Friday, August 27, 2010

Drinking Beer: What else is there to do in Finland (apart from reindeer hunting)?

Hey Guys,

Beer's such a fascinating topic because, like many other great products such as music, art, and wine, it comes from all over the world and has so much room for innovation and accent. Two weeks ago, I dropped a review on a Danish-style ale brewed in Orange County CA. California beer may be my specialty, but I see so much diversity in brewing within the state itself. Like other key states of the Craft Beer Movement, we're seeing microbreweries turn classic beers from other regions of the world into revamped beer offspring. Go to a BevMo or a beer tasting and you'll see what I mean. Coastal wheats, California pale ales, and fruit-inspired beers are just a few examples of what's taking place not only in the massive US, but also in concentrated beer hubs such as the New England/mid-Atlantic region, Oregon, Colorado, Northern California, San Diego, etc. 

That said, I have done some exploring with lesser known beers from around the world, such as the Christmas ale that I believe inspired The Bruery's "Rugbrød" ale, which have gotten some big players in craft brewing to start scratching their beards. In this entry, I talk a little bit about a signature Finnish beer type known as sahti. Being a lesser known brew from a lesser known country, I am not surprised that its popularity in the American craft beer industry does not come to mind. However, I'm sure there are breweries out there investigating its properties and seeing what they can do to generate some interest from the American palette. For example, Dogfish Head brewery has already issued their own sahti. You can watch a great behind-the-scenes video here

The particular sahti I went after comes from the Kataja brewery; I am unsure as to where this brewery is located in Finland. Upon first pour, you'll notice that the beer pours out no defined head. As assumed, the carbonation of the beer is very low, allowing it to come off as more of a juice. Even when you look at it, you think to yourself "that can't be beer" because it looks more like an unfiltered dark apple juice. Regarding its taste, you will be surprised by the potpourri of flavors hitting your tongue. It's an unusual bombardment that I only can characterize as a liquid flower bed fused with a sour ale or cider. The beer is very complicated for my tasting experience, so I cannot give out the flavors confidently. That said, I did my research and found it interesting that the beer is commonly brewed with a strong use of juniper. It would be logical to an American beer drinking to see something like this more present in a hoppy ale, one that called for a kick to a higher level of carbonation. I cannot give a definitive conclusion about this beer other than that if you like skunky, sour tasting  beer and want to give Finland's finest a shot, I will not shake my head at you. I appreciate this beer for its cultural uniqueness, though I do not see myself purchasing it again. I will look into shati another time, but for now it's off to my fridge for a bottle of Unibroue Maudite. The glass is half full.

Cheers lads and ladies!
Pink

Friday, August 13, 2010

California Beer in Chicago

Hello Everyone!

Well, I'm not going out on a limb to say it has been a while, but I wanted to post another entry and hopefully continue to stick with my blog here once in a while. What inspired me to get back on the blog? Honestly it's a secret, but I can assure you that I have the best intentions when it comes to getting back to the business of expressing my love for beer! I was at a Binny's in Chicago today and stumbled upon the best of both worlds...a Danish-style ale brewed in California! So here's a little about the "Rugbrød" ale from the Placentia, CA (SoCal) brewery "The Bruery." Jordan, my brother and fellow DIS alum, this one's for you.



"Rugbrød" is the Danish word for rye bread. Rye bread plays an integral role in the diet of the Danes, particularly in the Danish sandwich, the "smørrebrød;" this is an open-faced sandwich that can contain a wide variety of meat, fish, vegetables, spreads, etc. Orange County's "The Bruery" has created a rye-inspired beer that shares a couple characteristics with its solid form. Their Rugbrød ale is a dense, but not overwhelming ale that works well with not only what food it complements, but also the time of year it can be consumed. It's 90 degrees in Chicago, so although it's not an ideal time to conquer this Great Dane, it's great to give it a shot with some beef and gravy. Such a dish would go well with dark rye bread, and in this case the liquid substitution is just as effective. You really get a punch of caramel malt, allowing the ale to finish more like a mellower English bitter. 

This beer also works great as a "Julebryg," or Christmas-time beer, as it is darker than most Danish pilsners or common summer/early autumn beers. In Germanic and Nordic countries, it is very common for breweries of all shapes and sizes to release beers that reflect the change in weather and the lingering interest toward Christmas. For example, Denmark has an unofficial "Jule Dag" in early November that denotes the issuing of the various Christmas beers; it's quite an exciting time, that is, if you can catch a pub that still has such a brew on tap! The Bruery's Danish concoction is not as heavy in spices as a typical holiday-season beer, but it will surely not disappoint your palette. I see this more of an October/November beer, one that will draw your attention from the pumpkin ales and the heavy porters/stouts (not that I don't LOVE those beers). So once again, check out The Bruery's selection at this URL 

All in all, I'm not blown away by the brew itself, though I do admire The Bruery's effort to tap into one of beer's sacred markets. The glass is half empty: go out and fancy yourself a bottle! 
 In addition, I will be trying out a Finnish beer brewed in the "sahti" style. This will be a lighter beer but will have a strong presence of juniper. I'm stoked, but in the meantime, I have to finish my bottle of Danish-inspired deliciousness. 
All the best,
Pink