Author Archive for greatclubsamerica

01
Sep
10

Featured Breweries – Tied House Brewery

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Categories: Beer Newsletters, Featured Breweries and Microbrew
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Tied House Brewery – San Jose, California

Tied House Brewery is one of the first original brewpubs in America, named in honor of a system of tied and free houses that emerged during England’s Industrial Revolution. A free house was privately owned, selling any type of beer. A tied house was a pub owned by a brewery and allowed to sell only that brewery’s beer, which “tied” them to that brewery.

Tied House opened in 1988 in downtown Mountain View, CA, the headquarters of Google, but more importantly, the headquarters of Tied House, where the great Coastal Fog beers now are made. Over two decades after they poured their first pint, they continue to perfect their award winning beer. So far, just in 2010, they have acquired six awards, including a 1st Place Gold. Quite impressive, as this is their first year producing Coastal Fog, and the awards are spread among several brews!

If you visit, don’t miss the Clubhouse Wall at the Tied House. More than 155 regulars have a numbered mug that hangs there, among the treasured multiple brew awards they’ve earned. Paying a small annual fee for their own mug, members get a bit more beer for their money, and Tied House logo gear and special invitations to local events. But perhaps the best feature is that the other side of the wall is their brewery, and famous kitchen!

They have proudly served 5 presidents, astronauts, and the revelers of 22 World Series, and now you are about to be served!

Coastal Fog IPA is brewed with copious amounts of Pacific Northwest hops. It’s a classic IPA with a balanced and substantial malt backbone.

Coastal Fog Amber Ale is rich and malty, with a light, hoppy finish, boasting flavors of roasted caramel and fresh hops.

Featured Beer from Tied House Brewery: Coastal Fog IPA and Coastal Fog Amber Ale.

www.tiedhouse.com

INDIA PALE ALE – Tied House’s Coastal Fog India Pale Ale – There is a long hoppy finish to this top fermented ale family of “beers of antiquity.” Medium bodied and heavily hopped with initial malt character, serve it at 13 degrees C / 55 degrees F with hearty main courses of red meats, Cheddar cheese or sharp salad dressing. (Goes well with nachos and wings, too!)

AMBER ALE – Tied House’s Coastal Fog Amber Ale – This honey-colored brew is full-flavored, boasting roasted caramel nuances and great body. It’s a top notch, top-fermented ale with perfect balance between hop flavor and malt character. It’s assertive, but not highly bitter. This Amber deserves to be paired with the best cuts of pork, bacon or ham.

Related: Beers featured in our Beer of the Month Club.

25
Aug
10

YOU CAN BE A GRADUATE OF ALE UNIVERSITY!

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Categories: Beer Newsletters and Clubs

Since all four selections this month are members of the Ale family, it seems fitting that we explore some details about this fine family of beers.

- Ales have been brewed and enjoyed since before King Tut strutted his stuff. But they nearly disappeared at the turn of the last century in our country as the Lager, the new kid on the block, turned the heads of so many former ale fans.

- The microbrewing revolution in the U.S. resurrected scores of ale styles that had been more or less forgotten. Today, appreciative ale drinkers have a variety of ale brews from which to choose.

- Ales comprise a few broad categories, usually determined by the brewing region. A few examples are Irish and English ales, Belgian and northern French ales, and Eastern European ales which include those from Germany and most wheat beers. American ales are based on these European styles, but with a Yankee twist.

- Long ago, most ales were muddy brown. The pale ales that followed were considered weak in color, thus in substance. But it’s documented that pale ale was the first “luminously crystal sparkling beer,” not the Bohemian Pilsner as is commonly believed.

- English ales are served at cellar temperature, about 55 degrees F. The best ales are cask condition, meaning they are naturally carbonated, and less “bubbly” that the mass produced ales sold in local stores.

- A striking difference between the English and the U.S. beer drinking public is that 85% of beer is consumed in British restaurants and pubs, while 85% of beer is consumed in the U.S. in our homes.

Keep soaking up more ale facts as you soak up this month’s ale selections from the Beer of the Month Club !

18
Aug
10

Small, Yet Very Large

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Categories: Beer and Microbrew
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These days, more and more larger brewing companies are starting to take over the beer market and are beginning to slowly run smaller breweries out of business. However, there are just a few small brewing companies all over the world that are still going strong making their microbrew beer. Companies like Uinta, Moosehead, and Samuel Adams have all made their mark on the beer industry and have not showed any sign of slowing down, even if the competition has twice the resources and control over 90 percent of the beer market.

Based out of Utah, the Uinta brewing company has been brewing world class, full-flavored, microbrew beer since 1993. Ever since its inception into the beer market, this brewery has done nothing but expand. Although the whole company started in a renovated mechanic’s garage, it has since expanded into a 26,000 square foot facility specifically designed for brewing only the best beer. The interesting fact about the Uinta brewery is that its entire facility is run 100 percent by wind power, making it the first Utah business to accomplish this feat.

Like the Uinta brewery, the Moosehead brewery located in Saint John, New Brunswick, has been an independent brewery since its inception in 1867. Ever since its beginning, this microbrew beer company has been run and controlled by the Oland family, now in its sixth generation of ownership under Derek Oland. Showing that the company still has what it takes to compete with the best, the Mooshead brewery earned a Gold award at the World Beer Cup in 2003, and another at the prestigious Monde Selection.

Probably one of the most highly known microbrew beer companies around the world is the Samuel Adams brewery based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ever since its beginning in 1984, this American-made brewery has done nothing but expand and brew only the best beers everyone can enjoy. While only taking up only 0.9 percent of the American beer market, Samuel Adams seems like they are at the top of the list in terms of all of the consumers who have chosen Samuel Adams as their beer.

With all of the support behind these microbrew beer companies, there is no telling how far these small, independent breweries will go. Only one thing is for sure; these breweries are not going anywhere, no matter how big the competition gets.

Related: Microbrew Beer of the Month Club

11
Aug
10

You Can Brew It!

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Categories: Brewing
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The process of home brewing your own beer is detailed but not difficult. With start-up costs for supplies and equipment ranging between $100-$200, it is also relatively inexpensive. Most of these items can be ordered online and include the following necessities: a brewpot, a fermenter, an airlock and stopper, bottling bucket, bottles, cleaning brushes for the bottles, hoses, a bottle-capper, a thermometer, and a few other incidental items.

The first step for home brewing involves buying the necessary ingredients. Many people opt to go the simple route and purchase an all-inclusive beer kit. These are usually made up of a can of concentrated hops malt and some yeast. The kit may also include some sort of fermentable substance such as brewers sugar or liquid malt extract. There are a variety of recipes for different types of beer. It is recommended that you start with the basic formula until you get the hang of it. Beer kits can be ordered online at websites such as www.monsterbrew.com or www.homebrewers.com.

It is also very important to the home brewing and fermenting process that all equipment be properly cleaned before use. There are many types of fungi and bacterias that can ruin your beer, so properly sanitizing equipment is essential. The fermenter, airlock, stopper, brew spoon, and brewpot should be cleaned in hot water with dish detergent.

The actual home brewing procedure begins with heating 2 quarts of water to pre-boiling temps. Remove from the heat, and pour in the ingredients from the beer kit. Mix until well-dissolved, and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add about 4 gallons of cold water to the fermenter, then pour in the heated ingredients. Mix and add yeast as soon as fermenter feels cool to the touch. This is the beginning of the fermentation process which will continue for about five days. Wait until there is at least a two minute interval between the bubbles rising into the airlock of the fermenter. At this point, the beer is ready. Sanitize all bottling supplies with a water/bleach mixture. Adding a concoction of 3/4 cup of pure dextrose and 3 cups of water to the fermented liquid before bottling will add carbonation. Allow bottled beer to sit in a dark area for about 2 weeks before drinking, then transfer to a refrigerator and enjoy!

Related: Microbrew Beer of the Month

04
Aug
10

A Simple How To: How is Beer Brewed?

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Categories: Beer
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Though it’s undeniably one of the most popular beverages in the world, some people take their interest in this drink more seriously than others. Considering that there are so many different varieties of beer with varying flavors, colors, and carbonation profiles, it’s not hard to understand why people would be fascinated with it. It is delicious when enjoyed by itself and it can also be greatly enhanced by pairing it with the right foods. Though some types are more popular than others, many prefer to constantly taste new micro brews, which is why there are beer of the month clubs that allow you to try new ones each month.

Of course, if you really want to take your knowledge of this popular beverage to the next level, it helps to understand how it is brewed. Many people are aware of the different ingredients involved, such as water, Hops, and barley, but beyond that they don’t have a very clear idea of how the brewing process goes. Essentially, it involves taking malted barley and placing it into hot water which will allow the sugars to come out. The next part of the process of making beer is mixing those sugars with Hops.

After taking the mixture of malt sugars and Hops and allowing it to cool, yeast is added. This allows fermentation to take place, which is a crucial part of the process. Basically, the yeast goes to work on the malted sugars, and ethyl alcohol and CO2 are released as a result. This is the main fermentation process, and when it’s done the solution just needs a little bit of added sugar to allow for the carbonation. It’s at this point that the solution is considered beer and it is ready to be bottled or kegged.

Though the process sounds very simple, it’s actually a lot more complicated and requires careful control and measurements. Breweries have got the process down to a science, and that is how they are able to consistently deliver their beer the same way. Knowing this process helps you to realize why people are so fascinated with the beverage, and it also helps you to appreciate the subtle differences in each brew.

28
Jul
10

Featured Breweries: Virgin Island St. John Brewers – U.S. Virgin Islands

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VIRGIN ISLANDS ST. JOHN BREWERS, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Tap Room is St. John Brewery’s island microbrewery, and if you are fortunate enough to visit the Islands, don’t pass up the chance to visit. Located in Cruz Bay on St. John, it is the only craft beer draft bar on St. John or St. Thomas, home to the largest selection of microbrewed beers in the Caribbean. (They also offer their own root and ginger beers, and Green Flash energy drink.)

So how did it all get started? Two college buddies (one a NASA scientist, the other a physical therapist) quit their jobs, seeking the island life on St. John. Their first few weeks were spent bussing tables and calling an old boat with no electricity “home.” They graduated to being bartenders, and rented a tiny apartment. Then boredom set in – not with island life, but with island beer. Using Internet pointers and a $50 beer-making kit, they experimented with a mango pale ale and other brews, still keeping their bartending jobs.

BY 2004, their brews were being noticed, and they knew they were filling a void. The increased demand meant they needed to expand, needing a way to bottle and distribute the beer. (Early brews were housed in hand-sterilized glass water bottles; distribution was via a temperamental old Toyota.) Piece by piece, it all fell into place, and today they make killer brews, while maintaining the joy of island life and all it has to offer.

Island Summer Ale is an easy drinker, with a soft wheat body and a clean, crisp finish. It’s brewed with 2 Row British Pale Malted Wheat and Hallertau hops.

Liquid Sunshine presents refreshing flavors with notes of coriander and orange. You’ll like the smooth wheat mouthfeel.

Featured Beer from Virgin Islands St. John Brewers: Island Summer Ale and Liquid Sunshine Belgian Style Ale

www.stjohnbrewers.com

ALE – St. Johns Brewer’s Island Summer Ale – A soft, easy drinking, top-fermented ale that has a remarkably clean, crisp finish. This one, still expressive and complex, has the perfect personality to pair with tropical foods, grilled chicken and seafood.

BELGIAN PALE ALE – St. Johns Brewer’s Belgian Pale Ale – Belgian-style ales don’t fit neatly into any classic styles, but are in a top-fermented class of their own. They are brewed with herbs and spices, with light to medium body and a wide range of hop and malt levels. Excellent with salads, steamed mussels and light seafoods.

See some of our featured breweries in our Beer of the Month Club.

21
Jul
10

Featured Breweries: Uinta Brewery – Salt Lake City Utah

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UINTA BREWERY, Salt Lake City, Utah

The goal of Uinta Brewing when it was established in 1993 was to produce fresh, full-flavored beers for distribution. Uinta was the first distributing craft-brewed brewery in the city, and their brews quickly gained a strong following, as no other brewery was concentrating on supplying the demands of Utah’s many pubs and restaurants. Requests for bottled beer became louder and more frequent, so in 1996 Uinta began bottling its award-winning beers. It became the biggest craft brewery in Utah. Uinta’s flagship Cutthroat Pale Ale is the #1 selling craft beer in the state, and Uinta is one of the top 50 volume-producing craft breweries in the United States.

They moved to a new 26,000 square foot facility in 2001, and each of those square feet is dedicated to reducing negative impact on the environment using renewable energy. The Brewery is 100% wind powered, and they re-use their six pack carriers. Spent grain is donated to local ranchers for cattle feed, further reducing waste. This is just a sampling of how they protect the environment.

Proud of its many mottos, including “Keeping Utah the Way We Found It – Except with Beer,” and “Improving Utah’s Environment – Starting with Beer.” They provided comic relief during a major drought by coining the phrase, “Save Water – Drink Beer.”

We’re proud to bring you Uinta’s King’s Peak Porter, flavorful and complex. Dark mahogany with a creamy head, it’s rich with dark chocolate, fruit and coffee nuances. It brought home the coveted Gold Medal three years in a row, and is still going strong.

Solstice Kolsch Style Ale is a lighter style German ale, with refreshing, light, crisp hop character. Its subtle bitterness is invigorating.

Featured Beer from Uinta Brewery:
King’s Peak Porter and Solstice Kolsch
www.uintabrewing.com

PORTER – Uinta’s King’s Peak Porter – Porter was England’s first national beer, deriving its name from its popularity with street-market porters who drank it for its nourishment. Dark in color and robust, top-fermented porters are excellent with fresh raw oysters, shellfish, Porterhouse steak, chocolate and creamy fruit desserts.

ALE – Uinta’s Solstice Kolsch Style Ale – This is a light, crisp, top-fermented beer that uses a touch of bitterness to attain its spirited flavor. These beers of antiquity are known for their expressiveness and complexity. Enjoy this brew with grilled chicken or your favorite seafood.

Related: Join our Beer of the Month Club.

14
Jul
10

North, South, West, and Yeast

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Categories: Beer Newsletters
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It’s undeniable – no matter what direction you look, yeast is everywhere! It floats freely in the air, reproducing, metabolizing and being the reason for the creation of (depending on the type of yeast) mold, mildew, wine and beer!

Being that this is a beer newsletter, I’ll concentrate on the latter. Since ancient times, mankind has known that yeast can make an alcoholic drink out of nearly any plant, fruit or vegetable. Some archeologists claim that primitive forms of yeast selection were put into use by brewers as early as 1400 B.C.

When viewed under a microscope, brewer’s yeast appears to be a chain of little fungus organisms. (Their life’s work is to convert sugar to both carbon dioxide and alcohol.) Yeast was first viewed under a microscope by Dutch scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek, the inventor of that instrument. It is believed that beer yeast was the first thing Leeuwenhoek sought to observe under the lens!

By the mid 1800’s, it had been determined that malted barley was very receptive to yeast. And there were two primary strains of yeast that worked particularly well in the making of beer – one was successful in producing lagers, and the other was instrumental in creating ales.

Ale yeast gives beer its expressive, complex, fruit flavor. This yeast ferments at the top of the brew barrel in temperatures of 55 to 75 degrees F. In yeast past, this top-fermenting yeast lent itself to contamination as it worked in close proximity to the air where unwanted yeasts came into play.

Lager yeast is bottom-fermenting and works in a cooler environment of 32 to 55 degrees F. Lagers of today are stored for many weeks (even months) while the lager yeast works its magic, giving lagers their clean, soft taste.

Relates: Beer of the Month Club Is The Perfect Gift.

22
Jun
10

An Introduction to Cask Ale

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Categories: Beer
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If you’re new to the microbrew culture, you’re probably realizing that’s it’s difficult to keep track of all the different styles of beer America’s microbreweries are putting out. What’s the difference between a Pale Ale and an India Pale Ale? A porter and a stout?  A dubbel and a tripel? Indeed, even for the veteran microbrew consumer, there’s always something to learn. Today we’re going to introduce you to an entirely different kind of beer: cask ale, or “real ale,” as some call it.

While a white ale and a stout are about as different as two beers can be, they still have a lot in common. Like virtually all beer consumed in the United States, these beers are filtered after fermentation is complete in order to remove sediment. Then, they’re pasteurized in order to extend the lifespan of the beer on store shelves or in the local watering hole. Next, they have additional carbonation added to them to appeal to the modern palate. Finally, they’re bottled (or canned) and shipped off for consumption.

But beer wasn’t always produced like this – indeed, only since the second half of the 20th century has “modern” beer production taken hold. Fortunately, beer purists have taken it upon themselves to preserve traditional ales. Cask ale can be hard to find, in part because it’s a risky offering for pubs to have available. Pubs have to sell it quickly, as it won’t keep nearly as long as a keg of Bud Light, and they have to commit to selling an entire keg, as cask ale is always served directly from the vessel in which it was conditioned (fermented). That said, it’s well worth the effort to find an opportunity to try cask ale.

Cask ale, unlike most beer you’ve likely ever had, isn’t filtered, pasteurized, artificially carbonated, or bottled. This means that it has a freshness unlike any beer you’ll find at the local convenience store. Also, it’s got a very different character – because it’s only naturally carbonated, cask ale tends to have a smoother, creamier “mouthfeel” than modern beer. While there’s a good chance you won’t find a cask ale in the first place you look, if you ask around, you’ll likely be able to find some, whether at a local brewery or at a pub specializing in craft beer.

In some ways, cask ale is simply a “traditional” mirror of many of the beers you know well. Cask ale can come in many styles; it’s not a “style” of beer in and of itself; it’s simply a method of producing beer, regardless of the style of the particular ale in question. If you’re a microbrew veteran, cask ale is a great next step in your exploration of beer. If you’re brand new to microbrews, cask ale will be a fun and very different experience for you. We recommend that you make the effort to track some down!

Have a look around and check out our Beer of the Month Club and Wine of the Month Club.

15
Jun
10

Beer for a Special Occassion

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Categories: Beer
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If you’ve had a particularly good week in the office or you’re celebrating a special occasion, you may not feel like cracking open just another bottle of your usual beer (especially if you’re usual isn’t a tasty microbrew!). Maybe you’re looking for something a bit more exotic – something to enjoy as a special treat. Well, don’t worry. You don’t have to simply put down your $8.99 for a six-pack of a mid-range microbrew. Indeed, when you want something especially luxurious, here are a couple of beers to try that will require a much more sizeable investment.

90 Minute IPA – Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Milton, DE ($10.99/four pack at Bevmo.com)

Even if you’ve never tried it, there’s a chance you’ve heard of Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA. Some beer enthusiasts go so far to refer to this brew as America’s finest microbrew. We’re not in the business of making such endorsements, but we can say that if you like a rich, complex, hoppy brew, you’ll probably enjoy 90 Minute IPA. While this beer is as hoppy as you’d expect from a Double IPA, it’s also remarkably well-balanced, with a maltiness and fruit-based sweetness that helps to round out the flavor profile. Note that it’s called “90 Minute” IPA for a reason – with an ABV of 9.0%, 90 minutes is how long Dogfish Head recommends that you spend enjoying this distinguished brew.

Bourbon County Stout – Goose Island Brewery – Chicago, IL ($19.99/four pack at Bevmo.com)

Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout is a rich, dark imperial stout that’s aged in used Jim Beam bourbon barrels. While this isn’t the only bourbon stout on the market, Goose Island claims that this was the first bourbon stout ever produced. Full of vanilla, chocolate, and caramel aromas and flavors, this is about as full-flavored and full-bodied a beer as you’re likely to find. Indeed, this brew is so rich and complex that you can even age it for up to five years! Whenever you choose to consume it, at 13% ABV, it’s certainly a “sipping beer” – you’re not likely to be tossing back several of these at a time – and works nicely as, or with, dessert.

Given the price points of these beers, they’re not likely to become your usual, but they’re certainly worth a try for a special occasion or a celebration. Treat yourself to one of these unique brews!

Have a look around and check out our Beer of the Month Club and Wine of the Month Club.

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