Past Newsletters
Vol. 10 No. 11
| Brewery | Beers Featured |
| Celis Brewing Company | |
| Celis Brewing Company | Pale Bock |
| Snake River Brewing Company | Pale Ale |
| Snake River Brewing Company | Zonker Stout |
Celis Brewing Company
Not many brewers have the experience of Belgian Brewmaster Pierre Celis. Then again, most brewers are not 80 years old! Celis was born in 1925 in Hoegaarden, Belgium, a land rich with brewing tradition. In his 20’s, he apprenticed at the local Tomsin brewery – famous for its spiced “wit bier” or white beers which originated in
the region. However, as Lager beers became increasingly popular, specialty and wheat beer breweries closed at an alarming rate. In 1955 the Tomsin brewery which had brewed these local favorites for 97 years, was the last of the wit bier breweries to acquiesce, closing its doors forever. 
In the summer of 1965, Celis was driven by the wants of his countrymen, and the words of Louis Tomsin after the brewery shut down: do not forget what you learned about brewing the white beer of our village.” In 1966 he and a friend started brewing in Celis’ backyard, using at times his wife's copper wash tub, and eventually opening the Brouwerij De Kluis in Hoegaarden.
Pierre worked at the brewery until 1985 when fire ravaged the facility, completely destroying it. With insufficient insurance money to rebuild on his own, he entered into an agreement with Stella Artois (today known as Interbrew), and a new De Kluis brewery was constructed. In 1990 the company requested Celis make ingredient revisions” in order to lower production costs. Pierre was staunchly opposed but had little choice. Not wanting to be responsible for changes he felt would hurt his craft brews, he sold his remaining stake in the brewery, severing his relationship with the company.
In 1991, Celis brought his brewing mastery to Austin, Texas, seeking to contribute to the American beer renaissance of the late 80’s & 90’s. When his Belgian-style ales couldn't keep the $11 million brewery afloat, he turned to Miller for financial backing, ultimately selling 50% of his stake with an option to buy back in three years. Pierre however, was unable to buy Miller out and turned the entire brewery over to them. In turn, Miller sunk the Celis line. As if churning out lousy beer wasn't enough, right?
The Austin brewery lay dormant until 2002 when the Michigan Brewing Company (MBC) purchased the equipment and the Celis line. With Pierre’s blessing, they’ve brought back the Celis brews to rave reviews, bringing home the Gold medal at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival for Celis White, the original “wit bier” Celis himself resurrected nearly 40 years earlier! We tip our hats to the MBC for bringing these fine beers back to life and adding another chapter to their eventful history.
This beer emulates a Belgian Trappist Tripel, a style of ale made by Cistercian monks and once available only to them and the noble classes of Europe. While this version fits somewhere between a true Tripel and a Belgian Strong Ale like Duvel, it is more strongly spiced than either. Pierre Celis first produced his strong, golden Grand Cru as owner of the famous Hoegaarden Brewery in Belgium in 1976. The flavor of this American version is spicier than the original Belgian variety. Notice the aromatic nose, with notes of Curacao orange spice and coriander being most obvious, along with strong Saaz hop spice and a mild wheat presence. Note the playful nips of pepper as they mingle with subtle notes of grass, citrus and lemon, and mild malt sweetness. Expect the hops to carry through from the aroma to the finish, nicely balancing the assorted citrus and clove-like sweetness. A bit of bellywarming is to be expected, perhaps
the only indicator of Grand Cru's impressive strength. Overall this is a distinctly Belgian brew– created by a true Belgian master!
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Original Gravity: 18.5° Plato
Final Gravity: 3.8° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 22.0
Alcohol by Volume: 8.0%
Malts: Pilsen Malt & others
Hops: Saaz; Willamette
Created in 1992 for Texan tastes at the Celis Brewing Company in Austin, and offered as an alternative to the already popular Texas brew, Shiner Bock. Expect a big sweet floral nose, ccentuated by caramel malts and slight undertones of cotton candy atop the aforementioned yeast. The body is very smooth, supporting a hearty load of roasted toffee-like grainy malts. The flavor profile is enhanced with ample notes of nuts in the finish. A slightly woody dryness in the finish leaves room for the nuttiness, sweet malts and persistent hop bite to hang around for quite a while. All told, this satisfying and multifaceted finish caps off a great tasting beer that is actually more complex than many of its archetypal counterparts.
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Original Gravity: 13.0° Plato
Final Gravity: 3.0° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 14.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.1%
Malts: 2-row; 6-row; Caramel & others
Hops:Willamette; East Kent Goldings
Snake River Brewing Company
In March of 1994 the Snake River Brewing Company opened its doors and became the first licensed brewpub in the state of Wyoming and only the second brewery to open in the state since 1954. Sort of surprising since nothing slakes the thirst worked up on the slopes better than a great beer – something Wyoming residents know a thing or two about. The brewery is the brainchild of Al Upsher, a former Budweiser distributor (what!!?), and his wife Joni who had once taught school and worked in public relations. Not, ostensibly, the sure-fire pick-to-win combo when gambling on the success of a brewery team. However, their success has been astounding both commercially and critically. Over the last ten years, Snake River Brewing Company has amassed 19 Medals at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) – the most of any microbrewery over that period of time! They’ve also brought home 5 World Beer Cup (WBC) medals, and as if that wasn’t enough, the Brewery itself was named Small Brewing Company of the Year for two consecutive years in 2000 and 2001.
Brewmaster, Chris Erickson, was recognized as Brewmaster of the Year for Small Breweries in 2000 and 2001! Way to kick off the 21st century, eh? When asked what he felt had contributed to the brewery’s enduring success, Chris stated that “we focus our attention on brewing our craft beers to style, meaning that a beer made here at our brewery would taste just like a Pilsner that you would have in the Czech Republic or a Lager that you would sample in Bavaria.” His skill is obvious and his accolades well-deserved (just wait till you try the Zonker Stout if you don’t believe us).
Research also seems to have played a role in their popularity; the Upshers discovered that the most successful breweries were often brewpubs that served food to complement their beers. Theirs, a converted warehouse, is an airy pub that combines the industrial design of a brewery with the richness of mahogany wood finishes while offering a casual atmosphere and fantastic views of the town ski area. The focal point of the kitchen is a massive wood-burning oven, which has never been turned off since the opening of the brewpub. Fueled by applewood imported by Washington, it is used not only for pizza, but also for smoking meats and vegetables for pasta dishes. Being the critical darlings that they are, you'll have to punch up the following address for a more complete list of awards won in their 10 year history, as it's far too extensive to print here:
http://www.snakeriverbrewing.com/opawards.htm
For more information about the brewery, brewpub and scheduled tours,call (307) 739-2337 or check out their web site at www.snakeriverbrewing.com.
Snake River Pale Ale is an American style
pale ale characterized by a crisp, clean
flavor. Immediately note a strong floral,
spicy and hoppy nose, with a good deal of its
mighty hop presence due to dry hopping
with Cascade hops. Expect the piney and
citrusy hop aroma to carry through in the
flavor. This medium-bodied beer is very
flavorful all around. Look for a pale maltiness
up front with a medium-to-high hop
bitterness profile. Overall, a well-balanced,
extremely enjoyable beer that goes down
easy and has more than six medals to prove it!
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 12.5° Plato
Final Gravity: 2.5° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 40.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.4%
Malts: 2-row pale; Munich; Carastan
Hops: Cascade; Columbus
Seven, count ‘em, seven different malts and three different hop varieties come together to produce the beer before you. We really love this stout! Look for a very deep dark hue,
creamy head, and a nice roasted nose and rich, full flavor. The nose offers so much, from sweetened coffee to roasted barley to chocolaty marshmallow to molasses and brown sugar. This full-bodied, well-balanced stout is slightly sweet with a powerful roasted and extremely clean finish. Its hoppy finish is balancing and pleasant and the use of roasted barley, black, and chocolate malts is evident. Overall, a welldeserved multiple medal winner at the GABF and the WBC. It’s hard to say enough about this beer, and yet, its sublimity simply speaks for itself. Enjoy! Oh, almost forgot, a “zonker”, for those who are interested, is a large underwater fishing fly, and like this Stout’s appearances at GABF and WBC, the catch is made much easier when you’re fishing with good bait!
Serving Temperature: 55-60° F
Original Gravity: 16.0° Plato
Final Gravity: 4.5° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 50.0
Alcohol by Volume: 6.0%
Malts: 2-row pale; Roasted Barley; Black; Chocolate; 3 types of Crystal Malt
Hops: Columbus; East Kent Goldings, Tettnang
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