Past Newsletters

Vol. 11 No. 2

The Shipyard Brewing Company

Maine is known for its vast sprawls of verdant summertime greenery, kaleidoscopic fall foliage, traditional covered bridges, scenic snowy winters, and of course, its delectable seafood. Occupying a large chunk of the northeastern U.S. coast, Maine’s ports have long been critical to the shipping trade that has been a vital component of the state’s economy since the 1700’s. But over time, shipping methods have changed, and some of the old ports and surrounding realty have fallen into disrepair. In 1992, an entrepreneurial real estate consultant, Fred Forsley, was hired to explore new options for one such troubled retail development in Kennebunk, Maine. The complex was located on the site of three historic 19th century shipyards. Fred felt he could successfully develop and sell a brew pub concept, linked to the shipbuilding history of the town. Never planning to enter the brewing business, he originally set out to sell the developed property to an interested investor. But fate intervened when Fred was introduced to British Master Brewer Alan Pugsley. Schooled and trained in the art of English ale brewing at the renowned Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England, under the tutelage of its founder, the legendary Peter Austin, Alan had designed breweries and formulated beers for over 65 well-known brew pubs and microbreweries worldwide, being referred to as “the Johnny Appleseed of Brewing”.

In the hopes of bringing true English-style ales to America, Alan had recently settled in Maine, bringing with him his extraordinary knowledge of English-style beer making, true English ingredients, and English brewing processes which he had perfected during his tenure with Peter Austin. Realizing the strengths that Alan could bring to a brewing establishment, and seduced by the appeal of the brewing industry, Fred hired Alan as a consultant, and they set sail into brewing history, founding Federal Jack’s Brew Pub, the birthplace of The Shipyard ales.

Federal Jack's, named for one of the most famous ships built on the site in 1908, quickly rose to local fame, with Fred and Alan seeing consumer demand for The Shipyard’s beer soar. Eager to meet the challenge of expansion, they acquired four acres on Portland's historic working waterfront in 1994, with Alan moving out of his consulting role and joining The Shipyard as Master Brewer and part owner. On April 24, 1994 they brewed their first batch of fine hand-crafted ale at their Portland brewery, and have since become the largest brewery in the state of Maine, currently celebrating their 10th year of producing fantastic beers.

Further expansion ensued, and in a unique move in October 1996, The Shipyard Brewing Company announced plans to open the world's first airport microbrewery in the Orlando International Airport. In addition to the microbrewery, which opened April 2, 1997, Host Marriott Services Corporation operates a Shipyard Brew Pub Restaurant, adjacent to the brewery. A second Host Marriott Services-operated Shipyard Brew Pub opened in the Airport in July. This exposure to international travelers has led to an impressive expansion of their line of beers, and has inspired quite a few folks, with no intentions of leaving town, to rush to the airport.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call 800-789-0684 or check out their excellent web site, complete with video footage of the brewery and staff, at www.shipyard.com.

Blue Fin Stout

Appearing off Maine’s coast by early summer are the majestic migratory Bluefin tuna. These famed fish can grow to an enormous size, with the largest examples weighing over 1,500 pounds and measuring close to 12 feet in length. Fish of this size can fetch more than $20,000 apiece for those who can catch them, making them quite valuable. Like its namesake, this beer is big, sought after, and quite the catch. Expect a dark, almost motor oil-colored brew with a dark tan, highly-textured head. Look for an enticing aroma that is full of chocolate, roasted malts, and hints of apple and plum. A slightly floral hop aroma cuts through the roasted chocolate malts and also contributes a lightly bitter aroma to the slightly vinous scent. Upon tasting, prominent notes of chocolate wash over the palate, leaving behind a light coffee flavor. Bitter hops rush in toward the finish and drive a wonderful push-pull between dark chocolate flavors, coffee notes and tangy hop bitterness. Minor notes of peat contribute to its earthy character, but despite full-flavors, this beer is extremely smooth. Note a clean, crisp and dry finish with moderate complexity and hefty duration—enjoy over blackened salmon or a smoky porterhouse steak.

Serving Temperature: 55-64° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 37.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.8%
Malts: Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Black, Roasted Barley, Wheat
Hops: Warrior, Cascade, Tettnang, English East Kent Goldings

Fuggles IPA

The Shipyard Brewing Company takes great pride in brewing of all their English-style ales. Only top-fermenting, multi-strain yeast from the Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England is used with the finest, all-natural ingredients. Committed to brewing the freshest, most flavorful, full-bodied ales available, Alan Pugsley has worked hard toward this goal, though he plays down that fact. As he puts it, "People often ask me what it's like coming to work and what motivates me to come to work. My first answer to that is I've never worked a day in my life because, really, brewing is a way of life." Their singularly hopped Fuggles IPA may only contain a single hop variety, but it is no simpleton when it comes to flavor. This light golden ale has a hop-driven floral nose, with notes reminiscent of a Czech pilsner, but presenting a markedly more bitter component. Look for minor notes of malts that also peek through the hop scent. Expect the aroma to present a flowery hop aroma that is less potent than many domestic IPA’s (which often come from extremely aromatic hops grown in the pacific northwestern U.S.), making this a distinctly English, traditional IPA. The flavor is slightly spicy—again thanks to the Fuggles—with a pleasant fruitiness. Expect a clean finish, with crisp bitterness and a touch of butterscotch flavor towards the end. Excellent with moderately spicy Pad Thai, or rosemary & garlic lamb.

Serving Temperature: 50-55° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 50.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.75%
Malts: Pale Ale, Crystal, Malted Wheat
Hops: English Fuggles

Atwater Block Brewery

The Atwater Block Brewery is located in the heart of Detroit’s Rivertown district near the banks of the Detroit River (in other words, at the water, or more simply, ‘at-water’). Housed in a reconditioned turn-of-the-century factory building, the 20,000 square foot brewery features a state-of-the-art Kaspar-Schulz German brewhouse. Now, having a German brewing facility doesn’t necessarily mean that authentic German-style brews are magically going to bubble forth. Using traditional German brewing methods is an obvious necessity, and Atwater does just this, enabling them to deservedly boast their traditionalist nature and authenticity. Notable among their genuine Bavarian techniques is the practice of Kräusening, the Old Bavarian practice of blending in fresh wort (the unfermented concentrated liquid created early in beer production) at the end of fermentation to give the beer a secondary fermentation at colder temperatures. This process not only allows carbon dioxide levels to build up slowly in the beer, but also smoothes out the flavor over weeks of conditioning. The largest brewers in the United States moved away from this practice years ago, opting instead to adopt ‘more efficient’ and ‘faster’ processing methods—thankfully, Atwater retains this important step. Also in accordance with tradition, all of their beers are produced exclusively with German malts and the finest hops available.

In addition to the brewery, the location has a 170 seat restaurant featuring a 60 foot bar with two-story glass walls that gives the consumer a direct view of the brewhouse. Here, beer-loving patrons can see where the magic happens—getting an inside look at where their favorite Atwater beers are born. With their Helles lager (a.k.a. Atwater Hell) and Dunkel brews being produced year round, customers always have something to see in the brewhouse. Plus, their other beers are produced here as well, including a 1997 Great American Beer Festival silver medal-winning Pilsner and an Oktoberfest, as a limited seasonal release. This lager-only line up has garnered praise from locals and traditionalists alike, and has earned additional Great American Beer Festival awards, such as their 1998 silver medal for the Oktoberfest.

Today, the Atwater Block Brewery is one of only three breweries in Michigan’s largest city of Detroit—a surprisingly low number for a state that has more than 60 breweries! But those who have visited this establishment’s brewpub aren’t likely tocomplain about the low number of local breweries and brewpubs—Atwater’s sprawling facility offers a plentiful amount of liquid refreshment. In addition to the Atwater brands, this is also the production site for the Stoney Creek line of beers, which contribute as many as 10 additional beers to the facility’s impressive ensemble of malty nectars (and contributes some ales to their otherwise all-lager selection).

With all their tasty brews at the ready, the addition of anything else might be overkill, right? Wrong. In an ambitious and enterprising move, they recently became one of a very limited number of breweries to also make their own wine as well. In fact, they currently offer an impressive list of nine homemade wines. Thus, while there are few breweries or brewpubs in the motor city, there’s plenty of variety to sample from atthis one alone! From great ales to stupendous stouts, fine wines to culinary fanfare, this brewpub has, to say the least, a lot to offer. If you’re ever in the Detroit area, we encourage you to stop in for a visit (at least once).

For more information about the brewery & brewpub—and scheduled tours—call (313) 877-9205 or check out their web site at www.atwaterbeer.com.

Atwater Hell

“Let there be light!” Perhaps a biblical quote is fitting here, since this lager carries the word “Hell” in its title. But in actuality, the meaning of hell here has nothing to do with heaven—though the Atwater Hell has been described as heavenly by some. Hell means ‘lightly’ in German, and is a modified form of the word Helles (which means light/pale). Helles is the term used by the people of Munich (or Munchen in German) to depict a light beer as opposed to some of the traditional dark styles also available from this region. The style was created in Munich in 1895 at the Spaten brewery by Gabriel Sedlmayr to compete with popular Pilsner-style beers. The Atwater Hell is a traditional Munich-style lager brewed with Pilsner, Munich and Caramel malts. It is the lightest beer the brewery produces. The aroma is of lightly sweet malts, with notes of yeast and a very discreet amount of floral hops. Expect a mild malty sweetness to predominate the flavor, with a bit of hop bitterness kicking in for balance. The finish is very crisp, and overall this is a very refreshing, highly drinkable beer that complements grilled chicken especially well.

Serving Temperature: 48° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 16.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.2%
Malts: Pale Malt, Munich, Caramel
Hops: Cascade

Atwater Dunkel

Not to get too philosophical on ya here, but consider this: what would light be without dark? You need one to define the other, and to prove our point, we’ve included the Atwater Dunkel as a counterpoint to the Atwater Hell. As you may have gathered, dunkel means ‘dark’ in German. While it doesn’t have the opaqueness of a stout, its darker color and name arose as a contrast to lighter-colored styles. Like its cousin from Munich, Munchner Helles, Munchner Dunkel is a malt-accentuated beer that is not overly sweet, focusing on the malt-flavors with underlying hop bitterness in a supporting role. The Atwater Dunkel is a malty, sweet dark lager and is a hometown favorite. Expect a roast-heavy nose, with healthy doses of caramel and a trace of chocolate, mixed with a touch of bread-like scents that come from the use of Munich dark malts. Packed with subtle roasted malt flavors (from the five varieties of barley used), this is a good representation of the style, notably the absence of excessive bitterness and heaviness of many dark beers. As an accompaniment to food, this versatile beer makes a good partner for a variety of dishes, including fried mushrooms, vegetarian chili, roast chicken, or spicy lobster or crab.

Serving Temperature: 48-52° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 24.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.5%
Malts: Munich, Caramel, Chocolate, Wheat, Peated
Hops: Willamette

Darwin Brewery

The United Kingdom is unique among the beer-loving nations of the world. While bottom-fermented lager beer is the most popular type of beer worldwide, Britain and Ireland are the only countries where the principal brews are top-fermented ales. Here, pilsner is not the most appreciated beer style as it is in the rest of the world. The majority of pub goers and beer lovers feel more of a kinship with their native draught bitter, a unique beer that presents, as the name implies, a bitter character, supplied by a healthy dose of hops. Though it’s rise to popularity was less than meteoric… The use of hops in beer was unheard of at one point in the history of English ales. It wasn’t until the 15th century, much to the chagrin of English ale drinkers, that the Flemings introduced hopped beer (called biere instead of ale) to England. Their use was sharply criticized, and largely regarded as a poisoning of the natural splendor of the traditional ale of the land. At one point, authorities officially banned the use of “the wicked and pernicious weed hops.” But in time opponents acquiesced, and hops became a critical component of many a favorite ale.

But even this popular style of beer experienced a regional centrality; before bitter became ubiquitous throughout the U.K., various styles existed almost in isolation of one another—those that were preferred in the north of England were often not at all desired in the south. It took a new kind of beer to freely cross provincial boundaries—a beer that would become the first nationally popular beer-style in Britain—a beer called Porter.

Porter was first brewed in 1722 in Shoreditch, London. As the legend goes, it was commonplace for patrons to request two or three different ales to be combined in their glass. Eventually, an innkeeper named Ralph Harwood developed a beer that embodied the virtues of each component beer, and he called his brew "Entire". It swiftly became very popular with the working men at the docks of London (or "porters" as they were known). Harwood's lunch-time trade became so busy that he would send lads into the streets bearing buckets of brew balanced on a long pole advertising Harwood’s brew and crying out "Porter, Porter". Eventually, the name “entire” dropped out of use as it was replaced by Porter (another variation of the story goes that Harwood’s delivery man was in the habit of shouting “Porter!” to announce his own arrival at the pub, in either case, the name Porter stuck).

Within a few years, porter had become the most popular style of beer in Britain. Saloons would offer accommodations to working men with cheap cuts of beef (the porter house steak) and, of course porter by the pint. In 1799, Guinness switched entirely (no pun intended) to producing porter, which became the beer of the Irish working man. In fact, it was porter that would ultimately give rise to a variation known today as the very popular Guinness Draught. But despite its massive popularity, the style all but vanished by 1973, replaced mainly by variations created by Guinness.
Today, Porter is again alive and well, experiencing a renaissance in both the U.S. and the U.K., though its original formulation and flavor remains somewhat of an uncertainty since its variations over the years, not to mention its brush with extinction. This month, we provide what may be the most accurate version of Porter available today—Flag Porter. Its story is certainly among the most interesting we have ever encountered. In 1988, several bottles of porter were raised from their resting place 60 feet deep in the body of an 1825 shipwreck lying at the bottom of the English Channel. The beers were in their original containers, with their wood stoppers and wax seals intact. Unfortunately, the 163-year-old beer "tasted like old, wet boots" according to Dr. Keith Thomas, renowned brewer and microbiologist. However, when he examined the beer under a microscope, he discovered that a small percentage of the yeast were still alive! After months of re-cultivating this yeast, he brewed a porter using an authentic 1850 recipe. Adhering to the practices of porter brewers of the era, Dr. Thomas uses barley and hops grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and the very same yeast that was extracted from a bottle of 1825 porter!

Flag Porter is currently brewed by the Darwin Brewery of Sunderland, England. Established in 1994, Darwin Brewery has become one of the most respected small breweries in the North East of England. They produce a wide range of traditional and unique beers and were recently awarded the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) North East Beer of the Year for their delicious Ghost Ale.

For more information about the brewery, check out their web site at http://www.darwinbrewery.com/ or visit their U.S. distributors at http://www.legendslimited.com/.

Flag Porter

Salvaging 163-year-old yeast that has been sitting at the bottom of a bottle—sitting at the bottom of the English Channel—now that’s quite a chore. Thankfully, the makers of this fine brew did their homework in order to come up with this authentic ale. Flag Porter was modeled on the brown porter style prevalent at the turn of the nineteenth century rather than the richly roasted Victorian porters that developed later. This would have been more typical of the porter likely to have been aboard a ship on the waters of the English Channel in 1825. Look for a nice malt nose, with notes of wine, roasted barley, and a slight hint of fruitiness from their infamous yeast. Expect the rich malty qualities to persist in the flavor, presenting a smoky, roasted flavor and a subtle spiciness from the yeast. The finish is quite dry, appropriately bitter, and rather complex—with notes of bitter chocolate, dark wine, and hints of wood and leather. The feel in the mouth is velvety smooth as this complex brew rolls across the tongue. This unique porter has impressed many folks the world over—winning the World Beer Championship Gold in 1998, among other accolades. It is excellent with red meat or oysters, and due to its inherent roasted character, this is a great drink to pair with an earthy, leathery cigar.
Note: For full details on the development of Flag Porter check the Brewlab web site (www.brewlab.co.uk).

Serving Temperature: 50-55° F
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%

Okocim Brewery

Poland has an enduring tradition of producing brewed beverages, going back just about as far as Polish history itself. The common citizen and noblemen alike have downed their share of local beers. Even Polish Pope Klemens was said to be a fan—right to the end. As the story goes, while on his deathbed, he made a desperate declaration that went something like “O, Santa Piva di Polonia!” Those at his bedside mistakenly thought he had just created a new saint—Saint Piva—but it was soon realized that he just wanted a beer (Piwo means beer in Polish). And who could blame him? Hops were brought over from Bavaria in the 1200’s, where they have since become quite prized for their unique aromatic qualities. Brewers here have made use of the natural resources of the Polish countryside for over 1000 years now, and with that much experience under their belts, you can bet that they know a thing or two about making world class beers.

The Malopolska province, located in southern Poland, borders the Ukraine to the east and Slovakia to the south. It is home to Poland’s third largest city, Krakow—which escaped much of the tumult of World War II and retains its original charm and beauty. Visitors relish the opportunity to visit its many historical medieval towns and picturesque castles which dot the hillsides that lie at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. To the east lies the portion of the country that is home to the world renown hop-growing regions of Pulawy and Lublin. These southern areas, and in fact, the entire southern half of Poland (south of Warsaw) are of particular importance to the country’s brewing industry, with notable brewing areas in Wroclaw, Katowice, Krakow, Zywiec, and Okocim.

The district of Okocim (pronounced: Oh-KOTCH-eem) is in the town of Brzesko, to the east of Krakow, and is home to two of the region’s very valuable architectural structures: the palace of baron Jan Goetz and the Okocim brewery which he founded in 1845, when this region was still a province in the Austrian Empire. A mere three years earlier, the first Pilsner was born in Pilsen, Bohemia (also an Austrian province at the time, in what is now the Czech Republic), and Okocim followed suit by creating their famous Okocim Pilsner. The brewery itself is well preserved, though recent additions have expanded it and seen the introduction of a few modern pieces of equipment. There are at least three brewhouses, all still in use. The brewery still retains its original 1845 chimney, and as one of relatively few remaining "Austrian" breweries of this period, it represents a classic site in the modern history of beer-making. Today it is one of the biggest and best breweries in the country.

The brewery currently produces at least four different brews—Okocim O.K. Pilsner, which is a great example of the “Polish-Pils” style of beer; Okocim Beer (yes, they do seem to gravitate toward the simpler names), which is an intensely hopped pilsner; Okocim Malt Liquor, not to be confused with the domestic malt liquors in the states, is their strong (7.8% ABV), pale beer; Okocim Karmi, considered a “near beer” with its low alcohol content of 0.5%—it is the only dark, low-alcohol beer available in the States and is often given to nursing mothers (in Poland) as an energy drink—it has an abundance of sweet malt flavors. An interesting assortment to select from—we encourage you to try them all if you are ever in Poland.

For more information about the Okocim Brewery, check out their U.S. distributor’s web site at www.stawskidistributing.com/polishbeers.html.

Okocim O.K. Pilsner

Okocim O.K. derives its quality from a recipe which incorporates the best of the indigenous Polish hop varieties, malted barley and pure spring water from the Tatra mountain range. The beer itself reflects the purity of these ingredients in its taste and is one of only a few Polish brews that helped define the “Polish Pils” style, which in turn separated Polish beers from the many other European brands. It is a light-to-medium-bodied beer that actually carries quite a bit of alcohol (6.2% ABV), though it’s aroma of floral Polish hops nicely masks this fact. Expect to experience a hop aroma profile that is probably unlike anything you are used to unless you often partake of the Polish brews. Look for a balanced flavor of lightly sweet malts with a spicy hop bite and, as it warms—a slight kick from the alcohol content and increasing spiciness. This beer finishes with a superbly dry crispness that is stern and unique among many of the European lagers. A great beer to drink with traditional Polish cuisine, such as a plate full of hot potato and onion Pierogies, Barszcz (red beet soup) served with stuffed dumplings, or roasted carp. Enjoy!

Serving Temperature: 48° F
Alcohol by Volume: 6.2%

Ask Murl

Hey Murl,

I had something called a Trappist Tripel the other day and damn did it knock my socks off! I was hammered after only two when it normally takes me a 6’er to get fixered. I know these are made by Monks—what the hell, excuse me, what the devil is up with that?

Travis Montgomery
Spencer, WV

Yo Monty-man,

So, Travis tried to tackle two Trappist Tripels, True? Try saying that 5 times fast—with or without a few beers in ya, I bet you get tongue tied. But as for your questions, here’s a quick answer for you and all the readers out there. Trappist or Trappiste Ales are extra-strong, naturally-conditioned, top-fermented ales produced exclusively in five Belgian abbeys, and also at a 6th which is in The Netherlands. If what you had was a true Trappist or Abbey beer, and I’m going to assume that it was, then it had to have come from one of these six Abbeys. Therefore, probability would dictate that yours, if legit, was made by Cistercian monks from Belgium. These Trappist beers come in a few different varieties, including Dubbels, which are a bit less strong and tend to be darker than another style called the Tripel. Trippels are the strongest of these beers, weighing in at a hefty 8-10% ABV. Few other styles, other than a Barley Wine Style Ale are this alcoholic. However, Trappist ales are known for their easy drinkability and distinct fruitiness—owing to the use of unique Belgian yeasts—as well as their similarity to fine champagnes. Brewed originally for the Fathers’ own use as a supplemental diet during winter and lent, these ales have now been available commercially for over 100 years. Profits from sales generally pay for monastery upkeep and philanthropic work.

Tell ya what Travis, if you get the chance—and I suggest you do for the sake of beer and science—pour yourself a Barley Wine Style Ale (like Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot Barley Wine) and a true Trappist Tripel (like a Westmalle Tripel) for a side by side taste comparison and be astounded that the two are roughly the same ABV. The Trappist is so skillfully made that you will hardly notice the huge ABV. The great Belgian Trappist Ales that are commercially available in the states are from Westmalle, St. Sixtus, Chimay, and Orval. Often priced at $4-6 a bottle, there’s no need to throw these back like session brews—savor them with reverence—with their high alcohol content they’ll keep just fine, so you can pour yourself half a bottle, recap/cork and enjoy the rest later. Go a little easier next time Travis, you might end up broke and toasted. And taking the Lord’s brew in vain is a sin in this canine’s book!

Woof!
Murl

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