Batemans Combined Harvest Multi-Grain Beer (Presidential Brief)

What: Batemans Combined Harvest Multi-Grain Beer 4.7% abv
Where: The Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: May 24, 2010
What-have-you: "Bateman's 'combined harvest' multigrain beer. 4.7% abv. Smooth and earthy with a bit of fruit tang. Wheat, oats, n rye prevail."

Yards Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce

Yards Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce:

Ales of the Revolution Series. "Malt Beverage crafted with natural flavors (molasses, spruce tips, and sprigs)" 5% abv.

Brewed using Benjamin Franklin's original recipe, this revolutionary ale is the lightest of the three I've tried so far. George Washington Tavern Porter and Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale are the others I've sampled. They are heavier hitters, no doubt. Poor Richard's aroma is pretty nice and refreshing, combining a slight sweetness with that evergreen essence of spruce. The flavor follows pretty much in line with the aroma but the molasses asserts itself with a dark richness. The finish is pretty dry, however, and can really be tasted best when a good belch is emitted from deep within the chest.

Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce is pretty good right out of the bottle, but even better when it's opened up a bit (poured into a pint glass). The medium body and tangy flavors smooth themselves out when drunk from the glass. Which makes me wonder how this brew would be on tap... probably even smoother... which couldn't hurt.

Yards Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce reminds me a bit of the Williams Brothers' Historic Ales of Scotland -- especially the Alba Scots Pine. Extremely earthy and different than traditional beers made with traditional ingredients, Poor Richard's definitely has an Olde World feel to it. In fact, all of Yards' "Ales of the Revolution" are said to be brewed using the original recipes of the hoary-headed gentlemen who grace the labels. If my memory serves me, the Ales were at one time brewed by Yards exclusively for the City Tavern in Old City, Philadelphia, PA. All of these Ales of the Revolution have lifted my patriotism. You know, if I could take a hot tub time machine, I think I would go back to the mid-to-late 1700s and spend some time with the Pounding Fathers to report on the authenticity of these recipes. And I could fill them in on the future Presidentes of our fine Nation...

Yards Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce:

Representation: .9

Accessibility: .925

Style: .95

Personal Preference: .85

Total Score: 3.625 Flags

IPA in a Can Showdown (Citizen Review)

IPA in a Can Showdown:

What do you get when the VP of the The Ferment Nation sits down with two very opinionated beer drinkers to review three IPA beers currently available in cans? You get a showdown! Since I forgot to have my fellow beer drinkers sign the standard Ferment Nation Citizen Reviewer Release Form (Form #FN-201983.32.B, to be supplied in triplicate directly to El Presidente), let's call them Citizen E. and Citizen N.

As a preface to the criticism and praise, it was pretty great that we could even review more than one craft brewery IPA in a can. Cans are great for coolers and for keeping beer cold, they are probably less expensive to produce for breweries, are easier to stack and transport and less prone to destruction if you drop one. BUT, I could not name off the top of my head a single craft beer available in a can other than Dale's Pale Ale. So why the reluctance on the part of craft breweries? Not sure. Maybe its a pride thing- big breweries use cans, craft breweries use casks and bottles? I guess we will see in the future, but I say, especially for summertime, let's see more cans!

So, we were three reviewers drinking three IPA beers in cans. We conferred with initial tastings and then secondary tastings, and then passed judgment on all three as to the order of quality in taste and representation as India Pale Ales. Here are the notes that were taken. In the interest of propriety and politeness, I will say that the views expressed in the following notes do not necessarily represent the views of The Ferment Nation.

1. 21st Amendment Brewery - Brew Free or Die IPA

- No smell/can smell

- Awful “yommy” aftertaste

- Great design on can

2. Caldera Brewing Company IPA

- Funky

- Cat piss mell

- Not undrinkable, but close

- Can design and green tab bad calls

- More like a pale ale

- Stinky stinky

- Lightest color of the three

3. Sly Fox Route 113 IPA

- Grassy, excellent aftertaste

- Bite that we were looking for

- Nice can

- Nice caramel hue

- Does not taste like it came out of a can

The clear winner was Sly Fox's Route 113 IPA. In second place was 21st Amendment, and coming in last was Caldera. And although Citizen E. has a connection to Suzanne Woods of BeerLass.com fame, I will not doubt her opinion as being unduly influenced. I totally agree with the overall judgement. As a final comment, I would say that all three IPAs fall short of outstanding representatives of the style like Green Flash's West Coast IPA, or even recent favorites of mine like Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA. Obviously, now there are a whole lot more craft beers in cans than a year or two ago, and producing beers in cans could be the future, but it looks like there is still much work to be done. And so we wait, patiently, thirstily.

Founders Centennial IPA (Citizen Review)

What: Founders Centennial IPA 7.2% abv
Where: Casa McCuen (Collingswood, NJ)
When: May 16, 2010
What-have-you: "Founders makes some good beers, and this IPA was calling my name. With some recognizable maltiness to it, the hops were still the star of the show, and that is what I demand from an IPA. Another test I have is the half-way test. Halfway through the bottle, I like to stick my nose in, take a whiff. Yep, still hoppy. I like that. As I look at the bottle, I notice it mentions that it has been dry-hopped and it is unfiltered, which intrigues me. I would be interested in comparing this IPA and its brewing process to other IPAs, see which ones I like better. I have heard that this is actually much better on draught, which is never surprising, but I think this is another solid performance by Founders and a very nice IPA."

Boulder Planet Porter (Presidential Brief)

What: Boulder Planet Porter 5.51% abv
Where: The Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: May 12, 2010
What-have-you: "Boulder 'Planet Porter'. Lil toasty, mildly hoppy, medium body. Really nice but not insane. Worth a look if you're a porter freak."

A Tale of Two Beers

Famous Last Words:

"It is a far, far better better beer that I drink..." That is what I think of. As the work day winded down, my colleagues and I partook of some fermented beverages. We had a pretty good selection: 21st Amendment's Brew Free or Die IPA, Bell's Two-Hearted Ale, Sierra Nevada's Torpedo IPA and I think some others, too, but I forget them right now.

The first for me was Sierra Nevada's Torpedo Extra IPA. I have had this beer before, and this particular day, I was equally as unimpressed as the first. Sorry! Sierra Nevada is usually one of those no-worries, rock-solid dependable breweries, but I was at a loss as to what to say. The second beer I had was Bell's Two Hearted Ale, which although the label just says "Ale", it is an American style IPA, and it shows it. Compared to Torpedo, which throws in the word "Extra" into it's name, Bell's "Ale" beats our Sierra Nevada in the IPA department.

What's in a name? A hop is a hop is a hop. Bell's wins in the hop category, the aroma category, and the overall taste category. Ask not for whom Bell's tolls, it tolls for me... to have another Two-Hearted Ale!

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA (Presidential Brief)

What: Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA 9.0% abv
Where: The Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: May 5, 2010
What-have-you: "Pour House. Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA. Savage hops attack! Grapefruity, floral, and a nip o' sweet."

New Holland Dragon's Milk Ale (Citizen Review)

What: New Holland Dragon's Milk Ale 10.0% abv
Where: PJ's Pour House (Westmont, NJ)
When: May 12, 2010
What-have-you: "I asked El Presidente if I would like this one. It was listed on the chalkboard as an 'American Strong Ale', but El Prez told me it has similarities to an imperial stout, so that sold me right away. And it was dark, dark as Smaug's lair in the Lonely Mountain. It came to me served in a Three Philosophers mini wine goblet. I could smell the alcohol right away, which is kind of a turn off, but at 10% abv, what do you expect? Oaky? Yes, and it has an odd sweetness to it, and a kind of lingering twangy aftertaste, which makes sense to me when I read New Holland's own description. This is pretty good, but I will stick with only one tonight."

Samuel Adams Round-Up

Samuel Adams Round-Up:

We occasionally like to re-visit some of our previous reviews to spotlight a certain style of beer, or in this case, a particular brewery. Here are some of our Sam Adams beer reviews. To start off, for the Hop-Head-in-Chief, we bring you:

1. Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA:

This home-grown recipe from Mike McDole of California has a pretty serious hoppy kick. With 7 varieties of American hops addes, this blend has a very definite grapefruit juice thing going on. [Read the full review]

2. Samuel Adams Imperial Stout:

This imperial stout is dark all the way through. Extreme bitterness up front presents the traditional dark flavors of chocolate and coffee. The bitterness gives way for just a moment to let in a little sweetness from deep within. Then, the aftertaste hits with lasting results. What is that herbal, tongue-numbing bittersweet flavor? Aha! Anise. I may not have come up with that on my own but Jim Koch was kind enough to sum up the brew on the rear label. Thanks, Mr. Koch, for putting words to my flavor experience. [Read the full review]

3. Samuel AdamsSummer Ale:

There are lots of summer beers out there and they seem to get better and better. Sam Adams is sort of the successful big brother of the craft brew industry and usually keeps the level of competition pretty high. This Summer Ale has a nice golden color and slightly hazy complexion. The body is just right with a smooth mouthfeel, too. So flavorful and consistent. Get it in the bottle or on draft! [Read the full review]

Dock Street Brewing Co. Rye IPA (Presidential Brief)

What: Dock Street Brewing Co. Rye IPA 6.8% abv
Where: McKenzie Brew House (Malvern, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "This was a "guest" beer at the McKenzie Brew House and Brewpub in Malvern, PA. Bitter and sharp. Hoppy and earthy. The rye combines with the hops to make the flavor hop!"

Selin's Grove Brewing Co. White Horse Porter (Presidential Brief)

What: Selin's Grove Brewing Co. White Horse Porter 5.5% abv
Where: Selin's Grove Brewing Co. (Selinsgrove, PA)
When: November 7, 2009
What-have-you: "Cask-hand-pumped. Mellow!!! Smooth!!! Almost like you're drinking a starry night."

Sun Up Brewing Company (Phoenix, AZ)

Sun Up Brewing Company (Phoenix, AZ):

Earlier this year I had a chance to visit an old friend of mine in Phoenix, AZ. I really didn't know anything about the beer scene in Arizona, but there were at least of couple of brewpubs in the Phoenix area , and Sun Up Brewing Company looked good to me.

Since I was the only one drinking that night, I had to make it worth my while and ordered their house sampler. I have already posted mini-reviews of the beers already, but they are worth mentioning again. The Stinger Pale Ale, their Amber, and their Light Rail Cream Ale were all a little light on taste but definitely smooth and easy to drink. I think this is something city brewpubs try to focus on: providing drinkable alternatives to beers like Coors Light and Budweiser. Sun Up succeeds here.

Unfortunately, I have a bone to pick with their Horizon Hefeweizen, and Trooper IPA. When I order a wheat beer, I want it to taste wheaty, have a cloudy look to it. Perhaps it is unfair to compare it to this beer, but when you put a Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier up to your nose, you can tell right away it's a wheat beer. Not the case with Sun Up's Horizon. Same thing goes for their Trooper IPA. It's an IPA, give me some hops! With ultra-uber-hoppy beers like Weyerbacher's Double Simcoe or Victory's Hop Wallop, you can still make a beer pretty hoppy and not have it be over-board, but don't give me a timid IPA.

Anyone who knows me won't be surprised that their Vanilla Porter won me over. I liked it because it tasted like vanilla and like a porter. Go figure.

Overall, I really liked this brewpub. The service was friendly, and the food was good, too. I had their Sante Fe Chicken sandwich with guacamole, green chiles, and pepper jack cheese. Quite tasty. They also had really tasty french fries, which is always a plus in my book. I will say this, too, I probably should have sampled their seasonal beers. With other brewpubs, "house beers" are meant to be pretty tame and un-adventurous. If their seasonal beers are closer to the quality and taste of their vanilla porter, I will go back for more.

Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot (Presidential Brief)

What: Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot 7.83% abv
Where: The Blue Monkey Tavern (Merchantville, NJ)
When: May 3, 2010
What-have-you: "Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot at Blue monkey. More fabulousness from Lagunitas. Close relative of brown shugga. Rich yet clean."

Ferment Historical Archives

From the Ferment National Historical Archives:

I came across an interesting bit of beer and brewery history online and decided that it would make an interesting addition to the Ferment National Historical Archives. It's a smallish booklet entitled: "The Production of Sound, Light, and Brilliant Ales for Summer Consumption" by O. F. Russell. The booklet itself makes note that it is "reprinted from the 'Country Brewers' Gazette' 1902. I will save a full description and review for another posting--what struck me initially were the advertisements in this booklet. The first is for Bedford's Malt Brushing, Polishing, and Screening machine. The second is for Hall's Patent Barrel Hoist. Not only do these ads provide us with a wonderful glimpse into the kind of of machinery used in the Victorian and Edwardian Eras, but it also shows just how similar times were in terms of publications made to reach and advertise to a targeted audience.

Before Anchor (which is now part of larger corporate entity) or Dogfish Head ushered in the microbrew craze of the twentieth century, there were plenty of single proprietor, low-volume breweries all over the world. And every new brewery tried to get a leg up on the competition, and technology and marketing have always gone hand-in-hand with promoting advancement and competition. You can look online or wander into Barnes and Noble and pick up issues of Zymurgist or any number of home brew related magazines. They're slick and fancy and published by the thousands and disseminated over the Internet. But are they so different than this pamphlet. I would say not. Modern magazines offer modern conveniences and new-fangled gadgets and methods to their audience. And this is important. Would we have half the craft breweries if there was no such thing as forklifts or modern electrical machinery? Maybe, maybe not.

It goes to show as well that the beer brewing industry supports a much larger network of business than merely a brewery and its workers. Entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers, marketing gurus, printers, and the newspaper and booksellers who sell publications such as this and the modern magazines we see today all join together to try to advance the cause of brewing. Whether it is someone offering help with Twitter today for a burgeoning microbrewery or an engineer who knows how to produce barrel hoists, the brewing industry works hand in hand with technology and the media.

This booklet and its advertisements do not offer a glimpse into the long-lost past as much as a wider view of a long tradition of constant innovation and promotion for the brewing industry.