Drink Matron

Category: Drink of the Week

  • Our Favorite Craft Beers

    Everybody has a favorite drink, and craft beer drinkers are no different. Some like a brewery in general, and others, just a specific brew. My beer drinking friends have some of the most eclectic tastes of anyone I know, and being that it’s American Craft Beer Week, I thought you’d like to know just exactly what it is we’re drinking.

    Adrian’s & My Favorite

    Bell’s Brewery, Inc, Kalamazoo, Mich.

    While Adrian and I both like Bell’s, he likes the taste and range of their beers. If he was going to pick the one he likes the most, he says Two Hearted Ale comes to mind. The reason? “I like hoppy beers, and Two Hearted has a piney, fruity flavor that is just ideal.”

    As for me, I enjoy one Bell’s beer in particular, Oberon Ale. I love Oberon not only because of its fantastic flavor, but because it’s the beer that got me started with craft brews. Since taking my first sip of Oberon about four years ago, I’ve given up the domestic brews that once dominated my early 20’s.

    Andi’s Picks

    Andi’s favorites are two fold because she enjoys them at different times of the year. In summer, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy fills her fridge, and in winter, she warms up with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat.

    Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, Wisc.

    Andi says she enjoys Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy because “it tastes like refreshment in a bottle. It feels like you could run a marathon and drink it to replenish yourself.”

    Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, The Boston Beer Co, Boston, Mass.

    Sam Adams Cherry Wheat shows up on Andi’s list because “it’s a warm beer, even though it’s served cold, and it’s flavorful enough that it warms your tummy, and thick enough to take the chill off.”

    James’ Favorite

    Left Hand Brewing Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, Col.

    James loves this dark brew “because it has an amazing flavor without being overpowering. Stouts are my favorite style of beer, but some can be a little potent. I enjoy a lot of flavor in my beer, but some seem like they try too hard. Milk Stout seems to have perfected the balance.”

    Erica’s Pick

    Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, Ill.

    Erica “knew it’d be something from Goose Island” because “it was my first taste of a beer outside of the Big 3. It’s what made me realize beer wasn’t ‘gross.’ My go to is 312, but my favorite is Sofie.”

    Danger’s Favorite

    Shine On, Central Waters Brewing Co., Amherst, Wisc.

    Danger enjoys this red ale because it “is a darker beer that I can drink without feeling like I had a meal in a bottle.”

    Rob & Ryder’s Pick

    Widow Maker Black Ale, Keweenaw Brewing Co., Houghton, Mich.

    Rob likes Widow Maker because “it reminds me a lot of Stroh’s Dark, which was always a favorite. It has a good flavor but isn’t real heavy or filling like some dark beers can be.”

    Ryder isn’t much for craft beers, but if he’s going to drink one, it’s going to be Widow Maker.

    Other Picks

    My friend Keith loves beer from Horny Goat Brewing Co. in Madison, Wisc., and Sprecher Amber from Sprecher Brewing Co. in Milwaukee, Wisc.

    Melissa thinks the Cream Ale from Sun King Brewing Co., in Indianapolis, Ind. is “super yummy.”

    Donna likes Red Sky Ale, from Frankenmuth Brewery in Frankmuth, Mich., “because it goes so well with molten chocolate cake.”

    Pyro says “If you’re going to twist my arm I’ll say Surly Furious (Surly Brewing Co, Brooklyn Center, Minn.). It’s a delicious hop heavy IPA.”

     

     

  • When does a craft brewery stop being a craft brewery?

    When does a craft brewery stop being a craft brewery?

    I’ve asked this question to a lot of people, and I’ve gotten a lot of answers. One of the most common being “when their beer starts tasting like shit.”

    I do not disagree with this statement, although I have tried many a brew that I particularly didn’t care for, but I still considered it craft.

    For me, a craft brewery stops being a craft brewery when they sell out to one of the Big 3 (or is it Big 2 now? I seriously don’t know).

    Unfortunately, while doing my research for ACBW, I discovered that a source of pride for my Wisconsin drinking bone, Leinenkugel’s, is actually owned by MillerCoors. Miller doesn’t run the brewery – thankfully they left it in the perfectly capable hands of the Leinenkugel family – but they hold the very rights to the excellent beers that come out of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. My heart is officially broken.

    I feel a little odd that I didn’t know this already, since Leinie’s has been a part of Miller since the late 1980s, but it’s not really a talking point for anyone I know, and I don’t spend a lot of time reading labels.

    So then I have to ask myself, does this make Leinenkugel’s any less of craft brewery? And honestly, my answer is going to have to be…no.

    This is a brewery with a rich family history dating back to Germany in the late 1700’s. They consistently put out excellent beers that have only gotten better year after year, and that don’t insult the tastebuds or the intelligence of its drinkers. The Leinenkugel family have continued to maintain control of not only their beer but the culture behind it, contributing strongly to their local as well as their state economy. They haven’t moved from their roots, they don’t try to be Miller, Bud or Coors, and they have maintained the creative spirit of the home brewer, despite their century and a half in the mainstream brewing industry.

    And that, after all, is what craft brewing is all about.

    So, while my heart is slightly broken at my new found knowledge, it is somehow mended by the fact that Leinenkugel’s has proven that selling is much different than selling out.

     

     

     

  • The Capitol City Brewing Company

    I had the serendipitous opportunity to visit the Capitol City Brewing Company’s Shirlington, VA location last week.  This award-winning brewery has three locations throughout the DC area and I think I lucked out with the Shirlington location.  This brewpub is located on the trendy Village of Shirlington Promenade, where nearly every restaurant has sidewalk seating and there are so many trees that you get a lazy, relaxed feeling while walking around.  The Cap City Brew Co. was no exception to this and I took such advantage that I never actually saw the inside of the building.  They have a full compliment of food and booze with a happy hour from 4-7pm every day.

    But that’s not really why I went.  I, of course, went for the beer.  On tap last week they had six beers, their four standard faire beers (Capitol Kolsch, Pale Rider Ale, Amber Waves Ale, and Prohibition Porter) and two seasonals (Fuel and ESB).

    Fuel

    2006 Gold Medal at GABF for Capitol City. English style imperial stout. Blended with 10 lbs of Sumatra coffee, this ale has a full body and medium bitterness. A big coffee aroma rounds out the finish. 10% ABV.

    My informed and entertaining waiter Gino described this as a “Pale Stout with a 10% kick”.  This is a very dark beer with a luscious brown head that had my mouth water as soon as it was set on the table.  I didn’t want to take notes on the look or smell of it, I wanted to dig right in.  You can definitely smell the coffee in it, though the aroma isn’t overpowering or particularly pungent.  It has a distinct smooth, roasted flavor (from the coffee obviously) while the finish has a sharp, spicy, bite.  To be honest, if I wasn’t trying a variety of beers, I would have stuck with this one for the night for sure.

    Pale Rider Ale

    American style pale ale, filtered, medium/full bodied, highly hopped character with a nice bitterness and aroma. 6.1% ABV

    Gino (you gotta love Gino) called this one “the little brother to Fuel.”  He said that if you liked Fuel but thought it was too strong, this would be the beer for you.  The smell was really tight – I practically had to stick my nose in the beer just to smell it – but once you got a whiff it was very fruity and hoppy. It had a very smooth, earthy flavor and was a little spicy on the long aftertaste. Like the burn you feel in your throat after eating fresh jalepenos.  I had ordered some keg rolls (a Capitol City specialty) and let me tell you, you couldn’t pair this beer with anything more perfectly.  In fact, I wouldn’t eat the keg rolls without this beer because they just seem bland in comparison.

    ESB – Extra Special Bitter

    This one is a bit of a misnomer for a classic English-style ale. Herbal hop aroma and a complex caramel flavor make this smooth medium-bodied beer and easy sell. 5.1%ABV

    I’ll be honest, I shouldn’t have had this beer after the Fuel and the Pale Rider.  It was not nearly as strong in flavor or aroma as either of the previous beers and so I really didn’t get anything from it.  I really couldn’t smell anything, despite trying for a few minutes to catch a whiff of anything (I seriously think the other patrons thought I was off my rocker by this point).  It had a really smooth (almost too smooth) texture that reminded me of day old flat beer.  The initial flavor was super malty and reminded me Olde English 800 and finished with a strange sweet/sour flavor that is similar to over-ripe bananas.

    Prohibition Porter

    Dark, roasty ale, unfiltered, medium bodied and nice hop presence to balance the dark malt flavor. 5.3% ABV

    The Prohibition Porter was a tasty start to Round 2 of the tastings.  It had a nutty smell like fresh walnuts.  The texture was crisp in that thirst-quenching sort of way.  It had a nice sharp taste that finished smooth with the same nut taste as the smell.

    Amber Waves

    American red ale, filtered, medium bodied, well balanced with a nice malty middle and finishes with an assertive hop character. 5.3% ABV 2006 Silver Medal, 2005 Gold Medal Winner GABF

    To be honest, I had assumed that this beer would be a Killian’s clone that tried a little too hard to taste like Killian’s.  But who am I kidding?  If I’d learned anything by this point, it was that Cap City is good at making unique beers.  There was an earthy smell like dirt after a rain storm.  It had an earthy taste (almost mildewy) mixed with a fruity flavor.

    Capitol Kölsch

    German golden ale, filtered, light bodied lager like characteristic from cooler fermentation temp. Clean and crisp with a dry finish. 4.8% ABV

    I don’t think there’s really anything to say about this beer.  It is a typical golden ale.  This would be the beer to suggest to your Bud drinking friends.

    Southwestern Keg Rolls

    Chicken, corn, tomatoes, cabbage, black beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried served with sweet thai chili dipping sauce.

    They taste like bean dip egg rolls with a sweet raspberry-like sauce.

    Capitol Hill Hummus

    Homemade hummus topped with tomato, cucumber and kalamata olives, finished with olive oil and cracked pepper and served with grilled wheat pita wedges.

    This has got to be some of the best hummus I’ve ever tasted.  I finished off the pitas and ate the rest of the hummus with a spoon.

  • What is American Craft Beer Week?

    American Craft Beer Week is a week long celebration of craft brews all over the United States.

    For one week in May every year, bars and breweries hold events promoting the craft brewing industry. This year’s ACBW will take place from Monday, May 16 through Sunday, May 22, 2011. For the first time in its six year history, events will be held in all 50 states.

    To find events near you, check your local listings.

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  • American Craft Beer Week!

    What better time to make a huge comeback on the website than during American Craft Beer Week! This week we’re excited to celebrate the culture and taste of American Craft Beers. We’ve been spending a lot of time finding our favorites, exploring cities we’ve visited for brewpubs and interesting local brews, and researching the most popular brands and styles. Let’s Drink!

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  • Irish Whiskey Cocktails

    On St. Paddy’s anything Irish goes – especially Irish Whiskey. As a shot, it may be rough, but mixed in a drink with other liquor and flavors this may make your holiday. Check out these cocktails, and enjoy yourself responsibly.

    The Dancing Leprechaun

    • 1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
    • 3/4 oz Scotch Whisky
    • 3/4 oz lemon juice
    • Ginger ale
    • Highball glass

    In a shaker, combine ingredients with ice. Strain into a glass with ice cubes, and garnish with a twist of lemon.

    Westside Manhattan

    According to The Spirits of Ireland by Ray Foley, to make a Westside Manhattan, you’ll need:

    • 2 oz Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey
    • a splash of sweet vermouth
    • 2 – 4 drops Angostura bitters
    • Rocks glass

    In a rocks glass, combine ingredients with ice. Serve.

    Dublin Handshake

    • 1/2 oz Baileys Irish cream
    • 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
    • 3/4 oz Sloe gin
    • Rocks glass

    Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass with ice.

     

  • What’s the Difference Between Scotch and Irish Whiskey?

    Moving towards St. Patrick’s Day, we tend to think more about the Irish spirits, Irish whiskey in particular.  A question that I hear frequently relating to Irish whiskey is what is the difference between Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky.  The obvious answer is that Irish whiskey is made in Ireland and Scotch whisky is made in Scotland, but the difference is much greater than just that.

    The Barley

    One of the fundamental ingredients of most alcohol is a starch of some kind, typically a grain.  In the case of these two types of whiskeys, barley is that ingredient.  The difference between them is that Irish whiskey uses a varied mix of raw and malted barley whereas Scotch is made exclusively with malted barley.  Also, the barley used in Scotch is malted using peat smoke, which gives it the distinctive aroma and smell.

    The Distillation Process

    The main reason for the difference in flavor between Scotch and Irish whiskey is that Irish whiskey is typically distilled three times (and Scotch only two) which mellows the flavor significantly.  Distilling a spirit is basically the process of separating the alcohol from all the impurities.  It’s an imperfect process and each time you distill a spirit the closer to pure alcohol you get.  Hence, purer alcohol, less flavor (or harshness of flavor). Irish whiskey has a smooth, delicate flavor compared to its more robust, harsher cousin.

    There are more brands of Irish whiskey than just Bushmore and Jameson, so this St. Patrick’s Day raise a glass to your favorite Irishman and give an off-brand a try!

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  • Beer and Food Pairing

    If someone in the Food Writing industry mentions “food pairing”, typically it’s implied that they mean pairing wine with food.  Some restaurants are even helpful enough to annotate their food fare with suggested wine pairings.  A lot of restaurants train their wait staff on wine pairing.  But a new trend has been picking up steam: Beer and Food Pairing.  This trend likely stems from the upswing in popularity of craft beers and a lot more people drinking microbrews and, let’s face it, GOOD beer.

    Beer and food pairing is not so different from wine and food pairing.  You just need to find the beer that compliments the dish.  As with wine pairing, there are conflicting opinions on how this is accomplished.  Some people feel that you should choose a beer that has a similar taste profile as the food you are eating in order to build on the flavors in the food and the beer.  Others (myself included) believe that the beer should starkly contrast the food, thus cleansing the palate and making every bite of food just as flavorful and amazing as the first.

    Guidelines

    • In general, the rule is like with like.  So if you are eating a lighter food, go with a lighter beer and vice versa.
    • Spicy foods are best paired with light ales.  The light, crisp flavor of the light ales cut the spice of the food.  More complex beers have a very nuanced flavor that would be completely masked by the spice in spicy food.
    • Pizza is a greasy, tangy, delicious nightmare.  Amber ales are carbonated and light enough to cut the grease from the meat and cheese while the hoppy flavor plays against the acidity in the tomato sauce.
    • Fruity desserts are best paired with wheat beers.  These beers have a natural sweetness and their is a citrusy, spicy aspect to these beers that comes out with this type of dessert.
    • Heavy dessert are balanced well with Imperial or sweet stouts.
    • Because of how greasy fried foods can be, pilsners are a good choice.  Pilsners have a crisp bite to them that cuts through the grease to cleanse the palate, but doesn’t have quite the bite that a pale ale does to overwhelm the flavor of the food.

    Beer and Cheese

    One of the biggest trends involving beer pairing is pairing with cheese, which used to be exclusive to the wine community.  While I’ve never toyed with this, from what I’ve heard, the rule of thumb is the more pungent the cheese, the stronger the flavor in the beer you want to pair it with.  If you feel like hosting one of these beer and cheese tasting parties, here are some pairings to help you start:

    • Feta and Goat Cheese with Wheat Beers
    • Mascarpone (a cheese generally used in desserts) with Fruit Beers
    • Muenster, Havarti or Monterey Jack with moderately hoppy Pilsners
    • Colby or Cheddar with robust Brown Ales
    • Roquefort or Stilton (very pungent cheeses) with Strong Belgian Ales
    • Gruyere or Swiss (meaty flavored cheeses) with Bock, Dark Lagers or Oktoberfest (anything really malty).
    • Parmesan or Romano with Pale or Amber Ales.

    Beer and Wine Comparisons

    If you’re just starting out in either realm of food pairing, it can be a little difficult.  Some restaurants have wine suggestions for each entree on the menu.  That’s great if you’re a wine drinker, but it doesn’t help the beer drinkers.  You can use the following table (found at Epicurious.com) to make a decision on your beer choice based on the wine selection given on a menu:

    Light Body
    Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Pinot Grigio
    Beers: Lager, Pilsner, Wheat

    Medium Body
    Wines: Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah
    Beers: Ale, IPA, Bock

    Heavy Body
    Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Oaky Chardonnay
    Beers: Stout, Porter, Barleywine

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  • The Gin Craze

    When I think about gin, my mind takes a trip to Dickensian London where the streets are filthy, the people filthier, and everyone drinks gin like it was water.  There is a reason for this imagery coming so readily to many people’s minds: The Gin Craze.

    England vs France

    The Gin Craze began as a result of the history of bad blood between England and France. At the end of the 17th century, when William the Orange took power in England, several acts were passed to thwart French influence in England. These acts made it more difficult to import French brandy, and at the same time encouraged the production of local gin. Further, the London Guild of Distillers was essentially neutered and new distillers were encouraged to start producing gin. Licensing requirements to produce or sell the spirit were completely dropped. On top of all of that, the government put a considerable effort into encouraging the population of London to imbibe this locally produced gin.

    These reasons alone would be enough to start a whirlwind of popularity for the distinctly flavored liquor, but other factors caused it to spin out of control.

    The Industrial Revolution

    By the 1720s, the Industrial Revolution was starting to pick up steam and people were being encouraged to leave their rural communities for the hustle and bustle of the city. London started to get overcrowded far beyond what the infrastructure could handle and the factories could employ. Having this overabundance of potential workforce meant that business owners could demand longer hours for less pay from their employees (if you complained you could be easily replaced). Miserable, unsafe work conditions became the norm. Couple that with the dreadful and unsanitary home conditions meant that life was desolate without any hope of getting better. Any one of working age (6 years old or older) wanted to find a way to just forget about how miserable their lives were. Lucky for them, there were more gin shops in the poor areas than any other shop in London (most of which were unlicensed, selling gin made in the back room).

    During this time, food prices also started to drop, meaning that the working class (aka the dirt poor) had a little more money in their pocket, which to them equated more drinking money.

    “Gin Lane” and the end of the Gin Craze

    By the 1730s, gin consumption had reached an average of two pints per week per Londoner and would only increase from there. The best illustration of just how terrible it had become was an engraving by William Hogworth entitled “Gin Lane” which depicted a street piled with lazy and careless drunks, including a woman allowing her child to fall to its death.

    The Gin Craze started to fizzle around 1751 and is attributed to the passing of the Gin Act of 1751, though the rising price of grain probably contributed to it as well.

    While I have no evidence to support it, I’m quite sure that the reason that gin remains such a prevalent and popular spirit is partially to do with the Gin Craze.

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  • Gin and Tonic

    Most two part drinks have very little history. The combination of a liquor with a wash is normally just a way to cut the strong taste of a booze or to add a little flavor to or hide the liquor within a cocktail. The gin and tonic, however, has a slightly more interesting history.

    Roots in Medicine

    Both gin and tonic have origins deeply rooted in medicine.

    Gin first appeared in the mid-1600s when Dr. Franciscus de la Boë, a professor of medicine at Leyden, Holland, created a juniper flavored diuretic that he called Genever, the Dutch word for juniper. He intended the concoction to be used for kidney disorders, but it quickly grew in popularity as an enjoyable spirit.

    When the British began to populate India, many people contracted malaria. Tonic water was introduced as a remedy to malaria, due to its high levels of quinine. Because of its bitter taste, it was difficult to get people to drink it, despite its helpful effects. In order to make the drink more tolerable, gin was added to the mix.

    Just as gin had become popular as a spirit centuries before, the gin and tonic began to take on a new role as a favorite drink of the people, rather than a medicine.

    The Gin and Tonic

    Ingredients:

    • 2 oz Gin
    • 5 oz Tonic
    • Lime cut into wedges

    Combine the gin and tonic in a highball glass. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy.

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