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