Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

After the week from hell, in terms of the little duo coming down consecutively with a fever virus, I did manage to travel to Binghamton and have an opportunity to sample the eighth beer for the blog: Brooklyn's East India Pale Ale. The beer appeared at my dwelling, courtesy of my dad, who took a gamble at Cavanaugh's and brought a six-pack home for us to enjoy. 
Ironically, without being prompted to select a brew from the state of NY, my dad must have had ESP because he picked one from the Brooklyn Brewery, which I have yet to visit but thinking it would make for a fun fieldtrip in the future.
My dad claims he bought the East India IPA, for me, because I mentioned I had enjoyed a Harpoon Belgian Ale (review pending) earlier in my visit, and that since the IPA was an ale, it should be similar.  When I asked my dad if he had, really, read any of my earlier blog posts, that explain the differences between ales and India pale ales (refer to Otter Creek Black IPA post), he admitted he may have but didn't remember their distinctions (as they do exist and are significant)!
However, I was very grateful for his effort, to try to pick a tasty brew, and it really did prove to be a great choice for many reasons!


Taste:  not overly hoppy or bitter rather malty and lightly sweet on the palate;
very tasty & enjoyable and according to my dad it was "yummy!"


Color: honey bronze 

Thickness:  A dense frothy head with minimal bubbles produces a lightness in each sip.

Will it help me sleep better?  Powerful at 6.8% ABV; I could only manage half a pint with dinner or I would have fallen asleep before putting my troops to bed. However, one full pint would have been suffice for me per normal circumstances as well.


Mom Factoid: I paired the pint with my hometown pride, Lupo's Chicken Spiedies and found it to be the perfect complement. Interestingly, the Brooklyn Brewery website, gives you ideas for food pairings and even provides recipes for these dishes, which is rather resourceful & genius, as who has time to be thinking of food pairings and recipes when you've got toddlers?!
An example they gave for a food pairing for this beer is spicy crab cakes:
https://www.brooklynbrewery.com/index.php/recipes/

Peak Organic Espresso Amber Ale

Peak's Organic Espresso Amber Ale, the seventh beer to be reviewed in the blog, was the brew I selected for Super Bowl Sunday! Why, you ask? Because, it is a "special" release ale produced in Portland in conjunction with Trade Certified espresso by Coffee By Design, another local Portland establishment.  The word "special" drew me to it as the SB has somehow morphed into a "special" occasion with parties, food, friends, pools etc...This year, the husband and I quickly came to the realization that we'd be home bound with the little duo enjoying the actual game and forgo an invitation to a Japanese themed SB party.
We planned our detailed menu & indulged in tacos with the kids, danced to The Black Eyed Peas during halftime & the husband even watched the ending of the game on picture-in-picture on our TV while our daughter watched her favorite Angelina Ballerina episode...what a win-win for him (even won a little dough in his office pool too)!
But, this isn't about our SB party, it's about the brew, and, sadly, it was not that "special" for me!  I've had other Peak beers, my favorite being their fall release of Maple Oatmeal Ale but this one just didn't do it for me.  I found myself shaking my head while sipping it and swishing it around my mouth hoping it would start to taste better.  According to their website, http://www.peakbrewing.com/, they produce their ale, "to start bright and lively from an abundance of Crystal Malts by establishing a strong contrast between front palate and back palate by adding generous amounts of Munich Malt, which provides a distinct toasty finish." Unfortunately, for me, their abundance of malts and my multiple tastings did not improve my experience with the beer.   Here are my results after the big game:

Taste: malty slightly biscuity with a bittery (not buttery) aftertaste--like a hoppy floral tang
Color: brown with cranberry hues--quite pretty
Thickness: slight to moderate with little head and few bubbles
Will it help me sleep better? you would think so due to the high alcohol content at 6.8% ABV but with the espresso in it the opposite effect should have occurred...who knows?  I don't think I drank enough to comment on the sleep or no sleep category, other than to say that I did manage to stay up for the entire SB game!
Mom Factoid: While this beer may not have been one that I'd choose again, I do applaud Peak's for trying to merge a mom's coffee addiction with a brew.  In terms of coffee, there's nothing better than waking up to a strong pot of joe and meeting up with a mom or group of moms for a cup of coffee during a play date!

Otter Creek Alpine Black IPA

The sixth beer to get reviewed is Otter Creek's Alpine Black IPA. Truthfully, I do not typically enjoy the India Pale Ale Style (aka IPA). It always tastes a bit too hoppy for me.  Why is that?

Let me provide you with a quick history of India Pale Ales: 

• Originally developed in the late 1700's.
• British breweries would send beer on boats to their troops & British expatriots in India.
• However, due to a lack of refrigeration and lengthy ocean voyages (took closely five months), the beer arrived in an unfavorable condition.
• The brewers back then knew both hops (where we get the bitterness in beer) and alcohol act as natural preservatives.
• So, they came up with a brew that was very hopped and high in alcohol --- thus creating the "India Pale Ale." 

However, I was swayed to try this one by the "black" associated with this version of an IPA, as I do enjoy darker beer. Plus, Otter Creek is a micro-brewery in Middlebury, Vermont (for more information on the brewery, refer to Mom's Malt Barley Resources) & with all of these snow storms, currently, and in the recent weeks, I had a desire to stay in the Northeast, particularly New England, and fill my pint glasses with tasty winter beers. Interestingly, while this beer is considered a winter seasonal brew, it first debuted this past July in Burlington, Vermont at the state's brewers festival as a small pilot batch. Yet, it was so well received that Otter Creek decided to release it has their official Winter Seasonal beer this year and I'm so glad they did!

 

Overall, when paired with tangy slow-cooked bbq ribs & cornbread, I really enjoyed this beer. 

Psychologically, the brew completed a perfect winter's weekend night, when you sit bundled up by the fire, in long johns, exhausted by the frigid cold yet secretly excited for the next storm.

 

Taste: a deep rich hoppy almost citrusy aroma yet left a malty-mocha toasty finish in your mouth

 

Color: imagine walking in the Alpine white snowy woods & spotting a beautiful, dark chocolate, brown bear in your path...now imagine that color in your pint glass

 

Thickness: after a few deep sips, it felt silky smooth with a medium body and a decent head of white

 

Will It Help Me Sleep Better? I wanted to hibernate after consuming one bottle which has a 6% ABV

 

Mom Factoid: My "brown bear" reference to the beer's color, reminds me of the children's author, Eric Carle, and his wonderful books! I have read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" hundreds of times to the little duo! Ssh, I will tell you, there is a 'Red Bird looking at me'!

For a complete list of Carle's work, refer to this website:

http://www.eric-carle.com/ECbooks1.html

 

Narragansett Lager

The fifth beer to get reviewed is a beer that claims to be "Made on Honor" & "Sold on Merit!" It also claims to be "famous!"  These are some BIG phrases for a beer that I drank out of a can!  Which is actually why I chose this beer....the can...talk about genius marketing! For me, the can evokes happy thoughts of summertime outdoor activities, when a cold can in your hand is the icing on the cake, whether it be by the pool, the lake, playing bocce ball, a competitive round of Beirut, a pig roast etc...the can = good times in the warmer months and that is why I went for it, admist all the other beers in my vision at the store.

According to this tall, slender yet attractive pint can, the Narragansett Brewery dates back to 1890 and has been brewing, "award-winning classic lager for more than a century."  Furthermore, the can sold me on the catchy phrase, "Hi-Neighbor!" Isn't there some truth to that neighborly phrase when you drink out of can?  It's as if you're at a tailgate wandering around and people keep calling you over, offering you a can from their cooler--yes, we know how to tailgate @ Boston College :)

Additionally, the can boasts, "If you're not drinking Narragansett, you're not from New England!"  Interestingly, in all the years I've lived in NE, I've never heard of this beer.  Moreover, the Narragansett Lager is NOT brewed in New England, but rather in Rochester, NY. The beers that are produced in Providence, Rhode Island are their Porter and their Bock.  If you're into those types of brewery details their website has a lengthy historical biography which, if I had more time, I would share more details with you, but since I don't, it's an interesting read and can be found under Mom's Malt Barley Resources. 

However, I will share a few facts about lagers and specifically their lager:

• Lagers ferment at the bottom as opposed to ales that ferment on the top.
• They take one to three months to ferment at a much colder temperature than ales. 
• There are various styles of lager (which in German means, storage) such as a Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Marzen.
• The Narragansett Lager was the first beer brewed by “The Original Six” back in 1890; was the bestselling beer in New England from the 1930s to the 1970s; and was the official beer of the Boston Red Sox from 1944-1975.

Beyond just being a sucker for the can, I found the beer at Trader Joe's, which came highly recommended to me from a fellow mom, as a place to find beer on the cheap side of life.  For $5.99, I came home with six sixteen-ounce cans.  Do the math, that's a good deal! And, here is the crux of the issue that I had with the beer.  It was a good deal but it felt like I was back in college buying cheap beer to either tailgate with or chug for fun beer drinking games & that I was not drinking the beer for taste.  Don't get me wrong, the beer isn't bad, it's just not very flavorful.  However, that didn't stop me from trying to pair the lager with our various dinner choices throughout the week (I did purchase a six-pack) in an attempt to find a winning combination.  The night we had Thai food was probably the best in terms of balancing the spicy cuisine with a cold frosty beer. 

Taste: a light to mild flavor with a refreshing finish
*contained a slightly metallic taste too but that's the can (I hope!)

Color: gold like a bale of hay on a warm summer's day


Thickness: very light body & when poured into a glass yields a plethora of bubbles & head

Will It Help Me Sleep Better: I would need more than one as it only has a 5% ABV

Mom Factoid:  According to the history section on the brewery's website, a young artist by the name of Theodore Geisel aka Dr. Seuss, ("Green Eggs & Ham" anyone), was hired to design an icon for the Narragansett Brewing Company- Geisel designed Chief Gansett!

Rising Tide's Ursa Minor--Weizen Stout

The fourth beer to get reviewed in the blog was a surprise selection. I was scooting through a local health food store--Lois' in Scarborough-- (truth be told I was actually there with the little duo to buy the soon to be 3 year old a cookie) when I couldn't help but peruse their "healthy" beer case.  Given that I had zero time for this perusal, I quickly grabbed at the singleton beers and pulled out of the case an Ursa Minor Weizen Stout.  Since I am a stout fan, the cool name was irrelevant, I just went with my gut knowing that sipping a stout sounded great.  Lucky for me and for you, the brew proved to be a wise choice. 

Later that day, I was able to do a little research and found out that the Ursa Minor Weizen Stout is from the newest brewery to open in Portland, Maine. The Rising Tide Brewing Company described as, "a family-owned craft brewery, specializing in artisanal, hand-crafted ales brewed in small batches (90 gallons at a time) in a one-barrel brewhouse."  According to the bottle, the Ursa Minor is Rising Tide's version of a winter wheat beer that is, "perfect for an icy winter's eve." It has a,"German wheat-beer yeast and a base of malted wheat, along with a blend of dark crystal and roasted malts to create a wheat stout."

Even though, I am a big stout fan, I really didn't know what I was drinking, so by definition:

• Stout beer is a dark, sometimes bitter beer that was first commercially produced in the 1730s.
• Stouts were traditionally the generic term for the strongest or stoutest porters, typically containing 7% or 8% alcohol.
• The first stouts were from Ireland, where Guinness is produced.
• Stout beer is composed of barley and varied types of malt resulting in large variety of stouts.
• Variations include: Dry/Irish, Imperial, Milk, Oatmeal, Chocolate, Coffee and Oyster.

Taste: A nice mixture of strong nutty flavors blended with brief encounters of chocolate.
*This beer was an excellent complement to our pulled pork slow cooker meal! If you are familiar with The Dinosaur BBQ restaurant & sauces, you won't be disappointed with the outcome of this dish!
Color: very dark brown like a bold cup of coffee
Thickness:  not thick, actually light with an airy quality to the body due to the wheat
Will it help me sleep better?  Oh yes, with a 6.7% ABV, I was toasty which served as a nice escape from the bitterly cold & snowy weather conditions outside-ah January in Maine!
Mom factoid: When it's time to introduce your little people to the galaxy be sure to share with them that Ursa Minor is Latin for Smaller Bear when contrasted to Ursa Major. It is a constellation in the Northern sky.  It is notable due to its location at the North Celestial Pole.

Gritty's Scottish Ale

Perhaps, the fourteen inches of snow that fell earlier in the week impacted my choice to stay local, with the next brew selection for the blog.  I was needing to feel the comfort of being with others, after being isolated & stuck at home with the little duo during the storm.  The Scottish Ale proved to be a perfect choice, both psychologically and physiologically.  While drinking the beer and eating a reuben sandwich with sweet potato fries, I felt as though I were at a pub without the "hassle" (ex: finding a sitter, changing out of pajamas, staying awake past 7pm etc.) of going to one!  The beer not only physically warmed me up but it truly made me smile & warmed my psyche. 

This double warmth propelled me to think of the unique places I have been in my lifetime, with friends, enjoying "interesting" conversation over a pint or two.  Speaking of unique places, I will mention one here that I thought of & would recommend visiting, if you ever find yourself in Vestal, NY: The Ale House otherwise known as the "Beer Joint of Your Dreams!"  A hidden gem for that region, if you're looking for a quick bite to eat, with a cold pint (they have an amazing selection from all over the world) and both good company and conversation. (Their website can be accessed under Mom's Malt Barley Resources.)

Back to the review, the Scottish Ale is from a local brewery, Gritty McDuff's, located in Portland, Maine.  Here are a few points to note, after scoping out Gritty's website (listed under Mom's Malt Barley Resources):

• Gritty McDuff's was established in 1988 
• It started as a small brew pub in Portland's Old Port (bonus, the husband works in the Old Port)
• There are now three breweries state wide: (Lewiston/Auburn, Freeport (home of LL-Bean) & Portland--I have been here with an 18 month old--very kid friendly with a unique eating area with long tables that promotes sitting with strangers & making new friends)
• The pub brewery in Portland (my next to neighboring town) produces five classic ales: Sebago Light, Portland Headlight Pale Ale (note Mom Factoid below), McDuff's Best Bitter, Best Brown Ale, and Black Fly Stout 
• Gritty's releases many seasonal ales depending on the time of year, so every January they release their Scottish Ale--which typically means a strong dark ale

Taste: I detected a bitterness but not too strong or hoppy; the malty flavors fill the mouth with each sip
*hints of sweet butterscotch pop onto the palate
Color: a deep bronze like a rich caramel 
Thickness:  heavy on taste but not thickness--thin to medium body
Will it help me sleep better?  absolutely as it boasts a warm 6.3% ABV
Mom factoid: The Portland Head Light, located at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth (one of the coolest parks I have EVER been to), is the most viewed lighthouse in North America.  FW has a great playground & with the ocean in the background you can't beat the view!  If you are in the area, stop by for the view of a lifetime. For more information go to:  http://fortwilliamspark.com/

UFO Harpoon's White Unfiltered Wheat Beer

The second beer to get reviewed is in many ways the complete opposite of the Honey Porter.  The UFO was like drinking "summer" in a glass!  Wow--very refreshing...it could be the orange slice that I squeezed into the beer (a user friendly suggestion that is right on the bottle) but I didn't seem to detect "orange" per se, rather a light citrus blend on the palate.
Visually, once poured, the beer looked to be a mushed yellow & due to the falling yeast
sentiments I felt like I was watching a sunset with the variance of soft hues blending with each other in the glass. 
Okay, but back to my reality, it's January in Maine and there's snow on the ground & we are most likely under a winter storm watch until April.  So, how did this summery beer get into my fridge?
I asked the husband, who did the weekly grocery store run, to purchase, with thought, a beer for me to review. I suggested a winter beer (given the time of year) or a Maine beer (given we have a wide assortment of local breweries) yet, he came back with a Boston (Harpoon Brewery) white beer.  Perhaps, this is a bigger commentary on the level of communication in our relationship, but regardless, he bought the six-pack (he gets extra points for purchasing more than 1 bottle) & clearly I didn't object.  Interestingly, since the name of the beer is so dense (not UFO but the whole name), it propelled me to do some research; just a bit so I knew a little more about my subject (ah, the English education major in me is shining through).  Let me share what I learned in my brief research:

• wheat beers are a beer that not only have a large proportion of wheat but also contain a large proportion of malted barley (total coincidence with my blog name!) 
• "hefe" is German for "yeast" and is the name for unfiltered wheat beers
• "unfiltered" is a beer that doesn't have the yeast removed from it
• "white beers" are usually unfiltered & have a hazy appearance due to the presence of yeast

Taste:  crisp & light 
*One final thought about the husband, he christened our slow cooker with chicken & dumplings, which is what I paired the UFO with. Thus, comfort food met summertime last night which equaled deliciousness!
Color: muddled yellow
Thickness:  light to moderate depending on the amount of sentiment you sip
*tends to be quite carbonated as well--a soda quality with the bubbles & fizz
Will it help me sleep better?  yes but you'll need more than 1 as the alcohol content is only 4.8%
Mom factoid: due to the presence of the suspended yeast there is continuing fermentation in the bottle which produces lactic acid (you know that burning sensation, which is the lactic acid breaking down in your muscles, that you feel after chasing your kid(s) all day, everyday) and the lactic acid can leave a slightly sour taste