The Beer Babe | What's In Your Glass?

July 12, 2011
by The Beer Babe
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Sebago Brewing Company – Bass Ackwards Berryblue Ale

Looking back, I’ve reviewed a lot of blueberry beers. I can’t help it – I love fresh blueberries and I happen to live in a state that has a lot of ‘em. Maine actually is the largest worldwide producer of low bush blueberries – so we’ve got them coming out our ears. So what better way to start the summer than to jam a few into a beer?

Many Maine and New England breweries make blueberry beers, but this one by Sebago is handled a little differently. Blueberry beers have a reputation for being very sweet – and at worst can taste like kid’s cereal instead of a satisfying brew. This can be due to the use of additional blueberry flavorings added after fermentation, leaving a candy-like taste behind. I do like sweet things, but sometimes the blueberry is just too fruity for me.

Sebago decided to use fresh blueberries, and to add them not at the end of the brewing process, but before fermentation. From the Sebago website:

The name Bass Ackwards Berryblue Ale is for its unconventional use of only fresh blueberries in the fermenter without the use of flavorings added, unlike most blueberry ales. The result is a surprisingly simple drinkability that enables you to drink more than one.

The result is interesting. The beer is a deep purply red color, and the blueberries even add a little pink to the head. The aroma is not sweet but rather slightly malty and has a back end of blueberry jam.

The taste, too, has connotations of blueberry pie or blueberry syrup – there’s a cooked quality to it. This could be (speculating, here) because if they’re adding the blueberries after the boil and before fermentation, it’s likely that the berries are slightly cooked during this process. The mouthfeel on this is relatively thin, which combined with the lack of overpowering sweetness is why I think that Sebago is confident you can drink more than one of these in a sitting. Though, I’d have to say that because it comes in the larger bottles (rather than a 6-pack) this is still something that will likely get shared and sipped, instead of chugged at a barbeque.

Bottom line? If you don’t like blueberry beers because they’re too sweet, this may be the only one made with blueberries that you’ll enjoy. Honestly, I’d like to see an imperial made out of this – something a little heavier and more dessert-like, perhaps – that would give the cooked berries something else to meld with.

July 8, 2011
by The Beer Babe
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Hops + Chocolate? Yes.

Wow, the’re has been a lot of chatter among the craft beer community online today! Hot topics! Heated debates! Name calling! But – I am not going to weigh in right now about a beer marketed specifically to women or people being specifically offended by a beer label. Nope. Today I’m going to talk about CHOCOLATE.

I have been following @phil_from_MD on twitter for some time now and at some point missed that he is responsible for something that I came across that seemed almost too awesome to be true – Chocolates that contain hops.

These hoppy chocolates (adorably called Hopolates) come in light and dark varieties, are adorably shaped into beer steins. I have written about beer and chocolate pairings before, but never about hop flavors actually contained in chocolate. So of course I ordered them.

You can order them online at www.hopcandyinc.com. Currently they’re sold in 1/2 or 1lb boxes, and come in light and dark. You can then choose from one of four hop flavors: Amarillo, Cascade, Northern Brewer and Nugget. Though, if you put a note in w/the order he’ll send you a variety set – which is exactly what I decided to do.

The first ones I tried were the Cascade + Milk Chocolate. In retrospect, that was the right thing to do – start with the most relatively mild flavor of hop – but I ended up being sad that I all I tasted was some really tasty chocolate. But then, I tried the other flavors. The bitter bite of the hops is a great complement to cut the richness of the chocolate (which is of very high quality, by the way). The hops come in at the end, and it’s not like drinking a chocolate flavored IPA so much as it is like eating a chocolate infused with a little citrusy, bitter twinge. They were awesome.

Now, I am biased on this one, but I think that I liked the milk chocolate better than the dark chocolate. I am going to qualify with saying that I am not a dark chocolate lover – I enjoy it but I like milk chocolate better. I think it’s that the dark chocolate has some bitterness in it already, and is more of a parallel than a contrast. But I think that’s going to boil down to a personal opinion.

All and all – a really fun treat, and I think they’d make a fun and really different gift for beer lovers in your life. (So much better than more pint glasses, right?!). I urge you to check these out if you can.

July 7, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Stillwater – Cellar Door

On a night like this, it’s time for something crisp… for something hoppy but yet… different.

I walked into another one of my favorite haunts in Maine – The Lion’s Pride - after a late night at work and was happy to hear that they were in the middle of celebrating hoppy beers.

“Hoppy sounds great,” I thought.

Always slightly overwhelmed by the excellent tap list there, I was able to make a choice rather quickly by this beer’s description – “Sage and Citra Hopped Saison” I ordered one, and Lee brought me the glass.

I leaned over, smelled it, and smiled. Sage – like it was coming from a favorite family recipe – dominated the crisp, clean aroma, accented by lemon notes from the citra hops. It smelled just beautiful an just like a cool summer night should smell.

I don’t know a whole lot about Stillwater, actually. There is a bottle of another of their beers in my fridge that I haven’t tried yet. The website is really interesting – just a “portfolio” of beers and a small amount of information. The labels on the brews are pretty interesting also. Some feature turn of the century anatomical art, others recall carnival themes or tattoo art from the 1930s. Really interesting. I want to meet this brewer. (The website is here).

I leaned in to take a sip and closed my eyes. I was amazed by the dryness, the hops, the lemon overtones, the ever so slightly peppery but just clean taste. This is exactly what I was looking for, even if I didn’t know I was looking for it. It tastes like it would go well with savory food – I am dying for some brie to pair this with, honestly. The taste leaves a dry and peppery aftertaste but is somehow more delicate than other saisons. Really quite a find.

This was an unexpected find on this heavenly beer list. I recommend both finding this brew (it is farily well distributed for such a seemingly small operation) and consuming it on the type of night where you can hear the leaves rustling on a breezy summer evening, sitting on the porch listening to the wind.

July 5, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Let the Blog-A-Thon begin…

My first $5.00 donation arrived this weekend (thanks Matt R.!) and it made me realize that maybe there is hope, but that I’m going to have to work even harder for your support to attend this conference. So, as a complement to my fundraising efforts, I am also planning a “blog-a-thon” in which I will write a post every single day until I’ve received enough donations to attend the Beer Blogger’s conference.

Those of you who know my current work/life situation, this is no small task. I currently leave my house at 7:30 am, and return somewhere around 7:30 pm. I also spend a total of two hours of driving each week day, so I have plenty of time to think about posts, but not to write them. Well, I’m making the time now – and I’ll write one every single day. If you have suggested topics (I’m sure I’m going to need some next week) please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Attending the Beer Blogger’s Conference is very important to me – as I rarely (if ever) get a chance to interact with fellow beer writers from other parts of our country. I think we could all learn a lot from each other – so I am hoping that this will be yet another opportunity that I’d get to interact with the craft beer blogging community. So blog-a-thon posts start tomorrow (or today if I get really ambitious!).

Thanks very much for your support – I look forward to hearing your post ideas!!

Want to donate now? Click the "Fuel This Project" button above!

July 1, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Every Little Sip Counts

Hi readers! I’ve got an announcement to make. I am starting a campaign to fund my trip to the 2011 Beer Blogger’s Conference, and here’s why:

Last year, the first-ever Beer Bloggers Conference was held in Boulder, CO, and was an astounding success. I attended with more than 200 other bloggers and shared tips, tricks, and learned a lot about blogging, beer and collaboration. This year, the US conference is in the city of Portland, OR, on the opposite coast of where I live in Portland, ME. This marks the second year it’s been a very far distance to travel (though the 2012 conference is slated for an east-coast venue).

I found the conference to be an extremely valuable part of my professional development as a writer and blogger, and helped me to form collaborative partnerships with several other bloggers including podcasts, guest posts, and getting a chance to discuss some of the most interesting topics in craft beer! As bloggers in such a niche industry, it is really important to have a chance to discuss aspects topics that are important. As a ‘veteran’ beer blogger (A good majority of beer bloggers have started in the last 1-2 years) I also feel that I can provide valuable mentoring advice to new bloggers to help make their blogs even stronger.

To defer the costs of attending the 2011 conference, I am seeking sponsors to help get me there. While my tax return last year allowed me to attend the conference little outside help, this year is proving to be more difficult to collect the airfare in particular – which is what my goal of $600 is reflecting.

If you’ve ever gotten a laugh out of my site, or found a review valuable or interesting, I hope that you might be willing to chip in just a little towards helping me become a better beer blogger. Each level of donation comes with a reward – so it’s not entirely a selfless act! I hate to sound like public TV and ask my readers for anything other than their great comments, but I am hoping that you can help to get me there.

May 25, 2011
by The Beer Babe
3 Comments

Double Review! Red Hook – Pilsner & Wit

I’ve recently been able to try several of Red Hook’s new releases, starting with the Mud Slinger brown ale (which I, regrettably, did not write up for the blog) followed by the Pilsner and the Wit. I have two quick reviews of the Pilsner and the Wit, which are sure to be around everywhere this summer.

Before I review either of these, I should mention that Redhook has recently changed their packaging. And I’m not sure how I feel about it.

What they have changed to are “stubbies” – retro feeling short and stout (and let’s be honest, kind of ugly) bottles. Now, upon seeing these, I immediately thought of my Grandfather when I saw these. He used to drink something… Labbat’s perhaps… in these style bottles. So, they feel old to me, and I am not sure if that’s really the connotation they’re looking for.

Redhook Pilsner:
The bottles aside, I also don’t drink a whole lot of Pilsners, but I do like then when I get them. This one has a very characteristic big-bubble head and high carbonation, the little bubbles leaping out the head and clinging prettily to the side of the glass. The taste is dry, yet sweet. It has a great sheeting effect as you drink it – the suds stay on the side of the glass in nice pretty sheets. The sweetness is not fruity, but just subtle enough to be very enjoyable. The mouthfeel is light, and it is definitely refreshing. Not much hop taste, but a nice crispness. I approve.

Redhook Wit:
Ok, so before this, I didn’t know Redhook made a Wit. It’s either new or I haven’t heard of it. When I tried to look it up on their website it says the website is changing, so I’ll skip the origin/history of this beer for now. It is a cloudy straw color, and has a subtle orange and banana aroma. The taste is sweet but not cloying, and it is spiced without being overdone. I wish there was a little bit more of the clove-ish flavors in there, or something to make it a tad thicker, but I like it. The bottom line, I think, is that if you’re expecting this to be really really complex, you’ll be let down, but if you’re looking for something to replace Blue Moon, you’re in luck.

May 23, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Moat Mountain – Iron Mike

I’m drinking Moat Mountain beer at home. How cool is that? I ran into their beer in large cans and was taken by surprise. I’m used to drinking this NH based beer at events like “Passport” in Portsmouth, NH, and at places like the Barley Pub, because until now, that’s the only place you could get their brews – on draught.

The tall can, honestly, reminds me of Four Loko and crazy energy drinks, so I’m still not used to seeing beer in the large-style cans. But I have no objections to cans in general. Contrary to popular belief, cans don’t impart a metallic taste on beer, and in fact, a can is completely opaque, thus better protecting against UV skunking than even brown bottles of most craft beer. I would still encourage you to pour your craft beer into a glass, though.

This is a pale ale, and I hope it is only the beginning of what they’ll be releasing for home consumption. Moat makes some great stuff, and I am super excited to be able to get it in Maine and enjoy it outside of bars.

For a pale ale, the color was quite nice, an orange-yellow with a big head that lingered for a while.

The taste was a little thinner than the last few beers I’ve had, but that’s completely normal and allowed for a pale ale. It has a good hop taste without being bitter. It has a slight fruitiness – almost like a lager – which makes it really easy to drink. It comes in at 5.6% ABV so it isn’t a bear to drink, either, though the serving size is 2 oz more than your typical bottle of beer.

This goes down easy, and that’s what it is meant to do. I can see this, and other canned brews like it, becoming a staple in our fridges in the next few years. And I’m happy to see local companies being on the forefront of embracing this trend.

May 20, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Troeg’s – The Flying Mouflan

I started this post thinking about how weird my patterns of reviewing are. Sometimes I buy something, bring it home, and write it up right away. Other times, I come home with lots of things, then there are one or two bottles that slide to the back of the fridge and get passed over for the new, the next, the weird.

So this one has been in the fridge for a while, so I figured that I ought to give it its due.

Described on the bottle as being an “ale” this one lead me to do more research to find out just what it was… The Troeg’s website lists it as a barleywine, and that makes much more sense. It comes in at 9.3% ABV which is high but not earth-shattering.

The aroma of this beer is full of the hotness of alcohol, some caramel and sugars but not sickeningly sweet like some other barleywines. The hops come through in the aroma, too, and it is quite tempting.

The color was darker than I expected – an almost toasty looking brown, like the best parts of creme brulee. It had a nice head, too, which was creamy colored and stayed around for a while.

The taste on this one is right where it should be – a malty backbone, a sweet, but not overly sweet middle, and a nice hop bitterness that lingers with you at the end. I think that this would age well, and the (Troeg’s people would agree, according to their website) but you can certainly taste some of the alcohol still present here. That’s what makes a beer a good one to age, though, so you can see what happens after it settles out of its hot and wild teenage years.

While this is good I can’t say it’s the best barleywine I’ve ever had, nor can I rave that Troeg’s is moving up my list of favorite breweries, but I can say honestly that they make solid beer, and that I’m always eager to see what they come up with next.

May 19, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Sebago Full Moon Cask Night (End of An Era Party)

When I was driving home, I heard lots of sirens in Portland. I turned on my police scanner app on my phone and listened to calls about suspicious cars, wildlife and… “a unidentified male running around with an axe.” Thankfully, this axe wielding John Doe was not in my neighborhood, but it made me realize one thing.

It must be the full moon.

I walked downtown on the misty, rainy and beautiful type of night that only can happen in a rainy New England spring. Light from street lamps oozed through the haze and the faint, blue glow of the neon signs of Sebago brewing beckoned me towards Middle Street. Sebago Brewing Company is famous around here for their Full Moon Cask Nights but this night, in particular, was special. It was the last cask night in their current location before moving further down the block to a bigger and better space. And, being American Craft Beer Week, I was not planning to turn down the opportunity for great craft beer.

I arrived, regrettably, later than I wanted to, but the party was still in full swing. Cooler/kegs of beer were positioned throughout the upstairs and downstairs of the restaurant and it was a little challenging to figure out what was going on. Each station had its own glasses, so you just went up to one you wanted to try and paid a few bucks for a sampling glass full of beer.

What made the event interesting was that Sebago wasn’t just pouring their own brews, but there were other beers from the region and beyond being shared there as well. I missed out on Lunch, the new beer from Maine Beer Company, but did get to sample some Sebago Grand Crue (a blend of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Full Throttle Double IPA, Barleywine and Frye’s Leap IPA) and loved how the hopiness of the IPAs played with the sweetness of the barleywine. Next, I sampled their 2010 Barleywine which was both delicious and warming, it smelled wonderful – the barrel aging made it nice and red, and the hoppiness was a pleasant surprise.

While I was there, I got a chance to talk with Luke Livingston and Michael LaCharite of Baxter Brewing. Only 4 months into their brewery’s life and they’re already talking about expansion, and next beers they’ll be brewing. I’m really happy that they’ve found success so quickly, and I think the summer will be a great boon for them as well. Their canned beer has made national news, and the demand for it is definitely growing. I got the rare treat of actually trying their Xtra Pale Ale on cask, and it was perfect! I don’t normally love casked beer I will admit – sometimes there is just a taste I don’t like – but this was almost meant to be casked. It was light but fresh and full of flavor. I think it might be my favorite casked beer that I’ve tried. I ordered two.

I also ran into a friend in Portland who is well on his way to opening a brewery. I won’t spill the beans quite yet, but I can confidently say that you will really like his beer (I’ve had it, and I even helped make an early batch!), and that it’s definitely filling in a missing hole in the New England beer scene.

Overall, it was a great event with lots of great people. (It is the people that make the beer taste even better sometimes). I wish Sebago luck in their new location. Once it opens, I’ll be checking it out and seeing how Portland adapts to the change.

May 18, 2011
by The Beer Babe
1 Comment

Greatness brewing in Gardner, MA

As I wound around corners on Rt. 2 in Massachusetts heading towards Gardner, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have made friends with several homebrewers who are brewing excellent beer, but I’ve never actually attended a homebrew festival or competition before, let alone been asked to be a “guest judge” for one. I decided, as I drove up the little gravel driveway at the Garnder Deer Club that I’d just be open-minded and hope that the rain held out. [Read more...]