NanoBryg rss syndication » Items by Matt

Some Bull

Posted: January 22nd, 2012, 5:11am CET by Matt

Beer Goggles?

Posted: December 24th, 2011, 1:36pm CET by Matt

Marriage Secrets

Posted: December 9th, 2011, 3:22pm CET by Matt

Barrel-Aging

Posted: November 26th, 2011, 2:45pm CET by Matt

A Dark Love

Posted: October 29th, 2011, 9:07pm CEST by Matt

Baby Brewing

Posted: September 24th, 2011, 8:43pm CEST by Matt

Ode to the Harvest

Posted: September 10th, 2011, 10:13pm CEST by Matt

Widmer Brothers: More Than Just a Hef

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 4:56pm CEST by Matt

Widmer Brothers Brewing out of Portland, Oregon, has decided to show California their true beer colors—that is, that they are more than just the creamy yellow Hefeweizen we so often associate with the Widmer label. With their Explore Your Craft Tour, Widmer is setting the record straight.

Saturday’s event at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco was an eye-opening and flavor-savoring experience of the highest order. Teaming up with Draft Magazine, the event paired many of Widmer’s unknown (in California) beers with some delicious grub that left for long lines and satisfied smiles all around.

By his own admittance, Co-Founder of Widmer Brothers Brewing, Kurt Widmer, said that outside of Portland, the versatility of Widmer’s beers doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. Their Hefeweizen is a staple of the style, and anyone with a lemon wedge in the summer knows if they pick up a twelve pack, it will be money well drunk. But Kurt was approachable and adamant, and so were his beers, showing that Widmer Brothers has a lot more going on than many of us know.

Some of the highlights of the night included brown sugary ribs paired with a KGB Russian Imperial Stout, a smooth, dark offering that had the line of San Franciscans wrapped around into the dance floor for most of the night. Another popular table was the cebiche, fish and chips, clam chowder, and steamed mussels that paired wonderfully with Widmer’s Pitch Black IPA. A Reserve Galaxy Hopped Barleywine complimented an assortment of cheeses and fruits, while their Nelson Imperial IPA and Barrel Aged Brrrbon added some sweetness to the desert table. Upstairs, aside from a live artist painting for a silent auction for charity, were two beers that head brewer Doug Rehberg said are normally only found in their Portland pub. An India Wheat and a Raspberry Saison were great examples of Doug’s ability to brew unique beers with sophistication. Standing at well over six feet, Doug is a funny, knowledgeable representative of this popular northwestern brewery that really knows how to throw a party.

The night passed with lots of laughter and even some dancing as contemporary Americana band Buxter Hoot’n wailed away to the delight of hipsters and beer aficionados from all over the Bay Area. If Widmer did one thing on Saturday night, it was to show Californians that they are more than just a solid Hefewiezen, and perhaps remind us we should be searching out some of their other great labels where we can find them.

Summer Sun with a Hef

Posted: August 13th, 2011, 12:53pm CEST by Matt

It Goes Without Saying

Posted: August 6th, 2011, 2:39pm CEST by Matt

Beer Geekery

Posted: July 23rd, 2011, 6:49am CEST by Matt

Better in Bottle or on Draft???

Posted: July 15th, 2011, 10:12am CEST by Matt

Deep Thinking While Drinking

Posted: July 2nd, 2011, 9:59am CEST by Matt

The Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel Imperial Oatmeal Stout

Posted: June 27th, 2011, 5:08pm CEST by Matt

So this is what it says on the label:

This imperial oatmeal stout is brewed with one of the world’s most expensive coffees. Made from droppings of weasel like Civet cats the fussy southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries. Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Workers collect the bean containing droppings for Civet or Weasel coffee. The exceedingly rare civet coffee has a strong taste and an even stronger aroma.

So obviously I bought it.

Maybe I made the mistake of looking up what a Civet cat looks like just before my first sip. The nose is sharp and smoky at the same time (the beer, not the cat), and this pitch black beer pours with a thin orange head. The first impression you get is that it is a smooth imperial stout until all of a sudden you are hit by strong hickory spice. It is a sharp flavor that lasts with thick viscosity.

In the end, I didn’t really enjoy it, and didn’t even finish my pint (which has happened maybe twice in my life). The smokey, odd bitterness just took away too much of the beer and left me with a thick, sticky aftertaste I needed to wash down with—well, a different beer. I will say my buddy Chad drank the rest, saying it was okay because it was so different. If you’re looking for something different, and I mean different, this certainly is it.

Mikkeller

The Secret to Growing Hops

Posted: June 18th, 2011, 10:59pm CEST by Matt

Tension

Posted: June 12th, 2011, 1:02am CEST by Matt

The Grim Brewer of Hops

Posted: June 4th, 2011, 11:44pm CEST by Matt

Mikey the Hop

Posted: May 28th, 2011, 9:26am CEST by Matt

Mama

Posted: May 14th, 2011, 9:57pm CEST by Matt

Blame it on the Baby

Posted: May 7th, 2011, 2:07pm CEST by Matt

Permalink for 'Hop_Talk/2011/04/28/Matt%e2%80%99s_Big_Announcement'

Matt’s Big Announcement

Posted: April 28th, 2011, 6:29am CEST by Matt

I have an announcement to make, and it directly affects all of our readers. So….

Okay, so it might not be the royal wedding, but I do want to clue our readers into some changes with the web’s best comic strip, “Beef ‘n Beer,” namely, the name. I am changing the title of my comic strip “Beef ‘n Beer” to properly reflect the direction my characters have been taking for the last six months. As I myself have settled into married life and fatherhood, so have the characters of “Beef ‘n Beer.” Also, when I began the cartoon, my wife Alisa and I didn’t know what kind of baby we were going to have, so I guessed. I guessed wrong. Lilly has been our fictional child up until now, but in real life we had a boy, and his name is Lucio. Therefore, not only am I changing the title of the comic strip to HOMEBROOD, I am also changing Lilly to Lucio. I figure if I am going to make fun of a baby, it should be mine.

So don’t be confused at the new title, HOMEBROOD, and don’t think you’ve had too many beers when you see the baby is in blue onesies, even though you probably have. Say hello to Lucio, but don’t say goodbye to the same beer humor you’ve been used to.

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Get ‘Em Started Young

Posted: April 23rd, 2011, 9:05pm CEST by Matt

Spring Shopping

Posted: April 2nd, 2011, 9:44am CEST by Matt

Spring Shopping originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Spillage

Posted: March 26th, 2011, 11:37am CET by Matt

Spillage originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Play Date

Posted: March 12th, 2011, 3:45pm CET by Matt

Play Date originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Searching for Pliny- Finding an Angel

Posted: February 25th, 2011, 3:49pm CET by Matt

Searching for Pliny- Finding an Angel originally appeared on Hop Talk.

These last couple weeks I feel like I’ve exhausted my thumbs texting friends about beer. That isn’t to say I normally don’t have extensive beer conversations over text message, just not this many. You see, last week something very special happened in California: Pliny the Younger was released.

You may have heard of Pliny the Elder, a hugely popular Double IPA from Russian River Brewing, bottled and brewed year-round so that whenever you feel like a solid favorite, it is always around somewhere. However, the Elder’s younger nephew is quite a bit more elusive. Only released once a year, Pliny the Younger is eagerly awaited by those in the know, and swarmed upon like a liquefied Justin Bieber in a 12-year old girl’s birthday punchbowl. Really. Some bars get just one keg of Younger, which disappears in an hour or so.

In fact, Younger is so popular, most bars have a two beer limit, and only serve them in 10-ounce glasses. They do this partially because it is so popular, and partially because it quickly shoots down gullets at 11% ABV (of course, they also do it to rake in the dough).

So there I was, calling bars and texting friends for a week, trying to find what day what bar was getting the Younger, so I could show up, drink two, and move on to the next place for two more. Pliny the Younger is deceptively clear, crisp, and light for a beer at 11%. The nose is slightly floral, doesn’t carry much hop bomb to warn against such a wonderful, hoppy taste. The alcohol content is perfectly masked by the balanced bitterness, and you find yourself in that warm buzz of complete contentedness. It truly is a standard-bearer for Triple IPAs.

During last week’s search and seizure of Pliny the Younger, I also came across some other excellent beers. At Pyramid Brewery in Berkeley, their seasonal is the Outburst IPA, which to tell you the truth, tastes a lot like the Younger. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but the nice medium color and freshness from such a hoppy beer was pleasing in all the same ways. Like the Younger, there is something to be said for multiple dry hopping in this Imperial IPA. I’ve also been drinking Brown Shugga, by Lagunitas Brewing, at home- and at 9.99%, it is something you need to grab before it disappears, which it will soon. Take a virtual taste here, and then maybe you can decide what style Shugga belongs to.

But amazingly, the best beer I’ve had in the last couple weeks wasn’t the Younger. At The Bistro, in my hometown of Hayward, California, and friend introduced me to an angel. There was one bottle of Lost Abbey’s Angel’s Share left Thursday after work, and my buddy Dan put it in front of me and told me it was a beer I needed to try.

Try I did.

The Angel’s Share doesn’t simply have chocolate notes, or cocoa. It has an all-out fudge flavor balanced so well with the rest of the beer, it is like drinking a bitter slice of heaven- if the clouds in heaven are 12.5% alcohol. Aged for a year in bourbon or brandy barrels, this Strong Ale drips with dark caramel malt that emphasizes flavors of vanilla and oak. I had tried Lost Abbey’s Avante Garde before, but did not know they were so versatile a label. In fact, Lost Abbey is Port Brewing’s Belgian-style Label, whereas the Pizza Port beers are reserved for their California recipes. As if I couldn’t be a bigger fan of Port Brewing, the Angel’s Share absolutely blew me away. Miraculously, we talked the bartender into looking one more time to see if there were any left, and sure enough, he found one more 750 ml bottle. We drank it greedily, not even noticing they were getting ready to tap a new keg of Pliny the Younger. It was as if we were touched by, well…really good beer.

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A Wife’s Love

Posted: February 19th, 2011, 3:13pm CET by Matt

A Wife’s Love originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Beer Shower

Posted: February 12th, 2011, 8:34pm CET by Matt

Beer Shower originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Blasphemy?

Posted: February 5th, 2011, 10:36pm CET by Matt

Blasphemy? originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Drake’s First Fridays

Posted: February 3rd, 2011, 9:18pm CET by Matt

Drake’s First Fridays originally appeared on Hop Talk.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we’re pretty spoiled as it is. We have more breweries than we know what to do with. Not to mention we hear the rest of the country is cold right now—here it’s been upper 60s all week. But lets forget about the weather and focus on what’s important—the beer.

Just south of Oakland, San Leandro, California has a sweet brewery named Drake’s. They’ve been around for years, but unfortunately it is not open to the public. They brew their beer, bottle it, keg it, and send it out to be drained just as quickly. However, on the first Friday of every month, something special happens—they open their enormous doors and invite the public in for a look—and a taste.

Aside from the great beer poured by nice people, a $5 donation at the gates usually raises money for a local school. For $15, you get a Drake’s pint glass and three tokens, which are good for—you guessed it—three beers. You then buy tokens separately for $3.50.

Then there’s the beer. Oh, goodness, the beer.

I recently posted an article on Hop Talk about a Tasting of Holiday Beers XXII at Pacific Coast Brewery in Old Oakland. The winner of the event? Drake’s Jolly Roger (which I predicted by the way. Yes, I drink a lot of beer).

Not only has the Jolly Roger been hitting us hard with its Imperial Redness, Drake’s brews many hard-hitting selections which usually forces one to forgo purchasing those extra tokens after the three you get with the glass. I’ve gone to this event for the last two months, and amazingly, I still remember all the beers I ordered.

On the first Friday of December, I started with their Drakonic Imperial Stout, which I found to be brewed so smoothly, it could have fooled me into thinking it was a regular stout brewed around 5%—yet there was that kick lurking just below the surface, which of course meant it was almost 8.75% ABV. I followed it with a Jolly Roger 8%, which I’ve already praised, but have to reiterate the great hop nose. It is a well-balanced beer in every way. Then I had a Denogginizer—a favorite of a colleague of mine—hoppy hands down at 100 IBUs and 10%. No, I did not drive home.

A month later, I started with the Robosto Porter, coming in at 7%, it reminded me of Speakeasy’s Payback Porter, which is a high compliment from me. I followed that with Hop Salad, which you can chalk up to another awesomely named beer—drinking Hop Salad is like typing the word brewery—it just feels right. And I’m pretty sure I ended on their very popular 1500 Pale Ale.

Last time I checked, this Friday will be the first Friday of February. I guess the question now is: Can I make it three months in a row?*

(author’s note: Yes I did.)

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One of My Biggest Problems

Posted: January 29th, 2011, 10:31pm CET by Matt

One of My Biggest Problems originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Decisions, Decisions

Posted: January 15th, 2011, 10:12pm CET by Matt

Decisions, Decisions originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Life is Filled with Emotion

Posted: January 10th, 2011, 5:35am CET by Matt

Life is Filled with Emotion originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Christmas Conversation III

Posted: January 1st, 2011, 5:19pm CET by Matt

Christmas Conversation III originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Christmas Conversation II

Posted: December 26th, 2010, 12:37am CET by Matt

Christmas Conversation II originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Christmas Conversation

Posted: December 18th, 2010, 5:54pm CET by Matt

Christmas Conversation originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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A Tasting of Holiday Beers XXII

Posted: December 16th, 2010, 9:54pm CET by Matt

A Tasting of Holiday Beers XXII originally appeared on Hop Talk.

Last Saturday I attended Pacific Coast Brewery’s 22^nd Annual Tasting of Holiday Beers. It took place at Pacific Coast’s historic brewery in Old Oakland on a blustery day made blusterier by all the beer.

I went with four of my closest friends, all avid beer drinkers. We had been looking forward to the event for weeks. Fifteen beers were on the menu along with a ten-course meal that took place from noon to four. In short, it was set up to be everything a beer tasting should, and it did not disappoint.

The hundred people in attendance were given score sheets with 5 categories to score:

Prior to Taste
Aroma
In Mouth Feel and Taste
Drinkability
After Tasting.

There was a section at the end of each row for comments. Looking back now at my sloppily-scrawled, beer-stained scoresheet, I’m not sure what to make of some of the adjectives on there, but it’s all I have to go by, so here goes.

What struck our table early on was how different all the beers were. The styles ranged from Lagunitas’ Imperial Pilz Fusion IV to a Smoked Sour beer from Bear Republic. Anchor Brewing Company’s Our Special Ale had the most interesting nose with floral and licorice scents. It had a lot going on, but the early leader was Dogfish Head’s Theobroma (pictured with the salmon), neck-in-neck with Lost Abbey’s Gift of the Maji and Black Diamond’s Grand Cru. The experimental nature of the first round was interesting, and made for some curious expressions after multiple sniffs and tastes. We were truly tasting the newest, boldest products out there. It was just what we came for, and happily picked through courses of Lasagna and Salmon along the way.

The heart of the order (in my opinion) then followed. As a man who has given himself over fully to the double and triple-hopped IPA culture prevalent in today’s craft scene, the next three beers were my bread and butter. Drake’s Jolly Roger is an Imperial Red that hops along happily but maintains a solid red foundation. Rubicon’s Hop Sauce has a moderate nose and waits until it’s in your mouth before hitting you. Then there was Speakeasy’s “The Don”, coming in at 11.1%, this Triple IPA split for best beer at my table along with the Jolly Roger.

What came next was a string of excellent beers put forth from familiar names, including Pacific Coast’s own Holiday XXII Imperial Blue. Brewmaster Don Gortemiller’s Imperial Red had a fruity nose that finished the same, but with a pleasing bitterness throughout. Schmaltz R.I.P.A. On Rye was our waitress’ least favorite, but the favorite of a guy at the table near us. Another waitress wasn’t a big fan of Anderson Valley’s Black IPA, although I found it quite charming. My table on the whole was disappointed by some of the big names, like Dogfish Head and Stone’s Lucky Bastard, but we talked to others who had them near the top of their lists. All in all, that was the beauty of the event. With so many styles, and so many beers by so many great brewers, there was something for everyone.

Of course sorting it all out was the fun part. After 15 beers (not full pints, don’t worry), all anyone wanted to do was stand around and talk about beer. I even got to chat with Brewmaster Don himself, although he wouldn’t budge when I pleaded with him to start bottling Pacific Coast’s brew.

The five of us are already looking forward to Pacific Coast’s Spring beer tasting. They have had such success with the event, they now do it twice a year- in both Spring and Winter. Buy your tickets early, because it always sells out. Whether you can make it or not, the next time you are in Oakland, California, make sure to stop by and sample some of Don’s beers. He always has a half dozen of his own on tap, as well as 15 well-selected beers from the top names in the industry. In fact, if you go soon, you’ll get to sample the same 15 we did last Saturday.

What a great Saturday it was, and we left with full bellies and enormous, ABV-induced smiles. Just as it was beginning to rain, the five of us went back to my house where we continued tasting- this time my very own Pale Ale. It has matured nicely, and was solid and quite popular among my tasting panel. The beauty of beer tasting is the job never ends.

(check the Pacific Coast Brewery website to see the results, which should be up soon)

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Bear in bar

Posted: December 11th, 2010, 7:38am CET by Matt

A Bear Walks Into a Bar… originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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There Are Only a Few Things She Gets Mad About

Posted: December 5th, 2010, 4:07am CET by Matt

There Are Only a Few Things She Gets Mad About originally appeared on Hop Talk.

Beef ‘n Beer

by Matt Amaral

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Santa’s Private Reserve Ale

Posted: November 29th, 2010, 5:13pm CET by Matt

Santa’s Private Reserve Ale originally appeared on Hop Talk.

When Brian, the proprietor of my local beer specialty store down the street told me about Rogue Brewery’s Santa’s Private Reserve Ale, he described it like this. “I haven’t had it, but I’ve heard it’s like their Dead Guy Ale, but a little maltier.” That’s why I like Brian, even when he hasn’t had a beer, he still has something to say.

Usually I am wary of Christmas Specials in general. Just because you put Santa on something doesn’t make it any better- and it usually just makes it more expensive. But I think it is different with beer. In the beer world, the holidays just mean your favorite breweries are now mixing new recipes, hoping you will enjoy a new offering that will help you get through another holiday with the relatives. So with beer, I always look forward to what they are going to mix up come November.

Santa’s Private Reserve is a double-hopped Red. It has a nice, deep red color. Brian was also right, the malt comes through a bit more than in the Dead Guy. But comparing the two isn’t fair, as Dead Guy is a German Maibock and Santa is a Red Ale. In fact, it is a variation of their Saint Rogue Red, but with some interesting differences, such as being double-hopped, and a mystery addition of a hop called “Rudolph”, which is cool. Maybe we haven’t heard of it because the other hops won’t let it join in their drinking games.

Rogue makes such great beer that any addition to their extensive selection is always welcome as far as I’m concerned. Santa’s Private Reserve is one seasonal selection you won’t regret grabbing. That is the beauty of beer—unlike a fruitcake, or a sweater with an enormous snowflake on it—you are going to consume it gladly. Happy drinking.

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Beery Serious

Posted: November 27th, 2010, 4:12pm CET by Matt

Beery Serious originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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What Every Man Should Have

Posted: November 20th, 2010, 11:31pm CET by Matt

What Every Man Should Have originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Role Model

Posted: November 14th, 2010, 12:07am CET by Matt

Role Model originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Best Session Ever

Posted: November 6th, 2010, 9:43pm CET by Matt

Best Session Ever originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Beer Inception

Posted: October 30th, 2010, 10:55pm CEST by Matt

Beer Inception originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Beer or Baby

Posted: October 23rd, 2010, 10:45pm CEST by Matt

Beer or Baby originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Moonlight in the Mission and a Twist of Fate

Posted: October 20th, 2010, 2:19pm CEST by Matt

Moonlight in the Mission and a Twist of Fate originally appeared on Hop Talk.

By a twist of fate, I scored free tickets to the Giants playoff game at AT&T Park on Tuesday. So Monday night after work, I decided to hit The Mission District with my buddy Chad, who lives in San Francisco. We ended up in a bar called Gestalt, and were immediately impressed with their beer selection.

First I sampled Payback Porter from San Francisco’s own Speakeasy Brewery. It was honestly the best Porter I’ve had all summer- cocoa-y with a finish so smooth it was like a plane touching down on water. Chad had a Downtown Brown, a favorite here in Northern Cali. Then, while deciding on our second beer, the bartender told us the charming story of Moonlight Brewing.

He spoke of a man in Santa Rosa who still handles the daily operations of his Abbey Brewery. His abbey is small, but the demand for his beer is as large as can be. This guy grows his own hops on site, and only does 1000 barrels a year. He is Brian Hunt, the man behind the beer you can only get in kegs. In fact, Chad and I were lucky that night, because Brian’s beer is hard to find. We had heard of Death and Taxes, perhaps Moonlight’s most popular beer. I recalled a black lager with surprising lightness, but while I’ve drunk Death and Taxes a few times, I had never heard the story behind Moonlight Brewing.

Gestalt offered only one of Moonlight’s brews- Twist of Fate, a Bitter Ale. Of course Chad and I had to get it after hearing about such a regional commodity. Twist of Fate is a delightfully bitter beer. Bitter to the bone. It hits you in the mouth with all it’s got, and then, surprisingly it falls away just as quickly. The darkness of its red color makes you ready for something heavier, but like Death and Taxes, it leaves you with a crisp, light finish. It really was pleasant, and we passed the rest of the night with that comfortable feeling you only get with a good friend and good brew.

Perhaps we indulged a bit too much in the Mission under the light of the moon, because I didn’t feel too hot the next day for the Giant’s game. Good thing they won anyway.

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Bar Talk

Posted: October 16th, 2010, 9:36pm CEST by Matt

Bar Talk originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Waffles

Posted: October 10th, 2010, 12:22am CEST by Matt

Waffles originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Remembering Your Roots

Posted: October 2nd, 2010, 10:57pm CEST by Matt

Remembering Your Roots originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Romance

Posted: September 24th, 2010, 6:58pm CEST by Matt

Romance originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Date Night

Posted: September 17th, 2010, 6:24pm CEST by Matt

Date Night originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Berger vs. Al

Posted: September 10th, 2010, 11:30pm CEST by Matt

Berger vs. Al originally appeared on Hop Talk.

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Bison Brewing Chocolate Stout

Posted: September 7th, 2010, 12:35am CEST by Matt

Bison Brewing Chocolate Stout originally appeared on Hop Talk.

Bison Brewing of Berkeley California brews 13 beers, all of which are organic. They take pride in being Certified Organic, but they also take great pride in brewing great beers. I decided to check out their Chocolate Stout, which they proudly proclaim is brewed with cocoa.

The nose has a definite chocolaty feel, as does the lingering aftertaste. You get strong hints of coffee and a roasted finish that leaves the mouth with a caramel thickness that is not at all unpleasant. The Organic Chocolate Stout comes in at 5.0% ALC/VOL.

Evidently Bison uses cocoa powder in the mash, and it really comes through nicely without overpowering the smooth stout taste. Combine that with 5 different malts, and you have a stout on hand that tastes good, as well as feels good, being organic and all.

Bison Brewing in Berkeley is a leader in the emerging organic market we find springing up all over the West Coast. They take pride in buying their hops organically, and decreasing the pollution in our waterways (farming contributes to 70% of that pollution).

Buying organic is not a deal breaker for me. I enjoy any beer that is brewed with pride and complex flavors, but it is nice to know you can drink organic and not suffer in the taste category. On the contrary, Bison’s Chocolate Stout is an excellent stout that, as they claim on their website, “Is like Barry White’s voice in a bottle.”

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