Port Jeff Brewing Co. (Job Search Part 3)

Port Jeff Brewing Co.'s Fermantation Tanks

I apologize about the long hiatus. I’ve been working incredibly hard trying to get ready for Brewlab at the end of this month (I leave February 24th). Interning at a start-up brewery has been one of my many learning experiences.

After applying to over 15 different breweries in New York and beyond, I was lucky enough to get an internship at Port Jeff Brewing Co., a brand new brewery (the Grand Opening was October 15^th, 2011) located on Long Island, NY in Port Jefferson. I had never worked in an industrial environment before so I knew there would be an adjustment period but the people I worked with were supportive and willing to show me how to be comfortable in a brewery.

A lot of people are under the impression that working in a brewery is nonstop fun all day long, and to some extent it is really, how bad can it be making beer all day? But breweries are businesses and they still need to operate on an efficient and consistent basis. This was something I learned immediately.

Although it took me some time to get comfortable and get my “brewing legs”, it was a great experience for me to see what goes into making beer on a commercial scale. I woke up around 6each morning to make sure I got to Port Jeff by 8am. The drive definitely wasn’t the most fun part of my experience. From the moment I got there to the time I left, I was working. I did everything from milling the grain to mashing in to filling kegs to even hopping in the boil kettle to scrub it out (something I did my first day). I remember being greeted at the door on my first day and quickly asked whether or not I was claustrophobic. I should have answered “yes” because after that I was given a bucket of iodine solution and a sponge and sent into the kettle. That was more or less my right of passage.

Port Jeff brews on a 7-barrel system (technically a nano-brewery) and has 4 fermenters and 1 Bright Tank used to carbonate the beer. Two of the fermenters are 14-barrel and allow for double batches, while the other 2 are smaller 7-barrel fermenters allowing for only one batch of beer at a time

I worked closely with Mike Philbrick, the founder and head brewer and his brewer Jeff, who handled the day-to-day management. Port Jeff brews many different beers but most notable (and popular) are the Schooner Ale (a hoppy Pale Ale with nice citrus flavors and a malty finish), the Runaway Ferry IPA (Mike was going for double digit alcohol percentage and triple digit IBU‘s; this is one major hop bomb with a dose of hops during the mash-in and pounds of Warrior hops) and my personal favorite, the Port Jeff Porter (a very traditional porter that is smooth and has a bit of lingering sweetness at the end from natural, local honey added during fermentation).

Working at Port Jeff allowed me to see all aspects of brewing from milling, mashing in, boiling, transferring and cleaning (to name a few). The thing that was so great about Port Jeff, was its size (or lack thereof). I was able to see how everything connected and worked together. The brewery works very similar to an assembly line (brewing, fermenting, clearing, carbonating, kegging and storing) and the beer simply moves down the line and out for consumption at local bars and restaurants.

Port Jeff Brewing relies heavily on it’s local community that has embraced it fully. There was no shortage of people wandering in from the apartments upstairs to “check-in” or visitors that come to sample beers in the tasting room.

Although a lot of Port Jeff’s beers appear basic compared to the wildly experimental brews coming out of Dogfish Head or Lagunitas, Mike and Jeff make high quality beers and I’m proud to say I was able to brew with them for about 4 months. Port Jeff has only begun to scratch the surface of its potential and will be expanding its operation to increase the number of fermentation tanks, bottling capacity and will begin to barrel age many of their beers.  I’m looking forward to watching their progress.

 

Orval Trappist Ale

Orval Trappist Ale

Style: Belgian Pale Ale

Brewery: Brasserie d’Orval S.A.

Orval is one of six Trappist Breweries currently operating in Belgium.  The monks at Abbey d’Orval produce only one beer -  Orval Trappist Ale and Tim Webb, author of “Good Beer Guide to Belgium”, described it as “God’s home-brew”.  The first record of brewing at the monastery was in 1628 but it is believed that brewing could have taken place as early as the twelfth century.  The French destroyed the Monastery in the 1790′s and it was not re-built until 1926. This makes Orval both the oldest and the youngest Trappist monastery.

The beer itself is something that brewers in the United States have tried to replicate with almost nothing to show for it.  Orval Trappist Ale undergoes a four day primary fermentation and then a three week secondary fermentation which includes the addition of new yeast and Styrian Goldings flowers (a hop variety).  Clear liquid candi sugar is also added and makes up 16% of the fermentables.

The beers pours a deep unfiltered, hazy, copper color (a bit shocking for those expecting a “typical” pale ale color).  A thick white head rose from the beer and released gentle yeast, fruit and malt aromas.  The first sip is very unique.  There are fruity, malty and yeast-like flavors that blend together creating an incredibly interesting flavor that is unlike anything else.  There is a bit of a hop bite at the end that isn’t unpleasant and almost urges you to take another sip.  Orange flavors become a bit pronounced during the aftertaste and the medium mouthfeel lends itself perfectly to the lovely flavors.

Definitely one of the most unique beers I have ever tried and if this beer is a product of a brewery that focuses only on one beer then more breweries may want to consider reducing their offerings.  Orval is a must try for a any beer fan who wants to expand their horizons and palate.

Grade: 92%

Song Pairing: All Blues – Miles Davis

An expertly crafted song for an expertly crafted beer.  The subtleties of Davis’ playing are complimented perfectly by the gentle and unique flavors of this beer.  The flavors and instruments flow together creating an interesting mash of sounds and tastes.

 

What Are The Differences Between a Stout and a Porter?

Can You Tell The Difference?

Unless you’re a fairly big beer fan you probably don’t even know what a Porter is but you’ve probably heard of a Guinness Stout.  Stouts dominate the dark beer market and Guinness is one of the most recognized beer brands in the world.  The reason Stout is able to overshadow the Porter is because of its ability to encompass so many unique characteristics.  Everything that a Porter is able to do or convey, a Stout can do just as well.  Of course many home and craft brewers enjoy the Porter style because of its history and variation in flavors and style guidelines.

Porters are beers that didn’t evolve from anything else but were created and engineered in 1722 to meet consumer demands.  This style is considered to be the first “industrial” beer because of its manufactured quality.  During England’s industrial revolution this beer style blossomed but was eventually swallowed up by large brewing companies who sacrificed flavor for cheap adjuncts and quality began to decline.

The Porter is still alive and well but not considered to be “mainstream” quite yet.  Small breweries in the U.S. and U.K. still produce Porters in a limited quantity.  They struggle to compete with the larger brewers but have found a nice niche in the market.

The shortcomings of the Porter are well documented but without this style the Stout would never have evolved – to take its place and outlive it.  Stouts fall into four main styles: Classic, Foreign, Sweet and Imperial.  Each of these styles has distinctive and unique characteristics.  Stouts can vary widely in almost every category.  They can be sweet or bitter, low or high alcohol, no hop flavor or aroma to a lot.  The only consistency between them is that they all have to be at least 40 SRM (dark in color).

Stouts are not only more widely available than Porters but they are more clearly defined.  The word Stout was first used in 1677 in the quote “We will drink your health both in stout and best wine.”  Of course Stout was simply a word referring to a “strong beer”.  When patrons in bars would want a strong Porter they would ask for a “Stout Porter” and although there wasn’t a clear definition of what this meant the customer would usually receive what they wanted.  It wasn’t until 1817 that barley was able to be roasted and this would probably be the beginnings of Stouts.  Before this time Stout Porters were probably dark brown in color and not the typical pitch-black we have come to know today.  Stout was first documented in 1820 as meaning something different than a Porter.

There is no other beer style more synonymous with a brand.  Guinness and Stout go hand in hand and the Guinness Stout is considered to be the classic rendition of the style.  The Guinness Brewery went from producing 7,500 barrels in 1800 to 1,500,000 barrels in 1900.  Eventually Porter production began to wane and were overpowered by the demand for this slightly different style.

Other than the fact that Porters can be lighter and contain a bit more hop bitterness than Stouts, there is no real difference.  Stouts are able to do everything that a Porter is able to and can easily jump the thin lines that separate them.  The main reason that brewers differentiate between the two may be due to marketing purposes.  Stouts have become the dominant dark beer and in order to put themselves in a separate category they call the other dark beers they create Porters.  Despite the history that Stouts were stronger than Porters, the Porters being made in the U.S. tend to have stronger and more pronounced flavors when compared to the Stouts.  Craft beer is about differentiation and there is no better way to differentiate yourself than by simply changing a name.

So what is the real difference between the Porter and the Stout?  History.  Stout is the son who evolved and eventually dethroned his outdated father.  Stout remained in control for the following centuries and is still in control today.  Either way these styles are packed with flavor and have some of the most beautiful beers you will ever lay your eyes on.  Their mysterious black color and bold, roasted flavors separate them from the rest of the beer world.  Stouts can be Porters and Porters are craft Stouts.

 

Japanese Green Tea IPA

Japanese Green Tea IPA

Style: Imperial IPA (Double IPA)

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.

Japanese Green Tea IPA was made in collaboration with Mitch Steele (Brewmaster of Stone Brewing Co.), Bryan Baird* (Brewmaster of Baird Brewing Co.) and Toshi Ishii (President of Ishii Brewing Co. and former Stone Brewing Co. Brewer).  The sale proceeds of this beer will go to tsunami relief programs in Japan – definitely something to get excited about drinking.

The green tea was added using a dry-hopping technique in which the tea is dried and added directly to the fermenter.  It was also made using 4 different hop varieties: Aramis from France, Pacifica from New Zealand and Crystal and Warrior from the United States.

This beer pours an unfiltered, golden orange color with a small white head that fades quickly.  Hop and citrus aromas fill the nose with a few floral notes as well.  The first sip contains hop bitterness throughout that isn’t overwhelming.  It has a smooth mouthfeel and medium body and despite the 9.2% ABV (to correlate with the magnitude of the earthquake) the alcohol is undetectable.  There is a hoppy aftertaste and in the succeeding sips the malty sweetness breaks through a bit.  I also got a hint of citrus (but not much) and it was lacking the herbal quality I was expecting from the green tea.  I feel that the hoppy character overwhelmed the gentle green tea that was added.

Overall, a pretty solid IPA but I was disappointed with the depth of flavors.  I understand this is an American IPA but if the hoppiness was toned down to be more like an English IPA the malty characters and green tea could shine a bit more.

To learn more about this beer and the people behind it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvosvdWfmas

Grade: 82%

Song Pairing: Maybellene – Chuck Berry

A very simple song with some bite just like the Japanese Green Tea IPA.  The guitar resembles the hops, while all the other instruments (with the exception to the snare drum) are drowned out.  Still a great song, still a fine beer to benefit a good cause.

*Bryan Baird will be speaking alongside Brooklyn Brewery Co-founder and President, Steve Hindy, at the Japan Society in NYC on October 5th, 2011 on “The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Japanese Craft Brewing“.

 

Should We Lower The Drinking Age?

Are these really the enemy?

I think the issue of the drinking age has a lot of moving parts.  Setting the drinking age to where it is today wasn’t simply picking a number out of a hat.  There were issues of health, politics, industry and even culture that went into the equation.

Health is probably one of the biggest concerns as alcohol can cause detrimental effects to the brain during key developmental periods.  The human brain doesn’t stop developing and maturing until 25 years of age and drinking and abusing alcohol can cause some long term detrimental effects.  As the alcohol content rises in the bloodstream different parts of the brain are affected: the cerebral cortex (inhibiting thought thus making it hard to think properly), then the cerebellum (making it hard to keep your balance), next is the hypothalamus and pituitary (increase in sexual urges) and finally the medulla (causing sleepiness, slower breathing and lower body temperature).  In the short-term, “blackouts” can occur resulting in memory lapses but long-term risks can lead to permanent damage such as the brain shrinking and deficiencies in the fibers that transmit information to the brain cells (HowStuffWorks).

I have been wondering whether lowering the drinking age would even help the alcohol industry all that much.  I think it would to some extent because you basically open the floodgates to a larger population but do I think that lowering the drinking age would help revive the large brewing companies like Anheuser-Busch or MillerCoors?  Not entirely but I think it could provide a bit of cash flow because kids could purchase alcohol from grocery stores instead of stealing from Mom and Dad’s fridge.  I also believe that if the large brewers thought this would help their sales then we would be hearing more noise about it (they have a lot of lobbying power).  The largest beer market segment is between the ages of 35-44 years old, who make up 23.2% of the beer drinking market (according to IBISWorld).  This means that even if the drinking age was lowered to 18, they probably wouldn’t become a large part of the beer drinking segment anyway.

I do however think that a lower drinking age would have a positive impact on craft beer and even homebrewing.  Young people would be able to buy beer that matches their palates and start developing their own tastes.  There would be no need to get the cheapest and most easily accessible beer anymore.  I also believe that homebrewing could become more of a family tradition and could be a positive teaching opportunity for parents and their children.

I feel that culture is the biggest issue with drinking in America.  Parents can sometimes make alcohol seem like the “forbidden fruit”.  This causes kids to want it more and may lead to problems of alcohol abuse.  Alcohol is supposed to enhance food and although it can sometimes serve as a social lubricant, it is misunderstood.  Parents should teach their children to respect and understand alcohol at home.  Drinking with your parents at dinner should no longer be frowned upon or something to brag to your friends about.  Having a glass of wine or beer at home should be commonplace.  I feel that this would help kids understand what wine and beer are meant for and how they can serve a purpose other than getting drunk.  Moderation and responsibility is key and if that can be taught instead of the “alcohol is evil approach” I believe we will all be better off.

Prohibition set alcohol back a long way because people during that time were simply drinking to get drunk as opposed to enjoying the occasional drink.  America also adopted this “abstinence only” educational approach to drinking.  They made alcohol seem to be the enemy and that anyone who partook in drinking (when they weren’t supposed to) were punished.  No one ever took the time to show people the attributes of alcohol and how it could enhance food.

With all things taken into consideration I believe the drinking age should be lowered to 18 or 19 in certain areas.  College campuses and military bases would be my main arguments as to where we could “test drive” the new policy.  These areas would allow for more oversight and control over the drinking process.  College campuses are rampant with underage drinking and if you were to lower the drinking to where freshman could consume alcohol with seniors it could become a much safer environment.  Instead of ripping shots and chugging beers secretly in a dorm room they can be served as adults on campus bars and regulated.  Colleges could also create on-campus bars that would allow students a place to go while bringing extra money into the school, providing a safe place for students and even provide learning opportunities for Hospitality Management students.

Kids are going to drink regardless of whether it’s legal or not (especially in college).  Why not provide a safer, more regulated way for them to do so.  No kid should ever have to worry about calling the ambulance because their underage friend is sick with alcohol poisoning.  We should try to repair the “alcohol is evil” mentality and put more emphasis on safer drinking habits as opposed to the “prohibition approach”.  Share and teach about wine, beer and spirits in a responsible way.

 

Prickly Pear Braggot (Brothers’ Reserve Series)

Prickly Pear Braggot

This beer provided a lot of firsts for me.  It was my first Braggot, my first beer made with pear juice (something I have always wanted to do myself), my first Widmer Brothers beer and my first beer aged for more than 1 year (bottled in March, 2011).  I was really looking forward to trying it.

What also intrigued me about this beer was its display.  It sat in a classy looking, long cardboard box with an orange and brown label that wrapped around it.  The Widmer Brothers Brewing logo was watermarked on the top and contained prints of both the Widmer brothers’ signatures (Kurt and Rob).  It looked more like I was buying a fine cognac or wine rather than a bottle of beer.

Widmer Brothers Brewing releases limited, one-of-a-kind beer under their “Brothers’ Reserve” series.  This means that once all the bottles have been purchased, regardless of how popular the beer is, it will never be produced again.  It’s actually a genius way to stay relevant in the craft beer industry.  They can continue to gain popularity but as long as they continue to release these limited release beers they can keep their loyal and hardcore craft fans happy (without appearing like sell-outs)

After reading the box and examining the bottle I was finally ready to try it.  The beer poured an incredibly pretty golden orange color that almost matched the print ink on the label.  The head was weak and faded quickly without leaving too much lacing on the side of the glass (this may be due to aging).  The aromas were sweet and fruity with hints of alcohol and malt.

The first sip contained nice, clear pear and honey flavors that provided an almost herbal tea-like property.  The alcohol content (10% ABV) was not overpowering at first and allowed these simple and delicate flavors to shine through.  There was also a sweet honey tea aftertaste.  The following sips allowed the alcohol flavors to take over a bit and blocked out some of the other delicate flavors.  There was only a faint lingering of pear and honey at the end.

Overall, this was a pretty good beer but I would have preferred a bit more body as it sat a little too lightly on the tongue.  I would also have preferred the pear and honey to shine through a bit more because when they did it was really great.

Grade: 83%

Song Pairing: She’s Gone – Hall & Oates

A very a calming song for a gentle beer.  This song should pair perfectly with the tea-like flavors in this beer.  And just like the song this beer could use a bit more depth and body but definitely a nice song and a nice beer.

 

Belgian Beer Fest ’11 (Saturday Night Session)

The Belgian Beer Fest

I have always had a great appreciation for Belgian beers.  There is a rich history that goes with every beer brewed in Belgium and with the Trappist influence and spontaneous fermentation these beers are incredibly intriguing.  I could probably write an entire article on the history of Belgian beer but will save that for another time.  If you want to learn more I suggest reading “Brew Like a Monk” by Stan Hieronymus.  Stan does a great job explaining the Trappist lifestyle and provides a ton of information on every Trappist brewery.

The Belgian Beer Fest was hosted by both BeerAdvocate and Allagash Brewing Company (famous for their Belgian-inspired Allagash White).  I was most excited for the scaled down approach of this festival and was looking forward to visiting a fewer, more specialized breweries than during the American Craft Beer Fest (which featured over 100 different breweries pouring over 500 craft beers).  The Belgian Beer Fest featured only around 40 different breweries the night I attended (there were 3 different sessions).  The Night of the Funk on Friday is usually the main draw and includes beers ranging from traditional Belgian beers to inspired American Wild Ales.  I wasn’t able to make this session although next year I would love to attend.

I decided to buy a VIP ticket to the later Saturday session which I felt had a better speakers panel than the earlier one.  I also later learned that the VIP ticket allowed me to cut the line which was definitely a huge added bonus (unfortunately it cost about $17 more than the regular ticket).  The speakers for the event included:

• Alec Lopez, Armsby Abbey
• Joe Lipa, Merchant du Vin
• Steve Villani, Global Beer Network
• Tomme Arthur, The Lost Abbey

I arrived at the event with a friend of mine a bit later than I had wanted but we used our “VIP status” to head right in and cut the entire line (which I felt a little bad about).  The festival was being held at The Cyclorama at The Boston Center For The Arts.  It was a tiny room compared to the Seaport World Trade Center (about 1/8 the size) but created a nice cozy atmosphere that made everything a bit more personal.  The crowd was also a bit calmer than at the American Craft Beer Fest and these people seemed to be attending to try new craft beers as opposed to going to a big party.  After getting our wristbands and cups we decided to take a walk around to survey what was available.  After tasting about 10 different beers we decided it was time to take our seats for the forum.

The crowded Belgian Beer Fest tasting floor

The forum started promptly at 7pm and the the speakers gave brief introductions then discussed their approach to Belgian beers and how they select them for brewing, retail and wholesale distribution.  They explained how many of the monasteries care less about profits and more about how it much it is enjoyed by the general public, something I found to be very interesting.  They also talked about how brave you have to be to open a brewery in Belgium.  With over 1,000 different beers available already and in a country the size of Maryland, you have to be a bit nuts.  There was a brief history lesson after that and then we got to drinking.

Joe Lipa brought two of my favorite beers of the entire festival.  The first was Orval Trappist Ale which poured a hazy light amber color with floral, citrus and spice aromas.  Nice tart flavors with a surprisingly full bodied mouthfeel.  There was a slight hop bite with cider-like flavors.  Very complex and interesting.  The next was Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René.  This beer poured a golden color with very gentle aromas of fruit.  The flavors were tart and refreshing with hints of yeast and cellar-like flavors.  This was a very simple beer with quite a bit of depth.

The 2oz tasting cup and the tasting floor beginning to fill up

Steve Villani brought Gulden Draak (draft and bottle) and Wittekerke.  Gulden Draak was a really great beer.  A very dark beer with sweet citrus aromas.  The sip began with malty sweetness with some spicy alcohol flavors.  There was a sweet aftertaste as well that faded slowly.  The Gulden Draak draft, which undergoes a second fermentation in the keg tasted more mature and developed.  Both were very good.  Witterkerke was a good beer but nothing incredibly special.  It poured a pale yellow and contained aromas of lemon zest and other citrus fruits.  Fruity flavors surround the mouth as well and cause a nice mix with the medium bodied beer.  Some yeast flavors are present as well.

Tomme Arthur, Co-Founder and Director of Brewery Operations of The Lost Abbey, brought his own brewed Inferno Ale.  The Lost Abbey, located in California, brews up some fantastic Belgian-inspired beers.  Inferno poured a hazy yellow color and contained yeast and sweet malts.  The flavors were very mild but a bit spicy with a bit of sweetness.  A very drinkable and enjoyable beer.

My favorite beers (other than what the speakers brought):

1. Mad Scientist #4 (Sixpoint): Brewed with hibiscus which gives the beer a really pretty pinkish red color.  The nose is gentle with some floral notes and even some malt.  Flavors were very similar to the aromas and malty sweetness, floral flavors and some citrus notes harmonized to near perfection.  There was a little tartness at the end as well.
2. 2010 Poppa Skull (Dogfish Head Craft Brewery): This beer was brewed once in 2010 as a collaboration with 3 Floyds Brewing Company.  This Belgian Strong Pale Ale intrigued me a lot.  It poured a hazy deep orange color with aromas of cardamom (which it is brewed with) and yeast.  Flavors were sweet but full and complex with other hints of spice, yeast and bready malt.  There is also a clear oak flavor and some alcohol at the end.
3. Field Mouse’s Farewell (Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project): An excellent Saison that has many floral and fruity aromas.  Very crisp and clean tasting with great malt and fruit flavors that popped from this medium bodied beer.

Honorable mentions: White Birch Deviant Monk, Harpoon Saison Various and Chapeau Lambics

Overall, I had a great time at the Belgian Beer Fest and am looking forward to attending next year.  Definitely something every beer lover should consider going to.

Map of Belgian breweries

 

The Fall Brew Review

Fall beers contain fantastic flavors that complement the season perfectly

These are the beers I chose to review and should give you a good indication of the diversity of fall beers (from left to right):

• Long Trail Brewing‘s Harvest (American Brown Ale, 4.6% ABV)
• Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale (American Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV)
• Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin (Pumpkin Ale, 9% ABV)
• Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (Pumpkin Ale, 6% ABV)
• Brooklyn Oktoberfest (Märzen, 5.5% ABV)

Summer is on its last legs and autumn beers are already available for purchase.  I figured it would be a good idea to review some of them to avoid paralysis at the super market.  All five of these beers were purchased at my local Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods (they’re fairly easy to find).

Harvest and Sierra Nevada Tumbler

Fall beers tend to be a bit darker than summer beers and contain more spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.).  The alcohol percentage doesn’t change too much when compared to summer beers but still ranges from beer to beer.  These are beers that can be enjoyed outside with a heavy jacket on.  Not as heavy or dark as stouts (or winter beers) but definitely darker than many of the wheat beers enjoyed in the summer.

Long Trail Brewing’s Harvest

Pours a nice brown caramel with a slightly tan head that lingered for a while.  Amazing aroma!  Definite maple syrup taste (which the beer is brewed with) and almost a bit like burning leaves.  Very smooth beer with an almost water-like mouthfeel.  The flavors were pretty gentle but a sweetness showed through a bit.  I would almost like to turn the flavor of this beer up a bit and enhance it.  A bit too gentle for me but definitely drinkable.  Nice maple syrup aftertaste.

Grade: 81%

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin

Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale

Pours exactly the same as the Harvest.  A nice roasted malt aroma filled the nose but not much else was present.  Full flavored beer with nicely balanced hop and malt characters.  If you’re looking for a simple and great fall beer this is for you.  Nothing out of the ordinary, just plain good.  Medium body which is perfect for the fall weather.

Grade:88%

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin

Part of Pugsley’s Signature Series.  Pours a clear orange and yellow with a strong white head.  The color worried me a bit because I was expecting something much darker and more “full-bodied” looking.  There was a nice nutmeg aroma that filled the nose and maybe a little gingerbread.  It almost smelled like cookies.  Had a hint of pumpkin aroma as well.  The first sip was incredible.  I was really impressed with the pumpkin pie-like flavors of this beer.  I have found most pumpkin beers to be a bit weak in that department.  The pumpkin pie flavors are then followed by a slight alcohol kick.  Really an amazing beer.  In my mind, this is the epitome of a pumpkin beer.

Grade: 94%

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale and Brooklyn Oktoberfest

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

This is the first Smuttynose Brewing Company beer I have had the pleasure of trying.  I always see them featured in craft beer aisles but had never taken the chance until now.  This beer pours a very nice orange color with a strong white head that seems to last forever.  Definite pumpkin and hop aromas.  Not a huge pumpkin flavor but hints of it on the aftertaste.  A bit more hoppy than I was expecting.  Nice flavors but a little overshadowed by the hoppy character.  As my palate got used to the bitterness, there was a nice smoothness and a bit more pumpkin taste.

Grade: 83%

Brooklyn Oktoberfest:

This is not the only fall beer released by Brooklyn Brewery as Post Road Pumpkin Ale is also released during this season.  I didn’t want to overdose on pumpkin so I decided to stick with only the two that I had.  This beer had a small white head that dissipated quickly.  It pours a very pretty reddish brown.  The aroma was faintly malty and hop-like but pretty basic.  There wasn’t a ton of flavor and I found this beer to be a bit too simple.  There was a slight lingering hop taste but nothing too special.

Grade: 77%

 

The Beer Brand Identity

“People don’t just drink beer.  They drink the brand that lies behind the beer.  And, while many image-defining brands are expensive, like Mercedes or Gucci, even the very best beer is an affordable luxury – a way for the common man to make a statement without breaking the bank.  When someone walks into a bar and steps up to the counter to order a beer, the brand he shouts out says something about him as a person.” - Julie Macintosh, Author of “Dethroning The King“

Beer is a lot like fashion.  There is a wide variety of products ranging in price points and styles.  The choices you make within those categories are what makes a statement about who you are.  Do you wear the latest trends or buy from the bargain bucket?  Do you drink Dogfish Head or Bud Light?  Of course there are many choices in between that say something just as important and the best thing about beer is that you can make a clear statement without breaking the bank.

Marketing is all about creating a brand identity and the perceptions that you want your product to be associated with.  I have skirted around the perceptions of beer in other articles but would like to tackle this issue head on and see if we can’t change some of them.  The large brewing companies (Miller-Coors and Anheuser-Busch) focus on advertising.  Your home is their battleground and your money is what they want.  We are constantly forced to internalize the perceptions that they incorporate with their brands based on what demographic they want to reach (and they do a great job at it).

Miller-Coors and Anheuser-Busch are now realizing that the markets are changing and that they need to appear to be as well.  The unfortunate thing is that, instead of actually changing the product, they try to change the perceptions of their product to make mainstream drinkers feel a part of the “craft beer revolution”.  Breathable and temperature controlled cans (Coors Light), vortex bottles and “triple hops brewed” labels (Miller Lite) and even “born on dates” (Budweiser) are simply marketing tools.  The product is still very much the same.

Perceptions of beer are also starting to get away from “my father’s beer”.  Drinkers want more out of their experience with what they drink and want another outlet to express the type of person they are without conforming to the “mainstream”.  It is also important to note that what people choose to drink in their homes can be drastically different from what they drink out at a bar with friends.  When attending happy hours many people choose to drink the cheapest thing available – usually (Budweiser, Coors or Miller).  At home, they may drink the highest quality beer available.  It’s all about brand perception.  Some people may not feel entirely comfortable drinking a unique Belgian beer while everyone else is having Bud Light.  There is a need to fit in and to do so it still requires drinking the mainstream beers sometimes.

Brand equity is something that is incredibly important to large companies.  These companies pour billions of dollars into advertising to the general public and brand equity (or value) is how well these advertisements worked.  The name of the brand can raise the price of the product simply because it has created a reputation.  For example, Apple can sell an iPad for $500 whereas Samsung sells theirs at $350 – and has to sell at a lower price in order to compete in a similar market.  Anheuser-Busch understood this concept very well and exploited it to their advantage.  How did a mediocre, pale yellow, overly carbonated, bland beer become “The King of Beer”?  It wasn’t by accident.

August Busch III, CEO of Anheuser-Busch from 1975-2002, spent a good portion of his time in marketing.  Busch III realized that if he could market beer as an “American beverage” he could create Budweiser into a brand that was patriotic and synonymous with country unity and pride.  By creating quality advertisements that appealed to older and younger generations, Anheuser-Busch was able dominate the competition and win over consumers.  According to BrandFinance, Budweiser ranked as the 16th most valuable brand (beating out Apple, McDonalds and Disney).

Despite the fact that craft beer is a growing trend (and I hope it continues that way), the larger companies will always have the upper hand because they are what consumers see first.  They are able to completely dominate all advertising by spending billions of dollars.  It’s a true David vs. Goliath and David is poor, decades behind and more expensive.

Hopefully, future generations of beer drinkers will begin to demand a shift in what they drink.  Although these companies can simply switch strategies by purchasing craft breweries and adding them to their portfolio I hope consumers will choose to drink fresh and local as opposed to mass-produced and mediocre.

 

Captain Lawrence Saison

Captain Lawrence Saison

Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.

Style: Saison

Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., founded by Scott Vaccaro (also the head brewer), is the only craft brewery in Westchester County, NY.  The brewery received its name from the street that Scott grew up on (named after a Samuel Lawrence who was the Captain of the Westchester County Militia, 3rd Regiment during the American Revolution).  Scott began brewing beer at the age of 17 and hasn’t stopped since. He attended the UC Davis Fermentation Science program and working at Sierra Nevada before moving back home to open his own brewery.  Captain Lawence is best known for their innovative use of barrel aging and unique styles.  Due to the high demand of their product, they are relocating to a larger space (still in Westchester).

Saison is one of my favorite styles and I was excited to try what Scott Vaccaro and his team were able to do.  I want to say that this is Captain Lawrence’s summer seasonal but wasn’t able to find any information on their site.  I was also unable to find out what the alcohol percentage was but it didn’t seem to be too high (maybe around 6%)

The beer poured a very clean and clear pale yellow with a large white head.  The carbonation was easily seen as many tiny bubbles rose up through the glass.  The head left thick lacing on the side of the glass.  Lemon and citrus aromas were the most prevalent but also a dry and yeasty element were noticeable as well.  Despite being dry hopped (with US grown hops) the aroma was not as intense as I would have thought (not necessarily a bad thing).  The beer was also fermented with a tradition Belgian yeast which is where the style originated.

There was a nice hop forward taste that didn’t overwhelm the palate and faded quickly into citrus and orange flavors.  The following sips became less hoppy and began to let out more yeast, citrus and maybe some tart flavors.  Definitely a very drinkable beer that wasn’t as light as I was expecting and contained some very nice flavors.

Overall, a very flavorful and enjoyable beer.  This could become one of my favorite Saisons.  I particularly liked the hop character of this beer.  It wasn’t overly hopped and definitely helped prove that hops have more to offer than simply bitterness.  I definitely recommend this beer.

Grade: 90%

Song Pairing: Girl Like You – Donavon Frankenreiter

Maybe I just happen to be in a romantic mood but I feel like a good beer is like a good woman.  This song has a lot of different elements to it (like this beer) and is certainly unique.  Donavon Frankenreiter’s voice is soothing just as each sip of this beer is.