like punk rock – is that anyone can brew beer. I’ll just leave it at that.
Harvest wheat wine (2009 vintage) by Boulevard Brewing Co. – This beer came out two year ago. I hated it two years ago, but I still had an unopened bottle. So, I cellared it. Time passed by and I couldn’t find the appropriate time to pull it out of the cellar until the holiday party happened. I was considering contributions and noticed that the best by date was 10/10. I figured we might as well open it now. There’s no shame in pouring a beer down the drain…but we didn’t have to. In fact, this beer mellowed a ton and was well worth the wait. Sweet and smooth, nothing like I remembered it. It makes me rethink my dislike of the wheat wine altogether.
Sailing Santa IPA by Saint Arnold Brewing Company – Meh.
Winter Ale by Petrus – OK.
Rumpkin by Avery Brewing Company – I don’t know about a pumpkin ale, but this tasted more like a huge barley wine. I didn’t really sense much pumpkin at all. It’s so malty and sweet. I wish I was able to get my hands on some for aging purposes. Oh well. Can’t win them all. Still, I got to try some and it’s a nice barley wine – forget the pumpkin angle.
*Honestly, since I started this post, I’ve had a couple of other beers. One was the Shmaltz/Terrapin collab Reunion ’11. It was better than I remembered. There are moments when it’s spicy and others when the chocolate hits. It’s a very nice beer that I wouldn’t turn down. The other was one of my 90 Minute IPA‘s I have lying around, but I want to say more about it in another post. So, it will have to wait.
Your Science Update
When there’s a scientific discovery in the areas of craft beer and indie rock, I feel it is my duty to inform the coalition of such breakthroughs. It is part of the interdisciplinary mission of this blog that I’m making up right now to inform my readers of all aspects of said subject matter. How else will you know how to carry on in the future?
It has come to my attention that loud music makes alcohol taste sweeter. Conversely, more alcohol consumed makes loud music more tolerable. Thank you, Science!
So, what does this mean for the coalition?
Well, for starters, it proves that these two interests of mine can exist together, but one must be careful. For example, if an unsuspecting concert attendee ordered a PBR as a Screamo band started playing, it could be devastating to their evening and possibly entire life. The Screamo band would cause the person to think the “beer” he is consuming tastes better than it does, causing him to buy and drink more. The addition of alcohol to his system will make the music more tolerable as the night wears on, causing irreversible damage to his musical tastes. This is not something we should take lightly, folks.
If handled correctly, this information can be used for good. Go see a good indie band. No matter who it is, the shitty sound system in whatever club they’re playing in will probably have the system turned to 11 just to sound decent. With those loud but dulcet tunes playing, you will yearn for a drink. If you ask for a craft beer, the chances that you’ll enjoy said beer are increased exponentially. The cycle continues and you finally see the point of this blog.
So, thank you, scientists. We will all now continue with the loud music and craft beer enjoyment knowing that one feeds the other.
Just Outside the Top 10 of 2011 (Albums)
Coming up with one’s ten best albums of the year is tough. I’ve done more than that, but narrowing a list to ten is a much more difficult task than simply naming all the albums you bought in a year. Also, I have the terrible habit of proclaiming albums to be the year’s best long before I should. Then, there are all the albums that simply have not been given the time they deserve.
That said, I have narrowed my list to nine. All I need is one more, but the list that follows is what I have left to consider. Sure, I might miss a few when it’s all said and done, but these are albums I’m still considering for one spot. Feel free to comment on what’s here and what isn’t. Keep in mind that I already chose nine to make the final cut. I just need one more…
The Albums I Haven’t Listened to Enough Even Though I’ve Had Them for Awhile: So, I’ve had some of these records almost since they were first released this year, but for whatever reason, I just haven’t had time to give them a proper listen. All of the albums in this group deserve serious consideration as I’ve spent some time over the past couple of weeks trying to get reacquainted.
Okkervil River – I Am Very Far
As I was considering my favorite tracks of the year, I rediscovered “Wake and Be Fine” on another list of top songs. It made me want to rediscover this album just to make sure I didn’t overlook it. I had. While the narratives and poetic flourishes Will Sheff normally demonstrates in his songwriting is somewhat subdued in order to make room for more hooks, the production and instrumental dynamics more than make up for it.
Joan of Arc – Life Like
Honestly, I could write something up that just tells you all I know and/or think about previous JoA records prior to this one and it might be somehow accurate in describing this record. However, I won’t tell you anything. Just know that it’s long overdue a sit-and-git. Maybe I’ll pour a beer also deserving my attention. Either way, I remember loving portions of it, but I never listened to it and it landed on the island of forgotten LP’s.
BOAT – Dress Like Your Idols
The poor man’s Yuck, possibly, deserves more listens. I’ve actually been playing the shit out of it lately, giving it a hard look for the final slot in my list. It’s loaded with all kinds of nods to my heroes and theirs (apparently). The aesthetic reminds me tons of the sort of nineties retro indie that The Soft Pack and Surfer Blood play. It’s good stuff but nothing earth-shattering.
Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
What a massively great album this is. Why isn’t it in my top-10 already? I really haven’t listened to it enough to make that decision. Maybe I’d hear that one bit that put it over the edge or make it unworthy of top-10 status. I don’t know. I blame the fact that Sub Pop’s digital download system didn’t work and I never bothered to follow up.
Low – C’mon
I loved this album a lot from the beginning, but I worried that I wasn’t giving it enough distance. Then, I gave it too much distance and nearly forgot. It seemed too perfect of an album to be Low’s and maybe I was missing something. That’s not saying Low doesn’t make great albums. I’m just surprised a Low album could contain so many memorable songs. Albums are their thing, not singles.
The Albums that I, for Whatever Reason, Did Not Purchase This Year: I know these bands are good. I’ve read and heard enough to know that these albums should be considered. Why I still haven’t purchased them is unknown to me. Luckily, there’s Spotify. I’ve been trying to catch up on some material I missed over the year. More than likely, I will own all of these albums by February. Still, they sit collectively just outside my top-10.
War on Drugs – Slave Ambient
I don’t know how one determines Spotify statistics, but I’m sure I’ve played this album more than all others over the past month while at my computer. For whatever reason, I didn’t buy this album, nor did I go see them when they came to town. It makes no sense and this record is pretty good.
Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for My Halo
See above, aside from the not seeing him even though he was in town, because he was not in town this year. I loved his set at Pitchfork last year and loved whichever record I do own. The crime of not owning this record will be rectified soon enough.
Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
I own the other two Moore solo efforts plus a handful of weird records he’s done over the years. I have been loving anything Beck produces as of late – maybe my producer of the year. I am a Sonic Youth fan of like 20 years. So, why don’t I own this record? I have no idea. Now, I’m seeing it pop up on lists and I’m wondering what I’ve missed. Better give it another listen on Spotify.
I Saw These Guys and Was Impressed, So Their Albums Deserve Another Look: The following two acts were among those I saw play live. Somehow, I don’t own either album they were supporting. Upon considering the shows I’ve seen this year, that was an egregious oversight on my part. I’ll rectify it at least by giving them props where props is due.
Bill Callahan – Apocalypse
I made sure to see Callahan while in DC earlier this year, but I didn’t buy the record. Even his track “America” made my top tracks list. It’s a crime that I don’t yet own this record.
Jay-Z/Kanye West – Watch the Throne
Going to see Jay-Z and Kanye West forced me to play this album a ton on Spotify as a way to prep myself. Typically, I don’t like hip-hop records because they are single-heavy and loaded with filler. This album was different as it was complete from beginning to end. So, it deserves some consideration.
The Bands I’m Just Not Sure About at this Juncture: For various reasons, a few bands fell into this category. Some I loved right away, but I don’t know that it’s a long-lasting love, like for life kind of love. These albums still deserve some consideration, though.
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
At one point, I was ready to name this “album of the year”, but something made me reconsider. It may have been seeing so many bros in the Fleet Foxes camp or my general distaste for hippies. I don’t know. It’s still very, very good. I’m just not ready to commit to including it in the top-10, yet.
Beirut – The Rip Tide
This might be the most complete and realized album of Beirut’s string of excellent albums, but I don’t know that it qualifies this year. In year’s past when I’ve had a hard time thinking of ten albums I like, it would have held down a seven spot. However, I have found an embarrassment of riches in this year’s crop. Beirut’s record is good, but it might not be top-10 good.
Destroyer – Kaputt
This was another album I was ready to crown early in the year, but it seems its eighties aesthetic finally rubbed me the wrong way. Bejar writes a pretty awesome song and somehow harnessed bad Casios to sound cool and even contemporary, but I lost my patience for this record over time. Then, I saw it make a few lists of people I respect, causing me to pause for a moment. Should I reconsider Kaputt?
WU LYF – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
This album popped up on my radar since its June release or sometime shortly before that thanks in large part to their underground marketing schemes online. It’s big, epic, and incoherent in ways I’ve never heard before. That usually means that it goes directly to my top-10 list, but this year’s list is loaded and I only just laid my hands on this record, maybe six months after its release. So, it may still take time to decide on this one.
Bright Eyes – The People’s Key
Bright Eyes has gone down hill, but this album grew on me for a while, especially after seeing the band on its final trip across the country. Also, it’s been receiving some recognition, making me think that I need to revisit. Of all these records, it may have the longest shot, but it’s still a worthwhile album.
Albums by Locals That Were Really Good and Maybe Could Use a Bump from the Coalition: I don’t often hear local releases that
Ptarmigan – The Forest Darling
I said it back in May and I’ll say it again, Ptarmigan put out a great record that stands out locally or beyond. Read what I thought here and I’ll let that stand on its own.
Dubb Nubb – Sunrise Sleepeyed
It’s hard to believe sometimes that Dubb Nubb are so young as their songs demonstrate a wisdom well beyond their years. On top of that, they have an infectious sound that’s hard not to notice. I’m looking forward to seeing them play again at True/False in 2012.
Jerusalem & the Starbaskets – Dost
Dost is getting some good press and deservedly so. Lo-fi and blues revivalism with a touch of country seem to be coming along at just the right time. The band is touring extensively, but I have to believe that their one big opening gig from breaking. People eat this shit up. I do.
That’s not even the final list. As mentioned before, I have nine other albums I love more than these, but I felt they all deserved some mention and the benefit of 100 page views. Which one would you pick to add to my top-10? Did any of these make your list? Comment freely. My top-10 will hit eventually. There will probably be something similar for beer as well.
Top 5: Xmas Beers
OK. So, I don’t actually like seasonal beers. The only exception are those beers that happen to always come out at certain times of the year, but aren’t necessarily tied to the season. There are other exceptions, but I find fall and winter seasonals to be particularly dreadful as it becomes the time of year to overload mediocre brews with spices. This is something homebrewers do, not quality craft brewers.
Still, there are a few holiday ales which I like to try every year. I typically only drink holiday ales that are available here in Missouri. So, the list is a bit limited that way as well. Here are five of the better holiday ales I enjoy…
5. Avery Old Jubilation – Sweet, malty old ales should be on every brewery’s holiday lineup. This one is a favorite and almost criminally available everywhere, sitting beside their spiced brethren. The Christmas-y and seemingly pedestrian presentation make me think 1995 micro-brewed concoction of frankincense and myrrh.
4. Boulevard Nutcracker Ale / Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale – I couldn’t decide between these two as they are the same beers in my mind (not really even close). Sure, Celebration is…well… more celebrated, but they are very similar beers. Instead of coming with spice, they hit you with hops, lots of them… Actually, the point is that that both beers contain a surprising amount of hoppiness in two rather different beers. Are you confused yet? I am. The hoppiness contained in the winter warmer and IPA are of the crisp variety, how I’ve been liking my hops as of late.
3. Mikkeller Red White / Santa’s Little Helper / To From / Hoppy Lovin’ Christmas – Some of these are better than others, but it’s the fact that Mikkeller puts out a full lineup of holiday ales that strikes me. All are uniquely Mikkeller and all are worth the holiday bonus you may fork over for some. I’m particularly interested in the Hoppy Lovin’ Christmas, an IPA brewed with ginger and pine needles, as it’s new to me this year.
2. Samichlaus – This beer has an enormous reputation in these parts, almost as large as its 14% ABV. The rep is much deserved and the beer is a Christmastime necessity. I don’t know that it actually has anything to do with Christmas other than the fact that it sounds like “Santa Claus,” but it’s a giant lager with which you should not trifle.
1. Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza – JP is one of those breweries at the top of my favorites list that just does it for me every time. Sure, they’re all variations of the same beer, but they’re all delicious.Tartness galore as always but this time in the form or a Belgian strong dark ale. I would have even accepted spice, but JP didn’t stoop to those levels and kept it on the real. In other words, it’s your typical Jolly Pumpkin but in super-awesome Christmas form.
Special Mention: Stone/Nøgne Ø/Jolly Pumpkin Special Holiday Ale – From what I understand, this beer has long been retired. All three breweries can be found in this beer. It’s a bit of a mangled mess, but it was my mangled mess at one time. I’ve had versions bottled by the first two breweries and each brought with them something different. I feel like the JP version has been around, possibly passing my lips at a tasting, but I have no proof and could be totally mistaken.
Chocolate and Beer
Below is the post I published on a chocolate dinner I attended Sunday night. It’s not really about beer, nor Pavement, but I thought it a good way to fill Friday’s slot without stressing. As you’ll see, I drank an Ommegang Abbey Ale which is a Belgian Dubbel. The beer goes excellently with chocolate, but I wonder if there are other options. I currently have a Mikkeller Chipotle Porter which should go well with a dark chocolate, possibly Patric’s 70% Signature Blend or even the 75% Madagascar Sambirano Valley. I’m not sure I can go wrong with either. We are also hosting the dessert portion of a progressive holiday dinner. I want to serve chocolate cake or brownies with a lambic or kriek. There are just so many possibilities.
Which beers do you prefer with chocolate? Also, let me know what you think of the dinner described below. You may also want to keep an eye out for Patric Chocolate…
Local Smoked Pecan & Mustard Encrusted Lamb Chops with Mint-Chocolate Bread Pudding, Wilted Spinach and a Norton Wine & Rosemary Jus
When one thinks of chocolate, a Hershey’s bar comes to mind or maybe the obligatory box of chocolates in the shape of a heart. Rarely do we think “food,” but that’s what chocolate is. It’s food. We’ve just grown accustomed to adding loads of sugar (and/or high-fructose corn syrup) and calling it a treat or dessert. However, in those cases, we’re just eating sugar, not chocolate.
Columbia is lucky in that we are home to one of the very few artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate producers in the country. Alan Patric McClure is the man behind the award-winning Patric Chocolate. I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time with Alan and he is all about the food aspect of chocolate – and other foods for that matter. We once drove up to Macon just to bring back an entire Berkshire hog. His passion for food goes way past his profession. Still, it’s hard to deny the prowess of his chocolate-making.
Wine Cellar & Bistro executive chef Craig Cyr creates unique dishes you find anywhere else in Columbia. He masterfully incorporates local foodstuffs into seasonally-specific dishes that will amaze and plat with flavor in unexpected ways. Getting a chance to work with Patric Chocolate (for the second time) provided numerous possibilities, especially with Patric’s extended line of bars that now use outside flavors to augment the chocolate. This is what happened Sunday evening.
The two CoMo food commodities combined for one of the more memorable meals I’ve had since moving here over six years ago. The menu looked something like this along with my notes:
Blue Cheese Cracker with Toasted Black Walnuts & Thyme
and with Dark Milk Chocolate Fondue
Dark Milk Bar
What a start! The blue cheese dominated the the cracker but was matched with the dark milk chocolate fondue. It was an intense match enlivened by a glass of sparkling wine.
Arugula Salad with Local Coffee & Salt-Roasted Beets, Dried Cherries, Crispy
Shallots, Mocha Chocolate and a Balsamic Vinaigrette
Mocha OMG Bar
One would think that chocolate, much less coffee-infused chocolate, wouldn’t pair well with a salad. Well, one would be wrong. The bar was worked into the dressing. The coffee and salt-roasted beets and arugula had enough bitterness to stand up to the dressing, leaving us with a mouthful of a salad.
Grilled Scallop with Nibs wrapped with Prosciutto Americana, served with
Cinnamon & Cardamon-Butternut Squash Custard, Grapefruit Chutney and
Madagascar Chocolate-Dipped Candied Grapefruit
Madagascar 67% Dark Chocolate
This dish may have been my favorite of the night. The nibs created a dark stripe down the middle of the scallop one could barely make out below the prosciutto. The only way to fully enjoy this dish was to somehow shovel all the parts onto one’s fork at one time. Bitterness, smokiness, sweetness, tartness all worked together to create a symphony in one’s mouth. (Sorry. Did I overdo it?) Patric Chocolate is known for its bouquet of flavors and this dish captured them all.
Sweet & Sour Chocolate-Glazed Fried Chicken with Garlic, Ginger and Chili, served
with Stir-Fry Rice Noodles, Shiitakes, Sesame, Cabbage
and Sarsaparilla Poached Apples
Signature 70% Blend
The flavors, particularly the chocolate, shot off my fork upon the first bite. However, the saltiness of the sweet & sour sauce took over and rendered them MIA. Still, this was a great way to enjoy a little fried chicken (Alan’s suggestion for the menu).
Local Smoked Pecan & Mustard Encrusted Lamb Chops with Mint-Chocolate Bread
Pudding, Wilted Spinach and a Norton Wine & Rosemary Jus
Mint OMG Bar
Mint makes sense for lamb chops. In this case, I was surprised at what the chocolate was also able to bring to my palate. In a meal of richness and decadence, this one took the prize for most indulgent. I just wish it weren’t too uncouth to pick up the chop and suck the meat from the bone.
Banana & Nib Belgian Waffle topped with PBJ Chocolate Mousse, Caramelized
Bananas and Chocolate Ganache
PBJ OMG Bar
Of course there was a dessert course for a chocolate dinner. I had forgotten just how peanut buttery the PBJ OMG bar actually was. I was able to try early incarnations of the bar before it hit store shelves. The mousse was so full of peanut buttery-goodness that it reminded me of some of those first versions of the bar. The nibs also made the perfect nut replacement within the waffle.
As you can see, it was an impressive spread that could not fail. I’m not one to normally comment on the size of servings, but for a meal such as this, there was plenty to eat. The rounds just kept coming, putting my palate through quite a workout. In the end, all the chocolate kept both my partner and I up way past our bedtimes.
Since I am more of a beer drinker than that of wine, I washed down this fantastic meal with an Ommegang Abbey Ale, a Belgian Tripel by way of upstate New York. The malty sweetness and aromas of dark fruits paired nicely with the dishes heavier in chocolate. The Belgian yeast provided a bit of delicacy for matching the salad and grapefruit that accompanied the scallop.
If you needed a reason to buy some Patric Chocolate or to have dinner at Wine Cellar & Bistro, this menu was it. Patric Chocolate can be purchased online or at various stores around town such as World Harvest, Kaldi’s, and Hy-Vee. You may also get your chocolate fix at their website. For dinner at Wine Cellar & Bistro, check their website for hours of service and events like this one.
In the end, pay a little homage to two CoMo food favorites this holiday season.
Believers Kickstarter/Pre-Order
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1718566383/believers-first-ep/widget/video.html
OK. So, I’ve gushed about Believers here in the past. It’s fine. This local band is worthy of your attention. If you don’t believe me, look back through the archives and consider most of the other music I promote on this site. That should be enough for you to buy in.
Believers have launched a Kickstarter campaign in an effort to raise the money to master and manufacture their debut EP. There are various levels of giving and corresponding rewards, but $15 will get you a record and digital download. Consider it a pre-order. Beyond that, there are t-shirts, mixed tapes/CD’s, artwork, even a live performance if you’re willing to give enough. However, the $15 option is still a good one.
Check out the video above (Sorry, but WordPress isn’t playing nice with the embedding. Click on the link for the video.) to get some idea of what these guys are up to. If you listen carefully, you’ll pick up the sounds that you will be purchasing. Also, you can preview two tracks here.
Join in the Coalition’s efforts to make this Believers EP happen. That is all.
We Had a Holiday Party of Sorts
The Saint Nicholas/flaming punch party didn’t happen, but my wife had her Women’s Studies department over for a party tonight. So, there will be no real post for Thursday. In the meantime, consider this beer I had tonight. An old ale on the low ABV side. Nice but not amazing. You won’t find it anywhere outside Missouri.
Beer and Pavement 
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