Ommegang's Bigger and Bretter

Brewery Ommegang is one of those breweries that I enjoy but which has not found its way into any beer review on this blog.  The Cooperstown, New York-based brewery produces some very good Belgian style and French style ales.  One such beer is the Bigger and Bretter, Ommegang's Biere de Garde that was brewed with Brettanomyces, or wild yeast.  

Brett beers are for those beer aficionados who also love to gamble. The reason is that some beers brewed with Brettanomyces have very strong aromas and tastes.  Think of descriptions "barnyard funk" or "horse blanket." The wild yeast does a number to these beers, which only a fan of Brett beers can love.  Other Brett beers are more mild, evoking rather tame descriptions such as "earthy" or "floral." These are the examples of beers brewed that wild yeast that should be tried by a wary beer lover.  The reason is that it provides an opportunity for that person to try a beer style that he or she would not otherwise try ... out of a fear of horse blankets.  The thing is that one will not really know where the Brett beer will fall on this scale -- from barnyard funk to floral -- until the bottle or can is opened.  That is why it is a gamble. 

Fortunately, the Bigger and Bretter finds itself on the milder side of the scale.  The beer pours a orange color, with copper or bronze tones.  As the beer rests in the glass, aromas of cherry pie and cinnamon, along with the yeast, rise up to greet the nose. Those elements also include some herbal notes, which could be expected from a Brett beer.  When compared to some of the Brett beers that I have had in the past, the aromas of this beer were more modest and restrained. 

Not only were the aromas more restrained, but so were the flavors. The flavor of the Bigger and Bretter features tart cherries, but the beer lacked some of the "funk" that seems to set Brett beers apart, such as Les Deux Brasseurs or Orval. 

This beer is a good Brett beer for those who are reluctant to try a beer brewed with wild yeast.  Unfortunately, for those people, Brewery Ommegang has retired this beer.  For those who love Brett beers, you can still find Orval, which is perhaps one of the best Brett beers out there.   

Lost Rhino's Alphabrett

When it comes to beer, few would approach a beer that is described with terms such as "green apple," "sour cherry" or even, in a rare case, "horse blanket." I am one of those few.  The reason is that I recognize those descriptors.  They are words being used to describe a beer brewed with Brettanomyces or "Brett."  It is a wild yeast (or actually, a few different strains of wild yeast) that produces rather unique flavors that require an open mind and a palette that can embrace some really acidic and sour flavors. 

The use of Brett has been in vogue for quite a while.  Over the past few years, I have reviewed several beers brewed with the wild yeast.   Of those beers, the one that I like the most is the Orval, the Trappist beer brewed in Belgium.  The tart tones of the beer set it apart from its Trappist brethren.  A close second would be the Le Fleur, Misseur from New Belgium.  It is hard to believe that I reviewed those beers back in 2011, nearly six years ago.

A few months ago, my beautiful Angel took me on a tour through Virginia craft beer.  The last stop on the tour was Lost Rhino Brewing.   After trying a couple of the beers, I bought two beers from the brewer's Genius Loci series.  This series of beers display the brewer's creativity and experimentation.  The results are beers that differ greatly from the standards that grace the taps at the tasting room or local restaurants.

One beer in the series is the Alphabrett, a brown ale brewed with Brett and aged for two years in barrels.  The beer is brewed with pilsner, crystal and chocolate malts, Saaz hops and a combination of St. Bernardus yeast, along with Vlo yeast in the barrel.  

The Alphabrett pours an earth brown color, with some rust hues, which one would expect with a barrel-aged brown ale brewed with Brett. The brewers describe the beer as "prevalent green apple notes that go hand in hand with a pleasant sourness."  I think that description is largely accurate.  The aroma was difficult to ascertain, but I could get some faint hints of green apple and other Brett aspects.   That faint aroma is belied by a very strong flavor.  Prevalent means widespread, and there is a lot of green apple in the taste.  The sourness hits the tongue with the first sip, and never lets up.  With each additional taste, the sourness transforms from green apple to sour apple candy, with some pepper notes along the edges.

In the end, this is a very good beer.  I wish I had bought a second bottle of it.  (I actually bought two bottles, but the second one is a different Genuis Loci beer - that will be a review for a different time.)  This beer is not for the faint of heart or taste, but, if you like something different and something sour, the Alphabrett is worth a try.

ENJOY!

The Wild Streak

There was a time when all beers were aged in wood, and yeasts ran wild and cavorted together. Modern brewing is wonderful, of course, but sometimes a little cavorting is a fine thing. Sometimes it gives you a chance to reveal your funky side.  That is the beginning of the story of how Garrett Oliver and his team at Brooklyn Brewery decided to reveal their Wild Streak.

The Brooklyn Wild Streak starts off as a Belgian-style golden ale, but the brewers work their magic to transform that ale into a Barrel-Aged Brett Beer.  The ingredients are straightforward: Pilsner malts, along with three types of hops: German Perle, Slovenian Aurora and Styrian Golding Celia.  In addition, the brewers use their house Belgian yeast strain for the primary fermentation.  After that fermentation and a brief conditioning, the brewers then age the beer for several months in second-use bourbon barrels, which the brewers describe as giving the beer a soft, round character infused with nicely balanced oak flavors. Finally, the brewers bottle the beer flat and re-ferment it with blend of priming sugar, Pris de Mousse Champagne yeast and the wild yeast strain Brettanomyces Lambicus. And then the cavorting begins.  When all is said and done, the end result is natural carbonation. The beer is aged for almost a year (the cavorting takes a while) and then it is available for craft beer enthusiasts who like "a wonderfully complex earthy funk."  (That includes me.)

The Wild Streak pours a sort of hazy golden color, with a thick foam that recedes with time but never disappears.  The aromas initially reveal the bourbon barrels, with a combination of alcohol, bourbon and oak wood.  Those elements are accompanied by a little earth and grass.  The latter elements introduce the drinker to the funk to come in the taste.  

The earthy funk actually represents the outcome of a epic battle between two very strong flavor elements: the Brettanomyces and the bourbon barrels.  To some extent, the Brett struggles to overcome the bourbon barrels.  Other times, the bourbon barrels seemed to be overcome by the Brett.  There are other elements that also make an appearance, such as tart apple, pear, some citrus and a clear booziness that comes with a beer packing a 10% ABV.  Ultimately, the battle between the wild yeast and the bourbon barrels ultimately ends in a stalemate, as the overall taste of the beer provides a good combination of the wild yeast and bourbon barrels. At the end of the glass, I could not say that either the Brettanomyces or the bourbon barrels had outshined the other, both were represented well in the beer. 

The brewers suggest that the Wild Streak is "particularly great with cheese and game meats."  They particularly suggest washed rind cheeses.  This is an interesting suggestion, one that perhaps invites another battle between the funk of the beer and the funk of the washed cheeses.  

I found this beer at local grocery stores, and, a bottle sells for $23.99 (which is the same price as the Brooklyn Black Ops).  It is definitely worth the purchase, but only if you have a wild streak yourself.

ENJOY!

The Lost Belgian Brett

The label of a recent Lips of Faith bottled by New Belgium Brewing confirms what I've said in the past, "[t]he best part of collaboration is discovering mutual passions."  I have tried a wide range of collaboration beers, which usually showcase the brewers' interests and passions, often with some rather interesting and unique ingredients.  There are the collaborations that feature green tea in an India Pale Ale or the use of rye malt in a Saison.  Other collaborations seek to transform existing beer styles, such as "imperialize" a Flanders red ale. 

With the recent collaboration of New Belgium Brewing and The Lost Abbey, it was the use of Brettanomyces, a wild yeast strain.  The term is Greek for "British fungus."  Why it is referred to as "British fungus" is a little unclear, although Wikipedia notes that, in 1904, N. Hjelte Claussen discovered one strain of the yeast, Brettanomyces claussenii, while investigating the spoilage of English Ales.  Whatever the origin of the name, it is the bane of the wine world, causing wines to exude smells or display tastes that have been described with words and phrases like "barnyard," "horse stable," "sweaty saddle," and "cheese."  With respect to that last description, wine may go well with cheese, you just don't want your wine tasting like cheese.

Many of these elements may also be present in beers that are fermented with Brett.  However, the elements seem to work much better with hops and malts than with grapes.  Indeed, the Brett often provides a distinctive, yet agreeable character, such as a grassy aroma or a tart flavor.

This is what the brewers of New Belgium and The Lost Abbey were striving to achieve.  As they note on the bottle, "[u]sing Belgian inspiration, we fermented the beer with Brettanomyces, to bring out tropical fruit notes, crisp haziness and bright flavors."  They also brewed the beer with pale malts, along with Target, Centennial and Sorachi hops, which were intended to bring a slight citrus flavor to the beer.

The Brett pours a light golden color, with a substantial amount of "haziness" and a decent amount of foam.  The aromas were definitely suggestive of fruit, such as lemon, pineapple or tropical fruits.  However, the distinction comes from the flavor of the beer.  Of all the Brett beers I've tried (and I've had several), this beer was perhaps the most distinctive.  There was no significant barnyard or horse stable element to the beer.  Sure, there was a little funk, but it was relegated to the background or edges of the beer.  The principal feature of the taste was the citrus fruits from the hops wrapped in a bread-like notes from the malts and yeast.   This was by far the most drinkable Brett beer insofar as the funk was relatively tamed and not running wild through the aroma  and taste of the beer.

Beers brewed with Brettanomyces are often very difficult to pair with foods, precisely because of the unique flavors added by the yeast.  The brewers at New Belgium do offer a suggestion: Roasted Salmon with Lemon Scented Goat Cheese.  It might be worth a try the next time I have one of these beers.  And there will be a next time. 

I found the Brett beer at a local beer store with a large selection of craft beer.  If I recall correctly, it sold for about $8.99 per bottle.

ENJOY!

Les Deux Brasseurs

De Proef Brouwerij and its brewer, Dirk Naudts, have worked with various American craft brewers to produce collaboration beers.  I reviewed one of Naudt's collaborations with Terrapin Brewing Company, the Monstre Rouge. My beautiful Angel found another one of Naudt's collaborations, and bought a bottle of Les Deux Brasseurs Belgian Ale.  This collaboration represents the combination of the talents and creativity of Naudts with Jason Perkins, the head brewer at Allagash Brewing in Portland, Maine.

Les Deux Brasseurs ("the Two Brewers") is a Belgian Style Golden Ale.  This beer sets itself apart from other golden ales by the fact the beer is fermented with two different strains of Brettanomyces, which are wild yeast strains.  Commonly referred to as "Brett," these yeast strains are the bane of winemakers, but craft brewers love them.  Allagash's strain of Brett was discovered and isolated in their brewery.  Allagash flew this yeast strain to Belgium just days before the brew day for Les Deux Brasseurs.  On behalf of De Proef, Naudt chose his personal favorite strain of Brett.  The two Brett strains provided a second level of collaboration, working together to provide a unique flavor for this beer.  The brewers fermented and aged the beer for four months, during which time it was dry-hopped with Czech Saaz hops. 

According to brewers, the two yeasts strains yield notes of pear, apple and subtle pineapple, along with flavors of graham cracker, bread crust and subtle distinctive barnyard character.  That is quite an interesting description for the beer. 

The beer is a hazy, golden color, with a lot of fermentation.  Small bubbles working their way up through the beer to the surface, while dead yeast cells linger along the bottom of the glass.  That "barnyard" character is present in the aroma, but not the taste, which is marked with the pear, apple and pineapple.  The Brett yeast strains worked incredibly well together.

Generally speaking, so-called "Brett" beers are very difficult to pair with food.  This beer is best enjoyed on its own, or, maybe with some soft cheeses that do not have their own "barnyard character."

This beer is a little hard to find and I have not found it at any stores.  However, Clare found it at a beer store in Virginia, where it sold for $17.99 a bottle. 

ENJOY!

De Proef Brouwerij and Terrapin Beer Company Monstre Rouge

Over the past year, I have reviewed a couple of collaboration beers, such as the El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale and the Saison du Buff.   These beers involved the collaboration of American craft brewers, who banded together to test the limits of craft brewing and to produce a beer that has not been seen before. 

This time, the collaboration goes international, with brewer Brian "Spike" Buckowski from Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, Georgia and Dirk Naudts from De Proef Brouwerij in Locristi, Belgium.  These brewers decided to test the limits of not just any beer style, but the Flanders Red Ale.

The Flanders Red Ale is a Belgian sour ale from West Flanders.  The beer is aged for up to two years in oak barrels, where the resident bacteria work their magic to "sour" the beer.  In the past, it was common for Belgian brewers to blend in some younger beer with the old beer to balance the acidity and sourness.

The Monstre Rouge -- or Red Monster -- is an Imperial Flanders Red Ale.  According to the label, the Monstre Rouge is based off of Terrapin's Big Hoppy Monster recipe.  This particular beer also uses Spike's favorite ingredient (rye malt), along with a lot of crystal and Munich malts, and a Brettanomyces yeast strain.  After the brewing process, the beer is aged with toasted American oak. 

Both the aroma and the taste of this beer prominently feature cherries and dark cherries.  The taste of the beer also heavily emphasizes the alcohol and, as the beer warms, it hearkens to wines or liqueur.  In terms of the taste, this Flanders Red Ale is very similar to a barleywine.  Only the sourness provides a casual reminder that one is drinking a Flanders Red Ale rather than a British barleywine.

I found this beer at a local wine and beer store. Beers from Terrapin and de Proef are a little hard to find around where I live, but, if you like trying different beers, it may be worth the search.

ENJOY! 

Orval Trappist Ale

There are only seven Trappist breweries in the world.  A Trappist brewery is one that is either operated or under the control of a monastery.  The term "Trappist" originated with the monks of a Cistercian monastery in Soligny La Trappe, France, who had been brewing beer since before 1685 A.D.  The Trappist Order also had monasteries in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and even Bosnia. The number of Trappist breweries declined over time, with only seven left today.  Six of the Trappist Breweries -- Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren -- are located in Belgium.  The remaining two are Koenigshoeven in the Netherlands and Mariawald in Germany. And they are all members of the International Trappist Association.

Orval is the oldest of the Trappist breweries, having been founded in the 11th Century. It also brews one of the more distinctive beers, primarily due to the brewery's use of Brettanomyces or wild yeast.  I have previously reviewed the Le Fleur Misseur? Ale, a beer produced by New Belgium Brewing.  The Brettanomyces provide a different flavor to the beer that most people will not enjoy.  However, I love the different flavor that the wild yeast contributes to these beers. 

Orval brews its Trappist Ale in the style of a Belgian Pale Ale, although the Brettanomyces result in a beer that does not taste like most traditional Belgian Pale Ales.  Moreover, unlike most beers, the Orval is brewed to last a very long time.  I bought this beer, which had been bottled on May 10, 2009 and, according to the label, the beer was best before May 10, 2014.

Although the beer was nearly two years old by the time I tried it, the yeast in Orval's Trappist Ale did their work.   As I poured the beer carefully, I nevertheless ended up with a very large and frothy foam resembling a large cloud deck.  The off-white, very light caramel foam topped an orange colored ale. 

As for the smell and taste of the beer, it is a little hard to describe given the use of wild yeast.  The aromatic elements included some flowers, spice and a hint of orange.The taste of this beer is the reason why I love wild ales.  Orval uses wild yeast during the fermentation of this beer.  The yeasts contribute to a tart, somewhat musty flavor to this beer.  For me, as I mentioned above, that taste is what I expected and really like about this beer. 

The ABV of this beer is 6.9%.  This beer is widely distributed and can be found at most beer stores.  It sells for about $4.99 to $5.99 a bottle.

ENJOY!

New Belgium Brewing Le Fleur, Misseur? Ale

New Belgium Brewing is a socially conscious craft brewer in Fort Collins, Colorado that produces some great beers, including the one that the brewer is probably best known for, ... Fat Tire.  New Belgium beers are distributed primarily out west and in the Midwest.  Whenever I am traveling and I see a New Belgium beer on the menu, I am more likely than not to order a bottle to enjoy with dinner.  

A few months ago, when I was strolling the aisles of a Binny's Beverage Depot outside of Chicago, I came across a rather interesting beer from New Belgium ... the Le Fleur, Misseur? Ale.  On the bottle, the brewer writes that it is "a beer worthy of misspelling," and beckons the consumer to "learn why this beer holds a special place in our history at New Belgium."  Intrigued, I bought a bottle to try.

New Belgium produced Le Fleur, Misseur? Ale  for its employees to celebrate the company's fifteenth anniversary.  According to the brewer, the name of the beer originates from an experience of the brewery's founder, Jeff Lebesch, while sitting on the side of a road in Belgium.  A kid passed by, picked a flower, and offered it to Lebesch.  Hence, "Le Fleur, Misseur?"

The key to this beer is Brettanomyces or "Brett."  Brettanomyces are wild yeast that were once the bane of brewers, dooming beers by creating what most considered to be "off-flavors."  Note that I said "most."  There is a sizable contingent of brewers -- mainly the Belgians -- who actually welcome Brettanomyces into their beer.  Over the decades (and, indeed, centuries), they have been able to use "Brett" in the production of some great beer styles, such as Lambics and Geuze.  Perhaps, the most well known "Brett" beer is Orval, which is produced by Trappist Cistercian Monks.

More and more American craft brewers are experimenting with Brettanomyces to produce "wild beers."  New Belgium relies upon "Brett" to provide its Le Fleur, Misseur Ale with its unique aromatic characteristics and taste.  The brewer suggests that the aromas include flower, fresh bread and honey.  I could smell the flower, the bread and honey were a little harder for me to pick up from the beer.  As for taste, the brewer suggests pineapple clove or honey, with an herbal finish.  I definitely got the herbal finish, as well as some of the clove and honey. 

The beer pours with a thick white to off-white foam, that lasts for quite a while.  The beer does pour a nice deep golden color.  The nose and taste of the beer are different -- in a very good way -- and can lead one to overlook the fact that the beer is made with Pale, Victory, Wheat, C-80, Carapils and Oats malts, as well as Target and Willamette hops.  The beer has an ABV of 6.2%.

One would ordinarily think that pairing food with a "Brett" beer would be extremely difficult because of the favors produced by the yeast; however, the brewery provides food pairings recommended by different people on its website.  Many of the ideas sound very interesting, such as Ancho Chile Seasoned Buttermilk Fried Chicken Drizzled with Honey and Served on top of Blue Corn Waffles; Basil Crusted Pork Loin with Candied Pears and Pasta with Wild Mushroom Ragu.

I am a big fan of "Brett" beers and, in my opinion, New Belgium has definitely "tamed" the wild yeast to produce a great beer.  I would definitely recommend this beer for those who love craft beers and, in particular, those who are open to different tastes in their beers.  I found this beer at a Binny's Beverage Depot outside of Chicago, Illinois.

ENJOY!

For more about this beer, check out the brewery's website.  For more about Brettanomyces, check out Wikipedia.