Tasting Relic's Antiquity and Discussing the "Lawnmower Effect"

Last Beer Drank: 2011 Relic Antiquity

Today's beer has been aged for a bit above the recommended year for optimal taste. I was given it last December by Relic owner and head-brewer Mark Sigman to sample after it had aged appropriately. 

Antiquity . . . in front of the toaster oven. Courtesy: Me

 This beer pours out a dark deep chestnut, and sit in the glass with a slight, bubbly head. It smells light to moderately sweet with only the hint of a nose. At first sip I get a lot of bright, bubbly carbonation with a medium sweetness riding in. This taste then settles into more of a rich molassesy flavor that shifts to lighter coffee tone. As soon as the flavor shifts to the lighter coffee tone the beer comes to a smooth, medium carbonated finish that fades quickly. This beer is interesting as it is rich and complex, but it lacks the very thick, heavy body that is usually associated with such flavor profiles. The main thing that comes out (besides the carbonation) is a rich coffee/molasses flavor tone that leads to a very pleasingly smooth after taste. This beer is honestly rather unique for beers of this region. Most "New England beers" focus on bitter hops, big bodies, thick tasty malting, or a combination of all three. This beer is big, but has a neutral enough aftertaste that allows this 7.2% beer to go down without a hitch

Going down without a hitch is a nice lead in for my musing of the day (or week, whatever): what temperature does it need to hit for beer snobs to give up their high standards and go for an easy drinking beer? For me it's around 70 degrees; anything over that and it gets real uncomfortable drinking big imperials and super bitter IPAs real quick! This suspension of desired beer quality is a phenomenon that I have often heard referenced to as the "lawnmower effect:"  when it's hot outside and you're doing stuff (BBQing, mowing the lawn, yard work, sitting in a lawn chair in your undies, etc) there's a certain type of beer that becomes super-palatable despite possible flavor shortcomings.

Ahh Summer. Courtesy: Universal Pops (Flickr)

 
Now this isn't to say that mild, easy drinking beers are necessarily "bad." Just a few weeks ago, I talked about how Oskar Blues' Little Yella Pils was a great mild beer that actually had significant flavor and taste. So the lawnmower effect, in other words, won't make you drink bad beer but just lean towards beers that are easily drinking. Unfortunately, due maybe to advertisement indoctrination or memories of us furtively sipping cheap beer, guiltily underage at family picnics: when we think of "easy drinkable beer" we are lead down the aisles to the cheapest beer we can find. 


But I don't think that's a bad thing. 


No, when the lawnmower effect revs to full bore, the heat is pounding down, the sweat is falling like rain, and my body is crying out with thirst . . . well my first reaction would be to go for a cold glass of water. Failing that (or if I'm at an outdoor event of some kind) I'm gonna go for a beer with a light body, sweet tone, and low ABV (to avoid both cotton mouth and passing out in the unforgiving summer sun). For me, my go-to summer "lawnmower beer" has to be a Narragansett, Molson Canadian, or a Killian's. The Narragansett comes in big cans, can be slipped in a cozy to keep cool, and pulls nice and easy with only a hint of malting. A good Molson has a nice chilly bite with a little sweetness to balance out the barely perceptible bitters. And the Killian's, where maybe a bit heavier in the body category, is just a nice, sweet beer that offers many fond memories of summer nights past (for me at least). 

When the summer heat kicks up, at you're feeling the haze of the lawnmower effect settle into your brain next time: don't resist. Go ahead, indulge yourself! The Belgians with tasty, thick malts will always be there. The monstrous IPAs that bitter the tongue and delight the brain will keep 'till fall. Why not kick back pool side (in-ground, above-ground, kiddie, or otherwise) with a nice tall boy of something cheap and revel in the delights of bitingly cold beer that won't kick your taste-buds in, but will instead just give them a chilly high-five    


What are your favorite lawnmower effect beers? Are you a bigger beer snob than I and just power through the hot weather with imperial stouts, damning the oppressive heat? I want to hear it! Until next time be sure to check out Relic Brewing Company on Facebook and on their website. Also follow me on Blogger, Facebook, and Twitter to stay current with all my beer musings and ramblings.

Connecticut Sunday Liquor Sales: A Craft Consumer's View

This past Sunday a law took effect in Connecticut that allowed beer and liquor to be sold on Sundays, thus ending the archaic "blue law." I, like other beer fans, took it upon myself to visit my local beer superstore to pick up a few bottles to commemorate the event. In doing this, though, I fell into the trap that several small business owners expressed concern about.

The common opinion, as far as I can tell, is that beer fans (or sports fans, or Americans obsessed with convenience) all enjoy the opportunity to pick up beer and liquor every day of the week now, even if it's not imperative that it be bought on a Sunday. The flip side is that some small business owners have expressed concern that Sunday sales will lose them money, because their regulars will only purchase beer on Sundays from mega-stores. Another concern is that the small businesses will have to hire on more people to stay open on Sundays, or lose the only day off they have.

I understand the concern of small business owners. I grew up working in a small computer repair business that is still owned by my family. I have seen how needy a business like that is, and experienced how small business owners (and workers like myself) are called upon to be extra flexible to stay in business and make as much of a profit to keep afloat as possible. I just don't really agree with the arguments that the media has portrayed small business owners having in regards to this law.

Liquor Sunday inaugural beers. Not SUPER fancy, but very tasty!

First, according to the local media at large, businesses are concerned that Sunday sales will drive away customers from them. I see a few flaws in this, the first being that Sunday isn't the only day people buy their beer and liquor. Say my favorite shop isn't open on Sundays (which it isn't, currently). The only thing this means to me is that I won't go to that package store on Sundays (when they aren't open anyway), and every other day of the week I'll go to my favorite local store. It's not like I'll throw my hands up at the thought of them having the nerve to close on Sundays and never visit again: no I'll just go there every other day of the week (I usually buy my beer on Fridays anyway).

Secondly, some businesses have expressed concern that they won't have money to stay open on Sunday. Well, they don't have to. My above argument expresses that Sunday isn't the only day that people shop for beer, and if a store has been a local favorite for decades now a consumer won't (or shouldn't) jump ship just because their favorite store isn't open on Sundays. This also takes into account concerns about staffing and overworking: just stay closed on Sunday. Let Sunday (one day out of the week) be the day that people buy their emergency beer at grocery stores, and every other day of the week it's business as usual at the local establishment.

I know the economy is tough, but I have a hard time believing that one business day (which wasn't even a 'business day' five days ago anyway!) will cripple package stores that are decades-old institutions. For my part, I still plan on supporting my local package store as usual, even if they aren't open on Sundays. I like Sunday sales just because it's an option. On the off chance I absolutely positively need beer on Sunday then I have that choice. If not I'll just keep buying on Fridays like I've been doing my entire adult life.

It seems like the whole "debate" may have been trumped up by the media, but I'm honestly curious. Are you a business owner/worker who thinks Sunday sales are the worst? Are you part of a small business and think the opposite? Or as a consumer what are your thoughts? I'd love you hear what you have to think. Until next time follow me on Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook, and don't forget to support your local package stores that have been supplying you with liquid enjoyment for your entire life!

The 2nd Annual Rising Pint Brewfest Rocks Rentschler Field

Rentschler field, in East Hartford Connecticut, was the hosting location of the 2nd Annual Rising Pint Brewfest. The 'fest featured over 70 breweries including Connecticut breweries Relic Brewing, Williantic Brewery, Tullycross Tavern, Olde Burnside, City Steam, Thomas Hooker Brewery, Calvary Brewing, The Hartford Better Beer Company, Cottrell, Beaver Beer, and New England Brewery. The weather was perfect, with large crowds filing into the outer rim of the arena, and the beer flowing free.

Some of the offerings from Thomas Hooker Brewery. Courtesy: JAdametzPhotographer

It was a well organized event and the crowds were exceptionally friendly. This was probably due in part to tons of beer, perfect weather, and a moderate State Trooper presence (as Rentschler Field is state property, Troopers have to be present at such events). All of the booths were set up in a gigantic horseshoe, running behind the stands overlooking the field. The setup made for great shade, and plenty of room for the voluminous crowd to move around.

In total there were just under 1,100 attendees. This was a vast increase from last year, when only between 300 and 400 attended. Proceeds from this year's fest went to the Arthritis Foundation New England and Folds of Honor. Live bands made sure that there was music going for the entire day, and Firebox, Plan B, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Beachland Tavern, Baronet Coffee, and several other restaurants and eateries made sure that no one went hungry.

The guys from the CT Beer Trail. Courtesy: JAdametzPhotographer

Talking to Heather Schold, the creator of the event, she agreed that the day went of spectacularly. According to her there was a drastic increase of interest between last year and this year, with the greater attendance and more vendors making this a stellar event. Schold really focused on the craft beer community as a whole for this event, not just showcasing the distributors that she typically is involved with. For instance she got involved with Brett Hollander, the Hartford Distributors Inc. craft beer manager, to further connect with the greater craft beer community even though HDI isn't directly represented by her. With this involvement, Hollander became a staunch partner in the event and co-produced it. Says Schold, "Brett was the driving force of this event!"

The end goal, says Schold, was to have an event that helps grow Connecticut's craft beer scene, and further develops the community of beer fans. Building this up will increase traffic of people into CT to explore it's local breweries, and also increase the traffic of residents into their local beer stores to try the new craft brews. Building this influx is a goal for Schold. Connecticut has a good beer scene, according to Schold, but it just needs expansion and awareness. Events like the Rising Pint Brewfest is one way that other beer fans in CT meet, experience new beer, and organically build a strong culture.

View of the stage. Courtesy: JAdametzPhotographer

Schold is already planning next year's Brewfest. For additions Schold wants Yellow Cab to be on call for the fest, so when someone needs a ride, all they have to do is walk out to the curb. Other ideas include a BBQ and homebrew beer competition. Schold is actively planning the event and is searching for more ways to make next year's Rising Pint Brewfest bigger, better, and more connected to the greater Connecticut community.

A portion of my table. Not pictured: all three Chimay varieties. Courtesy: JAdametzPhotographer

For this event I poured for Chimay. Though pouring for a big fest like this is definitely a full day's work, the experience ends up being equally as fun as just attending. I showed up a hour early to pick up my name tags, setup my booth, and organize my samples. This time the distributor I pour for included not just Chimay for me, but also several other big import names to pour (such as Samuel Smith), so I had the smug satisfaction of a table full of super-high quality beer. Even though I love local and craft beer, there's nothing that compares to real Belgian beer. Quickly reviewing my tasting notes on the beers and organizing the rest of my pouring supplies, I eagerly awaited the thirsty crowd.

As people began trickling in, I made sure that my openers, tasting cups, and samples were all lined up and ready. By the time 30 minutes had gone by I hit my groove. Suddenly the history of Chimay was flowing freely, I recommended tasting notes and ideas to the patrons with ease, and I generally hobnobbed and dispensed as much beer knowledge as I could muster. Everything was going great, until someone asked to try some of the Framboise Raspberry Lambic that was on my table. Not really thinking I said, "Sure," tore off the foil, and remembered (and saw at this point) that it was corked!

City Steam Brewery's Table. Courtesy: JAdametzPhotographer

Now I came with plenty of bottle openers, cleaning supplies, tasting cups, swag, and the like: but bringing a decorker never even occurred to me! Apologizing profusely I recommended another beer on the table that they ended up being really happy with (the Sam Smith's Apricot). Not wanting to be stuck again, I offered a bounty for a decorker to a few beer fans who were hanging out by my table discussing the particulars of tasting profiles: I would offer a bottle opener (that Chimay gave me to distribute where I saw fit) to the person who could bring me a decorker.

Not 15 minutes went by when someone came to my table, gave me a grin, and presented a travel decorker with a grand flourish. I thanked them profusely, coughed up a bottle opener as a reward, then cracked the corks on my lambic. The rest of the day went smoothly, with plenty of people trying plenty of beer, and tons of beer people engaging in thrilling malted discussions. Finally, at 5 PM, we began to tear down. I chatted with the vendors around me, and we helped each other dispose of our open samples. Then the boxes were broken down, everything was  packed onto my hand truck, and I wheeled my way out of Rentschler field.

The cool-looking growler from cool new brewery Relic. Courtesy: JAdametzPhotographer

Though tired from working 6ish hours on a Saturday (after a full week of work), there's nothing really like pouring great beer, and talking about the finer points of said beer to those who really appreciate it! For more pictures of the event, check out Jere Adametz's Flickr page. Also follow me on Facebook, Blogger, and Twitter and I will keep you up-to-date to events happening in CT, and events that I will be pouring. I highly recommend checking out CT Beer Trail to keep current with any beerfests coming up, and then I highly recommend you to go to as many 'fests as you can because they are a blast!

Tasting Notes: Oskar Blues

Famed Colorado brewery Oskar Blues was featured for tasting this past Tuesday at Eli Cannon's Tap Room in Middletown, CT. Oskar Blue, infamous for being one of the first major craft breweries to offer their beer in cans, had four beers on draught: Mama's LITTLE Yella Pils, Dale's Pale Ale, Deviant Dale's, and Gubna. The representative on hand was Brendan McLane, East Coast Sales Leader.

Oskar Blue brewery is located in Lyons Colorado (a territory of Boulder). It started in 1997 as a restaurant, expanded to a brewpub in 1999, and has expanded well beyond that since. Perhaps what Oskar Blues is most well known for is its great beer in cans. They, as McLane jokingly told me, started the "canned beer apocalypse," in 2002. They were the first craft beer company to can their beer, and have since become the leaders in a long line of craft brewery's canning their beer.

Oskar Blues HQ. Courtesy: Oskar Blues

The decision to can beer came down to a few basic points. Canned beer is more fresh, portable, and better for the environment, McLane told me. Because of canning Oskar Blues puts out 30% less of a carbon footprint, and recycles more than other brweries. Personally canned beer really agrees with me, but I shared with McClane the popular thing people say about canned beer: "It's not that great because it tastes like metal."

Like me, McLane had heard this one plenty of times before and rolled his eyes at the sentiment. He explained that the FDA decided decades ago that any canned items (soup, beans, tuna, etc) need to be lined inside first so no food products touch bare metal. As such beer never actually touches metal, and so cannot physically taste like aluminum. McLane went on to explain that the outside of the can still smells like metal, so perhaps that's where the stigma comes from. The easy solution around the metal problem, "Just pour it in a glass," McLane says.

Dale's in it's can. Courtesy: Oskar Blues

Oskar Blues wants to blow peoples' minds with canned beer. McClane says that Oskar Blues loves shocking people with their presentation. A person sees a six pack of cans, thinks of the negative stigma behind beer in cans, but then they crack it open and are blown away at the quality of the fluid within. Their goal is to pack brilliant beers into inviting cans. 

One of the more interesting beers I tried was the Deviant Dale's Pale Ale. This is a variation on their wildly popular (and highly regarded) Dale's Pale Ale. The best part about Deviant was the piney, bright and balanced hop note that shines through the entire sip. I asked McLane about this wonderfully unique IPA and he said that the uncommon taste comes from a double dry hopping that the beer goes through with Columbus hops. This beer took home a silver medal in the Great American Beer Fest, and also is the first beer from Oskar Blues that comes in a 16oz can (which is bigger than usual).

Oskar Blues is special, says McLane, because of the lifestyle that they promote. Oskar Blues wants people to push the limits, get outdoors, and drink awesome beer from cans. As with many Colorado breweries, Oskar Blues is into mountain biking, other outdoor endeavors, and sustainability. They have started a farm out in Colorado where they grow their own hops, and also raise livestock for their restaurant. They want an inflow of beer and for all food to (eventually) come from their organic farms. McLane says that Oskar Blues want to bring their restaurant and brewery into a big circle, relying on their own product for everything.

The Oskar Blues Farm. Courtesy: Oskar Blues

Oskar Blues is proud of its unique style and philosophy. As McLane explains it, Oskar Blues has no set styles and instead puts its own twist on beer that they want to make. They are admitted hop heads, but embrace the wide flavor spectrum of the hop: not just bitterness. The hop is an ingredient with vast flavor potential and Oskar Blues loves experimenting with hop notes to tease out new and different flavors. They embrace craft beer as a group effort, and in their main restaurant they have 43 beers on draught, with only 12 or so from Oskar Blues. Liking to do things differently and decidedly anti-corporate, Oskar Blues is serious about making good beer, while being good to the environment and each other. "At the end of the day," McClane says, "it's just beer."

It's this cavalier attitude that speaks to the great dichotomy of Oskar Blues. They're a serious brewery that doesn't let their high quality beer extinguish their love of fun and community. 

Dale's Pale Ale. Courtesy: Me

The first beer I tried is perhaps one of the widest released in this area of Connecticut: Dale's Pale Ale. This beer poured out a light, translucent yellow with just a slight tone of amber. It smelled slightly sweet and hoppy, with just a hint of bitterness on the nose. The taste was initially smooth with easy going floral hop notes. This then moves to a deeper, bitter hop that mingles with a sweet maltiness. The taste then slides to a deeper floral bitter note that ends up with a lingering dry bitterness. This is a medium beer, with a hefty bittersweet hop taste that lingers. This is a good "every season beer" due to its potent hops balanced delicately with a pleasant sweetness.

Deviant Dale's. Courtesy: Me

I tried Dale's evil cousin next: Deviant Dale's Pale Ale.  This poured out a  deeper translucent reddish/amber and was tinged through with a spritzy yellow. It smelled deeply floral (almost clove or pine) with a lingering bitterness on the nose. The initial taste is sharp and bright with a strong floral pineyness. This taste then moves to a sweet hoppy malt burst that mellows the sharp taste and levels out the profile. From here the taste progresses to a lingering bitterness that lightly singes the taste-buds (in a good way) on the way out to the aftertaste. This beer is medium with a sharp, unexpected floral hop burst (with a very unique piney tang) that lingers bitterly with a subtle sweetness.

Mama's LITTLE Yella Pils. Courtesy: Me.

I went for something a little more mellow next: Mama's LITTLE Yella Pils. This one poured out a transparent yellow with a solid gold body throughout. It smells sweet, with some slight hints of malting. The initial taste is sweet and light. This moves fluidly to a bright maltiness which in turns shifts to another bright, sweet note. This medium sweetness lingers on the palate lightly throughout the aftertaste. This is a light to medium pilsner, whose sweetness builds the body. It is light, but not watery, and holds interest throughout the sip by having a very interesting sweet malting note.

Gubna. Courtesy: Me.

The last beer I tried from the Oskar Blues lineup was their fortified Gubna. This beer poured out a murky, reddish golden tone. The scent was very vivid, with bright fruitiness and slight clove notes on the nose. At first sip the beer was sweet and deep. This tone then moves to a rich maltiness that serves as the precursor to a potent taste of alcohol. The alcohol is tempered by the heavy sweetness and doesn't become overwhelming. In the end of the sip, the sweetness dissipates and combines the sweet richness with an alcoholic bite. This beer is heavy. It's reminiscent of a fortified saision, in the way that it is sweet with a fruity tone, but still very smooth. It warms you up from the inside and sits heavy on your palate with that thick, balanced sweetness that lingers long after your first sip is done.

If you want to try some of the beers I talked about here on tap, head down to Eli Cannon's Taproom before they kill off all the kegs. For more info on the brand, their canned beer and sustainable mindset, head over to Oskar Blues' website. Also follow me on Blogger, Facebook, and Twitter for up-to-date news on the exciting CT beer scene!

Tasting Notes: Sebago Brewing Company

Last Tuesday Eli Cannon's Tap Room featured Sebago Brewing Company at their Tuesday Night Tasting. On draught (beside the usual lengthy beer list) were the Barleywine 2011, Elegans Saison, Saddleback Ale, and the Full Throttle Double IPA.

Sebago has five year round beers and five rotating seasonal brews. As with most breweries, Sebago does "one off" barrels every once in a while of special brew that they are either trying for the first time, or just want to make for artistic purposes. For the tasting, the Barleywine and the Elegans Saison were single barrel runs that were featured on draught, with Full Throttle being a seasonal, and the Saddleback a year round brew.

Jim Lalumiere was the Sales Representative on hand from Sebago (pronounced 's - bay -go') Brewing Company. Started in 1998 out of Gorham, Maine, Sebago began as a brewpub and has since grown to four more brewpubs in the greater Maine area. Currently the beer is on full distribution in every state in New England, except for Massachusetts. Sebago is a Maine institution, and enjoys many local accolades for being a stellar place to get great food and drink artisan beer.

The logo of Sebago. Courtesy: Sebago Brewing Company.

 Lalumiere has been at work for Sebago since last October. A trained chef, Jim has always been drawn to the beer industry, and describes what he is doing now as a culmination of his love for the beer world. The new Saison features a pineapple sage spice in it (a lemongrass/light fruitiness taste) that Lalumiere brought to the table. He is proud that he can offer suggestions and taste ideas to the higher-ups at Sebago, who then hear out the suggestion and then give these new tastes a chance.

Lalumiere says that Sebago is special because it is a Maine beer that takes its time in fermenting its batches, and thrives on supporting the local communistic. For one batch of beer in particular, Sebago threw a large BBQ, invited fans to the brewery, dropped off a truckload of hops, and everyone ate, hung out, and helped shuck hops that went into Sebago's production beer. This is just one anecdote that speaks to Sebago's love of their local community; the brewers at Sebago give back wherever possible (always trying to involve local businesses) and are proud to be made in Maine.

Sebago is very much a New England beer: it has big flavor with riffs off of standard beer varieties while maintaining artistic flair. The seasonal IPA fit the Spring weather perfectly (bright, warm, and slightly bitter), the Saddleback was a great year-round beer that offered pleasing, easy drinking refreshment, but I think the Barleywine was my favorite beer of the evening (narrowly beating the Saison, which had a very unique malty sweetness).

The Barleywine 2011. Courtesy: Me

The Barleywine poured out amber red with a spritzy head on top. The nose was dry and bright with hints of a light citrus note. At first sip the beer has a bright, warm taste that lingers until the alcohol kicks in. This then moves very rapidly to a rich honey tone that trails to a very sweet and dry flavor. After this the beer finishes with a warm (again tasting of honey), lingering sweetness. This beer is very heavy with sweetness that swirls and mingles with heavy alcohol. It is one of the only beers I have had that has such a rich, pronounced honey flavor in it, while still being balanced with some dryness and warm malting. The honey flavor and the heaviness of the beer is very reminiscent of a honey bourbon, but the barleywine has a much thicker texture throughout its body.

The Elegans Saison. Courtesy: Me

The next beer I tried was the Elgans Sasion. This beer pours out a murky, translucent gold with slight lacing running down the glass. The beer smells very dry and distantly hoppy. At first sip I got a dry, and slightly fruity tone (tinged with tangerine). This then moves to a more pronounced dry fruitiness that is permeated by a lingering dry hop. In the end the fruit cuts out and I was left with a slightly dry tone. There is a semi-sweet bitterness that sits dryly on the tongue of this medium beer. It is different from most saisons that I have tried, mostly due to the prevalence of this semi-sweetness, and a lack of heavy fruitiness. That being said, it is still a very refreshing beer despite (or maybe due in part too) it's interesting dry light bitterness.

Full Throttle Double IPA. Courtesy: Me

Next up was the Full Throttle Double IPA. This beer smelled deeply floral, with sharp hops lingering on the nose. It poured out an opaque yellowish orange. The first taste I got was a semi-sweet bitter hopping that moves to a sharper, sweet hop tone. This taste lingers with a slight (very slight) sweetness that then finishes clean with a lingering dry bitterness. This beer is a dry and bitter medium, but the deep IPA bitterness of the brew was cut by a very pleasing sweetness that played throughout the entire taste profile.

Saddleback Ale. Courtesy: Me.

Finally was the Saddleback Ale. This beer pours out a murky golden yellow, and smells distantly of sweetness (although it was hard to get a nose off of this one). At first taste I got a very mild, wheaty malting. This taste then moved to a distant sweetness that mingled with a light starchiness and then finishes easily. This beer is light to medium, with any of the body coming from the starchiness. This beer has no real discernible hopping, but is sweet, mild, and very easily drinkable.

Sebago is one of those beers that you see in the package store fairly often, but may not be tasted as much as it's quality demands. See if you can get your hands on some of the barleywine or saison, but failing that be sure to try any of their bottled beer or head to Eli Cannon's to grab it while its still on tap. For more information on Sebago beers check out their website. Also follow me on Blogger, Facebook, or Twitter for all of your local beer ramblings!

Tasting Notes: Goose Island

Goose Island, a Chicago based brewery/brewpub dating to 1988, has officially extended the distribution of its artisan beers through Connecticut. Up until this point you may have come across a stray bottle here and there at specialty package stores, but now (with full distribution plans rolling out) you will be able to enjoy Goose Island at every big beer store in your area.

Goose Island started out as a brewpub back in 1988. John Hall (the brand's eventual founder) had traveled across Europe, sampling beers as he went, and when he returned home he knew that he could brew beer that was just as good in America. Living in Chicago helped, as there was a massive amount of fresh water just waiting to be tapped into.

Goose Island silos, current day! Courtesy: Goose Island

Today brewpubs are fairly common; it's not too hard to find a place where you can watch the brewing process unfold before your eyes, and then sit, have dinner, and drink a beer that came from the premises. Back in the late '80s however this was more of a novelty, which made Hall an innovator. He figured that allowing the consumers to see the process would stir up interest in going outside of their comfort zones and trying new beers.

His hunch proved right. Seven years after the Goose Island Brewpub opened its doors Hall had to open up a separate brewery and bottling plant to keep up with the high demand of his beer. Then in 1999 Hall opened yet another Brewpub right next to Wrigley Field, further cementing Goose Island's presence as a premier beer line in Chicago.

Goose Island currently has over fifty beers at the brewpub, and I had the chance to try five of those at Eli Cannon's Tap Room's "Goose Island Launch Party." Two beers (the Matilda and the Sofie) reside above the 6.5% abv level and so had to be served in the smaller (highball sized) pint glasses. The other beers on tap (the Honker's Ale , 312 Urban Wheat Ale, and India Pale Ale) all were poured out in the regular pint glasses. In true Eli Cannon's fashion, samples of the beer were served from 7pm to 9pm so everyone could get a taste of what makes Goose Island special. There were no official representatives from Goose Island present (as the operations in CT are only in place probably as of yesterday or so), but I got useful tidbits from the knowledgeable servers, and from Goose Island's website.

Honker's Ale. Courtesy: Me

The first beer I tried was Honker's Ale. This beer smelled very light and fruity, with no other scents detectable. It sat a transparent reddish amber in the glass with a foamy head. The initial sip was very carbonated on the nose, and moved quickly to a deep malty grain note. There is a nutty, caramely note here too, but the flavor moves on and finishes with a distant earthy spice that lingers pleasantly. This is a light beer with a high maltiness that leaves a bready aftertaste which begs for another sip. All in all Honker is a very enjoyable beer that is light enough to have anytime, but interesting enough with the spicing to keep you coming back for more.

312 Urban Wheat. Courtesy: Me

Next up was the 312 Urban Wheat. This beer poured out a very pale amber with a light head on top. This beer smelled light and dry with a vague fruitiness that lingered on the nose. At first sip this beer is light and smooth with a hint of wheatiness. From here the beer moves to a malty, creamy carbonation. After lingering here for a moment the beer ends lightly with a hint of earthy grains. This beer is light to medium with a heady malting that cuts out abruptly at the end and leaves a mellow malting on the palate. A very refreshing spring/summer beer.

IPA. Courtesy: Me

The India Pale Ale was next. I've been around with a lot of IPA's, but honestly this is one of my new favorites. It pours out a transparent pale amber color with a slight head. The main scent I got from this one was a distant slightly dry note (it was hard to get a nose from this one). At first sip I got a dry, slightly fruity flavor which really played up the fruitiness of the hops. There is a dry, sweet burst in the middle, which then moves back to that great light, dry hop fruitiness. This IPA is light to medium, getting its body from the dryness. This is very refreshing for an IPA as the fruitiness and the dryness are perfectly balanced, giving several profiles of the hop playing across the tongue long after the sip is finished.

Sofie. Courtesy: Me.

Next up was the first entry in Goose Island's "Vintage" line up: the Sofie. This poured out a hazy amber with a light head, smelling light, fruity, and dry. The initial taste is very fruity (with a certain dryness) that moves to a more solid dry note fairly quickly. The taste proceeds from here to a dried fruit note that stretches to the aftertaste, leaving dried fruit pleasantly on the tongue. This beer is a dry medium that has the definite notes of a Belgian Saison (its lightish color and dry fruit tones). Though it is 6.5% this beer is very refreshing and pairs well with the warmer weather due to the mellow tone throughout the body.

Matilda. Courtesy: Me

I finally arrived at the end of the beer flight with the Matilda. This beer pours out a murky orange brown color with a light head on top. The scent from this one is sweet and slightly fruity. At first taste there is a prominent fruit tone that gets stronger with a potent dry note. This taste then slowly transforms into a malty dryness that lingers on the palate heavily leaving me with the caramel malting playing with the fruit tones on my tongue. This is a medium to heavy beer that gets most of its character from the dryness of the sip. It is fruity, but not overpowering, and has a very balanced taste profile which encourages further sipping and exploration into the deeper nuances of its flavors.

Goose Island (from what I could tell from the beer I tried) loves playing with dry fruity notes to make very unique taste profiles. I look forward to checking out more Goose Island as it is distributed in CT, and I encourage you all to check out Goose Island for a great set of suds to usher in the warmer weather! If you want to keep current with Goose Island check out their website and follow them on Twitter. For all your CT beer news follow me on Blogger, Facebook, and Twitter.

Tasting Notes: Harpoon Brewery Spring 2012 Sneak Peek

This past Tuesday, Eli Cannon's Tap Room greeted Harpoon Brewery representative Roger Willson and offered a full selection of Harpoon beer on tap. This included Harpoon Leviathan Barley Wine, the classic IPA, Hard Cider, Celtic Ale, Raspberry UFO, and Black IPA. Out of these I had never tried the Black IPA or the Raspberry UFO, and so was looking forward to trying the new varieties. For those that don't know UFO is a Harpoon subdivision that focuses only on their unfiltered wheat beers (or hefeweizen).

Roger discussed the very interesting Raspberry UFO on tap with me first. This beer was a style that the owners thought they would never try. UFO is known for its unfiltered, unapologetically rich flavor. This richness, at first thought, wouldn't mesh well with the tart sourness of real raspberry. After a lot of insisting, the company finally put together a batch of the beer that ended up to be a huge hit. By adding natural raspberry to the beer, this hefeweizen starts out fairly tradtional, but then moves to a tartness that fits rather naturally with the unfiltered style: the all natural raspberry taste is brought out by the light sweetness inherent to the hefeweizen style. The Raspberry UFO is now available year-round.

Raspberry UFO. Courtesy: Me.

The other brand new beer on tap is the 100 Barrel Black IPA. According to Willson this beer was the brewery's attempt to crack into the popular black IPA style. They used a specialty malt (called Midnight Wheat) that gives the beer an almost stout-like appearance. This, coupled with dark malts and a wide selection of hops, yielded a beer that has since sold out to distributors quickly. The beer should be in stores now, but may be sold out due its popularity as you read this!

100 Barrel Black IPA. Courtesy: Me

In terms of the spring releases for UFO, Willson reports that they will be sticking with their UFO Hefeweizen release in late spring, and are considering brewing up an unfiltered cider style. As someone who will buy any UFO on merit (and loves orange juice with pulp), I for one would love to try a cider that retains the murky richness of the unfiltered style, while playing on the tangy sweetness of the apple.

For Harpoon Brewery releases this Spring, coming down the pipe is the 100 Barrel Ginger Wheat, Coffee Porter, and the 100 Barrel Rye IPA. Willson said he was very excited for the Rye IPA especially. Brewing with rye has been another hot beer trend within the past few years, so in this Harpoon is right on top of the curve. The Rye IPA, as Willson explained, will be mild with only hints of hops. They are starting with a Bohemian pilsner style, but basically changing the hop structure around to offer more diversity. As Harpoon built their company around their very successful IPA, I'm looking forward to the unique twist they are going to put on the rye.

The other big news coming from Harpoon is that, starting this summer, they will begin offering canned beer. I'm a huge fan of cans, it's a hot trend out West, and Willson was very excited to have Harpoon offering the fun out this way. The beers that are slated to be canned are the Summer IPA and White UFO IPA. Harpoon will be shipping their beer to Saranac to be canned, and then the beer will be distributed throughout CT.

Black IPA and the Raspberry UFO. Courtesy: Me

For the tasting notes, I had to try the two new beers that I'd never encountered before. The 100 Barrel Black IPA poured out an opaque chestnut brown with a persistent tan head. It smelled dryly hoppy with faint malting detected deep within the body. At first sip I got a strong dry hoppiness. This dryness extended to a strong bitterness that was abruptly cut with a rich semi-sweet flavor that led out to a rich bitterness. From here the taste cuts out suddenly and I was left with a lingering semi-sweet bitter taste that sat pleasantly on my tongue. This beer has a lingering medium body that sits bitterly with a semi-sweetness on the back of the tongue. Overall it is a fairly unique black IPA (which has been a very popular style recently) in that it has the bitterness, a medium body, but a semi-sweetness that balances the whole taste out.

The Raspberry UFO poured out a murky opaque orange and smelled sweetly and dryly of fruits (mostly raspberry). The first taste is a smooth, dry tone that leads to a muted raspberry note. This then ends with a carbonated slightly tart and sour note. This beer is light to medium. The body is derived from the tart raspberry flavor. The aftertaste is slightly tart with a pleasing dry fruit note on the back end. This is a great spring beer, as it has a lighter body but a tart note on the back end that adds a little bit of bite and interest to the overall flavor. In this way you get the body of a summer beer, but a taste that is reminiscent of the biting winter.

The 100 barrel styles from Harpoon have been extremely popular (not to mention tasty) and so if you see any at a store near you, be sure to pick some up! I am very excited to try the canned beer (especially the UFO) this summer, as I find canned beer more easily portable and it stays cooler longer: perfect for BBQs and trips to the beach alike. I try to promote canned beer as much as I can (its merits are extensive as it is very cost effective) and the first hurdle I have to get over is people complaining that "their beer tastes like metal."

This is impossible as there is a treatment of the lining on the can that renders it a perfectly neutral taste, but I suppose that rant is best saved for another day. In the meantime be sure to follow Roger Willson and Harpoon on Twitter, and get out there and secure yourselves some of the new Rye IPA as soon as possible. Also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger for all your local beer news and general ramblings.