Arrowine

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

We got a beer in at Arrowine last week that we’d never seen before in Virginia: Green Bullet, a “Triple IPA” from Green Flash Brewing Company in San Diego.

I’m normally not a fan of the Triple IPA designation (I think calling something “Double” or “Imperial” IPA is enough warning of its strength — a personal preference, nothing more), but with Green Bullet checking in at 10.1% ABV and 100 IBU, giving folks a head’s up by calling it a Triple IPA is fair.

While I don’t often partake of very strong “hop-bomb” IPAs anymore in my down time, I’m finding myself making an exception with Green Bullet: it uses two New Zealand hop varieties — Pacific Gem and the Green Bullet hop it’s named for — to create a bold, rich hop experience that never goes too far with the bitterness and demonstrates a clean palate of tropical fruits and sharp citrus. There is a grassy, almost minerally characteristic to beers that prominently feature New Zealand hops, and Green Bullet manages to hold on to that despite the ripeness of its fruit notes. If you see it out-and-about and like very hoppy Ales, I definitely recommend it.

Now, while I mentioned we hadn’t seen Green Bullet before in Virginia, that doesn’t mean it is a brand-new beer. Green Bullet was actually first released in 2011, as Green Flash’s ninth anniversary Ale. Green Flash brewmaster Chuck Silva had been exploring New Zealand hops and came upon the still relatively unknown Green Bullet. Silva had been looking to go in a different direction for Green Flash’s ninth anniversary, and New Zealand’s uniquely spicy and floral hops inspired the creation of Green Bullet. Following its initial release, Green Bullet was only made for a handful of special draft-only batches before the Green Flash crew decided to finally make enough of it for a national bottling run.

Like with Green Bullet, occasionally a beer meant for a limited or seasonal run proves popular enough that it becomes a permanent fixture of a brewery’s lineup.

If you look at the packaging for Lagunitas Li’l Sumpin’ Sumpin’, you’ll see it says “Un-Limited Release”; that’s because Sumpin’ Sumpin’ was only intended to be a summer seasonal when it was first released in 2008. Sumpin’ Sumpin’ was a hit immediately after being release; so much so that in 2010 it became part of the Lagunitas year-round line, and is now one of their most well-known and beloved beers.

Stone Ruination IPA is another limited beer that worked its way into the permanent line, though it took some time to get there. For Stone’s second anniversary, they doubled the amount of hops in their flagship IPA; fans enjoyed it so much Stone brought it back for their third and fourth anniversaries as well. On Stone’s fifth anniversary, they decided to go plaid (Spaceballs-style) and doubled the amount of hops used in the Fourth Anniversary Ale. Stone Fifth Anniversary was a sensation, and joined the year-round lineup as Ruination IPA.

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

It only hit me the other day that for all of the ‘Beer 101’ we’ve done over the past couple of years, I hadn’t written a full-on Pumpkin Ale column yet. Last year I did a recap of a Pumpkin Beer tasting held at my home with friends, but that was it. With all of the talk about the early release of Pumpkin Ales this year, it’s worth taking a few moments to look at the surprisingly long history of Pumpkin Beer, dispel some of the myths about it, and revisit how ‘seasonal creep’ happens with beer — a topic I initially got into with this column last year.

Not unlike Cider, the history of Pumpkin Beer in early America is one of making due: malt was hard to come by in the New World, and pumpkin meat was a plentiful native source of fermentable sugar. Pumpkin Beers remained popular through the 18th Century, but were supplanted by the proliferation of Lagers made with newly plentiful wheat and barley crops — pumpkin became thought of as unfashionably antiquated and old-timey. Save for a brief everything-old-is-new-again return to prominence in the mid-19th Century, Pumpkin Beer was largely forgotten.

Fast-forward to the early 1980s, when the American craft beer revolution was beginning to spread: A new era of exploration and experimentation with recipes both new and very old led to the rebirth of Pumpkin Ale. The modern Pumpkin Ales tend to place an emphasis on spice notes usually seen in pumpkin pie — cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, etc. — than simply on the gourd itself. Today arguments resume every year over which Pumpkin Ale is the best, which are too spicy, and which aren’t spicy enough. Here are a couple things to keep in mind as Pumpkin Ales continue to take over beer shelves during the next few weeks:

Pumpkin has its limits: Spices can easily be overdone, but pumpkin itself only imparts so much flavor into a beer, even when used in large quantities. There are some Pumpkin Ales that feature the gourd more than others — Post Road by Brooklyn Brewery comes to mind — but even some of the beers that do use enough spice that much of the pumpkin character is lost.

Size matters: Enjoy a spicy Pumpkin Ale, but don’t want anything too sweet and ‘dessert-y’ feeling? Take a quick peek at the ABV on the label, if it’s provided. As with any other alcoholic beverage, a higher ABV gives the perception of a richer feeling on the palate. Getting into the 8-9% range with Pumpkin Ales can make them feel sweet — cloying, even — and can prove to be a step too far for some.

That’s probably not fresh pumpkin, and you shouldn’t really care about that: I know that sounds like some sort of blasphemy coming from me, and considering the emphasis placed on freshness in craft beer. But where are pumpkins being harvested in spring for brewing a beer in late spring/early summer to hit shelves in mid/late summer? There are a couple breweries who hold out for fresh pumpkin (Sixpoint Autumnation is one, and Rogue is making an Ale with pumpkins from their own patch), but for the most part it’s coming out of cans. Before judging, think about it this way: with pumpkin not heavily influencing flavor as we established above, it’s not as if you’re losing the intense, vibrant flavor that you would if you used old hops as opposed to fresh. Also, you’re going to tell me all the pumpkin you used to make that pie filling last year was made from fresh pumpkin? In this case, I say there’s nothing wrong about using any kind of pumpkin.

So, why did Pumpkin Ales show up so early this year, with some arriving more than a month earlier than usual? As annoying as seasonal creep is, the bottom line truth is that it pays to be first: people tend to buy the first seasonal offering they come across, and then stick with it. Another reason is that the growing demand for Pumpkin Ales is forcing larger brewing commitments, with producers starting earlier to make more in an effort to sate market demand. Check out this great breakdown of the situation from Schlafly, whose Pumpkin Ale is among the most popular in this area.

I know you all have some favorite Pumpkin Ales — what have you been getting into so far this year? I’ve been really enjoying the new Devils Backbone Ichabod Crandall; it’s been giving Schlafly a run for its money in my home. Share your recommendations, sightings, and comments below. Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

The joy of being an enthusiast, no matter your interest, is in perpetually discovering new things.

In my job I’m lucky enough to be able to try some of the best, most rare, and most cutting-edge beers available, but I’m most happy when I find a new ‘go-to’ beer. The resurgence of Lagers along with the growing popularity of Session or ‘sessionable’ Ales has created an environment where there are just as many new ‘everyday’ beers as there are Imperial IPAs, Stouts, and barrel-aged monsters. Many of these beers have taken the route of the so-called Session IPA — hoppy Ales that tend to be in the range of 5% ABV. As Session IPAs increase in popularity, though, defining them becomes more difficult.

San Francisco’s 21st Amendment brewery was ahead of the curve with their Bitter American, a dry-hopped English Special Bitter that clocks in at 4.5% ABV. Recently, Schlafly has come along with a canned session series with an excellent 4.5% IPA. The most popular of the hoppy Session Ales, though, has been Founder’s All Day IPA. All Day is 4.7%, and combines the light feel of an easy-going Pale Ale with a punchy hop character more forward than you would usually find in a beer of its strength. I’m a big fan of All Day IPA; it’s a delicious beer and a great one to keep around and share with friends (especially now that it’s available in 12-pack cans). My personal favorite hoppy beer, however, was Terrapin Easy Rider: a summer seasonal that not only qualified as a true Session Ale at 4.5%, but featured a wonderful malt character and a hop profile more akin to a full-on IPA. Unfortunately, after the 2012 run Easy Rider was discontinued.

Recently, Terrapin released 12-pack cans of a beer called RecreationAle. RecreationAle is a re-working of Easy Rider that dials back the malt a bit (for more of a straight Pale Ale character) and features hops like Amarillo and Centennial, with Galaxy used for dry-hopping. I was excited to try RecreationAle, and it didn’t disappoint: it manages to pack enough hoppy bite and tropical fruit notes thank to the Galaxy to satisfy IPA fans while carrying an earthy character and a sharp, flinty feel. The 12-pack cans are just the icing on the cake for me; it’s as if the crew at Terrapin knew exactly what I was looking for in an everyday beer and decided “well, we’ll make it for everyone, too.”

My greater point, rather than just saying “RecreationAle is awesome and you should try it” (though it is and you should), is that the success of All Day IPA has created a trend, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Many breweries will rush to bring their own “All Day” to the market, but like all trends the wheat will be culled from the chaff: the result being a slew of new everyday Ales for all of us to enjoy. Enjoy, everyone. Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Sometimes in a job like mine, something comes along that fills a need you weren’t even sure you had.

Such was the case when a local distributor started coming around with beer from an importer called Uplifters Spirits. The Uplifters portfolio is small but full of some of the most exciting classic German Ales and Lagers I’ve tried in a very long time. The subtle bitterness and pinpoint grassy character of Schonramer Pils along with the smooth, bright, fruity nature of the Hopf brewery’s Wheat Ales made me take notice of what Uplifters Spirits had to offer, but it’s been the beers of Klosterbraueri Reutberger that I’ve really been taken with.

From a tradition of brewing stretching back some 300 years, the beers of the nuns of the Reutberg Kloster continue to impress, even if it’s tough to pin down just who is producing the beer today — but more on that later. First, the important bit: what the beers are like.

Export Hell is lush, with a sweetness to its malty character that makes it feel much bigger than 5.1% ABV. Those who find old school Lagers a little nondescript would do well to try Reutberger Export Hell.

At 5.2%, Export Dunkel isn’t much stronger than a traditional Schwarzbier, but there are significant differences. What separates Export Dunkel from a standard Black Lager is the smoothness of its mouthfeel, and the emphasis placed on allowing the yeast character from the Export Hell to carry through with the addition of some wonderful chocolate and toffee notes. The roasty acidity found in Schwarzbier isn’t present in Export Dunkel, which contributes to its easy-going nature.

The most recent arrival from Reutberger is the Josefi Bock. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Reutberger cloister, and this strong Lager is brewed yearly in his honor. Unlike the Export Lagers, Josefi Bock more than lives up to the strength expectations of modern drinkers; at 6.9% ABV it’s even a bit strong compared to other Bocks. The 50/50 split of dark and light malts used gives Josefi Bock just enough sweetness while allowing the exact right amount of hoppy bitterness and alcoholic heat to come through, keeping the beer from feeling cloying.

Now for the weirdness. It is said that Kloster Reutberger introduced Bavaria to the Export Lager style, wherein a Helles or Dunkel Lager is made to be stronger for the sake of travel, but that’s the kind of claim that often can’t be proven. Despite Reutberger’s website stating that the cloister was founded in 1617, the Uplifters Spirits website notes for Reutberger Export Hell claim it was first brewed in the 1400s.

Information on the history of brewing at the Reutberg cloister is patchy, though much of the fog can be chalked up to my less-than-competent German. What is generally accepted is that initial brewing began at Reutberg in 1677, after the nuns established an early tradition of enjoying a good brew after a hard day of farming work during the cloister’s first few decades. The ensuing 336 years have seen various closings and re-openings of the Reutberger brewery, including its purchase in the mid-1920s by a brewer’s co-op.

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

This past week saw the 2013 edition of DC Beer Week, a celebration of all things beer in the Nation’s Capital.

Events featuring the breweries of the District, Maryland, and Virginia have been taking place all over the city, while others focused on favored styles and breweries from the rest of the U.S. and around the world. With a couple of surprise announcements and some new beers hitting store shelves, this DC Beer Week has been sending a signal not just to beer fans here but around the country that the DC area is arriving as a go-to beer city for enthusiasts; especially with it taking place only a few months after DC hosted this year’s Craft Brewer’s Conference.

Breweries like Maine Beer Company, Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing, and Perennial of St. Louis all have been featured at DC Beer Week events. The Black Squirrel hosted an evening of North Carolina beers on Tuesday night, including Foothills Brewing, Green Man, French Broad, Big Boss, Pigsah, Aviator, Olde Hickory, and Mother Earth Brewing (which is soon to arrive in Virginia, by the way — keep an eye out). While that was happening, Meridian Pint had an event called “American Sour Belly”, with nothing but American Sour Ales arranged by pH level — they even had free antacids at the bar for those in need, which was a nice touch. Of course the big stars of DC Beer Week have been our local breweries. Devils Backbone, 3 Stars, DC Brau, Chocolate City, Port City, Blue Mountain, Flying Dog, Wild Wolf, and more all have been taking turns in the spotlight.

Beyond the dinners and tap takeovers, some news has been breaking during DC Beer Week. Falls Church’s Mad Fox Brewing Company announced plans to open a taphouse in the District to compliment their brewpub in Virginia. DC’s Atlas Brew Works set a date for their first draft shipments to hit bars and restaurants in the city (scheduled for the second week of September), and Sunday will see DC Beer Week close with a special sneak-peek barbecue at the soon-to-open Bluejacket, which is expected to open for business in September.

This week also saw the arrival in Northern Virginia of 3 Brothers Brewery. Based in Harrisonburg, 3 Brothers opened only in December of last year as a joint venture between — wait for it — a trio of brothers who grew up nearby. 3 Brothers’ bracing, crisp Pale Ale The Great Outdoors and their citrus-punchy, aggressively bitter IPA Hoptimization hit N. Va. shelves and taps this week, with more to hopefully follow soon.

Long a haven for those seeking a variety of beers from around the world, the DC area is finally spawning bars, brewpubs, and breweries that are gaining the attention of the wider craft beer audience. It appears that at least a couple of our local breweries are bound for popularity beyond our region — we may even have a national brand or two growing in our area. This is a great time to be a DC beer geek: we get to watch the growth of a new industry before our eyes, and see the rest of the world come to know our area for what we’ve always known it to be — one hell of a good beer town.

For info on the remaining DC Beer Week events from tonight through Sunday, check out DCBeer.com. Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Many of the rare beers I offer are not only on the strong side, but can often come in larger bottles as well. A 22 oz bomber isn’t a great feat when tackling a 5-6% Pale Ale or IPA, but 750 mL wine-bottle size beers clocking in at 10-15% ABV or higher take some doing. I get asked all the time: “How does someone drink all of that?” Well, the answer is most of the time, we don’t.

Bottle shares are a time-honored tradition among beer geeks, where a group gets together and opens rare/high-ABV beer that we might not want to take on alone. It’s a great excuse to get together with friends and an opportunity to try some beers you may never had heard of, or hadn’t tried in a long time. Recently I had a couple friends over for a night of bottle sharing and UFC — here are some of the highlights of our evening:

Olde Hickory The Event Horizon: I’d heard the name Olde Hickory here and there but I’d never had the chance to try anything from the North Carolina brewery. An Imperial Stout released once per year, The Event Horizon is aged in several types of bourbon barrels before being blended. The Event Horizon tasted more chocolaty than anything else—rich, dark chocolate dominated the brew. Not what I expected, but very, very good.

DC Brau/Ska Taster’s Choice: I picked this one up in the city a while back, and had wanted to try it. This was a one-off made by DC Brau with Colorado’s Ska Brewing Company and legendary ska group The Pietasters. A Doppelbock brewed with coffee beans, I was surprised Taster’s Choice wasn’t maltier, but thoroughly enjoyed it. The brighter-than-expected malts and roasty coffee played very well together.

Hair Of The Dog Fred: Portland, Oregon’s Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company is revered worldwide for their artistic, rich, cellar-worthy Ales that place and emphasis on balanced yet unique recipes. It had been years since I’d had a Fred Ale, and this one did not disappoint. The hops are very floral, but the viscous feel of the beer gave this bottle of Fred a subtle mead-like quality. Once upon a time, we could get Hair Of The Dog beers in Virginia; I’d love to see them back here again.

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

July is already here, and the weather here in the D.C. area has settled into the combination of heat and humidity that we’ve all come to know and… well, we’ve just come to know it. There are the ‘songs of the summer’ and blockbuster movies of the summer, but I feel like I’ve just found my beer of the summer.

Blue Mountain Kolsch 151 has just become available in cans, and as much as I’ve enjoyed it in the past, something about the new format just works for me. At 5.0% ABV, Blue Mountain Kolsch may not be a Session beer by definition (though that depends on the definition you subscribe to), but it is clean and refreshing, with subtle fruity notes thanks to its yeast and light hop addition. As is tradition with a Kolsch, Blue Mountain’s has a round mouthfeel reminiscent of a Helles Lager or even a Bock, but remains an Ale. Kolsch 151 is going to be a go-to for cookouts and parties for me this summer and hopefully beyond; if you haven’t had the chance to try it I highly recommend it.

Here are some other beers I’ve been enjoying this summer:

Dogfish Head 61: It’s not a summer Ale, nor at 6.5% is it something I’d advise trying to session, but Dogfish Head’s new year-round beer 61 is great, and I can’t get enough of it. 61 is Dogfish Head’s 60-Minute IPA with the addition of Syrah sourced from wineries out in California. The combination is fantastic, with the earthy character of the hops carrying a dark fruit flavor that isn’t overwhelming or sugary, but is certainly present. When it comes time to talk about our favorite new beers of 2013, I’m going to upset a lot of people with how much I liked 61, but don’t pass it over — give it a try, and you might see why it’s become so popular so quickly.

Abita Satsuma Harvest Wit: This is the most overlooked of Abita’s Harvest Series beers, and it’s one that never seems to be around long enough. I can’t explain why, but this year’s Satsuma is especially nice, with what seems like a greater restraint in the yeast character than before. That restraint makes this year’s Satsuma Wit feel less rich and more dry; factor in the citrus notes and there’s hardly a better beer for a D.C. area summer’s day.

Boulevard 80 Acre: A newer addition to the Kansas City brewery’s line, 80 Acre is a hoppy Wheat Ale that clocks in around 5.5% ABV. The mix of the bright Wheat Ale with focused, floral hops is dead on in 80 Acre, with each element balancing and showcasing the others. How 80 Acre isn’t in more stores and on more draft lists already is beyond me.

What are you all enjoying this summer? Let’s hear about it in the comments. Until next time.

Cheers!

Nick Anderson maintains a blog at www.beermonger.net, and can be found on Twitter at @The_Beermonger. Sign up for Arrowine’s money saving email offers and free wine and beer tastings at www.arrowine.com/mailing-list-signup.aspx. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

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