Following my last post about hops, I thought it fitting to consider a relatively new trend in brewing – the Black IPA. This style falls somewhere between Porter and Stout and strives for IPA like qualities. The fact that it is called an IPA may speak more to the marketing draw associated with ‘IPA’ than to the style itself. These brews typically show less body and less oomph than a stout (coffee and other nuances in stouts are often not included here either) as well as more hops and more bitterness than a porter. It is a roasty, toasty brew showing the character of dark malts. There is often a solid dry-hopping and, needless to say, the color is dark. Although some come out a little more brown than black, the appealing, opaque, blackness of the beer is really the signature. Continue reading Black beer or Black sheep…
Author: Tim Bush
Tim has been at Colonial Spirits for over 15 years, starting out as the store’s beer expert. A love for all things made from barley helped him become the store’s whisk(e)y expert and spirits buyer, although he maintains a passion for beer. If you like scotch, bourbon or beer stop by and introduce yourself!
Are hops overused?
Are hops overused?
Whoa, perhaps this is an incendiary question. Why, then, am I posing it? Well, I am doing so indirectly, as it was posed to me by our friend, the famous oenophile, Nic Haegeli. Nic knows what he is talking about, for sure. Nic also enjoys challenging the practices of modern wine makers and brewers. He is an old world wine man through and through. So what drove him to push my hop shrouded button? He slyly prodded me under the guise of the new world use (or over use) of oak in wine making. Continue reading Are hops overused?
Beer, it’s good…
We hear quite a bit about the ‘Craft Beer Movement’. ‘Craft beer’ is everywhere and, in the industry, people just cannot stop talking about the continually increasing sales in that market. With all this clamor about craft beer and with new breweries springing up all over the place I see an interesting, almost desperate, trend where everyone in the beer business is trying to define the craft beer market and get a piece of the action.
By definition, a ‘Craft Brewery’ is one with an annual production of 6 million barrels, or less. It is seen as much more than that, though, as creative marketing efforts, eclectic brews and demand spikes over limited releases point towards an incredible market force. Continue reading Beer, it’s good…
More than Color…
Amber Ale is a ‘style’ typically referring to a pale ale with some amount of crystal malt added to create the amber or copper color. It also very much seems to me to be a generic term used to classify any beer that is not either IPA/Pale or Stout/Porter. An expectation of beer drinkers often have of Amber Ale is that it will be more malt driven than hop driven and that it will offer a smooth, semi-sweet flavor, consistent from start to finish. This is indeed a proper foundation for a medium bodied, medium colored beer, but it need not end there.
Beer is about balance. Now, I know that much of today’s IPA production is only balanced if your scale tilts exclusively towards hops but, regardless, many of the best beers offer the best balance. At Troegs in Harrisburg, PA they live by this statement and have produced one of the best representations of ‘Amber’ Ale that you can readily acquire today. Of course, I am talking about Hop Back Amber. Continue reading More than Color…
Cantastic!
Every year I see more and more beer coming in cans. About 2 years ago I wrote about good beer coming in cans and how excited I was about this. At that point it was mainly Oskar Blues from CO spearheading the craft can movement. 21st Amendment from CA was another early adapter and has been doing well on the shelves since. Today there is much more and the selection keeps growing.
Beer in cans is awesome. Cans protect beer from light absolutely, and with light being beer’s worst enemy this is a nice feature. Cans cool down quickly, pack well, crush well, and are just so convenient. Cans travel and store better than bottles. Consider the quality we enjoy out of kegs… just a giant can. Continue reading Cantastic!
What’s up Mayflower!
It is time to dedicate a little time to Mayflower Brewing from Plymouth, MA. My motivation for doing so has been driven, largely, by their newest seasonal offering – Spring Hop Ale. Mayflower has been tops on my list for a while now, anyway. I am a big fan of the great breweries that we have here, in Massachusetts, and love local flavor. There are a lot of beers that come out that are extraordinarily exciting for people. Founder’s Kentucky Bourbon Stout is a prime example. I get excited about great beer releases also, but find that the rush wears off pretty quickly. What I am most excited about, generally, is a beer company that I can rely on every day. That consistency coupled with some really strong seasonal releases and a surprise here and there makes for a brewery worth bragging about. (Their Imperial Stout was indeed a pleasant surprise!) Continue reading What’s up Mayflower!
