Omnivore Atlanta

Thank You for Your Support: Smuttynose Finestkind IPA

The name might produce a snicker, but there’s nothing silly about the first-rate beers produced by Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s Smuttynose Brewing Company. Established in 1994 by Peter Egelston and his sister Janet, the company has been gradually expanding its production to meet demand and is now being sold in Georgia. Egelston, who serves as president of Smuttynose, says that they have purposely grown slowly to avoid what happened to many craft breweries in the 90s:  capacity expanded well beyond demand and became overextended. Still, their growth has been strong enough that they plan to construct a new facility beginning next year.

The Egelstons have been at the forefront of the craft beer movement on the East Coast, having opened the Northampton Brewery in Massachusetts in 1987, now the oldest operating brewpub in New England. They opened Portsmouth Brewery, also a brewpub, in New Hampshire in 1991. When a local microbrewery went out of business, Egelston purchased the operation at auction with no marketing plan or name for his new brewery. He later settled on Smuttynose, the name of a small island off the coast of New Hampshire because it had a local connection and was “a funny, quirky name that once people got, it they would not forget it.”

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Make it funky: Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Dexter, MI
Belgian Amber Ale
7.5% ABV

Although it was released in November as a seasonal ale, it is certainly not too late to pick up a bottle of this “special brown ale.” In typical Jolly Pumpkin fashion, it straddles the strange territory between open-fermented Belgian ale and tropical elixir by way of the frozen Midwest. It is brewed in the abbey style, with wild yeasts that introduce funky aromas of dirty sheets and composting earth. Really. Cacao, cinnamon and orange peel add the equatorial element suggested by the Venezuelan city from which the beer takes its name.

This is a fairly light-bodied beer, flinty and sharp, despite its rusty amber color. Tart green apples, sour cherries and tangerine ride on a barely-there raft of toasted malt, yielding to herbal flavors of lemongrass and mint in the tart-but-not-puckering finish. Intriguingly complex but eminently approachable, Maracaibo Especial is a great introduction to the world of wild ales, and a tart, fruity treat to get you through a cold winter.

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February packs a lot into its 28 days, what with Black History Month, President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Charles Dickens Day (February 7, in case you were wondering), and of course, today, Groundhog Day, representing for rodents everywhere.

I suggest working beer into the celebrations wherever possible. For instance, in honor of Black History Month, sample the products of Brooklyn Brewery, founded by Garrett Oliver, one of the few African-Americans among American craft brewers. For Valentine’s Day, sample some chocolate stouts and porters, like Terrapin’s latest project, Dos Cocoas, or Atlanta Brewing Company’s Double Chocolate Oatmeal Porter. For Charles Dickens Day, try out some traditional British ales like Fuller’s ESB or Bluebird Bitter. For Groundhog Day, you are on your own. Here are some beercentric goings-on that are worthy of your attention this month. (more…)

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The fourth offering in the Terrapin Side Project series is a porter brewed with two kinds of Ecuadorean cocoa provided by Cacao Atlanta. Sixty pounds of cocoa powder are added after the boil. the finished beer is then aged on 60 pounds of cocoa nibs, lightly roasted cocoa beans crushed into coarse chunks.

Traditional porters often have some chocolate flavors from roasted specialty malts, so the addition of chocolate is a natural extension of the style. Terrapin thankfully avoids chocolate overload to create a subtle chocolate aroma and flavor complemented by dry, peaty malts. It tastes initially of powdery cocoa, just as advertised, with some smoky malts, raisin, caramel and earth. Bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes add to the complexity.

Hop flavor seems limited to some grassy, hay-like notes and a bit of citrusy tang that may also come from the yeast. Bitterness is subdued but more than adequate to counter the malts, which are pleasantly dry and toasty. The solid, consistent body lends a pleasing mouthfeel from beginning to end — smooth and mouth-coating, with a gentle carbonation. Alcohol becomes a bit more evident as it warms, but I would be surprised if it were more than 7 percent.

Dos Cocoas is a fantastic, easy-drinking porter in the English tradition. I could drink it all day. This is no Snickers bar, but it would certainly pair well with one.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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THE BEST THING ABOUT THE MIDDLE AGES: Gruit ales

With the high cost and limited availability of hops over the past year, brewers have shown an increased interest in returning to early beer recipes for an alternative source to bitter and spice their beers. Prior to the extensive use of hops, European brewers typically used a mixture of plants and herbs called gruit, or grut. The core ingredients in gruit were sweet gale, yarrow and marsh rosemary, each of which contributed desirable characteristics, such as flavoring, bittering and preservatives. Brewers added other herbs, spices and plants, including juniper berries, caraway seeds, anise, ginger and nutmeg to create individual flavor profiles.

The primary herbs used in gruit also had another characteristic: They were noted intoxicants, inducing euphoria and stimulating the libido. Hops, on the other hand, were known to be more soporific than stimulating, decreasing sexual desire and leading to sleep. (more…)

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MEMORY LANE: Thanks to a recent renovation, the previously dingy digs of the 49-year-old Midtown institution are welcoming once again with plenty of deliciously tacky old-school charm to go around. Each of the 32 state-of-the-art lanes has an assigned table for congregating; an Atari-esque kiosk with various service call buttons; and a mounted TV monitor — complete with those wonderfully cheesy animated bowling shorts — that tallies and boasts which player is the current “Kingpin.”

GUTTER BOMBS: Basic and obscenely cheap items such as hot dogs, burgers, hand-battered wings, fried fish baskets and funnel cakes abound on the large menu. But there’s something simply irresistible about the “Big Nasty,” a sinfully messy and greasy heap of French fries, tater tots and homemade potato chips topped with chili, nacho cheese and pickled jalapeños. Check out the lunch special Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., which includes lane rental, those bitchin’ shoes, your pick from a handful of menu items and a fountain drink for $11.75.

BEER FRAME: This bowling alley doesn’t play around when it comes to booze. The fully stocked bar has an impressive list of more than 84 beers from all over the world, wines, an extensive selection of liquors, and shot specials to warm up your arm and give you the courage to bust out that impression of Jesus from The Big Lebowski. They even sell towels to shine your ball if you’ve forgotten your prop at home.

Midtown Bowl, 1936 Piedmont Circle. 404-874-5703. Daily, 9 a.m.-3 a.m. www.midtownbowl.com.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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IT'S KOSHER: Steinbeck’s teams up with Shmaltz Brewing for a beer lunch, Sat., Jan. 17.

Your intrepid beer writer is recovering from an obscenely massive beer tasting, so you’ll have to be satisfied with some random tidbits of news and information this week.

Beer and Chocolate. Two great tastes that taste great together. Summits Wayside Taverns are having their annual Belgians, Barleywines & Bodacious Chocolates event this week, pairing the titular Belgians and barleywines, as well as some choice stouts and porters, with chocolates from Ghirardelli, Scharffen Berger, Lindt, El Rey, Valhrona and more. A full gourmet dinner is also included for $69.99 per person. Featured beers include Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, Lindeman’s Peche Lambic, Sweetwater Happy Ending Stout, Rogue Old Crustacean, and Hebrew Jewbelation, among others. The event takes place 7 p.m. tonight (Mon., Jan 12) at the Cumming location; Tues., Jan 13, 7 p.m. at the Snellville location; and Thurs., Jan 15, 7 p.m. at the Woodstock location. Call the individual stores for more information. (more…)

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Seasons Greetings: The 5 Seasons Westside promises to be a palace of good beer and food.

If you read the paper or watch the news, you are probably thinking that 2009 will be a year to survive rather than enjoy. This doesn’t have to be the case. If good beer makes you happy, there is much to look forward to, even before the first daffodils start popping up. Here’s a look ahead.

Terrapin’s Sweet Tooth. The fourth installment in the Terrapin Beer Company’s Side Project, Dos Cocoas, should be hitting stores soon. It is brewed with cocoa powder and aged on cocoa nibs. The chocolate theme continues at the 2nd Annual Wake-N-Bake Off, where participants incorporate Terrapin’s Wake-N-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout into a dessert recipe. The judging takes place at Aromas in Athens on Sunday, Jan. 25. Contact the brewery at 706-549-3377 for more information. (more…)

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HeBrew Jewbelation Twelve

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Saratoga Springs, NY
12% ABV

The final installment of this month’s big, black, high-gravity beer picks is this monster kitchen-sink anniversary ale from He’Brew. With 12 malts, 12 hops, and 12 percent alcohol, it is a mouthful. Caramel malts, herbal hops, and some molasses in the nose give little hint of the intense flavors within. The taste is full of burnt sugar, roasted malt, huge toffee, anise, chocolate and alcohol that is sort of like Kahlua on steroids. I searched desperately for some fruity elements and found a bit of black cherry and raisin, but this is more about charred malts and piney, resiny hops. Some baked grapefruit and brown sugar provide a juicy, quenching finish. Charcoal flavors and some hot fusel alcohol that burns the tongue give it a challenging drinkability. Full-bodied and sticky, with an oily mouth-coating bitterness, this is a big beer that would probably benefit from cellaring for a year or two. I really enjoyed last year’s Jewbelation 11. Did one more malt and one more hop variety push this one over the edge? Hell yeah. This one goes to 12!

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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BEST CELLAR: Adrian Dingle checks his cellar inventory

I suppose we all mellow with age, and it is no different for beer. While the value of aging wine and spirits has long been recognized, typical pale lagers are meant to be served fresh (as Budweiser will no doubt tell you), so most people never consider the possibilities of cellaring beer. However, with an increasing number of breweries producing high-alcohol beers, spiced seasonals and kitchen-sink anniversary ales, the opportunities are everywhere to sock some beers away for a year or two to mellow out the alcohol hotness, take some of the bite out of any harsh hop bitterness, and allow the complex flavors to comingle. (more…)

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Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY

10% ABV

In keeping with this month’s somewhat accidental Beer Pick theme of thick, black, potent beers, this week’s pick is Brooklyn’s luscious take on the Russian Imperial Stout. Like the Baltic porters, these stouts were brewed in Britain for export to the Baltic states and Russia, where they were reportedly a favorite of Catherine the Great. As a woman of legendary appetites, she favored the strong roasted malt bitterness and alcoholic strength. This one knocked me back at first, and I struggled with the burnt flavors and astringent bitterness. However, I found that I had made a rookie mistake in not letting the beer warm up a bit. Straight from the fridge, the chocolate-y notes and pruney sweetness are muted, leaving only the bitter edge. Gradually the more complex notes of chocolate-covered espresso beans, licorice candy, soy, and molasses emerge. The obvious alcohol hits in the nose and in the dark rum-like finish, warding off the cold. Viscous and smooth on the tongue with a long lingering bitterness, this is a big beer that demands respect. For such a potent brew, it is also a relative bargain at $10.99 a six-pack, so if you think Guinness is for wussies, this one’s for you.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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It’s that time of year where we reflect on the past 12 months and consider what happened and whether it was good or bad. Oh, and we make a bunch of lists. Here are mine:

Best of 2008

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron. Aged in a giant vat constructed of Palo Santo wood, a dense aromatic wood from Paraguay that is more commonly used for wine, this strong brown ale has a remarkable vanilla-oakiness and a deep, roasted malt character. Building the 10,000 gallon tank, the largest wooden beer vessel built in the United States since Prohibition, proved to be its own special challenge. Procuring such a large amount of the wood was difficult since there are few large pieces, and it is over three times as hard as oak, dulling saw blades and defying nails and screws. It’s an interesting story, but how does it taste? Terrific. Like a great single-malt whisky, it seems to draw out the earthy, woody essence of the roasted malt. Herbal elements of licorice, tobacco and coffee bean are held aloft by a raft of softly sweet vanilla, molasses and cherry. Warm without being boozy, and delightfully complex, it is a treat to have it in the regular rotation from Dogfish Head. (more…)

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Traquair House Ale
Traquair House Brewery
Peebleshire, Scotland, UK
7.2% ABV

The Traquair House is the oldest continually-inhabited residence in Scotland dating to 1107. It was owned by the Scottish Crown before passing to the Earls of Traquair. It is still occupied by the descendants of the Maxwell Stuart family. A brewery operated out of a separate building in the 18th century producing beers for the house and staff. It was abandoned for some 150 years before being revived by Peter Maxwell Stuart, 20th Laird of Traquair, in 1965. It is currently managed by Stuarts daughter, Catherine Maxwell Stuart and produces 600-700 barrels of beer annually, including the flagship House Ale, a subtle “Wee Heavy” with a not so subtle 7.2% ABV. Rich, peaty malts, powdery carob, and burnt caramel dominate the front end, with raisin and fig notes midpalate. Herbal flavors of anise, eucalyptus, and vanilla gradually emerge, along with a sherry-like alcohol. A citric tartness and mineraly tang builds slowly in the finish. The thinnish body and gentle carbonation make it an easy drinker, but this authentic ale rewards reflective sipping, and at about $5 for an 11.2 oz. bottle, it is a bit pricey to be throwing them back.

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If you have a beer aficionado on your gift list this year, be it your significant other, friend, or boss, you have lots of great gift options from the extravagant to the modest that will be sure to put a smile on his or her face. Here are some ideas to get you started.
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Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, NC
9.0% ABV

Baltic porters have their origin in the export trade between Great Britain and the Scandinavian and Eastern European ports of the Baltic Sea. They were brewed with extra strength and robustness to travel well and satisfy the market demand for bold beers in the frigid winters of Sweden, Finland, and the eastern states of Russia. Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter is brewed in eastern North Carolina for the relatively balmy markets of the Southeastern United States, but is still appreciated on a chilly winter night. Pouring an inky, opaque black with a creamy, mocha-colored cap of foam, this American version boasts a rich aroma of coffee and blackstrap molasses. The roasted coffee carries over into the taste, but shares equal billing with a smooth dark chocolate and burnt caramel. Some dark berry and raisin fruitiness emerges briefly, but the sweetness is nicely countered by an herbal, licorice, and Brazil nut bitterness. There’s a pleasant, lingering piney resin in the long finish. The alcohol is evident but not overwhelming, making its presence known in the cheek-flushing warmth that banishes any chill. This one is disappearing quickly, so pick some up if you see it.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Péché Mortel (Mortal Sin)

Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!

St-Jérôme, Quebec, CAN

9.5% ABV

This Imperial Coffee Stout from Quebec’s acclaimed brewpub turned microbrewery has generated intense buzz among beer geeks since it has been penetrating U.S. markets, and with its hefty ABV and fair trade coffee infusion, it generates a pretty good buzz in just about anyone. Produced in 50-barrel batches only 4 times a year, it is a rare find that disappears quickly from beer stores shelves. If you like strong coffee and you like stouts, do yourself a favor—ignore the $5 per bottle price and pick up one or two for your next special occasion. Be sure to let it warm for 20 minutes or so on the counter to cellar temperature (about 55 degrees).

Péché Mortel pours an impenetrable black with a creamy, mocha-colored head of dense foam. The aroma is a dead ringer for a perfectly brewed cup of espresso with a hint of alcoholic burn. There’s more deep roasted coffee in the taste, along with a rich, dark chocolate flavor and bitterness. Layers of malt complexity emerge with each sip, mingling with spicy rum-soaked black cherry and whiskey notes. The creamy mouthfeel carries the chocolate and coffee bitterness deep into the finish, lingering like the finest truffle candy. If this is mortal sin, then I am going straight to Hell. Oh, yeah!

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Our Special Ale
Anchor Brewing Company
San Francisco, CA

Anchor’s Christmas ale is one I look forward to every year. Although the recipe changes each year, the evergreen hops and winter spices always evoke the best holiday memories. The dark walnut color with garnet highlights and sparkling clarity are typical hallmarks, as is the one-of-a-kind aroma of spruce, allspice, nutmeg and clove. A brown sugar, cola-like base props up the spices. A balanced palate of rich, earthy spices, toffee, chocolate, cherry, spruce tips, juniper, molasses, and a hint of vanilla cascade from beginning to end. The body seems a bit lighter than in years past, with a spicy tingle and a dry, crisp mouthfeel. There’s some orange zest and a piney bitterness in the finish, along with some drying alcohol. This is an iconic holiday beer and is perfect with any kind of meal or with dessert afterward. Aromatic, warming and clean, with just enough sweetness to complement the herbal potpourri.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Harvest Wet Hop Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Chico, CA
6.7% ABV

Sierra Nevada’s annual wet hop ale is in stores now in 24 oz. bottles that sell for about $5, a relative bargain. Made from hops that are shipped overnight from the Yakima Valley in Washington to the brewery in Chico for the ultimate in harvest freshness, these yearly special releases are a real treat for hopheads. This year’s version will please malt lovers too, with a soft, toasted-malt character and a hint of caramel. Hop bitterness is relatively restrained. The pine and citrus qualities of the iconic American Cascade hop are evident of course, along with some earthy, floral elements. The mouthfeel is satisfying, with a solid body and a dry, crisp finish. Although it lacks the leafy, oily, mouth-coating hops of the best harvest ales, this is a well-balanced and rewarding American ale.

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Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn, NY
5.2% ABV

Brewed in a Vienna style with American malts and mix of German and American hops, Brooklyn Lager pours amber gold, with a nice 1-finger head that sticks around and leaves some spotty lacing. The German hops give off a nice floral, spicy aroma, while the toasty malts are clean and just slightly sweet, with a buttered toast quality. There’s a grassy hop presence throughout and a solid hop bitterness. The Cascade hops contribute a hint of citrusy lime. The body is medium-light with a gentle carbonation, and the dry, bitter finish leaves no off flavors. Beautifully balanced and drinkable, this is, indeed, a great American lager. If it had been around in my college days I would have polished off pitchers of this stuff.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Gamma Ray
Terrapin Beer Company
Athens, GA
11% ABV

Terrapin’s latest Side Project is an ambitious one. A wheat wine is similar to a barleywine, but with a large addition of wheat for a lighter body and a spicier flavor. Terrapin’s version also adds a large portion of honey, giving it a mead-like strength and a boost of floral esters. The aroma of the Gamma Ray is as intoxicating as the liquid in the glass: a perfume-like mélange of lavender, white pepper, bananas, bready yeast, and orchard fruits. The taste is honey-sweet on the tongue, with a grainy, wheat taste emerging in the middle. Booze-soaked tropical fruits mix with lemon and spice for a breezy but potent cocktail of pineapple, kiwi, ripe apple, cherry, honeysuckle nectar, banana, clove, white pepper, ginger, and bubblegum. Super smooth and creamy, with a slick, almost oily feel upfront, it becomes tongue-tickling and fruity as the carbonation releases on the swallow. Remarkable drinkability for its body and strength. Gamma Ray would pair perfectly with pungent cheeses, nuts, and bright fruits, perhaps together in a salad of bitter greens. One of the best beers yet from Terrapin.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Duck-Rabbit Wee Heavy Scotch Style Ale
Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Farmville, NC
8% ABV

Is the duck wearing the tam on his head, or the rabbit wearing it on his nose? While you ponder that deep philosophical quandary, consider the deep chestnut color and ruby highlights. Note the head that quickly fades under the weight of the malts. Heavy, yes? Sherry-like alcohol and dried, dark fruits, like prune and fig, greet the nose, while a big blast of caramelized sugar and toffee lead the flavor profile. Herbal tones of vanilla, anise, wet tobacco, and eucalyptus are present as well. Some boozy fruits come in toward the middle, with some apricot, cherry, and dark berry notes. A spicy bitterness and juniper tang hold up the back end, barely cutting through the full-bodied, mouth-coating malts. This is a true warmer, and might benefit from cellaring to take the edge off the alcohol. It would be great on the ski slopes if you could figure out how to tote it. Or save it for the hot tub back at the lodge.
(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Ale to the Chief
Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, CO
8.75% ABV

Dubbed a “Presidential,” rather than “Imperial,” pale ale in honor of American democracy, Avery’s election year tribute beer was originally to be released for the Inauguration in January, but the excitement of the race has pushed the schedule forward a few months, proving that opportunistic marketing is alive and well in the craft beer segment. Due to its popularity, a second batch will be bottled next month. I plan to have a few on hand for the Inauguration, and for once I may have something to celebrate. Ale to the Chief pours a deep, orange gold with a thin, clingy head that beads ups nicely to show off its strength. The aroma is of floral, citrus hops and toffee malt, with a hint of yeastiness. The taste is spicy on the tongue, but with a complex malt sweetness from dark Munich and honey malts. An underlying fruitiness is evinced by apricot, orange pith, and grapefruit flavors. Magnum hops deliver a solid bitterness throughout, with a sharp alcohol in the nose. The mouthfeel is full but crisp, with a dry finish from the hops and alcohol.

(Photo by Jeff Holland)

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Stone Smoked Porter
Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, CA
5.9% ABV

Stone’s Arrogant Bastard draws the most attention, thanks to its cocky attitude, but don’t overlook this sultry gem that is brewed with a portion of peat-smoked malt. The aroma of this nearly black ale is an intoxicating blend of fresh-ground coffee, smoke, earth and leather. The coffee is not as prominent in the taste, with roasted malts, bittersweet chocolate, mild smoke, and earthy peat dominating. The Chinook and Mt. Hood hops provide a low-key herbal, woody counterpoint that evokes cedar, anise, and caraway. Creamy and smooth upfront, the finish is a bit tingly and lingers nicely. The solid carbonation keeps the medium-full body from feeling heavy. This flavorful ale would pair nicely with a rich, fruity dessert or a good cigar.

(photo courtesy Stone Brewing Company)

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Weihenstephaner Korbinian
Brauerei Weihenstephan
Freising, GER
7.4% ABV

I enjoy a dry, toasty Oktoberfest as much as the next stein-hoisting temporary German, but my favorite fall beer is still a rich, nutty dopplebock. Weihenstephan is the self-proclaimed oldest brewery in the world, and they know a thing or two about perfection. This “dunkles starkbier” (dark strong beer) is loaded with malty goodness, embedding flavors of chocolate, mild coffee, soy, and raisin bread into a beer brewed with only four ingredients. An earthy, herbal bitterness is the only hint of hops, but this autumnal brew is all about the malt. Like an artisanal bakery on a rain-soaked November day.

(photo by Jeff Holland)

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Dernière Volonté
Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
St. Jerome, Quebec, CAN
6.5% ABV

This abbey-style blond ale from north of the border is a crisp, spicy, refreshing beer that shows a thorough understanding of the best characteristics of a Belgian ale. The color is a cloudy, dull gold from the yeast added for bottle fermentation. The aroma is a lovely mélange of Belgian yeast, flower, and spice. The taste follows the nose closely with some lemony tartness, white pepper, and coriander. Some fruitiness is present as well, with apple, pear, and a hint of green banana. The pale malts are merely propping up the hop and yeast flavors with some light grains and honey sweetness. The body is well-attenuated and dry throughout, with a lively, refreshing mouthfeel. The finish is clean and tart. If you haven’t tried it, sneak this one in before the warm weather ends.

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