DeGroen's DeMolition

Yes, as the e-mails have been saying for a while--and as I noted in my Baltimore column in Mid-Atlantic Brewing News--the brewpub formerly known as Baltimore Brewing Co. and later DeGroen's Grill is no more. The property was sold late last year for the development of a Fairfield Inn (Not Marriott, as some have said--already two of those downtown, although Marriott owns the chain).

No work going on this morning--for all I know, there was a "stop work" order because someone didn't have the right work permits in place. Supposedly the hotel plans must incorporate at least some of the facades of the older rowhouses (which once housed the BBC bottling line) into the new structure.

Tragically, there were a few (at least four) full-sized black BBC kegs in the rubble. I wonder if anyone has spoken up for the sign? (No, it won't fit in my car.)

Oxymoron of the Year?

I suppose this was the inevitable result of Baltimore's ban on smoking in pubs:

Birds of a Feather, Fells Point...

The sign at left says "SMOKE FREE: Smell and Taste the Difference."

Coming soon: Smoke-Free Barbecue, Smoke-Free Pit Beef, Smoke-Free Gouda, and Smoke-Free Rauchbock.

Cask Olivers Three Lions at Metropolitan

Normally, cask Wharf Rat beer is something I don't have to go out of my way for--I'm spoiled (though some Ringwood detractors would say "punished") by having it readily available at the two Wharf Rat bars and elsewhere in town. But a cask of the higher-gravity Three Lions (7.5%)? Worth a detour en route home.

Deep amber, surprisingly bright, nice head...... typical Ringwood nose but more alcoholic..... surprisingly good, noticeably tannic, woody with a bit of tangy and alcoholic bite. Nicely malty with a thick, sweetish body, but well balanced by an almost-Belgian bracing tartness. A chalky English finish, laced with hop resins. Cask adds more depth than usual for this beer (was tempted to say "another dimension", but the original draught is three-dimensional, so....)

Clipper City news

Got the latest news release from Clipper City Brewing Co.; a lot of the usual kind of news (Holy Sheet sold out; the Oxford Organic line is (re-?)introduced in April, 2008 Red Sky at Night slated for May release; so far $15,654 raised for war vets from the per-six-pack donation plan since last June), but one new feature coming in April: The company will still hold its usual twice-monthly Saturday tours, but in addition to the charging for the souvenir glass, they will also require advance reservations beginning in April.

Never underestimate the drawing power of "free beer".

Mead at Slate? Who'da Thunk It?

Those of you who know me well know that I'm a mead maniac as well as a beer fan. It's just so darned easier to get beer, and lots of varieties thereof, than meads.

So imagine my surprise to be looking at today's Washington Post and find a link, buried in an ad box in another column, to this piece in, of all online places, Slate. It's at least intriguing to consider, although I would argue vehemently against the author's proposition that mead has "terroir" and beer doesn't (hey, ever had a good Belgian beer? Or New Glarus' Belgian Red or Raspberry Tart? Or even Oxford Raspberry Wheat?). Also, there's a bit of "where has this fella been hiding that he just noticed mead?" And, as usual with Slate, the "comments" don't really invite any discussion, but are more individual rants. But I digress and defer.

I might also add to the piece by pointing out that the vast majority of meads consumed at "rennfests" (pointed out in the column) tends not to be of superlative quality--akin to giving folks Natty Boh as the "definitive" American beer. (Maryland's Renaissance Festival is particularly guilty of this, pouring a bulk product from Liganore that is roundly decried by anyone who has had any better mead such as Chaucer's or Lurghashall.)

The last of the Belgians from Max's?

Somehow I can't believe this.

If someone had, based on my experience last year with Cantillon beers at the Max's Belgian fest, had suggested that I would be ordering a full serving of the sourest of the sour, Cantillon Vigneronne (a 5.0% lambic whose name supposedly translates to "vinegar"), at my expense, I would have bet them untold sums of money. The last time I had it, for whatever reason, it was WRETCHED. A total abomination of sour stuff, akin to mixing Stella Artois and Japanese rice vinegar, with a dose of apple cider vinegar thrown in for flavor.

Now?

Faintly hazy golden, with the color, head, and aroma of good English/Normandy cider.... flavor is almost exactly that, akin to a dry, bracing Normandy cider with a malt backbone. THIS works. Now, why? I suspect that it's a combination of inactivity settling the yeast and anything else that was in solution, and some degree of oxidization working with what's left in the keg to mellow out the flavors. Now, comparing notes with others on this beer, half or more seem to think this is a new, improved version, and that last year's draft may have been "off;" one lambic specialist in this crowd thinks entirely the opposite--that THIS is oxidized and spoiled and that the original was more akin to white muscat grape champagne/brut. I'm still coming back to cider, maybe a touch of riesling grape or scuppernong (and if you know THAT grape, well, go to the head of the class). Now that I mentioned it, I can't get past that damn tannic and "foxy" grape flavor of scuppernong grape. Is it what they were aiming for? Is it spoiled? Who knows? All I know is, I went back for a second of what I formerly considered one of the most "repulsive" beers (if one could have called that malted battery acid I had before "beer") on the planet.

Surely further research is mandated.

Have our legislators gone NUTS?!?

Well, some would say that it's a prerequisite for wanting the job in the first place. That, or being nuts for power.

But can anyone--ANYONE--come up with a good excuse for THIS little bit of legislation?!?!?

HOUSE BILL 674

File Code: Alcoholic Beverages - Statewide Bills Crossfiled with: SENATE BILL 716

Sponsored By:

Delegates Schuler, Boteler, and Bromwell

Entitled:

Alcoholic Beverages - Home Brewing Instructor's Permit

---

Synopsis:

Establishing a home brewing instructor's permit; providing a permit fee of $250; authorizing the Office of the Comptroller to issue a permit to specified individuals; authorizing a permit holder to teach a client methods of brewing beer under specified circumstances; restricting the use of beer produced for specified purposes; prohibiting a permit holder from holding a specified license or other permit; and authorizing the Office of the Comptroller to adopt specified regulations.

*******************

There's more at the link.

Now, seriously, has anyone--ANYONE--heard of any rational reason for mandating the licensing of homebrewing instructors, aside from just another attempt to generate revenue? Just how many paid instructors ARE there?

And what is the fee for selling a homebrewing book? Or being a library with "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" on the shelf? Or having an instructional video on YouTube? Would they charge me if I gave away homebrewing books or supplies (as I have done), or even if I traded a surplus copy of Papazian's book for a beer (as I did earlier this month)?

UPDATE: The bill was withdrawn by its sponsors before committee deliberation on March 7th. More details to come in Mid-Atlantic Brewing News.

Fullers Vintage Ale 1998

Helping a friend celebrate his 50th birthday, decided to slip over in the ice (he has off from work today, was going to be brewing, but.....), so I brought over my bottle of Fullers Vintage Ale 1998. Bottle #81201 for any wonks who actually care....

Pours with a nice head that fades slowly, dark amber with a hint of haze.... nose of toffee, prunes, old oak, old yeast, maybe some Chinese spice or pepper? He says apples and black cherries, and mint..... no alcohol content listed on bottle or box. Bottle back label, hidden by box, says "Best Before End 2001"--oh, fine time to tell us that!

Fullers website says 8.5%. Also says:

"APPEARANCE

The beer has a great depth to its color, deep amber with a slight orangey-brown note.

AROMA
On the aroma, spices, cloves and floral, grassy notes come through all deriving from the hops. The malt character has a rich caramel flavor. The citrus fruit of this beer is like the peel of an orange. The Vintage Ale is like an orange liqueur and these warming alcoholic notes provide syrup like sweetness to the beer.

FLAVOUR
Upon tasting, the beer feels full in the mouth. The fruit notes come through onto the palate with cherries and pineapples noticeable. The hop notes found on the nose appear on the palate to give a spicy element to the beer. The citrus notes are present accompanied by caramel, coffee and biscuit notes from the malts.

AFTERTASTE
Vintage Ale is smooth in texture and in flavor. The balance of caramel, spicy and citrus hop flavors and the mellow warming effect of the alcohol help this beer to linger on the palate long after it has been savoured."

And now the Mahaffey's list--and is my face red!

Wayne just slipped me the list of what was ACTUALLY served:

#1 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
#2 Dominion Millennium
#3 Moylan's Old Blarney
#4 Weyerbacher Blitering Idiot
#5 Stone Old Guardian
#6 Avery Hog Heaven
#7 Victory Old Horizontal
#8 Great Divide Old Ruffian

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (*^_^*)

So for me it was Dominion versus Weyerbacher and Stone versus Great Divide, and Dominion versus Great Divide, and finally Dominion Millennium. I guess I know which beer I'm buying two sixers of tomorrow. (^_^)

My sincere thanks to Wayne and his upstairs barkeep Lori for their help in this ridiculously insightful blind tasting. Trust me, folks, if you want to learn about beer, have it poured for you "blind" with NO preconceptions whatsoever as to style, region, etc.!

Mahaffey's Great Barleywine Challenge

Okay, I'm here, but Wayne now claims it starts @ 18:30, not 18:00 as his e-mail says. And there's local WiFi and Mahaffey's secured wifi I can use. Gentlemen, start your palates!

(And why do I use 24-hour clocks? No, I wasn't in the military; I adjusted to the 24-hour clock that British Rail used when I was there in 1991, and never figured out how to set my digital watch back, so......)

Okay, he's serving 8 barleywines in a taste-off competition to best four, two, and winner, March Madness style. The beers are, in no particular order: Stone Old Guardian 11.2%, Avery Hog Heaven 9.2%, Victory Old Horizontal 11.0%, Great Divide Old Ruffian 10.2%, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 9.6%, Dominion Millenium 11.4%, Moylans Old Blarney 10.0%, and Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot 11.1%.

#1: bright, deep mahagony, hoppy-barleywine nose (well, duh)--fairly sweet, heavy body, rich mouthfeel, very hoppy but not quite SNBA, I don't think. I'm thinking Avery or Stone. Avery as a wild-posteriored guess for starts.

#2: a bit lighter in color but very hazy as real ale, yeasty nose with chewy promise. Dammit, this is a tough one.. very British in profile, somewhat chewy and sweet, with some light fruit notes and sugary/molasses tones, drying finish with alcoholic bite. I like 2 better than 1, but I'm guessing either Moylan's (which I haven't had) or Weyerbacher. The latter my concerted guess.

To go to the next round: I pick #2 easily.

By the way, stop worrying--they're pouring in small wine glasses. Maybe 3 oz. a sample. Classical music playing as we sip. Don't say this guy doesn't have class.

#3: bright amber (turn up the lights, dammit!), grapefruity nose throws the suggestion of Stone instantly. Aggressively hoppy with pine notes. As hoppy as I would expect Bigfoot to be, but my first guess is Stone Old Guardian, 95 IBUs.

#4: about the same color, nose of brown sugar with a hint of Belgian. Well-balanced but very sweet, smooth and creamy with lots of fruit--almost a "strawberries/cherries and cream" thing going. Based on the "cheat sheet" descriptions, I'm guessing Great Divide Old Ruffian, 90 IBUs.

Pick one for the next flight? I'm reluctantly saying #4.

Wayne is serving pretzels, cheddar, bleu cheese, and Ritz crackers. Wayne: "Bleu cheese and barleywine--they're incredible." I'm inclined to agree, even if I don't normally like bleu cheese.

#5: Hazy amber, sweet malt nose with a hint of whisky/smoke. ............ I dunno. My instant thought is Dominion Millenium or VOH, both my favorites in the category. But it's got a raw, yeasty and VERY alcoholic bite.

#6: a bit darker, best head retention so far. Hoppy hoppy joy joy, hoppy hoppy joy joy.... (any "Ren & Stimpy" fans reading this?)....... the taste HAS to be SN Bigfoot--the classic "hop tea and the burlap sack they came in" flavor, though if I were t disregard my preconceptions and throw SN aside, I'm guessing Stone. By comparison, #5 is English; #6 is raw California/Colorado aggression.

Do I like either better? The fact that I choose #5 reflects that I'm not the stereotype hophead. Oh, wait, I gotta guess a #5. Okay, Dominion Millennium. No, wait....... hmmm, neither VOH or DM seem to match this one, which doesn't seem quite 11%.... Okay, call it DM.

#7: seemingly darkest of all, good HR (head retention) but not that much nose to it. Big and fruity flavor, cut with a lot of bitterness and chewiness. Okay, IF I'm calling them right, I've got two left: Moylan's and VOH. Let's try....

#8: deep amber, vinous/barleywine/spirits nose..... it's biting, it's chewy, it's BIG.

Back to #7: this is sweeter, more approachable, but still with rough edges to shake you up. A rounder, more English balance. #8: aggressive, pushy American, with a honed hop edge. Or call it a cute brunette versus a redhead with attitude. Do I prefer one to the other? This is as close to a draw as I have--nicer or edgier? With a great deal of reservation, I pick 8. And yes, I'm willing to call #7 Moylan's and #8 Victory OH.

Okay, now for the second flight: 2 versus 4, 5 versus 8:

But first, a break: My palate-cleanser, besides water, has been Anchor Liberty, hazy golden, fruity hop nose, a malty golden ale with hints of pine and celery in the hop profile--maybe even a touch of watermelon texture to the hop flavor (okay, I just might be tipsy if I'm reaching for watermelon to describe hops, but it works--pine and chewy, spongy watermelon/mango....)....

#2: Malty, rich, full, a bare hint of old Snow Goose/Thomas Hardy's wet cardboard/malty kernels in the body and flavor. A bit of toothpaste mint prevalent in many fresh British barleywines.....

Okay, to be different, I've flipped over my original sheet, and I can't see what I wrote above on this screen, so it's the proverbial clean slate off the list........... Okay, it's Blithering Idiot.

#4 puts the wine in barleywine--sweet, rich, wine-like body (think a chardonnay).... I was calling this between GD and Stone's, wasn't I? It's GD....

And between these two, I say #2 just for the far richer malt character and fuller character. (And by now, someone has changed the soundtrack to some rock....)

5 & 8: #5 spicy, a bit wood-edged, hoppy, a bit too assertive in hop bite...... Was this Moylan's?

#8: mellower, better balanced, but still VERY big and assertive. I called this VOH, didn't I?

Okay, final sip-off between 2 and 8. Whatever they are. I flip over the original sheet and see that it's (according to my guesses) Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot versus Victory Old Horizontal. And if by some far-fetched chance I'm right, I'm definitely an Easterner, not an Anglophile or Westerner. (Though we haven;t had any British beers in this competition.....)

Final taste-off: 2 vs. 8: On nose alone, 2. But on palate...... aw cr@p.

2: Nose of woody but edgy barleywine, a bit of spice wood, rich but with lots of hops & alcohol to balance.

8: Nice, but a touch too much iodine to the flavor and finish to work for me.

And my winner is: #2!