h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I noticed a definite -- but very subtle -- smokiness to the Norwegian Wood:

Norwegian Wood

50cl 6.5%


the `pour

a nice light brown (almost orange) head, dark amber smokey colour. Makes me think of a warm fireside in a cabin in winter.

the aroma


appley, smokey. Very inviting.

the taste

spicy. a little smokey. a distant hint of the juniper berries. Good full body.

This one will be an enjoyable investigation all the way!


After that `point, I lost track of making notes. I'll have to get another sometime.

Brewsters Curly Horse IPA, 500ml bottle 6%abv (55ibu)

The pour

Glorious two finger cream-coloured head on a clear orangey amber ale. Moderate carbonation(after an initial burst of same)...generous lacing as glass is swirled.

Aroma

Rather faint but quite distinct hops, bit of malt and a slight whiff of alcohol.

Taste

Initial maltiness, then hops quickly slither in like a desert rattlesnake and steadily become more prominent,, leaving a gentle prickling on the tongue...or was that my veg. Korma . But seriously, goes Excellent with an actual product of India-heat & eat-Navratan Korma(onion, cauliflower, potato, etc). http://www.vimalagro.com A very pleasant harmony of flavours!

We're never going to catch up to the brewers, are we?


On the IPA subject -- I have one fermenting in the basement at the moment. It's a kit one, but as usual I've done it with malt extract instead of the usual home brewer's corn sugar. I find the malt extract gives the final `product a much fuller body. As well, I boiled some extra hops at the beginning and made a little less volume to give it a higher initial gravity, and so a little higher alcohol content when finished. I have to wait a month or two to test the results.

Mikkeller Beer Geek Bacon, 7.5%abv

The pour

Bit of totally unexpected 'fizz&flow'(leakage)-definite smoky aroma though. But, nice two finger 'milk chocolate ice cream' coloured head on a darker-than-dark brown stout. Dense lacing when swirling glass.

Aroma

Roasty malt and smokiness. Bit of chocolate coming through(a bittersweeet chocolate) and some coffee. It is afterall a smoked version of the Beer Geek Breakfast.

Taste

Quite smoky, in a subtle/gentle way - I'm getting visions of well-smoked ham...or smoked pork rinds. Is it my appetite that's inserting an earthiness like grilled mushrooms?? The chocolate rather shyly pokes out here and there, as do the coffee notes. But smoke is clearly Lord Of The Manor...don't worry though he's a benevolent chap! The silky smoothness of the oatmeal stout base(referred to on the label as 'Rauchmeal')carries smoothly to a drier finish.

Even a lingering vaguely smoky aftertaste...a rather uniqe beer, I'm curious about the bottle I've decided to age a bit.

Okay.


The bacon fad has gone too far!

Mikkeller Beer Geek Bacon, 7.5%abv

The pour

Bit of totally unexpected 'fizz&flow'(leakage)-definite smoky aroma though. But, nice two finger 'milk chocolate ice cream' coloured head on a darker-than-dark brown stout. Dense lacing when swirling glass.

Aroma

Roasty malt and smokiness. Bit of chocolate coming through(a bittersweeet chocolate) and some coffee. It is afterall a smoked version of the Beer Geek Breakfast.

Taste

Quite smoky, in a subtle/gentle way - I'm getting visions of well-smoked ham...or smoked pork rinds. Is it my appetite that's inserting an earthiness like grilled mushrooms?? The chocolate rather shyly pokes out here and there, as do the coffee notes. But smoke is clearly Lord Of The Manor...don't worry though he's a benevolent chap! The silky smoothness of the oatmeal stout base(referred to on the label as 'Rauchmeal')carries smoothly to a drier finish.

Even a lingering vaguely smoky aftertaste...a rather unique beer, I'm curious about the bottle I've decided to age a bit.

Oh I definitely get bacon now! You know me, I Had to try it...an Austrian Zotter Bacon Bits bar. Actually, 37% hazelnutnougat including 16% hazelnuts and 7% bacon crackling(I imagine crisped pork rind). Why do I feel as if I've just had breakfast?

How did that print twice???

It printed twice very well.


In a few minutes I'll be opening a Rochefort Trappist 10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochefort_Brewery

I quite enjoyed the #8 the other night, so I'm quite looking forward to this one.

Trappistes Rochefort 10

33 CL, 11.3%

Spoiler alert: this is a winner, but perhaps not in an expected way.

The pour

Very dark, almost opaque. Virtually no head.


the aroma

Malt, alcohol, fruity.

the taste

Smooth and sweet. flowers and honey. Green grapes.
It is possibly dangerously smooth, with little alcohol taste, despite its abv.




Now I will continue with blue cheese on a dark ryvita and a little Brie on another ryvita.

First the blue:

The ale can just hold it's own against the strong cheese, but it is pushing the limit. They certainly go well together, but the blue overwhelms the ale.


After some time and `palate cleansing, the Brie:

Very nice. I have no terribly specific comments about the combination except to say that, really, this seems like a beer for everyday quaffing (in small quantities, if one may quaff in small quantities) with good, wholesome, everyday food: bread, cheese, perhaps a bit of sausage or some other inexpensive bit of meat, some ordinary vegetables, perhaps a stew. Much as I expect it might have been used in the monastery at some point.

For a small, comfortable dinner with friends, this would be marvellous, carefully decanted just before serving, and enjoyed the way a good wine would be enjoyed with the meal.

A very, very nice beer which is confident enough not to draw attention to itself.

*****

But, getting back to breakfast. I had met a friend at Brewsters today & of course I showed up early. I automatically ordered a Coconut Porter...and realized when she brought it, Brewsters offers a breakfast menu until 2pm on weekends. So-prefacing the breakfast...somewhat-I tried something I had been a bit curious about. A Claudio Corallo http://www.claudiocorallo.com laranja tablette, pure unadulterated chocolate with crystallized orange peel. The coconut porter just shone a brief flash of light on the orange...like a brief splash of real orange juice*sigh*but all Too brief. Orange juicecould be considered part of breakfast I suppose. Anyway, the porter brought out a distinctly roasty/salty/cumin-like flavour to a bite of the hash browned potatos. Which were actually served the way I liked them(& the way I'd likely cook them myself), just halved skin-on baby potatos. No flavour reaction with the fried eggs, but it must've been those potato skins.

Yes, that's the Rochefort 10 alright. I Must pick up some good cheeses.

I very rarely peel potatoes for anything. When I was a wee thing, my mother taught me that most of the nutrition was in the skin and the bit just below, and so, I make sure to use the peel.

I was just thinking a little more about the Rochefort 10 and its sim`plicity, and how that ties in with a conversation I've been `pursuing with myself and friends for years, including for a moment this evening with neighbours in the alley during the usual visit session. . .

There is a tendency to overcom`plication in so much of our lives. One Christmas I went with a friend to a `production of the Second She`pherd's ~Play at that church across from the Journal Building. It was glorious. Afterward, my friend remarked, 'It was a little sim`ple, wasn't it?' Of course, that was most of the `point! This evening we talked about young `peo`ple writing essays for school and I mentioned that there is a tendency for everyone, young or old, to try to overcom`plicate their writing. . .

I found it refreshing to find a beer which seems to be highly considered which is, actually, `pretty un`presum`ptious.

I think the 11.3% is starting to affect me . . .

Not to beat a dead pig or anything(bacon - pig ). After some subconscious consideration-and somewhat appologetically after getting his name wrong-I decided to post a link to Rob's text as well as video review of the Beer Geek Bacon.

http://hopzine.com/?p=2424

Somewhat interesting *french accent* experimentation de liquer just completed. Had a small-ok I confess, medium sized-glass of Sandeman's Ruby Porto with an Endangered Species bar, the particular bar being 72% dark with dried raspberries-grizzly bear on the package. I found that the red fruit notes of the port gave/leant a very nice juicy character to the raspberry flavour. Somewhat like a nice rich multi-layer dark chocolate with rather exceptional raspberry jam spread between the layers.

In keeping with the berry theme, I supplemented my last few sips of the port with a couple splashes of Boulard Calvados - wonderful apple/berry combination...or apple/'berry-type' combination.

http://www.sandeman.eu/homepage/en (from Liquor Depot in Westmount mall)

http://www.liquoranddrink.com/ingredients/49-Bouklard-Grand-Solage-Calvados/ (from Sherbrooke)

I didn't see any beer in that last `post.







I'm going to try very hard to avoid any tasting notes this evening: between the Rochfort and a dehydrating stuffed nose through the night, I woke u`p with a very bad headache this morning.


But I had fascinating dreams.

I started some stir-fry sized strips of chicken marinating in the Curly Horse this afternoon. I plan to cook those Monday afternoon in a Sharwood's Tikka Masala sauce(with about 4 ounces of the beer). Actually I think I'll add a few drops of sauce to the marinade & let the flavours blend a bit as well.

http://www.sharwoods.com

And also beer-related, I just had this urge to open that Palo Santo Marron, to have alongside that meal. True for food pairings they suggest steak, cajun cuisine, chorizo sausage or farmhouse cheddar. But I'm thinking the overall spiciness should be a vague approximation of chorizo sausage...vague but*wavering motion with the hand*in the same ballpark.

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/year-round-brews/palo-santo-marron.htm






Or...





...another thought, the Achel Brune...Decisions, decisions!



http://40beersat40.blogspot.com/2008/03/achel-brune.html

I've failed in my resolve:


Trois Pistoles again.


The Pour:

Dark and brilliantly red when held to the light. Lots of bubbles, but only a ring and a silver dollar of head.

The Aroma:

Fruity. Quite refreshing after the gritty smell of dust in the hurricane winds outside. And malt. I can't do much more as my nose is almost swollen shut with allergies.

The Flavour (and feel):

It's cutting through the dust and phlegm nicely. Again, fruity, with a good, cleansing bit of alcohol. Sweet, but not as to be cloying. I don't find a whole lot of complexity, but it is certainly a pleasant tipple and it is hitting the spot this evening.

Well, resolve had little to do with it in my case, but...

Dieu du Ciel(essentially "God in Heaven!")Equinox du Printemps-Spring Equinox, 9.1%abv
(A Wee Heavy made with maple syrup)

The pour

Somewhat vigorous pour produces a magnificent three finger pillowy light tan head on a lovely darker mahogany ale. Sparse carbonation visible in the partially cloudy glass...nice, though fleeting lacing.

Aroma

Fairly prominent but not overpowering maple syrupy sweetness and some malt...a touch of floral/citrus hops.

Taste

Initially malty with a hint of maple, leading to some floral hop bite with the subtle maple flavour hovering nearby...fading to a clean drier finish. Quite nice imho! This Wee Heavy certainly benefits from a month or more of aging.

Unexpectedly good with barbeque spiced almonds. It must be a 'wood thing', the maple syrup seems to bring out the hickory(hickory-smoked)in the barbeque spices.

Hmm oversight I suppose...in any case - something I'd noticed yesterday, but had another look at this morning is Mike C.'s Passion For The Pint blog. I 'met' Mike who resides in the Tampa region of Florida, through Twitter & his Daily Shot Of blog(I've since signed up for his newsletter). Now he's continuing his blogging-this time about homebrewing-I thought I'd pass along a link to a recent post.

http://passionforthepint.com/six-must-read-home-brewing-blogs

(oh, & http://dailyshotofcoffee.com)