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Monthly Newsletter - February 2010 "…Sherwood Forest has been considered an enchanted place, home to myths, legends and many a story of honor, tradition and loyalty." So reads the website for Sherwood Forest Brewers Ltd.—explaining the meaning behind their choice in name. Since their inception in 1997 and until fairly recently, they've brewed one beer and one beer alone: Archer's Ale. Taking a cue from Sherwood Forest's number one resident, Robin Hood, the philosophy behind this beer has been to deliver precision, accuracy (stylistically), and consistency (quality), while delivering us from the evils of the tyrannical noble class (macro-brewed swill). And like Robin Hood, this particular archer has earned itself a place in lore: it was only the 3rd microbrewed beer in the country available in a can (Sherwood Forest was just the 2nd microbrewery in the U.S. to can). "Microbrewed beer in a can?!?" you cry with disbelief. "Why would you do that?" Well, if you haven't already taken notice of this trend, it's happening all around the world as microbrewers realize that canning microbrewed beer is a cheaper, more portable, more protective way to package their products. For years, it's been a tough sell, as people reported that canned beers had a metallic flavor. But developments in canning technology have yielded a protective lining that prevents the beer from ever contacting the metal of the can. If you live near a park or beach or river and wanted to bring along some craft brewed beer, you'll have noticed that most prohibit glass bottles—leaving few options for microbrewed beer lovers (or, think back to your last flight; any good canned beer there? Nope). Other benefits? Turns out canning equipment is actually cheaper than bottling lines, providing a break to start-up microbreweries. But probably the best reason to can is the fact that cans offer superior protection to beer—no oxidation (from air leakage around the bottle cap) and no skunking by light strike! We tip our hats to these guys for having the guts to can when so few would dare, and for putting something worth drinking in them! For more information, check out their web site at www.sherwoodbrewers.com. Friar’s Belgian-Style White Ale
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F When Frederick Bensch and Kevin McNerney started dreaming up their brewery plans, they quickly realized that their home base in Colorado already had plenty of microbrewed beer on tap. Their workaround? Sell nearly everything they owned, pack up their few remaining worldly possessions and drive to a place with a little less competition; a state that placed 48th in the nation in terms of beer production; a market as soft as a fresh Georgia peach: Georgia, of course. It was in Atlanta, Georgia, that Frederick and Kevin founded the SweetWater Brewing Company. Their ambition wasn't simply driven by pie-in-the-sky dreaming. These fellas worked at no fewer than 7 microbreweries in Northern California and Colorado—heartlands of microbrewed nectars—before making the journey. They may also have been major potheads, but we’re not sure… Hmmm… Working in Northern California? References to the brewery as their “pipe dream”? Naming their flagship beer ‘420 Extra Pale Ale’? The fact that the brewery opens for tours each day at exactly 4:20pm? Or the fact that it took six requests for their slacker asses to send us the specs on their beers? Well, they deny any connection and chalk it all up to the fact that the references to this stoner code for pot are actually due to the fact that the beer was first brewed on April 20th, 1997. Did they choose that date accidentally? If there’s any connection, they’re not owning up to it. The SweetWater Brewing Company opened its doors on February 17, 1997. In 2002 they were recognized as Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival. Need more convincing? (You haven't tried the beer yet, have you?) They were the second most decorated brewery in the world at the 1998 World Beer Cup. For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (404) 691-ALES or check out their web site at www.sweetwaterbrew.com.
Serving Temperature: 45-50°F
*Side Note: When mixed in equal proportions, the Georgia Brown and the 420 EPA combine to create a third very tasty beer with some of the hoppy aromatics of the EPA tempered by the Sweet Georgia Brown ale notes and the sweeter notes from the brown ale being sharpened a bit by the hoppy pale ale. Give it a try! Serving Temperature: 40-45° F Grupo Cervezas Alhambra—Granada, Andalucía Province, Spain (Southern Spain) The Alhambra, perched on a hill that overlooks Granada, Spain, is an expansive palace-citadel made up of royal residential quarters, court complexes, official chambers, beautiful fountains, baths and a mosque. So regarded for its beauty and splendor, the entire city has been declared a national monument. It rests at the foot of Spain’s largest massif, the Sierra Nevada (coincidence that there’s good beer to be found there? We think not!). Its construction was begun in the 13th century by Ibn al-Ahmar, founder of the Nasrid dynasty that once ruled the region. With its unique style and stunning majesty, this palace of Granada’s Moorish kings is today regarded as an architectural wonder. It is believed, based on ancient inscriptions, that it was the physical realization of descriptions of Paradise in Islamic poetry. To name a beer after this fabled lair of kings and rulers—this Paradise on the mountain—the brewers at Cervezas Alhambra must have had great passion for their malty nectars. It was back in 1925 when the brewery was founded by two acknowledged brewers, Carlos Bouvard, owner of the famous La Moravia brewery, and Antonio Knorr, member of a family with a long heritage in the brewing industry. Their collaboration laid the groundwork for this wonderful brewery to flourish. Through their 80 year history, controlling ownership of the brewery has changed hands, capacity has been increased, and equipment has been modernized. Today known as Grupo Cervezas Alhambra, the brewery is owned by Andalucía’s first independent brewery group, and they have striven to create a unique brand identity for the Alhambra line where beer lovers not only associate these beverages with great taste, but also with great times. Their philosophy revolves around the concept that there are unique occasions and moments that warrant the pairing of exceptional beers to suit those special times. You’ve got the exceptional beer—special times anyone? For more information about the brewery, check out their website at www.cervezasalhambra.es.
Serving Temperature: 42-50°F Brouwerij De Koninck—Antwerp, Belgium (Flanders—Northern Belgium) The history of the Brouwerij De Koninck began in 1827 when Joseph Henricus De Koninck bought 'De Plaisante Hof,' a coach house which stood on the boundary between Antwerp and Berchem, Belgium. On this site there stood a stone boundary post with a sculptured hand. This boundary post can still be seen today opposite the Brouwerij De Koninck (and on bottles & labels from the De Koninck Brewery). Sadly, Joseph died very young. His widow, Elisabeth Cop, remarried in 1833. Her second husband was warehouse foreman Johannes Vervliet, who decided to convert the coach house into a brewery under the name "Brouwerij De Hand," after the sculpture on the border post. That hand has been immortalized since then as the brewery logo. In 1845 Carolus De Koninck, the eldest son from Elisabeth's first marriage, took over the business. Around 1900 there were still about 25 working breweries in Antwerp. However, the popularity of bottom-fermented (mainly pilsner) beers, the stricter permit regulations, and two world wars were to have a devastating influence on the brewing industry. In 1912 the "Brouwerij De Hand" was renamed the "Brasserie Charles De Koninck," run by Florent van Bauwel. After WWI he reopened the brewery with help from Joseph Van den Bogaert. The 2nd Joseph in the brewery leadership came from a well-known brewing family in Willebroek, Belgium, and as a graduate of the agriculture and brewing college in Leuven he had all the technical knowledge necessary for the new brewery. The partnership of Florent & Joseph launched spectacular growth of the business. Modeste, the son of Joseph Van den Bogaert, joined the brewery in 1949 and would go on to lead the company for more than 50 years. Today the Brouwerij De Koninck is run by Modeste's two sons, Bernard and Dominique Van den Bogaert, as technical and commercial director, respectively. They guarantee the independent, family and artisanal character of the brewery (thanks, guys!). For more information about the brewery, check out their website at www.dekoninck.be.
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The good Friar needs a good swirling to whip up the hefty sediment at the bottom of the glass—but you want to add that sediment to your glass when pouring to get the stylistically-appropriate look and full flavor characteristics that the brewer intended for this beer. A hard pour yields a cloudy butterscotch-colored beer capped by a frothy white head. On the nose we get a traditional Belgian Wit aroma: heavy on the coriander and orange peel notes with a wheaty twang and subtle sourness. The wheat aroma is very big on this brew! Also look for some leafy hops and herbal notes. This beer fills the mouth with rich wheaty flavors, full of the ‘twang’ so characteristic of the style and largely responsible for the very quenching nature that this style is known for. Look for some minor banana notes and apple skins as well as some thin caramel and biscuit notes as the beer warms, with bitter orange peel notes mingling with coriander and herbal, bitter hops. This beer has all the normal witbier notes, but is well-loaded with hops, giving it a domestic twist. Overall, a full-on wheat bomb that will go well with Brick or Edam cheese squares, or a Spinach and Feta omelet.
A hoppy beer that is not shy about boasting its prowess, much like the Sheriff himself. Pours a burgundy orange color capped by an off-white, thick, sticky head. Expect bigly aromatic hops centered on floral, citrus notes. Note how the hoppy aromatics drift atop a big malt backbone, offering up wafts of caramel and a hint of gingerbread dough when combined with the spicy hops. Pine, orange rind, white grapefruit all come to mind. Quite mouthfilling—this is no light beer. And thank God. Watch for the hop bitterness to kick things off with a playful slap in the mouth, then things go all floral and bloomy, and then let up long enough for some sweetness from the malts to take center stage for only a moment before the hoppy bitterness unfurls anew, dropping a thick blanket of earthy bitterness all over the palate. Hops-a-plenty from the Sheriff of Hoppingham, er, Nottingham. This is a well-made IPA that will hold up against spicy chili (heavy on the cayenne and cracked black pepper).
A GABF 2001 Gold Medal winner, this brew yields a prominent aroma of fresh grains with some bready, caramelish notes, maple syrup, hints of coffee, a nutty-note similar to almonds, and just a kiss of spicy, citrusy hops. On the palate, expect a blend of lightly bitter hops, burnt toast, and above all, a rich, sweet, nutty character (think hazelnuts and almonds). There's a ghost note of coffee at the intro to the finish, which gives way to a back-of-the-tongue bitterness that balances the sweet malty notes through the fade. Lighter bodied but full of flavor. Enjoy with a cheese plate featuring aged gruyere, camembert, and morbier melted over pumpernickel bread wedges.
420 Extra Pale Ale was first brewed on April 20, 1997, hence the name… We'd bet a nickel and dime that's not the complete reason behind the name, but we can't confirm. We can, however, provide you with a nugget of trivia to impress your friends: the brewery was named after a local creek. This particular beer is a lighter-bodied West Coast style pale ale with aggressive hop character in the aroma, flavor and finish. Look for piney, resinous, grapefruit notes, flourishes of mangoes, passion fruit and Clementine oranges and a hint of hop spiciness. Some sweet caramel grains keep the hoppy aromatics in check in this very well balanced beer. Note how the bitter hops and sweet malt play off each other during the first few moments ultimately fading to let a semi-bitter finish take over. The hoppiness is a bit less citrusy than implied by the nose and actually offers up a slightly peppery spicy bitter bite, but this never runs amuck due to the malty backbone. A 2002 Silver Medal winner at the GABF, and great with lobster, mussels or clams. Superbly drinkable at any time of the day.
Note the Moorish lions on the label, a reminder of the regional heritage from where this beer is produced. This dark brown, reddish-hued lager presents a creamy, nutty nose, with caramel notes and a mild roasted malt character that is just all around inviting. Expect a creamy backbone and some slightly roasty, caramel notes, with a distinct flavor of dark rum. Look for subtle notes of anise and licorice, and enjoy the clean, caramel finish with lingering rum notes. Overall, Alhambra Negra is very pleasant beer that’s not too challenging but also possesses ample complexity to keep the connoisseurs interested. This dark lager will go down nicely with a variety of smoky, grilled meat dishes, particularly those with a Spanish or Catalonian flair. This is some of Spain’s best beer, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see this one on more shelves in the states as popularity grows with exposure. Enjoy it now while it’s still hard to find, and spread the word to your friends, especially those who appreciate beers on the darker side of the spectrum. Remember, sharing is caring!
This Belgian pale ale is medium-amber in color with a crème-brûlée toned head. You may notice a hefty amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle before you pour it. While it's a matter of personal taste, our panel members felt that for this style of beer, it was preferable not to swirl the bottle to rouse the sediment; we left about ¼ inch of beer behind in the bottle to achieve this. But we encourage you to do a side-by-side taste test: one from a bottle with the sediment roused and poured into the glass, one from a bottle that didn't have the sediment disturbed, and see which you prefer. There are no firm rules on this—again, it's a matter of doing what works best for you, your palate, and your aesthetic inclinations. Upon sniffing, the instant impression is “Belgian yeast”. That characteristically fruity, phenolic profile leaps out of the glass and screams “Belgian ale!” There are some minor floral, Noble hop aromas coming from the Saaz hops that are subdued by the sweet bready malts as well as a mild tart acidity. Look for notes of plum, red apples and black cherries. The Belgian yeastiness also emits a slightly spicy character, which couples with a gently spicy hop aroma in the background. The beer goes down with a multi-tiered flavor profile. First, sharp and bitter, then immediately soft and sweet, transitioning to fruity and floral and ending bready and rich. One really should allow a minimum of thirty seconds after taking the first sip to fully focus on the evolving flavor cascade before taking another sip. A re-sniff after sampling reveals notes of apple cider, a bit of which also comes through in the flavor profile. Along with apple comes notes of sweet green grapes and faint impressions of golden raisins. A somewhat powdery finish ensues, developing into flutters of floral tones and a gentle balancing Noble hop bitterness. One of the definitive examples of Belgian pale ale. This beer is deceptively complex. Go too quickly, and you risk speeding past its layered complexity. An impressive beer. Try pairing with whitefish and baked red-russet potatoes, heavy on the rosemary.