Style: Flavoured Stout
ABV: 6.7%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Alley Kat Brewing Co. exclusive for Sherbrooke Liquor
Country: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

“From the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step.” –Napoleon Bonaparte

What does an Emperor of France and a tri-flavoured ice cream have in common? One was born in Corsica, the other originated in Naples. One conquered a large part of Europe at the beginning of the 19th century, the other conquered the taste buds of America towards the end of the 19th century. To be honest there was no real connection there, until Sherbrooke decided to step in.

This flavourful chimera of a stout is the original brainchild of local homebrewer Ernie Boffa. Apparently the concept came about at a dinner party he hosted to debut his very first homebrewing effort, which was an IPA made from a kit. The group mused about future interesting concepts for beers that Ernie could pursue while they enjoyed the fruits of his initial attempt, and after a while dessert was served. On the menu was a selection of 3 different gourmet ice creams: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. It may not come as much of a surprise that everyone present proceeded to take a sample of each one in order to produce an impromptu rendition of the familiar Neapolitan style. That was the moment Ernie decided to undertake a Neapolitan stout for his first original homebrew recipe. Not only did it garner praise and recognition from his circle of friends and the local homebrewer’s guild, but went on to win a gold medal as well in a 2009 homebrewing competition.

From experience I’ve found that a nearly room temperature bottle of Alley Kat’s commercial rendition is the best way to experience and enjoy the full flavour spectrum this stout has to offer, given the multiple layers within. Pretty much any favourite glass of yours will help deliver the goods, here’s a beer able to hold its own in anything from a mason jar to a glass slipper.

Assuming you’ve chosen a clear vessel to enjoy this in, you’ll be greeted by a pitch black opaque stout, impervious to light, crowned by a creamy mocha head. Creamy chocolate along with slight coffee notes are most apparent at first in the aroma, vanilla rises up next, while a sugary strawberry seems the faintest of the trio. The flavour matches the aroma, starting with roasted malt and bitter cocoa, although the chocolate sweetens up in the middle where it meets vanilla and continues to the finish. You’ll have to wait until the finish for a dose of strawberry, but it’s worth the wait. Similar to the ice cream predecessor, the chocolate tends to dominate the other two flavours somewhat, but at least it’s a delectable bully. The mouthfeel is not heavy at all either as would be expected for such an intensely flavoured stout, but remains medium-bodied, with a silky and slick texture.

If you have the desire to pair this stout with food, dessert is the course to focus on. While it would do the trick on its own, this Neapolitan stout is screaming out to be part of an ice cream float. Take your pick of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream on their own to accentuate your favourite flavour, but the truly tapped in gourmand will of course add a striped scoop or two of the eponymous ice cream itself. For presentation I would recommend either a wide mug or an oversized wine glass, whatever suites your own personal aesthetic preferences and needs. Regardless you will probably be branded as a visionary lowbrow rebel for serving this beer in such a manner, feel free to take all the credit. Cake with similar flavours would be the next best step. For those in the crowd who are not into ice cream or cake, most fresh red berries will be a good companion to this stout. And for you incorrigible carnivores out there, ribs slathered with a sweet sauce is the way to go, just make sure you have lots of extra napkins.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Alley Kat Amber
Alley Kat Aprikat
Full Moon Pale Ale
Charlie Flint’s Original Lager
Pumpkin Pi Spiced Ale
Olde Deuteronomy

Also From Sherbrooke:
Sherbrooke Shamrock
Bad Hare Day
Aaiieeeeeeeeee Caramba!
Van Helsing’s All Natural Mouthwash
Chocolate Cherry Ostiarius

Chocolate Stouts:
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Amber’s Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout
Dieu de Ciel Aphrodisiaque

Bodega El Esteco

One hundred and eighteen years ago, two French brothers (David and Salvador) planted their first vines and opened the Bodega El Esteco Winery.  The name of the winery was taken from the legendary city of El Esteco.  The legend goes that El Esteco was a very “opulent” city that had buildings covered in silver and the citizens dressed in gold.  However the city and “it’s treasures” were buried in an earthquake in 1692 and the legend was born.  In the late 1970’s the winery purchased the El Esteco Estate and found that there were riches there, they came from the wonderful soil that grew vines to make some appetizing wines.

In 1929 it was one of the first wineries to win an international award in Spain.  They were one of the first to lead the way for ‘wine tourism’ in the 1970’s and in the 1990’s they were also one of the first wineries to incorporate ecological practices.

Like with many wineries, Bodegas El Esteco has a number of different labels, four of which we see in Alberta:  Michel Torino, Don David, Cuma and Altimus

Winery: Michel Torino
Vintage: 2008
Location: Argentina
Alcohol: 13.5%
Blend: Tannat 100%
Tasting: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

There are so many grape varieties throughout the wine growing world.  Some of them are very familiar like Merlot, Syrah (Shiraz) and Chardonnay to name just a few.  There are so many other wonderful varieties out there to discover and today is the day to try one of them.  Tannat… home for this grape was in Southwestern France, where it has been used for blending purposes.  This grape gives big tannins (hence the name Tannat), and big colour to the grape varieties with which it is paired.

Because this grape variety is known for producing very big tannic wines, the first time we had this wine we decided to decant the wine for about two hours.  The wine was wonderful… full of flavour and aromas reminiscent of wonderful black fruit.  The second time we tried this wine, we decanted it for just one hour and the wine was just as flavourful.  Now this is going to be fun on Wednesday, as we haven’t had this wine for about three years, so we are looking forward to trying it again.

Food Pairing:

Bison with a Blueberry and Saskatoon sauce or reduction; Duck and Mushroom Ragout; French Onion Soup Gascon Style

CSPC:     710374
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Michel Torino
Vintage: 2007
Location: Argentina
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Blend: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Ahhh… Sauvignon Blanc.  Quite ironically, this grape variety is also from a Southwestern Region of France.  This greenish/yellow grape produces some lovely dry and fresh tasting wines.  Like everything else, there are exceptions.  One of the best known exceptions to Sauvignon Blanc making nice dry wines is a sweet wine called Sauternes. Sauternes is a marriage of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes that have been affected by Botrytis (a wonderful gift from Mother Nature).  These wonderful wines are from an area about 30 miles south of Bordeaux which are comprised of five communes, one of which is called Sauternes, where this delectable wine gets its name.  We will visit this wine another day.  We just wanted to let you know that there are always exceptions.  Where would life be without them?

Now back to our Argentinean Sauvignon Blanc.  One doesn’t normally think of pink grapefruit and grass when talking about wine, but that is just what notes you will smell and taste when you try this wine.  Fresh really is a good descriptive word.

Food Pairing:

Asparagus; Sautéed Chicken; Lemongrass Chicken; Light Salad with Goat Cheese.

CSPC:     715375
Price:

$13.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Next week we are going to prepare a few mixed drinks that will be easy to make for the long weekend.  Can you believe Heritage Days weekend is almost upon us?

Don Sebastiani & Sons

Who knew that a man who has a Degree in Government from USF and served as a California Assemblyman for three terms, would end up being in the wine industry for over three decades!  Well that describes Don Sebastiani’s life… in a nutshell.

If you are thinking that this name looks familiar, you would be right on the money.  It was just last week that we were talking about Samuele Sebastiani, Don’s Grandfather, who started Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  For a period of 15 years, Don sat as the CEO of the family winery.  After that time, he left to continue his love of wine in a company that Don and his brother-in-law Roy Cecchetti started in 1986.  In 2001 Roy decided to pursue some other interests.  That is when the company name changed to Don Sebastiani & Sons (the sons being Donny and August).

By the time that 2004 rolled around, the company was producing one million bottles of wines.  Just one year later in 2005, the winery was named “American Winery of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  A mere two years after that the company was  producing two million cases of wine.  All the while keeping with their philosophy of “bringing upscale, but moderately priced wines” to consumers like you and me.

Greg Kitchens has been the winemaker at Don Sebastiani and Sons since 2001 after working at Beaulieu Vineyards and the Sebastiani Family Winery in Sonoma County.

Greg says “We make great tasting wines by taking an aggressive approach to winemaking.  The team spends many early mornings and late nights in the vineyards and wineries where we produce our wines.  This way all our wines get the attention that they deserve and the payoff is in the bottle.”  Let’s just see, shall we…

Winery: Smoking Loon Wine Co.
Vintage: 2007
Location: California, USA
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Blend: Viognier
Tasting: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Don & Sons produce a number of different labels.  Two of which we can get here in Alberta (Smoking Loon and Pepperwood Grove).  The wines we are sampling on Wednesday were part of a group of wines started by the company a decade ago.

What the heck is Viognier (VEE-ohn-YAY) anyway?  The history is a little grey, but one can say that it was very popular in the Rhône region of France for quite a number of years.  It fell out of favour for a while, but it is coming back again.  California (where Smoking Loon calls home) and Australia, have been planting a number of acres with the grape.

The Viognier grape makes a dry, full-bodied and aromatic wine.  When people get a whiff of the wine they think it might be sweet, because of all the nice floral aromas that are abundant.  Then they try the wine and are pleasantly surprised that it is in fact dry.    I have done a couple of tastings with Smoking Loon Viognier and the outcome has been very similar each time.  People are very happily surprised about how much they enjoy the wine.  Even some serious red drinkers like it, because of the layers of flavours.  Apricot, white peach, guava and a touch of honey are some of the flavours of this wine.

Food Pairing:

Butternut squash risotto; roasted chicken; chicken with a cream sauce; white fish; slightly spiced dishes (Thai).

CSPC:     715029
Price:

$16.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Winery: Smoking Loon Wine Co.
Vintage: 2007
Location: California, USA
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

We had a little white, now for a little red.  Well, it is not so  little truthfully.  After all, it is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabs are not known for being petite.  Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the grape varieties that most people have heard of.  It is grown in almost every wine country around the world.  One thing you will notice is that the alcohol is not overwhelming.  The Smoking Loon Cabernet, like the Viognier, is 13.5% ABV (Alcohol By Volume).  The flavours will come out nicely in this wine and won’t be overpowered by the alcohol.

Now you know what is coming next… decant this wine.  Get it out of the bottle, even if you pour it out into a glass and let it sit for about an hour.  As we have said many times before, this gives the wine a chance to set all those great flavours and aromas free.

I am going to digress for a quick moment.  A few years ago I was doing a tasting in Edmonton and this young gent and I were chatting about decanting wine.  He felt it wouldn’t do much good.  I said “Let’s put it this way… if you were stuck in a bottle for a couple of years or more, you’d need a little airing out wouldn’t you?”  He got a great chuckle out of that.  Back to the wine…

This Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon offers lots of ‘flavours on the nose”: Raspberry and dark plum with a touch of some herbs (oregano) will be noticed.  When you taste this wine you will get blackberry, red berries, red currants, rounded off with lighter tannins.

Now what do all of these nice flavours mean for food pairing?

Food Pairing:

Chocolate (dark); beef stew (if you have never done it on the BBQ, try it); aged cheese; Gorgonzola; Grilled lamb; beef with some rosemary and/or thyme.

CSPC:     715030
Price:

$16.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

California to Argentina is not too far a jaunt for next week.
Come join us.

Jason Foster

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

Everyone knows that the most important ingredient in beer is barley. Sure, brewers might throw some oats or rye into the mash to add a unique flavour or mouthfeel. Or they might toss in some flaked corn or rice to lighten the body (and, if they are a big corporate brewer, to lower the cost). These are all valid additions to beer, but none change the fact that the bulk of their grain bill will consist of malted barley. None of those other grasses can anchor a beer.

But there is one grain that can muscle barley to the side and dominate the ingredient list in a beer. Wheat. Yes, in certain styles wheat might get co-billing on the marquee or even majority attention. As it is summertime, the perfect season for wheat beer, I want to look a little closer at barley’s little sister in this lesson.

Wheat has been with us for thousands of years (along with barley). Earliest evidence of its domestication goes back 9000 years ago in what is now Turkey, although most experts think it was intentionally cultivated long before that. And whenever humans cultivate grain, alcoholic refreshment made from that grain is surely not far behind.

Wheat has always been a part of brewing traditions, going back to the Sumerians. So it is only natural that it continues to be a significant ingredient today.  In fact the oldest brewer operating today is a wheat brewery. Weihenstephan, a former German monastery, has been around since 1040. Sadly, Weihenstephan is not available in Alberta.

Wheat contains much higher proportions of protein than barley, which create complications for mashing and for achieving a clear beer. Also wheat is huskless also presenting malting and mashing concerns. The husks in barley create a natural filter bed, while wheat can get gummed up, messing with the brew day. It is this problematic no-husk quality that likely led brewers to gravitate to barley over time. No beer is 100% wheat, for all the reasons stated above. To be classified as a “wheat beer” it must contain at least 30% wheat and preferably more than 50%. You can get as high as 70% if you want.

Enough pesky science. What does wheat do for a beer? I argue it does three things. First, it alters the flavour, giving a sharper, more earthy sweetness It adds a refreshing edge to a beer, lightening the sweetness and body. Second it assists head retention, allowing for rocky, longstanding heads that give a beer an impressive look. Third, it resists clarification. All that extra protein in wheat hangs around post-fermentation and can create significant cloudiness in beer, if not aggressively filtered. This doesn’t necessarily change the flavour of the beer, although I think it does contribute to the sharper impression a wheat beer leaves.

You will note I didn’t talk about fruitiness, clove, spiciness or any of the other flavours often associated with wheat beer. That is because that is not the wheat talking, but the strains of yeast used to produce wheat beer. If we remember that beer styles evolved and shifted over time, then it makes sense why particular yeasts or other brewing practices have become associated with wheat. Over time brewers learned that some things complimented wheat, others did not.

For example, the light body wheat imparts is well-suited for fruit additions and for gentle spiciness. Big bitterness however, is likely to clash, creating too much harshness.  Consequently wheat beer are always lightly hopped.

There are five broad styles that rely heavily on wheat. First is what most Canadians would associate with wheat beer - American Wheat. Here we see wheat most clearly. The yeast is ordinary, only the malt bill changes.  Grasshopper might be the most well known of this style. Although a more flavourful version is Wild Rose’s Velvet Fog. Often we find American wheats spiked with fruit to create a refreshing summer drink.

Throw a special yeast in that beer however and you get the classic German Weizen. Special yeast produces banana and clove qualities that turn the beer into something unique. Weizen is actually a family of styles, varying by colour, strength and serving appearance, but sharing that fruity, spicy character.

As usual the Belgians go their own route, using unmalted wheat to produce Witbier. They also add orange, coriander and other spices to produce a more citrusy, delicate wheat beer. Hoegaarden is the original Witbier, but you must try Unibroue’s Blanche de Chambly or St. Bernardus’ Wit as more assertive examples.

The last two are officially wheat beer, but grain takes a back seat. Berliner Weisse is low alcohol, sour and, sadly, not available in western Canada. Lambics are also made with a significant portion of wheat. However, after all its spontaneous fermentation, oak aging and inoculation with wild yeasts and bacteria, this intensely tart, complex beer is less about wheat and more about process. Cantillon is the best example possible.

Wheat is perfect for summer because it increases the quenching factor in beer, plus most are light bodied and fresh. So this summer order a wheat ale and tip your glass to barley’s little sister - finally getting the credit she deserves.

Style: English Pale Ale
ABV: 5%
Presentation: 6 packs of 341 ml brown bottles
Brewery: Yukon Brewing Company
Country: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Since the inception of the Yukon Brewing Company over a decade ago now their Yukon Gold Ale has been one of their two flagship beers, and since then has remained their top selling brand.  Perhaps the key to this comes from several factors:  while it remains uncannily approachable and quenching it also possesses a subtle complexity to it, belying more than meets the eye upon an initial introduction.

Coming from the only brewery to be found north of the 60^th parallel in this country, several sources refer to Yukon Gold as “the perfect example of a Canadian beer.”  Perhaps this is the result of not trying to emulate or compete toe to toe with any other type of beer in particular, but being versatile enough to woo in both the commercial lager crowd as well as the more discerning craft beer type, who tends to frequent ales in general.  The numbers don’t lie, on its home turf 1 in 3 kegs consumed in the Yukon is Yukon Gold.  And considering that Alberta is the brewery’s primary outside market, this beer still tends to hold its own amongst the plethora of offerings we have to choose from.

For a decade now Yukon Gold has been a favourite session beer of mine.  What’s a session beer you ask?  Chances you already know the answer but may not be familiar with the term itself.  Generally as session beer is of low to average alcohol percentage (4-5%), quenching, satisfying, with enough character to crave another in succession yet not so complex that your palate becomes fatigued and overwhelmed after only one glass.  You have a few of these with friends on a sunny patio, watching the game, sitting around playing cards or a board game, kicking butt on Wii Bowling, or practically most kitchen parties.  A friendly and casual beer that you want to hang out with on a regular basis, but not get blitzed on.

A clean and crisp beer, it’s one you still don’t want to drink ice cold.  Let it warm at least 5-10 minutes after pulling from the fridge, there are some nice subtle nuances waiting for you within.  I’d choose a pint or similar style glass for it, a wider glass such as a mug (unless it’s a thin rimmed mug) will disperse a lot of that subtle goodness if you choose to go exploring for it.

A deep gold, light amber in appearance, with striking clarity, and a tall creamy white head, things already get off to a good start.  The nose picks up on a sweet bready malt at first, more caramel and toasted malt follows, with faint traces of floral hops.  This continues in the flavour with predominant clean malt, bready caramel notes up front, a toasty character combined with light wheat graininess in the middle, it finishes dry with subtle floral, grassy hops with practically no bitterness, and the most curious hint of chocolate in the aftertaste.  A mild, medium-bodied mouthfeel with low carbonation helps to easily deliver this session ale.

If you choose to go beyond enjoying Yukon Gold as a session ale and have a bite to eat with it, fairly light fare would be the key.  Fish and chips are the ideal pairing that first comes to mind, although it would compliment a lone serving of sweet potato fries as well.  Pan fried or lightly breaded calamari will also find a thoughtful dance partner with this ale.  If your tastes are a bit more posh I’d recommend lobster or crab, the maltiness will not overwhelm the shellfish and will even compliment any additional garlic butter for dipping served alongside.  Or for a more common meal, roasted chicken or turkey would be delighted to be paired some Yukon Gold, don’t forget a side of potatoes of the same name!

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Yukon Red
Chilkoot Lager
Lead Dog Ale
Yukon Cranberry Wheat
Discovery Ale
Ice Fog IPA
Midnight Sun Espresso Stout

In-Style:
Boddingtons Pub Ale
Fuller’s London Pride
St-Ambroise Pale Ale

Lateral Steps:
Innis and Gunn Oak Aged Beer
Duvel
Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Gold

For The Adventurous:
Lagunitas Censored
Anchor Liberty Ale
Maudite - Unibroue