Style: American Amber Lager
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 and 12 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Creemore Springs Brewery
Country: Creemore, Ontario, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Here’s a small craft brewery that set up shop in an old hardware store in 1987, nestled in the village of Creemore, Ontario between the Mad and Noisy Rivers.  In the beginning they simply brewed one single beer, and brewed it well.  Creemore Springs became synonymous with quality, and shot up the ranks as one of the best lagers produced in Canada.  However most of us here in Canada could only pine away for a chance to sample this exemplar continental styled lager, or had to plan a trip to Ontario if we were feeling ambitious.

Creemore Spring’s brewing standards and business ethics were a bit of a double-edged.  They used all natural ingredients, didn’t use preservatives, and didn’t pasteurize their beer, ensuring a fresh and high quality final result.  Because of this they refused to ship their beer outside of Ontario, since they couldn’t ensure the quality and freshness of it beyond that.  Oh snap!  The rest of us were missing out on a good thing, but couldn’t fault Creemore for that sort of decision.

Fast forward to 2005, when Molson purchased the Creemore Springs Brewery.  There was a bit of a worrisome hush throughout the craft beer community upon the news, as there had been a trend for many years of larger commercial breweries buying out smaller craft ones, and either shutting them down, or merely dumbing down the product enough that it was only a ghost of its former self, or falling into obscurity by losing its former loyal following.  Fortunately this was not the case with Creemore Springs, and Molson has let them carry on as usual.

In fact this is a bit of a boon for the rest of us.  Creemore continues to produce its tasty wares in the original brewery in rural Ontario, while Molson utilizes its juggernaut distribution system to supply it to the rest of the country now quickly enough to maintain its freshness.  We all come out winners as a result.

Since this particular beer is a bit darker than your typical all-grain lager there is no need to get too fussy over glassware.  Be it a Pilsner glass or a regular pint glass you’ll be on the right track, as the flavour is balanced and crisp, yet not so delicate as lighter lagers tend to be.  With the addition of the darker malt there’s more flavour to discover, so give this about 10 minutes to warm up out of the fridge.

What sets up temporary residence in your glass will be a beer that’s a clear ruddy gold hue, with a frothy white head.  Expect some clean aromas of biscuity and caramel malt, rounded out by light floral and herbal hops.  An enjoyable crispness to the flavour, with a more toasted malt now that is effortlessly balanced by dry grassy hops, all carried by a light creamy mouthfeel with a crisp carbonated finish.

The light toasted and caramel notes found in this lager are just waiting to be matched with food.  It may sound a bit unorthodox, but finally you have the ideal beer to savour along with your donair or shwarma, what a match, trust me on that.  Keeping in the realm of comfort food Creemore just as easily adds an extra touch to a burger or pizza, as the malt will match the richness, while the hops will adequately cut through the grease.  Same goes for a fully loaded platter of nachos, the hops will tango with any extra jalapenos.  Really, this amber lager will become your constant companion whenever watching the game.  For something a bit more formal serve it alongside a grilled steak or roast chicken, or even some skewers of grilled vegetables.  Creemore Springs will also liven up a Sunday beef roast to new proportions with graceful ease.

The next steps in the cooler:

In-Style:
Brooklyn Lager
Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Other Notable Lagers:
Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Gold
Okanagan Spring 1516 Bavarian Lager
Anchor Steam Beer
Yukon Chilkoot Lager
Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Dark Lagers:
Negra Modelo
Warsteiner Dunkel
Lobkowicz Baron
Paddock Wood Black Cat Lager

For The Adventurous:
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
LTM Série Signature Kellerbier
LTM Série Signature Rauchbier
Samichlaus
Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner

Winery: Rosedale
Vintage: 2007
Location: Australia
Alcohol: 14%
Blend: Shiraz - 100% from Barossa Valley
Tasting: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

This wine had such a cool name, that it was hard to resist.  Cat Amongst the Pigeons.  You have to give it to the Aussies for coming up with the neatest names for wines.  You can almost picture a stealth like cat just waiting for a pigeon to make the wrong move.

The Rosedale Winery, located in the Barossa Valley in Australia has been lauded for a number of their wines.  In particular Nine Lives Shiraz for 2006 and 2007 was given a whopping 92 points and 91 points respectively by Robert Parker, Wine Advocate.  At the 2009 Sydney International Wine Competition the 2007 Nine Lives received the ‘Blue-Gold Award /Top 100.

The Barossa Valley and Shiraz.  They just go hand in hand.  Some of the top Shiraz out of Australia has come from this area.  The big spicy fruit forward shiraz that we have all associated with this beautiful country.  Barossa Valley is located just 1 hour north-east of Adelaide in South Australia.  The countryside is scattered with old vineyards, churches and stone cottages.  If you want to go there for a visit, there are many hotels and B&B’s that would welcome you with open arms.  This area is Australia’s most visited tourist designation.   At Rosedale Wines we believe that “Great Wines start in the Vineyard” and the Barossa Valley sets the stage for some of the best Shiraz grapes in the world. With its rich soils and Mediterranean style climate, the result is red wines with rich character and white wines with crisp and revitalizing finishes.”

With high ratings from the internationally acclaimed Wine Advocate, Robert Parker Jr, Rosedale Wines is attracting attention from all over the world and currently exports to the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, New Zealand and Asia.

“Rosedale Wines have allowed winemakers scope to experiment and develop new styles, tastes and blends. This has encouraged the development of approachable and affordable wine styles which have been instrumental in the growth of such brands like Cat Amongst the Pigeons.”

As mentioned, the Barossa Valley is best known for its Shiraz.  Due to strict quarantine restrictions in the 1800s, the vineyards did not suffer from phylloxera or the many other diseases that have caused horrendous damage.  There are vines in the Barossa Valley that are ancient and produce highly concentrated and full-bodied wines that are full a big juicy flavours.

The name was given to the area by explorer Colonel Light based on the supposed similarity of the Barossa Range to a similar range in Spain. The region is most notable for its red wines, particularly those made from Shiraz. But there are other grape varieties, both red and white that play an important role in the wine industry of Barossa.

The region generally about three hundred metres above sea level, but the altitude of many of the vineyards is much higher. In the lower and warmer areas, red wine predominates while on the cooler higher slopes Riesling is common. In fact the Barossa abuts the Eden Valley wine region which is regarded as one of the premier regions for Riesling.

The history of the region is linked to the influence of the German immigrants who were encouraged to settle in the region by local landowner George Angas. Many of these migrants were Lutherans from Silesia, who were suffering persecution in their homeland. By the 1850s viticulture was well established in the valley. Among these migrants were Johann Gramp who planted the first vineyard of the region at Jacobs Creek in 1847 and Joseph Seppelt, whose name lives on in a famous Australian wine brand name.

Now let’s open this wonderful wine.  The colour… dark rich purple/red.  I would positively decant this wine for at least 45 - 60 minutes and let that wonderful jam and spice come to the forefront.  What you will notice with this wine is how well is goes with so many types of food.  Not just beef and barbequed food, but also cheeses and lamb.

Food Pairing:

Beef (roasted, BBq’d, braised), strong cheeses; lamb; bison (roasted, BBQ’d)  bison/beef burgers.

CSPC:     58073
Price:

$23.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price subject to change without notice.  Price correct at time of printing.

Style: Cocoa and Vanilla Stout
ABV: 6.5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel
Country: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

No offense, but if you’ve been living under a rock the past while please allow me to fill you in on this brewpub and microbrewery from Montreal that has become one of the darlings of the beer world, especially throughout North America.  Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel has even managed to capture the hearts, palates and wallets of our neighbours to the south in the same way Unibroue did about a decade ago.

However a quirky bit of trivia regarding this particular stout from Dieu De Ciel is that to be acceptable to the American market under some sort of curious FDA standards the name of it had to be changed to Aphrodite.  Apparently marketing an alcoholic product under the name of Aphrodisiaque (a French word no less, by no means an official language of the Republic) would in such a manner make false and inappropriate claims, and potentially incite unwanted lascivious behaviour of folks who wished to consume it, or even considered imbibing it.  Yet a quick name change to the Greek goddess of love and desire, who no less was given credit for creating aphrodisiacs in the first place and providing them her own namesake, is perfectly fine.  Okey-dokey then…..  Thanks be to the Greek god of loopholes for such matters.

If that wasn’t enough of a hassle for this alluring stout to endure, it also tends to get overlooked while caught in the shadow of its bolder and more popular sibling Péché Mortel, which just so happens to be one of the most sought after Canadian beers on this continent.  Both are strong savoury stouts, both have soft creamy textures, and both are in peak form regarding quality and craftsmanship.  And while I fully acknowledge the finesse it took to pull off something as formidable yet welcoming as Péché Mortel, it was Aphrodisiaque that truly seduced me.  I mean how often do you hear a grown man admitting that a beer made his toes curl in delight?  Yeah, it’s that good.  Plus I always tend to fall for the underdog….

Two elements that give this stout such enticing charm are the addition of premium quality vanilla beans and the use of organic fair-trade cocoa.  Only the best for you!  Add to this a silky smooth texture and you have yourself here is a date with delight.  Let’s get on to some tasting notes.

A mug or a pint glass will work fine, or if you wish to set the setting with someone special, use a pair of red wine glasses.  I’d let the bottle warm about 15 minutes after pulling it from the fridge, a bit of chill still works with this stout as it’s robust enough to handle some cold without being totally numbed by it.

Get ready for a luxuriously opaque black stout upon the pour, totally impermeable to light.  Crowning it is a thick frothy creamy sand coloured head.  It should only take a few inhales to at least pick up some notes of creamy roasted malt and dark chocolate, dry cocoa and raw vanilla bean.  There’s a bit more complexity than this, but I’ll allow you the pleasure of deciphering and discovering it on your own.  The moment it touches your tongue and rolls across your palate and through your mouth you’ll be greeted by a nearly full mouthfeel, creamy and velvety in texture, with a light rounded carbonation on the finish, a gorgeous sensual experience in its own right.  But of course the best part is the flavour.  Roasted, slightly smoked malt at first, toasted earthy cocoa and carob rises in the middle and carries to the finish, while the aftertaste is earthy with intense dark coffee notes.  Sweet earthy vanilla bean rises intermittently throughout the experience, and begins to coat the palate in its own right after a while, providing almost a bourbon-like essence.

This stuff is ambrosia, and is easily satisfying on its own.  If you feel a deep and utter necessity to pair it with food, then stick to desserts.  Heck, Aphrodisiaque can fill in as a dessert unto itself.  Once again, if feeling peckish while consuming this stout, chocolate and chocolate based desserts will be the ticket, however a chocolate cheesecake might be too overwhelming, you’ve been warned.  Fruit and fruit based desserts will provide a pleasant contrast in turn, although you might want to avoid the citrus variety which will do nothing but clash.  If feeling even more adventurous try chasing Aphrodisiaque with a high quality bourbon for a match made in…er…the classy part of Purgatory at least.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Blanche Du Paradis
Corne Du Diable
Dernière Volonté
Fumisterie
Paienne
Péché Mortel
Rosée D’hibiscus
Route Des Épices

Chocolate Stouts:
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Amber’s Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout

Other Stouts:
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Half Pint’s Stir Stick Stout
Yukon Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Jamaica Stout
Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout - North Coast

Lateral Steps:
Rogue Mocha Porter
Paddock Wood London Porter
Fuller’s London Porter
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Chimay Blue
Unibroue Trois Pistoles

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Winery: Osborne
Vintage: 2006
Location: Spain
Alcohol: 12.5%
Blend: 100% Tempranillo
Tasting: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

This winery was started over 200 years ago, and the Bodegas Montecillo in Rioja came to life 136 years ago, which makes it one of the oldest wineries in the Rioja region.  About 50% of the wine they produce goes to export markets in Europe and North America.  Their emblem, The Osborne Bull, is recognized all over.  The Bull was the idea of the winery’s advertising agency and was born in 1956.  You will see the bull not only on all of their products, but also on billboards and roadside signs.  The largest of the bulls weighs over 4,000 kg and is 14 meters high and is made of metal.  An imposing figure, for sure.  About 16 years ago there was a movement under foot to rid the landscape of various signs and images, one of which was the Osborne Bull.  The Osborne family went to court and the court found that the bull is not just a sign, but after over 50 years, it has also become part of the landscape and culture.

We want you to remember this name:  Maria Martinez-Sierra.  She is a wonderful lady.  When we tell people about her we always say that she is a passionate lady and has a personality a big as all outdoors.  Maria has been the winemaker at Bodegas Osborne for over 30 years.  She is one of Europes’ top winemakers and a huge ambassador for Spanish wines.  There is also a little flirting with what we call ‘the international varietals’, as well.  Grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz/Syrah are on the menu too.  Not in the wine we are tasting this week, however.  It is 100% Tempranillo from the Rioja region.

We had the pleasure of meeting Maria a few years ago when she was visiting Edmonton.  (Actually she has come to Alberta a few times over the past few years.) We could have listened to this amazing lady for hours on end.  When she speaks about her wine, her true passion shows in her eyes.  She speaks about her wine like one would speak about their children. I swear I saw a twinkle in her eye as she was telling us about her wine.  She has a true love of the Spanish varietals, as you will see when you try this wine.

Maria is also very particular about the wood that the wine is aged in.  She picks the wood from a particular area in France, because the grain of the wood is woven much tighter and therefore adds subtle flavours to the wine, instead of overpowering it.  Osborne also employs their own cooper to make these wonderful barrels.  Not an inexpensive venture for sure.

We have a neat story to tell you.  When we attended the talk with Maria, she was telling us the she only keeps the barrels for a certain period of time and then they reach the end of their life with Osborne.  One of the lovely ladies who used to work with us asked what happened to the barrels once she was done with them (thinking that they would be used for planting and the like).  Maria spoke quite softly and said ‘we sell them to wineries who cannot afford new ones’.

The Rioja region is one of Spain’s most recognizable regions.  You can see on the map, that the area is not huge, by any means.  But man, they make some great wine there.  Tempranillo is king.  The wine we are tasting this week, as I said earlier is 100% Tempranillo.  Tempranillo is often referred to as Spain’s noble grape.  The name comes from the Spanish word ‘temprano’, which means ‘early’.  This is fitting, as the grape ripens earlier than most Spanish grape varieties.

The name Crianza that you see on the bottle is a term used to describe how long the wine has aged in wood and in the bottle before it is allowed to be released.  It is the second of a level of four terms used.  Sin Crianza (which we don’t see in Canada), Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva are the four steps.  As you go up the levels, the wine must be aged for a longer period of time in wood and in the bottle before it is released.  You cannot put any of these names on the bottle unless you adhere to certain regulations.

This wine is aged for a minimum of 1 year in the wood and matures in the winery until it is sold.  That is why you see all these wines from Montecillo that are from 2006 and earlier.

This wine is a cherry red in colour, with aromas and flavors of red berries, raspberry and cherry, red plum, a little vanilla.  It is a medium to full-bodied wine and has a nice finish.  This is a very versatile wine and goes great with many different foods.

Food Pairing:

Pork; beef (try either of these roasted or grilled);  pizza; grilled oily fish.

CSPC:     144493
Price: 

     $16.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Richard and I haven’t visited the Australian wines in a while, so I think we will just have to check them out. See you down under next week. Come by and visit with Diana and have a sip and a chat.

Style: Double India Pale Ale
ABV: 8%
Presentation: Single 341 ml brown bottle, green wax seal
Brewery: Half Pints Brewing Co.
Country: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

I may not be overly fluent in Latin, but my taste buds know that Humulus Ludicrous indirectly translates into English as “contains a ridiculous amount of hops.”  To slip into a quick lesson in botany, the Latin name for the common hop is Humulus lupulus, which has a nice ring to it all on its own.  Hops are small green pinecone-like nuggets that grow on vines, and provide the balancing and bittering ingredient to the otherwise cloyingly sweet malt in the brewing of beer.  Besides acting as a balancing agent they can also provide aroma and flavour, depending on the beer style and the brewermaster’s discretion.

That being said this Double India Pale Ale from Half Pints should probably be filed under “For The Adventurous” for many of you in the crowd.  However for the die hard “hopheads” it’s time to step right up.  This rendition of the style is a whopping 100 IBU’s (IBU stands for International Bitterness Units, a universally recognized scale used to measure how potent the alpha acids found in hops are), which is nearly double the amount found in many regular India Pale Ales.  Before you start involuntarily puckering from the very thought of it, the tendency with the DIPA style is to have nearly as intense of a malt presence in order to balance out the massive hop whollap, or at the very least to keep it in check so it’s not some one-sided runaway train of bitterness.  The beauty of Humulus Ludicrous-which was brewed to mark the Half Pints Brewery’s anniversary–is that it manages to pull this off while still delivering the goods promised.  It’s one of the few times a beer label doesn’t lie to you or offering false promises.

For glassware the usual suspects of a mug or a pint glass will fit the bill, although if you wish to accentuate the floral and citrus aromatics awaiting you the moment you open the bottle, us an oversized red wine glass, or a Belgian chalice or tulip glass if you have one handy.  Keeping those aromatics in mind let the bottle stand at least 10 minutes after you take it out of the fridge.  Once poured you’ll be introduced to a beer that is cloudy deep amber in appearance, with a short tight creamy off-white head.  As you gaze you will have already noticed fairly intense aromas of lemon and orange, possibly even the moment the bottle cap was pried off the bottle and you had a chance to pour it.  A deeper inspection will unearth hints of sugary sweet malt, burnt toasted notes, then a parade of hops including tangerine, light lemon zest and fresh white grapefruit, with faint traces of pine and spicy earth.  This all carries on in the flavour with sweet, toasted mildly bready malt that effortlessly blends with grassy, herbal, earthy, citrus rind hops, almost equally as sweet on the finish, with the hops eventually lingering on longer in the aftertaste.  Deceptive enough that, while hoppy, you’d never guess there was 100 IBU’s of hops lurking in there.  As intense as the flavour is the mouthfeel is not as overwhelming, being a user-friendly medium-body without much carbonation.

With such a strong hop presence Humulus Ludicrous would match well with old, sharp cheeses, matching it blow for blow in dynamic tango of flavours.  Spicy dishes are the ultimate dance partner however, take your favourite personal pick from the Mexican, Thai or Cajun styles, or set it head to head with the most daring serving of Buffalo wings you can muster up.  This will also slice through a pesto based pasta dish.  For dessert?  If one of your favourites is carrot cake like mine this DIPA will prevent the richest of cream cheese icings from overwhelming your palate.  It will also harmonize with and balance out any sweets of desserts with a prominent ginger component.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Burley Wine
Humulus Ludicrous
Phil’s Pils
Little Scrapper IPA
Sweet Nikki Brown

In-Style:
90 Minute IPA - Dogfish Head
Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. - He’Brew
Hardcore IPA - Brew Dog
Storm IPA - Brew Dog
Bad Hare Day - Sherbrooke

Other Hoppy Beers:
US Alive - Mikkeller
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
Santa’s Private Reserve - Rogue
Lagunitas Imperial Red

For The Adventurous:
Old Crustacean - Rogue
Paradox - Brew Dog
Samichlaus Bier

Winery: Layer Cake
Vintage: 2008
Location: Mendoza, Argentina
Alcohol: 13.9%
Blend: 100% Malbec
Tasting: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

… and we are back in Argentina for a quick visit and then we are off to Italy.

First of all, let me ask you a quick question.  Who isn’t enticed by the name Layer Cake?  I mean that just says yummy on so many different levels.  (By the way, ‘yummy’ is one of those wine technical terms that we mentioned that we would throw around every now and then J.)  We first tried these wines at a wine tasting in February of this year.  The customers really enjoyed them and were quite taken with the fact that they had the same name, but were from different countries.

I love this quote from the Layer Cake website…

“My old grandfather told me the soils in which the vines lived were a layer cake. If properly made, the wine from these vines was like a delicious cake layered with fruit, mocha and chocolate, with hints of spice and rich, always rich. Never pass up a good Layer Cake.”

A. Orlando Tribute, Jayson Woodbridge

We have talked about the Malbec grape a few weeks ago.  This wine we are tasting this week is also from the Mendoza region in Argentina.  Mendoza, like Alberta, is known for its abundance of sunshine.  On average it has more than 300 sunny days a year.  Tourism in the region has increased dramatically, due to the interest in the wineries in the area.  Wine related tourism has become one of the largest sources of income for Mendoza.

This wine has a lot of flavour.  The winemaker’s notes say that they allowed to grapes to stay on the vine a full four to six weeks after most of the neighbouring vineyards.  They wanted to make sure that these grapes were picked at their peak so that all that extra flavour would come through in the wine that you and I enjoy.

It is amazing the flavours you get on your nose.  There is blackberry, cherry, plum with dark cocoa and even a touch of spice.  The taste is reminiscent of dark chocolate, dark cherries, jam and some spice.  This wine has so many flavours.  There is no wonder why Robert Parker rated this 2008 vintage a whopping 91 points!  Positively decant this wine and you will not be disappointed in the flavours that come out of your glass.

Food Pairing:

Grilled steak; Beef Stew; Barbequed Lamb; Sausage and mushroom pizza.

CSPC:     738090
Price:

$23.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

- - - - - - -

Winery: Layer Cake
Vintage: 2007
Location: Puglia, Italy
Alcohol: 13.9%
Blend: 100% Primitivo
Tasting: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Puglia (also known as Apulia), is the famed ‘heel of the boot’ in Italy.  This region of Italy produces more wine than any other area of the country.  The place where these Primitivo grapes come from is called Manduria.  Now, like in most areas of Italy, there are regulations/laws surrounding making wine and having certain designations like “DOC” or “DOCG”.  For those of you who like cars (like me) it would be like having a Buick, Buick LS, or Buick LTD (sorry, I can’t translate into Ford and Chrysler language, as I grew up in a mostly GM family).

Manduria Denominazione di Origine Controllata, labeling requires 14% alcohol. The people at Layer Cake found that they liked this wine below 14%; therefore it falls into ‘IGT’ Puglia for area designation.  I always like to say that the ‘IGT is for the rebels… and that is a good.  Where would we be today if people always followed the rules?  No one would want to explore new avenues of anything.  As usual, I digress.

Primitivo (Pree-mih-TEE-vo).  You may think you don’t know this grape, but I bet you do.  The University of California at Davis discovered that Primitivo is not just related to the Zinfandel grape from California, but it is the same grape variety.  Until that happened, Primitivo lived basically in obscurity.  Since that time, it has enjoyed the trappings of the spotlight.  And well it should.  Like with all grape varieties, when they are grown in different parts of the world, they are going to taste a little different in each place.  They take on the characteristics of the soils in that particular area and of course the weather (rain, sunshine etc.) will play a big part in what the wine tastes like.

Enough about all that, let’s get on with the wine.  As always, get it out of the bottle and let it sit for a while.  All the nice flavours will come out.  When you pour this wine it is a rich colour of dark ruby and purple.  It has some nice zippy spice balanced with lots of black fruit.  It warms you up as it slips down your throat.

Robert Parker gave this vintage of the Layer Cake Primitivo 89 Points!

Food Pairing:

Pizza; Barbequed beef, pork or chicken; Hamburgers;  Lasagna; Duck.

CSPC:     738091
Price:

$23.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing. Price subject to change without notice

Let’s head off to Spain next week. The lady who makes this next wine is a real dynamo. Richard and I just loved her when we met her. Come by and visit Diana from 4 – 7 on May 19th.

Jason Foster

Check out more of Jason Foster’s beer news and views at onbeer.org

So, class, we have had a few months to hang out together and learn some important beer basics -malt, hops, yeast, importance of region. This month I think you are ready to jump into the deep end, into the world of beer shelf life. Be warned, it is not an easy world. Sure, the basics are pretty straightforward, but just wait until you try to figure out the age of that beer you want to purchase.

Let’s start with the easy stuff. As I mentioned last month a standard strength beer that has been handled properly and is in an appropriate brown bottle(read the column on skunking - see, it pays to follow along), will easily last 4-6 months. After that time? Well, beer is not like milk. You can still drink it (again as I mentioned last month - check those back issues!). It is that the flavours deteriorate. The hop quality will shrink. Subtle flavours will disappear. The beer will seem to lose its edge. And undesirable flavours will increase. It will begin to display oxidation flavours like cardboard, wet paper and, if you are lucky, sherry (sherry is intentionally oxidized to produce that quality). It also flattens the overall impression of the beer. Any faults in the beer will also become more pronounced.

I understand that you want to avoid spending your hard-earned dollars on a beer past its prime. The good news is that most breweries put a code on their bottles or cases that tell you either when it was brewed or when it is past its best-before date. The bad news? There is no standardized system for the codes, meaning no two breweries are alike. Local and widely distributed brewers try to educate retailers about their code so the store can pull it from the shelves. Imports, brought in by a third party, will likely have no such education.

Either way this can be horribly frustrating for consumers. However, if you channel a little bit of Sherlock Holmes, you can figure out what the code might mean. The first hurdle is that some breweries print a “brewed on” or “bottled on” date, while others print a “best before” date. Sometimes the code is written as a straightforward date but more often it uses some esoteric system the consumer needs to decipher. Some of the codes can resemble hieroglyphics. For example, a Guinness code might read: 16B0. Negra Modelo can be even more incomprehensible: 2121C0.

How to make sense of it all? Well, let’s start with some specific examples to guide your way. Local Edmonton brewer Alley Kat is quite straightforward. Their boxes have a clearly marked best before date in the format year/month/day. The bottles also have a code, marked BB and then day/month/year. Easy!  (I must add here that microbreweries tend to be significantly more transparent with this information than bigger breweries. I am just saying…)

Big Rock gets more creative. They have a five digit best before code. The last two digits are the year, while the first three digits are the day of the year, numerically speaking. A code of 15210 means it is best before the 152^nd day of 2010 - June 1. A bit more challenging, but still fairly clear, all said.

It is with the big boys where things get more complicated. Many use a letter code for the month (A=January, B=February, etc.), followed one or two digits for the year. For example, that Guinness code reads February 16, 2010. Now, just to keep you confused, they use a Bottled On date, not expiry date. Sigh.

Negra Modelo is also a bottling date, and, as a way to throw you, the first four digits are meaningless (for you - they are a production number). All that matters is the C0 - March 2010. Molson, possibly the king of confusion on this issue, has a 13-digit code, most of which is not the date. The opening letter is the month, the first two digits the day and the last the year. The stuff in between - irrelevant!

The range of code options is dizzying. But this short lesson gives you a few clues. First, if it looks like a date, in whatever version, it likely is. Second, if it has one letter in it, that letter is the month, and the year will be directly connected to it, often the day as well. Third, there is no way to tell whether it is a best before or bottled on date; you are on you r own on that front. Fourth, if it has 13 digits, well, good luck to you.

One final piece of advice to help you avoid stale beer. When in doubt ask the store staff. They may know and can help you out. If they don’t know, they should (and you should be shopping somewhere else). In the end the best piece of advice might be to purchase from stores that you know sell a lot of beer (like Sherbrooke). The best security for procuring fresh beer is knowing that the stock moves at a brisk pace.

Style: Brown Ale
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Wild Rose Brewery
Country: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

The Brown Ale style was the first to become my personal favourite when I initially discovered there were so many different styles to begin with, and remained a long time favourite for years and years.  After all, they were not too intense or intimidating, offered a welcoming malty flavour with a minimum amount of any discernible hop bitterness, and in general provided a fantastically friendly session beer for any occasion or season.

Really, for the past 800 years Brown Ales remained a ubiquitous, if not practically anonymous style since it was so common and standard.  Until more modern kilning techniques were developed (introducing the world to “Pale Ales” as a result), almost all beers were some sort of denomination or variety of a Brown Ale, although not necessarily similar to the kinds we know of today.  Perhaps as a result of that sort of forced monotony the lighter styles that developed over the subsequent centuries-English Bitters, Belgian Golden Ales, Hefeweizens, Lagers of all kinds!-became more and more popular.  On the other end of the spectrum even the Porter, the grand daddy of the Stout, developed from the near universal Brown.  Although it’s still one of the most approachable and accessible of all styles, especially ales, the Brown Ale has turned into something of a wall flower in comparison these days.  A shame, since it knows most of your favourite dances, and is always up for a lengthy make-out session, really it’s almost the ideal low maintenance date!

In the case of Wild Rose’s Brown Ale, it has been there since day one since 1996 as part of their original line up, and was their initial best selling beer.  What helped it stand out from the crowd was that it was much more robust and flavourful than most of the lukewarm Brown Ales available at the time.  Even now that there is more healthy competition on the shelves these days, it still holds its own in good company.

As stated earlier, Brown Ales are pretty versatile and low maintenance.  Your favourite beer glass, or the closest drinking receptacle within arm’s reach, hell, even a flower vase will serve the purpose, it’ll taste good out of practically anything.  Browns are warm and attractive to look at however, so a clear and classy glass will accentuate it, going from Sandy Olsson at the beginning of Grease to the belle of the ball, no tight leather pants required.  Allow things to warm up a bit as well, the reward for your patience will be more complexity apparent from the malt.

The Wild Rose Brown Ale greets you with a ruby brown body in appearance, capped by a loose frothy beige head.  Greeting your nose will be a toasted aroma of nuts and soft coffee notes, even hints of smoky char.  Keeping that same theme but expanding more in the flavour is toasted, nutty malt up front, with a mild dry chocolate finish, some roasted coffee, while dry wafer crisp cocoa lingers on in the aftertaste.  In contrast the mouthfeel is on the lighter side, making this an easily quaffable session ale.

Where’s the beef?  That’s what you should be asking when searching for an ideal food pairing with this Wild Rose version of Brown Ale.  Look no further than beef based stews, chili, roasts or grilled steaks.  Fajitas and burritos with a healthy helping of cheese will be carried into another realm of dining experience.  On its own soft, earthy and nutty cheese will combine so well you’ll think you’ve discovered a secret recipe for the ultimate comfort food combo.  Camembert is a good starting point.  Along the lines of earthiness, most mushroom dishes will provide a surprising and complimentary dining companion for this Brown Ale.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
WRaspberry Ale
IPA (India Pale Ale)
Velvet Fog
WRed Wheat
SOB (Special Old Bitter)

In-Style:
Newcastle Brown Ale
Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale
Alley Kat Amber
Brooklyn Brown Ale
Mt. Begbie Tall Timber Ale

Lateral Steps:
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel
Negra Modelo
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel
Lobkowicz Baron

For The Adventurous:
Aventinus
Rogue Mocha Porter
Fuller’s Vintage Ale
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout - Yukon Brewing

Winery: Emiliana - Adobe Carmenere
Vintage: 2008
Location: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Alcohol: 14%
Blend: 100% Carménère
Tasting: Wednesday, May 5, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

I think there is some kind of rule that you cannot leave Chile without sampling some Carménère wine.  If there isn’t a rule, then I think there should be a rule.  This is not only a Carménère wine, but it is also organic.  The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce had their Spring Wine and Food night on April 20, 2010 at the Jubilee Auditorium.  Why in heaven’s name am I telling you this after the fact?  Well, that is the first place that I had tried this wine.  Now I am a big Carménère fan.  I have been for a long time.  They are available in all different price ranges and therefore the body is going to be a bit different on each of them.  I have to tell you, though, for this price, I was pleasantly surprised at the flavour this little wine has.  Check out the Emiliana website (that is the parent company of Adobe).  They have not only information on the Adobe wines (Sherbrooke carries a number of them), but also their other wines like Coyam, which we just sampled on April 22 and 23^rd for our Earth Day Weekend tasting.

Rafael and José Guilisasti of Emiliana Winery saw changes starting in how people were looking at their food and the land and they wanted to be a part of this change.  People all around the world were starting to be more conscious of what they were eating and drinking and how they were treating Mother Earth.  It was at that time that they started on the road to make the change to Organic and Biodynamic wines.

“Life is full of opportunities, and Emiliana is one of them… United by a common passion, we have been able to produce high quality wines with their own identity, and thereby achieve the authentic expression of their terroir through organic and biodynamic agriculture and respecting the true value of the company, which is in caring for its people and the environment.”  “We do what we are”

Jose Guilisasti Gana

When we were presenting our Earth Day tastings I had more than a couple of people ask what the heck ‘Biodynamic’ meant.  I told them, tongue planted firmly in cheek, that it was ‘organic on steriods’.  One fellow said ‘but steroids aren’t org…oh… I get what you mean.”  Basically it is Organic farming bumped up a few notches.  It truly is fascinating reading about the biodynamic agriculture and the background on how it came to be.  Basically, the stewards of the land not only farm organically, but they take it many steps further.  They plant certain trees and plants in the vineyards to bring in particular nutrients into the soil and to protect the vines.  The vines are planted and harvested during certain lunar cycles to bring out the best in the vines and the fruit being harvested from it.  And so on…  Now that is the Reader’s Digest version.

I was speaking to a gentleman just a few months ago he was telling me how his father used to work the land in Europe.  His father did his own tests by planting and harvesting his crops in the traditional method and doing it in the (what we now call) biodynamic way.  He found consistently that planting and harvesting using this method of biodynamics was well worth it.  Not only was his land/soil in great shape, but his crops were better for it.  His son has carried on the tradition.  I figure, where can we go wrong taking good care of Mother Earth?

The Carménère grape was originally from the Bordeaux Region in France.  When the explorers were travelling hither and yon through the world they took vines from their home country, to plant in the ‘New World’.  Carménère was one of those grapes that were brought to Chile in the mid 16^th century.  It is almost impossible to find in France today.  Chile has the largest planting of this grape in the world today.  It has almost become their signature grape in the same way that Malbec has become the signature grape of Argentina.  The Chilean wine growers actually thought this Carménère was merlot or a clone of merlot for many years.  It wasn’t until 1994 that it was discovered that this was the ‘lost grape’ Carménère.  It was recognized as a distinct grape variety by the Chilean Department of Agriculture in 1998.  It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, but we see it on its own quite frequently now.

This is such a neat little wine and we are looking forward to you trying it.  A small portion of it (20%) was aged for 6 months in French and American oak barrels.  The colour is ruby red and you can smell wonderful dark cherries, with a tiny bit of spice (black pepper).  When you taste it you notice the tannins are medium-firm and are balanced nicely with the acidity and you sure can taste that wonderful cherry and notes of that great spice.  This is just a nice fresh wine to sip on.  Now if you to like food like we do, then you will be pleasantly surprised at how well this wine pairs with some great dishes.

Food Pairing:

Chorizo Sausages in a tomato sauce; Barbequed beef, pork; aged cheeses; venison; chili.

CSPC:     733158
Price:  

    $12.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

*Price correct at time of printing.  Price subject to change without notice

We will see you on Wednesday.  Next week we are travelling to Spain.

We have some exciting news for you!  Richard and I will be travelling to Italy and France over the next five weeks (not virtually).  We will be returning June 15^th to Sherbrooke.  Our very good friend Diana (Dee - Anna) is going to see you on Wednesday afternoons.  Diana, Richard and I are in class together studying to be Sommeliers.   She is an awesome person and you will just love meeting her!  She knows her stuff.  The weekly wine blogs will still be posted for you to read and you can come by and taste all the wines with Diana and have a good chat.