Beer review: Left Hand Brewing Company Oktoberfest Marzen

I selected Left Hand Oktoberfest Marzen Lager this week for my beer review and photography project because Oktoberfest is just around the corner and I really enjoy Left Hand beers.  When the new packaging caught my eye, I couldn't walk away without taking one home to try.

Beer: Marzen Oktoberfest
Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO.
Style: Marzenbeir Oktoberfest Lager

Tasting Beer can be a bit like tasting wine in that there are different ways to experience and describe beer, but it does not need to be complex, too serious or intimidating. Here is one idea of how to approach a beer tasting and reviewing.

Appearance: This beer pours a gorgeous clear copper hue with a rather shy buttery roasted almond colored head that settled quickly leaving only the faintest ring of foam around the glass.
Smell: I smell roasted caramel malts, light molasses, tart red cherries, clove, orange peel with very little hop aroma.
Taste: Bready and roasted malts are what I taste first, followed by slightly sweet orange peel undertones and spicy clove with a crisp clean yet subtle, dry, hop finish.
Mouthfeel: This beer has a light to medium body with a clean, dry finish. I thought that the carbonation was a little lacking, but would love to taste this beer on tap.
Drinkability: I found this beer is rather drinkable. I could see a full day of Oktoberfest celebrations, traditional German food and an armful of this Oktoberfest Marzen.
Rating: I enjoyed this beer, but expected just slightly more body and carbonation. Overall, I was pleased with this beer and would easily recommend it to a beer lover, especially in the late summer.
Final Words: Descent beer, great brewery.

*Welcome to week 38 of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. PROST!

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin 

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Beer Review: St. Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Abbey Ale

This week I selected Abt 12 from Brouwerij St. Bernardus for my beer review and photography project because I have been waiting to try this beer for far too long.  I have a growing love of Belgian beer and am stoked to learn more about their unique style and share my photography and ideas about this beer.  Please be invited to follow this project and blog as well as share your opinions of the beer or beer review in the comments below.

Beer: St. Bernardus Abt 12 Belgian Abbey Ale 10.5%ABV
Brewer: Brouwerij St. Bernardus
Style: Belgian Duppel Ale

Tasting Beer can be a bit like tasting wine in that there are different ways to experience and describe beer, but it does not need to be complex, too serious or intimidating. Here is one idea of how to approach a beer tasting and reviewing.

Appearance: This beer pours a hazy, dark toasted, apricot brown color with a lofty, light tan head that receded to leave moderate, patchy lacing.
Smell: Spicy and fruity yeast, light molasses, ripe peaches, a modest piney perfume and a hint of young raisins and clove round out the bouquet of this Quad Ale.
Taste: This beer tastes of bright and slightly sweet flavors of fig, brown sugar, sweet and spicy belgian yeast as well as a hint of white pepper and delicious dark roasted malts with a long bittersweet finish.
Mouthfeel: This Quad is a medium to full bodied beer with a deliciously cream mouthfeel.  The adequate carbonation displays this precariously balanced beer beautiful.
Drinkability: Despite the alcohol, this beer is remarkably drinkable. This could quite possibly be the perfect 'rant' beer. Just enough to get you going yet drinkable enough to keep you going.
Rating: Awesome. I am looking forward to buying a few more large format bottles of this delicious Quad, a few for late summer back yard bbq's and a few for aging as this is a perfect cellar beer.
Final Words: If you see this, grab it. At $12 for 25.4 oz, this is a value at twice the price. Either to age or share with friends and enjoy with food, this is a great beer.

*Welcome to week 37 of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. CHEERS!

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin

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Beer vs. Wine Dinner at TAG photos and review

Craft Beer and Wine went head to head, for rights at the 'Head of the Table.'  Round two of TAG's Beer vs. Wine Dinner last night was an incredible matchup.

The creatives at TAG invited Doug Krenik, Master Sommelier, and Bryan Baltzell, beer expert at Great Divide, to pair their respective beverages with carefully crafted cuisine by Executive Chef Troy Guard and his team at TAG, and allow the pairings to be judged by the audience.  What was the outcome of the second Beer vs. Wine dinner?  This year's dinner ended with a complex result.  If the votes where tallied by courses, it would be a straight tie, 2-2, but, if the votes where tallied in total, Beer would have won with 70-68 votes. 

Both Master Sommelier Doug Krenik and Bryan Baltzell from Great Divide Brewery came to the throw down prepared to present fantastic pairings and put them to the test.  Both were incredibly knowledgeable, and each argued for their pairings while enjoying their competitors offerings.  In the end, there was a lot of synergy with both of the wine and the beer and how each was uniquely paired and enjoyed side by side.  I think that the vote shows that both wine and beer lovers' knowledge and understanding are growing with each of these unique dinners and guest are leaving with new found appreciations for both beer and wine. 

Rather than answer the question of Beer or Wine, this dinner may have raised a question of its own, Can you enjoy Beer and Wine side by side?  Maybe next year's Beer vs. Wine dinner will take pairings to the next level and answer my question, and can we pair wine, food and beer all together for the ultimate pairing?

Please click on the slideshow link to see food and beverage images from the dinner.

Article and photography by Ryan Conklin

Lime, Cinnamon, Cranberry Simple Syrup

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, if you are still looking for something unique and fun to add to the celebration, my Cinnamon, Cranberry Simple Syrup is just what you are looking for.  This 15 minute preparation is a fun and easy recipe that is sure to add a little Thanksgiving flavor to all of your favorite cocktails. 

Lime, Cinnamon, Cranberry Simple Syrup
Time to Prepare: 15 min
Time to Cool: 30 min

Ingredients:
1 c. water
1 c. white sugar
2 c. washed cranberries
2 sticks cinnamon
zest of one lime (try to minimize the white pith just under the outer peel as this part of the peel can impart overwhelming bitterness)

Stir all ingredients together over medium heat and simmer for 11 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand to cool. When cool, strain out solids and store syrup in refrigerator for up to one month. 

(The remaining sweetened cranberries should not be discarded as they can be used to garnish a delicious cocktail recipe or be a good addition to the Thanksgiving dinner table as a sweet cranberry relish. Remove the cinnamon sticks and lime zest before serving.)

Cranberry Spice Margarita

•  2 oz favorite Tequila blanca
•  juice of 1 juicy lime
•  (splash) 1/2 oz Limeade or Margarita Mix (splash)
•  (splash)1/2 oz OJ
•  3/4-1 oz cranberry cinnamon syrup

Garnish is a mixture equal parts coarse salt, white sugar and cinnamon to rim the serving glass.
Build over ice, shake, rim glass with garnish. Pour shaken Cranberry Spice Margarita into glass rimmed with white sugar, ground cinnamon, and coarse salt, garnish with a lime wedge and serve.

Cranberry Spice Cosmo

•  3 oz Absolute citcron vodka
•  (splash) 1/4oz lime juice
•  3/4 oz Cranberry Spice Simple Syrup

Glass garnish is a mixture equal parts white sugar and cinnamon to rim the serving glass.
Build in a shaker, serve in chilled martini glass garnished with sugar and cinnamon and a lime wedge.

Cinacran and Bourbon

•  2 oz Favorite Bourbon
•  3/4 oz Cranberry Spice Simple Syrup

Build over ice, shake, serve in a bucket glass.
Garnish with lime.

Here are a few more ways that this cranberry cinnamon syrup can be used.
Mocktails/Non-Alcoholic Drinks

•  CinaCran Lime/Lemonade
•  CinaCran and 7
•  CinaCran and Soda

Cocktails

•  Spiced Cranberry Lemon Drop
•  Spiced Cranberry Hot Whiskey
•  Absolute Citron, soda - spiced CinaCran Syrup
•  CinaCran Bay Breeze/Sea Breeze

Beer tasting week 3 - 52 beers 52 weeks

Week: 3
Category:  Black Beer
Beer: Shiner Bohemian Black Lager
Brewer: Spoetzl Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier

Appearance: Dark with a thin tan head that quickly vanished leaving a slight lacing.
Smell: Roasted malts, carmel and hints of coffee.
Taste: Initial notes of malts, bitter dark chocolate and carmel, yet remarkably crisp
Mouthfeel: Noticeably light and dry, yet carbonation keeps things lively.
Drinkability: Seriously a session beer if you enjoy the dark varieties.
Rating: Smooth drinkable and relatively inexpensive and available. This beer is not loaded with complexities, yet there is still enough going on here to enjoy a few of these brews with some friends. This beer won't make my favorite list, yet I will return to this black lager.

Welcome to week three of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. Cheers!

Beer tasting week 2 - 52 beers 52 weeks

Una birra, per favore!

Week: 2
Category:  Birra from Italy
Beer:  Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Brewer:  Birra Peroni Industriale
Style:  European Pale Lager

Getting down to business...

Appearance:  Pale golden in color, short white head
Smell:  Light lemon and skunked hops
Taste:  light, smooth, a little skunky with residual sweetness ( from corn)
Mouthfeel:  Crisp and carbonated, medium lager-style body
Drinkability:  Highly drinkable

Rating:  First words, drinkable, yet boring.  I give this beer a middle of the road review and leave you with these words.  If this is what you have or what is on sale, serve it cold and enjoy what it offers, otherwise go with another selection.
Welcome to week two of my beer examination, I hope that you take the opportunity to try this beer and share your opinions here. If you are new here, please see what 52/52 is all about. Click on the links throughout the article for an opportunity to learn more about beer and beer tasting. Salute!

GIN DROP

Curious to try something new when you go out or looking to impress your friends when you stay in? Unsure where to start? Don't want to go over the top, but you do want something unique, try out this earthy and refreshing cocktail. It marries the traditional pairing of fresh lime and a delicious Gin, with a hint of some sweetness.  You can ask your bartender to make this if he has time, but he surely won't have heard of it yet. 

Gin Drop

Build in a shaker full of Ice

• 3oz Gin ( Tanquery, Hendrick's,  Bombay Saphire)
• Juice of half of a juicy lime
• 1/2 oz of watermelon pucker ( more if you like)
• Shake and serve as one martini or as two to three shots.

For Home Bartenders, this is an awesome recipe to add to your bag of tricks because most good home bars will already have everything for this recipe except the Watermelon Pucker, which is both cheap and readily available in most liquor stores in full bottles or in tiny airplane bottles for the non-comital type. It is nice NOT to have to buy a bunch of new ingredients just to try a new drink, and it also nice to acquire a new cocktail for your bar at home for less than the cost of one at the pub.