Brooklyn Local 1
Style: Strong Belgian Pale Ale
ABV: 9%
Presentation: single 750 ml caged and corked brown bottle
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Country: Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk
What’s not to like about a beer that cost around $300,000 in essential preparations? Along with all the initial test batches this was the price tag for the new specialized bottling line and extra facilities required to produce the first of the Brooklyn Brewery’s line of unique limited edition beers.
The Brooklyn Local 1 is an ale that tends to start falling through the cracks when it comes to a definitive style, where the boundaries of specific guidelines tends to get even hazier than the actual appearance of the beer itself. Not that there’s anything wrong with this, except for the uptight purists who get more than a little uneasy when confronted with things that land outside the box of convention.
Of course if every brewer decided to defy loosely based yet traditionally established criteria then a trip to the beer cooler would turn into a confusingly chaotic experience, even more than you may consider it now. Still, it’s no problem to turn a blind eye, if not fully applaud when brewers choose to experiment and push the limits every once in a while. In the case of Local 1 it’s more a matter of experimental finesse, blurring the lines between a few similar styles to create what brewmaster Garrett Oliver considers his showcase beer, and his brewery’s first attempt at a Belgian style.
The Brooklyn Brewery has officially released Local 1 under the guise of a Belgian-inspired Strong Golden Ale, however it also has the alcohol content and characteristics of a Belgian Tripel, and the brewmaster prefers to refer to it as a “Strong Saison”, the latter of which I tend to agree with most. Confused? Then let’s stop nitpicking over technical classifications and jargon, and confirm that this big bottle of beer is worth the fuss.
Speaking of which, the large classy brown bottle is specially made in Germany, and is thicker and sturdier than average beer bottles in order to accommodate the bottle conditioning of the live yeast introduced to it prior to corking. As a matter of fact this beer is completely filtered of all yeast before bottling and is completely flat. The subsequent carbonation is all thanks to the live yeast working their magic between the time that each bottle leaves the brewery and you uncork it.
Because of the large bottle format it makes Local 1 a great option for sharing. If you choose to tackle it on your own you can pop it open as soon as you pull it from the fridge, and then see how the flavour reveals itself as it warms and you work your way down the bottle. Although a bit of chill is desired and will benefit this particular beer, somewhere around cellar temperature will be the most enjoyable, so perhaps allow it to warm for about 20 minutes first. I’ll confess I’ve sampled several bottles of this stuff since its been released, and practically any glass will do, however I’ve noticed that stemware tends to accentuate it a bit more, but even then take your pick: anything from champagne flutes to a Belgian tulip glass, to whatever type of wine glass you have around (red or white varieties) is fine. They help set a mood too, or add a touch of class if pairing with a meal.
Once the cork is popped this stuff pours out a cloudy marmalade hue, with a tall creamy white head that exhibits great retention, and settles to a dense sponge cake cap. If you hadn’t started picking up on the aroma as soon as you opened the bottle then now is the time to be introduced to prominent citrus notes, such as lemon zest and clementine, along with some spicy warmth, honey sweetness, and a dry grainy character from the wheat. Both the texture and the flavour are dry, with some complex citrus notes and mild spice, a bit of sweet tartness from the wheat, finishing with light floral and leafy hops. When Local 1 was originally released it had more of a creamy smooth mouthfeel, but now that it’s had time to age there is more of an effervescent, spritzy carbonation to it, making it a good substitute for champagne at get-togethers and special occasions.
Here is an ale that begs for food pairing, I have no doubt it was developed with this in mind. Nearly any pork dish you can fathom has just found a mate for life with local 1, from a fully dressed pulled pork sandwich to a glazed baked ham to your favourite Chinese take-out barbeque pork. Thai food is also a great option full of complimentary flavours, while the crisp carbonation of the beer will hold up to any heat and spice. For those with a dairy fetish, you’ll be in safe territory pairing with soft and tangy cheeses. The Brooklyn Brewery website also recommends spicy seafood for a culinary companion.
The next steps in the cooler:
From This Brewery:
Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Brown Ale
Brooklyn East India Pale Ale
Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn Monster Ale
Brooklyner Weisse
In-Style:
Duvel
Delerium Tremens
Unibroue Don De Dieu
Kwak
Lateral Steps:
Le Merle - North Coast
Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René
Westmalle Trappist Tripel
Tripel Karmeliet
For The Adventurous:
Petrus Oud Bruin
Duchesse De Bourgogne
Verhaeghe Echte Kriek
Liefmans Goudenband