Omnivore Atlanta

Firth of Forth Ale
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #22
Harpoon Brewery
Boston, MA
5.4% ABV

This limited edition Scottish ale was guest brewed by Steve Stewart, who interned at Harpoon in 1998 before returning to his native Scotland and eventually starting his own brewery. Harpoon has released a new beer in this series, so you can find No. 22 on sale at Green’s for a very reasonable price.

It pours a deep chestnut brown with an aroma of sweet caramel malts and some floral hops. The flavor profile emphasizes the bready, caramel malts, along with toffee, maple and weak coffee. A peat-like smokiness and lingering nuttiness add layers of complexity. There’s a whisper of plum/fig fruitiness, but overall the taste is musty rather than fruity. Moderate grassy, earthy hops are just enough to counter the malt. Velvety smooth, substantial without being syrupy, flavorful without being showy, the Firth of Forth Ale is a very pleasant and drinkable Scottish ale. I can imagine tossing back a few of these from a flagon in a dank Scottish castle.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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As I noted in Talking Head , the Brick Store will be celebrating its 11th anniversary beginning Saturday June 14th by tapping at least one limited edition keg each day. There have been some changes to the schedule and a few new details, which are given below. The special kegs will be tapped at 3pm daily and Chef Eric Ottensmeyer will be pairing daily food specials to accompany each beer. I am so there:

Saturday June 14th - J.W. Lees Lagavulin Wooden Pin Cask (2001)
- Regenboog t’Smisje Guido

Sunday June 15th - Harviestoun Ginger lime
- Regenboog t’Smisje Catherine the Great

Monday June 16th - Highland Brewing (Summit Dry Hopped) Kashmir IPA

Tuesday June 17th - Terrapin Southern Fried Brown Ale
(Oak aged brown ale w/muscadine grapes)

Wednesday June 18th - Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti w/ Espresso

Thursday June 19th - Oskar Blues Chubbourbon (old chubb aged in bourbon barrels)
- Allagash Rosa (tripel aged in oak w/brettanomyces wild yeast)

Friday June 20th - Victory Wild Devil (Hopdevil W/ brettanomyces)
- Strubbe Double Tripel

Saturday June 21st- Harviestoun Ola Dubh 30 yr
- Alvinne Balthazar

Sunday June 22nd - Avery Uber Svine (dbl. dry hopped Hog Heaven)
- Regenboog t’Smisje Kerst

Monday June 23rd - Sweetwater Brewing Firkin (details to follow)

Tuesday June 24th - North Coast Barrel Aged Old Stock
- Allagash Rosa (tripel aged in oak w/ brettanomyces)

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Brooklyn East India Pale Ale
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY
6.8% ABV

Billed as an English-style IPA, Brooklyn’s offering is more of an homage than a replica of the style to which American brewers have taken such a shine. The 6.8 percent ABV pushes the range of English versions of the style, and the use of Willamette, Centennial, and Amarillo hops from the United States gives it a stronger citric presence than is typical in English examples. Still, Kent Golding and Northdown hops from England are utilized as well, imparting a delicate floral aroma and clean hop taste. East Anglia pale malts add a solid underpinning of classic biscuity malt flavor (in the English sense of a dry cookie more than fluffy, yeasty bread). The medium body and lively carbonation give it a pleasant mouthfeel, and the balance of fruitiness from the malt and moderate hop bitterness in the finish is truly refreshing. A good choice to keep in the fridge this summer for grilling and entertaining.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Denver Pale Ale
Great Divide Brewing Company
Denver, CO
5.6% ABV

This English-style pale ale is an alternative to the hoppier American versions like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Nice floral, grassy hop aroma and flavor balanced with a mild toasted malt backbone and a biscuity tang. Hop bitterness is medium and carries through into the crisp, dry finish. The active carbonation contributes to excellent head retention, and the medium body is perfect for quaffing. A satisfying beer to accompany a summer barbeque or tailgate party.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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The East Atlanta Beer Festival blog has a couple of posts about beers you are likely to see this year. The list is unofficial, but since it is similar to last year’s, it is probably not far off the mark.

Two new entrants into the Atlanta market that will be represented are Magic Hat and Kona Brewing. Both are independently owned, but have distribution deals with Anheuser-Busch. Look for a story on these two newcomers, along with some tasting notes in next week’s Talking Head column.

My short list includes Innis & Gunn, Jolly Pumpkin Biere de Mars, Atlantic Brewing’s MacFoochie’s Scottish Ale, the Whiskey-Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog, Left Hand’s Twin Sisters Double IPA, and whatever Unibroue brings to the party.

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Oskar Blues Gordon

Oskar Blues Grill and Brewery
Lyons, CO
8.7% ABV

Cans are the new bottle in craft brewing. They are easy to transport, cool faster, block out damaging UV rays, and can be taken where glass is verboten. And with improved linings, the metallic taste is no longer a problem. Perfect for the cooler poolside this summer. The label on the can promises “Big, Red, Sticky,” and the beer inside delivers. The can opens without the satisfying “pfft” of typical fizzy, yellow lagers, but a straight pour delivers plenty of clingy, clumpy foam. A deep whiff transports you to a wet Colorado fir forest. There is a hint of brown sugar sweetness, but the hops dominate. The taste is full of piney hop goodness, mixing nicely with some caramel and sugary spice-cake malts and a hint of fleshy fruit like apricot and peach. There is ginger, pepper, and grapefruit bitterness in the long, resiny finish. The mouthfeel is like honeysuckle nectar—sticky, but relatively light for such a big beer. The finish is a bit harsh, but a minor flaw in such a lip-smackingly good brew.

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Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Chico, CA

6.7% ABV

Not content to limit its fresh hop ale to the fall when hops are harvested in the northern hemisphere, Sierra Nevada traveled to New Zealand, when the hop harvest is in our spring. This American pale ale is hopped with fresh New Zealand hops, quick dried and flown to California within a week of harvest. Isn’t the global economy grand? Orangey amber with a thick rocky head of foam, the Southern Hemisphere looks beautiful, with outstanding lacing that clings in a sheet all the way down the glass. An aroma of musky citrus, pine, tropical fruit, and bready malts greets the nose. The taste is intensely hoppy, with bright resiny pine and grapefruit peel. Bitterness is big upfront, with some biscuity, caramel malts coming through in the middle. The finish is sharp, but juicy, and seems to actually kick the salivary glands into gear, leaving you smacking your tongue. A bit of gingerbread spice comes through as well. Mouthfeel is medium-full with a moderate carbonation. Very smooth and creamy, it becomes more balanced as it warms. You’ll be glad it comes in the big 24-ounce bottle.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Old Brewery Pale Ale
Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (Tadcaster)
North Yorks, England
5% ABV

One of England’s oldest breweries knows a little something about brewing great ale. Wonderfully balanced and smooth, this is a beer that is meant to be enjoyed by the imperial pint with friends around a pub table. It pours a sparklingly-clear cooper red with a clingy but not sticky head. Floral, grassy aromas from the venerable English Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops are evident, along with earthy, toasted grains from the malts and a bit of overripe apple fruitiness as it warms. The taste emphasizes the toasted caramel malts. A hint of the mineral tang and cidery pear that characterize many British ales comes through mid-palate, but its overall character is dry and crisp, with a slightly citric finish. This is a nuanced brew, with subtle complexities that make it perfectly quaffable and yet intriguing, right down to the last sip. Along with Fuller’s London Pride, it is probably the quintessential example of a British pale ale available in the states.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Hazed and Infused
Boulder Beer Company
Boulder, Colorado
4.85% ABV

Boulder Beer Company, Colorado’s first microbrewery, has just moved into the Atlanta market, and this is their flagship beer, a dry-hopped American Pale Ale with a big hop bite. It pours a lovely auburn-brown and is not particularly hazy. The aroma is like a Christmas tree lot — resiny and sweet, with a hint of ginger spice in the air. The taste is a full-on, juicy hop fest, with piney, flowery, and soapy hops riding atop a barely perceptible woody, biscuity malt body. Round, and smooth upfront, the Hazed seems more confused than infused in the finish, with a grainy, phenolic astringency that is off-putting. Hopheads will want to give it a try, but others may find the flavors to be too chaotic.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Pauwel Kwak
Brewery Bosteels
Buggenhout, Belgium
8% ABV

Kwak is a Belgian strong pale ale from Bosteels, a brewery which makes Tripel Karmeliet and the famed Deus Brut des Flandres. It pours a coppery reddish brown. A slow, sparkly string of tiny bubbles rising to form a thin ring of foam on the sides of the glass hints at the heavy body. A mild aroma of candied apples, grassy hops, and banana esters from the Belgian yeast and is inviting. The taste is like Carmen Miranda in the hot sun — bold, overripe fruit like bananas, strawberries, apricots and apples. There is a sticky, candied sugar, caramel and honey sweetness that clings to the tongue, followed by some herbal, medicinal hops and a moderate bitterness. Some may find the full-bodied sweetness a bit cloying, and the low carbonation adds to the effect. The gentle, drying alcohol in the finish mitigates somewhat. Definitely a dessert beer.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Black Wattle Superior Ale
Barons Brewing Company Ltd.
Sydney, Australia
5.8 % ABV

This intriguing ale spiced with roasted wattle seeds comes from a land Down Under, where the flowering plants of the acacia species grow in abundance, and the golden variety is even the national flower. The seeds of the black wattle give this clear, amber-brown brew a nutty, mocha flavor, similar to chicory. The malts are bready, with a maple-and-brown-sugar sweetness. A mild, earthy hop flavor and low hop bitterness keep the focus on the malts and spice. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel, Black Wattle is similar to an English brown ale such as Newcastle, but with a more complex flavor profile. Easy drinking and smooth, this Aussie is a good choice for the “shoulder season,” when you’re tiring of heavy ales but not yet ready for the lagers and wheat beers of summer.

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Coney Island Lager
Schmaltz Brewing Company
Saratoga Springs, NY
5.5% ABV

Jeremy Cowan may be dedicated to brewing delicious beer and delicious schtick, but there is nothing corny about Schmaltz’ American amber lager, which breaks the mold of this typically tepid style. Hewing close to the German traditions of Munich and Vienna malts for caramel smoothness and noble Saaz and Hallertau hops for a pleasing floral aroma, this kosher brew is satisfying and delicious. A honey sweetness is perfectly balanced with a fruity tartness of lemon and apple. Easy drinking, as befits a beer celebrating the boardwalk, a portion of the proceeds benefit the Coney Island Foundation.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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The Hairy Eyeball
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA
ABV 8.8%

A seasonal offering from the madmen at Lagunitas, this is an American Strong Ale that might be also be classed as a Wee Heavy Scottish-style ale or a strong brown ale. It pours a clear mahogany brown with some leggy head that hints at the high alcohol content. The taste is rich and malty, with a maple sweetness and a subdued hop profile that is uncharacteristic for Lagunitas. The noticeable alcohol and burnt caramel in the nose make it a sipper, perfect for savoring the buttery-slick texture. Dark fruits like plum and prune come through as it warms. A floral, spicy hop bitterness in the finish gives hints of clove and cinnamon. This would go nicely with some after dinner chocolates.

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Tonight, Twain’s in Decatur celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Modification of the Volstead Act, which allowed for the manufacture and sale of 3.2% beer and paved the way for the repeal of Prohibition, by tapping their new smoked pale ale. Fox Brothers Barbeque smoked 15 lbs. of grain on their smoker for the special brew. Twain’s will also be serving bourbon-glazed ribs as part of the celebration. Call 404-373-0063 for more information.

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Hop Shortage Ale
Terrapin Beer Company
Athens, GA
ABV N/A

The first in Terrapin’s Side Project series of limited releases throws caution to the wind in the face of the on-going hop supply crisis, loading up this refreshing pale ale with tons of fragrant, juicy hops. Fresh floral and citrusy hops dominate the aroma and taste, with a grapefruit bitterness and some peppery spice. The light, fruity malts peek through briefly with the taste of fleshy fruit, like apricot and peach. A pleasant bitterness hits the sides of the tongue, leading to a dry, lingering finish with a citrus bite. This is a surprisingly light-bodied beer, more pale ale than IPA, very crisp and well attenuated. No ABV is given, but there’s no noticeable alcohol bite, so this one is likely no more than 7%. While it is not particularly complex, Hop Shortage is easy drinking and satisfying, perfect for spring sipping al fresco.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Meantime India Pale Ale
Meantime Brewing Company
Greenwich, UK
7.5% ABV

Brewed by an upstart British craft brewery that is less than a decade old, this India Pale Ale successfully bridges the gap between British and American versions of the style. British Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops imbue this cloudy, orange ale with abundant floral and citrus aroma and flavor, as well as a grassy, earthy quality. Pleasingly sweet pale malts are light on the tongue and bring out bready and fruity notes. There’s a green apple and pear tartness, as well as some tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and melon. Not overly bitter or resiny, this is very easy drinking for such a complex and sturdy IPA. At 7.5% ABV, it is stronger than most English versions, but the alcohol is well hidden. Meantime IPA is a great introduction to the style that American brewers have taken to extremes, but that the Brits still brew with admirable restraint.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Kells Irish Style Lager
Rogue Ales
Newport, OR
5% ABV

A bit late for St. Patrick’s Day, but appropriate for the warmer months, Kells is one of the few lagers produced by craft beer pioneers, Rogue Ales. Created for the West Coast chain of three Kells Irish Pubs, Kells Lager was formulated as an American beer that could be used in a half-and-half instead of the traditional Harp Lager. Acidulated malts are used to create a desired apple tartness. Sterling hops replicate the German noble hop varieties, with a floral aroma and flavor with low bitterness. Pale and crystal malts dominate the mild, honey sweetness up front, followed by a bit of sour fruitiness and a grassy hop finish. Head retention is lacking and the tingly mouthfeel starts to fade, so don’t nurse it. Fine for watching the NCAA tournament, but even better if you can find an Irish Premier League match.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Left Hand Rye Bock
Dopplebock
Left Hand Brewing Company
Longmont, Colo.

7.6% ABV

Although classified as a dopplebock, this American version of the rich, malty German specialty beer differs significantly from traditional incarnations. Because it is bottle-conditioned, the yeast remains in the bottle, yielding a cloudy, estery brew rather than a clear, crisp, filtered lager. The rye malts impart a spiciness, and the tart fruit and hops are assertive and refreshing. Very effervescent with a thinnish mouthfeel and pleasant aroma, this is an interesting take on a classic style.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Sierra Nevada Extra Special Bitter (ESB)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, CA
5.9% ABV

As usual, Sierra Nevada is spot on with this early spring seasonal that adds a bit of hop assertiveness to the classic English ESB. The aroma of fresh, floral hops hits the nose right away from this amber-gold beer. Spicy, citrusy hops are up front in the taste, giving way to a light malt base of traditional Maris-Otter malts. A bit of fruitiness is manifested in a hint of strawberry and a green apple tartness that befits the style. The mouthfeel is crisp and tingly, with a pleasant lingering bitterness.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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