Small beer? Huh?

I mean, seriously. What’s a small beer? It comes in a medium sized bottle, looks normal-ish. Then I read the label. “The tradition of brewing two distinct beers from one mash has existed for thousands of years and for centuries the term “small beer” was used in English to describe the lighter and weaker second beer.” Oh, I see. What happens is that when a beer is brewed, the wort that’s left behind (in this case its from their Foghorn barleywine) has water added and out comes a thinner brew from the diluted wort. An interesting idea, and a historical one, too. So I had to see what happens when you take a barlewine and essentially put it through the ringer again. (Its kind of like making little tarts with leftover pie crust. Or something like that.

It pours a pale yellow (which I expected) but I will admit that I was taken aback by the smell of this beer. I can’t tell you exactly what it was but something in the aroma reminded me of what my grandfather used to drink – and of a half-stale can of beer left behind after a picnic in the backyard. Something about it – the bitterness, the breadiness or the bite of the smell is off-putting. But you know me… I’ll try anything.

The taste is really nothing like the smell (thankfully). I was expecting it to taste like Schlitz, but was pleasantly surprised to have that not be the case. However, the taste was still not what I imagined. It was bitter and a little flowery, very thin and light. The bitterness is unique – and it isn’t purely a hop bitterness. Its almost a biting/acrid bitterness (for lack of a better term) but without it being overwhelming. I am surprised that it isn’t more like its big cousin Old Foghorn, considering they come from the same stock.

Though I can’t say I recommend this, there may be those out there that can appreciate the historical brewing methods and maybe the taste will remind them of other small beers that they may have had in their lifetimes. For me, I’m not really into the aftertaste, and there are other low abv or light beers that I might enjoy a bit more than this. I’m all for history, but in the end, it really does just come down to taste.

In accordance with my last article for the Hop Press on “going local,” I spent a little more time than usual in front of the beer cooler picking out my selection. I saw a brand new beer from Gritty McDuff’s in a bomber bottle – featuring the logo of the local basketball team, the Red Claws. After doing a little digging I found out that Gritty’s had paired with the local sports venue to produce this beer to be served at Red Claws games. That’s the kind of local partnerships that I’m talking about – getting involved in other venues and really becoming an integral part of a community.

Here’s a local news story on the collaboration: NECN – Red Claws Ale a Slam Dunk

I poured it out and was happy to see it was a nice bright red/orange. The aroma was light but malty, with kind of a molasses undertone. The head was there but quickly faded, and I wondered what it would be like to have this in a plastic cup at a game. (I’ll have to go at some point, though I’m a bit more interested in watching the Pirates play instead…)

The taste is that of a sturdy red ale, with some nice malt character. I like that this is a lot more tasty than some of the lighter beers that one can usually get at a sporting event, but isn’t too heavy if you wanted to drink several of them. It is smooth and drinkable, with no bitterness in it.

I’d say that this is a smart move for both Gritty’s and the Red Claws alike – because pairing beer and sports is usually a fruitful venture. Its the type of craft beer that i wish I could get at every sporting event. The price is right, too – for a 22 oz. bottle, the beer is under $4.00 – which is just about the right price for tailgaiting. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up at a few Superbowl parties, either. So keep your eyes peeled for the Red Claws both on the court and off. Cheers!

What it really means to “go local”

Everyone has a laundry list of resolutions, I’m sure. Lose weight, finish the novel, donate more to charity… I made up a short list of my own as far as my own beer drinking was concerned, and one stuck out to me – “support local beer.” In the days of this economy, where each little business is hanging on the hopes of their customers, it seems more important than ever to me to take a step back and look back into our own neighborhoods. Let’s face it – national craft beer distibution is a wonderful thing, and there are some fabulous beers from “away” that I enjoy very often. But I started to wonder if this national distribution was keeping me from truly enjoying the local flavors around me. [read more]