Welcome to the new phase of Speaking of Beer: leaner (except when it’s bloated), meaner (except when it’s nice), and more focused (except when it wanders).
Today’s episode is a special Beer As Folk interview with Jef Verserle of Belgium’s Brouwerij Van Steenberge, best known for their outstanding brews Gulden Draak, Piraat, and Augustijn. The brewery has been in Jef’s family for seven generations, so as you can imagine he has a lot to talk about. The history, the philosophy, and the craft, both ancient and modern, of a world-class brewery all get a go-round in this conversation. So pour up a nice tall Gulden Draak (my personal favorite), or any of the other Van Steenberge beers, and enjoy the show!

 

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Prebeer Preamble: OK, this is another West Coast kind of show. Sorry. But listen, I couldn’t pass up the unique opportunity to talk beer with all of my siblings: brother Tom and sisters Nancee and Cathy. And since the only place we ever gather together from our far-flung homes is the little burg of Woodland, California…. Other shows have been Cali-centric, and others have featured family members. But here, you get it all in one entertaining package. Call it my “natural environment”. In any case….

Beer #1: The first of two brews from Bear Republic Brewery, Red Rocket Ale starts us off easy,or so the numbers led me to believe. Is my much-touted distrust of the term “amber” going to taint the experience?

Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Alan Shapiro’s Reunion Beer Project.” The four people drinking beer on today’s show have something in common besides DNA: we all lost our father to cancer. SBS-Imports founder Alan Shapiro also had his life touched by the disease. His response: team up with his old brewing kronies (including Pete Slosberg of Pete’s Wicked Ale fame) and produce a beer for a cause. How did last year’s Reunion Beer go, and what’s pouring in ’08? Tune in and find out!

Beer #2: Next up is Racer 5 IPA. In California “hoppy” is practically the state motto, so expectations are skewed accordingly. Is Clan Beer Guy impressed with this one, or is it just another one-note resin bomb?

Beer Geek Moment: California Common Beer. The most awkwardly-named style of beer has a fascinating history, and as it turns out has earned an honored place in brew history. What’s its story and how does it relate to SoB episodes 12 and 13? Take a listen and see!

Postbeer Postscript: Yes, we are all children of the same mother. Yes, we share 50% of each other’s DNA. But when it comes to scoring up these CA beers, do we share a brain as well? The answer may well surprise you!

 

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Prebeer Preamble: Today’s show is brought to you (literally) by the country of Brazil. Marcelo Carneiro da Rocha, SoB listener and brewmaster at Brazil’s first craft brewery, Cervejaria Colorado, contacted me recently and asked if I’d like to sample his wares. I said “”Well, duh”, and the result is this episode. Until this point, the Review Krew’s Brazilian beer experience has been limited to Xingu, a nice-try-maybe-but-next-time black lager. So now it’s time to find out what the land of anacondas and Carnival can do with a beer if it really tries…

Beer #1: First up is Cauim Pilsner, a bohemian-style Pilsner brewed with cassava root, which is itself the basis for a traditional Brazilian libation also called cauim. It pours out really pale, and some fearful comments get thrown around. Still, for the cause we soldier on. Are our worst fears confirmed, or does character eventually join the party?

Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Alan Shapiro.” SBS-Imports is the coolest beer and cider importer on the planet, and that includes you, Mr. Merchant du Vin (if that is your name…). What exactly is the role of the importer and why should you care? Tune in to this fascinating conversation I had recently with SBS-Imports founder Alan Shapiro at my local Whole Foods, and you will find the answer. (Part 1 of 2)

Beer #2: Next up is Appia Weiss, a hefeweizen brewed using orange-blossom honey produced by killer bees. I’m not sure why, but I find that extremely cool. Does the beer live up to it’s exotic expectations?

Beer Geek Moment: Brewing Water. The underpraised ingredient that makes up an overwhelming majority of that beer in your hand gets a long-overdue Moment of its own. What’s the big deal about lowly old water? Turns out, plenty.

Postbeer Postscript/Bonus Round: To help the numbers roll out smoothly, I surprise Mike and the Krew with two more Brazillian beers, DaDo Ilex and Eisenbahn Dunkel. We give each a once over (hickory?!?), then get to the reporting. Which of Marcelo’s generous offerings do we like best? Tune in and find out!

Alan Shapiro photo courtesy of Sheila Unwin. Thanks Sheila!

 

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Prebeer Preamble: Every once in a while comes a beer that knocks my proverbial socks off. It can be some crazy new beast of a brew or a cool riff on an old style, but it gets me jazzed and has me falling prostrate before the goddess Ninkasi in effusive thanks for the mere existence of beer. As luck would have it, I recently ran across not one but two such brews, both from Oskar Blues Brewery, makers of Old Chub and Dale’s Pale Ale. The fact that they’re only available in cans makes it just that much cooler…

Beer #1: So who best to join me in sharing my new favorite beer? Why my original co-drinker Eric, that’s who. After a twenty-show hiatus, the guy who helped me start it all chills with me and enjoys a brew called simply Gordon.

Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Dale Katechis.” Dale is the mind and madness behind Oskar Blues, as well as the namesake for OB’s hop-monster Pale Ale, and it was a real pleasure to sit down and talk with him for a while. Of course we cover the whole “can question,” but conversation spans more than just that. Tune in to hear about Dale’s thoughts on Hanna Montana…

Beer #2: Eric and I now try a Ten Fidy Imperial Stout. Recently, scientists claim to have invented the blackest black, but Dale & Co. beat them to it with this inky, hypnotically dark beer. And while the appearance evokes titters of glee, it’s when we bring them up to our mouths that the party really begins.

Beer Geek Moment: Carbonation and Conditioning. Among the most important, yet least appreciated, parts of any good beer are the bubbles. Just what do these tiny little wonders of nature do for the beer and how do they get in there? Listen and learn!

Postbeer Postscript: Eric has had to endure my practically obscene gushing about both beers today, so it’s interesting to see how the numbers shake out. Was Eric spending the show in quiet agreement with my enthusiasm, or secretly waiting to take these beers down?

 

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Prebeer Preamble: Dark beers stir their own special passion in the beer enthusiast, and it’s been a while since this show has simply reveled in the blackness. Well the wait is over, because today is all about the special magic that roasted, toasted, and even charred grains bring to the beer-drinking experience. The black style known as stout has many sub categories, promising many similar shows to come, but for now we’re going to look at the two ends of the stout spectrum.

Beer #1: I’m joined by a slimmed-down Draco Vista Review Krew (just Mike, Tim, and Brian this time) as we start off in left field with Hitachino Nest Sweet Stout (Lacto) from Japan’s Kiuchi Brewery. Brewed in a storied sake brewery yet made in the traditional milk stout style, this one starts out as a bit of a head-scratcher. Then we actually try it, and everything changes…

Interbeer Interlude: MicroBrewed. “The Royal Mile.” In his quixotic attempt to prove that Portland needs to abdicate its “beervana” status in favor of Des Moines, Iowa, Tee Morris (along with Paul and Andrew) lands at a thoroughly British pub in the heart of the Grain Belt. The night is getting long, and the slightly sloppy happiness that comes with a pub crawl is getting difficult to ignore. And that’s why we love this stuff…

Beer #2: Speaking of sloppy, the next beer really cranks up the warm-and-fuzzies, as we pole vault over the other stout categories and end up in the Imperial realm, with Great Divide’s Yeti. It’s a great big gush-fest as all the stout fans in the room find themselves with the embodiment of the style amplified on every possible axis.

Liquid Literature: “Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint by Bill Yenne” Another book review for you by our Eclectic Librarian, Anna from Washington. This time Anna examines a tome detailing the history of Ireland’s Guinness Brewery. So from the historical perspective, is Guinness truly the “perfect pint”, or simply another example of mass-produced and heavily compromised “product”?

Postbeer Postscript: After the Yeti, you know the numbers are going to be big. Just how big? Well you’ll have to tune in and find out. And what’s with Tim foisting a patented SoB quasi-scientific glassware test on the proceedings at the last minute? I mean, didn’t he listen to Show 35?

 

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Prebeer Preamble: Today’s show changes things up, as we spend the entire episode in The Build-A-Beer Workshop. Back on August 19th, 2007, my brewing compadre Shawn and I decided we would brew up two batches of beer simultaneously. This would be Shawn’s third batch of homebrew, and the first on which he’d take point. Me, I thought I’d step up the complexity a bit and do a larger-volume boil. From these slightly ambitious decisions came two interesting brews and lots of hard-knocks lessons about homebrewing. This episode delves into that day deeply, and follows the fruits of our labor through till the end.

Part 1: The Day Itself. Highlights of our brew day, including a salty interjection or two when things don’t go our way. Plus, Shawn and I try to talk ourselves into a good mood, and give a little informaiton about how we came up with the recipes. What you won’t hear is the opressive sound of triple-digit temperatures.

Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk: “Peter Zein, part 2.” I continue my conversation with AleSmith Brewing Company‘s owner and brewmaster. We talk a little about recipes, the hop “crisis”, and the future of AleSmith. Plus, Peter lets us in on how anyone can brew up their own version of one of AleSmith’s tasty brews.

Part 2: The Fates of the Beers. After their difficult births, each beer embarks on a different path. Shawn’s hoppy IPA gets a thorough going-over (and a name) from hop-headed friend-of-SoB Evo Terra, while my freaky Imperial Stout enters a contest on Wingin’ It 3D to see if it can out-Samuel-Jackson a similar beer brewed by Thomas from Flagstaff.

Liquid Literature: “Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer”. Speaking of Thomas, he delivers this excellent review of a brewing tome that should be strongly considered for any homebrewer’s library. Thomas has even taken at least one recipe for a spin. How’d it turn out?

Part 3: Lessons Learned. We once again flash back to brew day, and find Shawn and I in a reflective mood. Just what did we take from this less-than-perfect brewing experience that will make us better brewers? Tune in and find out!

 

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Prebeer Preamble: The word “business” is unlikely to get the average beer enthusiast’s blood pumping, yet it is often the single most influential underlying factor in any given aspect of our lives, beer included. Today we shine the spotlight on the world of business as it applies to beer. You see, the craft beer market has been booming in recent years, while the Megabrewers’ sales have remained flat. Interesting strategies have emerged as a result, as we shall see…

Beer #1: I’m joined by the Draco Vista Review Krew (this time around it’s Mike, Brian, Tim, Thomas, and Kris) as we dive in to Green Valley Brewing Co.’s Wild Hop Organic Lager. Ooooh, organic. This must be from one of those hippy commune nanobreweries, right? Uh….no.

Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk “Peter Zein.” AleSmith Brewing Company from San Diego, California, is a prototypical craft brewery: owned and operated by homebrewers, prone to experiemtation, and prioritizes the quality of the beer above all other concerns. I was honored to talk with head brewer (and owner) Peter Zein about what it’s like to balance the joy and passion of brewing great beer with the cold equations of running a business (part 1 of 2).

Beer #2: Next the Krew pops open some Stone Mill Pale Ale, again from “Green Valley“. The beer itself takes back seat to a discussion of truth in advertising, as there is no mention of the true brewer’s name anywhere on the packaging.

Beer Geek Moment: The Hop Shortage of 2008. If I had a nickel for every time someone’s asked me about the current “hop crisis”, well…I’d have a lot of nickels! Today we try to get to the bottom of things. Are we truly at Threat Level “Red” in regards to hops and beer? [note: wholesale hop prices have risen beyond those quoted in this Moment. The point, however, still stands....]

Postbeer Postscript: The talk of business strategies has pushed aside some of the evaluation today, but with the numbers comes what folks really think. And what exactly do we think of these to micro-macros? Tune in and find out!

 

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Prebeer Preamble: As the screaming ice-banshee howls of a winter wind shake your constitution to its very core, nothing brings you back to heartening feelings of summer warmth like a really, really strong beer. This has been the general operating principle for centuries, and here in the 21st, America’s west coast is stepping up to the winter warmer challenge. Today I’m joined by homebrewing compadre Shawn, as we sample a pair of southern California brews engineered to put a little fire in your furnace.

Beer #1: Shawn and I start our quest for relief from Arizona’s mild chill with AleSmith’s Old Numbskull Barleywine Style Ale. Having never tried a beer modeled after northern Europe’s quintessential winter brew filtered through the Cascade curtain of SoCal, beer novice Shawn is not sure what to expect. I try to orient him with the telling question, “Are you ready to get crocked?”

Interbeer Interlude: MicroBrewed. “Hessen Haus.” The massive Des Moines pubcrawl continues for Tee and the boys (“the boys” being Paul and Andrew), as our intrepid quaffers arrive at Hessen Haus, “central Iowa’s only authentic German bier hall.” Since when did Des Moines get so freeking multicultural?

Beer #2: Our internal fireplaces well stoked, Shawn and I now take the potentially ill-advised step of reaching for something stronger, in this case Stone’s Double Bastard Ale. Yeah, what the hell were we thinking?
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Beer Geek Moment: Cellaring Beer. Big beers have potentially big life spans. What is the point of hanging on to a brew for a year or more? This Moment delves into the very heart of this question. Only extraordinarily patient beer geeks need apply.

Postbeer Postscript: Shawn and I experience some actual “winter” as we’re kicked outside to relate the scores on these beers. Between chattering teeth, we attempt to coherently articulate our opinions. Yeah, good luck on that! Which beer claims the top of the bone-warming crop? Tune in and find out!

 

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Prebeer Preamble: One of the most potent symbols of the joyous generosity that marks the December holiday season is a certain St. Nicholas (a.ka. Santa Claus, a.k.a Father Christmas, a.k.a. Kris Kringle, etc.). Today we enjoy a couple of beers that pay homage to that jolly old elf, and see if the north pole’s #1 citizen can inspire a good brew.

Beer #1: With Thanksgiving turkey still settling in our tummies, I’m joined by dinner guests Evo Terra, Sheila Unwin, and Jack Mangan for some Santa’s Private Reserve Ale from Rogue Brewery. Evo likes it real bitter, Jack’s more of a hefeweizen guy, and Sheila can go either way. Whose trigger does this hopped-up amber ale trip? Surely someone’s, right?

Interbeer Interlude: Liquid Literature “Beer and Food: An American History by Bob Skilnik”. In a new recurring interbeer segment, Anna Creech, the Eclectic Librarian, gives us a look into the world of words about beer. Today she reviews a book that might just be on the wish list of your literary beer loving friends!

Beer #2: To cap our evening off, we next reach for Samichlaus Bier from Schloss Eggenberg Brewery*. This one’s a modern-day beer legend, one of the first widely available beers to crack the 10% ABV mark. Brewed annually on St. Nicholas’ Day (December 6th), and aged for almost a year, it’s designed to be a smooth-drinking warmer. So is it warmly received by my guests?

Beer Geek Moment: Juleglugg. Blasphemous as it may sound, beer is not the only beverage out there that people turn to for holiday cheer. Today’s Moment looks at a classic winter warmer from Scandinavia, and includes the traditional recipe enjoyed annually at the Speaking of Beer household. Skol!

Postbeer Postscript: ‘Tis the season for generosity, but do these two Santa-inspired brews feel the love? Who hands out gifts and who’s slinging stocking coal? Tune in and find out!

*Which is in Austria, not Germany as stated on the show. Thanks, Thomas for the correction.

 

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