On the ninth day of Christmas...

Stoudt's Brewing Company brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Stoudt's Winter Ale, a 6.2% abv. red ale.

Well, we're getting down to the nitty gritty. One six-pack has already been torn through, and the second one's numbers are dwindling. We've traveled to San Francisco and the fields of Belgium, stopped in the Philly suburbs and even made it to Kalamazoo and back, all the while testing my palette in ways both good and bad.

And it's time for a break. Well, a semi-break. I've maxed out my ability to write flowery, saliva-inducing reviews, so today I'll leave you simply with this: drank beer with some old friends, enjoyed said beer but the the company even more.

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go get the pole -- always aluminum, high strength-to-weight ratio-- out of the crawl space.

On the eight day of Christmas...

Anchor Brewery brought to me: a stubby 12 oz. bottle of Our Special Ale 2009, a classic 5.5% abv. winter warmer.

Each year, every beer drinker has a few seasonals on their must-try list. Last year's might have tasted like a mix of dirty bath water and Red Hots, but dammit [insert brewery here] will redeem themselves this time with something delicious. More often than not, the second time around is no better than the first. I still regret that second bottle of Harpoon Winter Warmer, even more noxious than the first if that's possible. Then there are those beers that are just plain good, year in and year out -- nothing spectacular, nothing earth-shattering enough to send the beer geekdom into a rage. Just good.

Our Special Ale, no matter the year, is one of those for me, as is Sierra's Celebration Ale. Instead of reviewing them both, I'll just leave it at this: I've already enjoyed a few Celebrations this year.

Pours a deep brown with touches of red sneaking through when it's held to light. A couple fingers of off-white head sit on top, lingering around for a while. This beer smells like Christmas: handfuls of cloves and a dusting of fresh nutmeg stirred into whole wheat bread dough tinged with molasses, vanilla and red fruits. As it warms I pick up a little more pine than at first. Sweet up front, not nearly as spiced as the nose with a nice balance of malty richness and an earthy, piney bitterness offered by the hops. Flavors are really subdued, with nothing jumping out of the glass at me. Sips nicely, with a light-medium body and solid carbonation, just enough to cut through some of the early sweetness. Paired beautifully with a handful of cayenne-cinnamon candied walnuts and almonds.

This is what I want in a winter warmer. Enough spice to let me know it's Christmas, but with something in the background so I don't feel like I'm sucking on a cinnamon stick.

Only four more left! Lurkers -- I know there are a few out there, buy some beer and give me a little help. I don't know if I can hold out on my own.

On the seventh day of Christmas...

Brasserie Des Geants brought to me: an 11.2 oz. bottle of Noel Des Geants, termed an herbed/spiced beer by the folks at Beer Advocate and tipping the scales at 8.50% abv.

I've been in a celebratory mood all day. Last night Penn State women's volleyball team extended its winning streak to an unthinkable 102 matches and in the process hoisted its third consecutive national championship -- this after falling behind Texas 2-0. Then the Steelers rallied, faded, and rallied again to keep their slim playoff hopes alive this afternoon with a last second touchdown pass from Big Ben to 60 Minutes' anchor-cum-Steelers' wideout Mike Wallace. Phew, what a win... too bad it brings their record to 7-7, again still a long shot for the last AFC Wildcard slot.

Where were we? Right, celebration. Somehow I need to tie all this sports talk back to beer, which brings me to today's brew, Noel Des Geants. When I think Belgians, I think occasions. Sure I like to incorporate them into the usual rotation every now and again, though I'm inclined to support small(ish) breweries and buy American. But when there's something to celebrate, the aura surrounding these historic breweries (Brasserie Des Geants is housed in a castle dating to the 13th century) draws me in their direction. Today fits the bill. Not only are we toasting the ladies of Penn State and the Steelers, but we're marking the start of the second half of the journey through the land of Christmas beer.

Pours a cloudy caramel amber, bordering on brown, with a finger of fluffy white head with really solid retention. Lots of spice on the nose, heavy on the cloves, with a good dose of red fruit and some molasses lingering in the background. Quite sweet to start, in a cinnamon cookie sort of way. The spices definitely play nicely with the underlying malts kissed with caramel sweetness. A touch of fruit creeps up in the mid palate, followed by a warming feel from the alcohol. Finish is a tad bitter, but not overwhelmingly so. In my mind, a quintessential winter seasonal. This has a good bit going on, but for the level of alcohol, is scarily drinkable. Complex, but easy and enjoyable enough to drink -- what more can one ask for in a beer?

Well, this was the most expensive of the 12 pack, so I could nitpick and say I want this stuff at Natty prices. But I won't.

Note: Seven beers down, and five to go. Nothing has jumped out at me as a real 'wow' beer, but I haven't been terribly, terribly shocked or disappointed, either. I think this exercise is revealing a lot about the breadth of beers available on the winter seasonal spectrum.

On the sixth day of Christmas...

Bell's Brewery brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Bell's Special Double Cream Stout, a 6.1% abv. milk stout, according to the fine folks at Beer Advocate.

It's snowing. Hard. I awoke this morning to a few inches, and the pace hasn't altered much, leaving the Northeast blanketed with 12-plus inches of the fluffy white stuff. Needless to say I haven't left the apartment once today, and after a hearty meal of steak and potatoes (pan seared ribeye with dijon roasted potatoes) I needed a hearty beer. Something about this kind of weather brings out some sort of uber-masculinity in me that can only be sated with big hunks of meat and a rich, dark stout. Twice in one week it's happened, though I'm not complaining.

Pours ink black with a finger of tan head that sticks around for the duration and leaves some nice lacing. A little coffee creeps out of the glass, but overall the aroma is pretty muted with some roastiness/biscuit becoming apparent on second whiff. A sip leaves me thinking much the same thing: nothing offensive in here, but nothing all that impressive either. Some caramel/toffee sweetness hits first, followed by some smoky malt notes and a touch of chocolate. There's a lingering bitterness, bordering on soapiness, that I'm not all too fond of. That finish does make it easy to go back in for another sip though, if only to erase its remnants, and I made short work of the glass.

This beer looks great, but I can't help but being underwhelmed. The flavors are there. They just aren't reaching their full potential. Six down, six to go!

On the fifth day of Christmas...

Boulder Beer Company brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Never Summer Ale, a 5.94% winter warmer from Boulder Beer Company in Colorado.

For the second straight day, I struggled to decide which of the eight remaining beers to gift to myself. Instead of contracting out the job as I did yesterday, I reached blindly into the fridge and out came a chilly bottle of Never Summer Ale. Fair enough, I'll give it a shot. I remember trying Boulder's Hazed & Infused a while back, and to be honest, I can't remember if I liked it or not. I probably did; that's usually the case with beer. All right, enough with the pleasantries -- on with the tasting.

Pours a nice coppery brown, capped with a finger off fluffy off-white head that disappeared quickly but clung heartily to the the sides of the glass. Smell doesn't give any hints of this being a winter warmer. There's a faint floral hop aroma -- not getting much else. There's a touch of caramel sweetness up front, followed by a burst of grapefruit bitterness backed up with notes of roasted malt, toffee and biscuits that I can't quite pinpoint and I don't much like. Some bitterness lingers, led off by a slightly off metallic flavor. This would be pretty drinkable stuff were it not for the finish.

Is this really a winter warmer? In the sense that I expected some spice, something evocative of the season, I'd say no, probably not. But the style is pretty indiscernible. Tasting vaguely of gingerbread does not a winter warmer make, I suppose. That said, this isn't a bad beer. It's reminiscent of many regular old ales I've had and deemed quite worthy. Just goes to show that labeling affects one's tasting mindset.

On the fourth day of Christmas...

Otter Creek Brewing Company (Middlebury, Vt.) brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Otter Creek Winter Ale Raspberry Brown, a 5.8% abv. American Brown Ale.

This the fourth day of my excursion through the world of holiday and seasonal brews brought indecision: Which beer should I try next? I picked up 12 singles on a weekend visit to the D.C. area last weekend (shh... no one tell the PLCB!) and with nine shiny bottle caps staring up at me from their cardboard cradles, I was having a hell of a time making up my mind on which to taste tonight. Fortunately, I have a roommate, so I entrusted the decision making to him. After a blind draw he pulled out the Otter Creek, a beer that I haven't tasted and admittedly was a little skeptical about. Come on, raspberry brown?

Pours a reddish brown with a thin layer of tan head, minimal lacing. At first, the nose wasn't revealing much -- maybe a bit of roasted malts typical of the style -- then after peaking my nose into the glass a few more times I got a vague scent of raspberries. A fairly pleasant scent, actually, one reminiscent of the tang of a freshly picked pint (of berries, that is). I get lots of roasted malt up front with a little caramel, followed by an interlude of raspberry sweetness/tartness -- slightly akin to cherry Coke. Pretty one-note stuff. The finish is slightly off-putting, a melange of almost acrid bitterness and artificial fruit flavoring. Mouthfeel is solid, smooth, about what you'd expect.

I guess I went into this not expecting much, and ended up not getting much in return. Not bad, not good. Probably wouldn't recommend it, but it is better than some other fruity beer offerings I've had lately. (I'm looking at you Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic.)

On the third day of Christmas...

Brooklyn Brewery brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Black Chocolate Stout, a Russian Imperial stout weighing in at 10% abv. and by all definitions meant for leisurely sipping and enjoyment.

When I went outside earlier tonight, I got a whiff of Christmas. For the first time this year, that winter smell -- a mix of pine needles, fired furnaces and cold -- smacked my face as I headed to my car en route to the grocery store. I thought immediately, Tonight's the night for chocolate stout -- dark, syrupy, opulently chocolately chocolate stout.

Pours jet black with a thin layer of brown/tan head. (There probably should have been more head, but I blame my glassware, which probably wasn't cleaned properly -- damn roommates!) Smells strongly of chocolate with maybe a touch of coffee and raisin. First sip unleashes tons of bittersweet chocolately goodness, met with strong bitter black coffee. Some sweetness peaks through -- raisins, prunes -- but the roasted coffee/chocolate flavors predominate. Oh, and the alcohol makes its presence felt, coming through in the finish with a nice warming feel. I'm guessing this would age well, as some of the alcoholic notes might mellow.

I'm not a big fan of Imperial stouts, but this is one of the most flavorful, interesting, and complex ones I've tasted to date. Now if only I had a fireplace to sit in front of while I sipped it.

On the second day of Christmas...

Magic Hat brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Howl, their winter seasonal brewed in the style of a schwarzbier.

I've never been a big fan of Magic Hat. The ubiquitous No. 9 never interested me. Circus Boy is drinkable, but there are way better examples of the style out there. Same goes for Lucky Kat, their IPA. But 'tis the season for forgiveness, so I went into this tasting with a clear mind and an open heart.

Howl pours quite dark with hints of red peaking through as it's held to light. Some solid head perched on top, a finger or two of fluffy off-white foam that sticks around for the duration. A sniff reveals notes of chocolate, coffee and some toasted grain, along with a whiff of caramel. Taste is much the same -- nice balance of chocolately sweetness and roasted malts, not sweet but definitely not dry. Just enough bitterness lingers on the tongue to warrant taking another sip, then another one soon after. This stuff has a little body to it, but it's light enough to be eminently drinkable. The 4.6% abv doesn't hurt, either. All said a pretty tasty beer, and it paired nicely with these:
Magic Hat, you have redeemed yourself. And I don't think it's just the Christmas spirit in me talking.

On the first day of Christmas...

Victory brought to me: a 12 oz. bottle of Yakima Twilight Ale. (Sorry, no rhymes.)

It's fitting to start with a brew from Downington, Pa's Victory Brewing Company -- just a short sled ride east on Rt. 30 from my apartment in Wayne. I'm surprised it's taken me so long to taste this beer, which replaces Hop Wallop as Victory's November to January offering, as heaps of praise have been tossed its way.

Fortunately, the wait's over.

The label reads,

The Yakima Valley of Washington is the heartland of American hops, having contributed uniquely flavorful varieties that have helped to redefine American brewing. Late summer harvest yields the bounty that builds this exciting ale. Vibrant and aromatic, this is their moment of glory as the vines have withered by the time you sip this. Dark malts warm the hops' bright edge bringing harmony to the finish. Rest well hop roots. Spring will come and we'll be thirsty again!

Now that's a description. I challenge you to read it without salivating or arriving at the last line holding your cap over your heart as you wish these noble hops a well deserved winter rest.

I let this warm a bit then poured it into my Duvel tulip. Pours a dense mahogany brown, tinged orange, with a 1/2 finger of fluffy tan head. The aroma roars up the walls of the glass, bursting forth with notes of piney citrus backed by rich, bready malts. First sip begins with the same hop intensity: sharp, dry, bitter hoppy in the best sense of the word. Then the Munich malts kick in, countering the citrus edge with an almost roasted graininess. The bitterness hangs on, leaving the mouth dry but thirsting for another sip. This stuff is 8.7% abv, and that's apparent, though not unwelcome or overbearing in anyway. Full-bodied, chewy -- this is a good sipping beer and a beaut to look at, as the tan head begins to dissipate, its last vestiges clinging nicely to the side of glass in sticky rings.

What will my true love bring tomorrow? Be sure to come back and find out!

The 12 Days of Christmas Beer

Here's the deal; it's pretty simple. Starting next Monday -- 12 days from Christmas, though you probably figured that by now -- I'll sample a winter seasonal or Christmas beer every day until a sloshed Santa stumbles outta the hearth and searches in vain for a tray of handmade cookies to sate his drunken appetite only to come up with a couple Trader Joe's Cat Cookie crumbs strewn on the floor next to the couch.

Hopefully I'll be joined on this adventure by one or two guest bloggers, so we might end up tasting more than 12 beers. Or the guest blogger might try the same beer I do, and we'll use the post to compare our thoughts.

This should be fun. Winter seasonals are an interesting bunch, ranging from spice bombs loaded with cinnamon and cloves to understated lagers and deep, rich doppelbocks. Also in the offing is something to eat along side these winter elixirs: dark chocolate truffles laced with mocha porter.

Hello again

Wow, it's been way too long. March 24th? Are you kidding me?

Lots has changed since then. No longer am I a student, for now at least. No longer am I in State College, having taken up residence in my parent's house in bucolic and increasingly beer-friendly Bedford for the time being. And no longer do I have one of the best beer bars in PA just a three-block jaunt from my apartment.

That devilish trifecta hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for beer, though, so some things never change. While the pickings are slimmer in my new, old environ, I'm still finding ways to sample interesting and new stuff. The problem? The six-pack shops and bars don't stock as many quality brews as their State College brethren. That means the only way to taste test often involves buying an entire case... not that I'm complaining.

I've taken up that challenge twice in the past few weeks, first loading the beer fridge with 24 bottles of New Holland Brewing Company Mad Hatter IPA -- a very tasty and drinkable 5.80% abv from Michigan -- and supplementing those with a case of the aptly named Hoppus Maximus Amber Ale from Thirsty Dog Brewing Company in Ohio. Both were blind buys -- I don't recall ever tasting a New Holland or Thirsty Dog beer before these two -- and both satisfied. I didn't think I'd ever blog again when I drank these, so excuse the lack of more thorough elaboration.

That's it for now. Welcome back. Hopefully the weeks and months ahead prove as fruitful as the early days of this blog.

Doggie Claws, IPA, Clovenator

After a little hiatus, here I am, with three new beers to blog about. Along with the two beers Ryan posted about earlier, I brought back another two beers from my trip back to Oregon. The first being from the small but superb Hair of the Dog brewery. Their Blue Dot Imperial IPA is still one of my favorite beers. I had high hopes going into Doggie Claws, their version of a barelywine. Unfortunately, my stupidity led me to pour the yeast at the bottom of the bottle into both mine and Ryan's glass. See, Hair of the Dog beers are bottle conditioned, meaning they will continue to age if you let it. This also means there is a bunch of yeast at the bottom of the bottle that you aren't supposed to pour into your glass. I was looking forward to this beer too, recieving an average of A- from BeerAdvocate. What I can tell you though is that the beer looks to have had a golden color. The taste also had a strong carmel flavor to it but because of my mistake, I cannot properly give my opinion on the beer. Maybe next time.

Anyways, the second beer I brought back was the West Coast IPA by Green Flash Brewery. This beer smelled great. It had a great strong hop smell that I liked. The beer poured a golden orange with an off white head. One first taste, you will realize that all the citrus hops you smelled was just a preview of what was to come. This is a seriously hoppy beer. It was also a seriously bitter beer, leaving a bitterness that stayed at the back of my tongue. It was like I had a sour candy in my mouth, constantly making it water. There is some sweetness up front but it quickly fades into a citrusy hop kick. Now, I like hoppy beers, but this is even a little too bitter for me. It didn't have enough of a malty backbone to balance out the hops. This beer is definitly a sipper.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go to a local restaurant here to celebrate a friend's birthday. The restaurant specializes in Austrian food and has probably the largest portions ever. Anyways, to my surprise, they also brew beer! Well, technically they aren't a brewery as they don't have a liquor license (BYOB), but the employees are brewers themselves. We were given a free sample of a new beer one of them had brewed. I don't remember much of the color other than it was fairly dark. It was supposed to be brewed in the style of a winter warmer. I was also told that the nickname given to the beer was the "clovenator". I tried it and, wow, what an aptly named beer. Cloves were pretty much the only thing you tasted. It wasn't a bad beer, just unique.

Until next time, here's a few pictures of the beers Ryan and I talked about.

Tasting Notes: Pliny the Elder and St. Rogue Red Ale

Hi folks. Sorry for the week-long hiatus, but that collegiate ritual known as Spring Break led me to the not-so-beer-friendly (well... not totally anti-beer -- there was that pay $20 and drink as much as you want for two hours, two nights deal -- but anti-real beer) confines of Daytona Beach.

I drank my fair share of cheap swill, but I also managed to sneak in a few tasty pints while my friends weren't looking. Sweetwater 420, a pale ale from Atlanta, was quite tasty: nicely balanced, good hop kick, very drinkable. This stuff was ubiquitous at even the lowest common denominator bars speckling St. Simons Island on the southern tip of Georgia, where I made a two day layover before heading south for a more revelrous environ. Also sipped a nice glass of Dale's Pale Ale at a pretty cool bar with a decent tap list. Damn it if the name doesn't escape me.

Anyway, I'm back with two new beers: Russian River's Pliny the Elder -- hailed throughout the blogosphere as one of the world's preeminent DIPAs -- and Rogue's St. Rogue Red Ale.

Pliny's hype had me salivating. A quick scan through its first page of BeerAdvocate reviews reads like a lesson in hyperbole: "lovely golden elixer", "orgasmic mouth watering experience", "the perfect IPA", and on and on ad infinitum. Is Pliny really an orgasm for the tastebuds, that much better than the rest of the pack? No, but it is a damn fine double IPA.

Pours a hazy orangish amber, bordering on gold, with a cloud-like two fingers of sticky white head. Retention is fantastic, with small clumps spiderwebbing the glass throughout. Smells intensely of hops: pine trees, oranges and pineapple with a slighly medicinal undertone. (Pick something with a faintly citrus scent and you could probably pull it out of this glass...) The first sip extinguishes that hop explosion only slightly. Citrusy sweet initially, then the hops kick back in -- not overwhelminly so, though. This is one balanced beer. Some malty richness tames the hops and helps hide the high alcohol content, 8.0. Finishes with a lingering bitterness expected from such a hopped-up DIPA. Pliny is definetely one of the standard bearers of the style, at least from my somewhat limited tastings, but like anything else, don't be a sucker for the hype. Taste it, enjoy it, but realize there is no end all-be all out there.

On to St. Rogue's Red. Pours an orangish red with 3/4 inch tan head. Smells faintly of burnt sugar and red fruits with a touch of hops creeping in at the end. First sip: pretty watery and understated. Subdued malty, fruity sweetness, followed by an almost roasted bitterness. Flavor is really mellow-- also flat and one dimensional. Sip after sip I'd hoped for more out of it, but it left me disappointed. Finishes with a little citric, piney bitterness that disappears quickly. Not a bad beer -- crisp, light and easy drinking -- but not one of my favorites from Rogue.

Post-Repeal Laws Still Holding Us Back

Courtesy of Maureen Ogle, author of Ambitious Brew (a great read -- read it if you already haven't -- that provides an expansive history of beer in America), comes an interesting, thought provoking read in January's U.S. News and World Report. If only I would have found it sooner.

I've long admired Maureen. Ambitious Brew is a truly ambitious book, and a great piece of history, full of quirky anecdotes and succinct and thoughtful analysis. She beautifully captures the many characters along for beer's ride through American industry and our psyche, while never losing sight of the larger narrative. My respect grew last spring when I e-mailed her, on a whim, asking for an interview for a column I was working on. She got back within hours, and we had a great chat. She couldn't have been more helpful or accommodating.

Here's a snippet of our discussion:

Q: In an interview on the Ambitious Brew website, you mention that parents, and society, ingrain in children an idea that alcohol is bad, which leads children, once older, to "mismanage" their drinking? Do you believe that's the root cause of the dangerous drinking in the U.S.?

M: I absolutely believe that adults demonize alcohol, and then pass on that message to children. And, yes, that's the root of "dangerous drinking," in this society or any other.
Science does seem to have demonstrated that some people are genetically wired with an allergy to alcohol and that's what it appears to be: their bodies experience a hostile chemical reaction to alcohol, much the way people do who are allergic to bee stings or milk. Other people are wired for excess, whether it's shopping, drinking, or whatever; they seem to lack control mechanisms.
But most of us can tolerate alcohol and know when we've had enough. Except kids. They need to be taught -- but they can only learn that message if they first learn that alcohol should be treated with respect, that it's a normal part of human existence and has been for at least ten thousand years and probably longer.
The demonization message leads to irrational behavior, like binge drinking and teenagers slugging down as much as they can: they've been taught that alcohol is dangerous and forbidden and so of course they're going to want to engage in the forbidden. That's what adolescents do!
Similarly, the campaign against drinking while pregnant is just as irrational. If alcohol were harmful to fetuses, the human race would have died out thousands of years ago. Becuase until about a 150 years ago, everyone drank alcohol every day (adults and children) because it was the safest way to hydrate the body (there wasn't any safe drinking water). And in many parts of the world, it's still true. So if alcohol were harmful, humans wouldn't have survived. But that rational notion has become obliterated by the irrational message that all alcohol is always evil.

Q: What would you say to critics who say that teaching children to drink at a young age is bad because alcohol, even in moderation, could lead to dangerous decision making and is part of an unhealthy lifestyle?

M: I don't think anyone advocates teaching children to drink at a young age. What sensible advocate is teaching children that alcohol is a normal part of the human experience. There's a big difference between those two things!
Also, where is the evidence that moderate consumption of alcohol "could lead to dangerous decision making"? I doubt there is any evidence! Again, part of the problem -- indeed, most of the problem -- is that prohibitionists are making the leap from alcohol to evil: if you drink, you are therefore making bad choices, living an unhealthy lifestyle, and being inebriated. There's no logical connection. Some people "abuse" alcohol. But not everyone who drinks abuses it.

Q: Do you think the growing popularity of craft beer, aided by websites like BeerAdvocate and the respect of food and wine writers like Eric Asimov of the NYT, could help transform America's drinking culture?

M: Good question! And the answer is: I doubt it. The Times, for example, has had a wine columnist since at least the 1970s, and probably earlier. And our drinking culture is the same as it's been for more than a century. Part of the problem is that people like Asimov and the Alstroms are preaching to the converted: adults who already understand that alcohol is part of human culture and not necessarily evil. The people who need to be reached are kids, not adults.

Q: I read a blog post from Nov. 2006 in which you write that the "neo-prohibition" movement rarely misses a chance to attack to the alcohol industry. Do you think any of their attacks are well-founded?

M: Another good question. The argument is that alcohol manufacturers target their advertising and message at young impressionable kids (with things like the cute A-Busch frogs and Spuds McKenzie and spring break promos). Same argument is made about cigarette manufacturers with things like Joe Camel.
The problem is that there doesn't seem to be much solid evidence that a) the advertisers are specifically targeting kids ("Hey guys, let's write an ad campaign about beer that will appeal to ten-year-olds!"). If advertising seems juvenile, it's because we infantalize drinking. We don't treat drinking and alcohol as serious subjects worthy of our respect. And b) there's not much evidence that kids actually respond to the ads. There were a ton of studies about this in the 1970s and 1980s, and no one could find evidence that kids were seeing ads and then trying ot go buy cigarettes or booze, or that, once they were of legal age, they sought out brands whose ads they'd seen as children.

Q: In that same post, you write that groups like MADD are part of the problem, not the solution. Could you expand on that thought a bit?

M: MADD is a huge part of the "drinking problem." They're the single most important source of the "let's demonize alcohol" campaign. Tthey try to "protect" children and to infantalize adults, and they promote alcohol as a dangerous, evil substance. Both messages simply exacerbate the problem that kids get this message and so pursue the forbdden and then they grow up and repeat the cycle with their own kids.

Q: Many say that underage drinking is a sort of rite of passage. You go to college and lose control, so the mantra goes. How difficult would it be to change that line of thinking? Do you think it's even possible?

M: Well, it's sure not possible to change the message in college! It's too late by then. The average freshman arrives at college fully indoctrinated into the "disrespect and demonize alcohol" message. I think it's a total waste of money for colleges to mount this Just Say No-type campaigns. It's never going to work.
As for underage drinking being a rite of passage -- well, that's the problem, isn't it? Teenagers absolutely will pursue the forbidden. Teach kids a different message and we'll end up with a different attitude and a different result.

Q: I've talked with a number of health officials who say that teaching college students of the dangers of drinking is the only way to combat underage drinking, which is linked to about 5,000 deaths annually. Do you think there's a more effective way to curb what clearly looks like a real problem?

M: It's simply too late at the college level. Total waste of money. As for that annual death statistic, let me guess: it's from MADD, right? MADD regularly and routinely and knowingly distorts any and all stats related to alcohol. It's part of their method, just as it was for the Anti-Saloon League a century ago. Indeed, the people at MADD are scarey because they've learned the lessons of the past!
So first step is: figure out what the "real problem" is. Second, persuade states to rethink their alcohol education programs, which are mostly mis-education programs, in K-12. But of course that would be tough. MADD is well-organized, and it's very, very hard to step up and say anything positive about alcohol. The ASL knew that back in the 1890s. It's much easier to define a problem and then launch a campaign against it, than it is to run a campaign in favor of what has already been defined by the opposition as a problem.
It's unfortunate that the focus is on "binge" drinking and "underage" drinking and on college students. Because all that does is obscure the deeper issue of adults' destructive attitudes and the way in which we Americans demonize alcohol and infantalize drinking. Those are the real problems. "Problem drinking" in colleges is simply a symptom.

If you haven't already, check out her blog at MaureenOgle.com/blog.

Old Speckled Hen: What's in a name?

If given an indiscriminate sip of Old Speckled Hen (Greene King, 5.2% abv.), that is without knowing the name of the beer I was sampling, I'd probably nod appreciatively, maybe smack my lips a bit at the lingering bitterness, and move on to something else. But there's something about that name -- Old Speckled Hen.

I was first introduced to Speckled (or should it just be hen?) at Brew Zoo in Altoona, Pa., the home-away-from-home for the father of a good friend of mine. I should clarify: Brew Zoo, not Altoona. Never is the kid-in-a-candy-store cliche more apt. Set this man inside Brew Zoo and sheer hilarity will ensue. That hilarity followed by the passing of wads of money from his hand to the cashier's, then an equally hilarious ride home with several cases of beer sloshing around the roomy trunk of a Chevy Suburban. The man likes beer, and on that day in December, he liked Speckled Hen (sounds better) more than most.

"It's spectacular," he told me as he hoisted a case from the bottom shelf -- it would join the nearly full case he already had sitting in his garage and the three random cases he'd picked up that day. We'll see if it holds up to that endorsement in a bit.

But that name, what of it? It wasn't until this evening, my fridge barren save for two bottles of Speckled Hen (left over from a weekend visit from said friend) and a few Yuenglings, that I decided to get to the bottom of it. First, I opened a bottle to get me in the right frame of mind. Then it was off to Google.

The story befits our current economic conundrum, what with on-the-brink car companies announcing cutbacks almost daily. Abingdon, U.K., home of Morland Brewery, became home to British automaker MG in 1929. At the time, MG was tinkering with a demo dubbed the Speckled Hen. Fast forward 50 years: Morland introduces Old Speckled Hen to mark the company's 50th anniversary in Abingdon. Then, go figure, the MG plant shut down. So much for a thanks.

What about the proclamation of spectacularity? The beer pours a deep amber with about 1/2 inch of off-white head that recedes quickly and holds on only slightly. Smells faintly of sweet caramel. My nose is stuffy, but I don't think I'd get much more even if I could smell. First sip: slightly sweet caramel, breadiness followed soon after by an almost medicinal bittnerness, which lingers. As it warms, a touch of alcohol creeps in. It's quite thin, with low carbonation. This isn't a very exciting beer, and I was put off by weird metallic tastes that, as it warmed, popped up in the finish and lingered unpleasantly. That said, if I see Speckled Hen on a menu a few years from now, assuredly I will order it, hearkening back to that day at Brew Zoo when I first heard of this funny-named beer.

Beer Pancakes Video

Well, here is the new Beer Pancakes video. Check out the recipe below to see how we made them.

Cooking with Beer Version 3.0: Beer Pancakes with Raspberry Lambic Sauce

So it's been two weeks since our last Cooking with Beer segment, and we wanted to switch it up a bit for our return. Beer's complexity is one of the best reasons to cook with it. Not only does it lend itself well to savory dishes -- our first two segments, for example -- but the rich notes of caramel, chocolate, coffee, dates, raisins, and even spicy cloves and nutmeg and sweet banana make beer a perfect match for any number of sweets.

Spice... banana... breakfast... hmm, pancakes?

These pancakes are quite dense but still spungy, with a hint of malty sweetness and a nuttiness lent from Ayinger Hefeweizen. Oh, and the sauce is as easy as turning on a burner.

Here's the recipe. The video will be up over the weekend.

Beer Pancakes with Raspberry Lambic Sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
2 cups beer (I used Ayinger Hefe, but feel free to experiment)
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for cooking

For the sauce:
2 cups frozen raspberries
1/4 cup raspberry lambic
1 tablespoon honey

1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, beer (add a bit at a time to avoid bubbling over), and cooled melted butter.

2. Combine raspberries, lambic and honey in a small saucepan. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry, whisking it in 1/3 at a time. Be careful not to overwork batter; it should be a little lumpy. If too thick, add a few tablespoons more beer.


4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add about 1 teaspoon butter. Once butter melts, make the damn pancakes. Flip pancakes when bubbles appear across entire surface.

Serve with raspberry lambic sauce and (real) maple syrup. Enjoy.

Note: Tinkering with this recipe is a no-brainer. Chocolate stout and chunks of good bittersweet chocolate? Why not. Bananas added to the batter before flipping? Sounds delicious. Play around with it and let us hear the results.

Bell's Hopslam - A Late Winter Elixir

Ryan’s asked me to contribute a review to The Perfect Batch, and I’m happy to oblige, but first, a short introduction is in order. Unlike Ryan and Phil, I’m a few years post college and live in the DC area. When it comes to beer, my tastes are varied depending on my mood, the time of year, and, often, what it’s paired with. I can be happy drinking anything from a Miller Lite to a Hopback to a Chimay Grande Réserve. My favorite beers, however, tend to be the ones that carry a nice hoppy punch with a pleasant fruity balance. Unfortunately, since I’m working on my MA in philosophy right now, my time for beer drinking has been rather limited. Writing a thesis is not conducive to regular libation, but I’ll do my best to keep up, and hopefully I’ll have a bit more to contribute here when the time is right.

Ok, enough of that, let’s get the beer. About a month ago D.C. Foodies, a local blog that reviews area restaurant, posted a piece about Bell’s Hopslam. They really talked this brew up as a panacea for the dead-of-winter blues. These blues can be brutal in the dreary, gray, and mostly rainy DC winters, so I was more than eager to go in search of a tonic to at least lift the clouds in my beer drinking soul. That Saturday I trekked out to the local beer and wine mega-store and searched the aisles…first the six packs, then the cooler, then the cases, and finally the singles; my heart dropped a little more as each time I came up empty. Feeling more than a little dejected by the experience, I decided to make the last ditch effort that every guy hates…I asked if they had any in stock. Eureka! After the first clerk asked around, he discovered that they had received a shipment…only 4 cases and no more on the way - this is an extremely limited release beer that comes out January 7th and only runs into February…and still had a case in the back. I was later told that they don’t even bother putting this elixir on the shelves because of the cult following it’s gathered: if you don’t know to ask, you don’t get the brew.

Needless to say, this experience heightened my anticipation even more, so I rushed home and got one of the two six packs (at about 14 bucks a pop) into the fridge. And let me tell you…the search was well worth it. Hopslam is a towering exemplar of the double IPA style. It pours a dark amber with a dense-but-not-too-creamy white head. The aroma is strong of florally, slightly sour hops, but not so pungent as to make you feel you just stuck your nose in a fist full of hops (as some IPAs can be). The first sip comes across a little sweet, but then the hops catch up. A pleasant bitterness bites the tongue and the back of the palate at the end of each sip and lingers for quite a while. The sweetness that begins each sip and lingers through to the end is reminiscent of raisins and sweet melons and is a slight bit caramelly (maybe even a bit of molasses hidden away later in the bottle), and each swallow ends with a gentle waft of alcohol to remind you that this is one potent brew. All in all, this beer, though tremendously hoppy, is about balance. It’s a well done double IPA, perfectly hoppy with enough sweetness to mellow the palate and no surprises besides the buzz that comes on before you finish your first bottle. At an even 10% ABV it packs a wallop, and it’s just what the doctor ordered in the dead of the DC winter.

Hoppy Goodness

Nugget Nectar, what a beautiful beer. Ryan can tell you that I love the beers that Troegs make. One of my favorite beers is the Hop Back and when I heard that Nugget Nectar was an even hoppier version, I had to try it.

This beer is a seasonal brew by Troegs that comes out every year around February. It is considered an Imperial Amber Ale. The moment you start pouring the beer the sweet hops hit your nose. There is a very fruity smell that is pleasant but not too sweet. The taste also does not disappoint. Just like the smell, you get a fruity aroma throughout your mouth. One specific flavor I picked up was peaches. Like I said, it has a sweet flavor but not in the sense that it feels syrupy. The taste then ends in a piney flavor.

If you like Amber ales or hoppier beers in general, this beer is nearly perfect for you. It has the great hop kick that I love but nothing to the point of being too bitter. Go get this beer!

Video

Well, just uploaded the video for our second cooking with beer episode. Enjoy!

Cooking with Beer, Version 2.0: Beer-Battered Bacon

Yes, I know. This sounds disgustingly gluttonous. And the end result is fit for a glutton -- but not disgusting in the least. Crispy bacon surrounded by a thin, crunchy tempura-like beer batter made with Penn Pilsner. To cut the richness, I stirred up a cool, tangy bleu cheese dressing with yogurt, chives, and some Spanish bleu I had in the fridge. Works great with the bacon.

Here's the recipe:

Beer-Battered Bacon

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dredging
12 oz. Penn Pilsner
1 egg yolk
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
1/2 lb. thick cut bacon, cut into two inch pieces (slab bacon would work best, but my grocer was out so regular thick strips made do)
Peanut oil, for frying

1. In a large skillet, fry bacon pieces until lightly crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate; cool. While the bacon is frying, heat a few inches of oil in a large pot until it reaches 375 degrees.

2. For batter: Whisk beer into flour, adding half the bottle at a time. Once combined, add egg yolk, salt, pepper and cayenne.

3. When bacon has cooled, dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Coat dredged pieces in batter, working with no more than six pieces at a time.

4. Carefully lower battered pieces into oil, working in batches of a half dozen or so. Fry until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and enjoy.

Note: Beer-battered bacon quickly devolved into beer-battered everything, as we had some batter left over. From our experimentation, we gleaned that this batter also works great with cauliflower, asparagus, hot dogs and bananas -- possibly the best combination. The banana, cut into fourths, melted inside the lightly crunchy coating, making for a delicate, cream puff-like dessert. The saltiness of the batter contrasted well with the super sweet banana.

A Couple New Beers...

But before that, a word on an old favorite. A few weeks back, at Zeno's of all places, I had my first taste of casked Troegs Hopback Amber Ale (5.6 % abv.). As a long-time lover of all things Troegs (a Nugget Nectar review is in the works - Phil), I was thrilled.

(For those unfamiliar with the term, cask-conditioned ale is unfiltered, unpasteurized and poured without CO2 or nitrogen. Thus, the final result is nothing short of spectacular: mildly carbonated, creamy with a lively, fresh nose. Real ale it's sometimes called, though I don't totally buy the usage.)

There's something about waiting for that beer engine to be properly pumped that really gets the saliva flowing. And my tastebuds weren't disappointed, nor were my other senses. Poured a deep, rich amber with a creamy 3/4 inch head. Great looking beer. Huge amount of sweet citrus upfront, with a piney background. The taste is nothing spectacular, a little more subdued than when served from a bottle. All in all, a pretty solid beer. I've been back for a few more.

Now to the new stuff:
1. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra Pale Ale (7.2% abv.)
Poured a golden copper from a 12 oz. stubby bottle into a pint glass, about 1 inch of off-white head. Lacing stuck around nicely, in smallish clumps. Not much aroma: a little pineapply citrus and pine needle. First taste: a big burst of flavor up front, astringent hop bitterness. This followed by a hint of malty sweetness, then -- boom -- back for more hops, which fade into a nice lingering bitterness and a touch of alchohol. Feels a bit chewy in the mouth, with moderate carbonation. There's enough bready malt for good balance, making for a drinkable IPA. Crisp, not overly assertive but still with a nice hop punch: Torpedo's about what I expected from Sierra Nevada.


2. Otto's Slab Cabin IPA (6.0% abv.)
As late, I've been trudging through Otto's portfolio with rapidity -- Spruce Creek Lager, Black Mo last week. I saw this listed on Zeno's menu Tuesday and figured, Why not another? Poured a light copper with a thick 1 inch head from a 22 oz. bomber -- minimal lacing stuck around. Smells of pine, caramel and faint citrus. First taste: nicely balanced. Some bittnerness, though not too much, is followed by a nice caramel maltiness. The finish is quite mild, with a lingering resiny bitterness. This a really nicely balanced brew with enough hops to pique my interest and enough toasted malt to keep me coming back for another sip -- exactly what I look for in a sessionable IPA. Plus, it's brewed right down the street from where I live. What could be better than that?

(Well, one thing might be: beer-battered bacon strips. Be on the lookout for the vid. and recipe tomorrow.)

Video Up!

The video for our first Cooking with Beer episode is up! We welcome suggestions for future episodes too.

Cooking with Beer, Version 1.0: porter-braised short ribs

It was all of about 15 degrees out today. That's cold, there's no other way to put it. Braised meat was a very good idea.

About a year ago I made a recipe for short ribs braised in coffee, wine and chilies from Mark Bittman. Hmm, I thought. What if I replaced the coffee with a nice porter, the peppers with some herbs? Thus this recipe was born.

Here it is, video to follow.

Short ribs braised with porter and rosemary

8 small short ribs (aprox. 3 lbs.)
1 large onion
3 cloves (or more) garlic
3 sprigs rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup beef stock
2 (-ish) 12 oz. bottles of porter
olive oil for browning
salt and pepper

1. Roughly slice onion. Crush garlic cloves. Meanwhile, heat oil in large, high-sided pan (with lid) or dutch oven, and preheat the oven to 300.

2. Liberally season short ribs. Brown the ribs -- really brown, be patient -- in hot oil on all sides.
3. Remove ribs to plate. Drain a bit of the fat from the pan. Add onions and garlic, cooking over medium heat until soft. Toss in some salt and pepper, too. Don't be stingy.
4. Add stock, beer, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring to a slow boil. Return ribs to pan.
5. Put it in the 300 degree oven for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until ribs are super tender.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

Per today's Daily Collegian, a couple of do-good state legislators have reintroduced legislation that would require a tracking system for kegs. Basically the plan amounts to filling out some paperwork that would correspond to a number affixed to a keg, thus making it easier for the cops to track down people furnishing to minors. (As the distributor owner in the story points out, many distributors, particularly those in college towns like State College, already require an array of paperwork when buying a keg.)

Similar saviors have been introduced, debated and voted down numerous times in years past, and hopefully this time's no different. Why?

A few great points, from a 2001 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story on a similar proposal:

"I would not put this on my list of the Top 10 things to do to stop underage drinking. I still think it's a good idea. It's just not on my short list of strategies," said Lincoln, Neb., Police Chief Tom Casady, who testified in favor of keg registration in Nebraska in 1993. Since then, Casady has come to believe its impact has been minimal at best.

"You can always get your beer in cans or bottles," he said.

Terry Wagner, the sheriff of Lancaster County, Neb., the rural area outside the city of Lincoln, said he had used the law occasionally to cite people who provide the kegs for underage drinkers. But as he and deputies have found out, college students don't let registration stop them from partying.

Wagner's deputies broke up a college party last summer at which beer was being stored in the back of a truck -- 180 cases of it. They could do little but shut down the event and confiscate the beer.

"We were never able to find out who bought it. Believe me, I got many calls from many of my friends offering suggestions about what to do with it," Wagner said. In the end, the beer was sold and the money donated to a food pantry.

Opponents in Pennsylvania argue that the law is impractical because it adds another layer to Pennsylvania's myriad liquor regulations and that it's an inconvenience to sellers and buyers.

Pay particular attention to that last paragraph. Key words: myriad liquor regulations, inconvenience. Exactly!

Uber-regulation and just-say-no-schooling does not work. I live in a college town with about 40,000 kids; I know this reality firsthand. When I was a freshman, we had a system for getting booze -- an age-old one used by freshmen down through history. Everybody had that older friend, brother, cousin, whatever, who would get the phone call early Thursday, Friday or Saturday night: "Hey, can you get us stuff?" The stuff would inevitably be some vile, cheap liquor -- the kind of stuff with one purpose only: get kids hammered. Making it more inconvenient for the legal populace to buy kegs won't do jack to curb that problem.

Says State Rep. Scott Conclin's chief of staff, "It is no secret here in State College that we have an alcohol problem. And anything we can do we can do to help curb alcohol issues in State College, we will do."

We do have a drinking problem, but it's a cultural one stemming from our demonization of one of humanity's oldest drinks. Underage drinking cannot be cured in a vacuum, by the wave of a magic wand ("just say no," neo-prohibitionism, sales restrictions, keg laws). We have to change the way we think about beer and normalize our relationship with it and other booze before addressing anything else.

Tuesdays with Zeno

Phil and I decided to head out into the State College snow to Zeno's tonight.

Last Friday, owner Dave gave me a sample of Dogfish Head Red & White, a Belgian Wit brewed with coriander and orange, fermented with Pinot Noir juice, and aged in oak casks (89% of the batch) and Pinot barrels(the remaining 11%, then the batches are mixed). Needless to say I had to try this one again, a full 10 oz. pour, so I did tonight.

Poured a murky, orangish-amber -- quite cloudy-- with a half finger head into a globe glass. Smell: citrus, pleasantly sweet, a little typical Belgium ester essence. First taste: sweet, wow this is sweet, but not cloying. I could tell from the first sip that there's a lot going on. Sweetness fades into a little orangy citrus, other fruity/florally qualities: maybe pear? I let this sit and warm for a bit, and the head gave way to a nice outer ring with moderate lacing. This is a great beer to look at. As it warmed, I picked up a little more fruit (typical trippel-style tastes) and also some vanilla on the finish. Then some notes of Pinot began to appear as well. Overall quite tasty. The mix of oak aging and Pinot is really interesting, unique. And at 10 % this was dangerously drinkable. Glad to have tried it.

Sadly my next two didn't quite live up to the first, though they were both Pa. brews -- a real plus in my book -- and fairly tasty.

#2. East End Big Hop (draft), from the tiny East End Brewery in Pittsburgh.
Poured a dark reddish amber. A creamy 3/4 in. head with very tight carbonation. Another gem to look at. But the smell and flavor just aren't there. Frankly, there's not much aroma: faint citrus, a little sweet grain. First taste: astringent, slightly pineapple bitterness up front. I really wanted to like this more than I did. Very muted, subtle hop flavor with a malty, caramel finish. I could have a few, definitely, if in the right company. Nothing great, though.

#3. Otto's Spruce Creek Lager (draft), from Otto's Brewpub in State College
Wasn't sure what to expect here. Beer Advocate calls this a Vienna lager. I grew up stopping at Spruce Creek Tavern, home of the famous tray of fries, en route to Penn State games, though, so the name reached out to me. Poured a yellowish, apple cider amber. Minimal head, no lacing-- could be the glass. Smells grainy, sweet. First taste: a little malt, a little caramel, fades into grain. Very quaffable, but not great. Having drunk the first two, I can't do this beer its proper justice, so I'll just leave it at that.

Here's Phil's take:

Tonight was definitely fun. I got to try three different beers, all very unique and tasty in their own right. First up, Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout (draft).

This beer poured a nice black color with a big, creamy head. The first smell you get from the beer is a dark chocolate with roasted malts. Not surprisingly, the beer tasted exactly how it smelled. It had an incredibly rich, creamy texture while tasting like dark chocolate. There was very slight bitter hops at the end but nothing overpowering. As the Stout warmed, it developed an almost milky vanilla, adding to the complexity.

The De Ranke XX Bitter (draft) was my second beer for the night-- completely different from the Old Dominion before it. It poured a golden color with a nice thick head; it was fit for a king. The beer gave off a unique minty aroma while also having hints of apple cider. The beer ended up tasting like the smell, almost a herbal medicine quality to it. This beer was also considerably more bitter than the Oak Barrel Stout. As it warmed though, the slight metallic bitterness eased up which helped its drinkability.

Finally, quite possibly the most interesting for last, Hair of the Dog Adam. Now, before I describe the beer, I should give you a little background. Hair of the Dog is a small brewery from Portland, OR. You should have seen the look on my face when I realized that Zeno's had a few bottles of their beer. You see, Hair of the Dog doesn't distribute outside the west coast and a few random places, so I was incredibly surprised to see it here. I figured that the only way Zeno's could have this beer was if one of the owners had gone to Oregon and brought some back. The bottle that was brought to me confirmed my suspicions: it was a bottle of Adambier from batch 63. The beer is currently around Batch 72 so by my calculations, the beer that I was holding was at least four years old. My mouth watered as I anticipated the opening of a bottle conditioned beer aged for a few years.

I was not to be disappointed.

Hair of the Dog Adam Batch 63 (bottle) has some of the most unique smells and tastes that I have ever had the pleasure to come across. This is not your "get drunk" beer (although it will get you close). This beer is very strong and was probably more then the original 10% abv when I drank it. This beer is something you have while relaxing by a fireplace and reading a book. It is akin to sipping on a fine cognac. The beer immediately hits your senses as you pour it into a glass. It has a very thick and sweet smell, almost like dried fruits. The beer has a nice dark color with a bubbly head that dissapears quickly. The taste is similar to what you smell. It is a mix of dried fruit sweetness, roasted malts and alcohol. Ryan even mentions that it reminds him of a chocolate cake with bacon bits that he had a chance to try at a local Austrian restaurant.

All in all, it was a good night with good beer. Remember, enjoy the beers you drink and don't be afraid to try something new every once in a while. There are so many different kinds of beer out there that it would be a shame to limit yourself to a few.

Hate to beat a dead horse...

But wow! Six titles. What more can be said. Is there a team out there that better typifies its city, its fans, than the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Kudos to the Cardinals -- Larry Fitzgerald, Kurt Warner and company put forth a valiant effort.

The wings were spicy, sweet, crunchy. The bleu cheese sharp, cool and tangy. The Yuengling started flowing around 5, and a few later, I can still say I enjoyed it, really enjoyed it. As I said in the first post, there's a mood and a setting for every (well, almost every) beer. Today was a nice day for a Yuengling. Played nicely with the wings, cutting through some of the spice. I would've like something with a little more hop bite, a little more oomph and flavor to work with the garlicy, spicy, tangy, peppery wings and accoutrement. But there's something about drinking a Yuengling -- a little flavor yet traditional Pennsylvanian, American football lager. It's a true representation of where we could be as a beer-loving people.

I know, I know. It's no Iron City. But there was something right about it.

What to look for this week:

• A couple new (our first, including a guest post by 71) reviews
• First "Cooking with Beer Thursday": porter-braised short ribs
• Whatever Phil has cooking, which I'm sure will be interesting

Happy winning, Steelers

Super Bowl, The Office, and Beer

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers for winning the 43rd Superbowl!




What an amazing game. I was sitting at the bar watching what could have been one of the most exciting games ever. My friends and I were starting to worry when the Cardinals scored with only 2:30 or so remaining, but big Ben prevailed.

Anyway, I guess I should say something about beer in this post... So I'm sitting here in my apartment watching the Office and I notice that the one beer I keep going back to is the trusty Yuengling. Something about the beer is so drinkable and tasty -- so good. It's crispe, not overly hoppy, and incredibly sessionable. The cheap price also helps make this something you can always keep in your fridge.

Anyways, back to the show.

Super Bowl and Beer

Today's the day.

After two weeks of hype -- We've gleaned that Troy Polamalu is a really, really, really nice guy. That ex-O. Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt might hold the trick to stifling the Steelers. That the Cardinals have sucked for 40-odd years. That the Steelers are looking for one for the, um, other hand? That Barack Obama is rooting for the Steelers and is having a bipartisan party Sunday evening -- guess he doesn't have much else on his platter. That... you get the point. We've gleaned a lot, from the totally inane to the only slightly -- it's finally time to play football again.

This isn't just any old game. It's the Super Bowl. (Former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle originally wanted to call the game, which came to fruition after the NFL and AFL merged in the early 60s, "the Big One." I think he was on to something.)

How does a life-long Steelers fan mark this joyous occasion, this Big One? With 18 lbs. of chicken wings, and enough celery, carrots and bleu cheese dressing to satisfy an army of hungry rabbits. Oh, there'll be beer too. Pennsylvania beer: the eminently drinkable Yuengling Lager (4.4 % abv). Clean, nicely carbonated, touch of malty sweetness, grainy finish -- I've drunk so much of this I have trouble fully describing it. I like it, enough said.

I'm heading to the distributor to pick up a last minute addition to the party. I'll let you know what I settled on later.

Here we go Steelers, here we go!

Hey, so I guess I should introduce myself.

This blog was started with the intention to inform all the people out there of the great beers being produced in the country. As a College student, I feel as though there is a lack of information for students on beers other than Coors, Bud, Miller and the like. I hope that this blog will be able to give you all a little more information on what is out there.

Unlike Ryan, I have the privilege of growing up in what could be considered Beervana, that is, Portland, OR. Coming from a region that has no shortage of crazy microbrews, I am blessed with the opportunity to try some very unique brews. Unfortunately, I was never big on beer until coming to Penn State when I met Ryan. I believe that the first beer that introduced me to the world beyond light beer was the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. That beer still holds a special place in my heart.

My good friend Ryan is the one that introduced me into the wonderful world of Beer and I hope that we will be able to do the same for you, the readers.

Introductions are in order

So we've welcomed you to the place, but we forgot some vital info: Who are these guys?

As my creative handle makes clear, my name's Ryan, and as I alluded to in the first post, I'm a college student. More specifically, a senior at Penn State, smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania -- not exactly a beer lover's haven, but we'll talk more about that another time. (SC is making big strides.)

My favorite beer? I probably haven't tasted it yet. I like a big, hopped-up monster of a beer, but I really respect when someone can brew a complex, tasty, low-alcohol session that intrigues the taste buds without overpowering. There's much to be said about subtlety. I also tend to lean domestic rather than imported. Decades ago America's cities boasted a bounty of small, local breweries producing palatable -- not great by any means -- beer. In 1910 there were nearly 1,600 active breweries dotting the American landscape. By 1980 that number dwindled to 82... only 82! That seven-decade span, buffeted by Prohibition, was nasty for American beer. But we've been saved from that calamity by a surge of American craft brewers making very good beer, so why not, as a way of saying thanks, support them?

Though I won't pin down a favorite, a few have piqued my interest more than most. A year ago, Phil brought a bottle of Hair of the Dog Brewery (Portland, Ore.) Blue Dot Double IPA, 7% abv., back to State College after Winter break. Citrusy, pineapply-deliciousness in a glass. Thing is, you can't get Blue Dot anywhere near Pa., which might actually be a good thing. Getting a taste of it only once a year, if that, adds to its hoppy mystique. Hopefully Phil's nice enough to keep supplying me with my yearly fix.

Well, that's enough for now. I'm really not that interesting. Beer, on the other hand, is.

Hi Folks. Welcome to our inaptly named blog, the Perfect Batch.

Is there really such a thing as a perfect batch, a perfect beer? No, probably not. There's a mood and setting for everything. What tastes great in the dead of winter will lose some luster come summertime. Time and place means everything when it comes to really, really enjoying a great beer.

But I digress... back to the welcome.

This is a place to talk beer, in all its sudsy glory. No snobbery, no high-minded ramblings about hard to figure out criteria -- none of that. Sure, we'll tell you what we like and why we like it, but it's open season for disagreement. This is an open market of ideas about what makes beer the greatest, most interesting of all earth's liquids.

We'll post some reviews and pics, talk about our favorite watering holes, hopefully travel a bit, and dabble into questions about altering America's crazy drinking culture (as college students, we have an interesting perspective).

Most importantly, we'll drink a hearty amount of beer and share the results of our noble experimentation.

Let the games begin.