Beer for Chicks

Doctor Please, Some More of These

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:19:00 +0000

Many people think that because we are big beer geeks that we only like "big" beers. Au contraire mons frères! Just because most of the bad beer that's out there in the world (you know who you are) are Pilsner style lagers, doesn't mean that it’s the Pilsner's fault. Today, several craft breweries are making delightful light-bodied, nuanced Pilsner style lagers that are made with great ingredients and traditional methods!

One of our favorites (and an amazing take on a Rolling Stones song) is a beer from Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado called Mama’s Little Yella Pils. This beer is a bit of an amalgam of both German and Czech styles of Pilsner, using very traditional Czech Saaz hops as well as Bavarian hops from southern Germany. This beer also differentiates itself by using 100% pale malts, instead of the cheaper corn and rice that is found in a lot of other – ahem – lower quality beers.

This beer is deliciously refreshing, bright, crisp and dry with a completely clean finish. Perfect for a lunch with the girls or when you want to take your football Sunday to another level.

A point of interest is that Oskar Blues is a brewery that puts its beers in cans. But once again, don’t assume that a beer in a can isn’t a high quality craft beer. Today’s cans are much different than the cans of yore. They are now lined with a coating that keeps the beer from tasting metallic. Cans are also virtually unbreakable, are lighter to ship and keep the beer protected from light – which is what causes beers to be skunked (not age)!

Wanna try some other great Pilsner style beers? Try these Beer Chicks picks:

Reality Czech - Moonlight Brewing Co
St. Charles Pilsner – Sly Fox Brewing Co.
Goose Pils – Goose Island Brewery

Mmmmmm........

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:35:00 +0000

One thing a beer chick likes is chocolate. One thing a beer chick likes better than chocolate is whipped cream. One thing a beer chick likes better than whipped cream is whipped cream made with 12% abv Belgian-style dark ale brewed with cocoa nibs & toasted pecans! What?

So...it was MLK day and I was teaching a beer and food pairing cooking/drinking class at Sur la Table at The Grove in Los Angeles with my writing partner and fellow beer chick Hallie Beaune. Everything was going along swimmingly and according to expectations. There were potatoes marinated in Scottish ale and rosemary, fresh beer braised bratwurst on a bed of apples and sauerkraut, beer battered coconut shrimp, German chocolate oatmeal stout brownies - you know, the usual.

Well, turns out, somebody forgot to grease the pan for the brownies and suffice it to say, they didn't look so good. That's when genius Sur la Table staffer Autumn made the most amazing beer infused whipped cream to "distract the eye" from the ragged edges and bottom of the still very good tasting brownie. She used The Bruery's 2 Turtle Doves beer and she whipped it up in two seconds!

Wanna add beer to your desserts? (Or just eat a bunch or whipped cream straight from the bowl?) Aside from just pouring the beer on top, here's the fastest simplest way to do it. Simple, yet so effing good!

2 TURTLE DOVES INFUSED WHIPPED CREAM

Ingredients:
-2 Cups Heavy whipping cream, cold
-1/4 Cup powdered sugar, sifted
-1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste
-1/8 Cup 2 Turtle Doves Belgian Ale
(or another Chocolate Stout or Russian Imperial Stout or Belgian Strong Dark Ale)

Directions:
Add the cream, sugar and vanilla and with a standing mixer with whisk attachment or electric hand mixer, beat ingredients (you can use a hand whisk; it just will take longer). Start slowly and then increase the speed so its as fast but not splashing out of the bowl. When the cream just starts to thicken, slow the speed of the mixer and slowly add the beer in a steady stream. Slowly increase the speed of the mixer again and continue whipping until the cream forms soft peaks. (Warning: Autumn did tell me that if you whip the cream for too long it could curdle...just sayin.)

THE SESSION #35 - ROUND UP

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:22:00 +0000

With our first New Year's Resolution not to procrastinate already broken, here is our Round-up of The Session #35...on January 6th! It was truly a pleasure to hear from everybody involved and to be a part of the beer blogging community! Reading your blogs and seeing the brews that passed our lips and yours, we've concluded that 2009 was a good year for beer. We certainly drank more beer this year than perhaps ever before, (which lead to some ugly mornings...).

We asked all of you beer lovers/bloggers to reflect upon your growing relationship with beer, how it felt in '09, and what you want for your beer life in 2010. Thanks to all the beer writers out there who shared their best beers of '09, the brave bloggers who revealed their beer mistakes of the past year, and all who offered their hopes and dreams for the coming year of beer. We raise a glass to all of you. We look forward to taking our book tour to even more beer cities and hope to meet all of you over a local craft beer!

Here are the highlights of some of the best beer experiences you all had in '09:

Jason Zeisloft @ A Beer In Hand is Worth Two in the Fridge mentioned the Jolly Pumpkin La Roja du Kriek, that he had at the Michigan Brewer's Guild Summer Festival as a fave. Nice choice!

Brad Petit @ La Petitie Brasserie looked back fondly on Ballast Point Sculpin, Founders KBS and Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze.

Alastair Reece @ Fuggled qualified a best beer as one that he wanted to drink over and over again, choosing the 'magnificent' Kout na Sumave 10 Golden Lager.

Peter Estaniel @ Better Beer Blog said that the hands down best was Sam Adams Utopia, exclaiming that, 'It is the most complex food product I have ever had the pleasure to put into my mouth.' (Props for use of the phrase 'food product').

Daniel Harper @ Endosymbiosis marks his visit to New Holland Brewery as a best of, their The Poet on cask getting his highest mark.

Thomas Vincent of Geistbear Brewing Blog loves his tasty local North Carolina Hefe, Lone Rider Shotgun Betty.

Stan Hieronymus @ Appellation Beer fell for the first vintage of The Abyss and fondly remembered 'Knocking back ounces of Southampton Cuvee Des Fleurs with Home Brew Chef Sean Paxton at GABF.'

Leigh Linley @ The Good Stuff found her heart beating rapidly for Flying Dog's Raging Bitch and confirmed the 'awesomeness' of Nogne-O's IPA.

We loved the pick from Derrick Peterman @ Bay Area Beer Runner who lauded the 'Best Beer That Makes Me Damn Proud to be Raised in the Midwest: "Blue Sky Rye" by Free State Brewing.'

As for beer mistakes and regrets, you've had a few....

Alistair Reece @ Fuggled made us laugh with graphic names for the usual suspects, 'Bud Light (Butt Wipe) and Pabst Blue Ribbon (Pap Smear)' while his worst craft beer was Ybor Gold Light, as he put it, '... if a worse beer in the US exists then thank goodness I am yet to try it.'

Beer Sagas confessed that their biggest beer mistake was not stocking up on Nøgne Ø's Christmas beer Special Holiday Ale

Brian Yaeger at Red, White, and Brew warns against the Sun Valley Brewing Co. (Hailey, ID) because, 'Spoilage is just about the worst offense ever.'

We were moved by Simon Johnson's lament @ Reluctant Scooper - 'My only regret is that it took me so long to understand just how important place, time and company are to beer enjoyment. For me, 2010 is going to be more about the context and less about the beer. But only just less :-)'

Nemsis @ BeerTaster.ca writes about 'the absolutely miserable yet mind bogglingly successful "Bud Light Lime". God awful stuff made for people who hate beer. Take an empty beer bottle, fill it with "Sprite" and you have the same taste. Here in Southern Ontario they couldn't keep the stuff in stock. I saw people driving away with pick-up trucks loaded with it. Makes me want to hang my head in shame."

Smitty @ Nashville Beer Geek made us do a spit take with his description of his worst '09; Bud Light Chelada, 'If Satan had a beer bar in hell, this would be on the menu.' (Hilarious!)

Here is our favorite embarrassing beer moment of 2009:

Peter Estaniel @ Better Beer Blog: 'My most embarrassing moment of 2009 happened during Halloween when I switched from beer to tequila and started to headbutt my buddy’s Spanish-style Conquistador costume. He fabricated his armor from some sheet metal he purchased, so I was literally headbutting armor as opposed to a plastic facsimile. I ended up passing out on a chaise lounge they had in their backyard by a firepit.'

And finally, what New Beer's Resolutions are on the table for the 2010? (Here's to hoping we all keep them!)

Jon Abernathy - The Brew Site - 'Stepping up the beer writing is going to be one of my big goals for this new year.' (For us too!)

Jay R. Brooks - Brookston Beer Bulletin - 'This is probably going to sound odd, but I think I’d like to drink more beer in 2010. As it is, I drink almost every day. - In 2010, I want to do this more. Just be out more, drinking with friends.' (We'll have more beer with you Jay!)

Daniel Harper @ Endosymbiosis wants to stop his beer hoarding and 'just drink the damned thing.' (We'll take some off your hands!)

Leigh Linley @ The Good Stuff will be honing her knowledge of Italian Craft Beer on her honeymoon in Italy in September (Congrats Leigh!)

Ally Shaw @ Impy Malting hopes her 'leap of faith' investing in BrewDog pays off in 2010. (That's putting your money where your beer is!)

Mark Dredge @ Pencil and Spoon will be on a quest to convert some lager or wine drinkers and host some beer tastings and dinners to 'tell people about the joys of great beer.'

Sean Inman @ Beer Search Party has a goal: 'To taste a beer from each and every state in the United States. I certainly hope there are beers from each 50 then I have to somehow get my hands on them.' (Call us when you're in Los Angeles, we'll help you!)

John @ The Beer Nut plans to see more of the UK in 2009, and 'London in particular. I plan to continue that in 2010 with Brighton and Cardiff already looking likely, and I really should do a proper beer tour of Belfast before the promotional rail offers end.' (Good on ya John.)

Mario @ Brewed For Thought hopes to not chase down beer so much in 2010, 'With so many big, wild, limited beers out there, it can be maddening (and expensive) trying to track them all down.' (Let's just hope that they all find you!)

Cynthia Trevino @ Beeranswers.com plans to 'Taste and cook with a wonderful new beer every week.' (We're on board with that!)

Lisa Morrison @ Hop Press says that in addition to the two beer books that she promises to finish (we want to read 'em Lisa!), that one of her New Beer's Resolutions is to "Continue to beat that drum with the message that that beer is as sophisticated a beverage as wine and is just as worthy of being served with respect at the finest restaurants. But can still hang with you on a random Saturday with friends, too." (Right on, Lisa!)

And off the beer topic...

We'd like to congratulate James D @ Two Parts Rye for pulling off this caper: 'My method for sneaking a flask in on a cold rainy day at Ohio Stadium was borderline genius. My poncho is in a little plastic bag. I put the flask in the poncho. When security asked me what was in my pockets. I handed the security guy the poncho, and by the transitive property of being sneaky, the flask. Showed them my phone, wallet, etc. Security handed me back my flask. I was proud of myself, and when the skies opened, thankful to have a pint of Manhattan pre-mixed.' (Awesome.)

Cheers to the New Year!!!!

ANNOUNCING SESSION #35: NEW BEER'S RESOLUTIONS

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:00:00 +0000

So, this month, we at Beer for Chicks (and the upcoming thebeerchicks.com) have the pleasure of hosting the 35th installment of The Session - which is a group writing project where beer writers and bloggers from around the globe write on a single beer-related topic on the same day. This beer scribe phenomenon occurs on the first Friday of every month, and ours is happening on January 1st, 2010. That's right kids ... New Years Day.

The New Year, of course, is the ultimate time for reflection of the previous year's mistakes as well as a time of making resolutions to make our lives better in the future. Its also the time of year where all the lists happen. You can't turn the TV on without seeing a "Best of 2009" list: the best movies, best iphone apps, best sports moments, the best scandals, the best sports stars in scandals, etc...

So we want to know what was your best and worst of beer for 2009? What beer mistakes did you make? What beer resolutions do you have for 2010? What are your beer regrets and embarrassing moments? What are you hoping to change about your beer experience in 2010? We, for instance, resolve never to drink two draughts of Scaldis (Bush) Noel as our final two (of many) beers of the evening resulting in us losing our cellphone in the street. We resolve never to pair a malty strong Belgian Dubbel with any dish with Celeriac in it ever again! (also a "worst" of 2009.) We resolve to start an amazing barrel-aged beer collection despite our propensity for immediate gratification.

Last year there was a great New Year's theme from Beer and Firkins' Brewmiker, but each year is different and the beer world is constantly changing! So please share with us your greats and mistakes of 2009, and what kind of beer-o-phile do you aspire to be in 2010! Don't be afraid to be revealing....

Please send a copy of your responses or a link to your post to both christina@thebeerchicks.com & hallie@thebeerchicks.com.

Cheers to you, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!
Christina Perozzi & Hallie Beaune

CHEERS, BEING A HEALTHY BEER DRINKER

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:42:00 +0000

My friend and neighbor Tom Sparks asked me to help him out on this great piece about beer for idealbite.com that got picked up by ABC News.com! Sadly, he didn't get to see it because just weeks later on November 5, he passed away from a stroke at age 33! The day we shot this was filled with beer and laughter, as most of my time was with Tom. He will be missed. Please check out his piece called "Cheers, Being A Healthy Beer Drinker."

Tom's stroke was caused by a condition called antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), a disease that causes unnatural clotting of the blood. If you would like to donate to the APS Foundation of America, the only nonprofit organization in the country dedicated to bringing awareness to APS, go to www.apsfa.org.

A FRESH TAKE ON TRADITION

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:09:00 +0000

This is the third installment of our (along with my writing partner Hallie Beaune) stint as guest bloggers at Penguin.com's author blog. We've had fun and gotten a lot of great feedback. Thanks to those of you who read and please read below for our final Penguin blog...

A Fresh Take On Tradition
11/6/2009
Getting together with friends and family over the holidays can be full of conflicting feelings; You love your relatives, you want them to go home immediately. You appreciate the wisdom of your parents, you want them to stop telling you where you went wrong. You're happy to blow off steam at the annual office Christmas party, you don't want to see Suzy from accounting get drunk and remove her top. Holiday gatherings often fill one with the desire to find another strong drink or the door, or both. And if you are giving into ritual, you may want to host your own gathering, but feel a bit uninspired while watching the cranberry sauce slowly slide out of the can into the pot.

Enter beer: a breath of fresh air in the cold weather. An offering that will make your holiday party stand out among all others. Pairing beer with classic holiday dishes keeps the boredom out and enhances the food as well as any wine or spirit could. In fact, slipping some craft beer in next to traditional dishes is a great way to educate your guests' palates. And this time of year is full of fall/winter ales that hold all of the flavors of the season: Pumpkin, nutmeg, fig, pine trees, etc. Here are a few pairing suggestions we offer as a way around the ordinary holiday happenings.

Turkey and Stuffing that Won't Make You Yawn: This dish transforms when paired with Craftsman Triple White Sage. This is a mean recommendation because you can only get this beer on tap around Los Angeles, as it is a local brewery that doesn't bottle yet. This is a Belgian Tripel brewed with handpicked sage, perfect for picking up the spices on stuffing and the earthy flavor of roasted turkey. 9% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)

Don't Throw out that Fruit Cake: Paired with a Scaldis Noel, a seasonal Belgian Ale with complex flavors of spice, dried fruit and caramel, and a big 12% ABV, makes you a lot happier that your Aunt Betty sent you yet another tin.

Pumpkin Pie with a Kick: Pair this with Dogfish Head's Punkin' Ale, a beer made with pumpkin that offers notes of allspice and brown sugar. At 7% ABV, this beer adds a nice kick and magnifies the rich flavors of this old ubiquitous favorite.

Latkes Like You've Never Seen Them: Potato pancakes are delicious with applesauce, we suggest ditching the sauce and buying a bottle of Unibrioue Ephemere, a beer from Chambly Quebec that is brewed with apples and coriander. Not too sweet like cider, but full of apple flavor and a crisp, clean mouthfeel that lifts those Latkes up to a new level.

Those Sugar Cookies In Various Shapes: You can't resist making these for your holiday party, but if you Try this with Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice. This Winter Warmer tastes like creme brulee and caramel and, well, sugar cookies. Even when these babies go stale, you will still be happy eating one chased by this beer.

Try some of these suggestions and you won't be sorry. Pair with pride, and you'll turn holiday tradition on its head with the addition of wonderful and seasonal craft and artisanal beers. But, of course, along with the introduction of new aspects of celebration comes responsibility. Make sure that you tell Uncle Frank that drinking one Scaldis Noel is like drinking three (or four) Keystone Lights. Lord knows we don't want the same thing that happened last year happening again this year, that's for sure!

BEER CHICKS GUEST BLOGGERS FOR PENGUIN.COM - TAKE 2

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:13:00 +0000

My writing partner, Hallie Beaune, and I - aka your favorite beer chicks - are guest bloggers this week on The Penguin Group's blog! Check out what we wrote about our love of pairing food with beer..

Foods That Taste Better With Beer
Tue, 11/03/2009

(View entire post here)
We're not haters. Just because we're beer lovers doesn't mean that we dislike wine. (Lovers, not fighters...) We're big fans of fermented grape-juice. We admire wine's nuance and mystique. We have bottles of Bordeaux aging alongside our beer collections. The bottom line, however, is that beer just happens to be more versatile in flavor profiles. It simply offers a wider breadth of flavors than wine. (We're prepared for some angry letters.) There are some beers as sour as a kumquat or fresh yogurt, there are beers with pine tree resin flavors that coat the tongue. There are beers that taste like a shot of espresso and others brewed with coriander and juniper. Beer's many flavors and styles are liberating and pair well with a plethora of foods. This is why we knew that part of our book had to be devoted to beer's relationship with food - why we discuss the beauty of the beer dinner - and why we called upon chefs to share recipes that use beer as an ingredient. Beer belongs with food. If you're just delving into the craft beer world and are beginning to move your beer pairings beyond bar menu items like Buffalo wings and chili cheese fries, be prepared to taste food again for the first time.

Here are five foods that we feel pair best with beer. Skeptics, it's time to zip it, and let your taste buds decide. Beer lovers be prepared for validation.

1) Grilled Artichokes - Notoriously difficult to pair with wine, artichokes make most wines taste sweet due to a complex compound (cynarin) that affects our taste buds. Indeed, the flavors of an artichoke are difficult to describe, but a Saison can be a perfect pairing with its citrus and spicy notes that enhance the artichoke's flavors. Just imagine a squeeze of lemon and a dash of pepper.

2) Spicy Curry - Heat is hard to handle, especially with red wine. Some whites work well enough, but they lack the beer's bubbles that help ease a fiery tongue. Try a Belgian Golden Ale, or a beer brewed with spices used in Indian foods, like coriander and clove (perhaps a Witbier). Let the beer pick up the sweetness of those spices while maintaining a dry hop backbone for the full flavor and cool, prickly bubbles to help cut the heat. Or go another way and try a Belgian IPA (not to be confused with an American India Pale Ale or IPA), a style known for a dry hop that can slice through big and bold flavors.

3) Burgers - Perhaps this isn't a revelation. No doubt, most people have washed down many a burger with a nice cold "lite" brewski. But that's not what we're talking about here. If you've only paired a burger with a light crisp lager, you're missing something special. We like to pair our burgers with a tannic and dry IPA (now we are referring to the American IPA). What better way to cut through the fat and full flavors of a burger with cheese and onions, and hopefully bacon, than a nice hoppy effervescent IPA? It's the bite that you always wanted with your burger, cleansing the palate with each sip.

4) Cheesecake - Oh so many beers work with this classic dessert. The richness of cheesecake, like bites of cheese itself, benefit from the bubbles (as most of these pairings do) and different flavors of beer transform this dessert. An Oatmeal Stout adds chocolate and coffee notes, a Peche (peach) Lambic adds sweet and tart fruity notes. A dry funky Gueuze adds an earthy complexity with a sour, clean finish. Just as cheese loves to be paired with beer, cheesecake, in its many variations, is seduced by beer as well.

5) Ice Cream - Who drinks wine with ice-cream? No one, that's who. But beer and ice cream are fast friends. The richness of the cream plays well with a bit of CO2, and the multitude of ice cream flavors provide endless possibilities of accompaniments to a variety of beers. Think how much better that root beer float would be, if you took out the "root" and just went with the beer instead. Think Double Chocolate Russian Imperial Stout with vanilla bean ice cream. Yes, the beer float is gaining popularity as the dessert of choice by Gelato lovers who have become craft beer connoisseurs.

So there you have it. A primer of beer and food pairings to get you salivating and thinking in the right direction. Again, we're not haters, and we've got nothing against traditional beer pairings like Bratwurst and Oktoberfest beers, but the fun in dining with craft beer is in the experimentation. You might get it wrong sometimes, but we're willing to bet that, more often than not, you'll get it right. And when it's right, it's Oh So Right!

BEER CHICKS BLOG FOR PENGUIN.COM (USA)

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:39:00 +0000

My writing partner, Hallie Beaune, and I - aka your favorite beer chicks - are guest bloggers this week on The Penguin Group's blog! Check out what we wrote about how our relationship with beer went from hate to pure unadulterated love.

Our Love Affair with Beer
Monday, 11/02/2009

(View entire post here)

People ask us all the time, while wearing thinly veiled expressions of shock and bewilderment, how it is that two young [sic] women became beer experts? We are, in turn, often surprised by this amazement, but have discovered, through many heart to heart discussions with these people, a somewhat universal, preconceived notion of how one becomes a beer expert. It goes a little something like this: Two small babies are sitting in an empty wading pool playing with their Malibu Barbies (heads only) in the dusty backyard of a shotgun shack. They see their Uncle Billy Bob/Billy Ray/Bobby Joe, staggering in his sweat-stained, wife-beater t-shirt, take a big swig of Coors Lite and then smash the can on his forehead. Right then and there, the two dirty babies look at each other knowingly, both thinking the same thing... when we grow up, we wanna be beer experts!

While it's true, we were "different" girls - the kind who liked football and muscle cars (Christina), and who dressed up as The Phantom of the Opera for Halloween (Hallie) - when we imagined what our future lives would hold, our dreams were filled with the classics: ballet shoes and Academy Awards, not bottles of artisanal craft beer. Beer wasn't even a glimmer in our wide eyes. We didn't seek it out, and it certainly wasn't something we expected.

Our real love story with Beer is kind of "When Harry Met Sally"-esque. When we first met Beer, we hated it, yet were mildly intrigued by it. And over the next couple of years when we'd run into Beer again, our opinion of it didn't improve much. The Beer we knew lacked substance, it thought it was the best thing around, it just wanted to keep things "light," it just wanted to get us drunk and take advantage of us. But then one day, much later, Beer approached us in a different way, with charisma and style. It had depth and originality, it was interesting and diverse. It began to reveal its secrets to us. We found that Beer actually had many layers and flavors we hadn't known before. It was more than just blustering machismo. So we decided to give Beer a chance, and discovered that when Beer was being true to itself, when it wasn't trying to water itself down to the lowest common denominator, we actually liked Beer. A lot.

Then we started socializing with Beer, not thinking too much about the impact it was having on our lives, but all the while growing closer and closer to Beer. Before we realized it, we were ignoring our old friends - like that sweet, cute Apple Martini and sneaky strong Harvey Wallbanger, who was always good for a laugh - and spending a great deal of time with Beer. We denied it of course, but we were falling in love with Beer. And becoming intimate with Beer was bringing other wonderful things into our lives, like the taste for nuance in finely crafted food, local quality ingredients, well-made wine and spirits, cave-aged cheeses, complex chocolates, etc. Beer kept bringing us these wonderful gifts. Whether it was the sour ale made from cherries growing in a small Wisconsin town that seduced us, or the Belgian-style Triple brewed with sage picked from a brewer's backyard, craft beer continued and continues to reveal to us an endless variety of flavors, it keeps us interested and coming back for more.

We want everyone to share in this passionate experience of knowing craft beer. When you open yourself up to the wide world of craft beer you'll find a love that you can't deny, and a favorite beer all your own. Harry said it to Sally, and we said it to beer, "You know, the first time we met, I really didn't like you that much." This week we hope to enlighten your lives one beer at a time. It took Harry and Sally 12 years and three months. It might only take you one sip.

The Naked Pint, Christina Perozzi, Hallie Beaune, craft beer, ale, lager, guide to beer, Perigee

LA BEER WEEK! OCTOBER 15-25

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:26:00 +0000

When is a week not a week? When its LA Beer Week of course! The Los Angeles beer scene, once thought of as a wasteland has really come into its own in 2009, as exemplified by the virtual explosion of beer festivals in the greater L.A. area over the past several months.

And now comes LA Beer Week, to be held at venues all over the Los Angeles metropolitan area October 15-25, highlighted by the closing weekend celebration, the L.A. Beer Week Festival, at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge Saturday, October 24 from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Over 70 craft and artisan breweries from across California and throughout the world will be pouring their wares –– many of them special release and esoteric beers –– at the L.A. Beer Week Festival, which will be held in the unique setting of the five-acre Rosarium at Descanso Gardens, beautifully landscaped with plenty of shade trees, roses, streams, ponds and even hop vines!

High-quality artisan food will be available from Patina Catering, including grilled meat and seafood, sandwiches, salads, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. There will also be live Gypsy Jazz, courtesy of Gonzalo Bergara Quartet . Tickets for L.A. Beer Week Festival are now on sale only at www.labeerweek.com/tickets.php, and are selling swiftly.

Admission is $40 and includes entrance to the historic Descanso International Rosarium, the live music, and unlimited 4 oz. pours of beer. Food is not included in the ticket price, but is available to buy at the event, CASH ONLY (ATM or credit cards will not be accepted). Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance; they will not be sold at the door. Proceeds will benefit the non-profit Spero Foundation, which raises awareness and capital for charities that bring hope to people in need.

The 11-day L.A. Beer Week is a far-reaching celebration of beer culture in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, as well as surrounding areas, and will feature a palate-pleasing array of breweries, local taphouses, tastings, pairings, examples of beer cuisine, meet-the-brewer events, and culinary and home-brewing demonstrations.

Check out some of the amazing events scheduled:
Oct 14: An L.A. Beer Week Pre-Party featuring 20 beers from Stone Brewing Company and special guests at Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach.
Oct 16: The debut of new Firestone Walker and Nectar Ales at Hollywood’s Blue Palms Brew House.
Oct 17: The second annual Oktoberfest party at Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park, featuring food, music, contests and genuine German beer.
Oct 19: An evening of G. Schneider & Sohn beers and sausage at downtown L.A.’s Wurstküche.
Oct 21: A Moosbacher beer tasting at Stuffed Sandwich in San Gabriel.
Oct 21: Green Flash meet-the-brewer night with Chuck Silva at The Daily Pint in Santa Monica.
Oct 22: Molecular Beer Dinner featuring beers from the Bruery in OC at Seal Beach’s Beachwood BBQ.
Oct 23: Chimay meet-the-brewer night with Dominique Denis at Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena.

For more information and events, visit www.labeerweek.com.

More events are being added daily, including a possible Beer for Chicks event so STAY TUNED!

SOURCING MYSELF OUT OF A JOB!

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:58:00 +0000

I'm pissed! About three years ago I had this great idea to do a widget or an application that would recommend beers, pair food with beer, tell you something about the beer and beer style that you were buying at the grocery store, etc. All I needed was time and money, and...oh yeah...the ability to execute any of it! Well, folks, it's too late for me now. GreatBrewers.com has come up with an amazing application that does all the things that I wanted to do and more. I hate to admit it, but I have to give credit where credit is due....this application is rad.

BeerCloud is an amazing mobile app that helps you pair beer with food, track down your favorite beers in your neighborhood, pull up a full description of any beer by reading its (get this) BARCODE! The app even uses your mobile GPS feature to map the closest stores, bars and retaurants carrying your favorite beer. In addition, with this app you'll be able to:

Scan a beer's barcode with your phone's built-in camera to see a thorough product description.
Use Mobile Beer Finder to track down a beer in your neighborhood with your phone's built-in GPS.
Use the Mobile Beer Sommelier to get recommendations for complementary beer style accompaniments for more than 250 foods.

The app was developed by Eric MacKay, Jingsheng Wang and Tom Byrne and right now is only available for Android phones. To download to an Android phone to to the App Market and search for "BeerCloud."

An iPhone version of BeerCloud is currently under development and, according to MacKay, should be available in the next 30 days. GreatBrewers.com also hopes to have a web based version for all other mobile devices, including Blackberry, Palm and Windows Mobile OS devices by the end of 2009!

Pretty soon you won't need me anymore. :(

Written by The Beer Chick

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JULIE & JULIA & CHRISTINA

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:22:00 +0000

So... as I'm sure you are aware, I'm a big geek. Obviously I'm a colossal beer geek, but I'm also a devoted food geek as well. And like any girlie geeky foodie devotee, I flocked to Julie & Julia a couple of weeks ago when it first came out. I left the movie inspired. I felt a kinship with Julie Powell, as she did with Julia Child. Here was a girl who worked at a crap job, and decided to start a blog documenting something she loved so that her life would have some meaning and some fun! As a result she got a book deal and an amazing writing career.

As you may or may not know, I've been temporarily ensconced at my parents tragically-craft-beer-free house recovering from rupturing my Achilles Tendon. Luckily this means that I have full access to my mother's completely unmolested (read unused) 1975 copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." I started reading it with the idea to make the famously classic Boeuf Bourguignon that was featured in the book and the movie, but then I flipped the next page (p. 317 in my edition) and to my delight saw a recipe for Carbonnades a la Flamande or Beef and Onions Braised in Beer.

Julie Powell made this recipe on New Years Day 2003, giving a nod to beer's significance in cooking - however, she didn't happen to mention the most important thing! The style and type of beer that she used. Julia Child calls for "2 to 3 cups light beer, Pilsner type" but also later tells you to add 2Tb light brown sugar to "mask the beer's slightly bitter quality." I'm thinking...why not just add a beer with a sweeter, maltier quality and forgo adding the sugar? I know I'm messing with Julia right now, but I might as well add my beer knowledge to the mix and see what happens, right?

So, I took a deep breath and tried my hand at the fabulous Carbonnades a la Flamande. My dad had top round in the house, so I used that. I sliced the beef, dried it and browned it in bacon fat (mmm bacon fat) a little at a time like Julie and Julia say to do. I set the beef aside and browned the onions in the same pot that I browned the meat in. I did everything Julia said, just like Julie did, I added crushed garlic to the onions (off the heat of course) and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Then I layered a casserole dish with beef/onions/beef/onions. I added a bouquet garni of parsley, bay leaf and thyme. I added 1 cup of organic beef stock. And here's where I deviated: Instead of adding a light lager and sugar, I added a bottle (12 oz) and a half of Unibroue Maudite, a delicious, malty and spicy Belgian-style Dubbel (the only ingredient I had to go out and buy at the Baron's in Temecula). After bringing the casserole to a simmer on the stove top, the whole thing went into a 325 oven until the beer was "fork-tender" - 2 and a half hours.

Then I drained the sauce from the casserole into a sauce pan. I added a starch/wine vinegar mixture and simmered it for a couple of minutes and then I poured the sauce back onto the beef and onions. Then, voila, it was done. I served it to my very appreciative parents over buttered noodles.

This dish was delicious and relatively easy compared to Boeuf Bourguignon and the other fricasee dishes in the book. The maltier beer seemed to work. I tasted none of the bitterness that Julie and Julia talked about, just delicious melt in your mouth perfectly seasoned beef and onions. We drank the remaining 4 Maudite with the dish as an amazingly perfect no-duh pairing.

So now, I'm just like Julie & Julia. Do you think anyone will make a movie called "The Naked Pint"? God, I hope so! Dare to dream.... dare to dream!

Written by The Beer Chick

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HEY LADIES, ITS NOT BEER, ITS MEDICINE

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:05:00 +0000

I'm no doctor. I think we all know this. As a matter of fact, I frequently use a line I borrowed from Paula Deen. "I'm not your doctor honey, I'm your ~~cook~~ beer sommelier!" But I've written before about how beer had ingredients that could be good for your health. I've prayed and hoped and dreamed that research would prove that beer is good for us so I can tell my mom to zip it! Now, maybe its finally here.

Check out this article by Miller-McCune. In it they say that "habitual beer drinkers had higher bone density than habitual wine drinkers or teetotalers..." Hmmm.....exciting!

Want more? Check out the article Hey, Ladies ... It's Not Beer, It's Medicine by Tom Jacobs at Miller-McCune.

BALL DROPPED ON BEER VETTING

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:25:00 +0000

More than any other beverage in the world, people identify with the brand of beer they drink. If you like to think of yourself as the rugged outdoorsy-type, it’s quite possible that you love the “head for the mountains” attitude of a Busch beer or drink Coors which has been marketed as a “refreshment as cold as the Rockies.” If you daydream every day about sunning yourself on a pristine beach as you sit typing TPS reports in the cubicle at your 9-5, it’s quite probable that at 5:02pm you’re on your way to drinking a Corona.

These are stereotypical images, yes, but in our experience, generally speaking and flavor aside, the type of beer people drink usually says something about who that person wants to be or who that person wants to be seen as. That’s Advertising and Marketing 101. But that leads us to the question: In a year where the current administration has been fraught with vetting issues, why oh why would someone have let Sgt. Jim Crowley - the man lambasted as a racist and accused of acting ‘stupidly’ – why oh why would anyone have let him drink a Blue Moon, a Belgian-style WHITE ale?

And did anyone happen to notice that Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., the man at the center of the racial controversy was considering of drinking a Red Stripe, a beer which is often associated with its country of origin, Jamaica, and all the Rastafari / Reggae implications (fair or unfair) that go along with that lifestyle: which, according to Wikipedia, alludes to “Afrocentric social and political aspirations” and other things that could be frightening to white people. Thank God he changed his mind and went with the local (well, East Coast anyway) brewer, Sam Adams.

Whose job was it to vet the beer choices consumed at the most widely broadcasted, written, tweeted, and blogged about happy hour east of the sun? Just because one doesn’t necessarily have to worry about a beer having “tax problems,” doesn’t mean that a beer can’t speak volumes about its drinker’s character. President Obama picked a Bud Light – crisp, clean, refreshing, literally the most popular beer in the world and a seemingly safe, politically correct choice. The President of the United States drinking Bud Light looked about as wholesome as babies, football and apple pie. Except for the fact that Bud Light is no longer owned by a U.S. company. (In fact, none of the beers are from American-owned companies.) Oh, and also that the choice of a huge overseas corporation irked a lot of local craft and artisanal brewers who thought that the time had finally come for craft beer to be welcomed into the White House and publically lauded by the President of the United States.

For craft brewers it was as if President Obama drove up to the “Beer Summit” in a Toyota. In the political arena, nothing is just a little thing. Everything is scrutinized and politicized. And the lack of forethought that went into the implications of these beer choices is astounding in these hyper-mediac times. Obama might as well have been drinking Daschle Ale or Bill Richardson Pilsner.

We’ve been (ahem) “vetting” beer for years now and as beer sommeliers have immersed ourselves in the beer culture. We would have been happy to offer these fully vetted suggestions. Here are some craft beers that we would have chosen if we had been asked, which we obviously were not (Call us, Rahm Emanuel) for the illustrious “Beer Summit:”

Death and Taxes, Moonlight Brewing Co. Fulton, California: Nothing is certain but death and taxes. But this schwarzbier is certainly a good way to bridge the gap. With roasty toasty coffee notes, this is a dark beer with a light body. ‘nuff said. 4.2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV).

Collaboration Not Litigation, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, Colorado: A Belgian Strong Dark Ale with notes of dark fruit, spice and molasses. This ale is actually a collaboration between two breweries who released a beer of the same name, Salvation, they chose to work together on a brew instead of fight over the name. Can’t we all just get along? 9% ABV.

Brew Free or Die!, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, California: An American-style IPA served in a classic can. Bitter enough to cut through politics as usual, but balanced with a malty sweetness that will keep racial tempers from flaring up. 7.2% ABV.

Tea Bagged Furious, Surly Brewing Co., Brooklyn Center, Minnesota: Perhaps the gentlemen at the summit needed a little distraction and comic relief, in which case we suggest the topic of another media-fueled feud: The Rachael Maddow vs. Lou Dobbs fight, accompanied by this appropriate conversation-starter beer. Another American IPA with a much bigger punch than the above mentioned. The hops in this brew would have kicked away any memories of ‘mother’ comments, I.D. mix-ups, or ‘stupid’ foibles. ABV Unknown.

There’s one more beer we’d like to suggest:

Arrogant Bastard, Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, California: This one’s for us! 7.7% ABV.

Or maybe we should all just have had Black and Tans……

By Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune

MY BOOK - THE NAKED PINT - AVAILABLE FOR PRESALE

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:06:00 +0000

You know that thing that's been keeping me from being a good blogger? That ethereal book that only existed because I said it did? Well, now - hopefully - you can see that I'm not a big fat liar. The book that I wrote with fellow beer chick Hallie Beaune, The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer, is now available for pre-sale at Barnes and Noble and Amazon, as well as other online retail outlets. Hooray! Here's the description"

In The Naked Pint, Perozzi and Beaune offer a down-to-earth guide to craft and artisanal brews that celebrates beer for what is truly is: sophisticated, complex and flavorful. Covering everything from beer basics to the science behind beer, food and beer pairings, home brewing, and tips for perfecting one's palate. This edgy no-nonsense guide exposes hidden truths, debunks misconceptions, and reveals the power that comes from knowing your ales from a hole in the ground!

We also got two rock stars of the beer world to read it and here's what they said:

"The Naked Pint is a great read for anyone interested in all things beer - from beer style descriptions to cooking with beer to brewing your own beer at home. The authors know their stuff; they understand that beer can be complex without being overly complicated and take beer seriously but don't take themselves too seriously."

-Sam Calagione, President Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

"No one turns people on to beer the way that Christina and Hallie do. Along with their passion and expertise, they bring a wit and levity that exemplify the renegade spirit of craft beer. They possess the skills of a sommelier..yet take you on the even more inspired journey into craft beer."

-Greg Koch, CEO and co-founder, Stone Brewing Co

Also, please check out the newly launched website for the book thenakedpint.com to get more book release and book tour information! Yeah, I'm an author!

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BEERS FOR YOUR NON-BEER DRINKING FATHER

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Remember how I told you in my Mother's Day blog last year that my dad was a Lindemans Peche drinker, and that I didn't really want to talk about it? Well, after many sessions of group family therapy, I can tell you that, yes, it's true. My name is Christina and my father drinks girlie beers (and the crowd says "Hi Christina.") It's fine. I'm okay. I've learned acceptance and I've come to realize that my father is my father. He is who he is, and I'm not going to change him. I'm sure that not even public humiliation in the form of a blog post from his only daughter will get him to start really drinking beer.

From what I've gleaned from my time on this earth, is that most people don't have a difficult time getting their fathers to drink beer. There's the game watching, the pool playing, the fight watching, the car washing, the golf, the barbecues. Nope, not my Dad. I mean, he does some of those activities, just none of them are accompanied by a beer.

Using lines like, "If you loved me, you'd attend," I have forced him to come to some of my beer events, however. And at those events he will begrudgingly try the beers that I give him. And to my astonishment, he's liked a few of them. And so, without further ado or fanfare, I will list the beers that you can give to a Peche Lambic drinking, comfortable with his own masculinity and not needing to drink beer to prove it kind of dad.

I hope this list is useful to the 5 of you who may or may not exist on the planet Earth.

Malheur Biere Brut - De Landtsheer - Buggenhout, Belgium, 11% abv.
The fact that my Dad liked this beer shocked the hell out of me almost as much as it did when my mother loved Jahva Imperial Coffee Stout. I thought that this biere de champagne would be way too high alcohol content for him, but he loved it. I should have guessed because the malt and spice level is quite high that he would have. The only problem is that this beer is quite expensive - for a beer - over $40 at the store. And since my Dad will only eat at restaurants that accept coupons and give free refills, the biere de champagne that I gave him for last year's Father's Day is still sitting unopened like a frosty trophy in the fridge in his garage in Temecula, CA. Its being saved for an unknown special occasion that will never come. And no, he's not trying to age it.

The Lost Abbey Lost and Found Ale - San Marcos, CA - 8% abv.
This was another beer that my father actually enjoyed. It was paired at the time with a really great blue cheese with raisin bread and walnuts, so my dad was all over it. Clovey and spicy with hints of dark fruit - figs and plums. I think I'm getting it. My Dad likes malty, spicy beers with an undisputed high alcohol content. Okay, now I'm starting to understand!

Aventinus - G.Schneider & Sohn - Kelheim, Germany - 8% abv.
Bill also dug this delicious malty beer as well. Aventinus is "the world's oldest top-fermenting wheat doppelbock." Again spicy, and again with notes of raisins, dates, figs, prunes, bananas and cloves. This beer is deceptively light-bodied on the palate but will kick your ass.

And that's it. Those are the beers my Dad likes so far. Please wish me good luck as I continue my quest to convert him - and my mother. Luckily my brother drinks beer, but I can guarantee you that his fridge is stocked with a 12 pack of Coors Light. What's a beer chick to do? But I digress. What I meant to say is Happy Father's Day to my non-beer drinking, non-reading my blog Dad. I love you!

Written by The Beer Chick, June 16, 2009

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CATHERINE THE GREAT - THE 1ST BEER CHICK

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Did I tell you that I'm dating a hot Russian guy now? Oh yes, I am. And for some reason, I seem to be drinking a lot more Russian Imperial Stout (RIS). (I know there's a real dirty joke in there somewhere, but let's not go there.) Of course, hearing the name of this beer, one assumes that it comes from Russia. But you know what happens when you assume?

NOT from Russia, this amazing style of beer is actually a British invention. The Anchor brewery (no not the one in San Francisco) were the originators of this strong dark and rich beer that is generally much maltier, smokier and stronger than other English or Irish style stouts. Why Russia then?

Well, supposedly, in days of yore, the Empress of Russia Catherine the Great loved the style and demanded large quantities of the ebony elixer shipped to the Baltic and beyond. Some say that the beer was fortified with a high percentage of alcohol in order for it to make this long journey over land. Fortunately the beer lasted the distance and Catherine's love of this stout made it immensely popular not only in her native Russia, but in England as well. In fact, it is said that her support of the beer way back in the 1780's is what has contributed to this beer style's popularity even today.

I love this style, but previously, I really only drank it in the winter, when the alcohol would warm my bones when the temperature would dip below 60 degrees (c'mon, I'm in L.A.) But now that I've been concentrating on things Russian, I realize that it's a wonderful year-round beer! Here are some of the Russian Imperial Stouts I've been imbibing as of late:

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
North Coast Brewing Company - Ft. Bragg, CA
Tsarina Alexandra, the last Tsaritsa of Russia is known for her destructive and notorious friendship with the mystic Grigori Rasputin. And while this Old Rasputin from North Coast might be dark, there's no hidden agenda here! This beer is like espresso, with secondary notes of bittersweet chocolate and licorice. Its deliciously deceptive at 9% abv. This is my go to RIS.

Ten Fidy Imperial Stout
Oskar Blues Brewery - Lyons, CO
Thick, black and super creamy, this RIS is huge. Huge coffee and huge chocolate this beer has a hot malty dark molassas sweetness. Lots of smokey goodness in this beer. Oh, did I tell you that its in a can? Gotta love that! 9.5% abv.

Dark Lord Imperial Stout
Three Floyds Brewing Co. - Munster, IN
Super rich with big chocolate and vanilla, this beer comes in at a huge 13% abv. Super sweet and smooth, this beer has roasty and smokey notes almost like charcoal, with - dare I say - notes of soy sauce (but in a good way.) Virtually no head, this beer is like engine oil (also in a good way.) Darkness is spreading ladies and gentlemen.

The Czar Imperial Stout
Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, CO
Once again, this RIS shines with flavors of cocoa, bittersweet chocolate, caramel, toffee. Big espresso flavors with tons of sweet dark fruit. This one actually has a nice hop presence providing a bit of a balance. But its still a sweet, creamy, fruity, smokey dream. 11% abv.

I know I said it before, but it's important to remind y'all that Russian Imperial Stouts generally have a very high alcohol content. We're talking 10% and upwards. You know I'm okay with that, but be careful when you're drinking these, as you can easily end the night ass up. As a matter of fact, these beers used to be marketed using the tagline "Strong as a double scotch, less than half the price." YEAH! In this economy, we need some more bang for our buck. Speaking of the Russian hottie...

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A LITTLE DECADENCE

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:19:00 +0000

So, I'm finally back for real! The book is done. The rewrites are done! And now I can get back to what I love doing best. Drinking great beer and writing about it. I won't ever leave you like this again! It's time for a little celebration. In fact, I celebrated a little too hard the other night and one of my friends said that our debauchery was "decadent," like it was a bad thing. That got me thinking about the last time I had some decadence in my life.

I mean, I know that the economy is in the tank, but does that mean that we all have to give up decadence? I think not. Now is just the time to take the escapist route and enjoy beer, especially because its cheaper than wine and champagne and spirits. Hell, let's have a little decadence...and by that I mean Decadence Anniversary Ale the seasonal treat from Alesmith Brewing Company in San Diego, CA. (Insert cheering crowd here.)

Decadence was released in 2005 to celebrate Alesmith's 10 year anniversary. Each year its different, and each year the beer embodies the definition of, what else? Decadence! For instance, 2005 was a smooth and rich English-style Old Ale, 2006 (which was awesomely nicknamed "Dead by Dawn") was a caramelly and resinous American Strong Ale, 2007 was a smokey and piney Imperial Porter, and 2008 was a traditional fire spit inducing and toffee tinged English-style Barleywine.

Thanks to Ryan Sweeney, who is owner of the fabulous beer bar Verdugo in L.A., I was lucky enough to try a special barrel aged version of the '07 Imperial Porter, and it was SICK in its goodness. This beer started out with notes of chocolate, toffee and caramel and won the gold medal at the 2008 San Diego County Fair's Craft Brewer's Competition. Imagine it now aged in bourbon barrels, and all that vanilla, Maker's Marky, woody, oakey goodness. This beer poured a brown engine oil with a creamy white head with secondary notes of dark fruit and coffee. I almost died it was so good! I keep imagining what this beer will taste like when it has even more age on it. Oh and it's 10% abv. And you know how much I like that.

Oscar Wilde said "America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but if Barbarism or Civilization are beers a fraction as good as Decadence, I'm willing to try them!

If you see this beer anywhere, do what you can to get it. Trade, steal, sell your guitar, whatever. It'll be worth it.

LIFT A PINT FOR ST. PADDY

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:46:00 +0000

If you are a beer aficionado like me, you know that drinking green beer isn't the way to celebrate this beer drinking holiday. Green beer is just the crappy fizzy yellow beer with food coloring. That's no cause for celebration! Celebrate with the "most Irish" of all beers styles, the Stout.

My writing partner, fellow beer chick and dear friend - beer expert and author Hallie Beaune wrote a great article for The Rundown today for St. Patrick's day about, just that! Yummy Stouts really are the best beer to drink if you'd like to honor the Irish in all of us.

Here are the five domestic craft Stouts Hallie recommends on the Rundown with which to imbibe this fine St. Paddy's Day!

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
A smooth, easy-drinking stout. Velvety on the tongue, with notes of mocha and a nice hop presence on the finish for balance.

North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Like a shot of espresso or a dark, bitter bite of cacao-heavy chocolate, this brilliant stout is intense. A perfect nightcap, at 9.5% alcohol, it'll send you home singing.

Bison Organic Chocolate Stout
Brewed in Berkeley, this sustainable stout lets you be truly green on St. Patty's Day. With notes of subtle Dutch chocolate, it won't knock you over the head with saccharine Hershey bar flavors.

Alaskan Brewing Smoked Porter
Malt smoked over alder wood gives this beer a distinct flavor. Excellent when aged in a bottle (it mellows out the smokiness), so snag older vintages or store bottles in your closet for next year.

Deschutes Brewery's The Abyss
Aging in French Oak and Bourbon barrels gives this hard-to-find stout a depth worthy of its name. Savor notes of bitter chocolate, espresso, molasses and licorice before the 11% alcohol kicks in.

And make sure to check out the Rundown.

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FOR FRAOCH SAKE! HEATHER ALE

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Me likey beer that gets creative with ingredients. Some of these beers are the new-fangled brain children like Craftsman Brewing Company's Cabernale that is made using Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and The Bruery's Trade Winds Tripel made with Thai Basil. Some other beers with funky ingredients harken back to older traditional styles and days of yore.

Take Heather Ale for instance. Having origins that date back to 2000 b.c., this is a delicious and delicate style from Scotland that uses, you guessed it, heather instead of hops to provide balance to the malt. Heather is one of Scotland's most prolific plants, growing over millions of acres as ground cover. Sweet, fragrant and strong, the Scots used this prolific plant instead of hops, which wouldn't grow in Scotland's climate.

And as is the Scottish way, there are many legends, poems, myths and folklore surrounding this ancient beer style. One story is that the first whisky was accidently made when heather ale was distilled by warming over a fire...and you know how I love the Scotch!

Another story is that an ancient Scots king, who after winning a bloody battle over the Pict tribe, found a Pictish father and his son by a cliff. The King, who wanted the secret recipe for the Heather Ale tortured the father and his son for it. The father finally agreed to reveal the secret if the King would kill his son quickly. The King agreed and threw the boy's body off the cliff. He turned to the father but he said, "But now in vain is the torture, fire shall never avail, here dies in my bosom the secret of the Heather Ale." Then he threw himself at the King and they both fell from the cliff. Isn't that heartwarming?

If you feel like trying this rare style of beer and being part of Scottish history, you should start with the Fraoch (pronounced FRAY-OOK) from The Brewery Craigmill in Lanarkshire, Scotland. This delightful beer is a light amber ale with floral peaty aroma, full malt character and a spicy herbal flavor and dry wine like finish. 5% abv.

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VALENTINE'S DAY SUCKS

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:11:00 +0000

I'm not sure if I've already mentioned this in blogs past, but I pretty much hate Valentine's Day. In my opinion, more than any other day (including 'Take Your Kid to Work Day') Valentine's Day is the single worst day of the year. Elaborate or casual, with boyfriend or single, rich or poor, Valentine's Day has always been one huge disappointment. I hate the cards, the cheap chocolates, the doilies, the flying fat babies with arrows, all of it! As far as I'm concerned, Valentine's Day can kiss it.

It's times like these, when the dark spectre of Cupid rears his ugly head on the horizon, that I turn to the one thing that doesn't disappoint me...my one true love, craft beer. Thankfully, some great brewers also know that V-day sucks and make us beers that will help us through this difficult time. Here are my beer picks for poopy, stinky Valentine's Day. (It is completely intentional that some of these beer picks are sour or bitter!)

My Bloody Valentine - Alesmith Brewing Company - San Diego CA
Released shortly before Valentine's Day, My Bloody Valentine is Alesmith's bolder, stronger cousin of their great Halloween specialty ale, Evil Dead Red. Caramel sweet malt is delicately balanced with floral American hop varieties for a truly unique drinking sensation. A deep mahogany red color and a big, aromatic hop profile are the signatures of this seasonal ale -with an evil 6.66% abv.

The Dissident - Deschutes Brewing Company - Bend, Oregon
Because I say nay to Valentine's Day, I am a dissident, breaking from the Hallmark and Sees Candy establishment. Deschutes makes a beer to celebrate this spirit of dissent. Brewed with candy sugar and Montmorency cherries, this beer is huge at 8.8% alcohol. This beer also uses two types of brettanomyces (wild fermentation) which means that this beer has good and sour notes. Because its aged for 18 months in oak wine barrels, this beer also finishes nice and dry. Think chocolate and sour cherries, with molasses and wood. A great beer with which to tell V-day to eff off.

Honesty Ale - Craftsman Brewing Company - Pasadena, CA
The Dissident is a sour cherry ale, more in the lines of a Flandres Brown Ale, but Craftsman Brewing Company's Valentine's Day seasonal Honesty Ale tastes like a true Lambic. Sour and funky with a fruity cherry finish, this beer is more tart than sour. Clean, crisp with a big nose of fresh cherries and citrusy finish, this beer goes really well with that sour feeling that is left after Valentine's Day. 5% abv.

Stone Brewing Bitter Chocolate Stout - Escondido, CA
Who me? Bitter? Okay, maybe. But sometimes there's nothing better than bitter and this Bitter Chocolate Stout from Stone Brewing Company is a prime example of that. Brewed for Stone's 12th Anniversary, this beer pours a deep engine oil black. Roasty, malty and chocolaty in the nose, this beer uses unsweetened and unprocessed cacao from Chuao Chocolatier.
This beer has coffee and licorice accents and a thick, rich, creamy, silky mouthfeel from the oatmeal used. This one also packs a wallop at 9.2% abv. So if you're feeling as bitter as me, this is the beer for you.

Oh, and a Happy Effing Valentine's Day to you all!

Written by The Beer Chick, February 14th, 2009

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The Mike O'Meara Show

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:33:00 +0000

I'd like to thank The Mike O'Meara Show for having me on today! The guys were great to me and cracked me up during our tasting over the airwaves. I'm getting a lot of emails about the beers that I had them taste, so I'm putting the list up here! If you didn't get to hear the show live you can go to the Mike O'Meara Show website and listen to the podcast!

Magic Hat #9
A delicious pale ale from South Burlington, VT. Dry, crisp, fruity. This beer uses a 150 year old strain of top fermenting English yeast. There's nothing offensive in this beer. Nice and sessionable. A touch of apricot on the nose. 4.6% abv.

Dogfishhead 90 Minute IPA
If you are a hophead you will love this beer from Milton, Delaware. This is an Imperial or Double India Pale Ale, which means that its super hoppy. Which means that this beer is floral, grassy, super bitter and super dry. Esquire Magazine said that this beer was "The Best IPA in America." At 90 IBU's (International Bittering Units) it just may be one of the hoppiest ones, that's for sure. Notes of raisins and citrus in the background. 9% abv.

Chimay Blue
The monks sure know how to make good beer. Chimay Blue is a classic Belgian Trappist ale. Deep brown in color and high in alcohol, this beer has spicy clovey notes with hints of nutmeg, plum and other dark old world fruits. This very vinous beer has secondary notes of raisins and caramel. 9% abv.

Aventinus
This beer is from Schneider and Sons from Kelheim a town in southern Germany or Bavaria. It's a Weizen Bock beer, which really just means an extra strong wheat beer. This beer is full bodied with big roasted bananas and clove on the nose and caramel, nutty, woody notes on the finish. 8.2% abv.

Tripel Karmeliet
An abbey ale from Buggenhout, Belgium, this super effervescent Tripel is made with three grains: oats, wheat and barley. Bright yellow in color this beer has classic Tripel hints of pepper, citrus rind, honey and a dry flat hop finish. 8% abv.

Written by The Beer Chick, December 6, 2008

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BEER CHICK PICKS - Favorite Beerish Things of 2008

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:33:00 +0000

Happy New Year my fellow beer chicks and geeks! I know that I've been remiss in my blogging lately. I've been around the country drinking beer and keeping notes. And I thought that I could round it all up in a nice neat little list of my Favorite Beer Things of 2008. So without further ado, here they are!

Favorite Beer Bar
Spuyten Duyvil

359 Metropolitan Ave.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
718.963.4140
http://www.spuytenduyvilnyc.com/

I've been to a lot of great beer bars this year. Father's Office and The Daily Pint are like my second and third homes in LA. The Hopleaf and The Maproom in Chicago get mad props from me. The Brickskeller and Birreria Paradiso in DC, and The Toronado in San Francisco are amazing. But the place that captured my heart, mind, body and soul was a tiny little hole in the wall bar in Brooklyn. With nary a sign to mark this diamond, and red bars covering the windows, the place was so nondescript that I asked "This is it?" when we arrived. From the decor (which is either all a happy accident or designed by some kind of genius in understated hipness) to the vibe, to the knowledge of the staff, to the selection of beers, to the music on the jukebox, to the fellow patrons, this bar pretty much K'd A. I couldn't tell if it was the maps and anatomical drawings on the walls, the apple on top of the Jesus' bust behind the bar, the Spiegelau glassware, the red tin ceiling, or our skull capped bartender; but the beer tasted better to me here than in any other bar this year!

Favorite Beer Shop
City Beer Store & Tasting Bar

1168 Folsom St
Suite 101
San Francisco, CA, 94103
415.503.1033
http://www.citybeerstore.com/

I don't know the exact statistics on this but if I had to guess I would say that there are well over 30 trillion wine stores in this country. But what we are truly lacking are retail outlets that concentrate on beer and treat it with the respect and reverence that great beer deserves. This is the niche that Craig and Beth over at City Beer & Tasting Bar decided to fill for San Francisco beer-o-philes. Not only is this place a totally neighborhoody, easy going place. But you can drink beer tasters while you shop their massive list. You can also mix and match six packs, which would keep me coming back forever if I lived there. Perhaps they say it best on their website. "Our hope is for beer to be treated with the same respect as a fine wine or fine bourbon. Through continued education and tasting of many brews we will create a beer force to be reckoned with!" they say. If you're goin' to San Francisco, make sure to check out this gem of a beer shop. Cheers to you City Beer!

Favorite Beer Consumed in 2008
Thiriez XXtra

Dry-hopped Golden Farmhouse Ale
Esquelbecq, France
http://brasseriethiriez.ifrance.com/
4.5% abv

I'll admit, it was getting late. And I'll admit that I had already tasted quite a few beers. I'll also admit that I was in my new favorite bar of 2008 (see above), but do not let any of the above negate the deliciousness of the best beer I drank in 2008, Thiriez XXtra. Here's exactly what I wrote in my notes when I tasted it: "You know that thing you want Saison to do sometimes...to finish up better, to dry up? Well, this one does it perfectly." Rich and hoppy, I learned later that this beer in France is called "Les Freres de la Biere" which means "The Friends (or brothers) of Beer," and it turns out that the beer is a collaboration between brewers in England, France and Belgium using English hops, French malts and Belgian yeast. The end result is a beer that is amazingly sessionable, but still has the earthy, spicy character of a saison. From what I've read, this beer is much more like a throw back to the "original hoppy saisons that were created by Belgian farmers in earlier times." A great experience of restraint balanced with flavor. Simply delicious.

Favorite Beer Chick
Nathalie Balandran

Pacific Gravity Ladies Homebrewing Club
4358 1/2 Sepulveda Blvd
Culver City, CA 90230
310.397.3453
Culver City, CA
http://www.pacificgravity.com/

Nathalie is pretty much a bad ass. Not only does she possess a precise palate and a wealth of information on beer and brewing, but she uses words like "diacetyl" in common conversation. And that makes me happy. Nathalie hosts a homebrewing class for ladies in Culver City where she teaches women (me included) how to make brews like "Ebony & Ivory Vanilla Porter" and "Peppermint Stout" and un-named beers made with exotic ingredients like candied ginger. This year she was featured in the Los Angeles Times and on a local television newscast for her homebrewing teaching efforts. Click here to read the whole article by Jenn Garbee called "Home Beer Brewing Calls to a New Generation -- And to Women." Click here to contact Nathalie about attending one of her homebrewing seminars.

Favorite Beer Flavoring
Coconut

I like to consider myself a purist. Obviously, this is not true, but like I said, I like to consider myself a purist. That being said, I had to warm up to the idea of "flavorings" being added to beer. Hell, its been done for thousands of years, but sometimes adding flavorings to make beers more palatable to women ends up "dumbing down" the beer in a way that I think is patronizing. This is not the flavoring that I'm talking about. Innovative brewers around the world are experimenting with adding spices, herbs and other ingredients like chocolate and coffee to make truly unique beers. Craftsman adds white sage to it's awesome Triple White Sage, Elysian Brewing Company adds Jasmine to its Jasmine IPA, my favorite flavor combination this year, however, has been coconut. Especially when added to dark beers such as porters and stouts, coconut adds something delightful to the mix. Of course it has to be done right and not with a heavy hand. Some of my favorites of this style are Maui Brewing Company's CoConut Porter, Klin Kokos from Nogne Brewery in Norway and Coconut Milk Stout at Rock Bottom.

Favorite Beer Accoutrement Establishment
Bedford Cheese Shop

229 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
888.484.3243 / 718.599.7588
http://www.bedfordcheeseshop.com/

Why am I writing about a cheese shop? Because how else are you going to experience the perfect pairing of a strong English Barleywine with a Stilton Blue Cheese? How are you going to taste what Maredsous 10 and Roomano Gouda do to each other? You can't, unless you go to what I like to call a "Beer Accoutrement Establishment" like the Bedford Cheese Shop. This place is absolutely amazing. They are an "old-fashioned cheese shop dedicated to providing you the finest quality cheese from around the world." Their staff is as knowledgeable about cheese as brewmasters are about beer. You tell them the flavor profile of your beer and the cheesemongers will give you a stinky cheese that will not only enhance your beer, it will brighten your life. Make sure to ask for Amy or Allison, two cheese queens who also know a hell of a lot about great beer. Another cool thing? Click here for a cheese "subscription" and get 3 months to a year of awesome stinky cheese delivered to your door.

Favorite Seasonal Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales / Nogne O / Stone Brewing Company Special Holiday Ale

Winter Warmer
9% abv.

This Winter Seasonal Beer is the lovechild of three great craft breweries hailing from Dexter, Michigan, Norway, and Escondido, California. Three of my favorite breweries got together to make a Special Holiday Ale: Jolly Pumpkin which usually focuses on sour beers, Nogne which focuses on real ales and Stone Brewing Company which is known for its extreme beers. They got creative and made this beer with chestnuts, juniper berry, white sage and caraway seed. At 9% abv, you'd think you'd have a heat bomb, but this beer is so nuanced and balanced with fruity, smokey, spicy, toasty notes, but with a nice dry finish that is usually missing in sometimes cloying winter warmers. I was able to get my hands on ONE bottle of this as a gift from fellow beer chick Hallie Beaune! Thanks Hallie. Click here for the whole story behind the collaboration.

Favorite New Brewery
The Bruery

715 Dunn Way
Placentia, CA 92870
http://www.thebruery.com/

Spelled "bRUEry" because it was founded by family members Patrick, Rachel and Michael Rue, The Bruery is using something that I value highly: creativity! Sometimes when you do crazy things with beer, it can fail miserably, but The Bruery is experimenting with ingredients and making them work in wonderful ways. They are making a Saison with Rye, a Yam and Maple beer instead of a Pumpkin Ale, a Triple flavored with Thai Basil, a "Black" White Ale, a White Ale made with Lavender. Patrick and his Head Brewer Tyler King make innovative, original and outside the bottle kind of beers. And it doesn't hurt that they are like the nicest people alive. The entire package makes it my favorite new brewery of 2008. If you can't find any Bruery beers near you, it might be time for a weekend road trip to the OC. The Bruery has a tasting room open on Fridays between 2-8pm and Saturdays between 12-6pm.

Favorite Restaurant Beer List
(That I Didn't Write)
Gramercy Tavern

Flatiron Neighborhood
42 East 20th Street
New York, NY 10003
212.477.0777
http://www.gramercytavern.com/

It ain't cheap, but I make it a point to go to Gramercy Tavern every time I'm in New York City. The environment is so warm and cuddly and the service so friendly and inviting, that it doesn't seem like one of NYC's best restaurants. There's none of the tension or stuffiness, it feels like you're at your parents friends' dinner party. But beyond the wonderful food and fantastic wine list is one of the best beer lists that I've ever seen in a restaurant. I'm talking Ayinger Celebrator, Semi-dry Organic Apple Cider from Farnum Hill in New Hampshire, Westmalle Tripel and Rochefort 6 just to name a few. But what makes Gramercy Tavern's beer list especially cool is their "Vintage Beer & Cider" list, where they offer collected beers. Didn't think you could do that? Well you definitely can. They have Anchor Christmas Ale from 1998 and 2001, Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine from 1998, '99 and '00. Schneider Aventinus 2002, Cantillon Gueuze Kriek and Framboise from '05. They have amazing Famille Dupont ciders. Also, thanks to a conversation with the manager in the know, GT has some special beers that are not on the list. I was able to try some fabulous and serious warmers (read high alcohol content) exclusively brewed by Brooklyn Brewery's Garret Oliver for Gramercy Tavern served in crystal appertif glasses. Amazing and inspiring. I can't wait to go back.

Happy Holidays to all my fellow beer fans. May the new year bring hope, love and happiness - and lots of beer - to you and yours.

Written by The Beer Chick, December 29, 2008

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MAIS OUI MES POUSSINS, J'AIME LA BELGIQUE

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:47:00 +0000

So...one of my dirty little secrets is that while I profess a love of Belgian beer that runs as deep as the Meuse, I've never been to Belgium. No, I've never been there, okay !?@? I know. But this travesty that I live with daily was abated last night, if just for 3 and a half hours, by my fabulous dinner at Bistro Brussels in Laguna Beach. I was lucky enough to be invited by new friend Noah Galuten of Man Bites World, whose goal is to "eat the food of a different country every single day, for as many days in a row as he can."

We were also lucky enough to be sharing our dinner with famed Chef Pascal Olhats as our guide. Pascal is the chef /owner of many restaurants, not the least of which is the famed Tradition by Pascal in Newport Beach, Ca, which has been rated the #1 restaurant in Orange County for over ten years by the Zagat Guide. He studied and lived in Belgium for 4 years and took us on a nostalgic trip that only the sense memories of food and beer can provide.

Noah is a great writer and wrapped up the evening on his blog. Click here to read the narrative of the evening. My job is beer - so I'll get to talking about those and my favorite pairings.

Chimay Tripel paired with Des de Fromage de Chimay.

So Chef Pascal said that we should start out with some cheese. So start out with cheese we did. The cheese, however, was made by the same Trappist monks at the same brewery that makes Chimay. It turns out that since 1876, Chimay has been making a semi-hard cheese made from milk from their farm and matured in the vaulted cellars of their abbey, the very same cellars where Chimay beer is fermented. There's something to be said of the marriage of flavors when things come from the same place. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but the beer and cheese harmonized perfectly with something that can only be described as "je ne sais quoi."

Chimay Tripel (White Label), Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont, Belgium - 8% abv.

Triple Karmeliet paired with Belgian Onion Soup with Petites Croquettes de Crevettes du Nord et au Fromage

I am a lover of French Onion Soup, so when we were presented with a creamy Belgian Onion Soup, I was intrigued and oh so pleasantly surprised. This soup was velvety smooth with notes of citrus rind. Sweet and rich with melted Gruyere cheese swirling around, the soup was served with two little fried croquettes - one stuffed with cheese and one stuffed with baby shrimp. (BTW, the croquette might be my new favorite food style, second only to the dumpling.) It was a total no-brainer to pair Triple Karmeliet with this pairing. Malty and lemoney, spicy and super effervescent, this beer worked well with both the soup and the two croquette styles.

Tripel Karmeliet, Buggenhout, Belgium - 8.25% abv.

Hoegaarden White Ale paired with Moules Frites

Moules Frites means mussels with fries. There aren't many better combinations out there. When I think of Belgian food, Moules Frites is what immediately comes to mind. Belgian moules are usually steamed in beer instead of white wine, in this case the mussels were steamed with an un-named Belgian white ale. And sometimes its good to just go with what is really working, so I didn't fight it. I paired the mussels with the Hoegaarden white ale and Pascal, Noah and I all did a little happy dance in our seats. Refreshing and grassy with coriander and bitter orange peel, the beer breathed fresh air into the mussels and the mussels provided depth to the beer. Amazing.

Hoegaarden Original White Ale, Brouwerij van Hoegaarden, Belgium - 4.9% abv.

Orval paired with Cote de Parc Al'Berdouille with Croquettes de Pommes de Terre

Cote de parc al'berdouille literally translated means pork chop cooked in mud, which in this case is actually a large pork chop in a mustard and cornichon sauce. The Orval is a trappist ale that is known for being very earthy, having a farmhouse, horse blanket quality. (I mean this in the best way.) This to me was the perfect pairing of the evening. Mud, mustard, farmhouse, earth, potatoes (whose name translated in French means "apples of the earth") Served with a side of a tart and refreshing slaw made with razor thin slices of delicate endive, this combination touched heaven with all of its earthly goodness.

Orval, Abbaye de Notre-Dame d'Orval, Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium - 6.9% abv.

Written by The Beer Chick, December 6, 2008

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Prohibition Ends At Last - 75 Years Ago and a Day

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:03:00 +0000

Always a little slow on the uptake I wanted to mention that REPEAL DAY was yesterday my chickadees. That's right. Yesterday was the the 75th anniversary of the repeal of the 18th amendment and the ratification of the 21st Amendment which made it legal again to make, sell and consume alcohol in the United States...woo hoo! Its not too late to go out and celebrate. Make this weekend repeal weekend and celebrate drinking your favorite craft beer. I pre- celebrated in Washington D.C. on Capital Hill hosting an event for the National Beer Wholesalers Association where 31 breweries from around the country showcased their flagship and specialty beers. More to come on the deets of those beers. In the meantime, check out this website that I ran across.

RepealDay.org, is a website started by cutie bartender Jeff Morgenthaler (who has another great site about bartending and mixology at www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com.) Jeff advocates making Repeal Day a national holiday and says that Repeal day is "conveniently located halfway between Thanksgiving and Christmas — at a time when most Americans are probably not spending time with family — Repeal Day presents a wonderful occasion to get together with friends and pay tribute to our constitutional rights."

I heartily agree Jeff. Repeal Day has made my passion and my career possible. Thank you United States for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. Thank you hot and smart bartenders. I drink to thee. I shall have an American craft beer this evening and reflect.

BAM! BEER BRINED TURKEY!!

noreply@blogger.com (The Beer Chick) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is already here? No doubt the blog-o-sphere is blowing up with a flurry with perfect beers to pair with the Thanksgiving feast. But I thought I would post a recipe I found from our friend Emeril Lagasse!

When I lived in Louisiana, I soon came to realize that those Cajun and Creole chefs did things to turkey that very few outsiders would dare. Make sure to start this today as the turkey needs to chill out in the beer brine for 24 hours. Also make sure to use a good dark beer for the brine. It will add smokey,toasty, nutty, and yes chocolate notes to make your Thanksgiving bird unforgettable.

Beer-Brined Turkey with Turkey Giblet Gravy
From chef and author Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

2 quarts apple cider
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 cups kosher salt
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 tablespoon juniper berries
4 bay leaves
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
4 quarts (that's 10.66 / 12 oz bottles) dark beer
(Use a good one like Deschutes Black Butte Porter or Anchor Christmas)
One 8- to 10-pound turkey, neck and giblets reserved for gravy
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Emeril's Original Essence
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Directions
Combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot or bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Combine the mixture with the beer in a 40-quart cooler, or large plastic container. Place the turkey in the brine and, if necessary, weigh down with heavy dinner plates to completely submerge. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Spread the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Add the turkey neck to the bottom of the pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and place on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.

Combine 1 stick of the butter and the Essence in a small pan and melt over medium heat. Remove from the heat. With a pastry brush, baste the top and sides of the turkey with half of the butter. Roast for 30 minutes.

Baste the turkey with the remaining seasoned butter, reduce the oven temperature to 300 F. and roast for 30 minutes.

Baste the turkey with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Return to the oven and roast until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160 F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting once with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock.

Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Melt the remaining tablespoon butter with the olive oil in a medium heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Add the reserved giblets and cooked turkey neck, and cook, stirring, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add half of the vegetables from the roasting pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the remaining 3 cups chicken stock and any juices accumulated in the roasting pan and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, add the sage, and simmer briskly until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the neck.

In batches, pulse the liquid and solids in a food processor into a thick liquid. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing against the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible and transfer to a gravy boat. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

To serve, carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

Recipe copyright Emeril Lagasse, 2003.

Written by The Beer Chick, November 26, 2008

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