Past Newsletters
November 2006
Brewery
|
Beers Featured
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| Grand Teton Brewing Company | Bitch Creek ESB |
| Sand Creek Brewing Company | Wild Ride IPA |
| Grand Teton Brewing Company | Teton Ale |
| Sand Creek Brewing Company | Oatmeal Stout |
| Mahr's Brewery (Germany) | Festtags Weisse |
| Jopen Haarlem Brewery (Netherlands) | Jopen Bokbier |
Grand Teton Brewing Company
Brothers Charlie and Ernie Otto have long been familiar with great beers. In fact, prior to founding their brewing enterprise, Charlie had become a well-respected area homebrewer. Demand for his hand-crafted beers quickly grew to the point where the brothers began thinking about starting their own commercial enterprise. But because Wyoming did not issue licenses to homebrewers, Charlie had to muscle up and take on the law. Through an ambitious effort, he ultimately helped get a bill passed which would allow him to start selling his beer commercially. In 1988, he secured the first malt beverage manufacturers' permit issued in the state in over 35 years, making it possible for them to start selling their delicious brew in Wilson, Wyoming (just outside Jackson Hole), where they founded the Otto Brothers' Brewing Company, officially the first modern microbrewery in the state.
They soon began presenting their original amber "Teton Ale" to local draught establishments and for the next two years their beers were only available on tap. Seeking a wider distribution through bottling, the brothers decided to get creative. In 1989 they rediscovered a long forgotten container, a European, lidded tin-pail known as a "growler". The term Growler was originally used for the tin buckets used to transport beer from the tavern at which it was purchased. The Otto Brothers' Brewing Company reintroduced it in a modern, 64-ounce glass jug version. "Growlers" have since become commonplace at breweries and brewpubs throughout the nation, and the brothers enjoy the credit for having resurrected and recreated this novel (and environmentally-friendly) idea.
However, the brothers thirsted for more. They sought to bring Wyoming its first brewpub, but again, state law prohibited breweries to act as retailers. Not surprisingly, Charlie was undeterred and on the wings of previous legal triumphs he began three years of letter writing, phone calling and grass roots organizing to bring about the legalization of brewpubs in the Cowboy state. And wouldn't you know it, the guy came through for his fellow citizens; in 1992, Otto Brothers' Brewing Company opened Wyoming's first brewpub.
The brewpub brought a surge in popularity to the Otto Brothers' beer line up, leading the brothers Otto to build a high-capacity brewery at the base of the Teton Pass in Victor, Idaho in 1998, and helping prompt a renaming as the Grand Teton Brewing Company. The site was chosen for its proximity to locally-grown barleys and Northwestern hops, as well as nearby Teton Glacier water. As you'll see from the ingredient lists below, they use locally grown malt, and as another eco-friendly move, provide the spent brewing grains to local farmers as cattle feed.
Given the natural beauty of the region, it's no surprise that these guys respect Mother Nature. (They even host a community recycling center!) This year, along with a staggering 60% growth rate, and 120% increase in production over last year, the brewery went "green"; everything from the heat that fires their brew kettles, to their hot water, to their building heat, comes from use of Bio-diesel. So, now drinkers in their six state distribution network can get "green" beer all year long, not just on St. Patty's day!
Folks in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, California, Colorado (and soon Oregon) just don't know how good they have it—they can get these fine brews any time they want. For the rest of us—well, membership certainly has its privileges (such as being able to reorder any of the beers we feature!) If you're looking to introduce your friends to great microbrewed beer, the beers from Grand Teton Brewing Company are perfect examples of great microbrewed beer at its finest. Though we wouldn't blame you if you horded this stuff—their Bitch Creek ESB (details below) is one of our favorite brews of all time!
For more information about the brewery, brewpub or scheduled tours, call (888) 899-1656, or visit their website at www.grandtetonbrewing.com.
Wyoming's Bitch Creek flows down the west side of the Teton Mountains not far from the Grand Teton Brewing Company's brewhouse in Idaho's Teton Valley. Early French trappers called it "Anse de Biche" (or "Doe Creek"). Perhaps more appropriately, early valley settlers changed the name from the French "Biche" to "Bitch" because its fast flow and steep, rugged canyon made it a challenge to navigate. Like the stream, Bitch Creek ESB presents a torrent of character and is not for the timid. It is a big, chewy, medium-to-full-bodied brew with an aroma that is full of intricate notes of citrusy pine, caramel, nuts and chocolate malts. The initial hop impact takes about 15-20 seconds to fully develop, so wait between sips to fully experience the intense flavor evolution that ensues. The ample hop notes are masterfully balanced by a robust malty sweetness—this is balanced beer at its very best, people! Bitch Creek ESB has achieved what few others have—back to back Gold Medals from the Great American Beer Festival (2004 & 2005). It's also taken home Bronze (2004) and Silver (2005) Medals from the North American Brewers Association. Bronze, Silver and Gold—this beer has won them all! By now, it's probably won you over as well (don't worry, there's plenty to go around—see our reorder information at the end of this newsletter so you can order up more of this stellar brew to share with friends and family). Great with Chicken mole.
Serving Temperature: 48-53° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 51.0
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass
Malts: Idaho 2-Row Pale, German Melanoidin, Cara Amber, Cara Aroma, British Crystal
Hops: Galena, Chinook, Centennial
Additional Notes: Dry Hopped with Centennial Hops
Their flagship beer, Grand Teton B.C.'s Teton Ale is summed up like so: it's just plain good. And we're not the only ones who think so; a winner of the Silver (2004) and two Bronze Medals (2001 & 2005) from the North American Brewers Association, it comes highly recommended. Here's a fun fact to wow and amaze your friends: the hops used in this brew come from each of four different beer-renowned countries—the UK, the US, the Czech Republic and Germany. Start throwing facts like that around and you'll take home that coveted beer geek trophy in no time (ahem, we mean, Beer Connoisseur trophy). Look for malty caramel notes to meet mildly peppery hop spice and notes of bread on the nose. Note how the hop spiciness and malty backbone are perfectly balanced. Expect a malty creaminess to slide across the palate while light hop bitterness nicely balances this brew against subtle notes of syrup, ripened apples, and very slight diacetyl butteriness (characteristic of the great "English" beers it's modeled after; however, late kettle dry hopping gives it a more spicy hop profile than your typical English Amber). Quite robust, but still refreshing. Great with crisp autumn air and a rake, the sweetish notes make this the beer to pair with turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 24.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.3%
Suggested Glassware: English Pint Glass
Malts: Idaho 2-Row Pale, German Cara Amber, Cara Aroma
Hops: UK Goldings, Willamette, Czech Saaz, German Hersbrucker
Sand Creek Brewing Company
The history of the Sand Creek Brewing Company can actually be traced back to 1856, when Swiss immigrant Ulrich Oderbolz founded the Oderbolz Brewing Company in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, in a building that is today occupied by Sand Creek B.C.. In fact, beers from Sand Creek B.C. are stored in the building's original 19th century beer cellar. The original brewery was family owned and operated, being taken over in 1900 by Ulrich's son Frank, until his untimely death by drowning in 1911. It seemed a curse had befallen the family, as years earlier, in 1888, Frank's brother Charley had fallen into a vat of boiling beer, and died as a result of his injuries. Not surprisingly, after Frank's death, his mother Anna, having outlived her husband and two sons, opted to sell the business. It remained a brewery, operating as the Badger Brewing Company until that little thing called Prohibition hit in 1920, closing the brewery for good… or so it seemed. Researching the brewing history in the region, we can't help but think that the beer gods had it in for the trade in this region!
In 1995, after a 75 year brewing drought, locally produced beer returned to Black River Falls (and to the old Oderbolz building) when Dave and Jim Hellman started the Pioneer Brewing Company. One of the wisest moves they ever made was hiring brewmaster Todd Krueger, who has since crafted many award winning beers. In 1998 they acquired the Wisconsin Brewing Company of Wauwatosa after two devastating floods in a one year period forced that outfit to close their doors. (There's that curse again!) Thankfully, their beers lived on after the Pioneer takeover. It was during this period that brewmaster Todd really began working his magic, winning an unprecedented two Gold Medals at the World Beer Cup in 2000 (one of which was for the stout featured below!). And in 2002, he struck gold again at the WBC for their Oderbolz Bock (named after the site's original owner).
Meanwhile, off on a family farm in Menomonie, burgeoning brewmaster Cory Schroeder teamed up with partner Jim Wiesender and created the Sand Creek Brewing Company in 1999, cobbling together 'improvised' brewing equipment such as a 32-foot refrigerator semi-trailer (which became the beer cooler), and pudding tanks that served as mash and brew kettles. After developing many popular brews, there was a need to expand beyond their farmhouse brewery. Turns out that by this time, in 2004, the Hellman brothers were looking to sell the Pioneer Brewing Company. Who stepped in to purchase it? None other than Cory, Jim and brewmaster Todd, who together formed the current rendition of the Sand Creek Brewing Company. The move expanded Sand Creek B.C.'s beer line up to over 29 different products on a proprietary and contract level. Todd has remained as Head Brewmaster at the site. A partner in the business, this three time Gold Medal winner is quite the asset. Seems to us that the brewing curse has up and vanished from this part of Wisconsin. Enjoy the great brews we've picked out for you!
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (715) 284-7553 or check out their web site at www.sandcreekbrewing.com.
Get ready for a Wild Ride. This highly hopped IPA is Sand Creek B.C.'s newest beer, and has quickly become their most popular since its introduction earlier this year. Hop heads will delight in the massive Cascade hop nose; expect major pine and grapefruit notes, with a tart, lemony note also present. Malt backbone is evident on the nose, but hops dominate. This beer is so freshly and highly hopped, there's an herbal quality like fresh sage, with floral and citrus notes ample on the palate. The interplay between malts and hops provides a candied, lemon-like zest. Bitterness quickly strikes, but instantly recedes, allowing the hops to fully blossom in the mouth. This showcases their resinous, herbal qualities, with some of the candied lemon sweetness developing before the massive bitterness ensues and holds on through the very bitter finish. We're particularly impressed by this beer, as it shirks the trend for hoppy beers to require a huge ABV. This beer proves you don't need high octane alcohol levels to produce a great hoppy brew, and for true hop fans, you can put back quite a few without getting absolutely blitzed in the process. Try it with pasta dishes complemented with sage and butter, or spicy cuisine.
Serving Temperature: 44-53° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 70.0
Alcohol by Volume: 6.2%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass
Malts: Pale Ale, Caramel, Cara Pils
Hops: Chinook, Cascade, Centennial
Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
We must tip our hats to Head Brewmaster Todd Krueger for this true to style Oatmeal Stout. But we're not surprised by how well this Siebel-trained, three-time World Beer Championship gold medalist brews his beers. This beer is gorgeous—very nearly black with that perfect stout head—medium tan—beginning mammoth in size and fading to a beautiful covering that consists of bubbles so small, you can barely discern them. Expect a massive chocolate nose with a bit of coffee, a gentle hop bitter-spice, and some dark fruits. The flavor is a close match to the aroma with tasty medium-dark chocolate notes, roasted malts, and a note of raw, unsalted peanuts. Look for that dry stout bitterness we know and love—aided by the oatmeal and hops. It's a wonderful finish to a truly drinkable beer. Rich enough to complement chocolate cake, and sturdy enough to accompany a plate of London Broil and potatoes.
Serving Temperature: 50-55° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 35.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.0%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass or Mug (opaque)
Malts: Pale Ale, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Black
Hops: East Kent Goldings
Mahr's Brewery (Mahr's Bräu)—Bamberg, Germany (Upper Franconia/Northern Bavaria/Central Germany)
The Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516, also known as the Reinheitsgebot, is often cited in brewing related literature. But lesser known is the pure-beer law from 1303, instated more than 200 years earlier in the region of northern Bavaria known as Franconia. In 1934, vessels from a Franconian burial mound were discovered and noted to contain traces of beer sediment which dated to the 9th Century B.C.. Clearly, the region has a profound brewing history. It is today home to some of the most unique beers in Germany. The region's historic brewing cities are Erlangen, Kulmbach (from whence we plucked the famous Eisbock we featured last month) and Bamberg, home to the Mahr's Brewery. Family-owned Mahr's Bräu is home to one of the most charming pubs in Bamberg—well worth the visit if you're in the country, as it's truly one of the finest places on this earth to enjoy a beer (other than our Member of the Month's porch!). However, you might be tempted by the eight other breweries in this city of just over 70,000, which makes the region the titlist of "most breweries per square mile." The beers produced here are some of the most individualistic in all of Germany, including Schlenkerla's Rachbiers, or smoke beers, which many seasoned beer drinkers will confess represent "an acquired taste" (but it should be noted that these brews are quite remarkable; when paired correctly, they can make a single stick of beef jerky a marvelous culinary delight—no joke, if you ever try Schlenkerla's Urbock, snap into a Slim Jim and you'll be amazed by how well the two complement one another.)
The Mahr's brewery dates from 1670 and has been owned and operated by the same family since 1880. Their beers are the result of Germany's best craft-brewed traditions, and their unfiltered, unpasteurized wheat beers have become the new classic as far as weisse beers go. The result is a line up of beers that are brewed according to the practices in place hundreds of years ago. It's a sad fact these days that not all German-brewed beers are 'authentic'; but have no fear, the Mahr's beers are authentic Bavarian brews at their best! A final interesting point, the brewery is one of very few left in the world where Ungespundet beer is served—the term means "unbunged" and refers to the fact that the maturation vessel was open to the atmosphere, resulting in lower carbonation. With less bite from the carbonation, the palate is more receptive to the true flavors of the beer.
We could go on all day about Franconian beers, but since you've got one at the ready right now, we'll let you get started and be your own judge. Enjoy!
With the enormous variety of commercially available Oktoberfest beers out there, we opted to send you something a bit out of the ordinary to have on hand for your Oktoberfest celebrations: an Oktoberfest Weisse—Mahr's Festtags Weisse. (Festtags means 'holiday' in German, so technically, you could enjoy this brew on any special occasion, but this one's released around the Oktoberfest season). But then it turned out that we had to delay bringing this beer in to the US for a month for various reasons and now it might be a little late for Oktoberfest, but hey—why not have a Novemberfest! So what is an Oktoberfest Weisse you ask? Well, much like the typical Bavarian hefeweizen or weisse bier, it's a wheat beer with pronounced clove and banana-like notes, due to various yeast-produced esters. The rare Oktoberfest versions have a slightly higher alcohol content and are a bit more rounded (fuller-bodied) than your standard weisse bier, but still maintain their superb drinkability and thirst quenching characteristics. Look for notes of sweet & markedly sour wheat and citrus on the nose, with subdued notes of banana and walnuts and the faintest hint of smoke (no Rauchbier, but it is from Bamberg, after all). Flavors are citrusy and only lightly sweet, which helps explain why this beer is so refreshing and quenching. Expect notes of marzipan, the slightest bit of dark cherries in the background, with an intermingling of sour notes from the heavy handed use of wheat, and a light bubblegum-like note, all capped by a tart finish. Perfect with spicy scallops & shrimp. Prost!
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Alcohol by Volume: 5.6%
Suggested Glassware: Weizen Glass
Jopen Haarlem Brewery (Jopen Bier BV Haarlem)—Haarlem, Netherlands (Northern Central Netherlands)
The Jopen Haarlem Brewery is particularly interesting, and not simply for the fact that it is located in Holland, a place we infrequently look to for our international beers. They are exceptionally noteworthy for the type of beers they produce, which are faithful reproductions of medieval recipes. Back in the heyday of Dutch Brewing—the Middle Ages—hops were not used to flavor and bitter beer. A blend of herbs and spices, called "gruit", was instead used to offset the sweeter flavors produced by malts and grains. Exotic herbs and spices such as yarrow, wild rosemary and sweet gale were typical ingredients used for the unique brews produced in the region. These ancient beers tended to be highly intoxicating, were reputed to stimulate the mind, induce euphoria, and served as aphrodisiacs.
While several breweries in the world still try their hand at brewing gruit beer, many recipes are based on careful guessing. The Jopen Haarlem Brewery, however, actually helped resurrect the style by employing archived recipes that were recorded in Haarlem's public municipal texts. These distinctive recipes, dating from 1407 and 1501, were so important to the regional economy that they were preserved as a matter of public record by the town's archivist. By the year 1400, brewing was the most important commercial activity of the city. By the late Middle Ages, Haarlem beer was exported throughout the world—with popular export destination cities peppered from Russia to France.
Over 100 Netherlands brewers were in operation during this period, a point that must have struck a nerve when the last of them closed up shop in 1916. During the city's 750th anniversary, in 1995, a group of enthusiastic Haarlemmers took up the challenge of bringing beer back to the region by brewing the centuries old style. Perhaps it was the pride of drinking a beer brewed by their forefathers, or maybe it was the excitement of microbrewing distinctive beers and having the option of drinking something other than the ever present pilsner, or just the fact that their beers were darned tasty, but their efforts have been met with much praise.
Jopen is based just about 10 miles west of Amsterdam, but they don't yet have their own brewery, so we can't exactly encourage a visit. (Their beers are currently brewed via contracts with local breweries). However, their beers are fairly well distributed in the region, so if you're ever out there, keep your eyes open for any of the distinctive Jopen beers.
For more information, visit Jopen's website at http://www.jopen.nl/
The success of Jopen (named after an ancient Dutch brewing vessel), led to their follow up launch of Jopen KOYT, a traditional gruit beer containing absolutely no hops (fans of the Wild Ride IPA we're featuring this month from Wisconsin's Sand Creek Brewing Company may shudder at the thought, but it's a solid beer well worth trying if you ever chance upon it). Encouraged by the success of their traditional beers, Jopen's Haarlem brewers brought a unique Bokbier onto the market. Traditional bocks are big bodied, sweet, malty lagers brewed with heavy doses of malted barley. But Jopen's interpretation uses an ale yeast and is brewed from four different grains (malted barley, wheat, oats, and interestingly, rye). If you take a look at the label, you'll see the words "vier granen", meaning four grains. The result is a smooth, complex beer that is less sweet and more fruity than typical German bocks. Expect notes of maple syrup with creamy highlights on the nose. Toffee and fresh bread-like notes blend with a striking mocha and chocolate character, along with plum and figs. The mocha flavors are remarkable, quite like chocolate dipped in crushed coffee beans. Look also for flavors of green apples and berries, rounded out by roasted malts. The finish presents ample bitterness to balance the sweetness and fruity notes in the flavor profile, with some tangy, noble-like hop flavors developing in the aftertaste. Jopen Bokbier is the best selling beer from an independent brewery in The Netherlands—and it's easy to see why. Pair with beef, lamb, aged earthy cheeses like Camembert or Fontina, or a dish prepared with wild mushrooms. Enjoy!
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Suggested Glassware: Tulip (or mini-tulip)
