Our local darling liquor store, La Bodega, is becoming increasingly famous. Owner/proprietor Pamela Hatzis’ foray into the local community has not gone unnoticed by increasingly larger media groups that appreciate her presence, not only in the craft beer and fine wine world, but in her steadfast devotion to anything local.
Tune in to The Venue this Saturday (November 03) afternoon at 4:00 pm on Channel 5. The show will feature local music talent, and as a bonus, the episode was filmed at La Bodega. Not only will you hear local sounds, those sounds will be surrounded by local, national and international suds that we all love so much. For the uninitiated, the Venue showcases local art, music and film here in our sometimes art-starved local community. If nothing else watch it this Saturday because at least a portion of it will use excellent beer as a backdrop.
New this week at La Bodega are Franziskaner Hefeweiss, a global benchmark for the Bavarian wheat beer style, Zum Ueridge DoppelSticke Alt, a very unusual and rare beer, Franziskaner Dunkel Weiss, Aecht Schenekrla Rauchbier Marzen, another global benchmark for it’s style and Spaten Optimator Dopplebock, a serious knee-knocker that I always mange to buy and consume too much of every year. From this side of the pond, Great Divide’s Hibernation Ale and Fresh Hop IPA are in, as is Deschutes Hop Trip, another fresh hop ale, and Lagunitas Imperial Red. And, from right here in town, you can get Midnight Sun Brewing Company’s Sloth and Obliteration II at La Bodega.
For the unaware, a “fresh hop” beer is a beer that uses fresh, un-kilned hops straight from the vine. This expensive process circumvents the oast house in the hop processing procedure and brewers race the hops back to the brewery to get them in the kettle as quickly as possible. The result is a slightly resinous, more oily texture in the beer, but the fresh hop flavor and aroma are phenomenal. It makes the whole beer seem fresher. Midnight Sun put out a fresh hop beer this year, but I think it’s all gone.
Steve Marshall is a regular at Café Amsterdam. He’s an oil patch guy like me that loves good, global suds. He’s a little more anal than I am, however, because somewhere along the line, he got to tracking how many different beers he’s consumed in life. If I’m getting my details straight, this isn’t TOTAL, but rather DIFFERENT beers. I don’t have the details, but apparently he’s been tracking consumption for some fourteen years. That’s an accomplishment considering that simple math indicates that he would have to drink 1,400 different beers a year (on average) or about four a day. Tonight (Saturday, November 3) at 6:00 PM, Mr. Marshall is going quaff his 10,000th beer, and his beer of choice is a vintage six year old bottle of the esteemed Traquair House ale from Scotland.
This is a particularly fitting beer for the event because the Traquair House is Scotland’s oldest continuously inhabited castle and it just happens to have its own brewery. 2007 celebrates the castle’s 900th Anniversary. Congratulations, Mr. Marshall, I envy your tenacity and recording skills.
Glacier Brewhouse is gearing up for their annual 12 Days of Barleywine. This year, the event runs between December 10 – 21. This event takes some serious gearing up. Barleywine isn’t produced over night, and although Glacier brewer Kevin Burton keeps plenty of it on hand, pairing up two-to-three barleywines to run across 12 days is no small feat. I challenge anyone out there to find me another brewery in the world that is capable of doing this not only once, but consistently across the years. Below is an exclusive sneak preview of the line up, but just in case you can’t wait, you can fight the parking monster and get to the bar for Glacier’s Blonde, Amber, IPA, Bavarian Hefeweizen, Oatmeal Stout, Raspberry Wheat, Bohemian Pilsner, Imperial Blonde, and Cask Conditioned IPA. When the cask runs out, a Cask Conditioned Double IPA will follow, so hop heads beware.
GLACIER’S TWELVE DAYS OF BARLEYWINE
December 10, 2007 through December 21, 2007
It is the season of giving, and the BrewHouse brewers give to you a phenomenal collection of their most prized possessions – TWENTY-SIX vintage barleywines straight from the brewery vault.
THE 1ST DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 10, 2007
1. 2001 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel. (9.88% alcohol by volume)
2. 2007 Imperial Blonde. (9.00% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 2nd DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 11, 2007
1. 2003 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
2. 2003 Big Woody Barleywine aged one year in American oak wine barrel. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 3rd DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 12, 2007
1. 2004 Big Woody Barleywine aged one and a half years in Jim Beam barrels. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
2. 2004 Cherry XXXmas aged three years in Jim Beam barrels. (10.50% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 4th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 13, 2007
1. 2004 Big Woody Barleywine aged steel. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
2. 2004/2005 Wine barrel/Hungarian barrel Big Woody Barleywine blend. Aged one year on the respective oaks. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 5th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 14, 2007
1. 2005 Big Woody Barleywine aged in virgin American oak barrels for one year. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
2. 2007 Razz XXX. (10.00% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 6th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 15, 2007
1. 2005 Big Woody Barleywine aged two years and 9 months in Jim Beam barrels. (10.75% alcohol by volume)
2. 2006 Russian Imperial Stout aged two years in American oak wine barrels from the Silverado Winery. (9.20% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 7th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 16, 2007
1. 2006 Big Woody Barleywine aged one and a half years in American oak wine barrels from the Silverado Winery. (11.16% alcohol by volume)
2. 2006 Russian Imperial Stout aged two years in Ukrainian oak barrel. (9.20% alcohol by volume) Gold Medal winner and People’s Choice award at the 2006 Bistro Barrel Aged Beer Festival, Hayward, CA.
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 8th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 17, 2007
1. 2006 Big Woody Barleywine - Double Barrel. Aged 19 months in Jim Beam barrels and then one year in American oak wine barrels from the Silverado Winery that were re-toasted to our brewer’s specifications (11.16% alcohol by volume)
2. 2006 Big Woody Barleywine - Triple Barrel. Aged five months in Jim Beam barrels, then five months in Ukrainian oak, and then seven months in additional Jim Beam Barrels. (11.16% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 9th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 18, 2007
1. 2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel for one year. (9.85% alcohol by volume)
2. 2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged in virgin French oak barrels for one year. (9.85% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 10th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 19, 2007
1. 2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Jim Beam barrels for one year. (9.85% alcohol by volume)
2. 2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged one and a half years in American oak wine barrels from the Jlohr Winery. (9.85% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 11th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 20, 2007
1. 2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel. (11.03% alcohol by volume)
2. 2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged ten months in American oak wine barrels from the Honig Winery. (11.03% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
THE 12th DAY OF BARLEYWINE – DEC. 21, 2007
1. 2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Jim Beam barrels for ten months. (11.03% alcohol by volume)
2. 2007 Russian Imperial Stout aged ten months in American oak wine barrels from the Silverado Winery. (9.20% alcohol by volume)
3. Cask conditioned selection.
CASK BARLEYWINE
Cask conditioned selections will be poured each day.
We will rotate through the following four different cask barleywines.
1. 2007 Big Woody Barleywine aged in steel for one year. (9.85% alcohol by volume)
2. 2006 Big Woody Barleywine - Double Barrel. Aged nineteen months in Jim Beam barrels and then one year in American oak wine barrels from the Silverado Winery that were re-toasted to our brewer’s specifications (11.16% alcohol by volume)
3. 2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged ten months in American oak wine barrels from the Honig Winery. (11.03% alcohol by volume)
4. 2008 Big Woody Barleywine aged in Jim Beam barrels for ten months.
ON STYLE: BARLEYWINE
If the old master Rubens were to paint a beer, barleywine would be his subject. Certainly such a match would be no accident; both portray a full body, appreciate with age, and critics never regard them lightly. Indeed, the classic canvas of barleywine presents the most sophisticated of beers.
First appearing centuries ago in small house-breweries, a brewer’s motivation for producing these strong ales was probably a combination of preservation and bragging rights. They counted on these statuesque beers to increase their standing with the brewery’s patrons and were cellared over a considerable period of time.
Use of the modern name - Barleywine, can be attributed to the high alcohol, which rivals that of wine, along with the practice of maturing in wood. Fermentation produces both products, but no other connection with wine exists.
Tasting these beers can evoke descriptive words such as big, bold, huge, massive, full, and assertive. Older versions will often be described in appropriately subtle terms. These include malty, sherry-like, estery and complex. At times they will exhibit a richness of deep fruit-like flavors from cherries to plums, raisins, and prunes. Finer examples, aged in the customary wooden cask, will also present wine-like notes of a viney, woody, slightly tannic nature. A few breweries produce light colored versions of deep golden hues. However, most Barleywines range in color from amber to deep reddish browns.
Served in a tulip shaped glass or snifter, barleywines are unchallenged by any other beer in the role of a relaxing nightcap. Consume them like a fine scotch, cognac or sherry, and slowly savor the strong malt and alcohol with underpinnings of subtle complexity. They make a picture perfect companion on a deep winter’s night.
Café Amsterdam was called to arms and fought gallantly to get Grotten Brown back on tap, much to the delight of the café’s loyal subjects. The beer seems to be an institution there. Publican Ken Pajak’s only comment about getting back was “We have a reputation to uphold.” I like reputations like that! Pilsner Urquell is also back by popular demand and Midnight Sun’s Sloth, a Belgian-style Imperial Stout, is making it’s viscous way into glasses at the bar. Also pouring at Café are Chimay Cinq Cents, Delerium Tremens, Grotten Bruin, Kassik’s Amber and Pale Moon Pale Ale, Alaskan Brewing Company’s 2007 Smoked Porter and Winter Ale, Jubelale, Midnight Sun’s Wrath, Humpback Jack Pumpkin Ale and Obliteration II, Ring of Fire Meadery’s Razz Pome Cyser, Schlenkrla Rauch (bock), Anchor Steam Beer, Magner’s Irish Cider, and Pilsner Urquell.
Midnight Sun’s Sloth pours black and heady and is incredibly fruity, especially when warm. It’s quite alcoholic (expected, at 11 percent alcohol) with a slight Belgian-esque character in the middle and a long, dry finish with a teasing bitterness in the end. I appreciate the beer’s center-scale balance the most. It was on tap at Café and I twisted Pajak’s arm enough that he pulled a beer of a lesser liver off line just so I could sample this wobbler first hand.
I drank the Lagunitas Kill Ugly Radio Beer tonight. It’s hard to get lost in the style when the name commands so much attention. If the name doesn’t make sense, think Frank Zappa. For some, Zappa was an institution and for some, he still is. For others, he’s a crazed rock singer. No one can deny that he had profound influence, and when the album Absolutely Free was released in 1967, both impact and influence were profound. The beer commemorates the 40th anniversary of the release of this album and the label art on the 22 ounce bomber was a reproduction of the artwork on the inside jacket. Lagunitas obtained permission from the Zappa family to create the reproduction in a beer that comes across as an IPA, but I find a little softer than mainstream with more malt forwardness, but retaining the brewery’s signature balance in huge beers. This one weighs in at 7.8 percent alcohol. A fruity, floral hop aroma impresses the imbiber first, followed by substantial, swirling, sweet malt supports underneath. Beyond that, the beer’s not necessarily complex, but warmly satisfying and it’s easy to reach for another. It’s a Fermento recommendation.
While on the big beer discussion, Dogfish Head’s 60 Minute IPA is making a cyclical appearance in Anchorage. Old stock remains on some shelves, but new stock is arriving, so if you chase this brewery, big hop beer style or just the mantra, get some. What keeps this beer (and other noteworthy, although extremely eclectic) beers from gaining momentum in Alaska is the spotty distribution of the beer from the brewery, not the distributor that continues the good fight to bring it to us. I’m hoping this is a harbinger of things to come and we’ll see more of the 90 Minute IPA and 120 Minute IPA to follow.
The next beer tasting at Tap Root Café (on Huffman, between the Old and New Seward Highways, across from the Wells Fargo Bank) will be on November 12th at 7 PM. This will be a German beer tasting, but the beers haven’t been determined yet. This will be followed by a Christmas Beer Tasting on November 26th at 7 PM. These beer tastings are homey, lively and conversational. It’s a great venue to gather with friends and explore and celebrate a featured style of beer. The tastings are structured so that the beer is available at Tap Root, but also at La Bodega Liquor Store (University Mall) for the better than average chance that you might fall in love with one of them. This is an example of a small, local, independent liquor supporting a small, local, independent café, both of which showcase local brewing, music and art talent. We need more of this in Alaska. New on tap at the Root is Moose’s Tooth’s ESB. This is in line with Rebecca Moultman’s devotion to no crap on tap and mostly local beer flowing from the draught line. It’s good to see so much outward support for our local beer. You go girl!
Midnight Sun Brewing Company, as usual, has tons of sudsy fun on the horizon. On Saturday, November 03, join the crew at Café Amsterdam for a firkin release of the coveted winter specialty CoHoHo Imperial IPA. The gig runs from 6-9 pm, but if you’re not there pretty quick, the stuff sells out and you’ll have to grovel for a pint of something else. There are still tickets available for the Midnight Sun/Kinley’s Restaurant and Pub beer tasting/dinner. It’s $50 bucks a pop for the gig, but well worth it considering that purchasing the food or beer alone would easily set you back this much. Call for reservations at 644-8953. The pre-release event for Pride, the next in Midnight Sun’s Seven Deadly Sins series of tempting beers will be at SubZero at 7 PM on November 29th. This will be followed by the more commercial release at the brewery the next night (Friday) on the 30th. I hope someone out there is doing a better job than I am at amassing each of these bottled selections (available at the brewery and predominantly Brown Jug Warehouse and La Bodega (for retail sale) for a vertical tasting of the whole sordid mess. Midnight Sun will be hosting a grand finale of all of the beers at a special tasting at a special tasting sometime in December or January.
Finally, here’s what’s on tap at Humpy’s this week, with some variation. The list was sent to me early, so there’s bound to be some replacements, but you can bet that whatever’s been put on tap is good.
Wheats / Fruits
Moose’s Tooth Wild Country Raspberry Wheat
Paulaner Hefe-Weizen *
Pyramid Apricot
Pyramid Hefeweizen
Lindemans Framboise ###
Spire Mt. Dark & Dry Apple Cider #
Golden Ales / Pilseners / California Common
Midnight Sun Gold Strike Kolsch
Leavenworth Friesian Pilsner Lager
Paulaner Premium Pilsner *
Pale Ales / E.S.B.’s (medium hop bitterness)
Alaskan Pale Ale
Moose’s Tooth Polar Pale Ale
Bass Ale
Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Alaskan Boogie Best Bitter
India Pale Ales (med - high hop bitterness)
Alaskan Icy Bay I.P.A.
Homer Broken Birch Bitter
Humpy’s Sockeye Red by Midnight Sun
Moose’s Tooth Fairweather I.P.A.
Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale * (7.6%)
Stone Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard *
Belgian Ales
Blue Moon Belgian White Ale
Rodenbach Flemish Sour Ale ###
Strong Belgian Ales (Alcohol by Volume over 7.5%)
Midnight Sun Wrath Belgian Double I.P.A. # (8.2%)
Chimay Cing Cents Triple #### (8%)
Delirium Tremens ### (8.5%)
Gouden Carolus Classic ### (8%)
Koningshoven Quadrupel Trappist Ale ### (10%)
Pike St. Monk’s Uncle Triple # (9%)
Unibroue Maudite ## (8%)
Seasonal
Midnight Sun Humpback Jack Pumpkin Ale
Silver Gulch Oktoberfest Marzen
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier ##
(Original Smoked Marzen)
Avery ‘The Kaiser’
Imperial Oktoberfest Lager # (9.37%)
Spaten Oktoberfest Marzen *
Barley Wines
Ipso Facto Barley Wine 2002 ed. ### (10.5%)
Amber Ales / Bocks / Dopplebocks / Scottish
Alaskan Amber Ale
Midnight Sun Oosik Amber
Mac Tarnahan’s Scottish Ale
Sleeping Lady Espresso Bock
Rogue Dead Guy Maibock
Paulaner Salvator Dopplebock ** (7.9%)
Brown Ales
Midnight Sun Kodiak Brown Ale
Rogue Hazel Nut Brown
Porters / Stouts
Alaskan Smoked Porter 2007 ed
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Rogue Mocha Porter
Deschutes Obsidian Stout
Great Divide Yeti Oak Aged Imperial Stout # (9.5%)
Guinness Stout *
Christmas Special Ales
Midnight Sun Cohoho Imperial I.P.A. # (8%)
Deschutes Jubel Ale
Full Sail Wassail
Full Sail Wreck the Halls
Entries (RSS)