Past Newsletters
Vol. 12 No. 2
Bringing You The Best Domestic Microbrews for 12Years Now!!
Brewery
|
Beers Featured
|
| Nutfield Brewing Company | Black 47 Stout |
| Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn Pilsner |
| Nutfield Brewing Company | Auburn Ale |
| Brooklyn Brewery | Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55 |
| Adnams PLC, Sole Bay Brewery | Adnams Broadside |
| Adnams PLC, Sole Bay Brewery | Adnams SSB (Suffolk Special Bitter) |
Member Of The Month—Oh, the Anticipation!
Snap those photos of yourself (and friends if you like) enjoying your featured monthly brews and e-mail them to us with your name and address to MOM@monthlyclubs.com. Or, if you prefer the lower-tech route, and have a penchant for applying stamps to your mail, we’ve got just the P.O. Box for you (see below). How ever you decide to send us your pics, here’s the deal: if we select your photo, you’ll earn a FREE one-month extension to your club membership! Now that is a deal!!
Here’s the mailing address for all Member of the Month Photo Submissions (be sure to include a description of the photo (identify yourself) and your name and mailing address):
Member of the Month
P.O. Box 1627
Lake Forest, CA 92609
Nutfield Brewing Company
In April of 1719, a small group of families made the pilgrimage from their home in the port city of Derry, Ireland searching for freedom in a new land. They settled in New England in what became the town of Derry, New Hampshire, then known as The Nutfield Colony. In the tradition of his pioneering Irish ancestors, Jim Killeen set out to make a name for himself in his hometown of Derry, with the creation of the Nutfield Brewing Company.
In August of 1994, with help from the Derry Development and Preservation Corporation, Jim leased 8,000 square feet in the then abandoned Klev-Bro Shoe building. After securing a local Community Development Block Grant, private investors and a loan from the Small Business Association of New Hampshire, Killeen and his wife, Tina, set out to make Jim’s vision a reality. After formally evicting the then-current tenants (a rather intimidating flock of pigeons), the difficult job of converting the space from making “shoes” to “brews” was begun. One full year after the wheels were set in motion for the new brewery, the facility was officially online and began full production in August of 1995.
The logo for the brewery was meant to reflect the strength, beauty and tradition of the area in which it is situated. An American chestnut tree stands in a field with the beautiful backdrop of New Hampshire’s Old Man of the Mountain majestically resting in the distance. The Nutfield Brewing Company is considered “New Hampshire’s True Craft Brewery” specializing in premium handcrafted ales. The brewery creates New Hampshire’s number one selling micro-brew, and is considered a true taste of New England.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (888) GO-NUTTY or check out their web site at www.nutfield.com.
Black 47 Stout is named
in recognition of the Irish Potato Famine in 1847. It is a true Irish Dry Stout,
brewed with a combination of 2-row pale and chocolate
malts as well as roasted and flaked barley. To balance the malts, East Kent
Goldings and Cascade hops are used. Immediately note a beautiful dark tan head
that gives off hints of dark malt and light chocolaty notes. This stout starts
out moderately sweet with a nice subtle hop bitterness in the finish. You’ll
find that the flavors really express themselves as this beer gets warmer so
do your best to be patient! Good luck with that one. Overall, a very dark,
roasted, bitter, creamy ale loaded with flavor. Nice with chocolate desserts
or sandwiches made on pumpernickel bread.
Serving Temperature: 55° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 40.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.8%
Malts: Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Black, Wheat
Hops: Warrior, Cascade, Tettnang, East Kent Goldings
The Nutfield Brewing Company was aided in their beer designs by
the famous Alan Pugsley, who has helped a number of U.S. brewing greats get
off the ground.
His focus is on brewing authentic, true-to-style English beers, using the renowned
Ringwood yeast, and his influence is clear in this beer. Expect a big, sweet,
malty nose with some cascade and fuggles hop tones. The taste reveals nice
mixes of sweet (malts) and dry (hops), with touches of tartness supplied by
the various hop varieties, and a buttery influence contributed by the diacetyl
from the Ringwood yeast. We found it to be refreshingly crisp, expertly balanced,
with distinct nutty highlights and a dry finish. For a partnering that’s
tough to beat, try this with grilled burgers or Swordfish.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 85.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.6%
Malts: Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Caramalt, Roasted Barley, Black, Wheat
Hops: Fuggles, Cascade, Tettnang
Brooklyn Brewery
Great food, local culture, fashion, Broadway, not to mention America’s pastime—baseball—and yeah, tons of attitude. New York City has a lot to offer. But as far as top notch brew? Well, it hasn’t exactly been known as a bastion of great beers until fairly recently, when the Brooklyn Brewery grew in size and popularity. True, Brooklyn was a great place for beer at one point—but from the mid-70s through the mid-90s, there weren’t many outfits dedicated to brewing distinctive ales and lagers. Enter the Brooklyn Brewery, founded in 1987 upon the laurels of Brooklyn’s past brewing glory. One hundred years ago, there were approximately 50 breweries operating in Brooklyn. A large component of the immigrant population was German, and we all know of the German zeal for great beer. Taverns were places of civic decision-making, serving as community centers of sorts, and brewers themselves were civic and social leaders. In fact, their monuments remain an impressive part of Brooklyn’s Evergreen Cemetery. But sadly, this era would end in 1976 when the last of the Brooklyn-based brewing families, Schaefer and Liebman, closed down, succumbing to the competition imposed by the large Midwest breweries (you know who you are!).
So then, whom do we have to thank for bringing the brew back to Brooklyn? In 1978, Associated Press correspondent Steve Hindy traveled to the Middle East for a six year assignment where he befriended a few diplomats who homebrewed in such countries as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where Islamic law forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. He picked up a few tricks of the homebrewing trade and upon his return to the states, where he settled in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood, he continued to hone his craft. His downstairs neighbor Tom Potter, a former loan officer at Chemical Bank became very interested in Steve’s brews and, while watching Mets ball games together, came to appreciate the beers in Steve’s repertoire which were brewed in authentic, German, pre-prohibition style once found throughout Brooklyn. Tom became convinced that there was a market for this sort of beer and together with Steve they founded the Brooklyn Brewery in 1987. With the help of fourth-generation German-American brewmaster William M. Moeller, their first official beer was brewed: Brooklyn Lager.
For the next nine years, their brews were contract brewed up in Utica, NY. In 1994 they hired highly respected New York brewmaster Garret Oliver to design their own Brooklyn plant and oversee production at the Utica facility. On a momentous day in 1996, mayor Rudy Giuliani cut the ribbon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and their new plant was opened. Since then, Oliver has created some of the most well-known, well respected brews to come out of the east coast.
There’s much more to be said of Tom’s and Steve’s success story (and requisite hardships encountered along the way)—all of which can be read about in their upcoming book BEER SCHOOL—Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery, to be published by John Wiley & Sons in October 2005. It’s a book we’re definitely eager to pick up—after all, this is one of our favorite breweries! We hope you enjoy their two brews we’ve selected for you this month.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (718) 486-7422 or check out their web site at www.brooklynbrewery.com.
Brooklyn
Pilsner
The infamous blackout of 2003 that struck much of the northeastern U.S., particularly
New York City, played a part in an important part in the Brooklyn Brewery’s
decision to move toward alternative energy sources. That year, the company
made a landmark environmental statement when it became the first commercial
building in New York City to commit to using 100% wind-generated electricity.
A high-tech move that contrasts their old-school, pre-prohibition style Brooklyn
Pilsner. Unlike the mass-marketed so-called pilsners, Brooklyn Pilsner does
not contain cheap fillers such as corn or rice—it’s brewed in accordance
with the German Purity Law known as the Reinheitsgebot, which declares that
all beer be made with only 4 ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. Expect
a fresh, floral nose on this beer with a solid malt backbone and easy-drinking,
medium-bodied flavor. German Perle and Hallertau hops provide a crisp, clean
bitterness in the finish. Quite nice with chicken, seafood, pizza, spicy foods
and even salads, but big enough to stand up to steak as well.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 30.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Malts: 2-Row German Pilsner
Hops: German Perle, Hallertau, Mittelfruh, Czech Saaz
As we said above—you just can’t
separate Brooklyn from baseball. While basketball and football have come the
favorite sports in many U.S. cities
these days, baseball is the sport to watch in the big apple. The Brooklyn Pennant
Ale ’55 celebrates the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1955 World Championship
baseball team. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the team’s
success, in commemoration, The Brooklyn Brewery is pledging $1 for every case
of Pennant Ale ’55 sold in the next year to The Mayor’s Fund to
Advance New York City. The Fund is planning to erect a monument to Dodger greats,
Jackie Robinson and teammate Pee Wee Reese at Keyspan Park in Coney Island.
On the nose, expect notes of sourdough bread and dark, ripe fruits. The flavor
is solid with a restrained bitterness and hoppy, citrusy highlights. The beer
is well-balanced, finishing with a dry, lightly bitter caramel note. A great
beer to have on hand while watching the game—preferably baseball.
Serving Temperature: 45° F
Int’l Bittering Units: 24.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.2%
Malts: Scottish Maris Otter, English Pale
Hops: American Willametter, Cascade, English Fuggles
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery—Southwold, Suffolk, England (Central Eastern Coast of England)
If you’ve ever traveled to Great Britain, you’ve likely encountered the famed English Pub. Then again, even if you’ve never set foot in the UK, you’re probably still familiar with this famed institution. The English Pub is not simply a location or set of locations—it’s a cultural phenomenon that is often imitated, but never quite duplicated outside of England. It’s a place where you’ll find local Brits unwinding with their favorite ale (or sometimes lager), relaxing after a tough day’s work, reuniting with good friends, hatching new schemes, or perhaps, all of the above. While we regret that we are unable to send you your own English Pub this month (damned shipping costs!), we are proud to bring you a couple of authentic British pub ales that will transport you to the dark, smoky pubs of England (though the smoky element is set to be extinguished as early as 2006, as England phases in bans on smoking in public places—including the majority of England’s famed pubs).
London is perhaps best known for its pub atmosphere, but the whole of England is spotted with the classic pub. In the UK, the pubs are often owned and operated by local breweries. And with so many breweries scattered throughout the country, you can bet there are quite a few classic pubs. If you head northeast of London out to the eastern coast of England, to a region of northern Suffolk, known as Southwold, and ask for a pint, chances are that the frothy beverage that fills your glass in this sea resort town will carry the name Adnams. Set in this classic English coastal town, crammed with characteristically British pubs, Adnams is one of England’s oldest and most respected breweries. Their brewery in Southwold, known as the Sole Bay Brewery, has been creating fine beers under the Adnams name since at least 1872. However, brewing in this spot goes back much further than the 19th century. More than 650 years ago the brewery began as the brewhouse of Southwold’s oldest inn, the Swan. Turn back time to 1345 and you may just witness a red letter date in the history of brewing in this region, when “Ale Wife” Johanna de Corby was fined by the manorial court for serving ale in unmarked measures. Luckily she wasn’t burned at the stake for her crime during this medieval period. Hey—who in their right mind would torch the “Ale Wife”, right?
Brewing continued at this site until 1659, when fire destroyed the Swan. The brewery house was then moved from the inn to its present location at the rear of Swan yard. For most of the 18th century the Swan, home of the Sole Bay Brewery, was owned by local legends the Thompson family, who gained a reputation for their fine ales. In 1825 the Swan was sold to a local maltster by the name of William Crisp for a mere £350. Under his stewardship, the brewery became quite famous. Over the next 47 years, the brewery passed through a succession of owners until 1872 when the Adnams brothers, George and Ernest, purchased the brewery. In a fateful move, George decided that he was not cut out for the country life and traveled to Africa where he was tragically eaten by a crocodile. Ernest continued his work at the brewery, keeping the business in the Adnams family while partnering with brewer Thomas Sargeant.
Fast forward to 2001—Adnams is owned by the fourth generation of the Adnams family. It was in this year that Adnams gained the esteemed distinction of being “Britain’s fastest growing brewery”. Their beers have always been top notch, but more and more folks are getting their hands on them these days. In recognition of their great brews, their head brewer was recently chosen as Britain’s Brewer of the Year by a panel of his peers. And rightfully so! Cheers!
For more information about the Adnams brewery, and their many fine beers, visit www.adnams.co.uk.
The term “broadside” refers to ship-based cannon fire in which
all the cannons on one side of the vessel are fired simultaneously. The technique
was used quite successfully in the Battle of Sole Bay in 1672 during which
the English dealt many a broadside in their successful fight against the Dutch.
These days, if someone offers you a Broadside in the seaport down of Southwold—or
anywhere for that matter—take it as an act of kindness rather than an
offensive maneuver, for this is a fine brew indeed. As far as many pub ales
go, this one packs a punch at 6.0% ABV, for the classic pub ale ABV runs between
4 and 5%. It’s also a bit darker than many beers of this style (Extra
Special/Strong Bitter), running an attractive amber-red color. It was awarded
the Gold medal in the Strong Bitter category at the 2003 Great British Beer
Festival. And for those who seek the stronger side of that typical English
pub ale, this fine ale is a real find indeed. Pour yourself a pint right now
and let’s review this brew. We found that this beer had an aroma wrought
with notes of anise/raisins as well as big, juicy malts, orange-scented yeastiness,
and a bit of hop spice. Expect a juicy, biscuity flavor from generous portions
of English Maris Otter. These flavors are offset by spicy and bitter elements
from tangy English Challenger, Fuggles and Goldings hops. The chewiness of
the malts carries though to the finish with a lingering sweet caramel flavor,
which is quickly balanced by an ample bitterness characteristic of the style.
This beer is fantastic with some authentic English cheddar as a snack, or with
spicy lobster dinner.
Serving Temperature: 45° F
Alcohol by Volume: 6.0%
Adnams SSB (Suffolk Special Bitter)
England’s pale beers, some designated as pub ale, some called IPAs, are
best known simply as “bitter”. Originally, and still in some pubs,
this style of beer was extremely unique in that it was delivered to the pub
in an unready form—relying on secondary fermentation in casks in the
pub cellars. A certain degree of expertise was required to achieve proper maturation—but
this was a skill possessed by many barkeeps of the day; this was after all,
the classic style of beer preferred by most English drinkers for hundreds of
years. It’s no surprise that of those upset by the commercialization
and nationalization of the beer industry, British beer drinkers have been some
of the most vocally opposed to the trend. You can imagine that the subtle differences
in flavor from brew to brew were something that beer drinkers appreciated in
their local pub brews. However, mass-produced beers that have flooded the market
in the past 30 years have largely put a stop to that. The complexities and
variations from pint to pint are lost to the “perfected” brewing
methods employed by major commercial breweries. Thankfully, there are still
some of those beers where we can appreciate the subtle differences from batch
to batch; one of them being Adnams SSB, or Suffolk Special Bitter. Named after
their native county, this Special Bitter has firm, dry, biscuity malts that
dominate the background of every pint, with distinct anise and resinous flavors
provided by the famed English Fuggles hop. The aroma is similar to their Broadside,
though it’s a bit more subdued, less malty, and slightly more hoppy.
In the many pints we’ve enjoyed, we’ve found those subtle differences
from brew to brew, but overall have always found each pint to be crisp and
refreshing. Good with medium rare steak or roast, or braised duck
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Alcohol by Volume: 4.5%
ASK MURL
Hey Murl,
I know sometimes you have to write a short column since your newsletter writers sometimes get crazy with their brewery and beer content. Which I have to admit, I don’t really mind, since I get to read a lot of cool stuff, but then again, it’s a double-edged sword because sometimes it cuts in to your material, which I find not only informative but usually funny as hell. So, here’s my question: what does the term Imperial mean in beer terminology? I see it in front of a number of beer styles, like Imperial IPA, Imperial Porter and Imperial Stouts? What gives?
Jessica Priscilla
Geiger Heights, WA
Hi Jessy-P,
Two first names. Gotta love it, especially on a woman. Something sexy and mysterious about it, like it’s your alter-ego, “going to Vegas name” or something. Truthfully, I have my doubts about it being your real name, but that’s cool. I think the bigger issue is the fact that you live in Geiger Heights—which to me sounds like the hometown of 5 out of every 6 comic book heroes (since they usually attained their powers from some sort of ill-fated exposure to radioactivity). Anyway, yes, short and sweet this month, as our newsletter writers really went to town on that Brooklyn Brewery write up (can’t blame ‘em—it’s a favorite of mine as well). Imperial generally just means “bigger alcohol and more hops”. In porters and stouts, it’s sometimes synonymous with the term “Baltic”, though the origins are quite different. Still, they both describe big-bodied, often very, very hop-heavy beers. Another example to add to your list above is Imperial Pilsner (sometimes called Über Pils), which, in my experience is a clean, crisp pilsner that’s just been hopped-to-hell-and-back and has a big ABV for the style (which is usually around 4.5-5.5% ABV). Usually, these Imperial beers, regardless of style, are in the 8-12% ABV vicinity. I dig the big brews, and am usually happy with anything “Imperial”. But be warned—they’ll march all over ya like Storm Troopers if you’re not careful with ‘em.
Woof!
Murl
Norm’s Corner
Woody: What’s your pleasure Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Boxer shorts and loose shoes. But I’ll settle for a beer.
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 |
| Nutfield Brewing Company | Dom/Dom & Intl |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Brooklyn Brewery | Dom/Dom & Intl |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Nutfield Brewing Company | Dom |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Brooklyn Brewery | Dom |
$24.95 |
$49.95 |
| Adnams PLC, Sole Bay Brewery | Intl/Dom & Intl |
$36.95 |
$63.95 |
| Adnams PLC, Sole Bay Brewery | Intl/Dom & Intl |
$36.95 |
$63.95 |
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.
