Past Newsletters
Vol. 11 No. 12
Brewery
|
Beers Featured
|
| Humboldt Brewing Company | Red Nectar |
| Boulder Brewing Company | Mojo IPA |
| Humboldt Brewing Company | Pale Ale |
| Boulder Brewing Company | Singletrack Copper Ale |
| Brouwerij De Block (Belgium) | Satan Red |
| Karlovacka Pivovara (Croatia) | Czech Pilsner |
Announcement: Member Of The Month—What Better Payoff Is There?
We’re proud to announce that starting in July of 2005 we will feature a new component to our monthly newsletters—but we need your help! If you want to be a part of it, ask yourself the following questions:
1) Do I have a subscription to the Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club?
2) Do I got myself a camera?
3) Am I feelin’ lucky?
Now (before your imaginations start running wild), if the answer to all three of these is yes, then you could become our next (and first) “Member of the Month”. Simply submit a photograph of yourself (with or without company), snapped while enjoying your monthly features, along with a few lines of text detailing the scenario to mom@monthlyclubs.com (don’t forget to give us your name and address). If we select your picture, you’ll get a FREE one-month extension to your club membership! Not only that, but you’ll have your gorgeous mug in our newsletter and plastered all over our website! You know what that means don’t you? Instant celebrity! So line up those pints, get those cameras out and start snapping some photos—it just might earn you a free month of craft-brewed beer! Now honestly, what better payoff is there?
Humboldt Brewing Company
The Humboldt Brewing Company has been a pioneer in the craft brewing industry for many years now. Their roots go back to the 50s—1850s that is! The original Humboldt Brewing Co. started in 1854 in Eureka, California. It seems those ol’ 49ers worked up quite a thirst in a place like Eureka! It remained in operation until 1940, excluding the years of Prohibition. In 1987 Humboldt Brewing Company was reopened by brothers Mario and Vince Celotto. It featured a restaurant with its own unique house-brewed beer. In 1993, as a result of popular response to the beer, the brewery operation was expanded.
Recognize the name Celotto do ya? Just can’t place it? Well, it turns out that proprietor Mario Celotto was a professional football player before starting the Humboldt Brewing Company in 1987. To be more specific, he was a member of the Oakland Raiders 1980 Super Bowl championship team. From what we hear, the brewpub décor provides a veritable NFL history lesson!
Here’s another interesting bit of trivia: Humboldt Brewing Company currently holds the only approved license for brewing hemp beer in the U.S. There was a time when more than 15 separate breweries made a hemp ale. But as regulations have tightened over the past 10 years, brewers saw their hemp ales forced out of the marketplace one by one. One lucky fellow who still gets to play with the hemp is Humboldt’s Head Brewer Matt Brynildson, though we don’t figure that luck had much to do with him being named Mid-Sized Brewing Company Brewmaster of the Year in 2003—it’s a distinction he has clearly earned (have you tried the Nectar Ales yet?)
Some time after reopening the Humboldt Brewing Co., Mario established Nectar Ales. Today, this line of ales includes such tasty brews as the Red Nectar and Pale Nectar (featured this month), IPA Nectar, Winter Nectar and Summer Nectar. As a testament to the quality of the Nectar Ales family of beers, each Nectar Ales brew has been distinguished with a gold medal at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival—an uncommon feat for a line as diverse as the Nectar Ales.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (805) 686-1557 or check out their web site at www.nectarales.com.
“Crafted with an emphasis on purity, quality and character, our pioneering
ales continue to advance ‘The Definition of Great Taste.’” So
reads the label of this deep amber beer. Notice the ruddy flare in the color
which distinguishes this beer as a red ale. On the nose, expect some mellow
hops, their citrus scents mingling with a sturdy grain backbone and sweet—we’re
gonna just say it—nectar-like malts. Look for a fruit punch-like note
as well. A true joy to sniff. Flavor-wise, this beer has two distinct phases:
it is first lightly sweet and then long-lastingly bitter. The flavor has tame,
slightly sweet malty beginnings, with a hint of caramel and a lightly floral
hop opening, balanced by bitter hops that sort of flood in and wash away the
sweet malts, acting over a long period of time in a complex and enduringly
bitter finish. Expect this duality in flavor and finish to be renewed with
every sip, as the sweet start immediately wipes out the bitter hops, and the
cycle begins again. Try this one with chicken wings or steamed dumplings.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 44.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.4%
Malts: 2-Row, Crystal, Wheat
Hops: Chinook, Willamette, Mt. Hood, Cascade
Like their Red Nectar, Humboldt
B.C.’s Pale Nectar presents, not surprisingly,
another nectar-like aroma, replete with big fruity tones, sweet elements, and
floral hops. We can’t say enough about the great nose on both of these
beers! Look for a bit of fruit juiciness to mix deliciously with aromatic,
citrus-like hops. This is a real palate pleaser too. The sweeter, floral elements
are more quickly extinguished by the bitter hop influences in this beer (verses
their Red Nectar which takes a bit longer before those hops kick in and do
their thang). You can expect hops to be well-dosed in this beer, but never
imposing; just a nice prominence. And despite being heavier on the hops, this
is still a very well-balanced beer. Finish is appropriately bitter for the
style, long-lasting too. Great with medium-to-well-done sirloin steak. Cheers!
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 40.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.8%
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Carapils, Crystal
Hops: US Fuggle, Chinook, Cascade, Centennial
Boulder Beer Company
Now in their 3rd decade of operation, the Boulder Beer Company was established in 1979 as Colorado’s first microbrewery. They are currently celebrating their 26th anniversary, a true rarity in the realm of US microbreweries. As one of the oldest in the country, they paved the way for others to follow. These days, the big CO is known for a number of award-winning micros—all of whom owe at least some success to our second featured brewery (thought they might not admit it). Founded by two college professors, David Hummer and Stick Ware, their primary goal was to produce beers in the traditional style of the robust European ales. And these folks weren’t afraid to move a few goats around in order to achieve their dream, neither! (The original brewery site was a small farm northeast of Boulder, and the brewhouse did in fact share space with a few goats. Lucky college-town goats! We can hear them now… “bleat… the bleatin’ freeeee beeeeeehhhrrr’s o-oveeer heeeeere, man…”) Five years later, as a result of increased popularity (with people, not goats), they moved their one-barrel brewing system to their current facility in Boulder, where they now have the capacity to produce 43,000 barrels of award-winning brew every year!
Sometime around the company’s 11th birthday, the publicly traded Boulder Brewing Company was purchased by Gina Day and Diane Greenlee, who renamed it the Boulder Beer Company (there’s just something so cool about the use of the term “Beer Company”, don’t you agree?) These two local women, along with their Brewmaster David Zuckerman, decided to upgrade the entire brewery. Among other things, this included reorganizing their well known yeast management program, and expanding their small tasting room into a full service restaurant and pub. Since 1992 this microbrewery has received more than 40 awards and citations for excellence in brewing, packaging and business. In 1993, the brewery acknowledged the regional influence of its brands by officially changing the company name to Rockies Brewing Company.
By the spring of 2003,
the entire line of Boulder Beers had been reintroduced and repackaged, followed
by the successful launch of their ‘Looking Glass
Series’ of beers—a specialty line of beers characterized by bigger-bodied,
higher-intensity flavors (see Mojo IPA Ale review below). This particular line
really caters to the true craft beer lover. But don’t get us wrong—beer
newbies and aficionados alike will enjoy any of the beers from this brewery,
who, in 2004 decided to return to their roots by officially changing their
name back to Boulder Beer Company.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (303) 444-8448
or check out their web site at www.boulderbeer.com.
Turn
to the back of their Psychedelic label and you’ll get Boulder Beer
Company’s definition of MoJo: “(mO-jO) n.1: a magic
spell or charm: magical power 2: herbaceous ale that summons hop attacks. MoJo’s “mojo” lies
in the power of the Amarillo hops.” That it does, but this beer is also
nicely balanced with three kinds of malts. On the nose you’ll get big
time hops that possess citrus aromas as well as a strong flowery scent. Look
for a healthy dose of spice with notes of grass and strong herbal tones akin
to basil. The flavor profile delivers massive spicy hop flavors that enhance
the ‘spikiness’ from the alcohol. Toward the moderate-to-heavy
bitter finish you can expect a lemony zing and tartness (which comes from the
Amarillo hops). Try this one with white fish in mustard sauce (here’s
a recipe: http://www.bawarchi.com/nonveg/fish25.html), or lemon-pepper chicken.
Serving Temperature: 50-55° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 70.0
Alcohol by Volume: 6.8%
Malts: Pale, Wheat, Caramel
Hops: Amarillo, Centennial
Your shipment
of beer this month ushers in a new label design for this flagship beer from
the Boulder Beer Company. Even the samples we received for review
had the old labels on the bottles—yours are brand-spanking new. Either
the brewery really wanted to impress our members with this information, or
they needed a good batch of guinea pigs! We think it’s the former. In
any case, the beer is as good as it has ever been—so no worries there
(and just for the record, we think the new label is much better than the old
one). Living up to its name, this beer presents a nice caramel-copper color
with an off white head begins thick, settles to an everlasting covering. Note
the mainly caramel malt aroma with a bit of floral hops in the background,
as well as a hop-spicy edge. Expect light hops to hit first, with mainly citrus-like
elements, quickly balanced by a lightly sweet malt, and then countered by a
slight hop bitterness that has a bit of spice to it. We really dig this beer
because it’s fairly complex for the style. Partner with a fish & chips
and cocktail sauce.
Serving Temperature: 40-50° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 40.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Malts: British Caramel, US 2-Row Malted Barley, US Flaked Rye, US Carapils
Hops: Nugget, Tettnang
Brouwerij De Block—Boschkant, Belgium (Central Belgium)
From that wellspring of beer creativity known as Belgium, in the hamlet of Peizegem, Boschkant, in Brabant, you’ll find the Brouwerij (brewery) De Block. The brewery’s pedigree can be traced back to the 14th century when the area’s first brewing guilds gained popularity. In these medieval times, Henricus De Bloc had already obtained the right to brew, as a vassal of the Duke of Brabant and Burgundy. He passed on his craft to his children and through the generations, the De Bloc family became a well known family of brewers. However it was hundreds of years later that Louis De Bloc would provide the official start for the brewery De Block. With lots of help from the family, ample ambition, persistence and a true love for the art of brewing, the brewery he founded in 1887 flourished.
The brewery and brewing operations have been controlled by the De Block family for generations now. The protected natural environs and the location of the brewery De Block, coupled with the pristine raw materials, unspoiled hop and malt growing lands, devotion, patience and skill have all kept this brewery going for nearly 120 years now. Throughout their many years of experience, they have placed special emphasis upon the process of selecting the finest flavors and varieties of locally grown hops, malts, grains and spices. They even use the brewery’s own yeast culture, which has been maintained using traditional and, these days, scientifically refined methods. It is in this way that their yeast line functions as a sort of bridge through time, forming the basis for maintaining their tradition of delicious beers from the one generation to another—or as they say “an endless connection from young to old.” Quite literally, descendants of the original yeast cells used to create Brouwerij De Block’s first beers in the 1800’s are at work today making beer—which is itself brewed by descendents of the De Block family.
The Brouwerij De Block is a member of The Artisanal Belgian Family Brewers of Flanders group, which was founded in an effort to bring Belgium’s unique range of tastes and flavors to the attention of the entire world. A number of small breweries that make authentic and original cultural beers in Flanders—in collaboration with Export Vlaanderen—set up this joint initiative for international promotion, participation at foreign trade fairs and for maintaining contacts with importers. The group aims to disseminate the true Belgian beer culture and the authentic craftsmanship of the small private breweries that put their hearts and souls into producing these widely praised beers. It is in part due to their participation in this group that we can now bring you one of De Block’s most famous beers—Satan Red—a beer that has been notoriously difficult to find in the US.
If you’d like more information about the Brouwerij De Block, and do not have an aversion to the occult, check out the most devilish URL we’ve ever listed at: http://www.satanbeer.com.
Satan Red
Satan Red is one of many very tasty beers inspired by the Belgian brew called
Duvel (which means “Devil” in Flemish). When that beer was first
brewed, it was quickly recognized as an entirely new style of beer, spawning
a number of other beers with similarly Luciferian names. The devilish appeal
of these beers is related to the manner in which they attract their drinkers,
presenting a tempting, seemingly innocuous appearance that cunningly masks
a darker side. Like old stories that detail the devil’s trickery in capturing
some unfortunate’s soul, you don’t know what you’ve gotten
yourself into until it’s too late. The parallel here is that despite
having 8% alcohol by volume, the alcohol is expertly (perhaps devilishly) masked
by the complex flavors and ample carbonation. The carbonation has an influence
on how quickly the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, so when many folks
discover these sorts of beers, they’re awestruck at how quickly and suddenly
they find themselves intoxicated, as they often don’t even notice the
alcohol while consuming the brew. Thus, they happily knock back a bottle or
two before, as if they’ve entered some sort of Mephistophelian trap,
it’s too late. This eerily red brew presents notes of green apples, yeast
and citrus zest on the nose, with similar flavors perceived. Many are struck
by the delicate sourness of this brew, which is a hallmark of the style. Expect
a finish that is crisp and champagne-like. You likely won’t notice even
a hint of alcohol, but know that it’s lurking in your glass. This is
a fine beer to enjoy on its own, though poached salmon with dill and a hint
of lemon is a nice partnering.
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Alcohol by Volume: 8.0%
Karlovacka Pivovara—Karlovac, Croatia (Northeastern Croatia)
Guided by the principles and tradition of quality, Karlovacka Pivovara (pivovara means brewery in a number of Slavic languages) has been delivering liquid pleasure to numerous beer lovers for over 150 years. The brewery, located in Karlovac, Croatia, is not only the oldest brewery in the state, it’s also a beloved symbol of the town and is one of the most significant companies in the entire Karlovac county. The city of Karlovac is located on what is essentially a landlocked peninsula, flanked on three sides by four rivers which supply rich springs of pure water used in local beer production. The Karlovacka Pivovara is frequently referred to as the city’s 5th river by local residents on account of the volume of beery goodness that continues to flow from its brewhouse.
That beer has been drunk in Karlovac for centuries is a regionally well-known fact, but the reality is that beer was produced here long before Karlovacka Pivovara was founded in 1854. According to recent research, the oldest documented proof of beer making puts brewing in Karlovac at 1779. A record in a tax register from that year reveals that a citizen named Georg Pürstl paid taxes as “braxtor seu questor” (beer maker and shop keeper). That means that he was producing beer over 225 years ago in Dubovac (the same part of the town where the brewery is today). Other documents indicate that a number of breweries were in operation around this same time. As is often the case, many years transpire between the inception of town brewing and the collection of taxes. It’s not unreasonable to expect that more thorough research of the historic documents could move the origins of brewing in Karlovac to an earlier century, or the establishment of the Karlovacka Pivovara 75 years earlier—to 1779 instead of 1854.
For now, the official beginnings of Karlovacka Pivovara are traced back to 1854 when, according to Rudolf Strohal, a well known historian from Karlovac, “Baron Nikola Vranyczany built a special building for a new brewery, so called ‘Perhovo’ in Dubovac.” Over the next 50 years the brewery changed hands and functions a few times (for a brief period it was converted to a pottery), until the early 1900s when it saw one of its most expansive periods of growth during Vilim Wambrechtshamer’s reign as technical director. Ultimately becoming part owner of the brewery, in 1929 Wambrechtshamer sold his shares to Zagrebacka pivovara for 3.5 million dinars, a huge amount of money at the time. Fast forward to 1992 when, after the independent state of Croatia was established, Karlovacka Pivovara, became a joint-stock company owned by its employees.
Today Karlovacka Pivovara is the second leading brewery in Croatia, but the largest Croatian exporter of beer, sending their brew to Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Sweeden, USA, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They make no effort to hide their aspirations to regain their former title as the leading brewery in their home country, and have recently poured tremendous capital into the operation to further modernize the facility, expand production and enhance quality assurance. Theirs was the first Croatian beer we’ve sampled—we suspect it will be yours as well. Enjoy!
If you’d like more information about the Karlovacka Pivovara, check out http://www.karlovac.com.
Karlovacko Svijetlo
Croats have a few really nice beers available to them in their marketplace.
However, since they are wedged between Italy and southeastern European nations
that have traditionally gravitated toward wine consumption, the variety of
available beer styles leaves a bit to be desired. Thus, like most other nations,
their most popular beer style is the style that is most popular the world over:
pilsner. Thankfully, they prefer the flavorful Czech variety, and the folks
at Karlovacko Pivovara have grown quite adept at producing this beer over the
last 150 years. Founded just 12 years after the style was created in Plzen,
Bohemia, the brewery has been making this style of brew for just about as long
as the style has existed. Pour this beer into a flute glass for the most impressive
visual appeal. Have a quick sniff and notice how the nose presents sweetly
grainy malt notes backed by mild floral and spicy hops. Look also for that
distinctly clean, crisp aroma that helps define this style. Ok, once you’ve
admired the appearance and aroma, take a sip. Expect a biscuit-like malty start
that quickly turns sweet and then slides toward hoppy and spicy. The finish
is quite bitter but does not linger too long as it mingles with floral hoppy
elements. Overall, we found this beer to be soft, fragrant and complex with
a delightfully dry finish. Great with a host of Asian-themed cuisines—from
spicy curried Thai to freshly rolled sushi.
Serving Temperature: 45-48° F
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
ASK MURL
Yo Murlster!
I was kicking it in my favorite Irish bar the other day, the Harp Inn, and got to wondering, based on how hammered folks tend to get at this fine establishment, if dark beers are stronger than light beers. Most are suckin’ down pints of Guinness, thus the basis of my hypothesis. Big word I know. I figured you could help solve the dilemma.
Jason O’Donnell
Costa Mesa, CA
Well then there Jason me boy,
So you be wonderin’ why you and your mates generally inebriate yourselves more so than those that appear to be tossin’ back the lighter brews, then are ya? The Dark beer equates to stronger beer theory is one that most of you wee green lads like to hold dear as it would imply that you boys can in fact handle your liquor better than most after downing 14 or 15 pints-o-Guinness!
Albeit true that the Irish, as a general population, do seem to be able to drink more than most and remain at least vertical, the fact that Guinness weighs in at a mere 4.2 % alcohol by volume compared to the swill cranked out at bud which tops it at 5.0 % ABV, does shed some light on the issue. It is generally thought true that darker beers carry higher ABV’s and I’m here to tell ya lads, that it’s pure Blarney!
True, many darker brews are in fact significantly stronger than lighter mass produced beers, but it’s not a rule you can live by. Malt type determines the color of the brew, but not the strength. In fact, there are several lighter Belgian beers like Duvel, for example, that are gonna hit yer brainpan 2-3 times harder than your average Guinness! Hope that helps clear up the dilemma for ya my boy!
Woof!
Murl.
Norm’s Corner
Norm: The best beer is one within reach.
For Members Only
Give Your Friends FREE Beer, Wine, Cheese, Chocolate, Cigars & Flowers!
Through our Customer Appreciation Program
Your name has real value to your friends, co-workers, and family members! Every time a friend, family member, or anyone else you know joins any one of our clubs, [or gives a gift] for 3 months or longer, we'll give them 50% off of their first month, but only when they mention your name. And we'll also give you 50% off your next month too which can either be applied towards your current membership or you can try one of our other Clubs out! (We can add one more month to your order at 50% off for prepaid memberships!)
The Fine Print: Members giving gift memberships do not qualify for referral credits and you can't give yourself a gift to qualify! This Program is mutually exclusive of any other promotions.
Members can re-order their favorite
beers |
|||
FEATURED BEER |
Club |
12 Bottles |
24 Bottles |
| Humboldt Red Nectar | Dom/Dom & Intl |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Boulder Mojo IPA | Dom/Dom & Intl |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Humboldt Pale Ale | Dom |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Boulder Singletrack Copper Ale | Dom |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Brewery De Blocke Satan Red | Intl/Dom & Intl |
$37.95 |
$70.95 |
| Karlovacko Czech Pilsner | Intl/Dom & Intl |
$32.95 |
$60.95 |
All prices include shipping and handling. Mixed assortments
are available upon
request. CA customers please add 7.75% sales tax. |
|||
Membership Q & A
Q: What can I do if I'm having difficulty receiving my shipment at
home?
A: You should consider having our discrete box delivered to your work
location or to a neighbor 21 yrs. of age that can receive it for you. As
your shipment requires and adult signature to receive, it's always best to
ship it to a location where someone will be there to receive it for you.
The box is brown corrugated cardboard and doesn't say "Beer" on
it anywhere.
Q: What should I do if I'm moving or want to extend my membership?
A: Please call us prior to the 5th of the month to make all account
related information changes such as address changes, membership extensions & terminations,
or gift accounts desiring to continue their memberships. Address changes
made after that time may require a repackaging and re-shipping charge of
$12.00. Additionally, if your box is re-routed by UPS from an address different
than what was originally specified, you may incur a $5.00 re-routing charge.
Q: What happens if my shipment is damaged?
A: If your shipment arrives damaged, please call us immediately toll
free at 1-800-625-8238 and report the incident for a prompt resolution.
Q: What happens if my credit card is declined?
A: We will send you a courtesy notice asking for an alternative payment
method, and will also attempt two more times to process the charges. If we
cannot secure
payment and have not been contacted by you, the order will be temporarily suspended.
Q: What happens if I join under a special incentive program and don't
stay a member for the entire term committed?
A: Not a problem. Although we want to do everything we can to keep
you as a member, we will allow you to cancel your subscription early; however,
you will be responsible to pay for the item that was given to you as part
of the promotion. If you received a discount based on a specific term, the
amount discounted will be charged to your card.
