Five Beers on Friday

I recently passed the 500 unique beers mark on Untappd (Legendary!) and am looking forward to keeping the momentum going to 1000 this year. I'm off to a good start with about 50 new ones in January. Here are a few of my favorites from the past month.

ONE
Harvest Wild Hop IPA w/ Neomexicanus Hops - Sierra Nevada

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Funky. Different. Must try. This IPA from Sierra Nevada is part of  the Harvest series in which they use new and experimental hops. This one uses a relatively new hop that was found out in the wild in the valleys of New Mexico and is thusly named neomexicanus. This wild hop has a distinct smell and flavor that is similar to cannabis. Most people are aware that hops and marijuana are cousins, but I have never found a hop to be so similar in its perceivable flavor and aroma. It also has a bit of a citrus hop flavor. I was so intrigued by this beer and I wish I could find more like it, but it looks like a New Mexico monastery has bought up the land where this variety grows which has limited the availability of it.

TWO

Narwhal Imperial Stout - Sierra Nevada

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Another must try from Sierra Nevada. This malt forward imperial stout is full of great flavors. The chocolate and coffee notes are strong with a noticeable warming factor from the 10.2 %  ABV. I wasn't in a traditional craft beer bar when I ordered this, which was apparent when they seemed shocked to find that it was only served in 10 oz glasses. I don't think I would want a full pint of this one as it is meant to be savored rather than slammed. Also, how about that label?

THREE

Wahoo White - Ballast Point

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I wasn't amazed by this one, BUT it is one that I would grab a 12 pack of for a camping weekend. It is light, yet full of orange and citrus flavors that are associated with the Belgian wit style. An easy drinker (4.5% ABV) that satisfies.

FOUR

Death by Coconut - Oskar Blues

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This is by far one of the best beers I've ever had. Top 10 for sure. It was part of a tap takeover at Pat's Tap in Minneapolis by Oskar Blues. The description on the menu mentioned chocolate and dark caramel and that it was a limited yearly release, so I thought I'd give it a try. When it arrived at the table, I didn't even have to take a sip to know that it was going to be good. The aroma alone will knock your socks off. The smell of baked coconut fills your nostrils and you begin to salivate. The coconut is complemented by the subtle chocolate and caramel flavors. It reminds me of the Girl Scout Samoa cookies. I will definitely be seeking this one out at my local craft beer shop.

FIVE

Size 4 - Steel Toe

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One of our regular customers at Lakes & Legends is an employee over at Steel Toe Brewing in St. Louis Park. Super friendly guy who has a lot of insight into the craft beer scene in the Twin Cities. Once in a while, he drops off a growler of Steel Toe's brews for the L&L staff to enjoy. Recently, he graced us with Size 4 a session IPA (the sizes of their IPAs are based on the ABV, try out their Size 11 if you're looking for something really special). It was refreshing, not overly hoppy, and something that I could drink a fair amount of which makes the 4% ABV even more appealing.

Na zdrávje!

Your Older Brother vodka cocktail

For Christmas, I have a tendency of receiving alcohol inspired gifts and this year was no different. From my wife, I received the perfect muddler and a notebook to jot down all of my favorite cocktail recipes. My wife's aunt and uncle gifted me with some awesome tulip glasses. From my in-laws, I received several books about beer, a bottle of port, and an interesting cocktail mixer. It is a piney, citrus flavored mixer made by White Whale called Your Older Brother.

White Whale makes several mixers from herbs and juices intended for a particular spirit. Their drink recipes are really simple; one part mixer, one part spirit, and garnish. Your Older Brother is meant to be mixed with vodka and garnished with a slice of lemon. I decided to bump up the orange flavor and a couple dashes of orange bitter and garnish with a orange slice. It is super refreshing and would be best a hot summer afternoon (it may be a while). You can purchase this mixer and explore the others here.

Recipe

-Fill glass with ice and add 1.5 ounces vodka

-Add 1.5 ounces of White Whale Your Older Brother mixer

-Optional: add three dashes of orange bitters

-Garnish with a lemon or orange slice (or both!)

-Stir and drink!

Gan Bei!

Five Beers on Friday - Chrismas

Merry Christmas everyone! In the air you can feel the holiday cheer and in my fridge you'll find some holiday beer. For this Five Beers on Friday I have put together a list of five Christmas style or winter style ales that I have enjoyed recently. Having five of these darker full flavored brews will make it much easier to get through the day with family.

ONE
Boreal Winter - Lakes & Legends

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I'm starting off with a beer from the brewery that I work at, Lakes & Legends, because why wouldn't I. This is one of two seasonal beers that we have on tap and it is going fast. It is a winter warmer ale that is packed full of flavor with strong roasty and dark chocolate notes. A friend of mine had a blind taste test of ten different stouts with a group of nine other people and this beer took the prize as crowd favorite. If you need to drown out your younger cousins quickly this one will help with an ABV of 10.1%.

TWO
Milk Stout Nitro - Left Hand

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I am loving all of the breweries that are experimenting with adding nitrogen to their canned and bottled beers. It creates a smoother and creamier head that you would only think to find straight from the tap. Left Hand Brewing Company out in Longmont, CO was the first American brewery to bottle a nitro beer with their milk stout back in 2011. This beer is so amazing! It is so smooth and refreshing. I won't say much more than to tell you to just go out and buy it right now.

THREE
Snowdrift Vanilla Porter - Leinenkugel's

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I have a great fondness for my hometown brewery, Leinenkugel's. Even though I am slightly biased, I believe their Snowdrift Vanilla Porter is a top notch beer that can stand up against any other winter beer. It has a strong vanilla flavor that is complemented with chocolate and coffee notes. I have this every year and I've never been able to limit myself to just one.

FOUR
Winter Ale - Summit

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Summit's Winter Ale is a nice introduction to the winter warmer category. It is approachable with a medium body, a slight hoppy spice, and some sweet caramel flavors. A nice easy drinker that I compare more to a brown/amber ale than a stout/porter.

FIVE
Canneberge - Lakes & Legends (cranberry saison)

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While this technically isn't a winter or Christmas style ale, the Canneberge is a cranberry saison that is the second of our two seasonals at Lakes & Legends. The cranberries were actually harvested from Minnesota's only commercial cranberry bog making it a true farmhouse style ale with a farm-to-glass approach. This has been a huge hit and it may actually be gone already (there were only two kegs left on Tuesday). It has a slight tartness from the cranberries and a little saison spice to complement. This beer is a perfect pair with a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. A pocket full of money and a cellar full of beer!

Five Beers on Friday 12/18

My wife has been linking up with some other lady bloggers who do a "Five Things on Friday" post each week. For a lifestyle blog, it's a nice and simple way to share the things that have currently peaked your interest. I've decided to take my own spin on this idea and start a Five Beers on Friday post where I can share some of the great beers that I've recently enjoyed.

As a note, I'm not into the intense beer reviews that some other beer enthusiasts do (appearance, aroma, taste, overall score). There's nothing wrong with doing that, but I don't find a whole lot of value in them as everybody's tastes are different. One person's opinion and interpretation on a beer will be completely different than another's. I would rather bring your attention to some beers that I have sampled and explain what may make them attractive to others.

For my first post, I think it would only make sense to highlight five of my favorite beers from the brewery that I have the pleasure of working at; Lakes & Legends Brewing Company.

ONE
Slim's Grin - Raspberry Braggot (honey ale)

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This is by far my favorite beer that is on tap right now. It is a raspberry flavored braggot, which is a beer style that I had never heard of before. It is like a mead, but whereas a mead is made entirely from honey, a braggot is made from honey and malt. It is very sweet with nearly zero hop flavor (4 IBUs). It is heavily carbonated giving it a fizzy mouthfeel that plays on your tongue. I compare it to a wine-cooler and always recommend it to customers that are not overly fond of beer. Be careful though, its sweet and refreshing flavor masks the high alcohol content of 7.2% ABV.

TWO
Silky Stout - Belgian style stout

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If I could only choose one beer to have on tap at the brewery, the Silky Stout would be it. I love the raspberry braggot, but one is generally enough for me. The stout is such an easy drinker that I could have several growlers full. It has a coffee ground and dark chocolate bitterness, but the addition of milk sugars and the Belgian yeast give it a sweet smoothness. Adding a splash of our cold brew coffee creates an extra special treat on a frigid Minnesota wintry night.

THREE
Great Wit North - Witbier

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This is a great beer to introduce people to Belgian style ales. I offer this one to anyone looking for a lighter body beer. It is quite sessionable at 5.6% ABV (the lowest of all of our beers) and is comparable to other major market witbiers. It has a orange zest and coriander aroma that is complemented by clove notes of the Belgian yeast.

FOUR
Bitter Farmhand - Belgian style IPA

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Focusing on sweeter Belgian and farmhouse style ales runs counter to the hop crazy trend that currently dominates the American craft beer scene. To appease the hop heads, there is this Belgian style IPA. It isn't overly hoppy (71 IBU), which I appreciate. The Belgian yeast cuts the hop bitterness creating a nicely balanced beer to be consumed all year round.

FIVE
Preservation - Belgian rauchbier (smoked beer)

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Smoked beer isn't for everyone, I'm not always a huge fan either, but this one is very approachable and won't overwhelm. The aroma is reminiscent of a smoked ham and I imagine it being the perfect beer back for a bloody mary. You can still get a small hint of banana flavor from the Belgian yeast which contrasts the smokiness.

These are only five of the nine beers available at Lakes & Legends. A tenth brew will be unveiled in the next few weeks and eventually there will be a full sixteen on tap! I'm super excited to be working for such a great brewery and the amazing beer makes it even better. Come stop in and allow me to pour you a glass!

À la vôtre!

Lakes & Legends

As I have been preparing for my Cicerone certification, I've read plenty of tips from people who have already taken the exam. One piece of advice that everyone seems to give is that you must have serving experience. Which makes sense. The primary reason for the cicerone program's existence is to promote proper beer handling and presentation. So, in order to be a good cicerone, you should know what it takes to go behind the bar and pour that perfect pint. I followed through on this and just recently obtained my very first serving job at a new brewery called Lakes & Legends Brewing Company.

I read about Lakes & Legends in our local craft beer magazine, The Growler. This led me to check out their Facebook page where I learned that they were looking for beertenders. I applied, interviewed, and surprisingly was offered a job despite having zero serving experience. The owners, two brother-in-laws, are focused on creating a team that will help build the brand that they are after. Their goal is to create an educational experience where patrons can learn about the ingredients in their beer and the process by which they are created. I believe my pursuit of a cicerone certification helped set me a part and I am so thankful for the opportunity. The brewery opened up last week and I am thoroughly enjoying my new position behind the bar.

Lakes and Legends is located in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis on the ground floor of a swanky new highrise. They focus on Belgian and farmhouse ales, which are some of my favorite beers. Opening night featured four beers; a saison, a wit, a golden strong ale, and a Belgian stout. This week, a raspberry braggot will be added to the line-up which is like a mead, but instead of being made of all honey, a braggot is part honey and part malt. I had an unfiltered sample straight from the fermenter and was blown away. Eventually, there will be a rotating list of twelve beers on tap!

Not only are the beers delectable, but the taproom is absolutely gorgeous. They definitely nailed the farmhouse kitchen look. Sturdy wooden tables with benches fill the room and there is an indoor patio area with Adirondack chairs and astro-turf. Above the taps there are canisters full of malt which can be sampled upon request. Live entertainment is also in the future for the brewery as there will be a stage on one end of the taproom.

I'm super excited for this awesome opportunity. To be a part of a brewery as it first opens its doors presents some great moments of learning. Additionally, I recently learned that one of the other servers is also studying to become a certified cicerone, so we have agreed to study together through tastings and discussions. If you are ever in the Twin Cities area, be sure to stop by and order a flight at Lakes & Legends.

Op uw gezondheid!

3 Dessert Cocktails. 5 Ingredients.

Each season or event has its own cocktail of choice. Summer is the perfect time for a margarita, the Kentucky Derby has the mint julep, and the deep of winter can be warmed up with a hot toddy. For me, fall is a great time to enjoy some sweeter dessert cocktails after a hearty meal. Three of my favorite dessert cocktails can be made with only five ingredients. They are super simple to make, are very pleasing to the eye, and are even more enjoyable to taste.

INGREDIENTS
-Creme de cacao
-Cream/ice cream
-Creme de noyeaux/Creme de almond
-Brandy
-Creme de menthe (make sure to get the green kind)

The Pink Squirrel

Use equal parts (1.5 ounces) creme de noyeaux, creme de cacao, and cream. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The pink squirrel is the invention of Milwaukee's oldest cocktail bar, Bryant Cocktail Lounge. This bar is an absolute gem. My wife and I visited Bryant's nightly when we were in Milwaukee for a short weekend trip. They have over 450 different cocktails, but all of the recipes are a mystery and none of the ingredients are in display of the customer. The server simply asks you a series of questions to get an understanding of your tastes and mixes a drink customized to you.

The pink squirrel is one of those 450 recipes that has made its way into almost every cocktail lounge around the country. The unique ingredient for this one is the bright red creme de noyeaux. This bottle was difficult to find. I visited three different liquor stores and each had no idea what I was talking about. I finally found a knock off brand called creme de almond. However, don't try to substitute amaretto as the flavor is just a little bit off, plus you will be missing out on the awesome pink color that give the cocktail its namesake.

Note: For each of these three recipes you can use ice cream or heavy cream. I prefer heavy cream as I find it difficult to get the ideal consistency with ice cream.

Brandy Alexander

Use equal parts (1.5 ounces) brandy, creme de cacao, and cream. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a dash of nutmeg.

The nutmeg garnish really adds to the holiday spirit of this drink. There are flavors of egg nog, ginger bread, and mulled wine present. This is a classic cocktail that should be in every bartender's recipe book.

Grasshopper

Use equal parts (1.5 ounces) creme de menthe, creme de cacao, and cream. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

I remember the first time I had this drink was at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. After the first act, they brought around a dessert menu which had an entire section devoted to after dinner drinks. I ordered the grasshopper and absolutely loved it. I brought my wife there on our second date and made sure to ask for it again. It tastes very similar to a thin mint girl scout cookie and it is a great drink to comfort your stomach after a large turkey dinner.

May you never be without a drop for the holidays!

Certified beer server

Earlier this month, I took the first step to becoming a Certified Cicerone by passing the certified beer server exam. It was a 30 minute online exam composed of 60 multiple choice questions. A final score of 75% was required to pass, but I studied quite a bit and obtained a score of 92%. I probably should have studied the specifics of each beer style more thoroughly because I got a couple of those questions wrong. For example, they gave four different beer styles and asked you to identify the one with the highest ABV. Another question that I got wrong had you identify what was the proper way to lock a coupler on a keg. If I was doing it in real life I could do it no problem, but without it in front of me I don't know if you are supposed to turn it clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Overall, it was a pretty straight forward test. I may have been able to pass it without studying, but it would have been tough. They do ask some pretty specific questions about beer styles. There was also several questions about draft system maintenance, perceivable flavors, and beer history that I wouldn't have known before hand. I stressed quite a bit about this test, because I really wanted to nail it. In hindsight a pre-test beer would have really helped to calm the nerves.

In preparation for the exam, I read Randy Mosher's book, "Tasting Beer." I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about beer. His book explains the different flavors that the human tongue can perceive as well as certain environmental factors which may influence how you taste a beer. Like, if a woman were to wear lipstick while tasting beer, the oils will kill the head of the beer. Also, if you just got done washing your hands, a lemon scented soap may introduce citrus flavors that aren't actually present in the beer. After reading this book, I have a deeper respect for retailers and servers who take the time to properly serve a beer to customers. When you are served a beer with an off flavor (most likely acquired after it leaves the brewery), it is natural to blame that on the brewer. This is why the Cicerone certification program is so important in establishing an industry wide respect for proper beer handling and presentation.

The next step is the Certified Cicerone exam. There is an exam scheduled in May for Minneapolis, but I don't think I'll be ready yet. I want to really take my time so that I only have to take it once. There is a lot of reading accompanied by an equal amount of tasting in my future. I would really like to find a group of people that are interested in becoming certified or have already attempted the exam so that I can pick their brain about what to expect. It will also be helpful to discuss flavor notes while tasting with others as some may experience something different from a beer that I wouldn't have noticed on my own.

I'm still just as dedicated to becoming a Certified Cicerone. In fact, I'm more focused on the end goal, because the more I learn, the more my thirst for additional knowledge grows. Beer is a wonderful beverage with so much depth to explore and it is better experienced when shared with others.

Prost!