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.

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.

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

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

Here’s a classical rendition of a Pilsner that arose about out of bit of necessity.  Most evident from the basis that there was no such fresh offering available at the time, at least within the borders of Saskatchewan.  Oh sure, there was a chuck wagon decorated domestic that carried the name of that style, plus a couple imports which were usually a bit stale after their long journey, but nothing local that did justice to this once ground-breaking style.

Don’t believe me?  The Pilsner, a sub-style of lagers, has only been around since 1842, when it was developed in the city of Plzen, Bohemia which is now located in the modern day Czech Republic.  Its popularity immediately caught on as the original clear and light-coloured beer, which at the time was a marvel of brewing engineering and finesse, and would become the beer of choice in the decades to follow.  If the 20^th century were to have an official beverage, it may as well be the Pilsner in all its various incarnations and interpretations, as it was the most widely produced and consumed beer style of the 1900’s.

What you most likely first used to consider “Beer” actually was no doubt the light yellow fizzy contents of mass produced domestic Pilsner-styled lagers that for the most part used to be the only available option for us folks here in North America.  From the end of Prohibition up to the late 1970’s this watered down and cheaply produced phantom of the original Pilsners was pretty much the only game in town, with very few exceptions.

In order to work his way around the lack of availability to an authentic version of the Czech Pilsner style Steve Cavan took his passion for homebrewing, and subsequent venture of running a homebrew supply business, to the next level.  That next step was setting up the Paddock Wood microbrewery, so he could afford (and justify) bringing in the proper ingredients necessary to produce the real deal similar to what was still being made back in the land of its birthplace.

The actual name of this Czech-styled Pilsner stems from one of the many other passions of Steve Cavan:  Chess!  And to give Czech Mate even more street cred the label was designed and illustrated by Randy Mosher of beer literati fame (author of Radical Brewing and Tasting Beer), a visual pun involving the knight from Alice In Wonderland.

Now to fully enjoy this Pilsner of the Prairies you’re going to want to utilize the tall fluted traditional Pilsner glass.  Another tall medium-brimmed glass will work as well, but anything too wide will thin out the head quickly and wash out the aromatics within.  Since this is an all-malt lager you don’t want to serve it iced cold either, let it warm up 5-10 minutes at least so you can enjoy the ingredients within which motivated the opening of a microbrewery.

Czech Mate is a clear vibrant gold in colour, crowned by tall tight spongy white head with good retention.  Bready malt, crisp grains and light grassy hops rise up in the aroma, clean profile.  Following suit in the flavour is an identical match of the aroma, well balanced, and delivered by a medium-bodied mouthfeel with light carbonation.  It may all sound a bit basic on paper, however with a decent Pilsner much of what makes it so good is what isn’t there.  Minimalism and simplicity is the key, and there’s no place to hide or cover up something out of place.

On its own Czech Mate is a great thirst quencher, and fits the bill for a satisfying session beer, especially on a hot day.  Speaking of heat, this Pilsner is a welcome companion next to Indian, Thai, Mexican and Cajun meals, where it compliments while putting out some of the fire.  Spicy sausage and cured, treated ham will also find sweet relief when partnered up, the Pilsner will blanket the heat and cut through the spice.  However Czech Mate is still mild enough to not overwhelm a plate of steamed clams or a basket of crab legs if you’re feeling like seafood.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
606 Ale
Bête Noire
Black Cat Lager
Double Double
London Porter
Winter Ale

In-Style:
Lagunitas Pils
Czechvar
Krušovice Imperial
Pilsner Urquell

Lateral Steps:
Creemore Springs Premium Lager
Amber’s Australian Mountain Pepper Berry Lager
Warsteiner Dunkel
Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Gold

For The Adventurous:
Schneider Weisse
Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale
Fuller’s ESB
Unibroue Maudite

We had the pleasure of tasting the Sebastiani wines a few years ago.  There was a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and a Zinfandel.  Now they make a number of other wines, but these three we had tried at the time.  After doing a little research on the winery, we discovered some interesting information about the vineyards and winery that made up Sebastiani.

Over one hundred years ago is when the story of this winery began when Samuele Sebastiani emigrated from Tuscany Italy.  A mere nine years after he emigrated he started the winery.  He was a man with a vision for sure.  During the period of Prohibition in the United States (1920-1933), the winery was allowed to continue making wine because it made a small amount of sacramental and medicinal wines, which was allowed under the law.  However not all of Samuele’s neighbours faired so well.  He came up with a plan to initiate some major projects both at the winery and at the plaza around one of the churches to help keep people employed.  When there was not enough at the winery to keep his employees working, he decided to start canning fruit to make up some of the difference.  He was a hard worker himself, and he expected the same of others, but he did everything he could to help people during this period of Great Depression.

Samuele passed away in 1944.  His son and daughter-in-law, August and Sylvie, purchased the winery from the estate and thus began the next expansion of Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  August added new varietals and proprietary blends. He was a big believer in supporting the craftsmen of Sonoma and put their skills to good use at Sebastiani, which is why you still see some of the hand-carved Sebastiani barrels at the winery today.  August was also devoted to birds and their preservation.  He had a collection of very rare doves and black swans and was also a supporter of Ducks Unlimited.  Upon August’s passing, Sylvie and their children, Sam, Don and Mary-Ann took over the management of the winery.  Sam left six years later to start his own winery.  During this period, the winery grew and started a ‘value’ brand of wines which became very successful and was eventually sold in 2001 so the family could ‘refocus’ on the family brand wines.

Don eventually left to devote his time to a winery he started in 1985 with his brother-in-law Roy Cecchetti… Cecchetti Sebastiani Cellars (now called Don Sebastiani & Sons).  Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo, assumed the role of president and CEO and helped lead the company through its period of transition.  “She spearheaded the multi-million dollar remodel of the Sebastiani tasting room and hospitality center completed in 2001″.  In order to make an emphasis on small lot artisan wines, the winemaking facility underwent major renovations.

In 2008, Bill Foley of Foley Family Wines acquired Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery.  There is a lot of history for sure and a there are lot of wonderful wines to come in the future.   Let’s get tasting this wine…

First of all, as always, get the wine out of the bottle so it can breathe for a while.  The nice zinfandel flavours will be more pronounced.  We usually like to let this zinfandel sit for about an hour.  This wine doesn’t have huge alcohol levels.  It comes in at 13.5% ABV.   With a lower alcohol, the fruit comes shining through.  The colour is dark ruby with purple and violet overtones.  The cherry and juicy red fruit flavours are quite noticeable.  But there are also some notes of vanilla (aged in casks for 5 months).  Bam… there is that nice spice that we love about zinfandel.  It isn’t overpowering, just a wee bit of black pepper… just enough to make it interesting.

Food Pairing:

Braised, BBQ’d or roasted Italian/Chorizo Sausage, Beef, Lamb, Pork or Venison;  Ribs with a nice spicy BBQ sauce; Parmesan cheese; Manchego (Spanish) cheese; Eggplant lasagna.

CSPC:     37275
Price:

$19.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Next week is June 30^th, the day before Canada Day!  See you then.

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

While it started out in 1989 during Montreal’s first wave of microbreweries, the McAuslan Brewery has exercised its staying power over the past couple of decades by producing top notch yet easily consumable beers, regardless of whatever style they tackled.  Although their beers have been available here in Alberta for a good six years now, we are still only privy to their Apricot Wheat Ale, world class Oatmeal Stout, and refined Pale Ale.

It’s this last beer that has stood out as McAuslan’s flagship beer since day one, and has managed to maintain such a lengthy reign with a bearing of subtle complexity and solid character.  After all, the style of Pale Ale is a ubiquitous mainstay within almost any craft brewery or brewpub to be found throughout North America, at times so unrecognizable from its neighbours that it sadly can be coined as the “vanilla” of craft beer styles.

Proper glassware won’t be too big of a concern for this St-Ambroise Pale Ale, it’s pretty versatile, so the standard mug or pint glass will serve well.  Even with the nuances to discover within a fairly chilled temperature is recommended, so let the bottle sit out for 5-10 minutes before opening and consuming.

Gorgeous from the get go, what splashes into the glass is an appealing clear vibrant copper beer capped by a creamy off-white head that never fully dissipates.  To follow is an aroma of grassy and floral hops, some light orchard fruit, rounded out with some light biscuit malt.  No disappointment in the flavour either, it delivers what the nose promises with a seamless blending of malt and hops.  Assertively crisp biscuit and caramel malt up front with hints of peach arising in the middle, while dry floral hops round things out accompanied with some light pear and fresh grass.  All this riding on a creamy smooth and lightly effervescent mouthfeel.  All in all a classy session beer.

If pairing with food, it would be best to stick with milder fare as to not overwhelm this St-Ambroise Pale Ale.  Chicken, white fish, and pasta dishes with white sauce is safe ground.  For a more ethnic twist consider mild curried dishes, along with Vietnamese or Mexican food so long as the chilies aren’t too intense.  For those planning a session with this ale and only considering finger foods you can’t go wrong with salsa and tortilla chips, or a platter of mild and tangy cheeses to munch on between sips.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
St-Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
St-Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale

In Style:
Mill Street Tankhouse Ale
Yukon Gold
Pike Pale Ale
Tree Cutthroat Pale Ale

Lateral Steps:
Lagunitas Censored
Alley Kat Full Moon Pale Ale
Erdinger Weisse
Duvel

For The Adventurous:
Tree Hophead
Wild Rose IPA
Anchor Liberty Ale

First of all, before we start anything here, I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Diana for taking care of everything while Richard and I were in Europe.  Thank you for being so amazing, Diana.

Now on to our feature this week:

In 1849 in Angers, France, Adolphe and Edouard-Jean Cointreau opened a distillery to create spirits from local fruit.  Now you may not think that is too unusual.  What you don’t know is that Adolphe and Edouard-Jean were very famous master confectioners.  Going from making bonbons to making spirits is quite a leap.  I for one am very glad they made that jump.  In 1875 Edouard-Jean’s son, Edouard, not only distilled the sweet and bitter orange peels and the other ingredients to make Cointreau, but he also invented the square-sided amber bottle, which is the signature look of Cointreau today.  Cointreau is referred to as ‘the original orange liqueur.

Cointreau (kwan-tro) is a liqueur made from a secret family recipe.  It is made by distilling sweet and bitter orange peels, blended with natural alcohol, sugar and water.  It is referred to as ‘the original orange liqueur.  That is the technical speak part of this article.

When people first see Cointreau, they are quite surprised by the colour.  Well, lack of colour, I should say.  Yes it is made out of sweet and bitter orange peel, but it is totally clear.  Most people expect to see a brownish or orange-brown type colour.  By it being clear, it makes it very attractive as a mix in drinks.  And it does a lot of mixing:  Margarita, Cointreau Bubbles, Side Car, B-52, Cosmopolitan, Champs-Elysées, Kamikaze, Spanish Sangria and Daiquiri to name just a few.

It is amazing how many people think that a Margarita comes out of just one bottle that says ‘Margarita’.  It is such an easy drink to make and it tastes to darn good.  Just look:

Margarita

- 20ml (1oz) Cointreau
- 40ml (2 oz) tequila
- 10ml  (0.5oz) lime juice

Shake and strain into a salt rimmed margarita glass

Trick: Garnish: lime slice

Now how simple is that!

Cointreau isn’t just for drinks either.  There are some fabulous recipes for food.  Something as simple as a nice vinaigrette.  I don’t know about you, but I make my salad dressing on a regular basis.  It is so simple and it takes only a couple of minutes.  Once in a very blue moon I buy one, but it is so easy to make on your own and you can experiment.

Take a look at this vinaigrette:

There are so many food recipes like:  Strawberries Romanoff (sounds complicated, but it isn’t and it is yummy), Dutch Apple Pie and my husband’s wonderful Cointreau Cheesecake (no bake variety).  All of these recipes, of course, have no calories in them (wink wink, nudge nudge).

Now you can try one or all of these recipes or just simply just sip on the Cointreau all on its own, or over ice.

Today we are going to have a wonderful drink called “Cointreau Bubbles” or, if you like, you may try the Cointreau all on its own.

Come by and enjoy.  We’ll be waiting for you.

Thank you to www.cointreau.com for the wonderful recipes.

CSPC:     6502 (750 ml)
Price:

$34.99 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

CSPC:     10322 (375 ml)
Price:

$18.50 (Minus Winesday 10% discount.)

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

Next week we are travelling back to the United States of America.

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

So in the last few “Beer 101″ I looked at beer freshness, staleness and how to determine its age, all for the purpose of helping you determine when your beer is at its best. This month I want to finish this particular unit by looking at special beer meant for storing over many years.

Twenty years ago a western Canadian was unlikely to find any beer appropriate for cellaring. However, times change and today your favourite beer store (and we know which one that is) stocks dozens of beer appropriate for storing until a special occasion. These are beer that will not only survive, but get better with age. And, no, it is not O’keefe’s Extra Old Stock (can you even buy that stuff anymore??) .

What makes a beer age-able? Two features. First, is alcohol content. Most cellared beers have an alcohol content above 7-8%. The alcohol acts as a preservative by killing any invading life forms, and allowing the beer’s natural components (like residual sugar) to persist over a longer period of time.

I should quickly mention that there are a few exceptions to this rule. Lambics and Bieres de Garde, which are spontaneously fermented and taste quite tart and sour, can also last decades, despite being only 4-5% alcohol. They are the exception. Their high acidic environment is just as lethal to unwanted organisms as alcohol, and so they can age for years. The perfect example is the new line available at Sherbrooke from Cantillon in Belgium. While expensive, they provide the best example of lambic I have tasted.

But I digress. The second necessary quality is complexity. The beer needs to be brewed with an eye for a multi-dimensional richness - with a number of malt varieties, interesting hops and other flavours. The key here is that you need a lot going on in the beer if it is going to survive the aging period.

Because what happens during aging (just like wine) is the flavours blend, mellow and shift. Hops become less assertive, malts take on different qualities and new flavours introduce themselves. If a beer is one-dimensional (even if well-made), there is little to alchemize and the beer will not improve. So, you need to start with a bold beer, one that has the fortitude to stick its chest out at Father Time and declare “do your best!”

It can be a magical process. Malts that at first seem too overpowering in their diversity blend and mellow, forming a symbiotic sweetness. Hops that early on rip the skin off the roof of your mouth become less aggressive and submit to a supporting role. Even the dreaded oxidation (when beer reacts with oxygen to create off-flavours) works. Instead of turning into some insipid liquid cardboard, like most beer would, in an aging beer oxidation creates sherry and dark fruit notes which add complexity and a wine character.

So what are the main styles that can be aged? It is important to divide them into two categories - medium-term aging and long-term aging. Medium-term aging beers are Dopplebocks, Strong Scotch Ales, Baltic Porters and Imperial IPAs. These are all beers with higher alcohol content which allows them to survive for a year or maybe two. But each carries a characteristic that does it in eventually. For example, Imperial IPAs depend on a big hop aroma and bitterness. That fades with time. Dopplebocks are rich and sweet, but do not have sufficient bitterness to prevent a breakdown of the malt quality.

Long-term beer are Old Ales, Barley Wines, Russian Imperial Stouts (RIS), and Belgian Dubbels, Tripels and Quadrupels (and their relatives). Each is age-able over the long term for different reasons. Old Ales and Barley Wines have a malt complexity that grows old with wine-like grace. RIS’s are just so honking big that it takes time for all their flavours to come to compromise. And Belgian beers have their funky, spicy yeast qualities which keep working on the beer over time. How long is long? Well let’s talk about 10 to 50 years.

What are some good examples of cellar beer? I personally keep a few bottles of every Olde Deuteronomy from Alley Kat for aging (for three reasons: it is local, it is relatively inexpensive for a barley wine and it is a great example of the style), but also collect Thomas Hardy’s Ale, Fuller’s Vintage Ale, anything big from St. Bernardus or Westmalle, or the many quality seasonal offerings, like Wild Rose Barley Wine, Half Pints Burley Wine and Brooklyn’s Local series (One and Two). Plus there are a number of worthy RIS’s and other Belgians you could put aside if so inclined.

So finally, how best to store cellared beers. Keep them upright in a location where they are not exposed to light. Cellar temperatures are best (10-15 degrees Celsius), which means pick the coolest corner of your basement. The best strategy is to buy a few bottles, so you can sample them over time. Plus, if you have bottles from multiple years (many cellar beers put the date on their label) you could do a vertical tasting to see how the beer progresses over time.

I warn you of one risk in aging beer. You may never want to open that 20-year-old Thomas Hardy’s Ale, believing that a better occasion might come along in a few years. I have certainly befallen such a fate. This is the risk you take.