[Brewtopia] Strong Beer Recommendations
- From: Owen Ogletree <brew@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: brewtopia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 23:19:23 -0400
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BREWTOPIA EVENTS EMAIL BREWSLETTER
Owen Ogletree (brew@xxxxxxxxx)
July 21, 2004
http://www.ClassicCityBrew.com
phone (706) 254-BREW
STRONG BEER RECOMMENDATIONS
Hi guys! I've just returned from Summer beer travels to Paris, Prague, Pilsen,
and New Orleans (watch this newsletter for more information), and the beer
scene here in Georgia when I returned is better than ever thanks to the July 1
change in law that allows stronger beers to be sold. These gourmet,
high-gravity brews are slowly making their way into pubs and onto shelves in
package stores, and the excitement and interest surrounding them is so great,
they are selling like crazy. Check your pubs and retail stores often for new
arrivals. Everyone is asking me for recommendations and descriptions, so here
is my short list...
- Aventinus Weizen Eisbock: This is a strong, dark wheat beer from Germany
that has been partially frozen and had some ice taken away -- this process
concentrates the alcohol and the spicy flavors. More rich in flavor and
alcohol than the already strong regular Aventinus.
- Corsendonk Abbey Brown: A fruity Belgian ale with flavors and aromas of
plum, cocoa, and clove. Very drinkable and smooth.
- Duvel: The ultimate Belgian Strong Golden Ale. This beer is light in color
and has mild flavors of malt and spice, but has a big alcohol presence. A good
choice for people wanting to try stronger beers for the first time.
- Hennepin: This is a unique, rustic farmhouse style Belgian ale that is pale,
hoppy, and crisp. It comes in at 7.5% alcohol and is brewed by the folks at
Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY.
- Horn Dog: Flying Dog in Denver, CO makes this dark, rich beer that is so
strong and malty it fits into a style called "Barleywine." It is dark brown
and has flavors of plum, raisin, figs, alcohol, and currant. Gets smoother
after a year or more of age.
- Oerbier: A strong Belgian Specialty Ale from the tiny DeDolle Brewery in
Belgium. Oerbier is brown in color and extremely complex in its fruity, spicy
character.
- Old Crustacean: A Barleywine from the famous Rogue Ales brewery in Oregon.
Old Crusty is an American-style Barleywine that has dark, rich malt, but is
backed by a powerful infusion of resiny American hops.
- Old Rasputin: A roasty, silky, jet-black Imperial Stout from North Coast
Brewing in California. Imperial Stouts like this one have a tremendous amount
of dark malt that provides a big mouthfeel and alcohol content. Great with
chocolate or fruit desserts.
- Old Stock Ale: Also from North Coast, this is a vintage dated Barleywine
with hints of prune, leather, hops, and chocolate. These beers can age for
years if stored properly.
- Ommegang: Another Belgian-style ale from Cooperstown. Ommegang is 8.5%
alcohol and has notes of clove, cinnamon, and caramel.
- Quelque Chose: A sweet, rich fruit beer that is loaded with a huge amount of
dark cherries and has almost no carbonation. This elegant ale comes in at 8%
and hails from the well-known Unibroue brewery in Montreal.
- Rochefort 10: One of the famous brands of ales brewed in Trappist
monasteries in Belgium. Rochefort comes in 6, 8, and 10 -- with the higher
numbers bringing more color, flavor, malt, and alcohol. Rochefort 10 exhibits
an incredible amount of malt and yeast complexity along with some dark fruit
and chocolate/toffee notes.
- Saint Bernardus 12: This ale is from a private brewery near Watou Belgian
and is based on a Trappist recipe used to make Westvleteren 12 (one of the
greatest beers on the planet). This is very similar to Rochefort 10 (see
above), but has more dark fruit sweetness, and is 11% alcohol. Complex,
elegant, and decadent!
- Saison Dupont: A wheat-based, farmhouse ale that makes for a refreshing beer
to be consumed in the warmer months. With its crisp, peppery, earthy, spicy
character; light color, and huge white head, it is really delicious any time of
year. A must try!
- Scaldis: This Belgian Strong Ale is dark gold/orange in color and has a big
alcohol warmth at 12%. It is loaded with complex flavors of vanilla, clove,
figs, pepper, malt, and hops. Try it with a slice of caramel cheesecake, and
arrange a designated driver!
- Schneider?s Wiesen Edel-Weisse: This is a strong, golden wheat beer that was
produced by the Schneider Brewery in Germany for one of their anniversaries. It
shows off a smooth, yet complex aroma and flavor of rich wheat, malt, and
phenols from the special yeast. This is one of the world's most delicious
German wheat beers.
- Trois Pistoles: Unibroue's version of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale is one of
the brewery's darkest and richest beers. It has a huge tan head and flavors of
burnt chocolate, raisins, and toffee.
- Unibroue Edition 2004: In contrast to the Trois Pistoles, this anniversary
beer is lighter in color and has a more elegant fruity palate. Comes in at
10.5% alcohol by volume.
- Westmalle Tripel: This is the great beer that originated the Trappist Tripel
style. Belgian Tripels are golden in color, but have a strong alcohol content
(around 8%) and deep layers of flavors such as pepper, clove, fruit, and crisp
hops -- one of the world's best beers. In contrast, Westmalle Dubbel is brown
in color with lighter alcohol and flavors of caramel and dark fruits.
Please print out this list and head out soon to your favorite pub and/or
package store to seek out these delicious brews. If you find an outstanding
strong beer in Georgia that needs to be listed here, please email me with your
comments! ENJOY!
Some local pubs with the best selection of strong beers include: Brick Store
(Decatur), Summits Wayside Taverns (Sandy Springs, Snellville, and Cumming),
Vortex (Atlanta), Globe (Athens), Taco Mac (Athens), and Mellow Mushroom
(Athens). Package stores with the better selections right now include: Jax
(Cumming), Green's (East Ponce De Leon and Buford Highway, Atlanta), Five
Points Bottle (Athens), ABC (Athens), and Wine and Spirit Warehouse (Athens).
TERRAPIN NOW IN BOTTLES
The wait is finally over! Bottles of Terrapin Rye Pale Ale are now available in
Athens and Atlanta. Now you will be able to enjoy the wonderful flavor of this
award-winning pale ale at home as well as on draft at the local pub. Terrapin
will be offering merchandise to people who return six-packs to the Terrapin
owners so they can recycle by using them again. It's a win for beer fans, a win
for Terrapin and a win for the environment. Save those 6-packs! See
http://terrapinbeer.com/
BEER CALENDAR
- Music City Brewers Festival. July 31. Nashville TN.
http://www.musiccitybrewersfest.com/pages/1/index.htm
- Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival. September 18. Asheville NC.
http://www.brewgrassfestival.com/
- World Beer Festival. September 25. Durham Athletic Park, Durham, NC.
http://www.allaboutbeer.com/wbf2004/
- Bramwell Oktoberfest. October 9. Bramwell, WV.
- Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting. January 29, 2005. Sweetwater Brewing Company,
Atlanta, GA. Sample 12 special, cask-conditioned ales from Atlanta breweries.
Tickets are now available online: http://www.classiccitybrew.com/acat.html
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______________________
That's about all for now. Take care and remember to always drink responsibly
and support homebrewing and craft-brewed beers whenever possible! (Owen
Ogletree is an Athens, Georgia national beer judge, beer author and traveler,
homebrewer, columnist for Southern Brew News, and director of Brewtopia Events
LLC and the Classic City Brew Fest. Feel free to email Owen at brew@xxxxxxxxx
with any questions or comments.) THANKS!
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