Coming (Very) Soon: Next In The Devils Backbone Limited “Trailblazer” Series: Azrael

•June 23, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Following up the inaugural edition of their “Trailblazer” limited release series, Belgian Congo, Devils Backbone Brewing Company is currently rolling out the next beer in that line, a “Belgian inspired Golden” ale called Azrael.  Currently available at their Outpost production brewery in nearby Lexington, Va, six packs of the beer is likely to begin showing up in stores possibly within the coming week.  Previously available on draft at their brewpub location near Charlottesville, the beer has been planned as a limited release for some time.   It is a “golden”, or pale, Belgian style ale, and flavors to expect from this kind of beer include light to moderate fruit like tastes, such as pear and green apple, perhaps a noticeable sweetness, a powdery-yeasty like flavor, and maybe a bit of spiciness.  Bitterness is typically moderate, generally not at all like an American pale ale.

One of the things that really set the better examples of these beers apart from the rest is how well these flavors play out together.  The flavors move in and out of your tasting experience instantly but softly, without as much as a peep, before disappearing again, almost like playful, silent ghosts.  Combined with a trademark wheat-like, “fluffy”, almost airy mouthfeel, neither heavy nor too thin, and tasting the well crafted versions of these beers makes for one of those more rare “wow” moments.  The impact isn’t the knockout punch of an ipa hop bomb heavyweight boxer, but more like hearing an impeccably played string instrumental from the highest quality speakers.  There are sounds – or in this case, flavors – delicately riding through the air, coming at you from all corners.

These light-ish, fruit like flavors and the not too heavy quality of the beer make a great fit for warm summer days, so the timing of this release couldn’t be better.  Azrael is a “strong” version of this kind of beer, meaning the alcohol content is higher than in other Belgian style golden ales, so it’s definitely one to sip on while watching the sun go down, or while taking a permanent break from the yardwork, or just taking the afternoon off altogether.

Posted in Uncategorized

Come Out To Big Lick Beertopia 2012 This Saturday!

•June 5, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Seriously, when does grabbing a beer at the ball park not sound like a good idea?  Never mind that there’s no game actually being played, because the Big Lick Beertopia craft beer festival is this Saturday, June 9th, and is once again being held at Lewis Gale Field (home of the Salem Red Sox).  Of course, this means that for one afternoon, lots of good, craft beer will be taking the field, and if you’re in attendance, so will you.  Yes, it seems that grabbing a beer at the ballpark has just been taken up a notch.

This year, the folks at Beertopia have added more breweries, and about half of the breweries in attendance are different from ones at last year’s event.  As always, if you are craft beer curious, festivals like this can be the absolute best way to test the waters.  Each beer, even within the same kind or style, can be noticeably different from the next, as brewers add their own touches to each brew.  Ultimately, this is what makes being interested in craft beer so amazing, and so much fun.  With craft beer, not only are you often tasting, delicious, hand crafted beer, but the possibilities for the beer seems endless. At festivals such as Beertopia, you get a chance to try styles of beer you might be curious about but have not been able taste yet, or compare similar ones against each other.  As I’ve written before, you may even find a new favorite.  At the very least, you’ll spend the afternoon tasting all this great beer out on the diamond, with friends – what a way to spend a late spring afternoon.

In addition to live music, Big Lick Beertopia will also have a homebrewing station, in case you’re curious about making your own good beer at home.  The festival added a homebrewing competition this year, with winners announced at the festival.  The top prize winner will have their beer brewed by Roanoke Railhouse.

A few of the breweries at this year’s event will include local and regional favorites such as Devils Backbone, Bull & Bones, Legend, Starr Hill, Roanoke Railhouse, Big Daddy’s Brewing, Wild Wolf, and Wolf Hills.  Others will include Heavy Seas (Maryland), Foothills, (North Carolina), Founders (Michigan), Lagunitas (California), New Belgium (Colorado), Southern Tier (New York), and Victory (Pennsylvania).  A full listing of the breweries can be found on the event website.

Who doesn’t look forward to grabbing a beer at the ballpark?  This Saturday, Big Lick Beertopia brings you a slightly different and at least much more delicious twist – great craft beer, right along the outfield wall no less.  See you on the field!

Beertopia 2012 will be happening this Saturday from 12-6, and you can get tickets early – check out their facebook page here.

Posted in Events.

The Beers Of Summer Series – American Blonde/Golden Ales

•June 4, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Halfway through mowing the lawn you realize just how hot it is.  Waves of heat seem to be moving through the air all around you, and at this point, feel like they’re radiating from the top of your head as well.  It’s officially summer, and suddenly, you’re less interested in how to create a criss-cross pattern worthy of hosting a major league baseball game in your back yard as you are with grabbing a beer from the fridge.  Ultimately, what beer hits the spot when the summer heat moves in up to you, whether in the yard or on the beach.  But just as quickly and easily as August seems to appear out of nowhere with its sauna-esque days, so do the seasonal “Summer” beers.  What kinds of beers are these usually, and what makes them a good fit for helping cope with the heat anyway?

Below is a look at one of styles of beer that seems to get a lot more attention this time of year – some of which are only released during the summer months – and is something that you just might want to have in that fridge when you’re done mowing, on in the cooler for the beach.  Other styles to follow!

American Blonde/Golden Ales

Summer is coming, and the buzz around the pool and on the beach is all about them.  True, when the months get a bit colder, most of them are still around.  But when things do heat up, they seem to attract quite a bit more attention.  It’s difficult to blame anyone, really – there in the steamy summer heat, in their golden toned beauty, they are definite head turners.  Magazine “articles” feature them, as if they were the perfect fit for sand and sun.  Eventually, however, you have to wonder.  What are they truly like, behind their appearances?

As it turns out, these blondes – Blonde ales, not the swimsuit attired ones – truly are a perfect fit for summer.  Pale yellow to golden in color, American style Blonde/Golden Ales usually feature a refreshingly crisp razor sharp character and are usually a lean bodied beer as well.  Although these beers have been described as having a slight “breadyness” to them, more often than not, they favor the hops used, and feature a citrusy taste, perhaps of lemon or bitter orange, a floral component, and some “grassy” flavor as well.  Comparisons to American pale ales are somewhat common, but these brews usually have a far less aggressive hop presence and bitterness.  Because of this, these beers can make a pretty good introduction to a “hoppier” beer if you’re hop-curious but your taste buds have only tiptoed along that edge so far.

Between their snap-like crispness, the typically low amount of alcohol and lightness of body, and both the aroma and the flavors that all seem to speak to the season – citrus, floral, grain, grass – these beers fit perfectly poolside, beach front, or anywhere you might find yourself featured in your own swimsuit photo shoot.  (Just make sure they get your good side.)  Or, more likely, when you’re just relaxing on the sand on your own, cooler at your side, letting the ocean’s waves and the summer heat take you to a more peaceful place.

EXAMPLES…

There are plenty of good examples of this sort of beer, and of course each one can be a little different from the next.  But a couple of good examples of these beers include Victory Brewing’s Summer Love, and for a more regional, at least to my own area, St. George Brewing’s Golden Ale.  Summer Love is light in body, has crisp carbonation with flavors that include a tinge of lemon tartness, a little grassyness, and plenty of floral attributes both in the aroma and taste.  Again, if you’re not used to a “hoppier” beer, this could be an excellent way to test the waters.  It’s not very bitter, and is an extremely easy to drink beer, especially when the temperatures near sweltering.

St. George Brewing Company’s (Hampton, Va) Golden Ale also has plenty of “grassy” or what’s sometimes described as “herbal” flavors from the hops used, along with a bit of graininess, and like most of these kinds of beers, comes on crisp and goes down easy and dry.  Again, these are lean beers, not heavy at all, and with the better ones, it’s extremely common to hear the words “easy to drink” being used – definitely true with this one as well. Quick note:  this beer is not to be confused with the “Summer Ale” from the same brewery, defined by the brewery as an English Pale Ale.  I know, I know – labels, labels, labels.  There is definitely some overlapping among pales and blonde/golden ales, but their Summer Ale should have a bigger hop aroma and taste and be a little heftier in body as well.  These styles are still close enough, so if you have a difficult time finding these examples, or want to move beyond them, English Pales would be a good place to further your tastings.

Other great examples include New Belgium’s Somersault Ale, which has a definite lemony snap and tartness to it, and if you can find it, Ska Brewing’s True Blonde Ale.

Check out thebeerroad’s previous summer beer write up – Wheat Ales!

Posted in The Road Map - One Guide To Better Beer, Style by Style.

The Beers Of Summer – Wheat Ales, And The Only Clouds You Want On Your Day At The Beach

•May 29, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Halfway through mowing the lawn you realize just how hot it is.  Waves of heat seem to be moving through the air all around you, and at this point, feel like they’re radiating from the top of your head as well.  It’s officially summer, and suddenly, you’re less interested in how to create a criss-cross pattern worthy of hosting a major league baseball game in your back yard as you are with grabbing a beer from the fridge.  Ultimately, what beer hits the spot when the summer heat moves in up to you, whether in the yard or on the beach.  But just as quickly and easily as August seems to appear out of nowhere with its sauna-esque days, so do the seasonal “Summer” beers.  What kinds of beers are these usually, and what makes them a good fit for helping cope with the heat anyway?

After all, there are a few beers that seem to be as fitting for summer as your Hawaiian print swimsuit.  While they vary some in flavor characteristics, there do share a couple common tasting points.  Usually, they are somewhat low in alcohol content.  After all, no sense in getting tanked while dealing with the lawn mower, or dodging sharks at the beach.  Another commonality is a crisp taste.  Whether it’s from the hops or the type of grain used, most “summer” beers are able to help take the edge off with a quick snap of flavor.

Below is a look at one of the more common “Beers of Summer” styles, something that you just might want to have in that fridge when you’re done mowing, on in the cooler for the beach.  Other styles to follow!

American Wheat Ales – The Only Clouds You Want On Your Day At The Beach.

While low alcohol levels and a crisp taste may be common among many of these styles, any doubt to what is the arguably the most popular overall type of summer releases should’ve been cleared up on March 26th.  Few annually released beers, unless they are a rich, aged stout or insanely hopped IPA, can boast having as much celebration centered around their release date as Michigan based Bell’s Oberon Ale.  It is arguably the most popular example of its style in the country, no matter what you call it – American Hefeweizen, American Pale Wheat, or simply a Wheat Ale.  The use of wheat typically gives these beers a crisp taste and feel, a slightly more generous feeling “body”, and the traditional haziness found in any unfiltered wheat beers – the latter two coming from a greater amount of protein found in wheat malt.  These beers are often called an Americanized version of the German Hefeweizen, but differ most in how they will lack those traditional “estery” flavors (of banana, for example) found in German wheat brews.  Often, they have a slight citrusy taste and aroma, usually from the way the hops are used in making the beer, and bitterness is usually kept very low.  An additional element of flavor can be a bit of spiciness, given by the yeast or by additional ingredients added to the beer.  Occasionally, some of those ingredients can be very summer-like, such as Watermelon, Lemongrass, or even Pineapple, and only build upon those citrusy flavors from the hops.  Yes, of course these beers are good any time of year.  But within their pale, golden, hazy appearance, which almost glows like the sun when held up to light, that seems to live the spirit of a perfect summer day.  It’s as if captured inside that beer is the exact moment when your beach chair finally settles itself into the sand, the worries of work fade away, and you peer out through the waves of heat lifting off the sand at the ocean, feeling summer’s warmth slowly sink into your body.

SOME EXAMPLES.  Below are some of these beers which are definitely worth checking out – they represent, after all, the only cloudiness and haziness that you want on the beach.

Bells Oberon Ale (Michigan) – When summer starts to set in, lovers of warm weather and good, craft beer contend you must seek out this beer.  Available in six packs and popular, beach house ready “party” sized mini kegs, this semi cloudy brew looks like sunshine captured in a glass.

If you like Oberon, there are a bunch of other examples fairly easy to find on the market.  A few include Maui Brewing’s Mana Wheat, which is literally brewed using pineapple, Pyramid Brewing’s Hefeweizen, Harpoon Brewing’s UFO Hefeweizen, Boulder Brewing’s Sweaty Betty, Tommyknocker Brewing’s Jack Whacker Wheat, and Samuel Adams Summer Ale.

“Hoppier” Versions:

Lagunitas Brewing’s Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’

As if the hop heads were going to be left out.  This is a wheat beer for them, and for the curious at heart as well, this delicious beer is a mixture of both worlds.  Featuring the hazy appearance, crisp snap, and a bit of the typical wheat beer flavor found in pale wheat beers it also has plenty of both juicy citrus and floral hop flavor.  If you’re interested in wheat beers but the moment hops were mentioned, began to look away, stay curious, beer friends – this is a beer that’s big on flavor and not to be missed, and yes, the bitterness is still relatively low.

If you do care for this one, another to check out is Southern Tier’s Hop Sun, which also showcases a hoppier flavor and aroma as well.

Posted in Uncategorized

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