Thursday, May 28, 2015

Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Saison with Mandarin Oranges and Peppercorns

I see it! The light at the end of this cloudy, rainy tunnel! This weekend shows promise of sunshine and 90 degree weather. I appreciate the rain, but I can't remember the last dry day we had! I enjoy NW style beer, but not NW style weather. Just to throw some figures at you, we've already had over double the monthly average rainfall in inches, and almost triple the rainfall of May 2014. Change seasons, already!

Speaking of seasons...

Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Saison with Mandarin Oranges and Peppercorns - Collaboration with Monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux
(For those of you scratching your heads, "saison" mean's "season" in French.)

BG Poured from a 12.7 fl oz cork & cage bottle into a tall stemmed tulip, 7.5% ABV, Packaged 05/05/15

A Bright copper in color with almost three fingers of fluffy eggshell foam. It has better clarity than usual for a saison - only slightly hazy. Lacing is nice and sticky.

A Smells like a malty orange soda! The peppercorns match well with the spicy phenols from the yeast. Sweet citrus, toffee, biscuit, stinky feet - but it’s somehow not off-putting. 

T Hmm… it’s got a weird banana, burned caramel pudding thing going on. Sweet mandarin juice, angel food cake, over-baked cookies, lemon zest, very peppery. There’s some citrusy hops for support, but it’s fairly masked. Overall, it’s sticky sweet with a peppery zip.

M Creamy, sticky, a touch of alcoholic warming, moderate carbonation, med-full body

A Burnt toffee

C Not a fan! But that doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s hard to separate the yeast character from the mandarin and peppercorn, which means they’re paired very well. The combination of flavors just isn’t my thing. I think it’s the peppercorn. I like it for seasoning food, but not for seasoning saisons. One person’s meh is another person’s yeh! … or something.

FP Banana pancakes with walnuts and real maple syrup. Lightly panko breaded halibut and mixed greens salad with grape tomatoes, red onion, a citrus herb vinaigrette, and a generous topping of fresh cracked pepper. Crème brûlée with a citrus glaze.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Boulevard Brewing Smokestack Series Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale

I don't know why, but it has been on the chillier side in Salt Lake as of late. It has sent me downing mugs of tea, layering up with blankets, and sipping on pints of stout. The swing in temperature brings a renewed appreciation for cold weather libations, and I'm happy to partake. 

Boulevard Brewing Smokestack Series Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale

BG Poured from a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle into a snifter, 10.5% ABV, Best By 01/28/17

A Coppery-orange in color with ruby highlights, and almost two fingers of sandy foam. Lacing sticks in splotches here and there. The head looks very creamy and persistent. It’s brilliant, though the color is fairly dark. 

A Belgian yeast phenolics, candied plums, baking spices, sticky sweet caramel, a touch of fusel alcohols, dark raisins, Portuguese bread roll, crunch berries cereal, crystal malt, a little bit of dry grass, mild floral hops for balance

T Boozy! I get strong alcohol from start to finish. It goes down like a very gentle Canadian whiskey. Equal parts caramel and dark fruit join that up front 10.5% to create a sort of bourbon caramel covered cherry chocolate experience. Bran muffin, cinnamon, toasted cashews, dark raisins, molasses. 

M High carbonation creates fluffiness. Full body. Carbonation and alcohol join forces to give a decent bite. Alcoholic warmth lasts forever.

A Cinnamon and brown sugar oatmeal, spiced rum

C This is exactly what the doctor ordered for a long bout of cooler, rainy Utah weather. There’s enough alcoholic warmth in this glass to keep me from turning the heat on in mid-May. Sounds weird, but feels weird...er. Where’s my sunshine? Why am I wearing my winter coat? It doesn't matter. Sixth glass or first, this quad is here to warm you the whole way.

FP Apple and raisin stuffed chicken breast with rosemary mashed potatoes and buttered asparagus. French toast sticks with bourbon maple syrup for dipping. Warm bread pudding with a caramel drizzle.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Saison Dupont

Being really into saisons lately, it's only fitting that I finally try the benchmark of the entire style. Brasserie Dupont has been making their saison since 1844. Woo! That's only a few years younger than the oldest brewery in America (1829). Nobody lasts that long unless they're doing it right!
Brasserie Dupont Saison Dupont

BG Poured from a 750 ml (1 pt 9.4 fl oz) green glass bottle into a stemmed tulip glass, 6.5% ABV. There’s no date code, but the cork reads “2.014”. I’m not sure if this has any significance. 

A Golden honey in color with 2.5 fingers of soft white foam that sticks to the glass. The foam looks silky and enticing. Slightly hazy.

A Lots of yeast-derived fruitiness - ripe apricots, late harvest white grapes, wildflower honey. Horse blanket and sweat are brought out with a gentle swirl of the glass. Light graininess, a bit of spice, mild citrus.

T Funky! An off-dry impact of white grapes gives way to tangerine rind, hard graininess, and bleu cheese. It’s rather bitter without being hoppy. Dry grass, biscuit, honeydew, toastiness, some umami from the yeast. Gobs of honey on the finish, though it comes off as very dry.

M High carbonation gives a fluffy mouthfeel. Med-light body, and slightly mouth-drying.

A Rather bitter red apple skin, a little papery

C Very interesting! Beers infected with Brett or other wild microorganisms always leave me scrounging for words to describe what I’m tasting. I’ll have to figure out a better vocabulary for these types! I’m positive this is oxidized. It has the telltale honey/waxy/papery flavors, but I’m taking it with a grain of salt. This is a great beer, and would pair well with most meals.

FP Garden fresh bruschetta. Spaghetti with an herbed red sauce, green bell peppers, and browned Italian sausage. Sourdough toast topped with lightly spiced pear jam and bleu cheese crumbles.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Getting The Most Out Of Your Beer

Check it out! I recently wrote a blog for the Red Rock Brewing website about getting the most out of your beer. You can go read it here.


My friend Noodle was so kind as to let me use her darling Bernese mountain dog pup for this picture. Her name is Pippa, and she has an instagram: pippatheberner. What a cutie!