I Was Beginning To Accumulate A Lot of Beer....Part One

Ever since Owl's post of the want and desire to sample and savor a bevy of Oktoberfest style beers, I have been making trips to my favorite beer store and gathering a plenty. Not all were Oktoberfest style beers (remember, Owl and I like 'em roasted!), but there was a grand selection growing.... much like the number of companies putting out Oktoberfest style beers. Now this makes me laugh, a little. And I will tell you why: What most people don't know is that Oktoberfest started back in the days before refrigeration as a way to get rid of all the excess beer that had survived through the summer, but would not likely subsist through the winter. Had to have the kegs empty for the next batches, you know. As well as being a part of harvest festivals dating back to when pagans ruled the land. What makes me laugh? The fact that now beer companies brew beer specifically to be drank in October! Sometimes these beers have hardly matured! Oh well, I guess Capitalism is what makes this country great.

But why do I only laugh a little? Well let me digress for just a bit...October is the quintessential month of Fall. There is a chill in the air, the earthy smell of leaves decaying, and – I don't know how else to put it – there is actual cheer in the air. People can sit outside and not be hot, folks are helping each other with outdoor projects before Old Man Winter settles in, and not to mention, it is the penultimate time for dark thick Beer, grilled foods, good company and Campfires! (I mean you can do it in November, but due to the temperature in Iowa, it is highly unlikely...) And let's not forget Halloween!

Now for the reason(s) of my sequestered laughter: One, October is my month. I own it, it belongs to me (don't argue with a Took, it gets you no where. It doesn't get him anywhere either, but he doesn't care where he is going...Hobbit Logic!) - and I am a dark beer drinker. That alone sets me off. Who are these captains of industry to market normal hoppy style beer in MY MONTH?! (I know, they are captains of industry, and they are making more money than me, so I should just suck it up...) Second, um, er, well, second is that Fall and Winter are the months that you are supposed to be drinking the calorie filled, life sustaining, malty chocolatey, heavenly bodied, profundity abundant, absolutely yummy, heavy rich dark creamy thick good cheer beers!

But wait there's more! I haven't completed my thought yet! Why am I laughing at all? Because some companies KNOW that October is dark beer weather, and they make their Oktoberfest beers in accordance. Specifically, Sam Adams; their Oktoberfest just always seems to be perfect, even though they change the recipe slightly each year. Ayinger put out an exquisite Oktoberfest beer this year, and new kids on the block Left Hand put out an absolute stunner. But I am getting to the part of the blog where we actually review some beers, and here Owl (who tends to stay a bit more on track) will do the actual writing. I will leave where I started: I was beginning to accumulate a lot of beer, and my nephew, Owl and I decided to put a dent in the stock...

Saranac Octoberfest

This has a medium copper color. The nose is not big and the head was minimal. And it is a tasty beer! But our notes show (and you'll see how expansive they get the further we get along) we gave it an overall grade of B-. It may have been the cost.

Spaten Ur-Marzen Oktoberfest

Smoky copper color and thin head. But what the hell is with the aroma? We are not fans of this type of stink. Is it the green bottle? I get this aroma from St. Pauli Girl and Heineken, also. Is it the type of hops? Enlighten us. But we both agree that the beer tastes OK. The body trumps the aroma. Both of us would still drink this over a Bud Light. Our overall grade was a D.

Sam Adams Octoberfest

We cleaned our palates with a slice of dry colby-jack cheese and poured this beauty. Clean copper color with a thicker, buttery colored head. Took didn't notice much of an aroma, but Owl smelled a touch of earth. It's profundity is wholesome and it turned out to be a guzzler! Took commented that this years' batch is not as sweet. We recommend it. And Owl has purchased more since this event. Yep - this one can go down all night. There is nothing off-kilter with it.

More to come with a special guest appearance by a Balrog...

Oktoberfest-style Recommendations Requested!

My, my, my.... Ahh, the cooler days of autumn are just about here.

Football season starts. The baseball season winds down, but the penant races are in full throttle. The garden needs harvested and cleaned up for next year. Camping season is more comfortable. Good trout fishing gets going again. Friends gather around the warmth of the campfire. And my most favorite - duck season starts!

It's only August, and I'm getting geared up to be drinking me some Oktoberfest - style beers. A most wonderful segue into the seasons of scottish ales, porters, and stouts. But enough about all that.

I have only scratched the surface of Oktoberfest - style beers. And I truly dig them. But Foolish Took and I need any and all recommendations from any and all readers who would be inclined to lend us a hand. What are some of your favorites? What do you look for in this style? We look at RateBeer and BeerAdvocate, but your opinions count, too!

Ya see. I don't like lawnmower beer season. I need to get started on the thicker, foodier potions ASAP!

Millstream's Generations White Ale

I made a trip to the Amana Colonies earlier this year and I had to make a stop at Millstream
Brewing Co. After a few or four of their Oatmeal Stouts, which I highly recommend and hope to include in other posts soon, I decided to do some more supporting of an Iowa brewery by purchasing a mixed 12-pack. In it were 2 Generation White Ales. These were brewed in honor of John's Grocery's 50th anniversary. And before you ask, I haven't been to John's Grocery - yet another thing I hope to include on this blog someday.

Now summer has happened and I figured to give these white ales a try. See how they fit in the scheme of what I consider a summer-type beer to be. Here's what I thought:

Generations White Ale
Millstream Brewing Company

Style : White Ale.

Color : Gold with a moonlight haze in it.

Head : White and thin.

Aroma : Nothing overwhelming, but please excuse my sense of smell. It sucks.

Flavor : Cool but a bit spicy. It's weird, but I swear I taste BBQ sauce. Almost like Kraft Original that has been sitting on chicken hindquarters all day in a crockpot. Seriously. But it doesn't belch that way!!

Profundity : This has a medium body to it. Thicker than an American macro-brew, but not as refreshing. Fairly smooth and not much punch to it. Drinkable, though.

Overall Grade : C. I'm not a real big light ale fan, but if this was offered to me again, I would drink it. But not more than 2 or 3 at a sitting.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

The Drudgery had come to an end. It was Saturday and I had just gotten home from work. I didn't work hard, but I was at work on a Saturday. I know, a LOT of people work on Saturdays, especially those that work at watering holes, and work much harder than I do / did. God bless 'em. This does not alter my vehement denunciation of such an atrocious waste of time on a day that is meant to be spent LIVING, not working... um where was I? Ah, yes, well it was Saturday and now I wasn't at work. Did I forget to mention that the family wasn't home either? Mwuhahahahahahahahaa (that would be evil laughter. Go on, say it in your best deep gravely voice, it's fun!). My ambition to do something out of the ordinary is humble to say the least. I thought I would watch a movie that I wouldn't normally get to watch in front of the kid (NO, NOT THAT KIND OF MOVIE sheesh you guys! What am I thinking!? I mean- what are you thinking!?). Perhaps a good war flick and a Stout or five.

Such was not to be the case. The phone rang. It was my niece. She and my nephew (not brother and sister either! Did I mention that Owl and I have strong familial connections?) were at the driving range, doing the thing that I had not been doing (you know, the LIVING part), and had decided they were going to get some food to replenish their LIVING depleted bodies, and imbibe some spirits to to re-attune their Irish Souls. They wanted to know if I was interested in coming along. This family likes to hang out together. One did not need to ask the Took twice. I mean, my calendar was open...

So off to Old Chicago we were! For those that don't know, Old Chicago is a chain restaurant that sports some pretty good pizza, and 110 brews. One Hundred and Ten. Now, some people reading this are humbled by this number and others are thinking that Old Chicago is a rip off chain restaurant, and they could name a dozen better places within walking distance of their home. We here in our corner of Iowa, are not that lucky, so Old Chicago is a nice change, even if the price of some individual bottles cost as much as a six pack of the same name. I say this because there are many eat and drink places here, but the majority of them have about 3 to 5 beers, with Sam Adam's Boston Lager being the stretch into the “we have culture” venue. Not that I have anything against SA or their premier lager. It's just that there is so much more....

First let me say that the Pizza was awesome. It was just traditional pepperoni and sausage but wow just the same. Must have been the herbs sprinkled over it. Mmmmmm.... Now to create a beautiful and inspiring segway to the next paragraph.

Or I won't do that and I will simply say that the change in plans from TV and beer I have had before – to going to a restaurant that I haven't visited yet with and impressive array of brewed paradise – pushed my “try something new” button. I was on my search in the (five page!) beer menu for a brown ale when I came across the Black and Tan entry. Guinness with Bass Ale. That sounded really good. But what was that listed underneath it? Snakebite? Guinness with hard cider? Really? Umm... Button pushed.

My nephew started with a Miller Lite, and my niece with Michelob Golden Ultra. Both pretty tasty, and good beers for the summer heat. But my Tookish side almost always prevails, and let's just say that we HOBBITual drinkers prefer our brews dark. I am not sure if it was the heat, but outside of my pressed button, I am not sure why I ordered the Snakebite. I don't normally drink ciders or fruity drinks or wine coolers, but I must say that the Snakebite was a pleasant surprise. They used Guinness Draught, which I absolutely have an aversion to (I prefer Guinness Extra Stout), but the fact that the Draught is (disturbingly) smooth with no after bite, went well with the cider. So Guinness Draught does have a place in Society, to be mixed with something that isn't even beer. Say what you want, Guinness Draught does not compare to the other beers in the Guinness line, and since this my blog post, that makes it true (Hobbit Logic!). The cider was really sweet, and they had more cider than Guinness in the glass, so by the time I got near the bottom, it was getting pretty hard to swallow for a guy who prefers his brew almost burnt.

It was time for round two. My nephew had a Rolling Rock (another summer time fave) and my niece repeated her Michelob. She is not a big beer drinker, and that she was keeping up with us was impressive, even if we were drinking pints to her 12 ouncers. After the extra sweet cider drink, I needed something a little more traditional. So I ordered the Black and Tan. It wasn't bad, but again, I am used to my Black and Tans being made with the Extra Stout (you know, how it was ORIGINALLY MADE, hint hint restaurant owners). As I neared the bottom of this, my nephew mentioned that they had the Guinness 250^th Anniversary Stout on Tap. WHAT?! Had I known that, I think my Snakebite and Black and Tan may have been another experience altogether. So, they have Guinness 250^th Anniversary Stout...

ON TAP! Of course we had to have a round of this. At least my nephew and I did. My niece stuck to her guns, but had a third drink with us nonetheless. The Anniversary Stout (which is lighter and crisper than the Extra Stout) made up for the (boring and dismal) Draught, and was a perfect capper to the outing as I was near to bursting from the appetizer, excellent pizza and rich drinks.

It was a good night. After this we went to the Beer Store and picked out a six pack or four (apiece) for our next Beer and Campfire adventure.

You hear that Owl? I have 24 beers here, 5 different flavors, and a pile of wood just begging to be burned.

Until next time, keep it Dark!

The Foolish Took

Familial (over)Indulgences

It was last Thursday night. All four of us had Friday off. How does that work? Took and I were on vacation, the other two just have it worked out that way. Four drinkers. Same clan. All with Irish livers, and good, happy drinkin' attitudes. It's been awhile since we last got together, so we made sure we had enough beer. Here's the beer list:

Sierra Nevada Porter
Big Sky "Moose Drool" Brown Ale
Olde Main "Off Kilter" Scottish Ale
Brau Brothers Cream Stout
Millstream Shokolade Bock
Sam Adams Cream Stout
Brau Brothers Scottish Ale (not pictured)
Bud Light (not pictured)

Took was thinking ahead. He grilled up some burgers, chicken breasts, and some venison bologna. I'm here to tell you the chicken was awesome! The venison bologna was a close second. It wasn't all meat and beer, though. Potato salad and macaroni salad made an appearance, too. We were hoping the food would soak up a bit of the alcohol. Right. We had a total of 62 bottles of beer ahead of the 4 of us.

Before the fire, we had a good time watching Clutch and Ratt videos on YouTube. Oh yeah - we were primed. Headed outside and built the bonfire. I can't believe none of the neighbors called the cops. I crashed at 1:45 a.m. and the other stayed up talking and throwing more pallets on the fire. That got hot! Lit the inside of my tent pretty good.

I dug through the ashes the next morning for bones. Didn't find any, thank God. A body count revealed that we had no human sacrifices that night. Whew!
But we left 5 bottles of beer unscathed. Wimps.