Daily Loaf

Recently, craft and macro-brewers alike have seized upon a formula that’s worked for the greeting card industry and the Food Network for years now: holiday-themed product. It’s an easy sell for Hallmark and its ilk, and televised cooking shows have made a good go of showcasing cooking focused more on big holidays than seasonal ingredients. But beer? Shoehorning iconic flavors into brews — available for a limited time only! — seems more of a stretch.

Which brings us to the spate of pumpkin ales hitting the market right about … now. There are dozens available, with flavors derived from fresh pumpkin, pumpkin puree or the usual formula of scientifically-derived pumpkin essence. And, as usual, the better the ingredient, the better the beer.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale — from the exciting Brooklyn Brewery — and Wolaver’s Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale both go the all-natural route, using whole pumpkins blended directly into the mash. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

The Derby Darlins have a successful first green event with T.R.E.E. at Little Bayou Park- Michelle Schenck reports on the roller girls from the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins‘ tree planting event last Saturday in St. Petersburg, an effort to offset all of the carbon emissions from their travels.

Let’s transform this ‘domination culture’ into a ‘partnership culture’ (Videos) – Eric Stewart asks: Is this the America we are handing over to our children? One thats main concern is violence and domination of the world? This government was put in place for the people: do the people want 60% of our taxes going to support defense? Why can’t 60% of our taxes go towards supporting education, renewable energy, as well as redoing the social net so that every human being in our country has their needs taken care of?
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You’ve heard about organic and eco-friendly wines from us recently, but did you ever wonder about the ”green” beers out there? (And I don’t mean the kind some people drink on St. Patty’s Day.) Many breweries around the country are actually becoming quite eco-friendly. Some breweries are taking environmentally friendly initiatives, like using only organic ingredients, having solar- and wind-powered breweries, recycling and composting grains, and some are even using bio-diesel fueled delivery trucks.

Video and more info after the break.
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Tomorrow (Saturday the 11th) at Datz Deli — All Hail the Ale — a celebration of the world’s best beers matched with fine cheeses. $25 per person includes 5 ounce pours and commemorative glassware. 4 pm- 7pm. 2616 MacDill Ave. Call (813) 831-7000 or email dixon@datzdeli to reserve your spot. Here’s the pairing lineup :

Westmalle Trappist Tripel : Belgium : 9.5%
This Belgian offering hails from one of the world’s seven Trappist monasteries, where brewing is conducted or overseen by monks. The cloudy, golden brew sports fruity, floral aromas. A strong malt component results in toasty flavors; the slight honey citrus sweetness is balanced by a mild alcohol warmth and a dry finish. The sharp, smoky flavors of Grafton Village Smoked Cheddar compliment the maltiness of Westmalle Tripel.

Many more beers after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Garrett Oliver is the man; the philosophy reflected in his book, The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food, speaks to my holistic sensibilities and makes my mouth water for fine brews and food prepared in the old school tradition — from scratch with fresh ingredients and no preservatives or other modern food science. But Garrett Oliver doesn’t just write rousing books; he also brews exceptional beer. Since becoming the brewmaster in 1994, he has propelled Brooklyn Brewery to high status among the top 40 breweries in the nation.

I love Brooklyn’s year-round lineup; the seasonal Oktoberfest Marzen is on par with the authenticity of Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest and the buttery, peppery Local 1 is the definition of Belgian strong light ale. The Brewmaster’s Reserves and Limited Releases — Black OPS, Blast Imperial IPA, Flemish Gold, Manchester Star, and Savoir Faire — are all crazy delicious. So are the innovative collaborations with Schneider Brewery — the Brooklyner- Schneider Hopfen-Weiss and the Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weiss.

A new addition to the Brooklyn lineup — Local 2 — is a dark ale crafted from German pilsner malt, English chocolate malt, Belgian dark sugar, New York state raw wildflower honey, citrus peel, Belgian yeast, and hopped with Perle, Aurora, and East Kent Golding hops. After brewing, a secondary fermentation takes place inside the corked, 25 ounce bottle. Read the rest of this entry »