Past Newsletters
August 2008
Brewery |
Beers Featured |
| Bluegrass Brewing Company | Dark Star Porter |
| Michigan Brewing Company | Celis White |
| Bluegrass Brewing Company | Amber Ale |
| Michigan Brewing Company | Celis Grand Cru |
| McAuslan Brewing Company (Canada) | St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout |
| McAuslan Brewing Company (Canada) | St. Ambroise Pale Ale |
Bluegrass Brewing Company
Has the South been slower to convert to the microbrew revolution? Yes. But there are key players who've taken big risks to brew better beer and proselytize the soul-healing power of microbrew. The Bluegrass Brewing Company is one of those players. The BBC began serving its craft ales and lagers in November 1993, when their restaurant and brewery opened in St. Matthews in Louisville, Kentucky. Over the years, the popularity of the brewpub and its in-house draft beers grew tremendously, leading to draft beer sales to retail outlets throughout the state.
With the BBC brand becoming more widely available on local taps, bottling their brews was not far behind. In 1999, the first bottles of BBC brand brew were released to a growing and very thirsty southern marketplace. In order to keep up with demand, their bottled beers were contract brewed at a separate brewery. In late 2000, the BBC started considering the possibility of bottling its own product, but this would require the purchase of a new, larger brewery and *cha-ching* – loads of cash.
Thankfully, they were getting paid for all that beer they were selling. Still, purchasing the new brewery was a daunting financial commitment – one that saw the number of owners in the company balloon from 3 principals in 1993 to a whopping 50 by 2001! But with the new brewery purchased, original Bluegrass Brewing Company brewmaster David R. Pierce could produce his award-winning beers on a larger scale than ever. And, boy, can this guy brew! He's got the medals to prove it, too. What impressed us most was the fact that, in 1998, his now-legendary Bearded Pat's Barleywine beat out such epitomes of the style as Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot and Anchor's classic, Old Foghorn, at both the Great American Beer Festival AND the Real Ale Festival. But get this folks: the following year, he did it again – bringing home another set of Gold Medals from both fests. Such an accomplishment is practically unheard of. Five words: this guy's a freaking stud (contractions count as one word in our book).
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, or their unique brewpub (which is essentially a museum dedicated to beeraphernalia, featuring local breweries in Louisville's history), call (502) 584-BREW or check out their web site at www.bluegrassbrew.com .
Applying his appreciation of beer styles from around the world, and a uniquely keen ability to make distinctly American brews, David R. Pierce has crafted beers that showcase the very best of all beery worlds. It takes a whopping 7 different malt varieties to create this dark beauty, which was named after the 1953 Kentucky Derby winner. Immediately note the big, roasty nose with notes of coffee, chocolate, plum, and peat. When tasting, look for lightly fruity notes of apple and plum, roasted chocolate, dark-roast coffee, and a faint smokiness, all rounded out by a mild hop bitterness in the very smooth finish. This beer is great with beef dishes, sharp cheddar, chocolate desserts, or anywhere you'd pair a robust red wine.
Serving Temperature: 48-52° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 30.0
Alcohol by Volume: 6.0%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass
Malts: Special Pale, Munich, Aromatic, Special B, Chocolate, Caramel Pils
Hops: UK Challenger, Willamette, Kent Golding
Expect pleasingly fresh grains on the nose, caramel notes, and a bit of molasses. This beer fills the nose with the aroma of clean, fresh barley. Look for a moderately sweet flavor profile with hints of red apples, a touch of lager-like sulphury notes, and an earthy, mineral-laden component. Finishes with subtle note of white grapes and cereal grains. Altbier is an old style of German brew that blurs the line between lager and ale (in fact, altbier literally means "old beer"). Its real strength is that it preserves the fruitier flavors produced by ale yeast, but permits them to mellow through extended conditioning, similar to that of a traditional lager. Altbier: the best of both worlds – what's old is new again. Pair with prune-and-pomegranate-glazed roasted duck.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 35
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Suggested Glassware: Stange or Pint Glass
Malts: Special Pale, Munich, Chocolate, Caramunich, Wheat
Hops: Perle, Tettnanger
Michigan Brewing Company
The Michigan Brewing Company is located about 20 minutes east of Lansing, Michigan, in the city of Webberville. It was once easy to miss this brewery due to its location: behind a gas station. When owner Bobby Mason opened the brewery, he did so on a shoestring budget, opting to start up in a family-owned garage/maintenance building located next to an expressway service station. Customers literally had to drive through the service station to visit the small pub at the brewery (Ding! Ding! "Fill me up Bobby!")
The Michigan Brewing Company was designed as a brewery, not a restaurant, as there was a tavern and tasting room on the premises, but no kitchen. You could always find a barrel full of fresh peanuts; but if it was a meal you wanted, you had to pack it yourself or order a pizza! (Ding! Ding! "Pizza's here!") In late 2006 they expanded to new facility about seven times the size of their last brewery, conveniently located a mere 300 feet east of the old brewery. You can get a meal now (they have a kitchen) and, of course, their great brews at the appropriately named "Pub 122," their on-site tavern. Just take exit 122 off of I-96 to get there. They are in a continual state of growth; in July of this year they opened an outdoor patio. And Michigan state law is being revised right now to permit them to distill and sell spirits on site – so expect Michigan B.C.'s gin, vodka, etc., to follow soon! You won't hear the "ding! ding!" on your approach to their new tavern, but with all these options, we still consider it a full-service station.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (517) 521-3600 or check out their web site at www.michiganbrewing.com .
"Authentic Belgian-Style Wheat Beer." Damn right it is. Pierre Celis's own branded version of the beloved Hoegaarden, which he created in 1966, single-handedly resurrected this style of beer, which has been propelled toward the palates of many beer drinkers by way of a solid, widely available, though less authentic, beer known as "Blue Moon" (which is actually brewed by Molson Coors, which is now MillerCoors, the result of the recent merger of SABMiller and Molson Coors to form the USA's second largest brewer—ah, corporate brewing conglomerates just love consolidation… look for more of this throughout the rest of the decade…)
The success of Miller's Blue Moon is an odd irony, considering that Miller had a major hand in burying Pierre Celis's Austin, Texas, brewing venture, where Celis White was debuted (look it up… another sad story). On to the beer review: the look and nose are spot on for the style, and we're thrilled that the brewers at MBC have stayed so faithfully true to this beer's recipe. Look for spicy phenolic notes, bubble-gummy clove and coriander notes being the most prominent, with hints of light, sourish tart orange rind and champagne, all backed by a light touch of caramel maltiness. Plenty of wheat on the nose (note the lightly sourish notes). The flavor profile is bolder than Hoegaarden, as that beer, too, has suffered from corporate conglomerate mergers (which led to the shut down of the original Hoegaarden brewery last year, a heartbreaking casualty of consolidation (look it up… yet another sad story)). The spicy, phenolic notes are quite bold, but balanced – sweet and spicy clove meets spiciness of coriander and white pepper, and a firm malty sweetness fades as the wheat and spelt tartness dries it out. This beer also has a more firm hop bitterness in the finish than its famous forebear. It's reassuring to know that Pierre Celis's efforts live on!
This beer pairs well with honey-glazed, clove-dotted ham. Another great application is using as part of a chicken or salmon marinade. Combine a full 12-ounce bottle of Celis White with ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup sesame oil, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp white peppercorns, ¼ cup raw honey, 1 Tbsp crushed bay leaves, ¼ tsp chili powder, and ¼ tsp ground cardamom, mix on high in a blender, then marinate meat at least 2 hours, grill and savor!
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 15
Alcohol by Volume: 4.8%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass or Mug (clear)
Malts: 2-Row Pale, 6-Row Pale, Wheat, Spelt
Hops: Cascade, Willamette, Golding
With its pale-to-medium straw color, if this Grand Cru is put next to a glass of a dark beer like this month's Dark Star Porter, and you ask people which they think is 'stronger,' most beer novices will pick the darker beer. Wrong. It's this one, with 8% ABV, which we'll give you the heads up on: it's well hidden; sip this one slowly. This beer actually has a mead-like quality on the nose, with notes of fermented honey. Also expect a big kick of white-raisin-like notes, coupled with candied orange peel soaked in light rum. Citrusy Cascade hops are present, as well, but deftly blended with the other aromatics. The beer's taste is even more protective of the sneaky alcohol content – goes down with very-well-masked alcohol, though you will experience some belly warming to remind you of the kick. Look for an interplay of figs, raisins, Muscat grapes, and a faint essence of lime in the flavor profile, with minor notes of banana, cloves and cardamom amidst the caramel and orange fade. Nicely done. The brewery recommends pairing with heartier foods such as beef tenderloin, smoked sausage, wild game, or enchiladas.
Serving Temperature: 50-55° F
Int'l Bittering Units: 20
Alcohol by Volume: 8.0%
Suggested Glassware: Snifter or Oversized Wine Glass
Malts: Pilsen, Pregel Corn
Hops: Willamette, Saaz
McAuslan Brewing Company— Montréal, Québec, Canada (Southeastern Canada)
The McAuslan Brewing Company was established in 1988, after a Secretary General of Dawson College in Quebec, Canada, decided that a major career change was in order. Peter McAuslan had been brewing his own beer for more than 25 years but didn't seriously consider getting into commercial brewing until the early 80s. Driven by the belief that he could brew a better beer and that Quebec consumers would provide a loyal following for it, in August of 1987 he left his position in academic administration and dedicated himself to turning his vision into reality (and turn it into reality he has! He's since served as the President of the Quebec Microbrewery Association, and as a director of the Brewers Association of Canada and the Association of Brewers in the U.S.)
In August 1988 British brewmaster Alan Pugsley was hired to help set up the brewery and formulate their first beers. The next year was spent consolidating funding, acquiring expertise and equipment, and gathering a team of people with the skills and temperament to make the venture a success. Along with Ellen Bounsall, a biologist who trained as a brewmaster (and is also Peter McAuslan's wife), the bunch set about the important task of establishing the brewery's reputation for distinctive beers that have since been acknowledged by critics internationally as being among the world's best.
In January of 1989, along the banks of the Lachine Canal in Montreal's St. Henri district, the McAuslan Brewing Company officially began operations. Located at 4850 St. Ambroise Street (hence the beer names below), it has established itself as one of Quebec's foremost microbreweries. Today, Ellen is the company's Master Brewer and Vice President of Production, while Peter McAuslan is President and CEO. Ellen is one of the few female brewers to be a member of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, and is a member of the Product Integrity Committee of the Brewers Association of Canada. Together, this dynamic husband and wife team have blended their skill sets to give us some truly fantastic beer. Ain't marriage grand?
In June 1997, the brewery gave birth to a new family of seasonal beers. The four are brewed exclusively 'in-season' and include: Apricot Wheat Ale, brewed in the spring; Raspberry Ale, available during the summer months; Spiced Pumpkin Ale for the fall; and Strong Ale for the winter. In 1998, McAuslan, in conjunction with Verger du Minot, began distributing cider on draft. Mystique Cider in bottles was launched the same year. They've added to this solid line up over the years, and today produce at least nine regular releases.
For more information about the brewery, check out their website at www.mcauslan.com or call them at (514) 939-3060.
We're thrilled to share this beer with our members, as it's one of the world's greats! At the World Beer Championship in 1994, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout received the second highest rating of the over 200 beers in the competition and won one of only nine platinum medals awarded. That's right: Platinum. This is a rare achievement. Having won Platinum is pretty much the only way to make their 1996 follow-up Gold seem slightly disappointing! This amazing stout has also been chosen by 10 European, American, and English beer writers for inclusion in their list: "Top ten favorite beers in the world". Brewed from 40% dark malts and roasted barley, this intensely black ale carries strong hints of espresso and chocolate in both aroma and flavor. The use of oatmeal contributes body and a long-lasting mocha-colored head to this well-hopped beer. Look for a touch of sweetness in the finish along with bitter hops and suggestions of espresso. A good beer to enjoy with desserts like chocolate cake or pudding, or 70% cocoa dark chocolate. Looking for good dark chocolate? Check out our Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club; there are numerous beers that pair well with chocolate. But even if you're not into chocolate yourself, we're pretty sure you know a chocolate fan somewhere out there – perhaps you received your Beer of the Month Club membership as a gift, and perhaps, just perhaps, it's time to return the favor with flavor? Check out www.monthlyclubs.com for more info.
Serving Temperature: 50-55° F
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass or Mug (clear or opaque)
St. Ambroise Pale Ale is the brewery's flagship beer. Introduced in February 1989, it's a hoppy, reddish-amber, full-flavored ale. In 1994 and 1996 it earned the brewery Silver Medals at the World Beer Championship, and in 2004 it took the Gold Medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Expect bread-like caramel malts and a floral, citrus hop spiciness on the nose. Look for a distinct caramel maltiness that pairs well against the heavy-handed use of hops. The finish is bitter, with some lightly peppery hops and fresh grains in the aftertaste. Quite nice with a grilled chicken Caesar salad or spicy Jack cheese quesadillas.
Serving Temperature: 42-50° F
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Suggested Glassware: Pint Glass or Stein
